University Mall (Carbondale, Illinois)

University Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1974, the mall was expanded between 1989 and 1991. The mall comprises more than sixty tenants, with JCPenney, Macy's, Ulta, Ross Dress for Less, Bed Bath & Beyond, and AMC Theatres as its anchor stores. An anchor last occupied by K's Merchandise is vacant, and one last occupied by Elder-Beerman is now tenanted by offices.

History

The first store to open at University Mall was JCPenney, which opened in 1971. Three years later, the mall itself was built around the JCPenney store, also including a Sears at the other end. A wing was eventually added to the mall, ending in Meis (which became Elder-Beerman in 1989). In November 1988, a $35 million expansion was planned. This expansion, begun in 1990 and opened in 1991, comprised two new anchor stores (Famous-Barr and the only Venture in southern Illinois) as well as a food court.^[1]

Also in the late 1980s, it was announced that Sears would be moving to Illinois Centre Mall (now Illinois Star Centre), a new mall being developed in nearby Marion.^[2] Illinois Centre Mall opened in 1990, resulting in the closure of the Sears at University Mall. University Mall sued Illinois Centre Mall's developers over the use of a state financing program to relocate the store, although the suit was later dismissed.^[3] Montgomery Ward opened in 1992 in the former Sears space.

Venture closed its store at University Mall in 1993 ^[4] and later became K's Merchandise. Elder-Beerman closed in 1997 and became health offices. An Old Navy was added in May 2002,^[5] and later that year, the Montgomery Ward space was demolished for a movie theater owned by Kerasotes^[6] (later AMC Theatres) and other small stores, including Bed Bath & Beyond, Goody's Family Clothing, Steve & Barry's, and Michaels. The food court was relocated in 2004 to the former Elder-Beerman wing.^[7] In 2005, Stoltz Management acquired the mall, and one year later, Famous-Barr was one of several nameplates to be converted to Macy's.

K's Merchandise closed in early 2007,^[8] as did Michaels.^[9] These closures were followed in 2008 by Goody's and Steve & Barry's. In October 2012, Ross Dress for Less opened in the space vacated by Michaels,^[10] and the former Steve & Barry's became Shoe Dept. Encore.

References