Indian Mall
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedIndian Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Jonesboro, Arkansas, that served as Northeast Arkansas's principal regional shopping center for more than three decades before closing and being demolished.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Indian Mall was an enclosed shopping mall at the intersection of Highland Drive and Caraway Road in Jonesboro, Arkansas, near the junction of Interstate 555 and Arkansas Highway 1. It opened in 1968 as the second shopping mall in Arkansas and became the principal organized retail destination for Jonesboro and much of Northeast Arkansas. The mall took its name from the mascot of nearby Arkansas State University. The original tenant mix combined department stores, general merchandise, and grocery retail. Its initial occupants included Blass, a department-store chain owned by Dillard's, TG&Y, Sears, and Stimson's supermarket. Blass was later rebranded as Dillard's. JCPenney joined the center in 1976, strengthening Indian Mall's role as a regional destination with multiple department-store anchors. During the 1980s, TG&Y closed, and Dillard's expanded into the former TG&Y premises for men's wear and home goods. The former supermarket area was converted into a food court. Indian Mall also functioned as a community venue rather than only a retail property. It hosted athletic-team appearances, autograph signings, charitable fundraisers, and other public events. In 1998, after the Westside Middle School shooting, local pastor Rev. Phillip McClure ministered to affected people at the mall, bringing significant press attention to the site. The property faced structural and competitive challenges over time. A series of tornadoes struck Jonesboro on May 27, 1973, causing heavy damage. From the 1990s onward, proposals emerged for a newer and larger shopping center in the growing city. Indian Mall's owner, Warmack & Company, proposed Southern Hills Mall, which would have included larger replacement stores for JCPenney, Dillard's, and Sears and a new Target. The proposal also contemplated converting Indian Mall to non-retail use, but Southern Hills Mall was never built. The competing Mall at Turtle Creek proposal by David Hocker & Associates came to fruition in 2006. Its opening redirected major tenants and customer traffic away from Indian Mall. New Dillard's and JCPenney stores opened at Turtle Creek; JCPenney left Indian Mall, while the older Dillard's became a clearance center and its men's store closed. Other national tenants, including The Gap, Waldenbooks, Sam Goody, KB Toys, and Dollar Tree, also relocated or disappeared as the older property declined. By the late 2000s, Indian Mall had become a classic dead mall. Sears, an insurance office, and a GameStop were among the last occupants, with most of the center closed off by February 2008. MBC Holdings LLC acquired the property in late 2007, and the mall formally closed in February 2008. The structure was demolished in March 2012. In 2013, plans were approved to replace the former mall site with a Kroger store. Sears, the final major retail presence associated with the property, announced its closure in December 2016 and shut the store in April 2017; its auto center closed in October 2017.
History
Indian Mall opened in 1968 at Highland Drive and Caraway Road in Jonesboro, Arkansas. It was the state's second shopping mall, following Phoenix Village Mall in Fort Smith, and was named after the mascot of Arkansas State University. The center was designed to serve Jonesboro and the wider Northeast Arkansas region, which lacked another comparable enclosed shopping destination for more than thirty years. The mall opened with Blass, TG&Y, Sears, and Stimson's supermarket. Blass was part of the Dillard's organization and was later converted to the Dillard's name. JCPenney became an additional anchor in 1976. Indian Mall sustained substantial damage during tornadoes that struck Jonesboro on May 27, 1973, but continued operating and later developed into a broad regional retail center. Its tenant roster eventually included national chains such as The Gap, Waldenbooks, Sam Goody, KB Toys, and Dollar Tree. The property also contained a food court created from the former supermarket space after Stimson's departed. Throughout its operating life, Indian Mall served civic and social functions as well as commercial ones. Athletic teams appeared there, public figures held signings, and organizations used the mall for fundraising. Following the 1998 Westside Middle School shooting, local pastor Rev. Phillip McClure used the mall as a place to minister to members of the community, generating notable media coverage. By the 1990s, growing demand for modern retail space led to proposals for a replacement or competing mall. Warmack & Company, then associated with Indian Mall, proposed Southern Hills Mall. The planned project would have offered larger versions of the JCPenney, Dillard's, and Sears stores and added a Target. Under the proposal, Indian Mall could have been repurposed for non-retail uses. Southern Hills Mall did not proceed, however, and the proposed site was later offered for sale. David Hocker & Associates advanced a separate project, The Mall at Turtle Creek. That mall opened in 2006 with Dillard's and JCPenney among its anchors. The newer property rapidly pulled tenants and shoppers from Indian Mall. JCPenney closed its old location and moved to Turtle Creek. Dillard's converted the remaining Indian Mall store into a clearance center, while the Dillard's men's operation closed. Many smaller tenants likewise relocated or ceased operations at the older center. Indian Mall subsequently entered a steep decline. It was largely empty by 2007, and by February 2008 most of the building was closed off. Sears, an insurance office, and a GameStop were among the final occupants. MBC Holdings LLC acquired the property in late 2007 with plans to remove much of the existing development and create new retail space. The mall closed in February 2008 and was demolished in March 2012. In June 2013, approval was granted for a Kroger store to replace it. Sears later announced that its remaining store would close; the store shut in April 2017 and its auto center followed on October 14, 2017. Indian Mall therefore survives as a former local retail landmark and an example of the effect that newer regional shopping centers can have on established enclosed malls.
- 2017
Sears and its auto center close
[1]The Sears store closes in April, and its auto center closes on October 14, ending the final retail presence associated with the former mall.
- 2013
Kroger redevelopment approved
[1]Approval is granted for a Kroger store to replace the former mall development.
- 2012
Mall is demolished
[1]The former enclosed mall is demolished in March for redevelopment.
- 2008
Mall closes
[1]Indian Mall closes in February after prolonged tenant losses and extensive vacancy.
- 2007
MBC Holdings completes the property acquisition
[1]MBC Holdings LLC closes on the Indian Mall property and begins pursuing redevelopment plans.
- 2006
The Mall at Turtle Creek opens
[1]The newer competing mall opens and attracts replacement locations for JCPenney and Dillard's as well as many former Indian Mall tenants.
- 1998
The mall becomes a community-support site
[1]After the Westside Middle School shooting, Rev. Phillip McClure ministers to community members at Indian Mall, bringing press attention to the property.
- 1994
Replacement-mall proposals emerge
[1]Rumors and proposals begin circulating for a newer, larger shopping center to serve Jonesboro's expanding population.
- 1976
JCPenney joins the anchor lineup
[1]JCPenney is added as a department-store anchor, expanding the mall's regional retail offer.
- 1973
Tornadoes damage the mall
[1]A series of tornadoes striking Jonesboro on May 27 causes heavy damage to Indian Mall.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping mall serving Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas, positioned as the area's primary multi-anchor retail destination until competition from The Mall at Turtle Creek shifted traffic and tenants away.
Shopping center · 1968
Enclosed regional shopping mall
Indian Mall's core offering was an enclosed, multi-anchor shopping environment serving Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas. It combined department stores, specialty retailers, food service, and community programming under one roof. The center's principal anchors over time included Sears, Dillard's, and JCPenney, with a broad supporting roster of national and local tenants.
Department stores · 1968
Department-store anchor assortment
The mall's anchor offer developed from the original Blass and Sears stores and later included Dillard's and JCPenney. These stores supplied apparel, home goods, general merchandise, and other mainstream department-store categories, making Indian Mall a one-stop destination for regional shoppers.
Food service
Food court
The former Stimson's supermarket area was converted into a food court during the 1980s. This change reflected the mall's shift from an initial shopping-center format toward a conventional enclosed mall with dining and leisure functions.
Brand decisions
2013
Conversion of the former mall site to a Kroger storeStrategyBackground
Following closure and demolition, the property was repositioned for a new retail use rather than restoration as an enclosed shopping mall.
Action taken
A request to replace the former Indian Mall with a Kroger store was approved.
Aftermath
The site transitioned from a regional enclosed mall to a standalone grocery-led retail development.
2007
MBC Holdings acquires the property for redevelopmentM&ABackground
The mall had suffered substantial tenant losses, while its owner and other developers considered replacement or redevelopment options.
Action taken
MBC Holdings LLC completed the purchase from the Warmack Company and pursued plans to remove most of the existing mall and develop additional retail space.
Aftermath
The mall closed in 2008 and was ultimately demolished in 2012.
2006
Tenant relocation in response to The Mall at Turtle CreekStrategyBackground
The opening of a newer regional mall in Jonesboro created direct competition and offered major retailers newer facilities and replacement stores.
Action taken
JCPenney moved to The Mall at Turtle Creek, Dillard's shifted its Indian Mall operation to a clearance-center format and closed its men's store, and other tenants relocated or departed.
Aftermath
Indian Mall lost its anchor strength and much of its tenant base, accelerating its decline into a largely vacant property.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/indian-mall · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled