Conestoga Marketplace

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Conestoga Marketplace
Map
LocationGrand Island, Nebraska, United States
Coordinates40°56′03″N 98°22′51″W / 40.93417°N 98.38083°W / 40.93417; -98.38083 (Conestoga Mall)
Opening date
  • 1974 (original)
  • 2025
Demolished2023–2024 (partial)
DeveloperEricson Development
OwnerWoodsonia Real Estate
Anchor tenants2
Floor area611,719 sq ft (56,830.6 m2)
Floors1
Websiteshopconestogamall.com

Conestoga Marketplace is an outdoor shopping mall in Grand Island, Nebraska. The current mall opened in May 2024. The mall was originally opened in 1974 as Conestoga Mall, an enclosed shopping mall. The mall was redeveloped in 2023 by its current owner, Woodsonia Real Estate. The mall's anchors are Target and Best Buy.

History

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Conestoga Mall

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Conestoga Mall was announced in December 1972.[1] Developed by Ericson Development of Edina, Minnesota, construction began in February 1973.[2] The mall officially opened in 1974.[3] At the time, it included Miller & Paine and Brandeis as its anchors.[4] Later expansions brought Sears and JCPenney as anchors, as well as regional department store chain J.M. McDonald.[5]

Dillard's purchased Miller & Paine in 1988, and Younkers purchased Brandeis in 1987. Best Buy later joined as a junior anchor, located in part of the former J.M. McDonald space. In 2003, J. Herzog & Sons bought the mall from the Richard E. Jacobs group, which had put it up for sale in 1999.[6][7] In 2017, New York-Based Namdar Realty Group purchased the mall.[8]

The Younkers store closed in August 2018 with the liquidation of its owner, Bon-Ton Stores.[9] The mall's Sears location closed in early 2019 as part of a plan to close 40 stores nationwide.[10] On June 4, 2020, it was announced that JCPenney would be closing around October 2020 as part of a plan to close 154 stores nationwide. On February 1, 2023, it was announced that Dillard's would be closing its location at the mall leaving it with only Best Buy as the remaining anchor.[11]

In early 2023, the mall was sold to Omaha-based Woodsonia Real Estate. The company announced a $250 million redevelopment plan for the site, to be renamed Conestoga Marketplace. Most of the mall was demolished, including the vacant anchor stores, excluding Best Buy. Under the plan, the rest of the mall would be converted into an outdoor mall. A hotel and apartments would also be added on outparcels.[12] The final remaining interior corridor closed on May 9, 2024, as tenants relocated to the new outside-facing retail space.[13]

Conestoga Marketplace

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Conestoga Mall re-branded to Conestoga Marketplace and officially opened on May 9, 2024.[13] In November 2024, the Target location began construction and officially opened on October 12, 2025.[14][15] The B&B Theatres location opened in May 2025.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "New Mall Is Reality For City". The Grand Island Independent. December 27, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  2. ^ "Firms 'Excited' About Conestoga Shopping Mall". The Grand Island Independent. February 16, 1973. p. 13. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  3. ^ CSA Super Markets. Vol. 49. Lebhar-Friedman. 1973. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  4. ^ "Conestoga Mall still a magnet for shoppers far and wide". The Grand Island Independent. February 28, 2005. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  5. ^ "New Sears store opens". The Grand Island Independent. July 14, 1979. p. 2. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  6. ^ "McCook Daily Gazette - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  7. ^ "Archives : The Rocky Mountain News". nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  8. ^ "Conestoga Mall sold to New York group". The Grand Island Independent. June 20, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  9. ^ "Younkers store closes its doors". The Grand Island Independent. August 27, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  10. ^ "Sears to shut 40 more stores early next year". CNBC. November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "Grand Island Dillard's to close".
  12. ^ "$250 million redo of tired regional mall signals further change in Nebraska's fourth largest city". Nebraska Examiner. March 21, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "The indoor days of Conestoga Mall are now over". KSNB-TV. May 9, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  14. ^ Bryant, Carol. "Construction starts on Target store at Conestoga Marketplace". Central Nebraska Today. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  15. ^ BAHR, JEFF (October 10, 2025). "Grand Island gets its first Target store". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  16. ^ Shenk, Danielle (March 27, 2025). "B&B Theatres set to open new Grand Island location in May". KSNB. Retrieved August 29, 2025.