Jefferson Pointe

Jefferson Pointe is an open-air lifestyle shopping center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The center occupies a wedge-shaped site bordered by Apple Glen Boulevard, West Jefferson Boulevard, and Illinois Road on the city's southwest side. It combines retail stores, restaurants, entertainment, and public-oriented amenities in a format distinct from a fully enclosed regional mall. The property was originally developed by RED Development. It opened in phases, with the first phase launching in 2001 and a second phase following in 2002. Its arrival expanded Fort Wayne's retail geography and introduced a number of retailers that already operated at Glenbrook Square to additional locations on the southwest side of the city. Stores associated with the early tenant mix included Victoria's Secret, Buckle, GameStop, Justice, Aéropostale, Motherhood Maternity, Francesca's, Payless ShoeSource, and Bath & Body Works. Some retailers later consolidated or changed their Fort Wayne presence, while others remained part of Jefferson Pointe's tenant base. Jefferson Pointe's tenant mix has evolved in response to changing retail conditions and local demand. Former or relocated tenants mentioned in published descriptions include The Children's Place, American Eagle Outfitters, Lane Bryant, Dress Barn, Christopher & Banks, and Barnes & Noble. Dress Barn, Christopher & Banks, and Barnes & Noble subsequently moved to the Orchard Crossing strip center, while other stores returned to operating solely at Glenbrook Square. Despite these changes, the center has generally maintained high occupancy according to the available reference material, with later additions including Marshalls, Petshion Boutique, The Nut House, White House Black Market, a relocated Old Navy, and an art gallery. The center has also served as a location for market introductions and locally significant retail concepts. It was home to Fort Wayne's first Barnes & Noble, Panera Bread, and Ulta locations, and it hosted the first company-owned Vera Bradley store in Indiana. Jefferson Pointe has also featured market-exclusive locations for brands including Chico's, Eddie Bauer, White House Black Market, Soma Intimates, Bed Bath & Beyond, LOFT, and Talbots. These tenants helped position the property as a lifestyle-oriented destination rather than only a convenience shopping center. Entertainment and dining are important parts of the property's identity. An AMC Theatres IMAX facility was added in 2011 and is described as the only IMAX theater in the region in the available reference material. The center's original small food court operated from its opening through 2012 but was eventually replaced by Tucanos Brazilian Grill and a children's play area because the broader property and surrounding area offered numerous independent and chain dining choices. Restaurants associated with the center include Biaggi's, Smokey Bones, Flat Top Grill, Cold Stone Creamery, McAlister's Deli, Hardee's, Chick-fil-A, Eddie Merlot's, and Beer Barrel Pizza. Jefferson Pointe is sometimes discussed together with Apple Glen Crossing because the two developments are across Apple Glen Boulevard from one another. They are separate properties with different ownership, however. Apple Glen Crossing includes Walmart, Kohl's, Best Buy, and PetSmart and should not be treated as part of Jefferson Pointe. Jefferson Pointe is currently managed by UCR CBRE, while the available sources do not identify its current owner. Its present role is that of a major southwest Fort Wayne retail and entertainment destination serving local and regional shoppers.

Jefferson Pointe developed as part of the expansion of Fort Wayne's retail activity toward the southwest side of the city. The open-air center occupies land between Apple Glen Boulevard, West Jefferson Boulevard, and Illinois Road, giving it visibility and access from several important southwest Fort Wayne routes. RED Development originally developed the project, which was conceived as a lifestyle-oriented retail destination rather than a conventional enclosed mall. The first phase opened in 2001. A second phase followed in 2002, completing a broader tenant and service offering. At opening, Jefferson Pointe attracted several retailers that already had locations at Glenbrook Square, Fort Wayne's established regional shopping mall. The additional locations gave retailers access to shoppers living in the southwest part of the metropolitan area. Early or notable tenants included Victoria's Secret, Buckle, GameStop, Justice, Aéropostale, Motherhood Maternity, Francesca's, Payless ShoeSource, and Bath & Body Works. The center's tenant roster changed over time. Some retailers that had opened at Jefferson Pointe later withdrew from the site or returned to a single Fort Wayne location at Glenbrook Square. The Children's Place, American Eagle Outfitters, and Lane Bryant are identified in the available material as examples of retailers that eventually reverted to strictly locating at Glenbrook. Other businesses, including Dress Barn, Christopher & Banks, and Barnes & Noble, moved to Orchard Crossing, a separate strip-center development. These changes reflected normal retail repositioning and competition among Fort Wayne shopping districts rather than the closure of Jefferson Pointe itself. Jefferson Pointe continued to add stores and services. Later additions cited in the source material include Marshalls, Petshion Boutique, The Nut House, White House Black Market, a relocated Old Navy, and an art gallery. The center also became notable for first-in-market or locally significant retail locations. It hosted Fort Wayne's first Barnes & Noble, Panera Bread, and Ulta stores, as well as the first Vera Bradley company-owned store in Indiana. The property has also been associated with market-exclusive locations for Chico's, Eddie Bauer, White House Black Market, Soma Intimates, Bed Bath & Beyond, LOFT, and Talbots. Entertainment became a more prominent component of the center in 2011, when an AMC Theatres IMAX facility was added. The available reference describes it as the only IMAX theater in the region. Dining has likewise been central to the open-air format. Jefferson Pointe originally maintained a small food court, but it was not sufficiently popular in comparison with the many restaurants located elsewhere in and around the center. In 2012, the food court was replaced by Tucanos Brazilian Grill and a children's play area. Other restaurants associated with the property have included Biaggi's, Smokey Bones, Flat Top Grill, Cold Stone Creamery, McAlister's Deli, Hardee's, Chick-fil-A, Eddie Merlot's, and Beer Barrel Pizza. The center is sometimes informally grouped with Apple Glen Crossing, located across Apple Glen Boulevard. The two developments are separate properties and have different owners. Apple Glen Crossing is anchored by Walmart, Kohl's, Best Buy, and PetSmart, whereas Jefferson Pointe is the open-air lifestyle center described in this dossier. The available reference identifies UCR CBRE as Jefferson Pointe's current manager but does not identify the current owner. Jefferson Pointe remains an active retail, dining, and entertainment destination in Fort Wayne.

• 2012

  Food court replaced

  [1]Jefferson Pointeen.wikipedia.org

  The center's small food court is replaced by Tucanos Brazilian Grill and a children's play area.

• 2011

  IMAX theater added

  [1]Jefferson Pointeen.wikipedia.org

  An AMC Theatres IMAX facility is added to the center and is described as the only IMAX theater in the region.

• 2002

  Second phase opens

  [1]Jefferson Pointeen.wikipedia.org

  A second development phase opens, expanding the center's retail and service offering.

• 2001

  First phase opens

  [1]Jefferson Pointeen.wikipedia.org

  The first phase of Jefferson Pointe opens as an open-air lifestyle shopping center on Fort Wayne's southwest side.

A southwest Fort Wayne open-air lifestyle center combining national retailers, specialty stores, restaurants, and cinema entertainment.

• Shopping center retail · 2001

  Retail stores

  Jefferson Pointe's core offering is a collection of national and specialty retailers spanning apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods, books, crafts, and other consumer categories. The tenant roster has changed over time, with notable stores including Burlington Coat Factory, Marshalls, Michaels, Von Maur, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, White House Black Market, and other specialty brands cited in descriptions of the center.

• Restaurants and food service · 2001

  Dining venues

  Dining is an important part of Jefferson Pointe's lifestyle-center format. The property and its surrounding retail area have been associated with restaurants and food-service businesses including Biaggi's, Smokey Bones, Flat Top Grill, Cold Stone Creamery, McAlister's Deli, Hardee's, Chick-fil-A, Eddie Merlot's, Beer Barrel Pizza, and Tucanos Brazilian Grill.

• Entertainment · 2011

  AMC Theatres IMAX

  The AMC Theatres IMAX facility adds large-format cinema entertainment to Jefferson Pointe's retail and dining mix. It was added in 2011 and is described in the available reference as the only IMAX theater in the region.

• Family amenity · 2012

  Children's play area

  A children's play area was introduced when the former food court was replaced in 2012. It complemented the center's family-oriented dining, shopping, and entertainment uses.

• 2012

  Replace the underperforming food courtStrategy

  Background

  The center's small food court was reportedly not popular because Jefferson Pointe and its surrounding area already offered numerous dining options.

  Action taken

  The food court was removed and its space was replaced by Tucanos Brazilian Grill and a children's play area.

  Aftermath

  The change shifted the center toward a restaurant-led and family-oriented amenity mix.

  Source

• 2011

  Add an IMAX cinema facilityProduct launch

  Background

  Jefferson Pointe expanded its entertainment offering beyond shopping and conventional dining.

  Action taken

  An AMC Theatres IMAX facility was added to the center.

  Aftermath

  The cinema became a notable entertainment anchor and was described as the only IMAX theater in the region.

  Source

1. 1Jefferson Pointeen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Jefferson Pointe official websitejeffersonshopping.com