Shops at CenterPoint

Shops at CenterPoint is an open-air shopping center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the intersection of 28th Street and East Beltline Avenue, opposite Woodland Mall. The property began in 1967 as Eastbrook Mall, an enclosed shopping mall with roughly 50 stores and three principal anchors: Woolco, Wurzburg's, and Steketee's. Its early tenant mix reflected the conventional American department-store mall model, combining discount retail with locally important department stores. The center experienced the long-term pressures that affected many older enclosed malls. Woolco closed in 1982 and its space was subsequently used by Burlington Coat Factory. Inline vacancies increased during the 1980s and 1990s, while anchor changes further weakened the original format. Witmark closed in 1997, and Steketee's followed in 2000. Lormax Stern acquired the property from Visser Brothers in 2000 and renamed it Centerpointe Mall. During this period, the owner attempted to refresh the tenant mix and reuse obsolete space. Steve & Barry's arrived in 2001, while Lane Bryant and other retailers occupied additional units. Burlington Coat Factory moved to an exterior location, and its former space was converted for Linens 'n Things. The former Witmark space was also used by Modern Skate & Surf, while the demolished Steketee's building was replaced by Nordstrom Rack and new mall entrances. Additional changes followed from 2004 through 2005, including openings for Old Navy, DSW Shoe Warehouse, and David's Bridal in an outparcel. Despite these additions, much of the smaller interior space remained vacant. In 2007, the owners proposed replacing the enclosed mall format with an outdoor, pedestrian-oriented shopping center. The concept would have retained several existing large tenants, including Nordstrom Rack, Menards, Steve & Barry's, and Dunham's Sports, while relocating other occupants into newly arranged spaces. The redevelopment was expected to finish in 2009, but the plan was later abandoned. The property continued to undergo tenant turnover. Klingman's moved to Wyoming, Michigan, in 2008. Linens 'n Things closed its Centerpointe location that year, and the space later became a Jo-Ann Fabrics superstore. Steve & Barry's also closed in late 2008 and was replaced by Wear District. Management explored office occupancy as another way to address vacancies, while Modern Skate & Surf eventually closed in 2011. A new de-malling strategy was announced in late 2011, with construction beginning in March 2012. The project converted the former enclosed mall into a strip-style, open-air shopping center. New or substantially reconfigured space included a combined HomeGoods and TJ Maxx store on the former Klingman's site, as well as locations for Rue21, Ulta, and The Vitamin Shoppe. Existing retailers including David's Bridal, Men's Wearhouse, TJ Maxx, and DSW were relocated as part of the transformation. Menards closed its store in March 2013, and part of the former Menards space was later occupied by Planet Fitness. The fitness club was described as one of the chain's largest locations. In 2014, the property adopted the name The Shops at CenterPointe, reflecting its transition from a declining enclosed mall into an open-air, convenience-oriented retail center. Its tenant profile combines national retailers, specialty stores, fitness, beauty, footwear, apparel, home goods, and restaurants. Listed food and beverage tenants have included Chick-fil-A, Cava, BJ's Restaurants, Crumbl, Tous les Jours, Five Guys, and Krispy Kreme, while retail and service occupants have included Best Buy, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Old Navy, Bath & Body Works, and Planet Fitness. The center's history illustrates the adaptation of a 1960s regional retail property to changing consumer preferences and the shift from enclosed malls toward externally accessible shopping clusters.

The property now known as Shops at CenterPoint opened in 1967 as Eastbrook Mall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It initially contained approximately 50 stores and was anchored by Woolco, Wurzburg's, and Steketee's. Woolco, positioned at the eastern end of the mall, closed in 1982, after which its space was used by Burlington Coat Factory. The center's original department-store structure gradually weakened as retailers departed and shopping patterns changed. Witmark closed in 1997, and Steketee's closed in 2000. Lormax Stern acquired the mall from Visser Brothers in 2000 and renamed it Centerpointe Mall. The new ownership introduced a series of tenant and physical changes. Steve & Barry's was added in 2001, and other retailers such as Lane Bryant followed. Burlington Coat Factory moved outside the enclosed mall, freeing its former space for Linens 'n Things. The former Witmark premises became home to Modern Skate & Surf, while the Steketee's building was demolished. Nordstrom Rack and new entrances were developed on part of that site. Old Navy, DSW Shoe Warehouse, and David's Bridal were added between 2004 and 2005. However, these additions did not eliminate the property's broader vacancy problem. In 2007, the owners proposed a substantial redevelopment that would have created an outdoor, pedestrian-friendly shopping center. Several large tenants were expected to remain, but the proposal was subsequently canceled. The center continued to lose and replace occupants. Klingman's relocated to nearby Wyoming in 2008. Linens 'n Things closed its Centerpointe store in the same year, and the location was later converted into a Jo-Ann Fabrics superstore. Steve & Barry's closed in late 2008 and was replaced by Wear District. Management also considered office users as a means of filling vacant areas. Modern Skate & Surf closed in November 2011. Lormax Stern announced a second, more focused de-malling effort in late 2011. Construction began in March 2012, and the enclosed mall was progressively converted into a strip-mall and open-air format. HomeGoods and TJ Maxx were developed as a combined store on the site of the demolished Klingman's building. Other additions included Rue21, Ulta, and The Vitamin Shoppe. Several existing businesses, including David's Bridal, Men's Wearhouse, TJ Maxx, and DSW, were relocated within the project. Menards closed in March 2013; a portion of its former space became a Planet Fitness location the following year. The property was renamed The Shops at CenterPointe in 2014. The new format emphasized direct exterior access, larger contemporary tenants, and a mix of shopping, dining, and services rather than the enclosed-mall arrangement of Eastbrook's earlier decades. The center's documented tenant mix has included Best Buy, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Old Navy, Bath & Body Works, Planet Fitness, and a broad selection of restaurants. Its evolution is an example of a traditional American enclosed mall being repositioned as an open-air power-center-style development.

1. 2014Property renamed The Shops at CenterPointe

   The completed or substantially transformed property adopts its current name.

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2. 2013Menards closes

   Menards shuts its store at the center in March; part of the former space is later reused by Planet Fitness.

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3. 2012De-malling construction begins

   Construction starts in March on the open-air redevelopment.

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4. 2011De-malling plan announced

   Lormax Stern announces a new plan to convert the enclosed property into a strip-mall-style center.

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5. 2007First major outdoor redevelopment proposal

   The mall is slated for conversion into an outdoor, pedestrian-oriented shopping center, but the proposal is later canceled.

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6. 2004New retail additions begin opening

   Old Navy, DSW Shoe Warehouse, and David's Bridal are added during the 2004–2005 expansion period.

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7. 2001Steve & Barry's joins the tenant mix

   The apparel retailer is added during the early post-acquisition tenant refresh.

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8. 2000Lormax Stern acquires and renames the mall

   Lormax Stern acquires the property from Visser Brothers and changes its name from Eastbrook Mall to Centerpointe Mall.

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9. 1997Witmark closes

   The department-store tenant leaves the property; its former space is later used by Modern Skate & Surf.

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10. 1982Woolco closes

    The original eastern anchor departs, and its space is later occupied by Burlington Coat Factory.

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11. 1967Eastbrook Mall opens

    The enclosed mall opens with approximately 50 stores and anchors Woolco, Wurzburg's, and Steketee's.

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A redeveloped, open-air retail center serving everyday shopping, discount and specialty retail, fitness, and dining needs in the Grand Rapids area.

• Retail leasing and shopping center spaceCommercial retail property1967

  Shops at CenterPoint provides a collection of externally accessible retail units, larger-format stores, outparcels, and restaurant locations. Its format supports everyday shopping and destination visits across apparel, home goods, electronics, beauty, footwear, fitness, and food service. The offering is the property itself and its tenant ecosystem rather than a proprietary consumer product line.

• Dining and food-service clusterRestaurants and quick-service food

  The center's documented food-service mix includes quick-service restaurants, casual dining, coffee or dessert-oriented concepts, and bakery offerings. Listed examples include Chick-fil-A, Cava, BJ's Restaurants, Crumbl, Tous les Jours, Five Guys, and Krispy Kreme. Availability may change as leases and tenant rosters evolve.

• Fitness and wellness servicesFitness2014

  Planet Fitness occupies part of the former Menards space. The location has been described as one of the larger facilities in the Planet Fitness chain, adding a service-based destination tenant to the center's retail and restaurant mix.

• 2014Rebranding as The Shops at CenterPointeStrategy

  The property had been converted from an enclosed mall into an open-air retail center.

  What changed. The Centerpointe Mall name was replaced by The Shops at CenterPointe to reflect the redeveloped format.

  Aftermath. The center continued operating as an open-air retail, dining, and service complex.

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• 2011Decision to de-mall the propertyStrategy

  The enclosed center continued to face vacancies and tenant turnover, while the earlier redevelopment concept had not proceeded.

  What changed. Lormax Stern announced a new conversion of Centerpointe Mall into a strip-mall-style, open-air shopping center, with construction beginning in March 2012.

  Aftermath. The redevelopment introduced new tenants, relocated existing stores, and culminated in the 2014 adoption of The Shops at CenterPointe name.

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• 2007Proposed first conversion to an outdoor shopping centerStrategy

  Persistent vacancies in the enclosed mall led the developers to consider replacing the traditional interior corridor format with outdoor, pedestrian-friendly structures.

  What changed. The proposed plan would have retained Nordstrom Rack, Menards, Steve & Barry's, and Dunham's Sports while relocating other retailers into a redesigned center.

  Aftermath. The proposal was later canceled, and a different de-malling project was pursued several years afterward.

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• 2014Centerpointe Mall adopts the Shops at CenterPointe name

  The property was renamed The Shops at CenterPointe after its conversion into an open-air shopping center.

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• 2012Construction begins on the de-malling project

  Work began in March to transform the former enclosed mall into an externally accessible retail complex.

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• 2011Lormax Stern announces conversion of Centerpointe Mall into an open-air center

  The property owner announced a de-malling project intended to replace the enclosed-mall configuration with a strip-style, open-air shopping center.

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1. Shops at CenterPoint
2. Official Shops at CenterPoint website