Knoxville Center

Knoxville Center, formerly marketed as East Towne Mall, was a beloved super-regional shopping mall located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Opening its doors on August 2, 1984, it quickly became a staple destination for shoppers in the Knoxville metropolitan area. The mall was situated at Exit 8 on Interstate 640, one of the most convenient locations in the city. Despite being described as the fastest-growing area in its market, the mall unfortunately faced a decline in recent years, and it was permanently closed in April 2021, leaving behind a legacy of cherished memories and traditions for many in the community.
== Services ==
East Towne Mall opened with a spacious food court located at the center of the mall, on the upper level of the Center Court. However, as of October 2019, the food court experienced a reduction in the number of restaurants available, with only one Chinese takeout restaurant still operational. Meanwhile, a Chinese buffet was situated on the lower level of the mall. The food court is conveniently located right next to the 10-screen Regal Stadium Cinema, providing movie-goers with easy access to delicious meals and snacks.
== Revitalization: A Renovation and Name Change to Breathe New Life into the Space ==
In 1997, Simon Property Group, the owner of East Towne Mall, initiated a significant renovation project. While the exterior remained largely unchanged, except for a new entrance, the interior underwent a major overhaul with new tiles, paint, trim, and other features that embraced a Tennessee mountain theme. The mall was renamed Knoxville Center after the renovation's completion.
In August 2017, Knoxville Partners LLC, the mall's new owner, decided to rebrand the mall back to East Towne Mall. Unfortunately, despite efforts to revitalize the mall, it began to experience a decline in foot traffic. In response, the owner planned to convert the space into a mixed-use facility, featuring additional office space, retail, dining, and entertainment options. However, by 2020, this plan had failed to come to fruition.
== History ==
* 1984: The East Towne Mall opens its doors for the first time on August 2, 1984. The mall is located on the northeast side of Knoxville and is anchored by three department stores: Miller's, Proffitt's, and Sears.
* 1990: A major expansion of the mall is completed, adding a food court, additional retail space, and two new anchor stores, JCPenney and Dillard's. The expansion increases the mall's size from 680,000 square feet to over one million square feet, making it one of the largest malls in Tennessee.
* 1998: The mall undergoes a renovation, which includes updating the interior decor, adding new flooring, and installing new lighting fixtures. The renovation helps to modernize the mall and attract new retailers. Sam's Club opens in its surrounding area.
* 2006: Miller's, one of the original anchor stores at East Towne Mall, closes its doors. The store had been in operation since the mall's opening in 1984.
* 2012: The East Towne Mall is sold to the Knoxville-based company CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. CBL is a real estate investment trust that specializes in developing and managing shopping centers and malls.
* 2017: The mall experiences a decline in foot traffic and store closures, leading to a decrease in overall revenue. Many factors contribute to the decline, including the rise of e-commerce and changing consumer habits.
* 2018: The East Towne Mall announces plans to convert a portion of the mall into office space. The conversion is part of a larger effort to diversify the mall's tenant mix and attract new businesses.
* 2019: Sears, one of the original anchor stores at East Towne Mall, closes its doors as part of the company's ongoing financial troubles. The space formerly occupied by Sears is currently vacant. Sam's Club, a membership-only retail warehouse, operates a store adjacent to the mall.
* 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many stores in the mall temporarily close or reduce their hours of operation. Some stores permanently close as a result of the economic impact of the pandemic.
* April 2021: The East Towne Mall unexpectedly closes its doors permanently, without any prior announcement. The closure leaves many retailers and customers shocked and uncertain about the future. On the same day, Regal Cinemas, located within the mall, also closes without any announcement.
* May 2021: CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. announces plans to demolish the mall and redevelop the site into a mixed-use development with retail, office, and residential space. The redevelopment project is called "East Towne City Center" and is expected to take several years to complete. Sam's Club also announces that it will close its store adjacent to the mall.
* 2022: The demolition of the East Towne Mall is completed, and construction on the new development is set to begin. The East Towne City Center project includes plans for new retail stores, restaurants, office space, and residential units. The redevelopment is expected to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the Knoxville area.
* Present day: While the anchor store spaces at East Towne Mall have not been replaced yet, the new East Towne City Center development is expected to bring in new retail tenants and anchor stores in the future. The closure of Sam's Club has left a vacant space next to the former mall site, which may be redeveloped as part of the East Towne City Center project.
== Redevelopment ==
In September 2020, Hillwood Enterprises, a real estate development company, filed a rezoning request for the 78-acre (32 ha) site of the former Knoxville Center mall. The request was made with the intention of demolishing the mall and replacing it with a state-of-the-art e-commerce fulfillment center for the retail giant, Amazon. The total cost of this ambitious redevelopment project was estimated at $70 million.
After months of anticipation, the demolition of the mall began in April 2021, making way for the construction of the new Amazon e-commerce warehouse. The warehouse is expected to be completed and opened by 2022, creating new job opportunities and contributing to the local economy. It's an exciting development for the Knoxville community, and the fulfillment center promises to be a modern, high-tech facility that will bring a new era of progress and innovation to the area.
== Anchors ==
* Demolished; September 2008-present (former Dillard's (Opened as Miller's, later Hess's, 123,601 sq ft.)
* Demolished; September 17, 2017-present (former JCPenney, 133,431 sq ft.)
* Demolished; September 2, 2018-present (former Sears, 179,628 sq ft.)
* Demolished; November 16, 2019-Present (former Belk; (Opened as Proffitt's, became Belk, 108,048 sq ft.)
== Former anchors ==
* Dillard's (closed in September, 2008)
* JCPenney (closed on September 17, 2017)
* Proffitt's (Closed due to corporate realignment, reopened as Belk)
* Service Merchandise (two story store near Sears which closed to become The Rush Fitness Complex, 54,000 sq ft.)
* The Rush Fitness Complex (Re-branded as Gold's Gym)
* Gold's Gym (former The Rush Fitness Complex, two level store 54,000 sq ft., closed on May 16, 2018)
* Sears (closed on September 2, 2018)
* Regal Cinemas; (closed on October 31 2019 (Original anchor)
* Belk; (closed on November 16, 2019)
Category:Malls that opened in 1984
Category:Former Malls in Tennessee
Category:Regional malls
Category:Shopping Malls
Category:Former Malls in the United States
Category:Dillard's-anchored Malls
Category:Sam's Club-anchored Properties
Category:Sears-anchored Malls
Category:Belk-anchored Malls
Category:JCPenney-anchored Malls
Category:The Rush Fitness Complex Locations
Category:Regal Cinemas-anchored Malls
Category:Gold's Gym Locations
Category:Former Service Merchandise-anchored Locations
Category:Proffitt's Locations