Frandor Shopping Center
Corporate brand
UnclaimedFrandor Shopping Center is a long-established shopping center in Lansing, Michigan, serving the eastern side of the city and nearby East Lansing.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Frandor Shopping Center is a shopping center in Lansing, Michigan, positioned near the eastern edge of the city, the boundary with East Lansing, and U.S. Highway 127. It is described as a roughly 450,000-square-foot strip center whose tenant mix includes grocery, home-improvement, arts-and-crafts, musical-instrument, and specialty-import retailers. Kroger, HomeGoods, Michaels, Guitar Center, and Cost Plus World Market are among the center's principal anchors or major tenants. The center opened in 1954 and is recognized as Lansing's first shopping center and one of Michigan's earliest. Its name was formed from the names of founder Francis J. Corr and his wife, Dorothy. Before construction began, Corr arranged for Sears to serve as an anchor. The development involved a property transaction in which Corr acquired Lansing's existing Sears store and transferred the southern 14.5 acres of the Frandor site to Sears, enabling the construction and outfitting of a new Sears location at the center. Frandor originally operated as an open-air shopping center. In 1972 it was enclosed, and additional storefronts were added. The enclosure was later removed in 1998 as the property was adapted to the prevailing big-box retail format. That redevelopment added larger stores at either end of Kroger, which had become the center's western anchor. Sears remained a notable presence until its closure in February 2020, following the company's announcement in November 2019 that the Lansing location would be included in a nationwide round of store shutdowns. The property has also had a local entertainment role. The Spartan Twin movie theater opened at Frandor in 1967, later expanding into a triplex. It became known for Saturday-night screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show before closing in February 1994. The former theater space was subsequently used by Discovery Zone. A separate small cinema, The Odeon, operated at Frandor under owner Frank Leahey and specialized in foreign and independent films, although it is no longer open. Frandor's current operating model combines established national tenants with space intended for smaller businesses and start-ups. Available configurations reportedly allow an incoming business to begin in a relatively small unit and expand as it grows. The Frandor Merchant Association supports coordination among tenants and is described as having strong participation and regular meetings. Because the center's ownership, corporate parent, financial results, and current management are not identified in the supplied reference material, those fields remain unspecified.
History
Frandor Shopping Center opened in 1954 in Lansing, Michigan, becoming the city's first shopping center and one of the earliest developments of its kind in Michigan. The center was established by Francis J. Corr and named by combining his first name with that of his wife, Dorothy. Its location at Lansing's eastern edge placed it close to East Lansing and U.S. Highway 127, giving it access to both city residents and surrounding communities. Corr secured Sears as an anchor before construction. The arrangement involved acquiring Lansing's older Sears store and transferring the southern 14.5 acres of the Frandor property to Sears. Corr then constructed and equipped a new Sears store for the development. This early anchor strategy helped establish Frandor as a destination retail property rather than a collection of isolated shops. The center initially operated in an open-air format. In 1972, it was enclosed and expanded with additional storefronts, reflecting the enclosed-mall model common at the time. In 1998, the enclosure was removed during a further redevelopment. The property was reconfigured to accommodate larger big-box tenants on both sides of Kroger, which had become the western anchor. This transition aligned Frandor with a more flexible strip-center format. Frandor also supported entertainment uses. The Spartan Twin theater opened in 1967 and later became the Spartan Triplex. It was associated with recurring Saturday-night screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The theater closed in February 1994, and the space was later occupied by Discovery Zone. The Odeon, a smaller cinema operated by Frank Leahey, presented foreign and independent films but eventually closed. Sears remained part of Frandor's identity for decades. On November 7, 2019, Sears announced that the Frandor store would be among 96 locations closed nationwide. The store ceased operations in February 2020. The center's described tenant base subsequently included Kroger, HomeGoods, Michaels, Guitar Center, and Cost Plus World Market. In its current role, Frandor combines large national retailers with leasing options for smaller businesses and start-ups. The center has promoted the ability for a business to begin in a smaller space and expand over time. Tenant coordination is supported by the Frandor Merchant Association, which is described as active and regularly meeting. Ownership, financial performance, and named executives are not established by the supplied reference material.
- 2020
Sears location closes
[1]The Sears store at Frandor closes in February.
- 2019
Sears closure announced
[1]Sears announces that its Frandor store will close as part of a nationwide program affecting 96 locations.
- 1998
Enclosure is removed
[1]The enclosed configuration is removed during redevelopment, with larger big-box stores added near Kroger.
- 1994
Spartan theater closes
[1]The Spartan Triplex closes in February; the premises are later used by Discovery Zone.
- 1972
Open-air center is enclosed
[1]The formerly open-air shopping center is enclosed and receives additional storefronts.
- 1967
Spartan Twin theater opens
[1]The Spartan Twin cinema opens at Frandor and later expands into the Spartan Triplex.
- 1954
Frandor opens
[1]Frandor Shopping Center opens in Lansing as the city's first shopping center and one of Michigan's earliest shopping-center developments.
Products and positioning
A broad-format, convenience-oriented retail center serving Lansing and nearby East Lansing, combining national anchor tenants with smaller-space opportunities for independent and growing businesses.
Product categories. Groceries and supermarket goods · Home furnishings and household merchandise · Arts-and-crafts supplies · Musical instruments and related equipment · Specialty imported foods and goods · Local and regional retail services
Brand decisions
1998
Redevelop the property as a larger-format strip centerStrategyBackground
The center was repositioned toward larger-format retail and big-box tenancy.
Action taken
The enclosure was removed and larger stores were added at either end of Kroger.
Aftermath
Frandor continued operating in a strip-center format with a mix of national anchors and smaller tenants.
1972
Convert the open-air center into an enclosed shopping centerStrategyBackground
Frandor was originally developed as an open-air center, but changing retail conventions supported an enclosed configuration and additional storefront capacity.
Action taken
The property was enclosed and expanded with new storefronts.
Aftermath
The enclosed format remained in place until a later redevelopment removed it in 1998.
Sources1 sources
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