The Jamestown Files
A year after my final visit, a look at what became the most trashed and destroyed abandoned mall known to man. Greater St. Louis' Jamestown Mall.
I first became aware of Jamestown Mall around 2017, when I stumbled on some YouTube videos filmed by the caretaker of the property. Shortly after, some since deleted videos from the owner of the Really Cool Stuff Shop store on the premises made the rounds. A story of a trespasser being arrested for a nighttime break-in, and other videos thereafter fell into my lap via the rabbit hole of research I traveled down. I knew I wanted in. The mall had been closed for about three years at that point and was still in pretty decent shape considering. All would change soon, and continue to spiral into almost unthinkable, absurd levels of destruction until the wrecking ball finally hit in the fall of 2023. But first, some backstory.
Jamestown Mall was developed by Cleveland, OH based developers Jacobs, Visconsi, and Jacobs. St. Louis based Stix, Baer and Fuller and Sears would be the anchors of the 900k square foot mall, and entertainment would be provided by a two screen General Cinema, which came online in 1974. About 80 stores connected the two anchors, with two side hallways leading from the center court to the main parking lots on either side. Sculptures, built into fountain bathed reflecting pools, created by Cleveland based artist and sculptor Clarence Van Duzer lined the mall. He was a frequent collaborator to JVJ and put much of his work into their malls over the years. Skylights provided natural light to the planters and seating areas throughout. The grand opening was held on October 10th, 1973.
The mall was planned with the promise of future residential development to supplant it. However, it was quickly determined that the ground surrounding the mall was unstable, and building such large neighborhoods was out of the question. As such, the mall was left virtually alone, in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. Further west along Lindbergh Boulevard, many retail developments sprang up in the ensuing years. Despite the remote location, and never reaching full occupancy, the mall did well enough through the 70s and 80s. Many famous celebrities, including Rick Springfield, Muhammad Ali, and even a bear wrestling competition (illegal in MO today) would make their way to the mall’s corridors. According to the wonderful Riverfront Times write up, most of these famed events were all thanks to the mall’s manager of the time, Ronn Moldenhauer.
1978 saw the opening of Alton Square Mall just north of Jamestown in neighboring IL. This took a big chunk of planned consumer spending away, and was just one of many factors that worked against this place from the beginning. 1979 saw Moldenhauer leave for North Carolina, and ensuing management did not take advantage of community engagement as well as he had. Stix changed hands in 1984, having been bought by Dillard’s. Things remained relatively stagnant into the 90’s, but this would soon change.
Famous-Barr, a fellow St. Louis department store, owned by the May Department Stores conglomerate announced plans to open a new store at Jamestown. This would replace their aging store at the ailing Northland Mall in nearby Jennings. In addition, JCPenney would relocate their Florissant store to the mall, linked by a new 40k square foot addition connecting the two. A food court capable of seating 450 people would also be built next to Sears, resulting in the closure of the former General Cinema, by this time ran by the Wehrenberg circuit. The expansion was completed in the fall of 1994, with JCPenney coming online in 1995. The former River Roads Mall nearby also shut that year, and many customers flocked to Jamestown as well. The final addition, was to the west side of the mall, in the form of a 14 screen stadium seat Wehrenberg theater. The new complex was opened November 20th, 1998.
The shine on these new improvements to the shopping center were not to last. The year following the opening of the theater, JCPenney downgraded to their outlet store format. The new wing of the mall failed to generate enough stores to warrant its addition, with many spaces having never been occupied right to the end. By 2003, Jacobs was looking to part ways, and sold the center to Carlyle Development in 2003. By this time, the new traffic brought in by Jennings’ Northland and River Roads dual demise waned, and further economic downturn would hurt the mall. The closing of the Hazelwood Ford plant, and the opening of St. Louis Mills affected Jamestown greatly. The first major blow came with the closure of Dillard’s in 2006. Famous-Barr converted to Macy’s that same year due to Federated Department Stores’ purchase of The May Company’s holdings.
Carlyle had plans for the mall, and would have seen the conversion of the former Dillard’s into offices, as well as the conversion of the wing leading to it. The mall sealed off the Dillard’s end of the mall as stores closed. Outparcel retail, a senior living community, and a grocery store were also part of the plan. However, the Great Recession of 2008 ultimately killed these plans, coupled with the loss of investor and county financing when it was discovered that Carlyle was trying to auction off the Dillard’s parcel behind closed doors. A domestic murder-suicide took place on the property, further driving consumers away.
In 2009, the mall was purchased my Mike Kohan, of Kohan Retail Investment Group. Sears would close their store that year as well, leaving the mall at roughly half its occupancy. A study done through St. Louis County and the Urban Land Institute found the mall no longer viable in its current state, suggested the demolition of the mall and turnaround into a mixed use facility. A furniture liquidator would open up shop on the first level of the former Dillard’s in 2011. JCPenney would close their outlet store that same year, only for it to reopen under the ownership of SB Capital’s JC’s 5 Star Outlet replacement. They would last two more years, closing by late 2013. Kohan failed to pay utilities on the mall, and the property taxes, and ultimately foreclosed back to Carlyle for ownership of the building. Carlyle could also not afford to pay the back taxes, and after Macy’s shut their doors in January 2014, the mall finally closed for good on July 18th, 2014.
Unfortunately, the story would not end there. For nearly the next decade, shifting ownership, backroom deals, corruption, slow funding and a healthy dose of destruction would delay any progress of getting rid of this albatross that anchored the North County region. The first step was getting the property under one ownership. The mall was owned by Carlyle for the mall building and former JCPenney, Mike Kohan for the land the mall sat on, and the remaining anchor buildings were held by their respective owners. As mentioned, the mall had caretakers that kept trespassers at bay during this time, but when the Port Authority finally took ownership in 2018, this changed.
Local salvage companies were invited to prep the mall for demolition, resulting in the building being open to the elements, and all scrap worthy materials being taken out. It was during this time, I was given permission to enter the building to begin documenting, which I was able to do twice that year. The mall was a mess. It was evident that people were getting in, and mold and water damage were starting to take hold of the former Dillard’s building. Piles of furniture and appliances littered the former department store from when the liquidators operated there. However, the worst was yet to come.
In 2019, St. Louis County Executive Steven Stenger was charged with several counts of bribery and corruption, including for the redevelopment of the mall. He was later charged and sentenced to four years in prison. As such, the mall’s plans slowed down to a crawl, the salvage companies walked away, and the mall was left to rot. In 2020, a fire broke out in both the former Dillard’s and Macy’s, twisting one of the support beams inside the latter like a pretzel. Those piles of furniture I mentioned, had been lit ablaze by firebugs. Homeless and urban explorers called the mall home, and the building’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Burst water pipes flooded the Sears building, and mold spread throughout. Further proposals for the property came along, such as industrial use, mixed use, and even an Ag-Tech farm, but each was met with delays and setbacks. Funding was also an issue due to the Stenger scandal, but by 2022 $6 million was secured through the American Rescue Plan.
The mall would not go down quietly. Another major fire ripped through the building in April 2023, destroying a large swath of the building in front of Dillard’s. This was the final straw, and St. Louis County pledged to match another $6 million to the money gifted by the Feds, to secure demolition of the blighted property. The work began Tuesday September 26th, 2023 just shy of mall’s 50th anniversary. Not to be outdone, local firebugs set off some more fires in October in the former theater. It was left to smolder, and the mall has been brought down over the ensuing months. Today, just the footprint remains. Time will tell what development occurs, here. Meanwhile, here are some select photos showing the various levels of destruction over the years. Photos date to 2018 and 2023.
And finally, a few comparison pieces.
The food court.
Wehrenberg Jamestown Cine 14.
Famous-Barr
In all the destruction, bad press and plaguing nuisances that result from these dinosaurs of retail getting left to rot like this, one thing always remains clear; the memories of better times always outlast and prevail.
Finally, as of 2024 all the Clarence Van Duzer commissioned sculptures are accounted for. They are under ownership of the locally based Baucom’s funeral home and are on display at their locations.
Jamestown Mall ~ Florissant, MO. 1973 - 2023
All images and text are the sole copyright of Retailpocalypse unless otherwise noted. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, without expressed and written permission, is strictly prohibited.