Danbury Fair
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedDanbury Fair is an upscale regional shopping mall in Danbury, Connecticut, developed on the former site of the Danbury Fair.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Danbury Fair, also known as Danbury Fair Mall, is a large regional shopping center in Danbury, Connecticut. The property is positioned near Interstate 84, at Exit 3, and Connecticut Route 7, opposite Danbury Municipal Airport. Its name recalls the historic Danbury Fair that previously operated on the site, while the modern property functions as a retail, dining, entertainment, and community-events destination. The mall was developed by Wilmorite Corporation on land associated with the former fairgrounds. The site transaction attracted attention because the land was sold for $170,000 per acre, reportedly the highest price then paid for land in the Danbury area. Construction of the mall also became linked to a local political corruption case. Two Wilmorite executives acknowledged giving $60,000 in cash to Danbury mayor James Dyer, stating that the payments were intended to secure his support for the project. Dyer was defeated in the 1987 election, was acquitted of corruption charges in 1990, and other charges were later dismissed. Danbury Fair opened in 1986 with Sears and G. Fox & Co. as its principal department-store anchors. G. Fox became Filene's in 1993. Macy's joined the center in October 1987, followed by JCPenney in March 1988. Lord & Taylor and a parking garage were added in 1991. In 2005, Wilmorite sold the mall to The Macerich Company, which subsequently oversaw significant changes to the tenant mix and physical layout. The property has traditionally combined conventional department stores with specialty retailers, restaurants, family attractions, and seasonal programming. A prominent feature is a double-decker indoor carousel in the food court, described as the world's second-largest indoor carousel after the one at House on the Rock in Wisconsin. The center also hosts youth- and family-oriented activities, including Family Fun Night, performances, holiday programming, and other events staged in the central court. A summer carnival, promoted as the Danbury City Fair, continues the connection with the historic fairgrounds and has occupied part of the mall's parking area. Its schedule was reduced after the ownership transition in the mid-2000s. An interior renovation began in January 2007 and was completed in spring 2008. The food court received new banquet seating and a reconfigured restaurant layout, while the center court replaced large fountains with a Starbucks coffee bar, seating, tables, and a smaller water feature. The former Filene's space was substantially redeveloped by 2010 for a combination of retail and restaurant uses, including Dick's Sporting Goods, Forever 21, Brio Tuscan Grille, The Cheesecake Factory, and L.L.Bean. Primark opened in 2015 in part of the former Sears building, while Sears reduced its footprint to an approximately 56,000-square-foot lower-level format. Like many regional malls, Danbury Fair has faced department-store closures and changing consumer behavior driven by e-commerce, retail restructuring, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Sears announced its closure in 2019, and Lord & Taylor announced in 2020 that it would close its stores. More recent additions have focused on entertainment and general merchandise: Round1 opened in March 2024 in the lower level of the former Forever 21 space, and Target opened in April 2024 in the lower level of the former Sears location. Proposals reported for 2025 and 2026 contemplate apartments in the former Lord & Taylor anchor area, although those plans remain ongoing rather than completed. The mall remains an active Macerich property serving Danbury and the surrounding southwestern Connecticut and New York metropolitan-area trade region.
History
Danbury Fair was developed by Wilmorite Corporation on land formerly occupied by the Danbury Fair in Danbury, Connecticut. The property sits near Interstate 84 and Connecticut Route 7, opposite Danbury Municipal Airport. The land acquisition reportedly cost $170,000 per acre, an unusually high price for the local market at the time. The mall opened in 1986 with Sears and G. Fox & Co. as its original department-store anchors. The development became politically controversial during construction. Two Wilmorite executives acknowledged paying $60,000 in cash to Danbury mayor James Dyer. They maintained that the mayor had demanded the money to support the mall project. The allegations contributed to Dyer's defeat in the 1987 election. He was acquitted of corruption charges in 1990, and further charges were subsequently dismissed. Macy's opened at the mall in October 1987, and JCPenney followed in March 1988. Lord & Taylor and a parking garage were added in 1991. G. Fox was converted to Filene's in 1993. The mall's format combined department stores with specialty retailers, restaurants, family attractions, and community programming. A double-decker carousel in the food court became one of its best-known features, and the property developed a recurring schedule of holiday activities, performances, and family events. Wilmorite sold Danbury Fair to The Macerich Company in 2005. Beginning in January 2007, Macerich undertook an interior renovation completed in spring 2008. The food court received new seating and a revised restaurant arrangement. The center court was redesigned with a Starbucks coffee bar, soft seating, tables, and a smaller water feature replacing large fountains that had also served as event spaces. The former Filene's store was later redeveloped into a multi-tenant area containing retailers and restaurants including Dick's Sporting Goods, Forever 21, Brio Tuscan Grille, The Cheesecake Factory, and L.L.Bean. The mall retained a connection to the historic fair through an annual summer carnival marketed as the Danbury City Fair. The event typically occupies part of the parking area and provides seasonal entertainment while reinforcing the property's historical identity. After the ownership change, the carnival was shortened from a month-long event beginning in June to a roughly two-week event beginning around Memorial Day weekend. In 2015, Primark opened in the upper level of the Sears building, while Sears consolidated into a smaller lower-level store. This reflected a broader effort to use large anchor footprints more flexibly. The following decade brought further department-store disruption. Sears announced the closure of its Danbury Fair store in 2019, and Lord & Taylor announced in 2020 that it would close all of its stores. The mall subsequently added new uses to former anchor and specialty-retail space. Round1 opened in March 2024 in the lower level of the former Forever 21 space, and Target opened in April 2024 in the lower level of the former Sears space. Plans reported for 2025 and 2026 considered adding apartments in the former Lord & Taylor anchor area. Those plans were described as ongoing and should not be treated as a completed redevelopment. Danbury Fair remains an operating Macerich shopping center whose role has expanded from a traditional department-store mall toward a mixed retail, dining, entertainment, and community-events destination.
- 2024
Round1 and Target open
[1]Round1 opened in March and Target opened in April in reconfigured former tenant and anchor space.
- 2015
Primark opens
[1]Primark opened in the upper level of the former Sears space, while Sears reduced its footprint.
- 2008
Interior renovation completed
[1]A renovation of the food court and center court was completed in spring.
- 2005
Ownership changes to Macerich
[1]The Macerich Company acquired the property from Wilmorite Corporation.
- 1991
Lord & Taylor and parking garage added
[1]The mall expanded with a Lord & Taylor anchor and a parking garage.
- 1988
JCPenney opens
[1]JCPenney opened in March, adding another major department-store anchor.
- 1987
Macy's opens
[1]Macy's opened at the mall in October.
- 1986
Mall opens
[1]Danbury Fair opened with Sears and G. Fox & Co. as its principal anchor stores.
Products and positioning
An upscale, high-volume regional shopping center combining national retailers, department stores, restaurants, family attractions, seasonal events, and entertainment. Its identity is differentiated by its location on the former Danbury Fair grounds and by continued use of fair-related programming.
Retail property · 1986
Regional shopping center
Danbury Fair provides a large multi-tenant retail environment serving Danbury and the surrounding Connecticut and New York metropolitan-area trade region. Its tenant mix has included department stores, apparel retailers, sporting-goods stores, home and lifestyle merchants, beauty businesses, restaurants, and specialty shops.
Food and beverage · 1986
Dining and food court
The mall offers food-court and full-service dining options. Its food court was renovated between 2007 and 2008 with new seating and a redesigned restaurant arrangement. The center has also housed restaurants such as Brio Tuscan Grille and The Cheesecake Factory.
Family attraction
Indoor carousel
A double-decker carousel in the food court is a signature family attraction. Reference material describes it as the second-largest indoor carousel in the world, after the carousel at House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin.
Seasonal event
Danbury City Fair
The mall's summer carnival occupies part of the parking area and uses the Danbury City Fair name as a reference to the historic fair that once operated on the site. It provides rides and seasonal entertainment while preserving the property's historical association.
Controversies
1986
Cash-payment controversy involving Danbury mayor
During mall construction, two Wilmorite executives acknowledged paying $60,000 in cash to then-mayor James Dyer. They said the payment was intended to obtain his support for the development. The allegations contributed to Dyer's 1987 electoral defeat; he was acquitted of corruption charges in 1990, and other charges were later dismissed.
Marketing campaigns
- Family Fun Night
United States
A recurring family-oriented event program featuring activities and entertainment for children and families, generally staged in the mall's central event area.
Outcome. The program supported Danbury Fair's positioning as a community and family destination rather than solely a shopping venue.
- Danbury City Fair
United States
A recurring summer carnival held in a mall parking area, named in recognition of the historic Danbury Fair that occupied the site before the mall was built.
Outcome. The event maintained a visible link between the current shopping center and the site's fairground heritage.
Brand decisions
2024
Repurposing former anchor and specialty-retail spaceStrategyBackground
The mall had lost or reduced several traditional department-store and specialty-retail tenants.
Action taken
Round1 opened in the former Forever 21 area in March, and Target opened in the lower level of the former Sears space in April.
Aftermath
The changes broadened the property toward entertainment and general merchandise while reusing previously vacated space.
2015
Anchor-space reconfiguration for PrimarkStrategyBackground
Large department-store footprints were increasingly being divided or resized as anchor retail economics changed.
Action taken
Primark opened in the upper level of the Sears building, while Sears consolidated into a smaller lower-level store.
Aftermath
The change introduced a major international apparel retailer while preserving a reduced Sears presence.
2007
Interior modernizationStrategyBackground
The mall sought to update heavily used common areas and improve the atmosphere of the food court and central court.
Action taken
Renovations added new food-court seating, reconfigured dining space, a Starbucks coffee bar, soft seating, tables, and a smaller water feature.
Aftermath
The renovation was completed in spring 2008 and shifted the center court toward flexible seating and event use.
2005
Sale of the mall to MacerichM&ABackground
Wilmorite Corporation had developed and owned the shopping center since its construction.
Action taken
The property was sold to The Macerich Company.
Aftermath
The ownership transition was followed by changes to the carnival schedule, interior renovations, and later efforts to redevelop large anchor spaces.
Recent events
Sources3 sources
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