Lafayette Square Mall is a
shopping mall
A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a North American term for a large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores. The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it (that is, the term was used to refe ...
in
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
, United States. Developed in 1968 by
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., the mall is locally-owned by Sojos Capital Group. The anchor store is
Shoppers World. There are three vacant anchor stores that were once
Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began a ...
,
L. S. Ayres
L. S. Ayres and Company was a department store based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and founded in 1872 by Lyman S. Ayres. Over the years its Indianapolis flagship store, which opened in 1905 and was later enlarged, became known for its women's fas ...
, and
Burlington
Burlington may refer to:
Places Canada Geography
* Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Burlington, Nova Scotia
* Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington"
* Burlington, Prince Edward Island
* Burlington Bay, no ...
.
History
![Lafayette Square 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Lafayette_Square_2.jpg)
This mall was built by
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., and opened in April 1968 at 38th Street and Lafayette Road in
Pike Township, just north of the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United State ...
. It was the first enclosed shopping mall in greater Indianapolis.
Upon completion, Lafayette Square featured 90 inline tenants, a single-screen
General Cinema
General Cinema Corporation, also known as General Cinema, GCC, or General Cinema Theatres, was a chain of movie theaters in the United States. At its peak, the company operated about 1,500 screens, some of which were among the first cinemas certi ...
movie theatre, and over 1 million square feet of retail space located on an site. Originally, there were five
anchor store
In retail, an "anchor tenant", sometimes called an "anchor store", "draw tenant", or "key tenant", is a considerably larger tenant in a shopping mall, often a department store or retail chain. They are typically located at the ends of malls. Wit ...
s built:
JCPenney
Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is a midscale American department store chain operating 667 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Mens, Womens, Boys, Gir ...
in the south end,
Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began a ...
on the north end, G.C. Murphy in the north wing near Sears, a
Kroger
The Kroger Company, or simply Kroger, is an American retail company that operates (either directly or through its subsidiaries) supermarkets and multi-department stores throughout the United States.
Founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincin ...
grocery store in the south wing near Penney's, and
William H. Block
The William H. Block Company was a department store chain in Indianapolis and other cities in Indiana. It was founded in 1874 by Herman Wilhelm Bloch, an immigrant from Austria-Hungary who had Americanized his name to William H. Block. The main s ...
at center court (opened in 1969).
An expansion in 1974 saw a sixth department store added near Sears. This wing added Ohio-based
Lazarus as well as about eight new stores including
Radio Shack
RadioShack, formerly RadioShack Corporation, is an American retailer founded in 1921.
At its peak in 1999, RadioShack operated over 8,000 worldwide stores named RadioShack or Tandy Electronics in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Austra ...
. In 1975, the
Kroger
The Kroger Company, or simply Kroger, is an American retail company that operates (either directly or through its subsidiaries) supermarkets and multi-department stores throughout the United States.
Founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincin ...
store connected to the mall was demolished to make way for another expansion that included its replacement, Indianapolis-based
L. S. Ayres
L. S. Ayres and Company was a department store based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and founded in 1872 by Lyman S. Ayres. Over the years its Indianapolis flagship store, which opened in 1905 and was later enlarged, became known for its women's fas ...
, on the south end near JCPenney.
The success at Lafayette Square prompted DeBartolo to plan two additional malls on opposite sides of town. Ground was broken on the northeast side of Indianapolis for what was to become
Castleton Square, which opened in 1972.
Washington Square Mall, on the east side of Indianapolis, opened in 1974.
Around 1987, Lazarus bought William H. Block and the Block store was converted to a Lazarus while the original Lazarus became
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is the name of two successive U.S. retail corporations. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a world-pioneering mail-order business and later also a leading department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001. The curren ...
. In 1993, the
G.C. Murphy five-and-dime
A variety store (also five and dime (historic), pound shop, or dollar store) is a retail store that sells general merchandise, such as apparel, automotive parts, dry goods, toys, hardware, home furnishings, and a selection of groceries. It us ...
closed.
Facing competition from new malls such as
Circle Centre
Circle Centre Mall is an indoor shopping mall located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Circle Centre Mall was opened to the public on September 8, 1995, and incorporates existing downtown structures such as the former L. S. Ayres flagship ...
(opened in 1995), the mall needed a remodel. DeBartolo's company had merged with Circle Centre's operator, the locally based
Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an American real estate investment trust that invests in shopping malls, outlet centers, and community/lifestyle centers. It is the largest owner of shopping malls in the United States and is headquartered in Indian ...
, and they remodeled the aging mall in 1998, adding a
racetrack
A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also u ...
-themed food court in the former G.C. Murphy. Montgomery Ward liquidated in whole in 2001, with
Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington, formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory, is an American national off-price department store retailer, and a division of Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation with more than 1,000 stores in 40 states and Puerto Rico, with it ...
taking over the first floor of that store.
Lazarus closed in 2002, and the space was converted into a temporary home for New Life Worship center.
In 2005, the
lifestyle center
A lifestyle center (American English), or lifestyle centre (Commonwealth English), is a shopping center or mixed-used commercial development that combines the traditional retail functions of a shopping mall with leisure amenities oriented toward ...
known as
Metropolis
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big c ...
opened in the nearby suburb of
Plainfield near the new entrance for
Indianapolis International Airport
Indianapolis International Airport is an international airport located seven miles (11 km) southwest of downtown Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana, United States. It is owned and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority. The ...
, causing more withdrawals of stores from the mall once leases came up.
JCPenney
Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is a midscale American department store chain operating 667 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Mens, Womens, Boys, Gir ...
and
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing and accessories retailing company owned by multinational corporation Gap Inc. It has corporate operations in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The largest of the Old Navy stores are its ...
left the mall in 2005, precipitating a swift decline in the mall's fortunes. By 2006, many of the nationally known chains had begun to close at Lafayette Square and were replaced primarily by discount stores and local merchants on shorter-term leases. On September 9, 2006, the L. S. Ayres store was renamed
Macy's
Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American chain of high-end department stores founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. It became a division of the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores in 1994, through which it is affiliated wi ...
due to the May/Federated merger.
Facing the mall's long decline and preferring to focus efforts on other malls in the Indianapolis area, Simon sold the mall to Ashkenazy Acquisitions Corp. in December 2007, a company which has since become infamous for their neglect of their properties. Some months later, the mall underwent a new remodel that included a rebuilt entrance, a
Pretzelmaker
Pretzelmaker is a chain of independently owned and operated franchised stores that specialize in hand-rolled pretzels, smoothies and cold beverages. It is a franchise brand in the portfolio of Global Franchise Group. It has more than 280 locatio ...
/
Maggie Moo's
MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery is a chain of independently owned and operated franchised stores that specialize in serving ice cream and other desserts. The first MaggieMoo's opened in 1989 in Kansas City, Kansas. At its peak, the brand had ...
/
Great American Cookie Co.
Great American Cookie Co., doing business as Great American Cookies is an American chain of independently owned and operated franchised stores that specialize in gourmet cookies, especially cookie cakes. It has over 290 stores in the U.S., part ...
kiosk, the east-coast chain
Shopper's World
Shopper's World is a retail park in Framingham, Massachusetts. The original facility (spelled Shoppers' World) is of historical significance as one of the first suburban shopping malls in the United States upon opening in 1951; it was demolished ...
(described as being between
JCPenney
Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is a midscale American department store chain operating 667 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Mens, Womens, Boys, Gir ...
and
Value City
Value City was an American discount department store chain with 113 locations. It was founded in 1917 by Ephraim Schottenstein, a travelling salesman in central Ohio. The store was an off-price retailer that sold clothing, jewelry, and home good ...
in price point) located in the former JCPenney, and an entertainment facility called Xscape featuring a variety of games. In October 2008 and January 2009 respectively,
Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began a ...
and
Macy's
Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American chain of high-end department stores founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. It became a division of the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores in 1994, through which it is affiliated wi ...
announced they would both close despite the new renovations.
XScape was later replaced by America's Incredible Pizza company in the summer of 2010. In late 2010,
Bath & Body Works
Bath & Body Works, LLC. is an American retail store chain that sells soaps, lotions, fragrances, and candles. It was founded in 1990 in New Albany, Ohio and has since expanded across 6 continents. In 1997, it was the largest bath shop chain in ...
,
Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret is an American lingerie, clothing, and beauty retailer known for high visibility marketing and branding, starting with a popular catalog and followed by an annual fashion show with supermodels dubbed Angels. As the largest ret ...
, and Andrews Jewelers all closed. In early 2011, the
Pretzelmaker
Pretzelmaker is a chain of independently owned and operated franchised stores that specialize in hand-rolled pretzels, smoothies and cold beverages. It is a franchise brand in the portfolio of Global Franchise Group. It has more than 280 locatio ...
/
Maggie Moo's
MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery is a chain of independently owned and operated franchised stores that specialize in serving ice cream and other desserts. The first MaggieMoo's opened in 1989 in Kansas City, Kansas. At its peak, the brand had ...
/
Great American Cookie Co.
Great American Cookie Co., doing business as Great American Cookies is an American chain of independently owned and operated franchised stores that specialize in gourmet cookies, especially cookie cakes. It has over 290 stores in the U.S., part ...
kiosk closed, along with
Radio Shack
RadioShack, formerly RadioShack Corporation, is an American retailer founded in 1921.
At its peak in 1999, RadioShack operated over 8,000 worldwide stores named RadioShack or Tandy Electronics in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Austra ...
and
GameStop
GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer. The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), and is the largest video game retailer worldwide. , the company operates 4,5 ...
.
In the first quarter of 2012,
Claire's Boutique
Claire's (formerly known as Claire's Boutiques, Claire's Boutique and Claire's Accessories) is an American retailing, retailer of accessories, jewelry, and toys primarily aimed toward tween and teen
girls. It was founded in 1961 and is based i ...
,
The Children's Place
The Children's Place Inc. is a specialty retailer of children’s apparel and accessories headquartered in New Jersey. It also markets apparel under the Children's Place, Place, Baby Place, and Gymboree brand names.
As of October 31, 2015, it o ...
, and
America's Incredible Pizza Company
America's Incredible Pizza Company (AIPC) is an American restaurant chain based in Springfield, Missouri. The restaurants are pizza buffets and entertainment centers. The first restaurant opened in Springfield in 2002. The company has 1,200 emp ...
closed, leaving Burlington Coat Factory and Shoppers World as the mall's only two remaining anchors. America's Incredible Pizza announced that they would close, effective March 19, 2012. By November 2012, the last remaining original tenant,
GNC, had closed, leaving the mall with mainly local stores.
On August 12, 2019, the
Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington, formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory, is an American national off-price department store retailer, and a division of Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation with more than 1,000 stores in 40 states and Puerto Rico, with it ...
at Lafayette Square permanently closed, leaving only six national tenants, mostly athletic wear stores;
Finish Line,
Foot Locker
Foot Locker Retail, Inc. is an Americans, American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in 28 countries.
Although established in 1974, and founded as a separate company in ...
,
Champs Sports
Champs Sports is an American sports retail store, it operates as a subsidiary of Foot Locker. Products sold at Champs Sports include apparel, equipment, footwear, and accessories. As of June 2019, there were 540 store locations found throughout ...
, Jimmy Jazz, Shoppers World, and Rainbow. Shoppers World shifted into the Burlington space in 2021.
In 2021, locally-owned Sojos Capital fully acquired the mall. In November 2021, the company announced its multi-million dollar plans to create a mixed-use landmark destination development known as Window to the World. Plans also include multiple surrounding properties within the area focused on dining, music, art, shopping, housing, office, youth education, sports, entertainment, infrastructure improvements and public safety. Sojos announced that the mall will close for three months, from August 29 to November 21, 2022, to allow completion of started renovations as well as electrical work and replacement of flooring.
References
External links
*
{{Shopping Malls in Indiana
Shopping malls in Indiana
Buildings and structures in Indianapolis
Shopping malls established in 1968
1968 establishments in Indiana