River Roads Mall
Encyclopedia
River Roads Mall was an enclosed shopping mall
located in the city of Jennings
, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri
, United States
. Opened in the mid-1950s as one of the nation's first shopping malls, the mall declined in the 1990s, becoming a dead mall
and eventually being shuttered. Demolition of the long-vacant mall began in 2006.
, as well as a Kroger
supermarket and a Woolworth
dime store. Walgreens
operated a store in the mall as well. A 1970s expansion brought JCPenney as a second anchor store. Dillard's
bought the Stix, Baer & Fuller chain in 1984, converting all Stix, Baer & Fuller stores to the Dillard's name. However, the River Roads Mall store was closed not long afterward in 1986 at the end of the lease. JCPenney converted its store to a JCPenney outlet in 1984. The mall's Kroger was converted to an independent supermarket called Food For Less after Kroger pulled out of the St. Louis market in 1986. Woolworth closed the River Roads location (along with locations at West County Mall
and in South St. Louis City) in early 1991 during one of the chain's earliest rounds of store closures.
By 1995, all of the other stores in the mall had closed as well, leaving only Walgreens, which relocated across the street to a freestanding location at the corner of Halls Ferry Road and Jennings Station Road in 1996. Benderson Development, which had acquired the mall shortly before its closure, sold the mall property in 1997. River Roads served as a MetroBus
transfer point until 2006. Demolition of the vacant structure began in 2006. The only buildings that remain are Food For Less and Firestone Auto and Tire which was an outparcel near the intersection of Halls Ferry Road and Jennings Station Road.
moved its transfer point to a transit center at Hall Street and Riverview Boulevard in Riverview. Bus routes that converged at River Roads are listed below with routes that were moved to Hall and Riverview in bold
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...
located in the city of Jennings
Jennings, Missouri
Jennings is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 14,712 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Jennings is located at ....
, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Opened in the mid-1950s as one of the nation's first shopping malls, the mall declined in the 1990s, becoming 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...
and eventually being shuttered. Demolition of the long-vacant mall began in 2006.
History
Opened in the mid-1950s, the mall originally featured St. Louis-based Stix, Baer & Fuller as its main anchor storeAnchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
, as well as a Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
supermarket and a 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"...
dime store. 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...
operated a store in the mall as well. A 1970s expansion brought JCPenney as a second anchor store. Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
bought the Stix, Baer & Fuller chain in 1984, converting all Stix, Baer & Fuller stores to the Dillard's name. However, the River Roads Mall store was closed not long afterward in 1986 at the end of the lease. JCPenney converted its store to a JCPenney outlet in 1984. The mall's Kroger was converted to an independent supermarket called Food For Less after Kroger pulled out of the St. Louis market in 1986. Woolworth closed the River Roads location (along with locations at West County Mall
West County Center
West County Center is a shopping mall located in Des Peres, Missouri, originally built in 1969. The original mall closed in 2001, and a new mall on the site opened in 2002. From the mid-1990s to 2007, the mall was known as Westfield West County and was one of seven St...
and in South St. Louis City) in early 1991 during one of the chain's earliest rounds of store closures.
By 1995, all of the other stores in the mall had closed as well, leaving only Walgreens, which relocated across the street to a freestanding location at the corner of Halls Ferry Road and Jennings Station Road in 1996. Benderson Development, which had acquired the mall shortly before its closure, sold the mall property in 1997. River Roads served as a MetroBus
MetroBus (St. Louis)
MetroBus is the public bus service for the Greater St. Louis Region connected with the MetroLink light rail system. It is managed by the Bi-State Development Agency and uses a shared fare system with the MetroLink rail.-Service:...
transfer point until 2006. Demolition of the vacant structure began in 2006. The only buildings that remain are Food For Less and Firestone Auto and Tire which was an outparcel near the intersection of Halls Ferry Road and Jennings Station Road.
Use of River Roads as a MetroBus Transfer Point
River Roads also served as a bus transfer point during its history. Seven bus routes converged at Halls Ferry and Jennings Station Road (the intersection where the mall was) until demolition began in August 2006, at which point MetroBi-State Development Agency
The Bi-State Development Agency is an interstate compact formed by Missouri and Illinois in 1949. Since February 2003 the agency has been doing business as Metro. It operates with a budget of $160 million, which is funded by sales taxes from the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, the St...
moved its transfer point to a transit center at Hall Street and Riverview Boulevard in Riverview. Bus routes that converged at River Roads are listed below with routes that were moved to Hall and Riverview in bold
- 16 City Limits
- 27 North County Shuttle
- 36 Spanish Lake
- 40 Broadway
- 41 Lee
- 61 Chambers
- 64 Lucas Hunt