Kokomo Town Center facts for kids
| Location | Kokomo, Indiana |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°27′50″N 86°06′37″W / 40.463798°N 86.110305°W |
| Address | 1700 East Boulevard |
| Opening date | 1963 2014 renovated |
| Developer | Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. |
| Owner | Veritas Realty |
| No. of anchor tenants | 7 (6 open, 1 vacant by around October 2020) |
| Total retail floor area | 310,430 square feet (28,840 m2) (original mall) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
Kokomo Town Center is a shopping mall located in Kokomo, Indiana. It used to be known as Kokomo Mall. The mall first opened its doors in 1963. In 2014, it changed from being an indoor mall to an outdoor shopping center. Today, some of its main stores include JCPenney, AMC Theatres, Robert Miller & Son Furniture, and T-Mobile.
Contents
A Look at the Mall's History
Early Days and First Stores
The Kokomo Mall was built in 1963 by a company called Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation. When it first opened, some of the big main stores were Montgomery Ward, H. P. Wasson, and J. C. Penney.
Later, the mall was bought by Novil-Novick Associates. They made a big change: they added a roof and walls, turning the outdoor mall into an indoor one.
Changes in the 1980s
During the 1980s, many stores at the mall closed down. This included National Food, Wasson's, and Montgomery Ward. After these closures, J. C. Penney was the only original main store left.
In 1987, a store called Meis opened in the spot where Montgomery Ward used to be. The mall was bought again in 1986 by Kokomo Mall Associates. They brought in new stores, like Phar-Mor. The inside of the mall also got a fresh new look with new floors. Later, in 1989, Meis became part of a different company called Elder-Beerman.
New Owners and More Changes
In 1992, Manulife Real Estate took over the mall. However, a year later, many stores started to leave because new shopping areas were opening in Kokomo. By 1993, about 60% of the mall's spaces were empty.
In 1998, a clothing store called Goody's Family Clothing opened. It took up several smaller spaces near the J. C. Penney store.
Recent Years and Updates
By 2010, the mall was almost empty again after Goody's closed. In 2011, the Elder-Beerman store also closed. Its parent company opened a new store, Carson's, at a nearby mall.
The old Elder-Beerman space became Robert Miller & Son Furniture in 2012. This happened around the same time the mall started getting a big makeover and changed its name to Kokomo Town Center.
In 2014, part of the mall building was taken down. Now, only the stores on the east side, plus J. C. Penney and Robert Miller & Son Furniture, remain. The mall is currently owned by Veritas Realty.
In June 2020, it was announced that JCPenney would be closing its store around October 2020. This was part of a plan to close many JCPenney stores across the country. After JCPenney closes, Robert Miller & Son Furniture will be the only original main store left.
