Midtown District
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedAn enclosed shopping center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, originally known as South Forks Plaza and renamed Midtown District in 2026.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Midtown District, historically known as Grand Cities Mall and originally named South Forks Plaza, is an enclosed shopping mall on South Washington Street in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The property was developed in the early 1960s by the South Forks Land Corporation and opened in stages during 1964. Its construction made it the first enclosed shopping mall in North Dakota and the first enclosed mall in Grand Forks. The center occupies approximately 367,122 square feet, or about 34,106.7 square meters. The mall was designed by DeRemer, Harrie & Kennedy of Grand Forks, an architectural practice that succeeded the office of Joseph Bell DeRemer. Its original development was divided into two wings. Kmart opened on February 26, 1964, ahead of the rest of the complex, while Sears opened on October 8 of the same year. For much of the center's early life, the two wings were not connected internally: Sears and a number of stores occupied one side, while Kmart and other tenants occupied the other. A connecting section completed in November 1973 allowed shoppers to move between the wings without exiting the building. The property was expanded again on its west side in 1977. The center's tenant mix changed substantially over subsequent decades. J. Herzog & Sons, Inc. acquired the property in 1998, after which the South Forks Plaza name was retired and renovations were undertaken. In the same year, the company sold a portion known as The Pavilion to HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church. Sears departed in 2000 for Columbia Mall, and its former space was subdivided for smaller occupants, including Zimmerman's furniture store and Family Dollar. Burggraf's Ace Hardware opened on the east side in 2005. Ownership changed again on April 1, 2015, when HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church purchased the entire mall. A separate entity, Land of Hope, LLC, was established to oversee daily operations. The Kmart anchor closed in March 2019 following Sears Holdings' announcement of a nationwide store-closing program in December 2018. With the departure of the major national anchors, the property increasingly emphasized smaller businesses, local operators, community uses, and church-related activity. Notable junior-anchor or major occupants associated with the property include Ace Hardware, Poppler's Music, Hope Evangelical Covenant Church, and Thrive Community Church. The mall also accommodates numerous small and local businesses. On January 12, 2026, the property entered a new branding phase when its name was officially changed from Grand Cities Mall to Midtown District. The rebranding marks a change in public identity rather than the creation of a separate shopping center; the site remains the same Grand Forks commercial property described in the historical record.
History
The property now identified as Midtown District began as South Forks Plaza, a commercial development initiated by the South Forks Land Corporation in 1963. The project was designed by DeRemer, Harrie & Kennedy, a Grand Forks architectural firm that followed the practice of Joseph Bell DeRemer. Construction proceeded in stages rather than producing a fully connected mall at a single opening. Kmart was the first major tenant to open, beginning operations on February 26, 1964. The remainder of the center continued to be built during the summer, and Sears opened its store on October 8, 1964. The completed property was historically significant because it was the first enclosed shopping mall in North Dakota and the first enclosed mall in Grand Forks. Its original arrangement consisted of two separate wings. Sears and several other stores were located in one wing, while Kmart and additional retailers occupied the other. Customers could not travel between the wings internally until a connecting section was completed in November 1973. A west-side addition followed in 1977. The center's early identity was closely tied to its large department-store anchors, but that model changed as the property and its tenants evolved. J. Herzog & Sons, Inc. acquired the mall in 1998. Following the acquisition, the South Forks Plaza name was dropped and renovation work took place. J. Herzog & Sons also sold The Pavilion, a portion of the property, to HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church during 1998. Sears left the mall in 2000 and moved to Columbia Mall. Its former premises were divided into smaller spaces, allowing the property to accommodate a more varied group of occupants. Among the businesses reported in the former Sears area were Zimmerman's furniture store and Family Dollar. The tenant base later gained Burggraf's Ace Hardware, which opened on the east side in 2005. A major ownership transition occurred on April 1, 2015, when HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church acquired the entire mall. The church created Land of Hope, LLC to handle everyday operations. This ownership structure coincided with the property's increasing community orientation, with church facilities and local businesses operating alongside conventional retail tenants. The final major national anchor departed after Sears Holdings announced on December 28, 2018, that Kmart would close as part of a program involving 80 stores across the United States. The Grand Forks Kmart shut in March 2019. Later occupants identified in descriptions of the property include Ace Hardware, Poppler's Music, Hope Evangelical Covenant Church, and Thrive Community Church, together with numerous smaller and locally operated businesses. On January 12, 2026, the property officially changed its name from Grand Cities Mall to Midtown District. The new name represents the latest stage in the site's evolution from a 1960s department-store-centered enclosed mall into a mixed community and commercial destination. The historical Grand Cities Mall name remains important for describing the site's development, ownership changes, former anchors, and long-term role in Grand Forks retail history.
- 2026
Rebranded as Midtown District
[1]The property officially adopted the Midtown District name on January 12.
- 2019
Kmart closes
[1]The Kmart store closed in March after Sears Holdings announced the closure plan in December 2018.
- 2015
HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church becomes owner
[1]HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church purchased the entire mall on April 1 and established Land of Hope, LLC to operate it.
- 2005
Ace Hardware opens
[1]Burggraf's Ace Hardware opened on the east side of the mall.
- 2000
Sears departs
[1]Sears moved to Columbia Mall, and its former space was subdivided for smaller tenants.
- 1998
J. Herzog & Sons acquires the property
[1]J. Herzog & Sons, Inc. purchased the mall, after which the South Forks Plaza name was retired and renovations took place.
- 1977
West-side addition completed
[1]The property expanded with an addition on its west side.
- 1973
Two wings connected
[1]A connecting section completed in November made it possible to move between the mall's two original wings indoors.
- 1964
First enclosed mall in North Dakota opens
[1]Kmart opened on February 26, followed by Sears on October 8 as the mall was completed in stages.
- 1963
Development initiated
[1]South Forks Land Corporation initiated the project that would become South Forks Plaza and later Grand Cities Mall.
Products and positioning
A historic Grand Forks enclosed shopping center that has evolved from a department-store-anchored regional mall into a community-oriented property combining local retail, services, and institutional occupants.
Hardware retail · 2005
Ace Hardware
A hardware and home-improvement retail presence identified as one of the property's notable junior anchors. Burggraf's Ace Hardware opened on the mall's east side in 2005.
Music retail
Poppler's Music
A music-focused local business listed among the notable occupants associated with the property. The available reference material does not specify its opening date or full product assortment.
Furniture retail
Zimmerman's
A furniture store that occupied part of the former Sears space after Sears moved to Columbia Mall in 2000. The former department-store area was divided into several smaller retail units.
Discount retail
Family Dollar
A discount retailer reported as one of the occupants created from the subdivided former Sears premises after Sears left the mall.
Brand decisions
2026
Rebranding to Midtown DistrictStrategyBackground
The property had evolved from a department-store-anchored mall into a center with smaller businesses, local retail, and institutional occupants.
Action taken
On January 12, 2026, the official name was changed from Grand Cities Mall to Midtown District.
Aftermath
The rebrand established Midtown District as the property's current public identity while Grand Cities Mall remains its historical name.
2015
HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church purchases the mallM&ABackground
After previously acquiring The Pavilion, HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church became the purchaser of the entire shopping center.
Action taken
The church acquired the mall on April 1, 2015, and created Land of Hope, LLC to manage daily operations.
Aftermath
The property operated under church ownership while continuing to host retail businesses and community-oriented occupants.
1998
Property acquired by J. Herzog & SonsM&ABackground
The mall had operated under the South Forks Plaza identity since its original development and was later acquired by J. Herzog & Sons, Inc.
Action taken
J. Herzog & Sons purchased the property, retired the South Forks Plaza name, and undertook renovations. The company also sold The Pavilion portion to HOPE Evangelical Covenant Church.
Aftermath
The transaction began a period of ownership and identity changes that preceded the later church ownership structure.
Sources2 sources
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