South Mall

South Mall is an enclosed shopping center on Lehigh Street in Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania, just south of Interstate 78 near the southern edge of Allentown and the neighboring borough of Emmaus. It serves the Lehigh Valley region and has historically combined department stores, discount retailers, specialty shops, restaurants, services, and community-oriented events. The property began in 1971 with Hess's South, a suburban satellite of the Hess's department store that was based in downtown Allentown. Hess's added a modest enclosed mall north of the department store in 1975, bringing in Weis Markets and specialty retailers. This early configuration gave South Mall a local department-store anchor and a grocery component rather than the large regional format associated with many newer suburban malls. Ownership and scale changed substantially after Hess's was acquired by Crown American in 1979. Crown American expanded the complex in 1986–1987, constructing a southern enclosed section and adding discount retailer Jamesway as a major tenant. Jamesway selected South Mall for the opening of its 100th store in November 1986, marking one of the center's most prominent promotional events. Phar-Mor joined the newer section as another major anchor in 1991. At the same time, the older northern section was temporarily deactivated after the departure of Rea & Derick, a local drugstore chain later acquired by CVS Pharmacy. The tenant mix continued to evolve as retail chains entered bankruptcy, merged, or changed strategy. Jamesway left in 1995, and Stein Mart leased most of its former space in 1996. Staples and Petco helped reactivate the older portion of the mall in the mid-1990s. The former Weis Markets space was subdivided after Weis closed in 1999, while Phar-Mor's departure in 2002 was followed by Steve & Barry's. Each change reduced reliance on traditional department-store and discount anchors and increased the importance of smaller specialty, service, fitness, restaurant, and off-price tenants. Crown American was acquired by PREIT in 2003. South Mall was later identified as an underperforming property within PREIT's portfolio and sold in June 2014 to Nicholas Park Mall LLC, a company formed by New York-area investors led by former Macy's executive Richard Krantz. The sale marked a transition from ownership by a large publicly traded shopping-center operator to ownership by a private investment group. Several subsequent vacancies reflected broader changes in American retail. Steve & Barry's closed after filing for bankruptcy in 2008, and its space was reused by Black Rose Antiques and Collectibles, followed by gym and furniture uses. The Bon-Ton, which had succeeded Hess's as the principal traditional department-store anchor, closed in 2018 after its parent company ceased operations. Limerick Furniture closed in 2019, and Stein Mart, the last major anchor, announced the closure of its South Mall store in 2020 as part of the chain's nationwide liquidation. In the early 2020s, South Mall increasingly emphasized flexible and nontraditional uses. The property hosted flea markets and summer food-truck events, while tenants included fitness operators, antiques dealers, restaurants, mobile-phone stores, and other local businesses. Spirit Halloween occupied the former Stein Mart space on a seasonal basis beginning in 2022. The mall also experienced individual store closures, including T-Mobile, Claire's, and other tenants, while some affiliated or competing mobile-phone locations remained open. The property's redevelopment direction became clearer in the mid-2020s. The Giant Company announced plans to replace the former Bon-Ton building with a new 68,000-square-foot supermarket, relocating its nearby West Emaus Avenue store to South Mall. Burlington agreed to lease nearly 20,000 square feet in the building formerly used by Spirit Halloween, with the space planned for subdivision among smaller tenants. Burlington reportedly opened on November 1, 2025, and Giant on November 21, 2025. These changes indicate a shift toward grocery, off-price retail, services, food, and community uses rather than dependence on conventional department-store anchors.

South Mall developed from Hess's South, which opened in 1971 as a suburban satellite of Hess's downtown Allentown department store. Hess's added an enclosed mall north of the store in 1975. The initial center included Weis Markets and specialty shops, creating a compact retail destination rather than a large regional mall. In 1979, Hess's was acquired by Crown American, and the transaction included South Mall. Crown American undertook a major expansion in 1986–1987, adding an enclosed southern section around the existing department store. Jamesway opened its 100th store at the center in November 1986, using the occasion for a public celebration that included skydivers landing in the parking lot. Phar-Mor became another major tenant in 1991. The older northern portion was deactivated that year after Rea & Derick left; the drugstore chain had subsequently become part of CVS Pharmacy. South Mall's tenant structure changed repeatedly during the 1990s. Jamesway closed its store in late 1995 after entering bankruptcy. Stein Mart took most of the former Jamesway space in 1996, while Gold's Gym and Home & Gifts occupied other portions. Staples and Petco reopened the former northern section in 1996. Weis Markets closed in 1999 after weak sales, and its space was divided among later tenants including Mattress Firm, Blick Art Materials, and a Pennsylvania wine and spirits store. Phar-Mor closed in 2002 in connection with the chain's national acquisition by CVS. Steve & Barry's subsequently occupied the space, but declared bankruptcy in 2008 and closed its South Mall store. Black Rose Antiques and Collectibles leased the former anchor space in 2009, creating an antiques mini-mall with more than 100 dealers. After Black Rose left, the space was used by fitness operators, including Supersets Gym. Crown American became part of PREIT after PREIT completed its $1.2 billion acquisition of the company in 2003. South Mall was later classified as an underperforming property and sold by PREIT in June 2014 for $23.6 million to Nicholas Park Mall LLC. The new ownership period brought further emphasis on local tenants and adaptive reuse. Yocco's Hot Dogs opened at the mall in 2016, while Black Rose Antiques moved to Phillipsburg Mall in January 2017. Limerick Furniture occupied most of the former Black Rose area, and Full Circle Training used another portion beginning in 2018. The Bon-Ton, which had acquired Hess's in the 1990s and operated the successor department-store anchor at South Mall, closed in 2018 when The Bon-Ton ceased its national operations. Limerick Furniture closed the next year. Stein Mart therefore became the center's only remaining major anchor, but it announced in 2020 that all of its stores would close. The former Stein Mart area was later used by Spirit Halloween during the 2022 seasonal period. During the early 2020s, South Mall adapted to the decline of conventional department stores through events and flexible uses. The center sponsored flea markets and weekly summer food-truck gatherings. Tenants and attractions included Cave Brewing Co., South Mall Mercantile, local restaurants, gyms, specialty retailers, and telecommunications stores, although some of these businesses subsequently closed. The former Bon-Ton building was later selected for a new Giant supermarket. In 2024, Burlington agreed to lease part of the former Spirit Halloween building, while the remaining space was planned for smaller tenants. Burlington reportedly opened in November 2025, followed by Giant later that month, giving the property grocery and off-price anchors in place of the department stores that had historically defined it.

• 2025

  Giant and Burlington become major occupants

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Burlington and a relocated Giant supermarket reportedly open at South Mall.

• 2020

  Stein Mart announces closure

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Stein Mart announces the closure of all stores, including its South Mall location.

• 2018

  The Bon-Ton closes

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Bon-Ton shuts its South Mall store as the chain closes nationally.

• 2014

  South Mall changes ownership

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  PREIT sells the mall to Nicholas Park Mall LLC.

• 2003

  PREIT acquires Crown American

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  PREIT completes its acquisition of Crown American, including South Mall.

• 1996

  Staples and Petco reactivate the northern section

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Staples and Petco occupy space in the previously inactive portion of the mall.

• 1991

  Phar-Mor becomes a major anchor

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Phar-Mor opens in the newer section while the older northern portion is deactivated after Rea & Derick closes.

• 1986

  Southern expansion opens

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Crown American expands the mall and Jamesway opens its 100th store at South Mall.

• 1979

  Crown American acquires the property

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Crown American purchases Hess's and South Mall.

• 1975

  First enclosed mall section added

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Hess's develops an enclosed mall north of the department store, adding Weis Markets and specialty retailers.

• 1971

  Hess's South opens

  [1]South Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Hess's opens a suburban satellite department store at the future South Mall site.

A locally oriented enclosed shopping center serving southern Allentown, Salisbury Township, Emmaus, and the broader Lehigh Valley. Its current positioning relies on practical retail, off-price merchandise, grocery, fitness, food, services, and community events, following the departure of several traditional department-store anchors.

• Supermarket · 2025

  Giant

  A full-service supermarket planned for a new 68,000-square-foot building on the former Bon-Ton site. The store replaces Giant's nearby West Emaus Avenue location and gives South Mall a grocery-led anchor.

• Off-price department store · 2025

  Burlington

  An off-price retailer leasing approximately 19,972 square feet in the building previously used by Spirit Halloween. Its arrival adds value-oriented apparel, home goods, and seasonal merchandise to the center's post-department-store tenant mix.

• Off-price apparel and home retailer · 2012

  Ross Stores

  Ross Stores occupies space created through the subdivision and reuse of the former Jamesway area. It provides discounted apparel, footwear, accessories, and home merchandise.

• Fitness

  SuperSets Gym

  A fitness tenant operating in a former large-anchor space. Its presence illustrates South Mall's use of health and fitness businesses to replace departed department-store and specialty anchors.

• Pet supplies and services · 1996

  Petco

  A pet-focused retailer that helped reopen the older northern portion of South Mall in the mid-1990s and remains among the listed major tenants.

• Office supplies · 1993

  Staples

  An office-supplies retailer that became one of the tenants in the reactivated northern portion of the mall.

• Art supplies

  Blick Art Materials

  A specialty art-materials retailer occupying part of the space formerly used by Weis Markets.

• 2020Community flea markets and summer food-truck events

  Lehigh Valley

  South Mall sponsored recurring flea markets and weekly summer food-truck events as it broadened its role beyond conventional retail.

  Outcome. These activities supported community engagement and helped activate space during a period of anchor-store departures.

  Source
• 1986Jamesway 100th-store celebration

  United States

  Jamesway marked the opening of its 100th store at South Mall with a promotional event that included skydivers landing in the mall parking lot.

  Outcome. The event highlighted South Mall's expanded southern section and Jamesway's role as a major anchor.

  Source

• 2024

  Burlington lease and former seasonal-anchor reuseStrategy

  Background

  The former Stein Mart building had been used by Spirit Halloween on a seasonal basis.

  Action taken

  Burlington agreed to lease approximately 19,972 square feet, with the building planned for subdivision among Burlington and smaller tenants.

  Aftermath

  The agreement added an off-price retail anchor and continued South Mall's adaptive reuse of large vacant spaces.

  Source

• 2023

  Redevelopment around a relocated Giant supermarketStrategy

  Background

  The former Bon-Ton building had been vacant since the department store's 2018 closure.

  Action taken

  The Giant Company announced plans to demolish the former Bon-Ton building and relocate its nearby supermarket into a new 68,000-square-foot store at South Mall.

  Aftermath

  The project replaced a traditional department-store anchor with a grocery-led use and supported a broader repositioning of the mall.

  Source

• 2014

  Sale to Nicholas Park Mall LLCM&A

  Background

  PREIT considered South Mall one of its underperforming shopping-center properties.

  Action taken

  PREIT sold the property to Nicholas Park Mall LLC, a private investment group.

  Aftermath

  Ownership shifted from a large publicly traded mall operator to a private investment company.

  Sale price. $23.6 million (June 2014)

  Source

1. 1South Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2South Mall official websiteshopsouthmall.com