Fairgrounds Square Mall
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedA former enclosed shopping mall in Muhlenberg Township, Pennsylvania, north of Reading.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Fairgrounds Square Mall was an enclosed shopping center on Fifth Street Highway, also identified with U.S. Route 222 Business, in Muhlenberg Township just north of Reading, Pennsylvania. It occupied the site of the former Reading Fairgrounds Speedway and opened in October 1980 after development by Interstate Properties. Boscov's and JCPenney were the original anchor stores, while the mall was built by F&S Construction with a regional union workforce. The property developed as a conventional community and regional shopping destination, combining department stores, specialty retailers, food and service tenants, and later an entertainment component. The mall expanded in 1988, adding additional retail space and a Phar-Mor store, and underwent a renovation in 1996. A Montgomery Ward location was added as a third anchor during that renovation, but it closed in 1999. The mall was sold that year to a Jager Management affiliate, GP Properties Inc. During the following years, its former department-store and drugstore spaces changed uses repeatedly. JCPenney converted its location to an outlet format, the former Montgomery Ward space became Jason's Furniture Outlet and later other retailers, and the former Phar-Mor space was used by National Wholesale Liquidators before Burlington Coat Factory took over in 2005. Ownership and tenancy became increasingly unstable in the 2010s. JCPenney announced the closure of its outlet division in 2011, although the local store was subsequently acquired by SB Capital Group and rebranded as JC's Five Star Outlet. The mall's owner, GP-Fairgrounds Square LP, later defaulted on its mortgage. The property was sold at a U.S. Marshals auction in March 2013 for $13.6 million, with BNY Mellon becoming the purchaser. JC's Five Star Outlet closed in November of that year, and Limerick Furniture occupied the former space in 2014. Hull Property Group took control of the mall in April 2016 and proposed a substantial redevelopment. By early 2018, however, the center had contracted sharply from a peak of approximately 75 stores to roughly a dozen tenants. Limerick Furniture cited low customer traffic and the growth of online shopping when it announced the closure of its location. Hull Property Group closed the mall's interior on April 30, 2018, although several tenants with exterior or separately accessible entrances continued operating, including Boscov's, Burlington Coat Factory, AMC Classic, Super Shoes, Planet Fitness, Baja Beach Tanning Club, and Quest Diagnostics. The proposed redevelopment would have removed most of the enclosed mall, retained selected operating businesses, and introduced open space, retail, townhomes, a hotel, and a restaurant. Muhlenberg Township denied a requested tax incentive in May 2019, concluding that the redevelopment proposal lacked sufficient specificity. Hull subsequently withdrew that plan, then announced in June 2019 that it would seek approval to demolish about 80 percent of the property while retaining several remaining tenants. Demolition began in March 2020. Burlington later relocated across Fifth Street Highway to a former OfficeMax site in late 2022. The mall therefore ended as a traditional enclosed shopping center, with portions of the site and surviving businesses continuing in altered forms.
History
Fairgrounds Square Mall was developed on the former Reading Fairgrounds Speedway site in Muhlenberg Township, north of Reading, Pennsylvania. Interstate Properties developed the enclosed mall, which was constructed by F&S Construction and opened in October 1980. Boscov's and JCPenney served as the original anchors. The Boscov's store itself had existed as a freestanding location beside the speedway since August 1965, before the enclosed mall was built. The center expanded in 1988, adding stores and a Phar-Mor location. A major renovation followed in 1996, when Montgomery Ward was introduced as a third anchor. Montgomery Ward closed in 1999, the same year the mall was sold to GP Properties Inc., an affiliate of Jager Management. JCPenney converted its store to an outlet format. The empty Montgomery Ward space was subsequently occupied by Jason's Furniture Outlet in 2000 and National Wholesale Liquidators in 2003, while Jason's moved into the former Phar-Mor space. In 2005, Burlington Coat Factory replaced National Wholesale Liquidators, and the former Jason's space became home to Super Shoes and Planet Fitness. The property entered a period of declining occupancy and financial difficulty during the 2010s. JCPenney announced the planned elimination of its outlet division in 2011, but the local store continued under SB Capital Group as JC's Five Star Outlet. GP-Fairgrounds Square LP defaulted on its mortgage, and the property was sold at a U.S. Marshals auction on March 7, 2013. BNY Mellon acquired it for $13.6 million. JC's Five Star Outlet closed on November 30, 2013. Limerick Furniture opened in the space in November 2014 after relocating from St. Lawrence. Hull Property Group took over the mall on April 13, 2016, with an objective of revitalizing the property. By early 2018, the mall had only about 12 to 14 tenants, compared with approximately 75 stores at its peak. Limerick Furniture announced that it would close its Fairgrounds Square location, citing weak foot traffic and competition from online shopping. Hull closed the interior of the mall on April 30, 2018. Businesses with exterior entrances or independent access continued operating, including Boscov's, Burlington Coat Factory, AMC Classic, Super Shoes, Planet Fitness, Baja Beach Tanning Club, and Quest Diagnostics. Hull's initial redevelopment concept called for demolishing roughly 68.1 percent of the mall while retaining several anchors and service businesses. The plan contemplated green space, additional retail, townhomes, a hotel, and a restaurant. Muhlenberg Township declined a proposed tax incentive in May 2019 because officials considered the redevelopment plans insufficiently detailed. Hull withdrew the proposal but continued maintaining the closed mall for a period. On June 13, 2019, the company announced that it would pursue a permit to demolish approximately 80 percent of the mall while retaining Boscov's, Burlington, Planet Fitness, Super Shoes, and AMC Classic. Demolition began in March 2020. Burlington ultimately relocated across Fifth Street Highway to a former OfficeMax site in late 2022, marking another step in the property's transition away from its original enclosed-mall format.
- 2022
Burlington relocated
[1]Burlington moved to a former OfficeMax site across Fifth Street Highway.
- 2020
Demolition began
[1]Demolition of most of the mall began in March as part of a redevelopment effort.
- 2018
Interior mall operations ended
[1]The enclosed interior closed on April 30 after occupancy declined to roughly a dozen tenants.
- 2016
Hull Property Group assumed control
[1]Hull Property Group took over the property and proposed revitalization efforts.
- 2013
Property sold at foreclosure auction
[1]Following a mortgage default, BNY Mellon bought the mall at a U.S. Marshals auction for $13.6 million.
- 2005
Burlington Coat Factory became an anchor
[1]Burlington replaced National Wholesale Liquidators, and Super Shoes and Planet Fitness occupied another former anchor space.
- 1999
Mall sold to GP Properties
[1]The property was sold to a Jager Management affiliate, while Montgomery Ward closed and JCPenney shifted to an outlet format.
- 1996
Renovation and Montgomery Ward addition
[1]The mall was renovated and Montgomery Ward was added as a third anchor.
- 1988
Mall expansion added retail space
[1]An expansion added stores and a Phar-Mor location.
- 1980
Fairgrounds Square Mall opened
[1]The enclosed shopping mall officially opened in October with Boscov's and JCPenney as anchors.
Products and positioning
A conventional enclosed shopping mall serving Reading-area shoppers through department stores, discount retail, specialty shops, services, and entertainment. In its later years, it functioned as a shrinking value-oriented retail center anchored by a small number of surviving tenants.
Retail real estate · 1980
Enclosed shopping mall
The core offering was a multi-tenant enclosed shopping environment combining department stores, specialty retail, discount merchandise, food and service businesses, and entertainment. At its height, the mall housed approximately 75 stores and served the Reading-area market.
Department stores and discount retail · 1980
Anchor and value retail
The mall's principal commercial draw came from Boscov's and, initially, JCPenney. Burlington Coat Factory later became a major anchor, while outlet, furniture, footwear, and liquidation retailers occupied former anchor spaces as tenant demand changed.
Leisure and services
Entertainment and services
Later tenants included an AMC Classic cinema, Planet Fitness, Super Shoes, Baja Beach Tanning Club, and Quest Diagnostics. These businesses provided entertainment, fitness, footwear, tanning, and medical diagnostic services, with several continuing after the interior mall closed.
Brand decisions
2022
Relocate BurlingtonStrategyBackground
The former enclosed mall was being dismantled and its remaining retail uses were being repositioned.
Action taken
Burlington moved to a former OfficeMax location across Fifth Street Highway in late 2022.
Aftermath
The relocation further separated Burlington's operations from the original enclosed mall structure.
2019
Pursue large-scale demolition and redevelopmentStrategyBackground
A proposed redevelopment involving partial demolition, green space, housing, hospitality, restaurants, and retail was affected by the township's rejection of a requested tax incentive.
Action taken
After withdrawing the initial proposal, Hull announced that it would seek a permit to demolish approximately 80 percent of the mall while retaining selected tenants.
Aftermath
Demolition began in March 2020, and the former mall site transitioned toward a reduced and reconfigured retail footprint.
2018
Close the enclosed mall interiorStrategyBackground
Occupancy had fallen from a peak of approximately 75 stores to about 12 tenants, while Limerick Furniture cited weak foot traffic and online-shopping competition.
Action taken
Hull Property Group closed the interior of Fairgrounds Square Mall on April 30, 2018, while allowing selected exterior-access businesses to remain open.
Aftermath
The property ceased operating as a conventional enclosed shopping mall and moved toward partial redevelopment.
Sources2 sources
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