Towne East Square
Towne East Square is a two-story enclosed shopping mall in east Wichita, Kansas, operated as part of Simon Property Group's shopping-center portfolio.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Towne East Square is an enclosed, two-story regional shopping mall in the eastern part of Wichita, Kansas. It opened on August 14, 1975, following a planning and construction process that began under the working name Kellogg Mall. The project introduced Wichita to a large modern multi-level enclosed mall and was developed around a group of department-store anchors and a broad collection of specialty retailers and restaurants. The mall has approximately 1,145,360 square feet of gross leasable area and about 122 stores and restaurants. Its anchor lineup has changed substantially over time. The original anchors included JCPenney, Dillard's, Henry's, Sears, and J.M. McDonald. J.M. McDonald was replaced by Service Merchandise after its parent company entered bankruptcy proceedings. Henry's later closed, and its former location was demolished to make way for a Von Maur store, which opened in 2002. Service Merchandise was replaced by Stein Mart, followed later by Steve & Barry's and other occupants after Stein Mart closed. These changes illustrate the mall's long-running pattern of adapting large spaces to changing department-store and specialty-retail conditions. The mall underwent a renovation in 2008 intended to give the interior a more upscale appearance, including changes to escalator arrangements and other common-area features. The former large-format tenant space also passed through several uses, including Mattress Hub, Wright Career College, and Glow Golf. Wright Career College filed for bankruptcy in 2016, while Glow Golf subsequently occupied the space before the area was redeveloped for Round One Entertainment. Round One was initially expected to open in 2020; its opening was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately took place on July 18, 2020. The entertainment complex expanded the mall's offer beyond conventional shopping with bowling, arcade attractions, and related leisure activities. Sears announced the closure of its Towne East Square store in 2018, and the location shut in March 2019. The space was later selected for Scheels, a large sporting-goods and entertainment retailer. Scheels was confirmed as the replacement anchor in July 2021 and opened on July 1, 2023, giving the mall a new destination anchor and reinforcing its emphasis on experiential retail. Towne East Square is positioned as a regional shopping and entertainment destination serving Wichita and surrounding communities. Its tenant mix combines department stores, specialty retail, restaurants, and family-oriented entertainment. Nearby road infrastructure has also changed over time, including work associated with the U.S. 54/U.S. 400 Kellogg corridor and a flyover. Simon Property Group acquired vacated surrounding land for possible redevelopment. A further modernization program announced in December 2021 included updated entrances with wood and glass elements, new signage, outdoor seating, landscaping, parking-lot repaving, and second-level flooring improvements. The mall remains an active retail property, although its tenant roster and physical configuration continue to evolve with broader changes in department stores, discretionary retail, and enclosed-mall operations.
History
Towne East Square was first planned in 1972 under the name Kellogg Mall. Construction began in 1973, and the completed mall opened on August 14, 1975, in eastern Wichita. It was the city's first large modern multi-level enclosed shopping mall and opened with JCPenney, Dillard's, Henry's, Sears, and J.M. McDonald as its principal anchors. Sears joined the original lineup shortly after the mall's opening. The property experienced repeated anchor changes during the following decades. J.M. McDonald liquidated in 1983 after its parent company Wickes entered bankruptcy proceedings. Service Merchandise took over the location around 1985. Henry's closed in 1992, leaving its space unused for several years before the building was demolished in 2000. Von Maur replaced it and opened on August 3, 2002. Service Merchandise closed in 1998 amid weak sales, and Stein Mart occupied the space in 1999. Stein Mart closed in 2002 after financial difficulties, after which Steve & Barry's operated in the location during the mid-2000s. Steve & Barry's later liquidated in late 2008 following its bankruptcy. Towne East Square received an interior renovation in late 2008 that sought to create a more upscale appearance and included changes involving escalators and common areas. The former Steve & Barry's area subsequently hosted Mattress Hub, which expanded into the space in 2009, and then Wright Career College, which moved in around 2010 and opened there in 2011. Wright Career College filed for bankruptcy on April 16, 2016. Glow Golf replaced it on April 29, 2017, after relocating from Reflection Ridge Plaza in west Wichita. The surrounding district also evolved. BJ's Restaurant opened outside the mall on July 16, 2012, followed by LongHorn Steakhouse on September 17 of the same year. Roadwork and redevelopment around the U.S. 54/U.S. 400 Kellogg corridor resulted in the demolition of several nearby businesses and hotels and the addition of a flyover. Simon Property Group acquired some vacated land for future redevelopment. In 2018, Sears announced that the Towne East Square store would be among 80 locations closing nationwide. The store shut in March 2019. Glow Golf later announced its closure, and the former large-format area was prepared for Round One Entertainment. Construction began in summer 2019, and the new entertainment complex was initially expected to open in 2020. Its planned July 1 opening was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Kansas; the venue officially opened on July 18, 2020. The new tenant required four other businesses to relocate elsewhere in the mall. Scheels was confirmed on July 14, 2021, as the Sears replacement. The sporting-goods anchor opened on July 1, 2023, adding a major destination retailer and entertainment-oriented draw to the property. On December 14, 2021, a broad modernization plan was announced for the mall's interior and exterior. Proposed improvements included wood and glass details at entrances, refreshed signage, outdoor seating, landscaping, repaved parking areas, improved entryways, and updated flooring on the second level. The property has also been affected by public-safety incidents. On March 18, 2022, a shooting near Round One killed a 14-year-old child, and two teenage suspects were detained. On August 31, 2024, a teenage fight caused a reported false alarm about a possible shooting; the cited account found no evidence of gunfire. On August 8, 2025, a shooting at Scheels reportedly caused a lockdown and severely injured two people. Towne East Square continues to operate as a regional shopping, dining, and entertainment center in Wichita, with its identity shaped by long-term anchor replacement, adaptive reuse, and ongoing property modernization.
- 2023
Scheels opens
[1]Scheels opened as a new anchor on July 1, 2023.
- 2021
Scheels replacement confirmed and renovation announced
[1]Scheels was selected to replace Sears, while a major interior and exterior modernization plan was announced later in the year.
- 2020
Round One Entertainment opens
[1]Round One Entertainment officially opened on July 18, 2020, after construction and a pandemic-related delay.
- 2019
Sears closes
[1]The Sears anchor closed in March 2019 as part of a nationwide store-reduction program.
- 2012
Nearby restaurant expansion
[1]BJ's Restaurant and LongHorn Steakhouse opened near the mall during 2012.
- 2008
Interior renovation
[1]The mall received renovation work aimed at a more upscale appearance, including changes to escalators and common areas.
- 2002
Von Maur opens
[1]Von Maur opened on August 3, 2002, in the former Henry's location.
- 1983
J.M. McDonald liquidates
[1]J.M. McDonald liquidated after its parent company Wickes entered bankruptcy proceedings.
- 1975
Towne East Square opens
[1]The mall officially opened on August 14, 1975, with several department-store anchors.
- 1973
Construction begins
[1]Construction started on the large enclosed shopping center in eastern Wichita.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping, dining, and entertainment destination serving Wichita and the surrounding Kansas market, with a mix of department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, and experiential anchors.
Department store · 1975
Dillard's
Dillard's is one of Towne East Square's principal department-store anchors, providing broad merchandise categories typical of a full-line department store, including apparel, accessories, beauty, and home-related goods.
Department store · 1975
JCPenney
JCPenney has been part of the mall's anchor lineup since the 1975 opening. Its full-line department-store format contributes apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, and home merchandise to the center's retail mix.
Department store · 2002
Von Maur
Von Maur occupies a former Henry's anchor location that was redeveloped after Henry's closed. The store opened in 2002 and provides an upscale department-store component within Towne East Square.
Family entertainment · 2020
Round One Entertainment
Round One Entertainment is an experiential anchor combining arcade attractions, bowling, and related leisure activities. It opened in 2020 in a large former retail space and broadened Towne East Square's offer beyond shopping and dining.
Sporting-goods retailer · 2023
Scheels
Scheels replaced the former Sears anchor and opened in July 2023. The large sporting-goods format serves as a destination tenant, combining sports equipment and apparel with an entertainment-oriented retail environment.
Controversies
2025
Shooting at Scheels
A shooting at the Scheels anchor store on August 8, 2025, reportedly triggered a lockdown and left two people severely injured.
2024
False alarm following teenage fight
A fight between teenagers on August 31, 2024, generated widespread concern about a possible shooting. The cited account reported no evidence that a shooting occurred.
2022
Fatal shooting near Round One
A shooting at the mall on March 18, 2022, resulted in the death of a 14-year-old child. Two teenage suspects were detained in connection with the incident.
Brand decisions
2021
Selection of Scheels as Sears replacementM&ABackground
Sears closed its Towne East Square store in March 2019, leaving a major anchor space available for reuse.
Action taken
Scheels was confirmed as the replacement anchor on July 14, 2021.
Aftermath
The Scheels store opened on July 1, 2023, restoring a major destination tenant to the former Sears location.
2021
Major property modernization announcedStrategyBackground
The mall announced plans to refresh both its interior and exterior environment amid continuing changes in the enclosed-mall sector.
Action taken
The planned work included wood and glass entrance details, new signage, outdoor seating, landscaping, repaved parking lots, improved entryways, and updated second-level flooring.
Aftermath
The program was intended to modernize the property's appearance and improve visitor circulation and arrival areas; no financial value is specified in the cited material.
2019
Redevelopment of former large-format tenant spaceStrategyBackground
The mall had lost several occupants in a large former anchor area, including Steve & Barry's, Mattress Hub, Wright Career College, and Glow Golf.
Action taken
Towne East Square prepared the space for Round One Entertainment, converting underused retail area into a leisure and entertainment anchor.
Aftermath
Round One opened in July 2020 and required several other businesses to relocate within the mall.
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