Eastland Mall (Bloomington, Illinois)
Encyclopedia
Eastland Mall is an enclosed shopping mall
in Bloomington, Illinois
. Established in 1967 and expanded several times in its history, the mall includes JCPenney, Macy's
, Sears, Bergner's
and Kohl's
, with more than ninety inline tenants and a food court
. The mall is owned and managed by CBL & Associates Properties.
) and Veterans Parkway (U.S. Route 66
, now Interstate 55 Business Loop
). At the time, this intersection had only a gas station and a General Electric
plant, although a Kmart
store was also under development at the time.
Eastland Mall housed many local and national tenants including Woolworth
, Kirlin's Hallmark Gold Crown and a Walgreens
drugstore, which relocated outside the mall in 1991. Besides the two anchors, several of the mall's tenants had moved from downtown, including Singer
Sewing Center and Chadband's Diamond and Gold Center; the latter had been in business since 1892. Other major tenants included a grocery store
and movie theater
.
The mall was expanded several times in its history, first with a Bergner's
department store in 1973, the first new department store to open in the city in more than thirty years. Kohl's
was added a decade later. A food court
was added in 1989 followed by a mall-wide renovation a year later, Sears expanded its store in 1997, and a Famous-Barr
was added in November 1999 (which became Macy's
in 2006). The closure of Woolworth made way for an Old Navy
store. Chattanooga, Tennessee
-based CBL & Associates Properties acquired the mall from Copaken, White and Blitt in November 2005 along with two other malls.
in 1980. This smaller mall was an unsuccessful competitor, lacking the big chain stores present at Eastland; over time, many stores such as MC Sports
would relocate from College Hills to Eastland. College Hills Mall was demolished in 2005 for a new shopping mall called The Shoppes at College Hills
.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
. Established in 1967 and expanded several times in its history, the mall includes JCPenney, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, Sears, Bergner's
Bergner's
Bergner's is a major department store in central and northern Illinois, established in 1889 in Peoria, Illinois, and offering mid-line to higher end merchandise in their largest stores. The current flagship store is located in Peoria at The Shoppes at Grande Prairie.-Beginnings:Bergner's was...
and Kohl's
Kohl's
Kohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
, with more than ninety inline tenants and a food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
. The mall is owned and managed by CBL & Associates Properties.
History
Eastland Mall opened on February 16, 1967, anchored by JCPenney and Sears, both of which had moved from downtown Bloomington. The mall was built on the east side of town, at the southwestern corner of East Empire Street (Illinois Route 9Illinois Route 9
Illinois Route 9 is a cross-state, east–west rural state highway in central Illinois. It runs from the Fort Madison Toll Bridge over the Mississippi River to Iowa in Niota east to State Road 26 at the Indiana border. This is a distance of ....
) and Veterans Parkway (U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
, now Interstate 55 Business Loop
Interstate 55 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 55 is a major north–south Interstate Highway that connects the St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago metropolitan areas. It runs from the Poplar Street Bridge in East St. Louis to U.S. Route 41 near downtown Chicago...
). At the time, this intersection had only a gas station and a General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
plant, although a Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
store was also under development at the time.
Eastland Mall housed many local and national tenants including Woolworth
F. W. Woolworth Company
The F. W. Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. The first successful Woolworth store was opened on July 18, 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store"...
, Kirlin's Hallmark Gold Crown and a Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
drugstore, which relocated outside the mall in 1991. Besides the two anchors, several of the mall's tenants had moved from downtown, including Singer
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
Sewing Center and Chadband's Diamond and Gold Center; the latter had been in business since 1892. Other major tenants included a grocery store
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
and movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
.
The mall was expanded several times in its history, first with a Bergner's
Bergner's
Bergner's is a major department store in central and northern Illinois, established in 1889 in Peoria, Illinois, and offering mid-line to higher end merchandise in their largest stores. The current flagship store is located in Peoria at The Shoppes at Grande Prairie.-Beginnings:Bergner's was...
department store in 1973, the first new department store to open in the city in more than thirty years. Kohl's
Kohl's
Kohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
was added a decade later. A food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
was added in 1989 followed by a mall-wide renovation a year later, Sears expanded its store in 1997, and a Famous-Barr
Famous-Barr
The Famous-Barr Co. , St. Louis, Missouri, was a division of Macy's, Inc. . It was formerly the hometown division of The May Department Stores Company, which was acquired by Federated on August 30, 2005. On February 1, 2006, it was subsumed into the newly created Macy's Midwest division.The...
was added in November 1999 (which became Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
in 2006). The closure of Woolworth made way for an Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
store. Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
-based CBL & Associates Properties acquired the mall from Copaken, White and Blitt in November 2005 along with two other malls.
Community impact
A second mall, College Hills Mall, opened in nearby NormalNormal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
in 1980. This smaller mall was an unsuccessful competitor, lacking the big chain stores present at Eastland; over time, many stores such as MC Sports
Mc Sports
MC Sports is an American retail sporting goods chain. The company strongly believes in something they call "T.O.C.S" Truly Outstanding Customer Service, this is very apparent the moment you step into the store. MC Sports was founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1946...
would relocate from College Hills to Eastland. College Hills Mall was demolished in 2005 for a new shopping mall called The Shoppes at College Hills
The Shoppes at College Hills
The Shoppes at College Hills is a lifestyle center retail complex located in the city of Normal, Illinois, USA. It is one of two major shopping centers in the Bloomington-Normal area . The complex was built in 1980 as a small enclosed shopping mall called College Hills Mall, and was demolished and...
.