The Village at Medford Center, formerly known as The Medford Center, is a distinguished regional

shopping complex A shopping center (American English) or shopping centre (Commonwealth English), also called a shopping complex, shopping arcade, shopping plaza or galleria, is a group of shops built together, sometimes under one roof. The first known collec ...

in east

Medford, Oregon Medford is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Oregon, in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census on April 1, 2020, the city had a total population of 85,824 and a metropolitan area population of 223,259, making the M ...

, United States. Spanning an impressive of retail space spread over 36 acres, this regional retail center holds the distinction of being one of the oldest and largest shopping centers in Jackson County, alongside

Rogue Valley Mall The Rogue Valley Mall, a regional shopping mall located in Medford, Oregon, Medford, Oregon, is the largest indoor shopping complex between Eugene, Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, and Sacramento, California. It is named for Rogue Valley in southwestern Or ...

Historical Background

Prior to its construction, the site was primarily used for agricultural purposes, including

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...

grazing. The origins of The Village at Medford Center, initially named The Medford Center, trace back to 1959, marking its role as a pioneering shopping destination in the Medford area. Strategically located adjacent to the

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...

Highway, the center was anchored by

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 ...

from its inception. Originally boasting a retail space of and functioning as an open-air

strip mall A strip mall, strip center or strip plaza is a type of shopping center common in North America where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front. ...

, the shopping center underwent a significant transformation in 1984. Through extensive renovations, it was converted into an enclosed shopping destination. The 1980s witnessed the integration of numerous stores into the center, including prominent additions like Payless Drug Stores and Safeway, which expanded the complex by . Prior to the unveiling of the

in 1986, The Village held the distinction of being the largest shopping hub in Medford. In 1997, the premises saw the inauguration of Cinemark Tinseltown USA, the largest movie theater in

southern Oregon Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern Oregon Coast. Counties include Douglas, Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional charac ...

. This establishment replaced the Cine' 4 theater in north Medford and the Movies 5 theater at Rogue Valley Mall, both of which were also operated by Cinemark. In 2014, LBG Real Estate Companies assumed ownership of the shopping center and embarked on an ambitious revitalization project, rebranding it as The Village at Medford Center. This extensive renovation introduced several enhancements, including glass barrel vault canopies, seating, ambient music, and other amenities, enhancing the pedestrian corridor in the Village. New building facades and pavers were also integrated throughout the center as part of this endeavor, totaling over $25 million to the renewal of The Village at Medford Center, now Southern Oregon’s only lifestyle and entertainment center. This extensive renovation encompassed the entire expanse of the shopping center, totaling 420,000 square feet, and gave rise to a vibrant landscape accommodating new retailers, an array of dining establishments, captivating entertainment venues, and establishments focused on promoting health and wellness. Among the noteworthy additions to the shopping center were the introduction of th
Tap and Vine
restaurant an
Butterfly Club
speakeasy, the local non-profi
Collaborative Theater Project
and a moder
Village Fitness
gym, alongside other ventures that enriched the center's offerings. A significant development occurred on December 28, 2018, when the announcement was made regarding the impending closure of the Sears store, aligning with the nationwide closure of eighty stores. This particular branch concluded its operations in March 2019, leading the way for ongoing development initiatives that ultimately replaced Sears with Burlington and TJ Maxx, accompanied by Ross Dress for Less, which now occupies the adjacent unit.

References

External links

The Village at Medford Center
– Official website
The Medford Center
– Real Estate Companies, LLC {{DEFAULTSORT:Village at Medford Center, The Buildings and structures in Medford, Oregon Shopping malls in Oregon Tourist attractions in Jackson County, Oregon 1959 establishments in Oregon Shopping malls established in 1959

Historical Background

See also

References

External links