Hampton Towne Centre

Hampton Towne Centre was an enclosed shopping mall in Hampton Township, Bay County, Michigan, immediately outside Essexville and serving the wider Bay City and Thumb-area trade territory. The property opened on November 12, 1975, under the name Hampton Square Mall. It was developed by Ramco-Gershenson Properties, a Michigan real-estate company that later became associated with RPT Realty, on land at the southeast corner of Center Road and Pine Road. The original project was planned as an approximately 300,000-square-foot enclosed center with a discount store, department store, supermarket, and roughly fifty smaller tenants. Kmart was established as the first anchor, while Wiechmann's, a Saginaw-based department-store chain, became the western anchor. Other early tenants included Kinney Shoes, Camelot Music, Circus World, Aladdin's Castle, Hot Sam, local clothing stores, Zales, B. Dalton, and Hallmark. An A&P supermarket opened in 1977, giving the center a broader daily-needs component. Within its first year, management reported that the mall was about 91 percent occupied, suggesting a strong initial leasing performance for a suburban center positioned between Essexville and Bay City. During the 1980s, the property underwent tenant repositioning and ownership changes. Management consolidated the spaces formerly occupied by Gantos and State Vitamin into a Perry Drug pharmacy after concluding that the tenant mix contained too many women's-clothing stores and too few health-and-beauty retailers. GNC, RadioShack, and Volume Shoes were also among the stores added during this period. In 1984, ownership was transferred to CPR Hampton Associates, while Ramco-Gershenson continued to manage the center. Management changes and proposed landscaping and advertising improvements reflected attempts to maintain the mall's competitive position. The center expanded in the late 1980s with a new northern wing and a JCPenney department store. JCPenney opened a roughly 32,000-square-foot location around 1989, replacing its long-standing downtown Bay City store. The expansion increased the mall's total area to approximately 350,000 square feet by 1990 and was intended to attract shoppers from the Thumb region. The strategy was overtaken by the opening of Bay City Mall in Bangor Township in 1991. JCPenney subsequently moved to the newer center, while other tenants including Zales and GNC also relocated or closed. The loss of anchors and specialty stores accelerated vacancy. The mall's ownership entity, CPR Hampton Associates, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 1991. Wiechmann's closed during the subsequent decline, although Kmart remained for several more years and a McDonald's opened in 1994. The property was renamed Hampton Towne Centre, but the name change did not reverse its weakening retail position. Kmart closed in 2002, after which the site increasingly accommodated office and institutional users rather than conventional mall stores. Mandarin House was one of the few remaining retail or restaurant tenants. Hampton Towne Centre ultimately closed as a shopping mall in September 2010. Local business owner Art Dore purchased the property in August 2011 and proposed converting it into a mixed-use development with offices and retail space. At the time, the largely vacant building still housed a thrift store, the Michigan Department of Human Services, and the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District. Dore later offered financial incentives to prospective occupants, but the planned reopening did not occur. Dore died in November 2022, and the former mall remained a defunct retail property rather than returning to operation.

Ramco-Gershenson Properties announced plans for Hampton Square Mall in August 1973. The proposed enclosed center was to occupy the southeast corner of Center Road and Pine Road in Hampton Township, east of Essexville, with an area of about 300,000 square feet. Kmart was identified as the first anchor, and the development was expected to include a supermarket, a second major retailer, and approximately fifty smaller stores. Wah Yee of Southfield was named as architect. Construction began in September 1973, but steel-delivery problems associated with a labor strike delayed the project. Kinney Shoes announced in January 1975 that it would move a downtown Bay City store to the new mall. The following month, Wiechmann's confirmed that it would occupy the western anchor position with a store of approximately 40,000 square feet. Delays in completing the Wiechmann's space postponed the opening until November 12, 1975. Early tenants included Camelot Music, Circus World, Aladdin's Castle, Hot Sam, local clothing businesses, and other specialty retailers. In July 1976, management reported 91 percent occupancy and listed Zales, B. Dalton, and Hallmark among the additions. A&P opened a supermarket at the mall in 1977. The 1980s brought efforts to adjust the tenant mix. In 1981, the mall combined spaces formerly occupied by Gantos and State Vitamin to create a Perry Drug store. Management said the change responded to an overconcentration of women's apparel and an undersupply of health-and-beauty retail. GNC, RadioShack, and Volume Shoes also opened. Ramco-Gershenson transferred ownership to CPR Hampton Associates in 1984 but retained management responsibilities. Bintz Sporting Goods and Winkelman's closed in 1985. In 1986, Jeffrey A. Hochberger became mall manager, replacing Helen Fleming, and proposed improvements to landscaping and advertising. By the late 1980s, the mall was experiencing reduced occupancy amid economic weakness and competition. Ramco-Gershenson sought to add a northern wing anchored by JCPenney. JCPenney confirmed the move in 1988, and its approximately 32,000-square-foot store opened around 1989. By 1990, the expansion had increased the mall to roughly 350,000 square feet. The new anchor was intended to provide a more convenient shopping destination for residents of the Thumb and to strengthen the center against competing retail locations. The strategy failed to provide lasting protection. Bay City Mall opened in Bangor Township in 1991, and JCPenney soon moved from Hampton Square to the newer property. Zales and GNC also left or closed, while other specialty retailers disappeared. CPR Hampton Associates filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 1991. Wiechmann's closed during the first half of the 1990s, leaving Kmart as the principal surviving anchor. A McDonald's opened in 1994, and the complex was renamed Hampton Towne Centre. Kmart closed in 2002. With the loss of the final major anchor, the property moved away from a conventional retail model. Office and institutional occupants became more important, and Mandarin House was among the few remaining commercial tenants. The enclosed mall closed in September 2010, although several organizations continued to use portions of the building. Art Dore bought the vacant property in August 2011 and promoted a mixed-use redevelopment containing offices and retail. The Michigan Department of Human Services, Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District, and a thrift store were present when he acquired it. In 2017, Dore offered a financial incentive to attract new businesses. The property did not reopen as a shopping center, and Dore died in November 2022. Hampton Towne Centre is therefore best understood as a defunct regional mall whose history reflects the rise of suburban enclosed retail, the effects of anchor relocation, and the difficulty of repurposing aging mall space.

• 2010

  Retail operations end

  [1]Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The mall closed in September.

• 2002

  Kmart closes

  [1]Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The final major anchor closed, leaving the property with substantial vacancy and a growing office-use component.

• 1991

  Competitive decline accelerates

  [1]Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Bay City Mall opened, several tenants departed, and CPR Hampton Associates entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

• 1989

  JCPenney expansion completed

  [1]Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  A JCPenney store was added through a northern expansion, bringing the center to approximately 350,000 square feet.

• 1984

  Ownership transferred

  [1]Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Ownership moved to CPR Hampton Associates while Ramco-Gershenson continued as manager.

• 1977

  A&P opens

  [1]Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  A&P added a supermarket anchor to the center.

• 1975

  Mall opens

  [1]Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Hampton Square Mall opened on November 12 with Kmart and Wiechmann's as anchor stores.

• 1973

  Development announced

  [1]Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Ramco-Gershenson Properties announced a planned 300,000-square-foot enclosed mall in Hampton Township.

A regional enclosed shopping center serving Essexville, Bay City, and communities in Michigan's Thumb region. Its original proposition combined discount, department-store, grocery, specialty, entertainment, and food tenants in a suburban mall format.

• Retail property · 1975

  Enclosed shopping mall

  The core offering was a climate-controlled enclosed shopping environment containing department stores, discount retail, a supermarket, specialty shops, food service, entertainment venues, and later office and institutional occupants. The property was initially designed as a regional destination for shoppers in Essexville, Bay City, and Michigan's Thumb region.

• Department stores · 1975

  Department-store anchors

  The mall's department-store component included Wiechmann's from opening and JCPenney after the late-1980s expansion. These anchors were intended to generate regional traffic and support smaller apparel, footwear, jewelry, music, toy, and service tenants.

• Discount department store · 1975

  Kmart

  Kmart was the first confirmed anchor and one of the mall's longest-running major tenants. Its closure in 2002 removed the center's last major retail anchor and contributed to the property's transition away from conventional mall retail.

• Supermarket · 1977

  A&P supermarket

  A&P opened at the mall in 1977 as a larger replacement for an existing Essexville store. Its presence added grocery shopping and routine household trips to the mall's department-store and specialty-retail traffic.

• Mixed-use property

  Office and institutional space

  After anchor and specialty-retail losses, portions of the property were used by offices and institutions, including the Michigan Department of Human Services and Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District. This use continued after the mall ceased retail operations.

• 2011

  Propose mixed-use redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The former mall was largely vacant after closing, with only a small number of retail, office, and institutional occupants.

  Action taken

  Art Dore purchased the property and proposed reopening it as a mixed-use office and retail development.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment did not restore the mall to operation. A later business-attraction incentive announced in 2017 also did not result in a reopening.

  Source

• 1988

  Add a JCPenney anchor wingOther

  Background

  The mall had experienced declining tenancy and sought a major anchor capable of drawing shoppers from the Thumb region.

  Action taken

  Ramco-Gershenson pursued a northern wing for a new JCPenney store, which replaced the retailer's downtown Bay City location.

  Aftermath

  The expansion increased the center to roughly 350,000 square feet by 1990, but JCPenney later relocated to the newer Bay City Mall.

  Source

• 1981

  Rebalance the tenant mix with Perry DrugStrategy

  Background

  Management believed the center had an excess of women's-clothing stores and insufficient health-and-beauty retail.

  Action taken

  The mall bought out the leases of Gantos and State Vitamin and combined their spaces for a Perry Drug pharmacy.

  Aftermath

  The repositioning added a pharmacy and health-and-beauty component, while GNC, RadioShack, and Volume Shoes also joined the tenant roster.

  Source

1. 1Hampton Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org