Fashion Square Mall

Fashion Square Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located on Bay Road, also designated M-84, in Saginaw Charter Township immediately north of Saginaw, Michigan. The property opened on October 4, 1972, after being developed by the Richard E. Jacobs Group. Its original major anchors were Sears and JCPenney, while local department stores Heavenrich's and William C. Weichmann Company also operated in the center during its early years. Hudson's joined the mall in 1976 as an additional major anchor on the eastern end. That store later became Marshall Field's and was ultimately converted to Macy's as department-store ownership and nameplates changed. The mall's tenant mix has evolved through changes in regional retailing, department-store consolidation, and the financial difficulties of several national chains. William C. Weichmann Company was liquidated in 1992. A Big Boy restaurant operating under a mall lease was involved in litigation in 1981. In the 2000s, Dunham's Sports left the property and Steve & Barry's occupied its space, but Steve & Barry's closed in December 2008 after its parent chain entered bankruptcy proceedings. Several food-service tenants also departed during this period, including the mall's McDonald's food-court location in January 2009 and Garfield's in May 2009. Fashion Square Mall received a major renovation completed in 2001. The reported $10 million project added seating areas, family restrooms, and automatic doors. Later improvements included a 2010 remodel of JCPenney, which incorporated a Sephora cosmetics shop, and 2011 tenant additions such as Dressbarn, Maurices, and the local Willow Tree restaurant. H&M opened at the mall in fall 2016 but later closed in 2025. Sears was announced for closure in August 2019 as part of a nationwide store-closing program and shut its Fashion Square location in October of that year, leaving JCPenney and Macy's as the principal remaining department-store anchors according to the referenced account. Ownership and management have changed several times. CBL Properties acquired the mall from the Richard E. Jacobs Group in 2000. In 2020, Namdar Realty Group sought to surrender the property through a deed-in-lieu process, after which management shifted to Farbman Group. Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired Fashion Square Mall at auction in September 2022 for a reported $10.8 million. The property remains an operating shopping center, although its tenant roster and physical uses continue to change. The referenced account states that the food court was scheduled to close in 2026 to make room for a new Dunham's Sports location, representing a shift from traditional food-court space toward larger-format retail.

Fashion Square Mall was developed by the Richard E. Jacobs Group and opened on October 4, 1972, in Saginaw Charter Township, Michigan. The enclosed center was positioned on Bay Road north of Saginaw and began operations with Sears and JCPenney as its principal anchors. Two locally significant department stores, Heavenrich's and William C. Weichmann Company, also formed part of the original tenant mix. Hudson's, a Detroit-based department-store chain, expanded the mall's anchor lineup in 1976 by opening at the eastern end. The property experienced the tenant turnover typical of a regional shopping mall. William C. Weichmann Company was liquidated in 1992. The mall was also connected to litigation in 1981 concerning the lease of an on-site Big Boy restaurant. During the 2000s, the former Hudson's store passed through successive name changes, first becoming Marshall Field's and later Macy's. These changes reflected consolidation among major department-store operators rather than a change in the mall's physical location. CBL Properties bought Fashion Square Mall from Richard E. Jacobs Group in 2000. A major renovation completed in 2001 reportedly cost $10 million and introduced new seating areas, family restrooms, and automatic doors. The mall continued to update its tenant roster over the following decade. Steve & Barry's replaced Dunham's Sports in 2005, but Steve & Barry's closed in December 2008 after the chain entered bankruptcy. Food-service vacancies followed: McDonald's left its food-court location in January 2009, and Garfield's closed in May 2009 after operating for only six months in space previously occupied by Ruby Tuesday. The former Steve & Barry's space was later occupied by The Shoe Department Encore in 2010. JCPenney was remodeled in January 2010 and gained a Sephora cosmetics shop. Further changes in 2011 included the addition of Dressbarn, Maurices, and Willow Tree, a local restaurant occupying the former Ruby Tuesday and Garfield's space. H&M opened in fall 2016, adding an international fashion retailer, but closed in 2025. The mall lost Sears in 2019. On August 6 of that year, Sears announced that the Fashion Square store would close as part of a national closure plan, and the location shut in October. JCPenney and Macy's remained the principal department-store anchors in the referenced account. Ownership and management became less stable in the early 2020s. In September 2020, Namdar Realty Group requested a deed in lieu to surrender Fashion Square Mall. Farbman Group subsequently managed the property. Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired the mall at auction in September 2022 for a reported $10.8 million. The mall remains active, although its future configuration continues to develop. The referenced account says that the food court is scheduled to close in 2026 for conversion to a new Dunham's Sports location, indicating a move toward larger-format retail use and a return of the sporting-goods category to the property.

• 2026

  Food court conversion planned

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The food court is reported to be scheduled for closure and replacement by a Dunham's Sports location.

• 2025

  H&M closes

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  H&M ended its operation at Fashion Square Mall.

• 2022

  Kohan Retail Investment Group acquires the property

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Kohan Retail Investment Group bought the mall at auction in September.

• 2019

  Sears closes

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sears closed its Fashion Square location in October after announcing the closure in August.

• 2016

  H&M opens

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  H&M opened at the mall during fall 2016.

• 2010

  JCPenney remodel completed

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney underwent a remodel that included a Sephora cosmetics shop.

• 2006

  Marshall Field's becomes Macy's

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The eastern department-store anchor was converted to the Macy's nameplate.

• 2001

  Major renovation completed

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A reported $10 million renovation added seating, family restrooms, and automatic doors; the Hudson's anchor also became Marshall Field's.

• 2000

  CBL Properties acquires the mall

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  CBL Properties purchased Fashion Square Mall from Richard E. Jacobs Group.

• 1992

  William C. Weichmann Company liquidated

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The local department-store tenant was liquidated.

• 1976

  Hudson's joins the anchor lineup

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Hudson's opened at the eastern end of the mall.

• 1972

  Mall opens

  [1]Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Fashion Square Mall opened on October 4 in Saginaw Charter Township with Sears and JCPenney as its principal anchors.

A locally oriented enclosed regional shopping center serving Saginaw, Michigan, and surrounding communities through department-store anchors, specialty retailers, restaurants, and mall-based services.

• Department store · 1972

  JCPenney

  JCPenney was one of Fashion Square Mall's two original major anchors when the center opened in 1972. Its store was remodeled in 2010 and gained a Sephora cosmetics shop, reinforcing its role as a broad merchandise anchor serving apparel, accessories, home goods, and beauty customers.

• Department store · 2006

  Macy's

  Macy's occupies the former eastern anchor lineage that began with Hudson's in 1976, changed to Marshall Field's in 2001, and was converted to the Macy's nameplate by 2006. It is identified in the referenced account as one of the mall's remaining principal department-store anchors.

• Beauty and cosmetics · 2010

  Sephora

  A Sephora cosmetics shop was added within the remodeled JCPenney store in 2010. Its presence expanded Fashion Square's beauty offering through a branded specialty concept inside a department-store anchor.

• Apparel · 2016

  H&M

  H&M opened at Fashion Square Mall in fall 2016, contributing a large international fashion-retail name to the mall's apparel mix. The store later closed in 2025.

• Sporting goods

  Dunham's Sports

  Dunham's Sports previously operated at the mall before giving way to Steve & Barry's in the 2000s. The referenced account says a new Dunham's Sports location is planned for space created by the 2026 food-court closure.

• 2026

  Food court conversion to sporting-goods spaceStrategy

  Background

  The mall's tenant strategy is reported to be shifting away from traditional food-court use toward larger-format retail.

  Action taken

  The food court is scheduled to close to make way for a new Dunham's Sports location.

  Aftermath

  The planned conversion would restore a sporting-goods presence while reducing dedicated food-court space.

  Source

• 2022

  Kohan acquisition at auctionM&A

  Background

  Following ownership and management difficulties and a 2020 deed-in-lieu request, the property was offered at auction.

  Action taken

  Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired Fashion Square Mall in September 2022.

  Aftermath

  Kohan became the mall's owner, while the property continued operating as an enclosed shopping center.

  Auction purchase price. $10.8 million (September 2022)

  Source

• 2019

  Sears anchor closureStrategy

  Background

  Sears announced a nationwide store-closing program that included its Fashion Square Mall location.

  Action taken

  The Sears store closed in October 2019.

  Aftermath

  JCPenney and Macy's remained the principal department-store anchors identified in the referenced account.

  Source

• 2001

  Mall-wide renovationOther

  Background

  Fashion Square Mall undertook a substantial modernization project after its acquisition by CBL Properties.

  Action taken

  The property added seating areas, family restrooms, and automatic doors in a reported $10 million renovation.

  Aftermath

  The work refreshed common areas and improved visitor facilities.

  Reported renovation cost. $10 million (2001)

  Source

1. 1Fashion Square Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Fashion Square Mall official websiteshopfashionsquaremall.com