Mall of the Bluffs facts for kids
| Location | Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°14′43″N 95°49′24″W / 41.245409°N 95.823204°W |
| Address | 1751 Madison Avenue |
| Opening date | 1986 |
| Closing date | December 30, 2019 |
| Developer | General Growth Properties |
| Owner | Menards |
| No. of anchor tenants | 4 (all vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 730,000 square feet (68,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
The Mall of the Bluffs was a shopping mall located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA. It opened in 1986. At its busiest, it had big stores like J. C. Penney, Dillard's, Sears, and Target. These big stores are called 'anchor stores' because they attract many shoppers. After J. C. Penney and Target moved away, the mall started to lose many of its other shops. It finally closed its doors on December 30, 2019.
Contents
A Look Back at the Mall
The Mall of the Bluffs first opened its doors in 1986. It was built by a company called General Growth Properties. This mall was the second big shopping center in Council Bluffs.
Growing Bigger
The mall grew larger over time. In 1988, a Dillard's store was added. About ten years later, a Sears store also joined the mall. These additions made the mall a popular place to shop.
Stores Start to Leave
In the early 2000s, the mall began to lose some of its main stores. J. C. Penney moved to a new spot in 2008. Target followed one year later in 2009.
In 2011, a large bookstore called Barnes & Noble also closed. The next year, in 2012, the Sears store closed its doors too.
New Owners and Changes
In 2013, General Growth Properties sold the mall to a new company called Namdar Realty Group. At this time, about a quarter of the mall's shops were empty. Many smaller stores had left after J. C. Penney and Target moved.
Even with many empty spaces, a new gym called Planet Fitness opened. It took over the spot where Barnes & Noble used to be. Because more and more shops were leaving, the mall was put up for sale again in 2015.
The Final Years
In 2018, the old J. C. Penney building became a discount store called It's $5. In 2019, the Council Bluffs Community School District bought the former Target building. They used it to temporarily house two middle schools while their own buildings were being fixed.
The very last anchor store, Dillard's, closed in 2019. For several years before closing, it had been a discount outlet store.
The Mall Closes for Good
At the end of 2019, a home improvement store chain called Menards bought the entire mall. The few remaining shops in the mall were told they had to leave. The Mall of the Bluffs officially closed on December 31, 2019. Menards plans to tear down the old mall buildings. They will then build a new Menards store on the land.
