Wonderland Village

Wonderland Village is a shopping center in Livonia, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It occupies the southwest corner of Middlebelt Road and Plymouth Road, roughly one mile south of Interstate 96. The present center emerged from the redevelopment of Wonderland Mall, a major regional shopping complex whose history extends back to 1959. The original property, known as Wonderland Center, was developed by Livonia-based real-estate company Schostak Brothers. Announced in 1958 and opened in September 1959, the open-air center was planned as a 60-store destination serving western Wayne County. Its principal anchors were a large Montgomery Ward department store and Federal's, supported by supermarkets, variety stores, clothing retailers, shoe stores, confectionery businesses, and other regional and national tenants. At its opening, the Montgomery Ward location was described as the largest in that chain, while the Federal's store was the department-store chain's thirty-first location. Schostak later undertook a major physical and commercial transformation. Beginning in 1983, the open-air center was converted into an enclosed mall. The renovated complex was formally dedicated as Wonderland Mall in November 1986. The project added approximately 100,000 square feet of gross leasable area and created Eaton Place, a food court with 22 restaurants, in space formerly occupied by Federal's. Subsequent additions included Target, an AMC movie theater, Service Merchandise, OfficeMax, and Dunham's Sports. At its expanded peak, the mall measured approximately 862,000 square feet and contained more than 80 tenants. During the 1990s, the property was repeatedly repositioned around entertainment and food as well as conventional retail. Schostak added or accommodated tenants such as an f.y.e. music store and Jeepers!, an indoor amusement venue, and enlarged and redesigned the food court. Restaurants included Burger King, Sbarro, and Steak Escape. The mall also experimented with Cyberspace Safari, a technology-oriented marketing program that allowed visitors to use the Internet and learn about online services. These changes temporarily improved sales, but the center later suffered from vacancies, a negative reputation for crime, and the loss of major anchors. Service Merchandise closed in 1999 as the chain exited business, and Montgomery Ward closed its remaining stores nationwide in 2000. Wonderland Mall was officially shuttered in 2003, although Target remained temporarily, while OfficeMax and Dunham's Sports closed in 2004. Schostak proposed demolishing the mall and an adjacent former Kmart building and replacing them with a new open-air shopping center anchored by Target and Walmart. The redevelopment encountered local opposition, including civic meetings and picketing, but approvals were ultimately obtained. Demolition began in 2006. Construction of Wonderland Village began in late 2006. The new Target store opened on July 25, 2007, and Walmart followed approximately one month later. Additional tenants reported at the center have included Noodles & Company, Qdoba, Verizon, FedEx Kinko's, Dot's, Five Guys, Chili's, and Casual Male XL. Unlike the enclosed mall it replaced, Wonderland Village represents a return to an outdoor shopping-center format, with its identity centered on convenience retail, restaurants, services, and large-format anchors.

Wonderland Village is the successor to a long-running retail property at the intersection of Plymouth and Middlebelt roads in Livonia, Michigan. Schostak Brothers announced the development of Wonderland Center in 1958, envisioning a 60-store open-air regional shopping center for western Wayne County. The project opened in September 1959 with Montgomery Ward and Federal's as its major anchors. Other early occupants included Food Fair, Wrigley supermarkets, S. S. Kresge, Woolworth, Winkleman's, Sanders Confectionery, Edison Brothers, and Thom McAn. The property changed substantially in the 1980s. Schostak began enclosing the center in 1983, and the completed project was dedicated as Wonderland Mall in November 1986. The redevelopment increased leasable space by about 100,000 square feet and added Eaton Place, a 22-restaurant food court created in the former Federal's space. A further expansion in 1989 added Target and an AMC movie theater. Service Merchandise, OfficeMax, and Dunham's Sports joined during the early 1990s, bringing the mall to approximately 862,000 square feet and more than 80 tenants. Through the 1990s, Schostak tried to maintain the center's relevance by adding entertainment, technology, and dining concepts. Jeepers! provided an indoor amusement attraction, f.y.e. added a music-oriented retail component, and the food court was enlarged by 40 percent with tenants such as Burger King, Sbarro, and Steak Escape. Cyberspace Safari offered an early Internet-focused visitor experience. These initiatives reportedly increased mall sales, but the property continued to face structural challenges, including anchor-store failures, tenant departures, and concerns about crime. Service Merchandise closed in 1999, and Montgomery Ward exited retail in 2000. Wonderland Mall was officially shuttered in 2003, apart from a few remaining stores. OfficeMax and Dunham's Sports closed in 2004, leaving Target as the principal continuing occupant. Redevelopment plans called for demolition of the mall and an adjacent former Kmart site, followed by a new outdoor center with Target and Walmart. The proposal drew opposition from some Livonia residents, but the plans were approved and demolition began in 2006. Construction of Wonderland Village started in late 2006. The new Target opened on July 25, 2007, and Walmart opened about a month later. Other reported tenants included Noodles & Company, Qdoba, Verizon, FedEx Kinko's, Dot's, Five Guys, Chili's, and Casual Male XL. The modern property therefore represents a format and tenant reset: it replaced an aging enclosed mall with an outdoor, convenience-oriented shopping center anchored by large national retailers and supplemented by dining and services.

• 2007

  Wonderland Village opens

  [1]Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org

  The replacement center opened with a new Target in July and Walmart the following month.

• 2006

  Former mall is demolished

  [1]Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org

  Demolition began after approval of plans for a replacement outdoor shopping center.

• 2003

  Wonderland Mall closes

  [1]Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed mall was officially shuttered, leaving only a small number of continuing tenants.

• 1989

  Target and AMC join the center

  [1]Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org

  An expansion added Target and an AMC-operated movie theater.

• 1986

  Wonderland Mall is dedicated

  [1]Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org

  The renovated and enclosed complex was formally dedicated as Wonderland Mall.

• 1983

  Enclosure project begins

  [1]Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org

  Schostak began converting the outdoor center into an enclosed mall.

• 1959

  Wonderland Center opens

  [1]Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org

  The original outdoor center opened with Montgomery Ward and Federal's as its principal anchors.

• 1958

  Schostak announces Wonderland Center

  [1]Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org

  Schostak Brothers announced plans for a 60-store open-air shopping center at Plymouth and Middlebelt roads in Livonia.

A suburban, open-air shopping center serving Livonia and surrounding western Wayne County communities through large-format retail anchors, restaurants, and everyday consumer services.

• Retail destination · 2007

  Shopping-center retail

  Wonderland Village provides a collection of large-format and specialty retail stores rather than a single proprietary product line. Its reported tenant mix includes general merchandise, apparel, electronics and telecommunications, office and shipping services, sporting goods, and other everyday consumer categories. The center's present identity is anchored by national retailers and supported by smaller stores and service operators.

• Restaurants · 1986

  Dining and food services

  Dining has been a recurring component of the property's positioning since the enclosed-mall era. Earlier operations included the Eaton Place food court and chains such as Burger King, Sbarro, and Steak Escape. The post-2007 center has been reported to include restaurants and fast-casual operators such as Noodles & Company, Qdoba, Five Guys, and Chili's.

• Anchor stores · 2007

  Target and Walmart anchor retail

  The redevelopment replaced the former mall format with large-format anchors. A new Target opened in July 2007, followed approximately a month later by Walmart. These stores were intended to provide dependable everyday shopping traffic and form the core of the new outdoor center.

• 1990Cyberspace Safari

  Livonia, Michigan

  Wonderland Mall introduced a technology-focused marketing program that allowed visitors to use the Internet and learn about online services, an unusual promotional concept for a shopping mall at the time.

  Outcome. The program formed part of a broader entertainment-oriented repositioning that was associated with improved mall sales.

  Source

• 2006

  Replace Wonderland Mall with Wonderland VillageGeneration change

  Background

  Anchor closures, vacancies, a negative reputation for crime, and declining viability left the enclosed mall unsuitable for continued operation.

  Action taken

  After obtaining approvals despite local opposition, Schostak demolished the former mall and began constructing a new outdoor shopping center anchored by Target and Walmart.

  Aftermath

  Wonderland Village opened in 2007 with a new open-air format and a mix of national retail, restaurant, and service tenants.

  Source

• 1983

  Convert the open-air center into an enclosed mallStrategy

  Background

  Schostak sought to modernize the aging outdoor shopping center and strengthen its regional-destination role.

  Action taken

  The company enclosed the complex, expanded leasable area, created a food court, and relaunched the property as Wonderland Mall.

  Aftermath

  The renovated mall attracted additional department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues during the following decade.

  Source

1. 1Wonderland Villageen.wikipedia.org