Blue Hen Mall
Encyclopedia
The Blue Hen Mall is a defunct shopping mall
on Bay Road in Dover, Delaware
. The mall opened in August 1968, and was the main mall in the Dover area until the Dover Mall
opened in 1982, leading to its decline. In the 1990s, the mall was converted into a corporate center.
also anchored the shopping center. This store was shuttered in early 1983. It soon reopened as a Roses variety store. At its height, Blue Hen Mall housed over 50 shops.
Sears was interested in relocating to the Blue Hen Mall from downtown Dover, but could not agree with management in where to place the store in shopping center. As a result, Sears decided to relocate, along with other department stores, to the new Dover Mall
which opened in 1982. Following the opening of the Dover Mall, many stores relocated from the Blue Hen Mall, turning it into a dead mall
. At this time, the Blue Hen Mall was owned by Jardel Company, Inc. and Penn Mutual
. JCPenney relocated to the Dover Mall in 1993 and Roses closed in 1995.
In the 1990s, the Blue Hen Mall was converted into the Blue Hen Corporate Center, with the retail space becoming office space. A Bank of America
call center and an Aetna
office facility served as the anchors of the corporate center. The Bank of America call center eventually closed and Aetna left the Blue Hen Corporate Center in 2009. In 2008, the property was sold by Blue Hen Venture LLC to Pettinaro Enterprises LLC for $17.4 million. Currently, the Blue Hen Corporate Center has several office vacancies.
Dead mall
A dead mall or greyfield is a shopping mall with a high vacancy rate or a low consumer traffic level, or that is dated or deteriorating in some manner. Many malls in the United States are considered "dead" when they have no surviving anchor store or successor that could serve as an entry into or...
on Bay Road in Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
. The mall opened in August 1968, and was the main mall in the Dover area until the Dover Mall
Dover Mall
The Dover Mall is located on U.S. Route 13 in Dover, Delaware. Anchors are Boscov's, Macy's, JC Penney, Old Navy, Sears, and a 14 screen Carmike cinema. It is a one-level, enclosed regional mall...
opened in 1982, leading to its decline. In the 1990s, the mall was converted into a corporate center.
History
The Blue Hen Mall opened in the late 1960s, at which time it was the only enclosed mall in Delaware. The opening of the retail hub shifted several businesses away from downtown Dover, including JCPenney, which became an anchor store at the mall. WoolcoWoolco
Woolco was an American-based discount retail chain. It was founded in 1962 in the city of Columbus, Ohio, by the F.W. Woolworth Company. It was a full-line discount department store unlike the five-and-dime Woolworth stores which operated at the time. At its peak, Woolco had hundreds of stores in...
also anchored the shopping center. This store was shuttered in early 1983. It soon reopened as a Roses variety store. At its height, Blue Hen Mall housed over 50 shops.
Sears was interested in relocating to the Blue Hen Mall from downtown Dover, but could not agree with management in where to place the store in shopping center. As a result, Sears decided to relocate, along with other department stores, to the new Dover Mall
Dover Mall
The Dover Mall is located on U.S. Route 13 in Dover, Delaware. Anchors are Boscov's, Macy's, JC Penney, Old Navy, Sears, and a 14 screen Carmike cinema. It is a one-level, enclosed regional mall...
which opened in 1982. Following the opening of the Dover Mall, many stores relocated from the Blue Hen Mall, turning it into a dead mall
Dead mall
A dead mall or greyfield is a shopping mall with a high vacancy rate or a low consumer traffic level, or that is dated or deteriorating in some manner. Many malls in the United States are considered "dead" when they have no surviving anchor store or successor that could serve as an entry into or...
. At this time, the Blue Hen Mall was owned by Jardel Company, Inc. and Penn Mutual
Penn Mutual
The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, also commonly referred to as Penn Mutual, was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1847. It was the seventh mutual life insurance company chartered in the United States. It is headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia.-External...
. JCPenney relocated to the Dover Mall in 1993 and Roses closed in 1995.
In the 1990s, the Blue Hen Mall was converted into the Blue Hen Corporate Center, with the retail space becoming office space. A Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
call center and an Aetna
Aetna
Aetna, Inc. is an American health insurance company, providing a range of traditional and consumer directed health care insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care, and disability plans, and medical management...
office facility served as the anchors of the corporate center. The Bank of America call center eventually closed and Aetna left the Blue Hen Corporate Center in 2009. In 2008, the property was sold by Blue Hen Venture LLC to Pettinaro Enterprises LLC for $17.4 million. Currently, the Blue Hen Corporate Center has several office vacancies.