One of the focal points of Evansville's retail scene for nearly 30 years, Eastland Mall was opened by General Growth Properties in 1981 with two anchor tenants, J.C. Penney's and Lazarus Department Store. It quickly became southern Indiana's preferred venue for shopping, drawing both retailers and customers away from Washington Square Mall, which had served the area since the 1960s.
In 1998, Eastland Mall was sold to the Simon Property Group, an S&P 500 company headquartered in Indianapolis and the largest public real estate company in the United States. Today this attractive shopping center delivers retail therapy in abundance, with more than 130 specialty stores in total. It has a popular food court and numerous full-service restaurants, plus parking space for some 2,500 vehicles.
Currently anchoring Eastland Mall are four major department stores. JCPenney, one of America's largest retailers, remains among the original tenants. Marshalls competes with giftware, domestics and clothing, along with its promise of "brand names for less.'' In 2005, Lazarus was replaced by Macy's, which today offers an assortment of merchandise from home furnishings and luggage to fashions for all ages, shoes, cosmetics, accessories and fine jewelry.
Opened in March 2009 with 180,000 square feet of retail floor space, Dillard's is now the largest of the department stores operating here. To deliver maximum value to shoppers, it focuses on fairly priced merchandise and exceptional customer service. This location provides a wide selection of merchandise, including products sourced and marketed under the store's private-brand names.
More than two dozen categories of items are sold at the smaller stores positioned between these major retailers. They include accessories, cards / books / gifts / stationery, children's fashions, entertainment items, health and beauty products, and home furnishings. Also sold are jewelry, men's fashions, miscellaneous goods, music / electronics / video, optical / eyewear, shoes, specialty food, sporting goods / active wear, toys and games, and women's fashions. A branch of the U.S. Post Office can be found at the west end of the mall, too.
Among national retailers at Eastland Mall are Bath & Body Works, Bed Bath & Beyond, Champs Sports, Foot Locker, Radio Shack and Lenscrafters, to name a few. Major brand manufacturers with a presence here include Coach, Old Navy, and Victoria's Secret. Children are not left out either, with Build-a-Bear Workshop, Toys R Us, Kiddie Rides and the Children's Place.
In fact, through Simon Properties, Eastland Mall offers membership to the Kidgits Club, which comes with games, goodies, newsletters and interactive events. Upon enrollment, which costs $5 per child, a T-shirt and a membership card are also issued. Single- and double-toddler Kiddie Kruzzers (strollers) may also be rented by members and non-members alike.
For dining at Eastland Mall, shoppers may choose from more than a dozen locations, including nine in the food court area - Chick-fil-A, Subway, China Experience, and Sbarro among them. Chili's, Longhorn Steakhouse, Grandy's, Olive Garden and T.G.I. Friday's are the mall's family-style restaurants.
Eastland Mall is located just east of Wesselman Park Nature Center at 800 North Green River Road, Evansville, IN 47715-2471. The mall's regular hours are 10am to 9pm Monday through Saturday and noon to 6pm on Sundays. Visitors should note that individual store hours may differ from mall hours.
Additionally, one unique feature of Eastland Mall is its use as a walking course. Four laps around the mall cover to 3.5 miles. Mall walkers are welcome prior to opening hours, between 7am and 10am, Monday through Saturday, and from 9:30am to noon on Sundays.
