Berkshire Mall (Massachusetts)

Berkshire Mall was a shopping mall located in Lanesborough, Massachusetts outside Pittsfield. The mall was built in 1988 and closed in 2019. It can be reached from both Route 8 and U.S. Route 7. There have been many changes in the mall's anchors since its opening. The mall was last anchored by Target, and Berkshire Mall 10 (both are still open) with four vacant anchors last occupied by Best Buy, JCPenney, Macy's, and Sears.

Berkshire Mall
LocationLanesborough, Massachusetts
AddressOld State Road & Route 8
Opening dateSeptember 1988
Closing dateMay 28, 2019
DeveloperThe Pyramid Companies
OwnerTown Of Lanesborough
No. of stores and services2 (75 at peak)
No. of anchor tenants6 (2 open, 4 vacant)
Total retail floor area717,900 square feet (67,000 m2)
(GLA)
No. of floors1

History

The mall opened in September 1988. The original anchor stores at the mall were Hills (later Ames), JCPenney, Sears, Service Merchandise, and local chain Steiger's. Steiger's sold its locations to Filene's (later Macy's) in 1994.[1] Service Merchandise closed in 1999. Two years after its closure, the mall acquired a permit to open a BJ's Wholesale Club in the space vacated by Service Merchandise.[2] Instead, the building was torn down and replaced with Best Buy and Linens 'n Things in 2002.[3] Ames, which closed in 2001, was replaced with a Target in 2002. (That Target, however, wouldn't open until January 2006.) An Old Navy store was added to the mall in 2000.[4] It and a Steve & Barry's, both in the Sears wing, closed in 2009; the latter was replaced by Famous Labels the same year.[5] On October 31, 2015, Best Buy closed their location in the mall.[6] On January 6, 2016, Macy's announced that it would be closing the Berkshire Mall location in April 2016.[7] On March 17, 2017, JCPenney announced that it was closing its store in the mall as well. The store closed on July 31, 2017.[8] On November 2, 2017, Sears announced that they would be closing their location at the mall on January 28, 2018, leaving Target and Regal Cinemas as the only remaining anchors.[9]

The Berkshire Mall was purchased in 2016 by Kohan Retail Investment Group of Great Neck, NY for $3.5 million. The mall's original owner, Pyramid Management Group of Syracuse, NY, was reportedly unable to keep up with payments on a $36.9 million mortgage on the property.[10] Despite Kohan's plans for revival, the mall has experienced continued loss of tenants, maintenance issues, unpaid taxes and utility bills. The mall closed its doors to shoppers temporarily in July, 2018.[11] In March 2019, the mall was shuttered for a week due to lack of electric power and water.[12]

Closures of the Berkshire Mall have not affected the site's two largest enterprises, Target and Regal Cinemas, which own their own buildings attached to the Kohan-owned mall.[11]

On June 23, 2018, the Berkshire Mall Emporium opened in the former JCPenney space, however it closed on February 24, 2019.[13]

On May 28, 2019, the mall closed permanently except for Target and Regal Cinemas.[14]

References
  1. "Steiger's may sell stores, reports say Scenario has May Co. buying seven Steiger's may sell stores, reports say". Hartford Courant. 6 January 1994. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  2. Dobrowolski, Tony (24 October 2001). "Berkshire Mall gets permit to expand for BJ's outlet". Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  3. "Best Buy Co. eyes Berkshire Mall". Berkshire Eagle. 26 October 2001. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  4. Shapiro, Carolyn (26 September 2000). "Old Navy to open new store in Mass". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  5. Dobrowolski, Tony (24 April 2010). "New clothing store opens in mall". North Adams Transcript. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  6. https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/best-buy-to-close-berkshire-mall-store-oct-31,310003
  7. "Macy's at the Berkshire Mall to close". The Berkshire Eagle.
  8. "J.C. Penney closing Berkshire Mall store in June". The Berkshire Eagle.
  9. "Berkshire Mall Sears store to close". The Berkshire Eagle.
  10. "Berkshire Mall to be sold to NY developer with eye on revival". The Berkshire Eagle.
  11. "Berkshire Mall Closes to Shoppers - Again". www.iberkshires.com.
  12. Eagle, The Berkshire. "Berkshire Mall still with no power, remains closed". The Berkshire Eagle.
  13. Lindsay, Dick; Eagle, The Berkshire. "Berkshire Mall Emporium set to open June 23". The Berkshire Eagle.
  14. https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/owner-in-talks-with-remaining-berkshire-mall-tenants-about-its-future,574739

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