Whitehall Plaza
Whitehall Plaza is a shopping center in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, formerly known as Whitehall Mall.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Whitehall Plaza is a shopping center in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. The property opened in 1966 as Whitehall Mall and became one of the Lehigh Valley's early enclosed shopping centers. It was developed on land assembled from a former farm and initially contained 52 stores, including Sears, Weis Markets, Woolworth's, and Zollinger's. Its location across from Lehigh Valley Mall placed it within one of the region's most important retail corridors. The center's tenant mix changed substantially over time as department-store retail evolved. Zollinger's opened shortly before the rest of the mall in August 1966 but later failed, and Leh's took over its space in 1978. Clover became another major anchor in 1982, while Kohl's replaced Clover in 1997 after Clover's closure. Sears remained a principal anchor for decades and underwent significant interior expansions and renovations, but it ultimately closed in February 2020 as the department-store chain contracted nationally. The property was repeatedly adapted rather than preserved as a conventional enclosed mall. A major $15 million renovation in 1998 largely removed the traditional enclosed-mall format, retaining only part of the enclosed area near Kohl's and adding three buildings to the grounds. This repositioned the center toward larger-format stores, standalone buildings, services, fitness, home furnishings, and food and beverage uses. Other notable changes included the closure of the two-screen Plaza Theater in 1999, the later arrival of Gold's Gym and its successor PA Fitness, and the relocation of Raymour & Flanigan to the property in 2012. Recent redevelopment has focused on replacing obsolete or vacant space. The former Sears building was demolished beginning in June 2023 and replaced by a Floor & Decor store, which opened on December 21, 2023. Bed Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby, and Harmon Face Values closed during 2023 as their parent company entered a period of severe financial distress. The former PA Fitness space was subsequently converted for The Gravity Vault, an indoor climbing business that opened in March 2025. A Wawa convenience store and gas station opened on March 12, 2026, using the former Sears Auto Center site. Mishorim Gold Group purchased the shopping center in April 2026. The property is therefore best understood as an active, open-air and partially redeveloped retail center rather than as a traditional enclosed mall.
History
Whitehall Plaza began as Whitehall Mall in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania. The site was assembled from 19 acres of land purchased from a farmer for $125,000, and construction began in 1965. Zollinger's opened on August 15, 1966, ahead of the main center, which opened on September 26 with 52 stores. The original tenant roster included Sears, Weis Markets, Woolworth's, and Zollinger's. The center was among the Lehigh Valley's first malls and benefited from its position opposite Lehigh Valley Mall. The property expanded in 1973. In 1977, Kravco became a co-owner with PREIT in a transaction reported at $4.5 million. Zollinger's later entered bankruptcy, and Leh's replaced it in 1978. Clover opened in March 1982, while Sears received a major interior overhaul in 1984. In 1985, the mall settled a property-tax assessment dispute with the county, township, and school district, resulting in a lower assessment. A suspicious fire began at the rear of the mall in 1987 and subsequently led to demolition of part of a Leh's wall. A major roof leak in January 1990 damaged several stores; the businesses reopened after several days, and roof replacement was planned for that spring. Sears underwent another substantial renovation in 1994, adding approximately 35,000 square feet to its selling area by converting former second-floor office space. Kravco banned smoking in the mall beginning January 1, 1995. Leh's closed in June 1996 during bankruptcy proceedings, and Gallery Furniture later occupied its former space. Clover also closed in 1996, with Kohl's opening in the space in April 1997. The most important physical transformation occurred in 1998, when the property received a reported $15 million renovation. The traditional enclosed format was judged economically inefficient, so much of the mall was removed or converted, while a section near Kohl's retained an enclosed-mall character. Sears was expanded and three additional buildings were added. Weis Markets closed during the project, which nearly doubled the size of its former space. The Plaza Theater, previously operated by Budco and later AMC, closed in June 1999 after its two-screen format became obsolete. During the 2000s, the property continued shifting toward service and destination uses. The opening of Gold's Gym was delayed by design changes, and the gym eventually occupied the former Leh's and Plaza Theater areas. In 2012, Raymour & Flanigan relocated to the center, using two vacant storefronts. In 2014, PREIT sold its 50% interest to Washington Prime Group, the other owner. Sears closed in February 2020, reflecting the wider contraction of the department-store sector. PA Fitness, formerly Gold's Gym, closed in January 2022. Redevelopment accelerated in 2023: the former Sears building was demolished beginning in June, Floor & Decor was selected as its replacement, and the new store opened on December 21. Buy Buy Baby and Harmon Face Values closed in July 2023, followed by Bed Bath & Beyond in August. The former Old Country Buffet building was demolished in September and replaced with parking. The Gravity Vault opened in March 2025 in the former PA Fitness space. In 2026, Wawa opened on March 12 at the former Sears Auto Center site, and Mishorim Gold Group purchased the property in April. These changes have left Whitehall Plaza as a substantially reconfigured retail and services center whose identity is based on adaptive reuse, open-air buildings, and a changing tenant mix rather than on the enclosed department-store mall model of its first decades.
- 2026
Ownership changed to Mishorim Gold Group
[1]Mishorim Gold Group purchased the property in April.
- 2025
The Gravity Vault opened
[1]An indoor climbing facility opened in the former PA Fitness space.
- 2023
Floor & Decor redevelopment began
[1]The former Sears building was demolished and replaced by a Floor & Decor store.
- 2023
Floor & Decor opened
[1]The replacement anchor opened on December 21.
- 2020
Sears closed
[1]The center lost its long-standing Sears anchor in February.
- 2014
Ownership consolidation
[1]PREIT sold its 50% stake to Washington Prime Group.
- 2012
Raymour & Flanigan relocated
[1]The furniture retailer moved into two vacant storefronts.
- 1998
Major de-malling renovation
[1]A large renovation converted much of the enclosed mall into a more flexible retail format.
- 1997
Kohl's opened
[1]Kohl's replaced Clover after Clover closed.
- 1982
Clover opened
[1]Clover joined the center as a major department-store tenant.
Products and positioning
A locally significant Lehigh Valley shopping center that has transitioned from a traditional department-store mall into a flexible, partially open-air retail and service destination.
Shopping center · 1966
Whitehall Plaza retail center
The core offering is a multi-building retail and services destination serving Whitehall Township and the wider Lehigh Valley. Unlike its original enclosed-mall configuration, the contemporary property combines retained interior mall space with freestanding and open-air buildings. Its tenant mix spans home improvement, apparel, furniture, convenience retail, recreation, fitness-related services, and food and beverage.
Home improvement · 2023
Floor & Decor
Floor & Decor occupies the redeveloped former Sears building. The store brought a large-format home-improvement and flooring use to the center and became the principal replacement for the property's former department-store anchor. Its opening reflects Whitehall Plaza's shift toward destination-oriented specialty retail.
Department store · 1997
Kohl's
Kohl's opened at the property in April 1997 after replacing Clover. It remains one of the center's principal anchors and provides apparel, home goods, accessories, and general merchandise within the retained portion of the former mall.
Indoor climbing and recreation · 2025
The Gravity Vault
The Gravity Vault uses the former PA Fitness space and adds an indoor climbing and recreation concept to the property. Its opening illustrates the center's continuing conversion of former retail and fitness areas into experiential services.
Convenience retail and fuel · 2026
Wawa
Wawa opened at the former Sears Auto Center site on March 12, 2026. The convenience store and gas station expands the center's offer beyond conventional shopping and serves both local customers and passing motorists.
Brand decisions
2023
Redevelop the former Sears siteStrategyBackground
Sears closed in 2020, leaving a large former anchor building requiring a new use.
Action taken
The former Sears structure was demolished and replaced with a Floor & Decor store.
Aftermath
Floor & Decor opened on December 21, 2023, strengthening the center's home-improvement and destination-retail positioning.
2014
Consolidate ownership under Washington Prime GroupM&ABackground
PREIT and Washington Prime Group each held half of the property.
Action taken
PREIT sold its 50% ownership interest to Washington Prime Group.
Aftermath
Washington Prime Group became the sole owner before the property's later sale to Mishorim Gold Group.
1998
Convert the enclosed mall into a more flexible retail centerStrategyBackground
Management determined that retaining the full traditional enclosed-mall format was not cost-effective as retail patterns changed.
Action taken
The property undertook a reported $15 million renovation that removed most of the enclosed layout, preserved a portion near Kohl's, expanded Sears, and added three buildings.
Aftermath
Whitehall Mall evolved toward the open-air and big-box-oriented format later known as Whitehall Plaza.
Renovation cost. $15 million (1998)
Recent events
First National Realty Partners announces Whitehall Plaza acquisition[2]
Reported:
First National Realty Partners announced its acquisition of Whitehall Plaza, a shopping center in Bloomington, Indiana.
Washington Prime Group files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy[3]
Reported:
Washington Prime Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, saying the COVID-19 pandemic made the filing necessary. The company said it secured $100 million from creditors to support day-to-day operations during the process.
Sources7 sources
- 1Whitehall Plazaen.wikipedia.org
- 2First National Realty Partners宣布收购Whitehall Plazaprnewswire.com
- 3Washington Prime Group申请第11章破产保护mcall.com
- 4Tampa Mall Owner Files For Bankruptcymyq105.com
- 5Washington Prime Group Inc., owners of Springfield strip mall, files for bankruptcysj-r.com
- 6WestShore Plaza files for bankruptcy; shoppers likely won't notice a differencefox13news.com
- 7WestShore Plaza mall owner files for bankruptcyyahoo.com
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/whitehall-mall · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled