Castleton Square

Youngstown, Ohio-based shopping mall development company Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation formed a joint venture with Homart Development Company, a shopping mall development subsidiary of the department store chain Sears, to begin development on Castleton Square in 1971.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312513975/ | title=Castleton Square opens tomorrow | work=The Indianapolis News | date=September 12, 1972 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=14 |url-access=subscription}} DeBartolo announced the mall's development in January of that year and began groundbreaking soon afterward. The original plans called for a Y-shaped enclosed mall with three anchor stores: Sears, JCPenney, and Rike Kumler Co. (Rike's), a department store chain based out of Dayton, Ohio. The mall would be situated on 82nd Street just outside the Interstate 465 beltway within the Castleton neighborhood on the northeastern side of Indianapolis.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312637609/ | title=1 center delayed; Castleton on way | work=The Indianapolis News | date=January 18, 1971 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=20 |url-access=subscription}} It was the second of three malls built by DeBartolo as a part of its expansion into Indianapolis, following Lafayette Square Mall in 1968 and preceding Washington Square Mall in 1974. The company chose to build on the northeastern side of the Indianapolis metropolitan area, as the area was projected for further suburban growth in the intervening years. Similarly, research conducted by Sears showed a trend in residential growth to the city's northeast side, thus creating a market which the chain deemed suitable for a new store.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312406052/ | title=Sears manager natural for job | work=The Indianapolis News | date=August 14, 1972 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | pages=31 |url-access=subscription}}

To accommodate for mall traffic, the Indiana Department of Transportation announced prior to the mall's development that it would expand 82nd Street to a four-lane divided highway.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312581943/ | title=Builder plans 4-lane leg of Ind. 100 | work=The Indianapolis News | date=November 26, 1971 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=31 |url-access=subscription}} Federated Department Stores (now Macy's, Inc.), then-owners of the Rike's chain, confirmed in late 1971 that the third anchor of Castleton Square would instead be Lazarus, a Columbus, Ohio-based chain then also under their ownership.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312583804/ | title=Center store planned | work=The Indianapolis News | date=November 29, 1971 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=21 |url-access=subscription}} Also confirmed as tenants for the mall by 1972 were a Kroger supermarket, an F. W. Woolworth Company dime store, and a three-screen movie theater.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/105879241/ | title=Square to reshape Castleton | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=September 12, 1972 | access-date=November 10, 2019 | page=12 |url-access=subscription}} Inline tenants would include Robert Hall Clothes, Hickory Farms, Kinney Shoes, Zales Jewelers, Waldenbooks, and Orange Julius.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312647233/ | title=Sears hitting wire first at Castleton | work=The Indianapolis News | date=June 28, 1972 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Robert Corya | page=80 |url-access=subscription}}

Upon opening, the {{convert|1116160|sqft|m2|adj=on}} mall was the largest in the state of Indiana. Sears was the first store to open, doing so in August 1972. One month later, Kroger and 20 other mall shops had opened as well. Official opening ceremonies occurred on September 13, 1972, and were initiated by a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Indianapolis' then-mayor Richard Lugar. Architectural features of the mall included a {{convert|20|ft|m|adj=on}}-wide fountain and chandeliers in center court, 22 planters filled with live tropical plants, 102 circular benches, skylights, and terrazzo flooring. The mall also featured parking for up to 7,050 cars. By Christmas 1972, the mall had increased to 59 stores. JCPenney opened for business in January 1973, followed by Woolworth in March.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312179644/ | title=Spring at Castleton Square | work=The Indianapolis News | date=March 13, 1973 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=12 |url-access=subscription}} The Lazarus store, their first location in Indiana, opened in August 1973. Consisting of {{convert|311855|sqft|m2}}, the store featured three levels and a restaurant overlooking the mall's center court. Opening ceremonies for the store were attended by William P. Giovanello, the chain's then-president. At the time of the store's opening, DeBartolo confirmed that both Washington Square and Lafayette Square malls would also include Lazarus stores.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312083470 | title=Lazarus opening doors on Monday | work=The Indianapolis News | date=August 2, 1973 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=38 |url-access=subscription}}

File:Castleton penney.jpg, seen here in November 2019, is an original tenant.|alt=The exterior of the JCPenney department store at Castleton Square shopping mall]]

General Cinema Corporation expanded its presence at Castleton Square in 1976 by building a second cinema in the parking lot northeast of Sears.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/106828375/ | title=General Cinema to open triplex theater today | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=November 5, 1976 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=44 |url-access=subscription}} Kroger exited the mall in 1979 to move to a larger store further down 82nd Street, and its former location in the mall was subdivided for additional mall space.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312793068/ | title=Kroger moves; 6 more stores in Castleton | work=The Indianapolis News | date=December 3, 1979 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=25 |url-access=subscription}} Woolworth closed at the mall in April 1982 due to unprofitability.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/106096400/ | title=Corrections and clarifications | date=April 1, 1982 | work=The Indianapolis Star | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=2 |url-access=subscription}} During the 1982 Christmas season, the former Woolworth space was used by several local automotive dealers as a temporary showroom.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/314164449/ | title=Autos at the mall | work=The Indianapolis News | date=October 1, 1982 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=30 |url-access=subscription}} In 1983, Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation announced that the mall would be receiving a thorough renovation which would include new planters and benches, removal of the center court's fountain in favor of a performance stage, new lighting, heightened ceilings in the department stores, and a customer service kiosk. In addition, Kohl's would be opening a department store in the former location of Woolworth.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/106227700/ | title=New look, new stores for Castleton | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=June 4, 1983 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=17 |url-access=subscription}} The store was one of four opened that year by Kohl's upon entry into Indianapolis by acquisition of vacated Woolworth properties.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/106107189/ | title=4 new Kohl's stores to employ 700 | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=February 2, 1983 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=38 |url-access=subscription}} Tenth-anniversary festivities coinciding with the mall renovation and opening of Kohl's included performances by more than fifty circus performers.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312818955/ | title=ISU festival to feature Rorem | work=The Indianapolis News | date=August 8, 1983 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=12 |url-access=subscription}}

File:Castleton wing.jpg

No other major changes occurred at the mall until 1990, when two more anchor stores were added. First was L. S. Ayres, which built a {{Convert|150000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} prototype store onto the mall's south side and opened for business in August 1990. L. S. Ayres chose to build the store in order to attract customers from cities northeast of Indianapolis, such as Anderson and Muncie. Unlike its other stores at the time, the Castleton Square store did not sell furniture due to a proliferation of furniture stores around the mall.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/106893634/ | title=New Ayres has different look | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=June 15, 1990 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=B8 |url-access=subscription}} Two months later, a {{convert|108000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Montgomery Ward department store opened off the JCPenney wing. The store was Montgomery Ward's first purpose-built store in an Indianapolis mall, as their other three shopping mall stores (Lafayette Square, Washington Square, and Greenwood Park Mall) were all purchased from William H. Block Co. in 1988. Also unlike those stores, the Castleton Square location featured appliance and electronic repair centers.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/312911245/ | title=Ward sets November opening | work=The Indianapolis News | date=September 6, 1990 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=B1 |url-access=subscription}} A Best Buy store opened right next to the mall on October 30, 1992.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-best-buy-blows-int/126374604/|title=Best Buy blows into town|publisher=The Indianapolis Star}}

Yet another change in anchor stores ensued in early 1997 when Kohl's moved out of the mall to a larger store in the Geist neighborhood.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/313332859/ | title=Kohl's turns its marketing eye toward upscale clientele | date=January 28, 1997 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Steve Kukolla | pages=A10, A12 |url-access=subscription}} Simon Property Group, which merged with DeBartolo Corporation in 1996, announced in July 1997 that the Kohl's store would be demolished in favor of a new wing featuring a food court and a Galyan's sporting goods store, along with renovations to mall entrances, skylights, and landscaping, plus the addition of kiosk shops and new larger restroom facilities.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/354057299/ | title=Castleton mall plans expansion | work=The Noblesville Ledger | date=July 31, 1997 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=A2 |url-access=subscription}} Three months later, Montgomery Ward announced that it would close its location at Castleton Square, along with the ones at Lafayette Square and Washington Square.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/313658320/ | title=3 of 4 Ward stores to close | work=The Indianapolis News | date=October 11, 1997 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Steve Kukolla | pages=C8, C10 |url-access=subscription}} Simon attempted to purchase the store back from Montgomery Ward in 1998 with the intention of leasing it to Lord & Taylor, but the company was outbid by Von Maur, which had been seeking locations in the Indianapolis market for several years prior.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/107169060/ | title=Von Maur chain buys 2 Ward locations | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=February 28, 1998 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Greg Andrews | pages=A1, A2 |url-access=subscription}} Von Maur opened for business in June 1998.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/157335946/ | title=New store on the block | work=The Daily Journal | date=June 2, 1998 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=B1 |url-access=subscription}} Galyan's also opened for business in mid-1998, thus becoming the company's first store to be located in a shopping mall. The store was nearly double the size of the existing Galyan's locations in Indianapolis at the time.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/107169657/ | title=Galyan's goes nationwide | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=March 31, 1998 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Greg Andrews | pages=B1, B2 |url-access=subscription}} By year's end, the accompanying food court had opened as well. It featured 15 restaurants and décor themed around gardening, along with a fountain and a children's play area.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/311385108/ | title=Castleton's new look puts focus on gardening | work=The Indianapolis News | date=November 14, 1998 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | page=F8 |url-access=subscription}}

In October 2002, a Costco store opened north of the mall.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-2-costco-outlets-e/126374173/|title=2 Costco outlets expected to open in October|publisher=The Indianapolis Star}} In 2003, Federated Department Stores rebranded all Lazarus locations as Lazarus-Macy's in order to expand the Macy's name throughout the United States. The dual-branding also introduced several Macy's product lines to the merchandise mix of Lazarus.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/127303791/ | title=Lazarus to cash in on Macy's mystique | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=May 23, 2003 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Dana Knight | pages=A1, A8 |url-access=subscription}} The same year, both floors of the Galyan's building were expanded, increasing the store size by {{convert|20000|sqft|m2}};{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/127289033 | title=Work continues on addition to Galyan's | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=October 15, 2003 | access-date=February 14, 2020 | author=William J. Booher | page=N2 |url-access=subscription}} one year later, Galyan's was sold to Dick's Sporting Goods, resulting in the closure of a nearby Dick's Sporting Goods which had only been open for a year.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/127382083/ | title=Dick's shuffles lineup: company set to close more stores in area | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=January 22, 2005 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Bruce C. Smith | pages=C1, C5 |url-access=subscription}} Federated acquired The May Department Stores Company, then the parent company of L. S. Ayres, in 2006 and announced plans to convert most of the May Department Stores brands to Macy's. As part of this, the Lazarus-Macy's store was rebranded again to just Macy's. Castleton Square was one of four malls in Indiana to have both a Macy's and a division of May Department Stores, [being L. S. Ayres]. As a result Federated chose to maintain the four existing Macy's sites originally Lazarus and close the May Departments stores instead. As a result, all four L. S. Ayres locations were closed in mid-2006.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/126810814/ | title=Ayres' last chapter begins | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=January 24, 2006 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Madhusmita Bora | pages=C1, C3 |url-access=subscription}} A year after closure, the building was demolished for a new outdoor concourse featuring Borders Books & Music, an AMC Theatres multiplex, Johnny Rockets, Stir Crazy, Cold Stone Creamery, and H&M.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/126851105/ | title=Castleton mall wing to add theater, Borders | work=The Indianapolis Star | date=January 19, 2007 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Daniel Lee | pages=C1 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web | url=https://www.wthr.com/article/simon-announces-more-stores-for-castleton | title=Simon announces more stores for Castleton | work=WTHR | date=October 31, 2007 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | archive-date=November 12, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112011450/https://www.wthr.com/article/simon-announces-more-stores-for-castleton | url-status=dead }} Following the closure of Borders in 2011, its space was renovated for the clothing store Forever 21.{{cite web | url=https://www.ibj.com/property-lines-scott-olson/33878-castleton-square-remix-calls-for-larger-forever-21-h-m | title=Castleton Square remix calls for larger Forever 21, H&M | work=Indianapolis Business Journal | date=April 17, 2012 | access-date=November 11, 2019 | author=Cory Schouten}} McAlister's Deli opened at the mall in late 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2014/11/10/mcalisters-deli-sets-muncie-opening-date/18813617/|title=McAlister's Deli sets Muncie opening date}}

On May 31, 2018, it was announced that the two-story Sears store would close in September 2018, along with 62 others across the country.{{cite web | url=https://www.ibj.com/articles/69045-sears-holdings-to-close-castleton-square-mall-store | title=Sears Holdings to close Castleton Square mall store | work=Indianapolis Business Journal | date=May 31, 2018 | access-date=February 14, 2020}} At the time of closure, it was the last remaining Sears in Indianapolis.{{cite web | url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/05/31/sears-close-sole-indianapolis-location/661044002/ | title=Sears to close sole Indianapolis location |date=May 31, 2018 |work=The Indianapolis Star}} The same year, Macy's announced that the Castleton Square store would be part of its "Growth 50" campaign to add new options for shoppers at some of its more profitable locations. Included in the renovation are new lighting, fitting rooms, and restrooms, expanded furniture departments, dedicated locations for online pickups and returns, and mobile payment options.{{cite web | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/10/25/macys-investing-200-million-in-50-stores-including.html | title=Macy's investing $200 million in 50 stores – including a local one | work=Cincinnati Business Journal | date=October 25, 2018 | access-date=November 11, 2019}} As of 2019, Castleton Square remains the largest mall in the state of Indiana, with more than 130 stores.{{cite web | url=https://www.simon.com/mall/castleton-square/about | title=About | work=Castleton Square | access-date=November 11, 2019}} The mall was remodeled in early 2025 with new flooring, paint, and signage.

• List of shopping malls in the United States
• List of Simon Property Group properties
• List of attractions and events in Indianapolis
• Economy of Indianapolis

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{{Wikivoyage|Indianapolis#Castleton|Castleton}}

• {{official website|https://www.simon.com/mall/castleton-square}}

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{{Shopping Malls in Indiana}}

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