Fashion Place

Fashion Place is an upscale shopping mall in Murray, Utah, in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. It opened in 1972 and developed as a regional retail destination serving consumers across the Wasatch Front. The property has historically combined department-store anchors with specialty fashion, home-furnishing, and lifestyle tenants, and its tenant roster has changed substantially as major American retailers consolidated, rebranded, or relocated. At opening, the mall included Auerbach's and Sears as anchor stores, along with Castleton's and The Broadway. Auerbach's was subsequently absorbed into Nordstrom, while Castleton's passed through the ZCMI and Meier & Frank banners before becoming Macy's. The Broadway's successor operations included Weinstock's, and the former Broadway space became associated with Dillard's, which established its first Utah location at Fashion Place in 1993. These changes illustrate the mall's role as a platform for national department-store expansion in Utah. A major redevelopment beginning in 2007 introduced an outdoor lifestyle-center component and a new Nordstrom location. A further expansion in 2011 brought Crate & Barrel and H&M to Utah for the first time. Fashion Place has continued to emphasize first-in-market and otherwise distinctive tenants; the mall has been identified as the Utah location for brands including Zara, Crate & Barrel, Urban Outfitters, The Container Store, and Abercrombie Kids. The property also experienced anchor turnover during the 2010s. Sears announced the closure of its Fashion Place store in 2013, and the former Sears building was replaced by a new Dillard's location in 2015 before the older structure was demolished in 2016. Macy's announced the closure of its relatively small Fashion Place store in January 2014, after which the space became The Container Store, described as that retailer's first Utah location. Macy's later returned in early March 2017, occupying the former Dillard's space. Beyond retail history, Fashion Place has appeared in Utah cultural and public-safety history. In November 1974, Ted Bundy attempted to abduct Carol DaRonch at the mall while impersonating a plainclothes police officer. DaRonch escaped, and the incident contributed to Bundy's first criminal conviction. In 1987, the mall served as one of the locations used for the music video for Tiffany's recording of "I Think We're Alone Now." The property was also the scene of a gang-related shooting on January 13, 2019; two people were injured, one critically, the mall was evacuated, and several men were charged in connection with the incident. Fashion Place subsequently reopened to the public.

Fashion Place opened in Murray, Utah, in 1972 as a regional enclosed shopping center with Auerbach's and Sears as its principal anchors. Its original tenant mix also included Castleton's and The Broadway, reflecting the department-store structure common to major American malls of the period. The mall's anchor identity changed as department-store companies merged, rebranded, or exited markets. Auerbach's ultimately became part of Nordstrom. Castleton's became ZCMI, then Meier & Frank, and eventually Macy's. The Broadway later operated under the Weinstock's name, while the related space became associated with Dillard's. Dillard's established its first Utah location at Fashion Place in 1993, reinforcing the mall's role as a gateway for national chains entering the state. Redevelopment undertaken from 2007 added an outdoor lifestyle-center section and a new Nordstrom location. In 2011, the property expanded again and gained Utah's first Crate & Barrel and H&M stores. Over time, Fashion Place developed a reputation for hosting first-in-Utah or otherwise limited-market locations, including Zara, Crate & Barrel, Urban Outfitters, The Container Store, and Abercrombie Kids. The 2010s brought further changes to the department-store lineup. Sears announced in 2013 that it would close its Fashion Place store. The former Sears building was replaced by a new Dillard's in 2015, and the older building was demolished in 2016. Macy's announced in January 2014 that it would close its relatively small store at the mall. The vacated unit became The Container Store by the end of that year, but Macy's returned in early March 2017 in the former Dillard's space. Fashion Place has also been associated with several notable noncommercial events. On November 8, 1974, Ted Bundy attempted to abduct Carol DaRonch at the mall by posing as a plainclothes police officer. DaRonch escaped, and the case contributed to Bundy's first conviction. In 1987, the mall was used as a filming location for Tiffany's music video for "I Think We're Alone Now." On January 13, 2019, a gang-related shooting injured two people, one critically. Police evacuated the entire mall, several suspects were sought, and five men were charged in connection with the incident. The mall reopened to the public the following Monday.

1. 2019Gang-related shooting at the mall

   A shooting injures two people and prompts a police evacuation before the mall reopens the following Monday.

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2. 2017Macy's returns to Fashion Place

   Macy's returns in early March, occupying the former Dillard's space.

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3. 2015New Dillard's opens

   A new Dillard's building replaces the former Sears structure.

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4. 2013Sears announces closure

   Sears announces that its Fashion Place store will close, beginning a major change to the mall's anchor configuration.

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5. 2011Crate & Barrel and H&M enter Utah through Fashion Place

   The mall's expansion adds Utah's first locations for Crate & Barrel and H&M.

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6. 2007Lifestyle-center expansion begins

   A redevelopment project begins, adding an outdoor lifestyle-center section and a new Nordstrom location.

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7. 1993Dillard's establishes its first Utah location

   Dillard's opens at Fashion Place in Utah, taking over a department-store lineage associated with The Broadway and Weinstock's.

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8. 1987Mall appears in Tiffany music video

   Fashion Place is used as one of the locations for the music video for Tiffany's cover of "I Think We're Alone Now."

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9. 1972Fashion Place opens

   The mall opens in Murray with Auerbach's, Sears, Castleton's, and The Broadway among its principal anchor stores.

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An upscale regional shopping destination emphasizing department-store anchors, national specialty retailers, lifestyle shopping, and selected first-in-Utah concepts.

• Department-store retailRetail category1972

  Fashion Place has historically been organized around large department-store anchors. The current anchor lineup identified in the reference material includes Nordstrom, Macy's, and Dillard's, offering apparel, accessories, beauty products, home merchandise, and general department-store goods.

• Fashion and apparel retailSpecialty retail2011

  The mall's specialty-fashion offer includes international and American chains such as Zara, H&M, Urban Outfitters, and Abercrombie Kids. These tenants support Fashion Place's positioning as an upscale regional destination with a broad apparel mix.

• Home and lifestyle retailHome furnishings and lifestyle2011

  Home-oriented and lifestyle shopping is represented by Crate & Barrel and The Container Store, alongside other mall merchandise categories. Crate & Barrel and The Container Store have particular significance as first-in-Utah locations according to the reference material.

• 1987Tiffany music-video location

  United States

  Fashion Place served as one of the filming locations for Tiffany's cover of "I Think We're Alone Now," connecting the mall with a nationally visible pop-culture production.

  Outcome. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, while the mall gained a documented role in the video.

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• 2017Macy's returns to the mallOther

  After closing its former Fashion Place location in 2014, Macy's re-entered the property.

  What changed. Macy's reopened in early March in the former Dillard's space.

  Aftermath. The return restored Macy's to the mall's anchor lineup while preserving the newer tenant arrangement.

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• 2015Replace Sears with a new Dillard's buildingGeneration change

  Sears's departure created an opportunity to reorganize the mall's anchor configuration.

  What changed. The former Sears structure was replaced with a new Dillard's store.

  Aftermath. Dillard's continued its Fashion Place presence in a newer building, and the older structure was demolished in 2016.

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• 2014Replace the departing Macy's use with The Container StoreStrategy

  Macy's announced the closure of one of its smallest stores at Fashion Place.

  What changed. The former Macy's space was converted for The Container Store.

  Aftermath. The Container Store gained its first Utah location, while Macy's later returned to the property in a different space.

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• 2011Bring Crate & Barrel and H&M to UtahProduct launch

  A second expansion phase sought to add distinctive national and international retailers.

  What changed. Fashion Place opened Utah's first Crate & Barrel and H&M locations.

  Aftermath. The mall reinforced its reputation as a first-in-Utah destination and broadened its home and fashion offer.

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• 2007Add an outdoor lifestyle-center sectionStrategy

  Fashion Place undertook a major redevelopment to broaden the property beyond its traditional enclosed-mall format.

  What changed. The project added an outdoor lifestyle-center component and a new Nordstrom location.

  Aftermath. The redevelopment expanded the mall's physical format and strengthened its upscale department-store and lifestyle positioning.

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• 2019Gang-related shooting and mall evacuationControversy

  A gang-related shooting on January 13 injured two people, including one critically. Police evacuated the mall, and five men were charged in connection with the attack.

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• 1974Ted Bundy attempted abduction at Fashion PlaceControversy

  On November 8, 1974, Ted Bundy attempted to kidnap Carol DaRonch at the mall while posing as a plainclothes police officer. DaRonch escaped, and the incident contributed to Bundy's first conviction.

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• 2014Macy's announces closure of its Fashion Place store

  Macy's announced the closure of its relatively small Fashion Place location. The former space became The Container Store before Macy's later returned to the mall in a different location.

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• 2014The Container Store opens in the former Macy's space

  The former Macy's unit was converted for The Container Store, described as the chain's first Utah location.

  Product launch
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• 2013Sears announces closure of its Fashion Place store

  Sears announced that its Fashion Place location would close. The former anchor building was later replaced by a new Dillard's store.

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1. Fashion Place
2. Fashion Place official website