West Truman Boulevard (Ten Mile Drive) and Country Club Drive
Jefferson City, Missouri
Missouri's capital city shopping mall was developed by Des Moines-based General Growth Development (the mother company of General Growth Properties). The single-level complex was built on a 48.9-acre plot, located 4.5 miles west of the Show Me State State House.
The first phase of CAPITAL MALL, officially dedicated in February 1978, enveloped approximately 335,400 leasable square feet and was anchored by a 1-level (74,300 square foot) Sears. Charter tenants included Thomas Jefferson Men's, Maurices, Kinney Shoes, So-Fro Fabrics, Osco Drug, Kirlin's Hallmark & Gifts, Shepherd of the Hills, Karmelkorn and Orange Julius.
A second construction phase was completed in the early 1980s. A 1-level (75,200 square foot) J.C. Penney was dedicated January 7, 1981. As this addition was being built, the Crown Cinema Corporation Capital 2 Theatres was added to the north side of the mall. With the completion of the cinema and J.C.Penney, CAPITAL MALL housed approximately 458,700 leasable square feet.
The next expansion added a 1-level (70,000 square foot) Dillard's, which was built on east end of the mall. This store began business on March 15, 1985. Some time after, the twin cinema was expanded into the Capital 4 Theatres. CAPITAL MALL now housed approximately 560,000 leasable square feet and housed sixty-one stores and services.
CAPITAL MALL had no regional-class competitors in its vicinity. However, it is not uncommon for Jefferson City residents to drive out of town to shop. When they do, they may go to COLUMBIA MALL (1985) {26.7 miles northwest, in Columbia, Missouri} or to OSAGE BEACH PREMIUM OUTLETS (1986) {37.5 miles southwest, in Osage Beach, Missouri}.
A freestanding movie house was built as a northeast outparcel of CAPITAL MALL. The Crown Cinema Corporation Capital 8 Theatres opened for business in 1996. Capital 4 Theatres was shuttered on August 27, 2009.
Since its grand opening in the late 1970s, ownership of CAPITAL MALL has changed five times. First there was General Growth Properties, then the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Following this, the mall became a holding of a joint venture of the Prudential Insurance Company of America and CenterMark Properties.
A joint venture of Australia's Westfield, Des Moines' General Growth Properties and New York City's Whitehall Street Real Estate Limited Partnership acquired nineteen malls in six states; these owned by CentreMark Properties (a.k.a. May Centers). The deal closed in November 1993. The joint venture divided up management of the malls, with GGP's share including CAPITAL MALL. In December 2012, GGP sold CAPITAL MALL again, with the buyer being the Farmer Holding Company, of Jefferson City.
A 36 million dollar indoor-outdoor face lift got underway in January 2015. All five entrances were updated and the parking lot repaved. After the exterior of the structure had been updated, work began on interior spaces. A (24,000 square foot) Ross Dress For Less opened in October 2015.
In March 2017, the CAPITAL MALL Sears was shuttered, as one of forty-two decommissioned Sears stores around the nation. By this time, the southeast corner of the shopping complex was being gutted. A (48,000 square foot) Dunham's Sports was built, which was dedicated in November 2017. Wipro, Limited, an India-based information technology, consulting and business process services provider, set up shop in the vacant Sears in December 2020.
Sources:
The Daily Capital News (Jefferson City, Missouri)
The Jefferson City News Tribune
www.ggp.com / General Growth Properties
www.neatocoolville.blogspot.com / Todd Franklin
Cole County, Missouri property tax assessor website
www.cinematreasures.org
http://wikimapia.org
http://www.capitalmall.com
www.connectmidmissouricom / Daniel Winn
