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Jamestown Mall

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Retailer / private label

Unclaimed

A formerly enclosed regional shopping mall in Florissant, Missouri, that closed in 2014 and was demolished between 2023 and 2024.

Last updated August 25, 2026

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Overview

Jamestown Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Florissant, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Construction began in 1972 and the center opened in 1973, serving northern St. Louis County with a conventional regional-mall format built around department-store anchors and a broad selection of specialty retailers. Its original anchors included Sears and Stix Baer & Fuller, a St. Louis-based department-store chain. The opening-era tenant mix also included a cafeteria, pharmacy, ice-cream shop, music retailer, pet store, snack bar, clothing stores, and an arcade, reflecting the mall's role as both a shopping destination and a community leisure venue. A General Cinema theater opened at the property in July 1974. The mall's anchor roster changed as the St. Louis retail market evolved. Stix Baer & Fuller was acquired by Dillard's, and the Jamestown store was converted to the Dillard's name in 1984. In the early 1990s, the center added a large Famous-Barr department store, replacing the retailer's older operation at Northland Center, and JCPenney relocated its Florissant presence to Jamestown Mall. The Famous-Barr store opened in July 1994 as a two-level, approximately 164,500-square-foot anchor. During the 1990s, the cinema was moved to the front of the mall and was operated by Wehrenberg Theatres; the former theater area was subsequently used for the food court. Famous-Barr was rebranded as Macy's in September 2006. Despite these additions, Jamestown Mall entered a prolonged decline. Vacancy increased from the beginning of the 2000s, and the property was reported to be approximately 30 percent vacant when Jacobs Group sold it to Carlyle Development Group in 2003. Dillard's announced the closure of its store in 2006, while Sears closed in early 2009. JCPenney had already reduced its full-line presence to an outlet format in 1999, illustrating the weakening of the mall's traditional anchor model. St. Louis County commissioned an Urban Land Institute assessment, which concluded that the center overlapped with nearby retail offerings and was not viable in its existing form as a conventional shopping mall. Several redevelopment concepts followed. Plans announced in 2008 envisioned converting the former Dillard's space to offices and closing part of the retail wing. Later proposals considered demolishing most of the complex while retaining JCPenney and Macy's as part of a mixed-use project. These efforts were hindered by financing problems, failed property transactions, ownership disputes, bankruptcy, and foreclosure. Kohan acquired the mall during the property's financial difficulties, reportedly for $3.3 million in 2009, but lost ownership through foreclosure in 2011; Carlyle subsequently reclaimed control. Central States Liquidation occupied the former Dillard's space beginning in 2011, while the JCPenney outlet eventually closed in late 2013. The mall's final decline was accelerated by building-service failures. Its closure was announced in November 2013 after the heat was shut off. Macy's announced its own closure in January 2014, leaving the center without an anchor. Jamestown Mall officially closed on July 1, 2014, with Foot Locker and LensCrafters among the final tenants. Carlyle sold the property to the St. Louis Port Authority in December 2017 for demolition and redevelopment, but demolition was delayed. The abandoned complex deteriorated, experienced fires, and suffered water damage, including a major pipe failure in the former Sears building. St. Louis County approved a $6 million demolition plan in 2022. Demolition began in September 2023 and all structures were reported removed by March 2024. The former mall site is intended for redevelopment as an open-air or mixed-use center, but a completed replacement development is not established by the available reference material.

History

Jamestown Mall was developed as an enclosed suburban shopping center in Florissant, Missouri. Construction started in 1972, and the mall opened in 1973 with Sears and Stix Baer & Fuller as its principal anchors. Its early tenant roster combined department stores with everyday services and leisure businesses, including a cafeteria, pharmacy, ice-cream outlet, music store, pet shop, clothing retailers, snack bar, and video arcade. General Cinema added a theater in July 1974. The property expanded and changed its retail mix during the 1980s and 1990s. After Dillard's acquired Stix Baer & Fuller, the local anchor was converted to Dillard's in 1984. Famous-Barr opened a new, approximately 164,500-square-foot store in July 1994, and JCPenney moved its Florissant operation to the mall. The cinema was later relocated to the front of the property and operated by Wehrenberg Theatres, while the former theater location became part of the food-court area. JCPenney converted its full-line store to an outlet in 1999, and Famous-Barr adopted the Macy's name in 2006. The mall's performance weakened during the 2000s as vacancies rose and competing retail centers reduced its market relevance. Jacobs Group sold the property to Carlyle Development Group in 2003 when the complex was already reported to be about 30 percent vacant. Dillard's announced a closure in 2006, followed by Sears in early 2009. An Urban Land Institute study commissioned by St. Louis County found that Jamestown Mall's retail offer substantially overlapped with existing stores and judged the traditional mall format nonviable. Owners and public agencies considered multiple redevelopment approaches. A 2008 proposal contemplated converting the former Dillard's space into offices and closing part of the shopping wing. Later concepts proposed demolishing most buildings while retaining JCPenney and Macy's within a mixed-use project. The proposals encountered financing difficulties and unsuccessful attempts to sell or auction portions of the property. Kohan acquired the mall during the financial turmoil for a reported $3.3 million in 2009, but the property entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2011 and Kohan lost ownership through foreclosure later that year. Carlyle subsequently regained control. Central States Liquidation opened in the former Dillard's location in June 2011, while the JCPenney outlet, later known as JC's 5 Star Outlet, closed in late 2013. The mall's heat was shut off in late 2013, and its closure was announced around Thanksgiving Eve. Macy's announced its departure in January 2014, eliminating the last major anchor. The mall closed permanently on July 1, 2014. Carlyle sold it to the St. Louis Port Authority in December 2017 with the stated intention of demolition and redevelopment, but the site remained standing and deteriorated for several years. Fires and water damage further affected the abandoned buildings, including a 2020 interior fire and a 2021 flood in the former Sears building. St. Louis County approved a $6 million demolition plan in April 2022. Demolition commenced in September 2023 and was completed by March 2024. The property is planned for future redevelopment, with an open-air or mixed-use center discussed as the intended direction.

  • 2024

    Demolition completed

    [1]

    All structures on the former mall property were reported demolished by March.

  • 2023

    Demolition begins

    [1]

    Demolition began on September 26 after years of delay.

  • 2022

    Demolition plan approved

    [1]

    St. Louis County approved a $6 million demolition plan.

  • 2017

    Port Authority acquires the property

    [1]

    The St. Louis Port Authority acquired the closed mall for a proposed demolition and redevelopment effort.

  • 2014

    Mall permanently closes

    [1]

    Jamestown Mall closed on July 1 after Macy's had departed.

  • 2013

    Retail operations end

    [1]

    The mall's closure was announced after a heating shutdown, and the JCPenney outlet closed later in the year.

  • 2011

    Liquidation tenant opens

    [1]

    Central States Liquidation began operating in the former Dillard's space.

  • 2009

    Sears closes and redevelopment planning intensifies

    [1]

    Sears closed early in the year, while public and private stakeholders examined whether the mall could be repositioned.

  • 2006

    Dillard's announces closure

    [1]

    Dillard's announced that it would close its Jamestown Mall store.

  • 2006

    Famous-Barr becomes Macy's

    [1]

    The Famous-Barr anchor was rebranded as Macy's in September.

Products and positioning

A suburban regional shopping destination serving northern St. Louis County, positioned around department-store anchors, specialty shops, dining, and entertainment before entering long-term decline.

  • Shopping center · 1973

    Enclosed shopping mall

    Jamestown Mall's principal offering was a climate-controlled enclosed retail environment serving northern St. Louis County. It combined department-store anchors with specialty retailers, food service, and entertainment venues. The format was typical of late twentieth-century suburban regional malls, with the tenant mix changing as national chains, outlet concepts, and department-store ownership changed.

  • Department stores · 1973

    Department-store anchors

    The mall's anchor history included Sears, Stix Baer & Fuller, Dillard's, Famous-Barr, Macy's, and JCPenney. These stores supplied major apparel, home, and general-merchandise categories and formed the traffic-driving core of the property. By the 2000s, closures and the conversion of JCPenney to an outlet format weakened the center's traditional anchor structure.

  • Entertainment · 1974

    Cinema and entertainment

    Entertainment was part of the mall's original and later positioning. General Cinema opened a theater in 1974, and the cinema was later relocated to the front of the mall under Wehrenberg Theatres. The original theater space was subsequently incorporated into the food-court area. The early tenant roster also included an Aladdin's Castle video arcade.

Brand decisions

  • 2022

    Demolition funding approvedOther

    Background

    The abandoned structure had deteriorated and experienced fire and water damage.

    Action taken

    St. Louis County approved a $6 million plan to demolish the mall.

    Aftermath

    Demolition started in September 2023 and was completed by March 2024.

    Approved demolition plan. $6 million (April 2022 approval)

    Source

  • 2017

    Transfer to public redevelopment ownershipStrategy

    Background

    The closed mall had not been successfully repositioned through earlier private redevelopment proposals.

    Action taken

    Carlyle transferred the property to the St. Louis Port Authority with plans for demolition and complete redevelopment.

    Aftermath

    Demolition was delayed for several years, but county funding was approved in 2022 and demolition began in 2023.

    Source

  • 2010

    Mixed-use redevelopment conceptStrategy

    Background

    A county-commissioned viability review concluded that the existing mall format was not sustainable because of market overlap and vacancies.

    Action taken

    Plans called for demolishing most of the complex while retaining the JCPenney and Macy's stores within a mixed-use redevelopment.

    Aftermath

    The concept was not completed, and the property continued to lose tenants and deteriorate.

    Source

  • 2009

    Kohan acquisitionM&A

    Background

    The mall was experiencing financial and operational difficulties during a period of increasing vacancy.

    Action taken

    Kohan acquired the mall for a reported $3.3 million.

    Aftermath

    Kohan later lost ownership through foreclosure in 2011, while Carlyle subsequently reclaimed control.

    Reported acquisition price. $3.3 million (2009 acquisition)

    Source

  • 2008

    Office-conversion redevelopment proposalStrategy

    Background

    Rising vacancy and weakening retail performance led Carlyle Development Group to seek a new use for the property.

    Action taken

    The developer proposed converting the former Dillard's space to offices and closing part of the retail wing.

    Aftermath

    The proposal did not proceed as planned after financing and public-support problems.

    Source

Sources1 sources

  1. 1Jamestown Mallen.wikipedia.org

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