East Town Mall
Corporate brand
UnclaimedAn enclosed shopping mall in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the only enclosed mall within the city.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
East Town Mall is an enclosed shopping center on the east side of Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States. The property opened in October 1982 under The Center Companies and became the third shopping mall serving the Green Bay area. It was initially conceived as a substantially larger project known as East Towne Fashion Square, but economic uncertainty in the early 1980s led developers to reduce the planned scale before construction. The completed mall was designed as a conventional enclosed regional shopping center, with department-store anchors and a variety of apparel, footwear, electronics, salon, food-service, and specialty retailers. The mall's original anchor tenants included Kohl's and Prange Way. Other early occupants included Braun's Fashions, Maurices, The Athlete's Foot, RadioShack, and Regis Salon. Prange Way entered bankruptcy and closed its store in 1995. Kohl's subsequently moved from its original location into the former Prange Way space, while the vacated Kohl's anchor area was later occupied by Hobby Lobby. The property was remodeled during this period, including the creation of additional retail space, a new connection corridor, and an OfficeMax location formed from part of the west-side courtyard and other vacant areas. East Town Mall experienced a period of renewed activity in the late 1990s. New or returning attractions included Hobby Lobby, Toy Works, Schlotzsky's, and Fashion Bug. A Budget Cinema was also developed from formerly vacant space at the rear of the center. The cinema concept later changed, and Silver Cinemas closed its East Town Mall location in 2017. Cabot Investment Properties acquired the mall in 2007 for $12 million. In 2010, the property received a redesigned front entrance, new street signage, interior improvements, and renovations to the center court. Seven Windspire Energy wind turbines were installed in the front plaza as an energy-cost-reduction measure. The ownership period under Cabot was later overshadowed by a Massachusetts fraud case. In 2014, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin brought fraud allegations against Cabot Investment Properties, asserting that the owners had misappropriated more than $9 million from investors. The mall was placed into receivership after Cabot defaulted, and Jones Lang LaSalle was appointed to oversee the property. Lexington Realty International and Case Equity Partners purchased East Town Mall in 2016. The new owners proposed a $12 million redevelopment intended to reposition the enclosed mall as a regional power center. The Green Bay City Council approved the redevelopment plan on November 14, 2016. Planned components included a Fresh Thyme Farmers Market grocery store and a new Brown County Library branch. In 2021, local developer Garritt Bader separately announced plans involving approximately 14 acres of the property, with a mixture of retail uses and production or industrial warehouse development. These plans indicate an effort to adapt the site from a traditional enclosed mall toward a more diversified retail and commercial complex.
History
Plans for a shopping mall on Green Bay's east side emerged in 1980 under Dayton-Hudson Properties. The proposed development was initially called East Towne Fashion Square and was designed as a 575,000-square-foot center. Economic uncertainty in the early 1980s caused the project to be reduced to approximately half of its original planned size. The completed East Town Mall opened in October 1982 under The Center Companies. It was the third mall in the Green Bay area and introduced an enclosed shopping format with Kohl's and Prange Way as its initial anchors. Early specialty tenants included Braun's Fashions, Maurices, The Athlete's Foot, RadioShack, and Regis Salon. The tenant mix reflected the standard regional-mall model of the period, combining department stores with apparel, footwear, electronics, personal services, and smaller specialty retailers. Prange Way closed in 1995 after the company entered bankruptcy. Kohl's then relocated from its original east-side space to the former Prange Way premises. The former Kohl's anchor area was subsequently taken by Hobby Lobby. During the same general period, the mall was remodeled and expanded. An OfficeMax store was created from portions of the west courtyard and vacant retail areas, while a new corridor connected the redeveloped Kohl's location with the rest of the mall and added further leasable space. The property gained additional momentum in the late 1990s. Hobby Lobby was joined by Toy Works, Schlotzsky's, and Fashion Bug, and a Budget Cinema was created from vacant space at the back of the building. The cinema operation later became associated with Silver Cinemas, which closed its location in 2017. Cabot Investment Properties bought East Town Mall in 2007 for $12 million. In 2010, the owner completed visible exterior and interior improvements, including a new main entrance, new street signs, center-court renovations, and broader interior refurbishment. Seven Windspire Energy wind turbines were added to the front plaza to help lower the mall's energy costs. The Cabot ownership period ended amid a major legal and financial controversy. In 2014, William Galvin, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, filed fraud charges against Cabot Investment Properties. The allegations stated that the company's owners had embezzled more than $9 million through a Ponzi-scheme structure. Investors, including retired and elderly individuals, had reportedly paid $213,000 each for three-percent interests in the mall, interests that were lost after the alleged embezzlement. Following Cabot's default, the court placed East Town Mall in receivership and appointed Jones Lang LaSalle as receiving owner. Lexington Realty International and Case Equity Partners acquired the mall in 2016. Their strategy was to convert the property from a conventional enclosed mall into a regional power center through a proposed $12 million redevelopment. The Green Bay City Council approved the plan on November 14, 2016. The proposed tenant and civic components included a Fresh Thyme Farmers Market and a new branch of the Brown County Library. Redevelopment discussions continued into the next decade. In 2021, local developer Garritt Bader announced a plan involving 14 acres of the site and combining retail stores with production and industrial warehouse facilities. The proposal illustrates the broader shift in the property's intended role: rather than relying solely on traditional enclosed-mall traffic, East Town Mall has been considered as part of a more diversified retail, civic, logistics, and commercial district.
- 2021
Mixed-use redevelopment concept announced
[1]Garritt Bader announced plans for retail, production, and industrial warehouse uses across approximately 14 acres of the property.
- 2016
New ownership and redevelopment approval
[1]Lexington Realty International and Case Equity Partners acquired the mall, and Green Bay approved a proposed $12 million regional power-center redevelopment.
- 2014
Receivership followed fraud allegations
[1]Cabot Investment Properties faced fraud charges and defaulted, resulting in court-supervised receivership managed by Jones Lang LaSalle.
- 2010
Major renovation and energy improvements
[1]The property received a new entrance, signage, interior and center-court renovations, and seven Windspire Energy turbines.
- 2007
Cabot Investment Properties acquired the mall
[1]Cabot Investment Properties purchased East Town Mall.
- 1995
Prange Way closed and Kohl's relocated
[1]Prange Way shut down following its bankruptcy, and Kohl's moved into the former Prange Way anchor space.
- 1982
East Town Mall opened
[1]The Center Companies opened the enclosed shopping mall in October, with Kohl's and Prange Way as original anchors.
- 1980
Initial mall proposal
[1]Dayton-Hudson Properties proposed an east-side Green Bay mall called East Towne Fashion Square, initially planned at 575,000 square feet.
Products and positioning
A community and regional shopping destination serving Green Bay's east side, with a traditional enclosed-mall format being repositioned toward a broader power-center and mixed commercial model.
Shopping center · 1982
Enclosed retail mall
East Town Mall's core offering is enclosed retail space serving Green Bay-area shoppers. Its tenant history includes department stores, apparel retailers, footwear businesses, electronics, salons, restaurants, specialty stores, entertainment, and proposed grocery and civic uses.
Commercial real estate · 2016
Redevelopment and power-center space
The owners' redevelopment strategy has sought to broaden the property beyond a conventional enclosed mall by adding larger-format retail, grocery, library, and potentially production or industrial warehouse uses.
Controversies
2014
Cabot Investment Properties fraud allegations
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin filed fraud charges accusing Cabot Investment Properties of operating a Ponzi scheme. The allegations involved more than $9 million in embezzlement and losses to mall investors. Cabot later defaulted, and East Town Mall was placed in receivership.
Brand decisions
2016
Conversion toward a regional power centerStrategyBackground
After ownership changed following the Cabot receivership, Lexington Realty International and Case Equity Partners pursued a new commercial positioning for the property.
Action taken
The owners proposed a $12 million redevelopment with larger-format retail and planned Fresh Thyme Farmers Market and Brown County Library components.
Aftermath
Green Bay City Council approved the redevelopment on November 14, 2016. Further redevelopment concepts were announced in 2021.
Proposed redevelopment cost. $12 million proposed investment (2016 proposal)
2010
Property renovation and energy-efficiency investmentStrategyBackground
The mall sought to refresh its physical environment and reduce operating costs.
Action taken
Management renovated the entrance, signage, interior, and center court, and installed seven Windspire Energy turbines in the front plaza.
Aftermath
The work modernized the property and added a visible renewable-energy feature, although no later financial performance is specified in the available source.
Sources1 sources
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