Chautauqua Mall facts for kids
Interior of Chautauqua Mall, September 2013
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| Location | Lakewood, New York |
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| Address | 318 East Fairmount Avenue |
| Opening date | 1971 |
| Developer | Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. |
| Owner | Washington Prime Group |
| No. of stores and services | 50 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 7 (5 open, 2 vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 425,000 square feet (39,484 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
The Chautauqua Mall is a popular indoor shopping center. It is located in Lakewood, New York. The mall first opened its doors in 1971. Today, you can find stores like Planet Fitness, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Dipson Theatres, and JCPenney. Some larger stores, called anchor stores, are currently empty. These used to be Sears, OfficeMax, and The Bon-Ton. The mall is managed by a company called Washington Prime Group.
Contents
The Mall's Story
How Chautauqua Mall Began
The Chautauqua Mall opened in 1971. It was built by Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr.. His company is now part of Simon Property Group. When it first opened, the mall had several big stores. These included Sears, Woolworth, JCPenney, and Quality Markets. These large stores are often called "anchor" stores. They help attract shoppers to the mall.
In 1986, the JCPenney store moved out. A new store called Jamesway took its place that same year. This Jamesway store was special. It was the 100th store in the Jamesway chain. It replaced the very first Jamesway store, which was in nearby Jamestown.
Changes Over the Years
More changes happened in 1993. Both Jamesway and Woolworth stores closed down. Also, Quality Markets moved to a location outside the mall.
But the mall kept growing! In 1997, JCPenney came back to the mall. It opened in part of the old Jamesway space. The former Woolworth store also got bigger. It became a large Bon-Ton store. The rest of the old Jamesway space later became an OfficeMax store.
Many new stores joined the mall around this time. Shoppers could find Old Navy, Gap/GapKids, and Spencer Gifts. There were also new spots for Electronics Boutique and Hallmark Cards. The mall even added a food court for hungry shoppers!
The Food Court's Journey
The food court had a bit of a bumpy start. It closed in 1999 because the original food vendors left. But it quickly reopened that same year. New places like Orange Julius, Hot Stuff Pizza, and Mean Gene's Burgers moved in. However, all these restaurants closed by 2002. The food court soon reopened again. This time, it featured local food places and a Subway.
Recent Store Changes
In 2013, a popular restaurant called Olive Garden opened. It was built right in front of the mall.
More recently, some of the big anchor stores have closed. The Bon-Ton store closed its doors on August 29, 2018. On October 15, 2018, it was announced that Sears would also be closing. This was part of a plan to close many Sears stores across the country.
Another store, Famous Footwear, announced its closure on November 3, 2018. Finally, OfficeMax closed on May 16, 2020. These changes mean the mall has some empty spaces now. But it continues to be a place for shopping and fun!
