Grand Traverse Mall Explained

Grand Traverse Mall
Location:Garfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan (Traverse City address)
Address:3200 South Airport Road West
Developer:General Growth Properties
Manager:Brookfield Properties
Owner:Brookfield Properties
Number Of Stores:70
Number Of Anchors:5
Floor Area:598442square feet (GLA)
Publictransit: BATA
Floors:1
Footnotes:[1]

Grand Traverse Mall is an enclosed shopping mall serving Traverse City, Michigan, located in Garfield Township. Opened in 1992, the mall features five anchor stores: JCPenney, Target, Dunham's Sports, TJ Maxx, and Macy's. It is managed by Brookfield Properties, the successor of its original developer General Growth Properties.

History

The mall opened in phases: JCPenney and Target opened in October 1991, followed by the mall itself in March 1992 and Hudson's in July.[2] It featured 110 stores and a nine-screen Kerasotes Theatres complex,[3] making it the largest mall north of Saginaw, Michigan.[2] As with all other Hudson's stores in Michigan, the Grand Traverse Mall location converted to Marshall Field's in 2001 and Macy's in 2006.

Before its opening, it was involved in a lawsuit started by an existing mall in town (Cherryland Mall, now Cherryland Center) over concerns that mall construction would pollute a nearby creek, and that it would add too much retail space to the region.[4] This lawsuit was settled out of court.[2] Another lawsuit, regarding conflict of interest among township officials who sold land to the mall developers, was ruled in favor of the developers.[5] General Growth Properties, which developed the mall, transferred ownership to Rouse Properties in 2012.[6]

In October 2014, a body was found at the mall, causing it to be closed for a day while the body was investigated.[7] The body was eventually determined to be a night shift custodian, 64 year old Ricky Alan Billings.[8] He was found to have passed away due to a heart attack sometime after the closing of the mall.[9] Gap and Old Navy both closed at nearby Horizon Outlets (now Buffalo Ridge Shopping Center), both moving into new spaces at Grand Traverse Mall. The space occupied by Old Navy was previously an f.y.e. store and the space occupied by Gap was previously an Abercrombie & Fitch and Toys R Us Express.[10] The Gap closed in 2021.

The mall's movie theater complex closed in 2015 when a newer theater was built by owner Carmike Cinemas. Mall officials announced in 2016 that the theater space would be demolished for a Dick's Sporting Goods, originally to open in Fall 2016.[11] Dick's canceled its plans to open the store in December 2016,[12] The space instead became Dunham's Sports.[13] The store opened on October 27, 2017.[14]

An H&M clothing store, added to the mall in 2017, closed in 2021.[15] It was replaced by Grand Traverse Bay Gymnastics in 2021. The mall also gained Shoe Dept. Encore in 2019.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Grand Traverse Mall . Brookfield Properties.
  2. News: Hudson's anchors northern Michigan's biggest mall. 4 June 1992. Owosso Argus-Press. 7 January 2011.
  3. 1992. The Film Journal. 95. 1–6. In Focus.
  4. News: Mall lawsuit to go to trial. 25 May 1991. Ludington Daily News. 7 January 2011.
  5. News: TC judge partly clears way for mall. 18 July 1991. Ludington Daily News. 7 January 2011.
  6. Web site: New owner for Grand Traverse Mall. February 23, 2012. O’Brien. Bill. Traverse City Record-Eagle. en.
  7. Web site: Up North Live.
  8. Web site: Man found dead in Grand Traverse Mall identified as night shift employee. 2014-10-15. mlive. en.
  9. Web site: Nemmers . Michelle . 2014-10-14 . Body found in Grand Traverse Mall . live . https://archive.today/20240709200614/https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/body-found-in-grand-traverse-mall . July 9, 2024 . 2024-07-09 . WPBN . en.
  10. Web site: Horizon Outlet Mall stores relocating, closing. March 18, 2014. Thompson. Carol. Traverse City Record-Eagle. en.
  11. Web site: Mall plans to build space for Dick's Sporting Goods. December 10, 2015. Woodward. Danielle. Traverse City Record-Eagle. en.
  12. Web site: DICK'S Cancels TC Plans; More Business Openings/Closings. December 14, 2016. The Ticker Traverse City News & Events.
  13. Web site: Dunham's Sports Coming To Grand Traverse Mall. The Ticker Traverse City News & Events. 2019-05-21.
  14. Web site: Dunham's grand opening set for Friday. Staff REPORTS. Traverse City Record-Eagle. en. 2019-05-21.
  15. Web site: H&M store in Grand Traverse Mall to close.