Wisconsin’s shopping mall woes aren’t just limited to what’s going on in and around Milwaukee. Back in December, we showed you the tragic state of affairs out at Fond du Lac’s longstanding Forest Mall. That mall isn’t the only once-mighty shopping center that’s seen better days. Out on the east side of Green Bay, a mall on Mason Street is feeling the impact of the ever-changing retail landscape in a big way.
East Town Mall has seen a great deal of change over the course of its almost 40 years of existence, both cosmetically and in regard to its ownership. Since it opened in 1982, the shopping center has been renovated twice (in 1998 and 2010). It was purchased by Cabot Investment Properties in 2007, who defaulted on the property after being sued by investors who accused the company of defrauding them as part of a Ponzi Scheme. Current owners Lexington Realty International and Case Equity Partners took over in early 2017, and actually managed to bring some new tenants (that are not attached to the mall) to the property’s outer edge in the form of Marshalls and Ross Dress for Less.
Still, despite a few new national chains joining Hobby Lobby, Petco, and Kohl’s, the mall itself continues to struggle immensely. The Budget Cinema closed in 2017. The entrances that once connected the indoor mall to anchor stores—Kohl’s on one end and Hobby Lobby on the other—have been walled off. Other East Town staples like Radioshack, Fashion Bug, and MasterCuts are also long gone. In fact, all that’s left in the mall at this point is a GNC, a Bath & Body Works, a consignment gallery, and a whole lot of empty retail space.
While in Green Bay recently, we decided to pay a visit to East Town Mall to see it in its current state. Here are 40 pictures of Green Bay’s East Town Mall in the year 2020.
