Knoxville Center facts for kids
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_Knoxville,_TN_March_2018_(40584807152).jpg)
Exterior view of Knoxville Center, March 2018
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| Location | 3001 Knoxville Center Drive, near Exit 8 on Interstate 640, Knoxville, United States |
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| Opening date | July 1984 |
| Closing date | January 31, 2020 |
| Management | Knoxville Partners LLC |
| Owner | Knoxville Partners LLC |
| No. of stores and services | 0 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 5 (all vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 964,000 square feet (89,600 m2) (GLA) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
Knoxville Center, also known as East Towne Mall, was a large shopping mall in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was a popular place for shopping and fun for many years. The mall was open from 1984 until it closed in January 2020.
Contents
The Mall's Story
The mall first opened its doors in 1984. It was built near Interstate 640, which was a busy and growing area. For a long time, the mall was a very popular spot.
In 1998, a store called Sam’s Club opened near the mall. Over the years, the mall changed owners a few times. In 2008, a major department store called Dillard's closed. This was because fewer people were shopping there.
Later, in 2016, the mall was sold again to a company called Knoxville Partners LLC. They tried to change its name back to East Towne Mall. However, most signs still called it Knoxville Center.
More big stores started to close. JCPenney closed in 2017, and Sears closed in 2018. By late 2019, the mall had only a few stores left. Even its biggest store, Belk, closed in November 2019.
On October 31, 2019, the owners announced that the entire mall would close. All the remaining stores had to leave by January 31, 2020. The movie theater, Regal Cinema, also closed on that same day.
Big Stores That Were There
Malls usually have large main stores called "anchors." These are often big department stores. Knoxville Center had several of these over the years.
Here are some of the main stores that were once at Knoxville Center:
- Dillard's: This store closed in September 2008. It was originally called Miller's, then Hess's.
- JCPenney: This store closed on September 17, 2017.
- Sears: This store closed on September 2, 2018.
- Belk: This store closed on November 16, 2019. It was first known as Proffitt's.
- Regal Cinemas: The movie theater closed on October 31, 2019.
- Gold's Gym: This fitness center closed in May 2018. It used to be called The Rush Fitness Complex.
Food and Fun
Knoxville Center had a food court on its upper level. This was a place where people could buy different kinds of food. By 2019, only one Chinese restaurant was left in the food court. There was also another Chinese buffet on the lower level. The food court was right next to the movie theater.
Changes and New Name
In 1997, the mall got a big makeover. The inside was updated with new floors and paint. It was designed to look like the mountains of Tennessee. After this renovation, the mall was officially renamed Knoxville Center.
Why the Mall Closed
As fewer people visited, the mall started to decline. The owners hoped to turn it into a new kind of place. They wanted to add offices, more shops, restaurants, and entertainment. However, this plan did not work out. The mall closed completely on January 31, 2020.
What's Next for the Site?
In 2020, a company called Hillwood Enterprises made plans for the mall's land. They wanted to tear down the mall. Their idea was to build a large e-commerce fulfillment center there. This would be a big warehouse for an online shopping company. The project was expected to cost about $70 million.
Images for kids
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Knoxville Center's logo
