OLD BON-TON & KMART! WARREN MALL - now Warren Centre - Warren, PA
We traveled to Warren Pa to look at the old Warren Mall. The concourse has been destroyed and there were construction workers in there. The bon ton was pretty cool to see as well as the old Kmart!
The Warren Mall opened on October 4, 1979, in North Warren, Pennsylvania. Developed by George Zamias, it was built near Conewango Creek with a diagonal bend to avoid the floodplain. It aimed to keep local shoppers from crossing into New York, where retail taxes were higher.
At its peak, the mall was anchored by Kmart, JCPenney, and The Bon-Ton, and featured classic staples like Aladdin's Castle arcade, Kay-Bee Toys, and Waldenbooks.
The decline began in 2000 when JCPenney closed (later replaced by Big Lots). The mall fell into bankruptcy in 2003, and the opening of a nearby Walmart Supercenter further drained foot traffic. The remaining anchors folded one by one:
2013: Big Lots closed.
2014: Kmart closed.
2018: The Bon-Ton closed, leaving the interior entirely empty.
Before its demolition, the mall was famous among retail historians as a pristine 1979 time capsule, complete with original brown floor tiles, wood trim, retro planters, and faux skylights.
Most of the enclosed indoor concourse has since been demolished or sealed off. Today, the property operates as an open-air retail strip anchored by Dunham’s Sports, Ollie's Bargain Outlet, and Label Shopper.
Photo credit: Sky City Retail & Random Retail
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