Valley West Mall

Valley West Mall is a 2-story enclosed super-regional shopping mall in West Des Moines, Iowa. The mall is anchored by JCPenney.
== History ==
L. Frederick Watson, a developer from Minneapolis, Minnesota, unveiled plans for Valley West Mall in 1971. The Meredith Corporation objected initially, as it was close to a site intended for Meredith's new corporate headquarters. However, Meredith withdrew its relocation plans in June 1971.
A dispute with Dayton Hudson Corporation over placing a Dayton's department store at Valley West Mall caused construction delays. In mid-1974, Davenport-based Petersen Harned Von Maur signed a lease to anchor the mall. Dayton Hudson sued Watson, alleging a promised spot, leading to a legal battle that delayed the third anchor store.
Valley West Mall opened on August 4, 1975, with about 20 stores and its first anchor, Brandeis. The grand opening ceremony occurred on July 28, 1976, unveiling the second anchor, Petersen Harned Von Maur, and 40 specialty stores. JCPenney, the third anchor, opened in March 1977, completing the mall.
Brandeis was acquired by Younkers in 1987, and Petersen Harned Von Maur changed its name to Von Maur in 1989. By 2000, Valley West became the Des Moines area's most-visited mall, attracting an average of 40,000 shoppers per day.
Plans for a fourth anchor store at Valley West Mall were announced on two separate occasions but never came to fruition. In March 1999, Dillard's signed a letter of intent with Watson Centers to construct a $30 million store and parking ramp. However, the letter of intent expired in August 2000, and Dillard's ultimately opted for a location in the new Jordan Creek Town Center instead. In May 2001, Galyan's (now Dick's Sporting Goods) unveiled an 84,000-square-foot (7,800 m2) anchor store plan, but by January 2003, it withdrew from entering the Des Moines market.
During the construction of Jordan Creek, Valley West underwent an interior renovation, which concluded in August 2003.
In May of 1996 a West Des Moines man covered himself from head to toe in barbecue sauce and lit himself on fire while yelling “now I become the barbecue”.
A food court became part of the mall in 1998, replacing a vacated Dunham's Sports.
On April 18, 2018 it was announced that Younkers would be closing as the parent, Bon-Ton Stores, was going out of business. The store closed on August 29, 2018.
In 2022, Von Maur departed from the mall and relocated to nearby Jordan Creek.
== Legal issues ==
On December 24, 1998, a group of activists distributed handbills outside Valley West Mall's JCPenney store, accusing Phillips-Van Heusen, whose clothing line was sold at JCPenney, of promoting sweatshop conditions. West Des Moines police removed the activists and arrested them for trespassing. Two individuals sued the city of West Des Moines, presenting their case to the Iowa Supreme Court, asserting that malls like Valley West had evolved into significant public gathering places where they had the right to freedom of speech. West Des Moines countered, asserting that Valley West was private property, and allowing handbill distribution would compromise property owners' control. On April 3, 2002, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in favor of West Des Moines.
Valley West Mall and Merle Hay Mall were plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the city of West Des Moines concerning the construction of Jordan Creek Town Center. The lawsuit alleged that West Des Moines was unlawfully using tax increment financing money to enhance infrastructure around Jordan Creek. On February 27, 2002, the Iowa Supreme Court dismissed the suit.
== Anchors ==
* JCPenney (136,312 sq ft or 12,663.8 m2)
=== Former Anchors ===
* Von Maur (184,342 sq ft or 17,125.9 m2)
* Younkers (140,000 sq ft)
== Gallery ==
=== Videos ===
File:Valley West Mall - Please Don't Leave Us!!! Lifeless Retail Ep. 09|Mall Tour
File:Store Tour Younkers - Valley West Mall, WDM, IA (STORE CLOSED 8 29 18)|Younkers Tour
Category:Shopping Malls
Category:Malls
Category:Malls in the United States
Category:Malls in Iowa
Category:Multi-Level Malls
Category:Malls that opened in 1975