Lockport Mall
Encyclopedia
Lockport Mall was an enclosed shopping mall
in Lockport, New York
. It opened in 1971 and included three anchor store
s as well as a movie theater. The mall closed in 2006 except for a movie theater and Bon-Ton department store, amid plans for a Wal-Mart
supercenter which would displace the rest of the former mall building. First announced in 2007, the mall's demolition began in April 2011.
seven years later. Original tenants included AM&A's
(which became The Bon-Ton
in 1995), Montgomery Ward
and a movie theater
. Originally composed of two screens, the theater expanded to four screens in 1992. An addition was constructed later and housed a Twin Fair
, which later became a Hills and then Ames.
Montgomery Ward closed its store in 1997 following the chain's bankruptcy
, and was replaced three years later by Rosa's Home Goods. Ames closed in 2001 and was not replaced.
Plans were first announced in 2003 to demolish everything but the Bon-Ton building and replace the mall structure with a Wal-Mart
supercenter. By late 2004, only nine stores remained operational at the mall, which at that point was slated for closure. The entire mall concourse was closed off in late 2006, except for a small portion leading to the theaters. The theaters closed in January 2007, leaving The Bon-Ton as the only operational tenant following the closure of Rosa's.
Wal-Mart put its store plans on hold a month later. General Growth continued to manage the vacant mall and the Bon-Ton store in 2010. Demolition of the mall structure finally began in April 2011.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in Lockport, New York
Lockport (town), New York
Lockport is a town in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 20,529 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from the series of canal locks on the Erie Canal...
. It opened in 1971 and included three anchor store
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
s as well as a movie theater. The mall closed in 2006 except for a movie theater and Bon-Ton department store, amid plans for a Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
supercenter which would displace the rest of the former mall building. First announced in 2007, the mall's demolition began in April 2011.
History
Lockport Mall opened in 1971 and was acquired by General Growth PropertiesGeneral Growth Properties
General Growth Properties, Inc. is a publicly traded real estate investment trust in the United States. It is based in Chicago, Illinois at 110 North Wacker Drive, a historic building designed by architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White...
seven years later. Original tenants included AM&A's
AM&A's
Adam, Meldrum & Anderson Company was a chain of department stores based in Buffalo, New York. It was an institution to generations of shoppers in the Buffalo area. The company remained family owned until its sale to The Bon-Ton in 1994....
(which became The Bon-Ton
The Bon-Ton
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is a regional department store company based in York, Pennsylvania, chiefly operating 275 stores, including 11 furniture galleries, in 23 states throughout the northern United States. Stores carrying its namesake nameplate serve the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions of...
in 1995), Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
and a movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
. Originally composed of two screens, the theater expanded to four screens in 1992. An addition was constructed later and housed a Twin Fair
Twin Fair, Inc.
The Twin Fair, Inc. was a discount department store chain based in Buffalo, New York. It was incorporated on March 22, 1956, and the first store opened on Walden Avenue. By 1959, four stores were in operation and sales stood at $2.5 million. In 1962, the founders sold the company to Unexcelled...
, which later became a Hills and then Ames.
Montgomery Ward closed its store in 1997 following the chain's bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, and was replaced three years later by Rosa's Home Goods. Ames closed in 2001 and was not replaced.
Plans were first announced in 2003 to demolish everything but the Bon-Ton building and replace the mall structure with a Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
supercenter. By late 2004, only nine stores remained operational at the mall, which at that point was slated for closure. The entire mall concourse was closed off in late 2006, except for a small portion leading to the theaters. The theaters closed in January 2007, leaving The Bon-Ton as the only operational tenant following the closure of Rosa's.
Wal-Mart put its store plans on hold a month later. General Growth continued to manage the vacant mall and the Bon-Ton store in 2010. Demolition of the mall structure finally began in April 2011.