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Forest Fair Mall

Coordinates: 39°18′12″N 84°31′07″W / 39.303262°N 84.518603°W / 39.303262; -84.518603
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Forest Fair Mall
Forest Fair Mall logo
A wing of Forest Fair Village, a two-story shopping mall. Visible are a number of abandoned storefronts and fixtures. In the distance is a sign reading "Kohl's"
The Kohl's wing of the mall, May 2018
Map
LocationForest Park and Fairfield, Ohio, U.S.
Address1047 Cincinnati Mills Drive
Opening dateJuly 11, 1988; 37 years ago (1988-07-11)
Closing dateDecember 2, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-12-02)
Previous names
  • The Malls at Forest Fair
  • Cincinnati Mills
  • Cincinnati Mall
  • Forest Fair Village
DeveloperLJ Hooker
OwnerCincinnati Holding Company, LLC
ArchitectHellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum
No. of stores and services0 (200+ at peak)
No. of anchor tenants0 (5 at peak)
Total retail floor area1,500,000 square feet (140,000 m2)
No. of floors2
Parking6,000
Public transit accessBus interchange Metro

Forest Fair Mall (also known as The Malls at Forest Fair, Cincinnati Mills, Cincinnati Mall, and Forest Fair Village) is an abandoned enclosed shopping mall in the northern suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It is located on the border between Forest Park and Fairfield, at the junction of Interstate 275 and Winton Road. Opened in phases between 1988 and 1989, the mall has become noted for its troubled history. Despite being the second-biggest mall in the state of Ohio and bringing many new retailers to the Cincinnati market, it lost three anchor stores (B. Altman and Company, Bonwit Teller, and Sakowitz) and its original owner LJ Hooker to bankruptcy less than a year after opening.

The mall underwent renovations throughout the mid 1990s under its second owner, Gator Investments, attracting new big-box stores such as Kohl's, Burlington Coat Factory, and Bass Pro Shops. Mills Corporation renamed the property to Cincinnati Mills in 2002 and renovated the mall once more in August 2004. Following the sale of Mills's portfolio to Simon Property Group, the mall was sold several times, while continuing to lose many of its key tenants due to a combination of retailer bankruptcies and increased competition from newer shopping centers. After having been renamed to Cincinnati Mall and again to Forest Fair Village in the 2010s, the property became a dead mall. It also received a number of proposals for renovation, none of which were realized. Following years of losing tenants, it closed to the public in December 2022, with the exception of Kohl's and Bass Pro Shops. Those stores closed in 2024 and 2025 respectively, leaving the entire complex abandoned. It is currently slated for demolition.

History

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Background

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In 1985, real estate developer Amega selected the site at the northeast corner of the Interstate 275 beltway's interchange with Winton Road in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio, for the development of a retail property. Initially, the site was to consist solely of Bigg's, a local hypermarket chain.[1] Australian retail developer LJ Hooker acquired the property from Amega in 1986 and chose to make Bigg's an anchor store to a large enclosed shopping mall, which would be named Forest Fair Mall.[2] According to these plans, the mall would consist of 1.5 million square feet (140,000 m2) of retail space, with 70% of the building in Forest Park and the rest in Fairfield.[3] By July 1987, mall developers had also stated that two department stores had committed to the project: Higbee's and Bonwit Teller. Overall, Forest Fair Mall would be the second-biggest mall in the state of Ohio at the time of construction, behind only the now-demolished Randall Park Mall in the Cleveland suburb of North Randall. Architectural plans called for a two-story structure with space for up to 200 stores. Decor was to feature "soaring, cathedral type ceilings, supported by steel beams and covered with curved glass."[4] Also in 1987, Hooker bought a controlling interest in Bonwit Teller and three other department stores: B. Altman and Company, Parisian, and Sakowitz. B. Altman was confirmed as a tenant in November 1987 and Parisian in March 1988,[5][6] while negotiations with Sakowitz began in October 1988.[7]

1988–1990: Opening and early years

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In June 1988, a month before the mall's scheduled opening, Higbee's withdrew from the project after being purchased by a joint venture of Dillard's and Edward J. DeBartolo Sr.[8] As a result, B. Altman was relocated from its original location to the space vacated by Higbee's, leaving a vacant anchor store and delaying the opening of the rest of the mall.[9]

The first phase of the mall, featuring Bigg's and approximately 20 other stores, opened in July 1988. Immediately after that wing opened, Elder-Beerman was confirmed for the vacated anchor.[10] The opening of the remainder of the mall was delayed until March 1989.[9][8][11] About one-third of the mall tenants were open then, including Bonwit Teller, B. Altman, Parisian, and a food court. By mid-year, Elder-Beerman and Sakowitz had also opened. Other tenants included an Australian restaurant called Wallaby Bob's, a 1950s-styled diner, Oshman's Sporting Goods,[12] and an eight-screen movie theater called Super Saver.[13] Many of the tenants were unique at the time: Wallaby Bob's was "the first brewery-restaurant in the nation that operates in a suburban shopping mall",[14] while another tenant, Koala Klubhouse, was the first licensed day care in an American shopping mall.[15] Another major tenant present at opening day was a 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m2) entertainment complex called Time Out, featuring a carousel and miniature golf course.[15] The inclusion of such entertainment venues was cited by The New York Times as an example of shopping malls staying competitive by offering options besides retail stores. The Times compared it to the inclusion of entertainment at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.[16] A 1989 article in The Cincinnati Enquirer described the mall as "entering uncharted waters" due to Sakowitz, B. Altman, Parisian, and Bonwit Teller all being not only new to the Cincinnati market but offering higher-priced merchandise available at those stores, in comparison to the area's more blue-collar demographics.[17]

The Enquirer estimated Forest Fair cost $200 million ($428 million in 2023[18]) to build. The concourses between Bigg's and Parisian were about 1,740 feet (530 m) long, using over 80,000 feet (24,000 m) of wood.[19] It had two stories, with three wings forming into a Y shape. The Dallas, Texas, firm Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum (now called HOK) was the architect.[20] Original decor of the mall included peach and teal tones, brass handrails along the concourses, lighting mounted on poles, and barrel-vaulted ceilings that alternated between brass linings and skylights.[21][20] Decor within the mall concourses included a number of fountains and sculptures, including mechanical fish and hangings that resembled sails.[20] Diane Heilenman of the Courier Journal noted that the heavy use of skylights, mirrors, and ceramic tile gave the mall a strong usage of light, and compared it to being "inside a pinball machine."[20] The B. Altman store also featured brass as a primary decorative element, along with parquet floors and a color scheme of rose and mauve. Bonwit Teller also employed brass and a color scheme of peach and teal, while Parisian's store mostly used mahogany wood and softer shades of blue, such as periwinkle.[21]

A concourse of Forest Fair Village shopping mall, showing the entrance to Bass Pro Shops.
The mall entrance of Bass Pro Shops

LJ Hooker filed for bankruptcy soon after the mall opened due to debt accrued by the company's expansion in the United States.[22] The company put Forest Fair up for sale for $200 million in June 1989. At this point, only 65% of the inline mall space was occupied,[11] and the mall was described as "struggling" due to the many vacancies, primarily in the B. Altman wing. The proximity to both Northgate Mall and Tri-County Mall was also cited as a factor in the mall's struggles, compounded by the latter's expansion not long after Forest Fair opened.[23] Despite the mall's troubles, the owners of Parisian noted that the store's sales were strong enough for the company to consider expansion in the Cincinnati market.[24] As part of LJ Hooker's bankruptcy filing, the company put all four of the department stores it had acquired on the market. Parisian was sold back to its previous ownership, while the other three were to be liquidated.[25][22][26] The other six B. Altman stores began that process in November 1989, although the Forest Fair store was kept open to prevent its closure from lowering the mall's value.[27] Liquidation sales began in August 1990 at the Forest Fair locations of all three department stores.[28] All of the other Sakowitz stores were also liquidated at this point, along with all but two locations of Bonwit Teller. These locations, both in Upstate New York, were sold to The Pyramid Companies.[29] In October 1990, the mall was sold to FFM Limited, a partnership headed by a group of banks which had loaned Hooker most of the $250 million in construction costs.[30][25]

1990s: The Malls at Forest Fair and redevelopment

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In May 1992, the owners announced The Malls at Forest Fair, a new concept for the mall.[31] Under this concept, each wing would focus on a different theme of shopping. The southwestern wing, featuring Parisian and Elder-Beerman, became "The Fashions at Forest Fair", featuring apparel and traditional department stores. The northwestern wing, vacated by B. Altman, became "The Lifestyles at Forest Fair", with stores focused on home decor, entertainment, and sporting goods. Surrounding Bigg's, the eastern wing became "The Markets at Forest Fair", which featured tenants centered on "value, services, and convenience". Finally, center court and the former location of Bonwit Teller became "The Festival at Forest Fair", focused on entertainment and new restaurants.[32][30] Lexington, Kentucky-based clothing store Dawahares opened its first Ohio store in the vacated Sakowitz space, while Subway and Hot Dog on a Stick joined the food court.[32] By June 1993, further new tenants had opened, including a Sam Goody/Suncoast Motion Picture Company music and video superstore in the Lifestyle wing and a CompUSA electronics store in the Markets wing. At the time, each of the other wings was about 90% leased except for the Lifestyle wing, which was only 25% leased. Due to the increased traffic brought on by the new stores, many new retail developments were constructed at the I-275 interchange, while the increase in businesses also boosted tax revenues in Forest Park.[33] The Altman's space remained vacant until late 1994 when Kohl's opened there. This was the first of three stores it opened that year as it entered the Cincinnati market.[34]

The mall was put on sale again in 1995, with FFM representatives noting that the partnership had never intended to maintain ownership for more than five years.[30] Miami, Florida-based Gator Investments ultimately bought the mall in January 1996.[23] Several anchor stores in the mall changed under Gator's ownership: Dawahares closed in late 1996 due to poor sales,[35] Berean Christian Stores signed a 10-year lease for a 21,250 square feet (1,974 m2) Christian bookstore at the mall in late 1997,[36] while Parisian closed in June 1998[37] and Guitar Center replaced CompUSA in August 1998 after that store moved to a larger location across from Tri-County Mall.[38] A gym called Moore's Fitness also opened during this time.[39]

In late 1999 and early 2000, Gator Investments began a second renovation which attracted several new tenants. Under these plans, they worked with Glimcher Realty Trust as leasing agent.[40] The mall underwent a myriad of changes soon afterward, including three anchor stores that opened in October 2000: Bass Pro Shops opened in the former Parisian,[41] Burlington Coat Factory (now known as just Burlington) replaced the former "Festival" wing,[39][42] and Stein Mart entered Ohio with a temporary outlet store in the space Dawahares left.[43] Also joining the mall in 2000-01 were Media Play,[44] Off 5th (an outlet division of Saks Fifth Avenue),[45] and the first Steve & Barry's sports clothing store in Ohio.[46] These stores were part of a reconceptualization of the mall as "a value retail center with new-to-the-market merchants".[44] This reconceptualization included\ new entertainment venues, like a nightclub called Metropolis,[47] a new Showcase Cinemas theater complex with stadium seating,[39] and a new children's playplace called Wonderpark.[46]

2002–07: Cincinnati Mills

[edit]
An abandoned food court at Forest Fair Village shopping mall.
The mall's central court in 2013, as seen from the upper level of the Bass Pro Shops wing

Mills Corporation bought the mall from Gator Investments in September 2002 and announced that the property would undergo further redevelopment, along with a name change to Cincinnati Mills.[48] As part of the redevelopment, Mills forced out many small independent businesses.[49] Renovations began in January 2003, which included new paint, floors, and signage throughout, along with differently-themed decor for each wing of the mall, typical of properties developed by Mills at the time.[50]

Elder-Beerman announced the closure of its store in 2003, as the chain wanted to focus on smaller stores in markets with lower populations.[51] After a $70 million renovation project, the mall reopened officially as Cincinnati Mills in August 2004.[52] As part of Mills' development, Babies "R" Us replaced Stein Mart, and Johnny's Toys had opened in the upper level of the former Elder-Beerman,[53] while the older Super Saver theater was sold to the local theater chain Danbarry and renamed the Dollar Saver.[54] Inline tenants at this point were focused mainly on discount stores and amenities suitable for families, as was typical of other properties developed by Mills.[52] By January 2005, the mall had a 90 percent occupancy.[55]

Despite these renovations, the mall's tenancy began to slump again in 2006. This included the loss of Media Play, which went out of business entirely, and Johnny's Toys, which was closed so that Steve & Barry's could create a larger store using the entirety of the former Elder-Beerman store. In addition, the president of Bigg's reported that their store in the mall had constantly struggled in sales due to it being located at the back of the property.[56] Also contributing to the decline were continued competition with Northgate and Tri-County malls, along with a newer outdoor mall called Bridgewater Falls in nearby Hamilton; lower-class demographics surrounding the mall; shopper unfamiliarity with the specialty tenants within; bankruptcy filings of key tenants; and complications from an accounting scandal in which the Mills corporation was involved.[57] Simon Property Group acquired the Mills portfolio in 2007.[58]

2008–present: Cincinnati Mall, Forest Fair Village

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Bigg's closed in June 2008, shortly after Berean Christian Stores and Wonderpark.[59] North Star Realty acquired the mall from Simon in January 2009.[58] It proposed converting portions of the mall to office space, call centers, or other non-retail uses,[60] and renamed the property Cincinnati Mall in March.[61][62] Under North Star's ownership, Steve & Barry's vacated due to the chain going out of business,[60] while Off 5th, Guess, Lane Bryant, and Dress Barn relocated to a newly built outlet mall in Monroe.[63][64] Despite the loss of these stores and other inline tenants such as MasterCuts and GNC, Totes Isotoner operated a temporary 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) warehouse store in a vacated slot near the food court.[65] In addition, the owners had not been paying their property taxes.[64] Cincinnati Holding Company purchased the mall in 2010,[66] right as Showcase Cinemas closed.[64]

An abandoned food court in a shopping mall, featuring blue floors and unused blue tables.
Nautical-themed food court, May 2018.

Three local business owners announced plans in 2011 to open ice skating rinks in the vacated Bigg's. By this time, Guitar Center had also closed, and a studio was proposed for its space, while a hotel was slated for the space originally occupied by Elder-Beerman.[67] Bass Pro Shops announced it would relocate to West Chester Township in 2013; that year, the mall was again renamed to Forest Fair Village.[68] Burlington Coat Factory moved out in 2013,[69] and Danbarry Dollar Saver closed in 2014.[70] The proposed relocation of Bass Pro Shops, combined with the ongoing tax delinquency, delayed any further redevelopment.[71] A plan to redevelop with Prudential Commercial Real Estate fell through in 2014 when that company's listing agreement expired.[72] By 2017, only Kohl's, Bass Pro Shops, an arcade, and a children's entertainment complex remained in operation.[73] A brokerage team put the mall on sale in 2017.[74] In mid-2017, a Christian media company expressed interest in using part of the property as a studio.[75]

Inspectors from the city of Forest Park cited the building for a number of code violations throughout 2020, including sealed emergency exits and graffiti. At the same time, Cincinnati news station WCPO-TV began investigating the mall after viewers noted that Amazon Prime delivery trucks were using the structure's parking lot to stage deliveries.[76] Officials of both Butler and Hamilton counties submitted plans to the state in 2022, requesting $9.5 million to demolish the mall. They also began edevelopment negotiations with Kohl's and Bass Pro Shops. The Butler County Journal News reported that any demolition plans would be contingent on the availability of state funds. One plan would convert the property to light industrial use.[77]

Arcade Legacy, one of the last remaining tenants, moved out in September 2022.[78] A month later, WLWT reported that the mall was slated for demolition along with 825 other buildings across Ohio, as part of Governor Mike DeWine's Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program.[79] The mall was closed on December 2, 2022, after the City of Forest Park Fire Department shuttered all remaining businesses (except Bass Pro Shops and Kohl's) due to a number of fire code violations.[80] In January 2024, Bass Pro Shops closed its Forest Fair Mall location and relocated to a much larger store off I-75 in West Chester.[81] In January 2025, Kohl's announced it would close 27 underperforming stores in April, including their Forest Fair store, leaving the mall with no tenants.[82]

See also

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References

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  2. ^ Schaefer, Walt (April 23, 1986). "Larger Bigg's mall planned in Fairfield". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. D1. Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  3. ^ Schaefer, Walt (November 21, 1986). "Developers optimistic about five mall stores". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. C10. Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
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39°18′12″N 84°31′07″W / 39.303262°N 84.518603°W / 39.303262; -84.518603