Foothills Mall
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedFoothills Mall was an enclosed regional shopping mall in Casas Adobes, Arizona, that evolved into an outlet-oriented center before entering redevelopment as the mixed-use Uptown project.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Foothills Mall was an indoor regional shopping mall in the Casas Adobes area of Arizona, carrying a Tucson postal address. It opened in 1982 as a relatively small upscale center anchored by Goldwater's and Levy's, with a four-screen cinema as an additional attraction. The mall was designed to serve the northwest Tucson market and initially pursued a conventional department-store and specialty-retail model. Its original anchor lineup changed rapidly. Levy's became Sanger-Harris in 1985 and Foley's in 1987, while Goldwater's was converted to Dillard's in 1989. The cinema operation also expanded from the original Plitt Foothills 4 Cinemas to Cineplex Odeon Foothills 7 Cinemas. Both department-store anchors closed in 1994, partly because their operations overlapped with the larger Tucson Mall nearby. Their departures left Foothills Mall with substantial vacant space and weakened its position as an upscale regional mall. During the mid-1990s, the property was repositioned around outlet, discount, and value-oriented retail rather than traditional luxury department stores. Barnes & Noble and Saks Fifth Avenue's Off Fifth occupied portions of the former Dillard's space. The former Foley's area was adapted for retailers including Ross Dress for Less, Linens 'N Things, and Nike Factory Store. The cinema was expanded to eight additional screens, eventually becoming a 15-screen operation. A standalone Walmart Supercenter and other perimeter businesses broadened the site beyond the enclosed mall itself. The entertainment component went through several operator and name changes. Cineplex Odeon Foothills 15 Cinemas became Loews Cineplex Foothills 15 Theatres in 1998 and AMC Loews Foothills 15 Theatres in 2005. The theater later remained one of the most prominent surviving attractions at the property, including an IMAX auditorium. Bourn Companies sold the mall in 1999 and purchased it again in 2016. The outlet strategy produced nearly two decades of relative success, but competition intensified after Tucson Premium Outlets opened in nearby Marana in 2016. Within months, several major tenants either closed their Foothills Mall stores or announced moves to the newer outdoor outlet center. Saks Fifth Avenue's Off Fifth, Old Navy's outlet operation, Hanes, and Nike Factory Store were among the affected tenants. This tenant erosion made the enclosed mall format increasingly difficult to sustain. In 2018, the property received a zoning change allowing mixed-use development. A portion of the enclosed mall was walled off in 2021, including the section extending from Barnes & Noble toward the food court. By 2023, much of the mall was being demolished for conversion into a mixed-use development called Uptown. Some perimeter businesses and selected tenants, including Bath & Body Works, Barnes & Noble, the AMC theater, Applebee's, and Outback Steakhouse, were reported as remaining open during the transition. The original Foothills Mall therefore ceased to function as a conventional enclosed regional mall while elements of the site continued under the redevelopment plan.
History
Foothills Mall opened in 1982 in Casas Adobes, an unincorporated community in the northwest Tucson area. The original center was conceived as an upscale indoor regional mall. Its principal anchors were Goldwater's, occupying approximately 102,939 square feet, and Levy's, occupying approximately 103,429 square feet. The property also included Plitt Foothills 4 Cinemas, giving it an entertainment component from its earliest years. The first decade brought repeated changes to the anchor and cinema brands. Levy's was converted to Sanger-Harris in 1985 and then to Foley's in 1987. Goldwater's became Dillard's in 1989. The four-screen theater became Cineplex Odeon Foothills 7 Cinemas in 1988. In 1994, both Dillard's and Foley's closed. Their locations were redundant with department-store operations at nearby Tucson Mall, and their departures left Foothills Mall without its original department-store foundation. By the middle of the 1990s, the mall was experiencing high vacancy and had found limited support for its upscale positioning. Rather than compete directly with larger conventional malls, the property was re-tenanted as an outlet- and ancillary-oriented center. Barnes & Noble and Saks Fifth Avenue's Off Fifth outlet moved into the former Dillard's area. The former Foley's space was adapted for Ross Dress for Less, Linens 'N Things, and Nike Factory Store. A Walmart Supercenter and additional perimeter stores were also added. This repositioning helped the property build a different customer base and supported nearly two decades of operation under the outlet-mall concept. The cinema continued to change ownership and branding. Cineplex Odeon Foothills 7 Cinemas was expanded to 15 screens and became Loews Cineplex Foothills 15 Cinemas in 1998. Following the combination of the Loews and AMC theater businesses, it became AMC Loews Foothills 15 Theatres in 2005. The theater, later associated with an IMAX auditorium, remained one of the site's best-known attractions. Bourn Companies sold the property in 1999 and bought it back in 2016. That year also marked a major competitive challenge. Tucson Premium Outlets opened in nearby Marana, drawing outlet-oriented tenants away from Foothills Mall. Saks Fifth Avenue's Off Fifth, Old Navy's outlet operation, Hanes, and Nike Factory Store were among the prominent businesses that closed or announced moves to the newer center within a relatively short period. The loss of these tenants undermined the model that had replaced the original upscale-mall concept. The property's long-term direction changed after a 2018 zoning change allowed mixed-use development. In 2021, a section from Barnes & Noble toward the food court was walled off. By 2023, partial demolition was underway. Bourn Companies named the redevelopment Uptown and released renderings in May of that year. The plan involved replacing much of the enclosed mall with a mixed-use project while retaining or accommodating selected commercial uses. Bath & Body Works, Barnes & Noble, the 15-screen AMC theater and IMAX facility, Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, and other perimeter businesses were reported as remaining open during the redevelopment period. As a result, Foothills Mall's history is best understood as a progression from upscale regional mall, to outlet-focused center, and finally to a partially demolished site being transformed into a mixed-use district.
- 2023
Uptown redevelopment proceeds
[1]Partial demolition begins and Bourn Companies presents the Uptown mixed-use redevelopment concept.
- 2021
Part of the mall is walled off
[1]The section extending from Barnes & Noble toward the food court is closed as redevelopment preparations advance.
- 2018
Mixed-use zoning is approved
[1]A zoning change permits the property to pursue mixed-use development.
- 2016
Bourn Companies reacquires the property
[1]Bourn Companies purchases Foothills Mall again as the center faces competition from Tucson Premium Outlets.
- 2005
Cinema becomes AMC Loews Foothills 15
[1]The theater adopts the AMC Loews name following the combination of the relevant cinema businesses.
- 1999
Bourn Companies sells the mall
[1]Bourn Companies transfers ownership of Foothills Mall.
- 1998
Cinema becomes a Loews property
[1]The expanded 15-screen cinema becomes Loews Cineplex Foothills 15 Theatres.
- 1994
Original department-store anchors close
[1]Dillard's and Foley's both leave the property, contributing to substantial vacancy and a change in the mall's strategy.
- 1989
Goldwater's becomes Dillard's
[1]The original Goldwater's anchor is converted to a Dillard's department store.
- 1988
Cinema expands and changes operator
[1]Plitt Foothills 4 Cinemas becomes Cineplex Odeon Foothills 7 Cinemas.
Products and positioning
Originally positioned as an upscale enclosed regional mall, Foothills Mall later repositioned itself as an outlet- and value-oriented shopping and entertainment center. Its later redevelopment strategy shifted the property toward mixed-use commercial and community-oriented uses.
Shopping mall · 1982
Enclosed retail center
Foothills Mall operated as an indoor regional shopping center with capacity for more than 90 stores and outlets. Its tenant mix changed over time from department stores and upscale specialty retailers to outlet, discount, bookstore, apparel, home-goods, and personal-care businesses.
Cinema and entertainment · 1982
AMC Loews Foothills 15 Theatres
The property's cinema began as Plitt Foothills 4 Cinemas, expanded through a seven-screen Cineplex Odeon format, and later became a 15-screen Loews and AMC Loews theater. It was among the entertainment facilities reported to remain open during the site's redevelopment and was associated with an IMAX theater.
Outlet retail · 1990
Outlet and value-retail tenant mix
Following the loss of its original department-store anchors, the mall developed an outlet-oriented identity. Tenants mentioned in connection with this phase included Saks Fifth Avenue's Off Fifth, Nike Factory Store, Ross Dress for Less, Linens 'N Things, Old Navy's outlet operation, and Hanes.
Brand decisions
2018
Transition to a mixed-use development modelStrategyBackground
The enclosed mall faced tenant losses and a weaker outlet proposition after Tucson Premium Outlets opened nearby.
Action taken
The property obtained a zoning change allowing mixed-use development and began planning the Uptown redevelopment.
Aftermath
Part of the mall was walled off in 2021, and partial demolition and conversion were underway by 2023.
2016
Bourn Companies reacquires Foothills MallM&ABackground
Bourn Companies had previously sold the property in 1999. Its return as owner occurred as the mall was losing outlet tenants to a newer nearby competitor.
Action taken
Bourn Companies purchased the property again and subsequently pursued a new development direction.
Aftermath
The ownership change was followed by zoning approval for mixed-use development and eventual partial demolition.
1994
Repositioning toward outlet and value retailStrategyBackground
The closure of Dillard's and Foley's left the center with major vacant spaces and exposed the limitations of its original upscale regional-mall positioning.
Action taken
Former department-store areas were re-tenanted with outlet, discount, bookstore, and large-format retailers, while the cinema and perimeter retail offer were expanded.
Aftermath
The repositioning supported nearly two decades of operation under an outlet-mall concept, although it later faced direct competition from Tucson Premium Outlets.
Recent events
Sources2 sources
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