Wyoming Valley Mall
Wyoming Valley Mall is an enclosed shopping center in Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania, serving the Wyoming Valley region.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Wyoming Valley Mall is an enclosed shopping center in Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania. Developed on land acquired from the Blue Coal Corporation, the project began in 1968 and reached its principal opening period in 1971–1972. Sears opened ahead of the enclosed mall, followed by Pomeroy's in August 1971 and JCPenney in April 1972. The property became an important commercial destination in the Wyoming Valley, although its early success was closely connected to the disruption caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The storm severely affected surrounding communities and generated substantial demand for household goods, repairs, and other supplies, helping the mall attract customers during the recovery period. The center's tenant mix changed repeatedly over the following decades. Its department-store history included Sears, Pomeroy's, JCPenney, Zollinger, Hess's, Kaufmann's, The Bon-Ton, and Macy's. The mall also had several entertainment phases. Two indoor movie screens opened in 1972, and three additional outdoor screens were added in 1977. General Cinema later operated a four-screen theater, which closed in 2000. Entertainment Film Works briefly reopened the facility under the name Wyoming Valley Theater in 2001, but the theater closed again in 2002 after a rent dispute. Ownership and management also shifted. Crown American and associated entities controlled the mall for much of its earlier history, and Crown American later sold the property to PREIT in 2003 together with Viewmont Mall. PREIT carried out an approximately $8 million renovation in 2006, giving the center substantial cosmetic improvements. H&M opened in 2017 across three former storefronts, adding a prominent fashion tenant to the property. The mall subsequently faced the wider structural pressures affecting many traditional department-store-anchored shopping centers. The Bon-Ton and Sears announced closures in 2018, and The Bon-Ton, which had occupied the former Pomeroy's location since the early 1970s, closed in August of that year. Ken Pollock Auto Group later converted the former Sears Auto Center into a service facility. Financial stress led to a major ownership transition. After PREIT could not sell the mall, the property was transferred to its lender, GS Mortgage Securities Trust, in September 2019. The loan had been in special servicing since 2018, and Jones Lang LaSalle assumed management in October 2019. Kohan Retail Investment Group purchased the mall in August 2021 for $17 million. 4th Dimension Properties acquired it in October 2023. The property has also been affected by local infrastructure, safety, and redevelopment issues. The mall site is associated with land involved in the 1919 Baltimore Mine Tunnel Disaster. A June 2018 EF2 tornado did not damage the mall itself, although the property lost power and closed temporarily. In July 2024, a gas explosion at the future K Pot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot location injured two people and prompted an evacuation. In 2024, negotiations over assessment valuation resulted in a major reduction in the mall's real-estate-tax assessment. MotorWorld received zoning variances in December 2024 for a possible large automobile dealership using portions of former department-store and automotive spaces. Macy's announced a planned closure in January 2025. The mall also experienced extended power-related closures in summer 2025 and another outage in December 2025. Its long-term role therefore depends on maintaining an operating tenant base while adapting portions of the property to alternative retail, automotive, dining, and service uses.
History
Planning and construction of Wyoming Valley Mall began in April 1968, when development land was purchased from the Blue Coal Corporation. Early site work required the removal of illegally dumped garbage associated with the East Side Landfill Authority. The center's first major tenant was Sears, which opened before the enclosed mall in early 1971. Pomeroy's followed in August 1971, and JCPenney opened in April 1972. Although the project had a conventional department-store-led format, its commercial performance improved markedly after Hurricane Agnes struck the region in 1972. The disaster caused extensive damage throughout the surrounding area, and the mall became a practical source of supplies during the recovery effort. Entertainment was part of the original development. Two movie screens opened inside the mall in 1972. In 1977, three additional outdoor screens were added. The mall's department-store roster evolved significantly: Zollinger closed in October 1977, and Hess's opened in May 1978. Hess's expanded its space before Crown American sold the operation to Kaufmann's in 1994. During the transition, Hess's closed in November 1994, while McCrory's closed in January 1995 amid that company's bankruptcy. Crown American had acquired McCrory's lease in November 1994, and the space was eventually incorporated into Kaufmann's. Kaufmann's opened in October 1995. The cinema operation also changed hands. General Cinema closed its theaters in October 2000. Entertainment Film Works reopened a four-screen venue as Wyoming Valley Theater in May 2001, but the theater closed in April 2002 after unpaid rent. In 2003, Crown American sold Wyoming Valley Mall and Viewmont Mall to PREIT. PREIT completed an approximately $8 million renovation in 2006, primarily involving cosmetic modernization and changes to the mall's interior appearance. The center continued to add and lose national retailers. H&M opened in September 2017, taking three storefronts. In April 2018, both The Bon-Ton and Sears announced that they would close. The Bon-Ton had occupied the former Pomeroy's location since 1971 and shut its store on August 29, 2018. Sears also left the mall, while Ken Pollock Auto Group opened a service center in the former Sears Auto Center in February 2019. An EF2 tornado passed through the area in June 2018 without damaging the mall, although the property lost power and closed for one day. PREIT's ownership ended amid debt and valuation pressure. After the mall could not be sold, it was transferred to GS Mortgage Securities Trust, the lender, in late September 2019. The related loan had been in special servicing since July 2018, and PREIT owed $72.8 million. The property's reported value had fallen by 75 percent from its 2014 valuation of $122 million. Jones Lang LaSalle took over management in October 2019. Kohan Retail Investment Group bought the mall for $17 million in August 2021, and 4th Dimension Properties acquired it in October 2023. More recent developments reflect both property distress and possible repositioning. In June 2024, negotiations over property taxation produced a reduction in the real-estate-tax assessment from $68.7 million to $13.6 million. A gas explosion at the future K Pot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot restaurant in July 2024 injured two people and led to an evacuation. In December 2024, MotorWorld obtained zoning variances for a possible large dealership covering portions of the former Bon-Ton and Sears spaces, the Ken Pollock Auto Center, and Macy's Home and Men's store. Macy's announced a closure in January 2025. The mall then faced extended electrical outages, closing from June 25 to July 7, 2025 while damaged transmission lines were replaced, followed by another outage from December 23 to December 29, 2025. The mall remains an active property, but its future format is increasingly tied to redevelopment, alternative uses, and the ability to stabilize its anchor and specialty-retail occupancy.
- 2023
4th Dimension Properties acquired the mall
[1]The property was sold to 4th Dimension Properties in October.
- 2021
Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired the mall
[1]Kohan purchased the property in August.
- 2019
Property transferred to lender
[1]The mall was turned over to GS Mortgage Securities Trust after PREIT could not sell it.
- 2017
H&M opened
[1]H&M opened in September across three storefronts.
- 2006
Major renovation completed
[1]PREIT renovated the mall at a reported cost of approximately $8 million.
- 2003
PREIT acquired the mall
[1]Crown American sold Wyoming Valley Mall and Viewmont Mall to PREIT.
- 1995
Kaufmann's opened
[1]Kaufmann's opened in October after the former Hess's and McCrory's spaces were combined.
- 1994
Hess's transitioned to Kaufmann's
[1]Hess's was sold by Crown American and closed in November for conversion to Kaufmann's.
- 1978
Hess's opened
[1]Hess's opened in May after Zollinger's departure.
- 1977
Outdoor cinema added
[1]Three outdoor movie screens were added after the original two-screen indoor cinema.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping center serving Wilkes-Barre, Scranton-area, and broader Wyoming Valley consumers, with a tenant mix combining department stores, national specialty retailers, dining, services, and entertainment.
Retail property · 1972
Enclosed shopping center
Wyoming Valley Mall provides an enclosed, department-store-oriented retail environment in Wilkes-Barre Township. Its offering has historically included apparel, home merchandise, general goods, dining, services, and entertainment. The property has repeatedly adapted its footprint as department-store anchors closed, with former retail and automotive areas considered for service, restaurant, and dealership uses.
Entertainment · 1972
Movie theaters
The mall has hosted several cinema formats. Two indoor screens opened in 1972, three outdoor screens were added in 1977, and General Cinema later operated a four-screen venue. Entertainment Film Works briefly revived the facility as Wyoming Valley Theater in 2001 before it closed in 2002.
Automotive services · 2019
Automotive service and redevelopment space
The former Sears Auto Center was reused by Ken Pollock Auto Group as a service center in 2019. In 2024, MotorWorld received zoning variances for a possible larger dealership incorporating several former mall and automotive spaces, signaling a potential non-retail use for parts of the property.
Brand decisions
2024
Potential automotive redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The mall had substantial former department-store and automotive space following anchor closures and continuing pressure on conventional retail occupancy.
Action taken
MotorWorld received several zoning variances for a possible large auto dealership using portions of the former Bon-Ton, Sears, Ken Pollock Auto Center, and Macy's Home and Men's areas.
Aftermath
The variances created a pathway for alternative commercial use, although the referenced material does not establish that the dealership was completed.
2019
Transfer to lender after failed sale processM&ABackground
Debt and declining property valuation placed the mall's loan in special servicing, and PREIT was unable to complete a sale.
Action taken
The property was transferred to GS Mortgage Securities Trust in late September, and Jones Lang LaSalle assumed management the following month.
Aftermath
The transfer ended PREIT's ownership and preceded the property's sale to Kohan Retail Investment Group in 2021.
Outstanding loan. $72.8 million (2019)
2006
Mall modernization renovationStrategyBackground
PREIT pursued a substantial physical refresh after acquiring the property, at a time when traditional regional malls were competing for shoppers through improved interiors and updated common areas.
Action taken
The mall underwent an approximately $8 million renovation involving significant cosmetic changes.
Aftermath
The renovation represented the property's principal documented modernization program before later anchor closures and ownership changes.
Renovation cost. $8 million (2006)
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