Town East Mall

Town East Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall in Mesquite, a suburb of Dallas, Texas. The property is positioned along Interstate 635 between Interstate 30 and U.S. Route 80, giving it access to residential communities and commercial districts in the eastern part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. Its location and scale have made it one of the area's established regional shopping destinations. The mall opened on October 6, 1971. It was developed by Homart Development Company, a real-estate development subsidiary of Sears, with Dallas architectural work by Harrel & Hamilton and construction by Avery Mayes Construction Company. The complex was designed as a three-level, Y-shaped enclosed mall organized around a prominent 168-foot steel pylon. At approximately 1.2 million square feet, or about 110,000 square meters, Town East Mall was built to accommodate a broad mix of department stores, specialty retailers, food-service businesses, and other consumer services. Town East Mall has historically operated as a multi-anchor shopping center rather than as a single-brand retail outlet. Its current principal anchors are Macy's, Dillard's, JCPenney, and Dick's Sporting Goods. These stores provide coverage across department-store merchandise, apparel, home goods, sporting goods, footwear, and related categories, while the interior mall supplies smaller-format specialty retail and dining. Dick's Sporting Goods became the mall's fifth anchor in March 2018, extending the property's retail mix beyond traditional department stores. The property underwent a reported $20 million renovation in late 2004. The investment reflected the continuing importance of maintaining a large regional mall through physical upgrades and refreshed customer-facing environments. Town East Mall also has a connection to popular culture: portions of the 1978 film Cotton Candy, directed by Ron Howard, were filmed at the mall. A major later transition involved Sears. The mall's Sears location closed in 2021, ending the operation of the last Sears store in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Sears anchor pad and associated parking area are separately owned from the mall, and plans call for the former site to be redeveloped. The announced concept includes a Main Event entertainment venue, restaurants, a hotel, and a conference center. Construction was reported to be underway, with an expected opening in 2026. This planned redevelopment illustrates the property's shift toward a broader retail, dining, hospitality, and entertainment mix as department-store footprints change. Town East Mall remains an active regional shopping destination. Its present identity combines enclosed-mall retail, major department and specialty anchors, dining, and planned entertainment-oriented redevelopment. Ownership, executive leadership, and detailed operating or financial metrics are not identified in the supplied reference material.

Town East Mall was developed in Mesquite, Texas, by Homart Development Company, a real-estate subsidiary of Sears. The development team included Harrel & Hamilton of Dallas as architects and Avery Mayes Construction Company as the construction contractor. The mall opened on October 6, 1971, as a major enclosed retail center positioned to serve the eastern side of the expanding Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The original design was a three-level, Y-shaped enclosed mall. A 168-foot steel pylon formed a notable visual feature at its center, helping establish the property as a recognizable roadside and community landmark. With approximately 1.2 million square feet of space, Town East Mall was built at regional scale, supporting multiple department-store anchors and a broad range of in-line specialty retailers, dining businesses, and consumer services. The mall later gained a place in film history when director Ron Howard used it as a filming location for portions of the 1978 movie Cotton Candy. In late 2004, the property received a reported $20 million renovation, reflecting the ongoing need for major enclosed shopping centers to modernize their physical environments and sustain customer traffic. Town East Mall's anchor strategy continued to evolve. Dick's Sporting Goods opened in March 2018 as a fifth anchor, adding a large-format sporting-goods tenant to the established Macy's, Dillard's, JCPenney, and Sears presence. The addition broadened the mall's merchandise offer and reinforced its role as a destination serving more than traditional department-store shoppers. The Sears store closed in 2021. It was described as the last Sears store in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The former Sears anchor pad and parking lot are separately owned from the main mall property, and redevelopment plans were subsequently associated with the site. The proposed program includes a Main Event entertainment center, restaurants, a hotel, and a conference center. Construction was reported to be underway, with the project expected to open in 2026. These changes reflect the broader transformation of regional malls from department-store-centered retail properties toward mixed retail, dining, entertainment, and hospitality destinations. Town East Mall continues to operate as an active enclosed mall, anchored by Macy's, Dillard's, JCPenney, and Dick's Sporting Goods, while its surrounding redevelopment plans seek to add uses capable of generating visits beyond conventional shopping.

• 2026

  Expected opening of planned redevelopment

  [1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Redevelopment plans for the former Sears site are expected to include Main Event, restaurants, a hotel, and a conference center, with an anticipated opening in 2026.

• 2021

  Sears location closes

  [1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's Sears store closed, ending the retailer's presence at the last Sears location in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.

• 2018

  Dick's Sporting Goods becomes a fifth anchor

  [1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dick's Sporting Goods opened at the mall in March 2018 as an additional anchor tenant.

• 2004

  Major renovation

  [1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The property underwent a reported $20 million renovation in late 2004.

• 1978

  Mall used as a filming location

  [1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Portions of Ron Howard's film Cotton Candy were filmed at Town East Mall.

• 1971

  Town East Mall opens

  [1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The three-level enclosed mall opened in Mesquite, Texas, on October 6, 1971.

A large regional enclosed shopping mall serving eastern Dallas–Fort Worth, combining department-store anchors, specialty retail, dining, and evolving entertainment and hospitality uses.

• Shopping center · 1971

  Enclosed regional shopping mall

  Town East Mall provides a three-level enclosed shopping environment of approximately 1.2 million square feet. Its format combines department stores, specialty retailers, food-service operators, customer amenities, and common areas in a climate-controlled regional destination.

• Department stores

  Department-store anchors

  Macy's, Dillard's, and JCPenney serve as major anchors, offering broad merchandise assortments that include apparel, accessories, home products, beauty items, and other general retail categories. Their presence gives the mall a traditional regional-shopping foundation.

• Sporting goods retail · 2018

  Dick's Sporting Goods

  Dick's Sporting Goods is a large-format sporting-goods anchor offering athletic apparel, footwear, equipment, and related outdoor and recreational products. It opened at Town East Mall in March 2018 as the property's fifth anchor.

• Entertainment and mixed-use redevelopment · 2021

  Former Sears site redevelopment

  The former Sears anchor pad and parking area are planned for redevelopment with a Main Event entertainment center, restaurants, a hotel, and a conference center. The site is separately owned from the mall, and the project was reported as under construction with an expected 2026 opening.

• 2021

  Redevelop the former Sears siteStrategy

  Background

  Sears closed its Town East Mall location in 2021, leaving a large anchor pad and parking area available for a new use.

  Action taken

  Plans were announced for a Main Event entertainment center, restaurants, a hotel, and a conference center on the separately owned former Sears site.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment was reported to be under construction and expected to open in 2026, supporting a more mixed retail, entertainment, dining, and hospitality-oriented destination.

  Source

• 2018

  Add Dick's Sporting Goods as a fifth anchorProduct launch

  Background

  The mall's anchor mix was expanded beyond traditional department stores to include a major sporting-goods retailer.

  Action taken

  Dick's Sporting Goods opened at Town East Mall in March 2018.

  Aftermath

  The new anchor broadened the mall's retail categories and destination appeal.

  Source

• 2004

  Undertake a major mall renovationStrategy

  Background

  The established regional mall required a substantial physical refresh to maintain its customer-facing environment and competitiveness.

  Action taken

  Town East Mall underwent a reported $20 million renovation in late 2004.

  Aftermath

  The renovation became a significant modernization milestone for the property.

  Renovation investment. $20 million (Late 2004)

  Source

• 2021

  Sears closes its Town East Mall location[1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Sears store at Town East Mall closed in 2021. It had been the final Sears location in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area.

• 2021

  Former Sears site enters redevelopment planning[1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Following the Sears closure, plans were identified for redevelopment of the separately owned anchor pad and parking area with a Main Event entertainment center, restaurants, a hotel, and a conference center.

• 2018

  Dick's Sporting Goods opens as a fifth anchor at Town East Mall[1]Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Dick's Sporting Goods opened at Town East Mall in March 2018, adding a major sporting-goods anchor to the property's department-store-led tenant mix.

1. 1Town East Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Town East Mall official websitetowneastmall.com