Hickory Point Mall
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedA shopping mall in Forsyth, Illinois, serving the Decatur metropolitan area.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Hickory Point Mall is a regional shopping center in Forsyth, Illinois, just north of Decatur. The mall opened in October 1978 after an earlier proposal to build the project within Decatur was rejected by the city council. Its development shifted retail activity from downtown Decatur toward the northern suburban corridor and established the property as a principal enclosed shopping destination for the area. The original anchor lineup included JCPenney, Bergner's, and Carson Pirie Scott, all of which had connections to retailers that had operated in downtown Decatur. Carson Pirie Scott was subsequently rebranded as Carson's, while Kohl's joined the center in 1983 and later expanded its space. The property continued to evolve through the addition of Sears and MC Sports in 1998, the arrival of national apparel and specialty retailers, and an interior renovation completed in 2000. CBL & Associates Properties acquired the mall in 2005. Several restaurants and adjacent commercial uses also developed around the center. Lowe's opened across the street in 1993, followed by Applebee's, Texas Roadhouse, and Red Lobster in the surrounding area during the 1990s and early 2000s. The mall later gained Ross Dress for Less and Ulta Beauty in 2014, Hobby Lobby in space formerly occupied by JCPenney, T.J. Maxx after a relocation announcement in 2016, and Hibbett Sports in 2017. Shoe Dept. Encore also took space previously used by Steve & Barry's. The mall's tenant base was affected by national retail bankruptcies and store closures. Steve & Barry's opened in late 2007 but closed within a year; Old Navy left in 2010; JCPenney closed in 2014; Sears also ceased operations in 2014; Book World liquidated its store in 2017; and Bergner's closed in August 2018 following the bankruptcy and liquidation of Bon-Ton Stores. These departures left several former anchor spaces vacant. The mall also served as a filming location for scenes in the 2009 film The Informant! and briefly hosted KombatBall MAX, an indoor bubble-ball entertainment venue. In August 2020, CBL & Associates sold Hickory Point Mall to Namdar Realty Group, which manages the property. The current anchor tenants identified in reference material are Kohl's, Von Maur, TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby, Ulta Beauty, Ross Dress for Less, and Shoe Dept. Encore. The former JCPenney, Sears, and Bergner's anchor locations remain vacant according to the cited reference description. Hickory Point Mall therefore represents a mature regional mall whose role has shifted from a traditional department-store-centered format toward a combination of off-price retail, specialty stores, value-oriented chains, and service uses.
History
In the early 1970s, developers Copaken, White & Blitt proposed an enclosed shopping mall in Decatur, Illinois. The proposal encountered strong opposition from downtown merchants, who lobbied against a competing suburban retail center. After approximately a year of negotiations, the Decatur City Council rejected the project by a single vote in July 1974. Rather than abandon the development, the developers moved the project to Forsyth, a village immediately north of Decatur. Hickory Point Mall opened in October 1978. Its first major anchors included JCPenney, Bergner's, and Carson Pirie Scott. These stores had ties to the established downtown retail market and helped the new mall attract shoppers from Decatur and surrounding communities. Carson Pirie Scott later became Carson's. Kohl's joined the anchor lineup in 1983 and expanded its store in 2003. In the summer of 1989, P.A. Bergner, the parent company associated with Bergner's, sold its Hickory Point store and another store at College Hills Mall in Normal to Von Maur. Sears and MC Sports were added in 1998, with Sears relocating from a downtown Decatur site. In 1999, Gap Inc. announced plans for Gap, GapKids, and Old Navy locations at or associated with the center. The surrounding commercial district developed alongside the mall. Lowe's Home Improvement opened across the street in July 1993. Applebee's followed in October 1994, Texas Roadhouse opened to the public on May 17, 1999, and Red Lobster opened in 2002. The mall itself underwent an interior renovation in 2000. CBL & Associates Properties acquired the property in 2005. Tenant turnover became more visible in the late 2000s and 2010s. Steve & Barry's opened in late 2007 but closed in less than a year. MC Sports moved to another location within the mall in late 2008. Old Navy closed in 2010 and its former space was later occupied by Cohn Furniture. Shoe Show opened a Shoe Dept. Encore in the space vacated by Steve & Barry's. The mall also appeared in scenes filmed for the 2009 motion picture The Informant!. The departure of traditional department-store anchors accelerated in 2014. JCPenney was announced for closure in January and was expected to leave by May. Sears was also scheduled to close, with its permanent departure reported in December. The mall responded with new tenants: Ross Dress for Less and Ulta Beauty opened in September, and Hobby Lobby signed a lease for approximately 60,000 square feet in the former JCPenney space, relocating from Pershing Road. Further changes followed. T.J. Maxx announced a relocation to the mall in October 2016, and Hibbett Sports opened in fall 2017. KombatBall MAX, a bubble-ball entertainment venue affiliated with Knockerball USA, opened in October 2017 in a former Kirlin's Hallmark location but later ceased operating. Book World closed in 2017 during the company's bankruptcy-related liquidation. Bergner's closed permanently on August 29, 2018, after Bon-Ton Stores filed for bankruptcy and liquidated its stores. In August 2020, CBL & Associates sold Hickory Point Mall to Namdar Realty Group, which became the property's manager. The mall's current described anchor roster includes Kohl's, Von Maur, TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby, Ulta Beauty, Ross Dress for Less, and Shoe Dept. Encore. The former JCPenney, Sears, and Bergner's anchors are identified as vacant, reflecting the continuing repositioning of the property from a conventional department-store mall toward a more varied and value-oriented retail mix.
- 2020
Namdar Realty Group acquired the property
[1]CBL & Associates sold the mall to Namdar Realty Group, which manages it.
- 2018
Bergner's closed
[1]The long-standing Bergner's anchor closed after Bon-Ton Stores entered bankruptcy and liquidated its stores.
- 2014
Major anchor turnover
[1]JCPenney and Sears closed, while Ross Dress for Less, Ulta Beauty, and Hobby Lobby entered or committed to the property.
- 2005
CBL & Associates acquired the mall
[1]CBL & Associates Properties purchased Hickory Point Mall.
- 2000
Interior renovation completed
[1]The mall underwent an interior renovation under Copaken, White & Blitt.
- 1998
Sears and MC Sports added
[1]Sears and MC Sports joined the mall, with Sears relocating from downtown Decatur.
- 1989
Von Maur acquired two former Bergner-related stores
[1]P.A. Bergner sold the Hickory Point store and a store at College Hills Mall to Von Maur.
- 1983
Kohl's joined the anchor lineup
[1]Kohl's was added as a fourth anchor.
- 1978
Hickory Point Mall opened
[1]The mall opened in Forsyth in October with JCPenney, Bergner's, and Carson Pirie Scott among its original anchors.
- 1974
Decatur proposal rejected
[1]The Decatur City Council rejected the proposed mall project by one vote after opposition from downtown merchants.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping center serving Forsyth, Decatur, and surrounding central Illinois communities, with a tenant mix spanning department stores, off-price retailers, specialty retail, home and hobby goods, beauty, footwear, and food service.
Department store · 1983
Kohl's
A department-store anchor offering apparel, footwear, accessories, home merchandise, beauty products, and seasonal goods. Kohl's joined Hickory Point Mall in 1983 and later expanded its space in 2003.
Department store · 1989
Von Maur
A full-line department store serving as one of the mall's established anchors, with merchandise categories typically including fashion apparel, accessories, footwear, cosmetics, and home goods.
Off-price department store · 2016
TJ Maxx
An off-price retailer offering discounted apparel, accessories, footwear, beauty products, home furnishings, and seasonal merchandise. The mall announced its relocation to Hickory Point in 2016.
Arts and crafts retailer · 2014
Hobby Lobby
A large-format arts, crafts, home décor, fabric, and seasonal merchandise retailer. Hobby Lobby leased approximately 60,000 square feet in the former JCPenney space and relocated from Pershing Road.
Beauty retailer · 2014
Ulta Beauty
A beauty specialty store carrying cosmetics, skincare, haircare, fragrance, personal-care products, and salon-related services. Ulta Beauty opened at the mall in September 2014.
Off-price apparel retailer · 2014
Ross Dress for Less
An off-price chain focused on discounted clothing, footwear, accessories, home goods, and seasonal merchandise. Its Hickory Point location opened in September 2014.
Footwear retailer
Shoe Dept. Encore
A family footwear retailer offering shoes and related accessories for women, men, and children. The store opened in space previously occupied by Steve & Barry's.
Brand decisions
2020
Sale to Namdar Realty GroupM&ABackground
CBL & Associates Properties owned the mall after acquiring it in 2005.
Action taken
CBL & Associates sold Hickory Point Mall to Namdar Realty Group in August 2020.
Aftermath
Namdar Realty Group became the property's owner and manager, while the mall continued operating with several former department-store anchor spaces vacant.
2014
Replacement of the former JCPenney anchorProduct launchBackground
JCPenney was scheduled to close its Hickory Point location, creating a large vacant anchor space.
Action taken
Hobby Lobby executed a lease for approximately 60,000 square feet and planned to relocate into the former JCPenney space.
Aftermath
The decision brought a large-format arts-and-crafts retailer into the mall and helped replace a departing traditional department-store anchor.
Sources1 sources
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