Former Zales and GNC - "Village Square Mall" Effingham, IL
Village Square Mall was developed by Effingham native Gene Mayhood and opened in 1971. The malls original anchors, G.C. Murphy, and Spurgeon’s, would open the following year. Additionally, the mall was shadow anchored by an Eisner’s Supermarket that was attached to the mall but lacked mall access. Murphy’s became Rural King, Spurgeon’s became Stage, and Eisner’s became Jubilee Foods. JCPenney was added in 1977 alongside an expansion of the main mall that doubled the size of the property. I believe this was when Zales and GNC opened.
The mall soldered on for years as a community destination seeing tenants like Glik’s, Maurice’s, Hallmark, DEB, GNC, Dollar General, and Christopher & Banks come and go. Several stores like Glik’s and Dollar General leaving for greener pastures elsewhere in the city. The city has been fighting with the mall since Mike Kohan acquired it in 2008 after previous owners J. Herzog & Sons Inc. defaulted on the malls loan, but dumped it in 2020.
JCPenney closed in 2017 after the stores physical condition deteriorated to such an extent that they could no longer operate. The stores entrance awning and part of the roof have since suffered partial structure failures, and the city has taken the mall to task about not heating the vacant anchors, not offering restrooms, and has forced the demolition of part of the former Rural King store.
Former Zales and GNC - "Village Square Mall" Effingham, IL
Village Square Mall was developed by Effingham native Gene Mayhood and opened in 1971. The malls original anchors, G.C. Murphy, and Spurgeon’s, would open the following year. Additionally, the mall was shadow anchored by an Eisner’s Supermarket that was attached to the mall but lacked mall access. Murphy’s became Rural King, Spurgeon’s became Stage, and Eisner’s became Jubilee Foods. JCPenney was added in 1977 alongside an expansion of the main mall that doubled the size of the property. I believe this was when Zales and GNC opened.
The mall soldered on for years as a community destination seeing tenants like Glik’s, Maurice’s, Hallmark, DEB, GNC, Dollar General, and Christopher & Banks come and go. Several stores like Glik’s and Dollar General leaving for greener pastures elsewhere in the city. The city has been fighting with the mall since Mike Kohan acquired it in 2008 after previous owners J. Herzog & Sons Inc. defaulted on the malls loan, but dumped it in 2020.
JCPenney closed in 2017 after the stores physical condition deteriorated to such an extent that they could no longer operate. The stores entrance awning and part of the roof have since suffered partial structure failures, and the city has taken the mall to task about not heating the vacant anchors, not offering restrooms, and has forced the demolition of part of the former Rural King store.