Have you ever wondered if the directory map is secretly a mind puzzle?
For some, the quest for a good deal is outdone only by the quest for existential truth in mall acoustics.
One escalator ride equals two philosophical theories and an overpriced Orange Julius.
If laughter really is the best medicine, you’ll never need a mall pharmacy.
Indiana’s malls prove comedy and logic can be found between clearance racks.
1. Circle Centre Mall, Indiana
Circle Centre Mall opened in downtown Indianapolis in 1995 with high hopes for revitalizing the city’s core.
The mall cost around $300 million to build and was meant to be a social hub for shopping and dining.
By 2024, the property changed hands from Simon Family to Hendricks Commercial Properties for approximately $600 million.
Anchor stores like Nordstrom and Carson’s closed, leaving massive empty storefronts throughout the property.
The Regal UA Theater, which opened with the mall in 1995, also shut its doors.
In March 2023, a mass shooting injured seven children and teenagers, further damaging the mall’s reputation.
Why It’s On This List: Tenants report doing just one transaction per day, and management has turned off escalators and elevators while pushing remaining businesses out ahead of redevelopment plans.
2. Washington Square Mall, Indiana
Washington Square Mall opened in October 1974 on Indianapolis’s east side as the last of the city’s “Square” malls.
The property was built by Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. and featured space for five department stores plus over 100 specialty shops.
By 2014, Simon Property Group held $25.5 million in debt on the mall, which exceeded the property’s value.
Occupancy dropped below 50 percent by 2013, and major anchors like Sears, JCPenney, and L.S. Ayres all closed.
Kohan Retail Investment Group bought the property for just $2.5 million in 2016 but neglected property taxes and basic maintenance.
The mall was auctioned in 2018 due to unpaid taxes and sold to Durga Property LLC.
Why It’s On This List: Windows are boarded up, graffiti covers the building, potholes fill the parking lot, and neighbors describe it as “a nuisance” rather than a mall.
3. Concord Mall, Indiana
Concord Mall served Elkhart, Indiana, for decades as a popular shopping destination for families.
By the early 2020s, the mall was almost completely vacant with only a handful of retailers remaining.
An ownership dispute that lasted into 2022 signaled the end was near for the struggling property.
JCPenney announced its closure in early 2023, leaving the mall with virtually no major tenants.
The entire interior has now been gutted down to the studs and ceilings.
Developers are converting the 400,000 square foot space into a business park for manufacturing and warehouses.
Why It’s On This List: The mall died such a complete death that it required millions in investment to demolish the interior and transform it into industrial space instead of retail.
4. Markland Mall, Indiana
Markland Mall opened in 1968 in Kokomo as the city’s premier shopping destination.
The property sits at the intersection of SR 931 and Markland Avenue.
Old Navy closed in 2016, followed by both Sears and MC Sports shutting down in 2017.
Carson’s closed in summer 2018 along with the entire Carson’s chain nationwide.
The former Sears building was torn down to make room for Aldi, Party City, PetSmart, and Ross Dress for Less.
Visitors report many stores closed, particularly those appealing to older shoppers.
Why It’s On This List: Target remains the only major anchor store, and the property has lost most of its traditional department stores that once drew crowds.
5. Logansport Mall, Indiana
Logansport Mall served the Logansport community for years as a local shopping hub.
The mall faced steady decline through the 2000s and 2010s.
Both Macy’s and JCPenney closed their Logansport locations by 2017.
The property struggled to attract new tenants as retail shifted to online shopping.
Former employees and shoppers share memories of working at stores like Musicland that are long gone.
The mall is now permanently closed, according to recent reports.
Why It’s On This List: The mall couldn’t survive the loss of its anchor stores and is now completely shuttered with no plans for reopening.
6. Lafayette Square Mall, Indiana
Lafayette Square Mall on Indianapolis’s northwest side at 3919 Lafayette Road served the International Marketplace neighborhood.
The property spans 1.2 million square feet and faced years of decline.
Indianapolis-based Sojos Capital bought the mall and renamed it Window to the World.
The company announced a $200 million-plus renovation effort but repeatedly delayed reopening dates.
About half of the available tenant spaces were occupied when construction forced a shutdown in 2022.
Sojos painted the exterior with bright colors and murals, but construction delays continued.
Why It’s On This List: The mall closed for renovations that were supposed to take three months but dragged on indefinitely, leaving tenants without income and the future uncertain.
7. Muncie Mall, Indiana
Muncie Mall served Delaware County shoppers for decades with multiple anchor stores.
JCPenney announced its closure in June 2020 as part of a plan to close 154 stores nationwide.
This left Muncie Mall without any anchor stores for the first time in its history.
Macy’s closed in early 2020 as part of a plan to shutter 125 locations.
Carson’s liquidated in August 2018 when the parent company, Bon-Ton, went bankrupt.
Sears closed in September 2018 after announcing plans to close 72 stores.
The mall had seventeen permanently closed stores and restaurants as of July 2020.
Why It’s On This List: The property lost all four anchor stores between 2018 and 2020, and the owner defaulted on a $33.1 million mortgage loan.
8. Richmond Mall, Indiana
Richmond Mall opened in 1965 on National Road East in Richmond.
The property served eastern Indiana shoppers for decades with traditional department stores.
By 2017, the mall had lost most of its anchor stores and interior tenants.
Elder-Beerman, L.S. Ayres, and JCPenney all closed their Richmond locations.
Visitors describe it as a “vibrant dead mall” with few remaining stores.
The property is now listed as permanently closed.
Why It’s On This List: The mall continued operating with almost no tenants, earning the nickname of a dead mall that refused to die.
9. Honey Creek Mall, Indiana
Honey Creek Mall opened in 1968 as Honey Creek Square in Terre Haute.
The property underwent renovations and expansions in 1973, 1981, 1992, and more recently.
In 2018, Macy’s, Sears, and Elder-Beerman all announced closures at the mall.
The mall reported 97 percent occupancy in 2013, but that dropped to 93 percent by 2016.
Only JCPenney and Vendors Village remain as anchor stores today.
The property sometimes goes by two names: Honey Creek Mall and Haute City Center.
Why It’s On This List: Losing three anchor stores in one year devastated the local economy and left massive empty storefronts throughout the property.
10. Century Mall, Indiana
Century Mall opened in 1975 in Merrillville at Broadway and US 30 with Goldblatt’s and Montgomery Ward as anchors.
Between 1982 and the opening, the mall was only 70 percent leased.
Simon Property Group bought it in 1982, one day before Goldblatt filed for bankruptcy and closed.
Montgomery Ward removed their mall entrance and told customers no stores remained when a dozen were still open.
Service Merchandise relocated in 1995 to a new store half a mile away.
The mall closed in 2007 and was largely demolished for redevelopment.
Why It’s On This List: The property struggled from day one, never achieving full occupancy, and anchors actively discouraged customers from visiting.
11. Southtown Mall, Indiana
Southtown Mall opened in 1969 on Fort Wayne’s south side with five anchor stores.
Anchors included JCPenney, Montgomery Ward, Wolf & Dessauer, Sears, and Service Merchandise.
The closure of a nearby International Harvester plant in 1983 limited retail growth in the area.
L.S. Ayres announced its closure in 1991, while Service Merchandise and JCPenney both closed in June 1997.
The last tenants were evicted on February 1, 2003.
Fort Wayne acquired the building through eminent domain in 2004 and demolished it that same year.
Why It’s On This List: The mall’s owner failed to attract new stores despite multiple attempts to sell, forcing the city to seize and demolish the property.
12. Eastgate Shopping Center, Indiana
Eastgate Shopping Center opened in Indianapolis in 1957 as Indiana’s largest shopping center.
H.P. Wasson & Co. and Sears anchored the outdoor mall along with Woolworth and others.
The mall was plagued for years by vacancies and became more of a gathering place than a shopping center.
Both JCPenney and Sears left for opposite ends of town.
The mall closed in 2004 and became a hangout for gangs and vandals.
Alex Carroll purchased it in 2008 to house Lifeline Data Centers.
Why It’s On This List: Nearby factories closed, infrastructure went without repair, and housing prices declined as the neighborhood deteriorated around the property.
13. Glendale Mall, Indiana
Glendale Mall opened in Indianapolis as one of the city’s first enclosed shopping centers.
The property was smaller than other Indianapolis malls with just one or two anchors.
Macy’s closed in early 2019 as part of nationwide store closures.
The original mall was demolished on March 1, 2007.
New construction returned it to an open-air shopping center in early 2008.
Pei Wei and a donut shop closed recently, and other stores are hanging on by a thread.
Why It’s On This List: The property failed as an enclosed mall and had to be completely torn down and rebuilt as an outdoor shopping center.
14. Scottsdale Mall, Indiana
Scottsdale Mall opened in South Bend in 1974 with L.S. Ayres, Ayr-Way, and Montgomery Ward.
The mall cost over $40 million to build and featured 105 stores on two levels.
By 1989, the property had a vacancy rate of about 25 percent.
MassMutual assumed the deed in 1991 through foreclosure on a $22 million mortgage.
By the end of 2003, only 40 tenants remained including a theater and comedy club.
Demolition and closure progressed throughout 2004, and the site became Erskine Village power center.
Why It’s On This List: The mall went into foreclosure, suffered years of high vacancy rates, and eventually required complete demolition for redevelopment.
15. College Mall, Indiana
College Mall serves Bloomington, home to Indiana University’s flagship campus.
The property once featured Macy’s, a movie theater, and MCL Cafeteria.
Macy’s shut down, and visitors report the mall has gone downhill since then.
The 4-screen cinema changed from first-run to discount theater in 2000, then closed in 2004.
A bunch of stores closed, with many vacant storefronts remaining.
The mall no longer has any traditional anchor stores like Macy’s, Sears, or JCPenney.
Why It’s On This List: Visitors describe it as “dying” and “slowly dying for ages” with limited diversity of shops.
16. University Park Mall, Indiana
University Park Mall opened in Mishawaka near South Bend.
The property served northern Indiana shoppers for decades as a regional shopping destination.
Von Maur closed its University Park Mall location in 2024.
The mall lost Sears in 2018 when the retailer filed for bankruptcy.
JCPenney announced closure in 2020 as part of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
Carson’s liquidated in 2018 when parent company Bon-Ton went bankrupt.
Why It’s On This List: The property lost four anchor stores between 2018 and 2024, leaving large vacant spaces that are difficult to fill.
17. Castleton Square Mall, Indiana
Castleton Square Mall opened in Indianapolis in 1972.
The property has faced challenges from changing retail trends and online shopping.
Visitors report concerns about safety and the mall’s overall atmosphere.
The mall has experienced periods of high vacancy and declining foot traffic.
Some shoppers avoid the property due to perceived safety issues.
The mall continues operating but faces an uncertain future like many traditional shopping centers.
Why It’s On This List: Safety concerns and changing shopping habits have driven customers away, creating challenges for the once-popular destination.