Westgate Mall (Pennsylvania) facts for kids
| Location | Bethlehem, PA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°38′32″N 75°24′09″W / 40.642231°N 75.40239°W |
| Address | 2285 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem, PA, USA |
| Opening date | 1973 |
| Developer | Harold Campbell |
| Management | CBRE |
| Owner | Onyx Equities LLC PCCP LLC |
| Total retail floor area | 270,000 square feet (25,000 m2) |
| Parking | 1,600 spaces |
Westgate Mall is a fun shopping mall located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It's a great place to shop, eat, and have fun! You can find popular stores and attractions here, like Rite Aid, Sky Zone Trampoline Park, and Weis Markets.
Contents
The Story of Westgate Mall
Westgate Mall has an interesting history, starting many years ago.
Early Days and Opening
The very first buildings on the land where the mall now stands were built in 1964 by Harold Campbell. A grocery store called George's IGA Foodliner opened its doors in 1967. Then, a department store called Hess's was built in 1971. Finally, the main Westgate Mall was completed and opened in 1973.
A Big Event in 1977
On February 12, 1977, a large fire happened at Westgate Mall. It was a serious event that affected 18 stores inside the mall. Firefighters worked hard to put out the flames. The fire was eventually stopped by a special wall designed to prevent fires from spreading. Thankfully, the mall was repaired and continued to be a place for shopping and fun.
Changes Over the Years
Over time, some stores at Westgate Mall changed. In 1992, George's IGA grocery store was sold and became King's IGA. The Hess's department store got a new look inside in 1993. Then, in 1994, it was bought by another company called The Bon-Ton.
There were some legal discussions about the land where The Bon-Ton store was located between 1999 and 2005. Eventually, that land was sold to a company called PREIT. Another store, Newberry's, changed into a Dollar Zone store before it closed in 2002.
New Owners and Exciting Updates
In 2013, a company called City View Capital LLC bought most of the mall. Later, in 2014, they also bought the land where The Bon-Ton store was.
In 2015, the owners of Westgate Mall announced exciting plans! They decided to spend $5 million to give the mall a fresh, new look. This included a new outside design. Also in 2015, it was announced that Sky Zone Trampoline Park would be joining the mall, bringing a new place for active fun. The Bon-Ton store closed in 2018.
In October 2018, Westgate Mall was sold to new owners, Onyx Equities LLC and PCCP LLC. They have continued to make improvements. For example, Weis Markets grocery store is moving into part of the space that used to be The Bon-Ton.
