Imperial Valley Mall

Imperial Valley Mall is a single-level enclosed shopping center in El Centro, California, serving the Imperial Valley and nearby communities. The property was developed as the region's principal modern enclosed retail destination and opened to customers on March 9, 2005. Its tenant mix was planned around department-store anchors, specialty retail, food service, entertainment, and cinema offerings. The mall initially opened with four anchor stores: JCPenney, Sears, Dillard's, and Robinsons-May. Robinsons-May was subsequently converted into Macy's, while Sears later closed as part of the national contraction of the Sears store network. The project emerged during a period of retail development in Imperial County. JCPenney and Sears were publicly identified as tenants in 2002, and construction received approval in 2003. Early specialty tenants included Dairy Queen, Foot Locker, Kay Jewelers, PacSun, Payless ShoeSource, and a 14-screen UltraStar Cinemas complex. The cinema later became associated with Cinemark. Sears relocated to the new mall from El Centro Mall, an older local shopping center, helping establish Imperial Valley Mall as a successor retail hub for the area. Before the formal opening, the owners organized a preview event that allowed members of the public to see the completed center and purchase admission tickets one day ahead of the official launch. The opening configuration combined national department stores with apparel, footwear, jewelry, food, and entertainment tenants, reflecting the conventional enclosed-mall model used by regional shopping centers in the United States during the 2000s. The mall's ownership and asset structure changed over time. In 2015, Sears Holdings separated the Sears property at Imperial Valley Mall into Seritage Growth Properties as part of a broader transaction involving hundreds of Sears real-estate assets. Sears later announced in October 2018 that the Imperial Valley location would close in a nationwide store-reduction program; the store ceased operations in January 2019. The closure removed one of the mall's original four anchors but left JCPenney, Dillard's, and Macy's as the principal department-store anchors identified in reference material. In February 2025, CBL Properties announced an agreement to sell the mall for $38.1 million in cash. The property was subsequently acquired by a partnership comprising Tryperion Holdings, Peak Companies, and Duke Real Estate. The transaction also included approximately 65 acres of adjacent developable land. The new ownership group has described plans to improve the mall's infrastructure and add retail and dining opportunities. CBRE, formerly known as Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis, manages the property. Imperial Valley Mall therefore remains an active regional shopping center, while its post-2025 ownership and development plans indicate an effort to reposition the asset for continued community and commercial use.

Imperial Valley Mall is an enclosed regional shopping center in El Centro, California. Its development responded to the need for a newer, larger retail destination in the Imperial Valley. JCPenney and Sears were confirmed as tenants in 2002, construction was approved in 2003, and the project recruited a range of specialty retailers and entertainment businesses before opening. The mall began trading on March 9, 2005. Its original anchor lineup consisted of JCPenney, Sears, Dillard's, and Robinsons-May. Robinsons-May later became Macy's, reflecting the broader consolidation of department-store brands in the United States. Sears moved into the new center from El Centro Mall, making Imperial Valley Mall an important successor to the older local shopping facility. The opening tenant group also included Dairy Queen, Foot Locker, Kay Jewelers, PacSun, Payless ShoeSource, and a 14-screen UltraStar Cinemas. The cinema was later operated under the Cinemark name. A preview party held the day before opening gave customers an opportunity to enter the completed mall before the official launch. This event served both as a public introduction and as a promotional opening activity. During its first decade, the property operated in the conventional regional-mall format, using department stores to draw traffic while specialty shops, restaurants, and cinema entertainment broadened the customer proposition. The property became connected to the restructuring of Sears real estate in 2015. Sears Holdings transferred the Sears location, along with many other properties, into Seritage Growth Properties. Sears subsequently announced in October 2018 that the Imperial Valley store would close in a nationwide round of reductions. The store closed in January 2019, ending one of the mall's original anchor relationships. In 2025, ownership changed again. CBL Properties announced a $38.1 million all-cash sale, and a partnership consisting of Tryperion Holdings, Peak Companies, and Duke Real Estate later acquired the mall. The transaction included 65 acres of adjacent land suitable for future development. The new owners indicated that they intended to modernize infrastructure and expand the property's retail and dining offer. CBRE manages the mall. Its current identity is therefore that of an active regional shopping destination undergoing ownership transition and planned repositioning rather than a defunct or abandoned retail property.

• 2025

  Mall sold to new ownership partnership

  [1]Imperial Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  CBL Properties announced a $38.1 million cash sale, followed by acquisition by Tryperion Holdings, Peak Companies, and Duke Real Estate, together with adjacent developable land.

• 2019

  Sears store closed

  [1]Imperial Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears anchor closed in January after being included in a nationwide store-closure program.

• 2015

  Sears property transferred to Seritage

  [1]Imperial Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears Holdings real-estate transaction placed the Sears property at Imperial Valley Mall into Seritage Growth Properties.

• 2005

  Mall opened

  [1]Imperial Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Imperial Valley Mall opened on March 9 with JCPenney, Sears, Dillard's, and Robinsons-May as its four anchor stores.

• 2003

  Construction approved

  [1]Imperial Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Imperial Valley Mall project received approval to proceed with construction.

• 2002

  JCPenney and Sears confirmed as tenants

  [1]Imperial Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney and Sears were identified as tenants during the mall's pre-construction development phase.

A regional enclosed shopping center combining department-store anchors, specialty retail, food service, and entertainment for consumers in El Centro and the Imperial Valley.

• Anchor retail · 2005

  Department-store retail

  The mall's anchor offer is centered on department stores, historically including JCPenney, Sears, Dillard's, and Robinsons-May. Robinsons-May was later converted to Macy's, and Sears closed in 2019. These stores provide broad merchandise categories such as clothing, home goods, accessories, and seasonal products and function as the principal traffic generators for the center.

• Shopping-center retail · 2005

  Specialty retail

  Imperial Valley Mall's specialty-retail mix has included national and category-focused tenants such as Foot Locker, Kay Jewelers, PacSun, and Payless ShoeSource. The category gives shoppers access to footwear, jewelry, apparel, and related accessories beyond the department stores, while allowing the tenant lineup to evolve as individual retailers enter or leave the property.

• Entertainment · 2005

  Cinema and entertainment

  The property opened with a 14-screen UltraStar Cinemas complex, adding movie exhibition and leisure activity to the shopping offer. The cinema later became associated with Cinemark. Entertainment helps position the mall as a destination for visits that extend beyond conventional retail shopping.

• Food service · 2005

  Food and beverage

  Food service has been part of the center's tenant strategy since opening, with Dairy Queen among the early confirmed tenants. Restaurants and quick-service operators complement shopping and cinema visits and form part of the planned future expansion of the property's dining offer.

• 2025

  Sale and ownership transitionM&A

  Background

  CBL Properties announced that it would sell Imperial Valley Mall as part of a change in the property's ownership.

  Action taken

  The mall was sold in an all-cash transaction and acquired by Tryperion Holdings, Peak Companies, and Duke Real Estate, together with approximately 65 acres of adjacent developable land.

  Aftermath

  The new ownership group outlined plans to upgrade infrastructure and add retail and dining options. CBRE continues to manage the property.

  Sale price. $38.1 million (Announced February 7, 2025)

  Source

• 2019

  Sears anchor closureOther

  Background

  Sears included its Imperial Valley Mall store in a nationwide program to reduce its store portfolio.

  Action taken

  The Sears location closed in January 2019.

  Aftermath

  The mall lost one of its original four department-store anchors, leaving JCPenney, Dillard's, and Macy's as the principal anchors identified in the reference material.

  Source

• 2005

  Regional enclosed-mall developmentStrategy

  Background

  The project was developed to create a modern regional retail destination in the Imperial Valley, with department stores, specialty shops, food service, and cinema entertainment.

  Action taken

  The developers assembled a multi-anchor tenant lineup and opened the center in El Centro on March 9, 2005.

  Aftermath

  The mall became a principal enclosed shopping destination for the area and replaced the older Sears location at El Centro Mall with a new store at the project.

  Source

1. 1Imperial Valley Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Imperial Valley Mall official websiteimperialvalleymall.com