Wikipedia

Grand Traverse Mall

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

Grand Traverse Mall
South side of Grand Traverse Mall from South Airport Road
Map
LocationGarfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan (Traverse City address)
Coordinates44°43′30″N 85°38′24″W / 44.725°N 85.64°W / 44.725; -85.64
Address3200 South Airport Road West
Opening dateMarch 1992; 32 years ago (1992-03)
DeveloperGeneral Growth Properties
ManagementBrookfield Properties
OwnerBrookfield Properties
No. of stores and services70
No. of anchor tenants4 open, 1 vacant
Total retail floor area598,442 square feet (55,597.1 m2) (GLA)
No. of floors1
Public transit accessBus interchange BATA
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History

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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. TJ Maxx relocated out of the mall in mid-2024.[16]

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References

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  1. ^ "Grand Traverse Mall". Brookfield Properties.
  2. ^ a b c "Hudson's anchors northern Michigan's biggest mall". Owosso Argus-Press. 4 June 1992. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  3. ^ "In Focus". The Film Journal. 95 (1–6). 1992.
  4. ^ "Mall lawsuit to go to trial". Ludington Daily News. 25 May 1991. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  5. ^ "TC judge partly clears way for mall". Ludington Daily News. 18 July 1991. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  6. ^ O’Brien, Bill (February 23, 2012). "New owner for Grand Traverse Mall". Traverse City Record-Eagle.
  7. ^ "Up North Live".
  8. ^ "Man found dead in Grand Traverse Mall identified as night shift employee". mlive. 2014-10-15.
  9. ^ Nemmers, Michelle (2014-10-14). "Body found in Grand Traverse Mall". WPBN. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  10. ^ Thompson, Carol (March 18, 2014). "Horizon Outlet Mall stores relocating, closing". Traverse City Record-Eagle.
  11. ^ Woodward, Danielle (December 10, 2015). "Mall plans to build space for Dick's Sporting Goods". Traverse City Record-Eagle.
  12. ^ "DICK'S Cancels TC Plans; More Business Openings/Closings". The Ticker | Traverse City News & Events. December 14, 2016.
  13. ^ "Dunham's Sports Coming To Grand Traverse Mall". The Ticker | Traverse City News & Events. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
  14. ^ Staff REPORTS (25 October 2017). "Dunham's grand opening set for Friday". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
  15. ^ "H&M store in Grand Traverse Mall to close". 12 January 2021.
  16. ^ https://www.traverseticker.com/news/whats-next-for-the-grand-traverse-mall/
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