Schuylkill Mall facts for kids
Center court, December 2012
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| Location | Frackville, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 40°46′03″N 76°13′30″W / 40.7675°N 76.2250°W |
| Address | 830 Schuylkill Mall Road |
| Opening date | October 9, 1980 |
| Closing date | January 15, 2018 (Demolition January 31, 2018 - September 5, 2018) |
| Developer | Crown American |
| Owner | Northpoint Development LLC |
| Architect | Crown American |
| No. of stores and services | 0 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 0 |
| Total retail floor area | 800,000 square feet (74,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
| Public transit access |  STS bus: 10, 45, 52 |
The Schuylkill Mall was a very large shopping mall in Frackville, Pennsylvania. It opened in 1980 and was built by a company called Crown American. When it first opened, it had popular stores like Kmart, Hess's, and Sears. These big stores are called "anchor stores" because they attract many shoppers, like an anchor holds a ship.
The mall was once one of the biggest in Pennsylvania. However, over time, many stores left. By 2017, only a few businesses remained. The mall officially closed on January 15, 2018. After it closed, the mall was torn down. A new industrial warehouse was built in its place.
Contents
History of the Mall
When Did Schuylkill Mall Open?
The Schuylkill Mall first opened its doors on October 9, 1980. It was built by Crown American, a company that developed shopping centers. The mall was placed in a good spot, right where two major roads, Pennsylvania Route 61 and Interstate 81, met.
What Stores Were There at First?
When the mall opened, it had three main anchor stores: Kmart, Hess's, and Sears. It was a huge mall, about 800,000 square feet, which is like 14 football fields! There was space for 115 stores inside. Many of these stores, like a McCrory variety store, were open on the first day. There was also a Rea & Derick drugstore and two McDonald's restaurants. One McDonald's was inside the mall, and another was in the parking lot.
The Sears store was much bigger than its old location in nearby Pottsville. Hess's had a large furniture section. Kmart even had a special section for home improvement items. The mall developers had also hoped to get J.C. Penney as a fourth anchor store.
How Did the Mall Grow?
In 1983, another department store called Pomeroy's moved from Pottsville to the mall. This made it the mall's fourth anchor. A few years later, Pomeroy's became part of The Bon-Ton chain. In 1991, Phar-Mor opened as the fifth anchor store. Sears also made its store bigger in 1995, taking over empty spaces in the mall.
Changes Over the Years
Hess's closed its store in 1995. Later, that space became an outlet store and then an antique shop. In 2007, a clothing store called Steve & Barry's opened in the old Hess's spot. After Steve & Barry's closed, it became another discount clothing store.
In 2011, Dunham's Sports decided to open a store at the mall. It opened in the building that used to be Phar-Mor. This caused the antique shop to move back to the old Hess's space. Dunham's opened in September 2012.
Who Owned the Mall?
Over the years, the mall had different owners. Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) bought the mall in 2003. Then, in 2007, they sold it to Empire Realty. Finally, in March 2017, Northpoint Development LLC bought the mall for $2.1 million.
Why Did the Mall Close?
Many Stores Left the Mall
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, many stores in the Schuylkill Mall began to close. This meant fewer shoppers came to the mall.
For example, in 2009, Chick-fil-A closed its restaurant. Other stores like Jo-Ann Fabrics and KB Toys also closed. Their spaces were taken by a fitness center and a screen printing store.
Big Name Stores Depart
Some of the mall's original and well-known stores also left. Gap, which had been there since the mall opened, closed in early 2012. The mall's Arby's restaurant closed suddenly in 2014. GameStop and a cigar shop also closed that same year.
Other popular stores that closed included Hallmark Gold Crown in 2014 and Littman Jewelers in 2014. Even Auntie Anne's pretzels left in 2013, though another pretzel shop opened in its place for a while.
Anchor Stores Close Down
The biggest changes happened when the main anchor stores started to close. Sears, which was the largest store in the mall, announced its closure in October 2014. Its sister store, Kmart, followed in February 2015.
In March 2017, The Bon-Ton also announced it would close its location. By mid-2017, most of the stores were gone. Only Dunham's Sports and Pearl Stadium 8 Theatres remained open for a short time.
The Final Days
Dunham's Sports closed on December 31, 2017. It later moved to another mall nearby. Pearl Stadium 8 Theatres was the very last business to close its doors on January 15, 2018. This marked the official closing of the Schuylkill Mall.
Schuylkill Mall Theatres (Pearl Stadium 8)
The movie theater at the mall was originally called Regal Theater. In 2010, Kings Theater Circuit purchased it. They planned to make many improvements. From 2010 to 2013, the theater was updated and expanded.
The renovated theater had 8 stadium-seated rooms. It also featured a powerful sound system, bigger movie screens, and new digital projectors. There were new wall coverings and carpets too.
A special part of the theater was "The Screening Room." This VIP section had a bar and restaurant for adults aged 21 and older. The theater also had an "IMAX-like" experience with very large screens. The entrance, concession stand, and restrooms were also redone. This movie theater was the last business to operate in the mall, closing on January 15, 2018.
Demolition of the Mall
When Did Demolition Start?
The demolition of the Schuylkill Mall began on January 26, 2018. This was about 11 days after the mall officially closed. Workers started tearing down the mall from the west side, where the old Sears store used to be. They then moved towards the former Bon-Ton store.
How Long Did It Take?
By March 10, 2018, most of the mall was gone. Only a few parts remained, like the hallway between the former Dunham's and Kmart stores. The demolition was officially finished by September 5, 2018.
What Replaced the Mall?
After the mall was completely torn down, a new industrial warehouse was built. This large building, called Clayco, was constructed in late 2019 and early 2020. It now stands where the Schuylkill Mall once was.
Images for kids
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Schuylkill Mall
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Black Diamond in the former Hess's location
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American Vision Center in 1988 with the original Gap location in the background
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The Pearl Theatre 8
