What Happened to East Hills Mall? The Rise, Decline and Lasting Legacy of a St. Joseph Landmark

For generations of St. Joseph residents, East Hills Mall wasn't just a place to shop—it was a place where memories were made.

It was where parents bought back-to-school clothes, families gathered during the holidays, teenagers spent Friday nights walking the corridors with friends, and children begged for one more stop at their favorite store before heading home. Long before smartphones and online shopping, East Hills was where the community came together.

Today, much of that energy has faded. Many storefronts sit empty, the crowds are gone, and the mall that once served as the retail heart of northwest Missouri is only a shadow of what it once was.

So what happened?

A New Beginning for St. Joseph

When East Hills Shopping Center opened in 1965 on Frederick Avenue, it represented something entirely new for St. Joseph. Rather than shopping at individual downtown stores, residents could visit one climate-controlled location filled with dozens of retailers.

The concept was revolutionary for the area.

Families from St. Joseph, Savannah, Maryville, Cameron, Atchison, Falls City and countless smaller communities made the drive to East Hills because it offered shopping options that simply couldn't be found anywhere else nearby.

The original mall featured nationally recognized names like Montgomery Ward, JCPenney, Woolworth, Katz Drug and Safeway. For many families, a trip to East Hills became a weekly tradition.

As St. Joseph continued to grow, so did the mall.

The Golden Years

By the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, East Hills Mall had reached its peak.

A major expansion brought Sears and Dillard's to the property, creating one of the strongest collections of department stores in northwest Missouri. Nearly every storefront was occupied, weekends meant packed parking lots, and holiday shopping often meant searching for a parking space before you ever stepped inside.

For many people growing up in St. Joseph, East Hills wasn't simply where you shopped—it was where you spent your free time.

Teenagers met friends after school to wander the mall for hours. Couples went on first dates. Families brought children to see Santa every Christmas, and nearly everyone remembers making at least one stop in the food court before heading home.

The mall was filled with stores that defined an era. Shoppers browsed shelves at Waldenbooks, laughed at novelty gifts inside Spencer Gifts, searched for the latest CDs at Musicland and FYE, picked up school clothes at The Limited or JCPenney, and stopped by Claire's or Gadzooks to see the newest fashions.

Every visit felt a little different, but somehow always familiar.

The Fountains Everyone Remembers

While the stores made East Hills successful, one feature became just as iconic.

The fountains.

Mention East Hills Mall to longtime St. Joseph residents, and it usually doesn't take long before someone brings them up.

The sound of running water echoed throughout the main concourse as shoppers walked from store to store. Children leaned over the edge to toss pennies into the water while parents rested on nearby benches, taking a break before continuing their shopping trip.

The fountains became a natural meeting place.

Friends would agree to "meet by the fountain." Grandparents watched grandchildren admire the flowing water. Families gathered there before heading to dinner or finishing their Christmas shopping. Countless photographs were taken beside them over the years.

They added something that many modern shopping centers no longer have—character.

The fountains transformed the mall from a collection of stores into a place where people genuinely wanted to spend time. They slowed people down. They encouraged conversation. They made East Hills feel welcoming.

When renovations eventually removed the fountains, many residents felt that something important had disappeared.

To this day, they're still one of the most talked-about features of the mall.

More Than Just Shopping

It's difficult to explain to younger generations just how important malls once were. Before social media, before streaming services and before online shopping became the norm, malls served as community gathering places. People didn't always visit because they needed to buy something, sometimes they simply wanted somewhere to go.

East Hills provided that place.

It hosted holiday celebrations, community events and weekend crowds that made the building feel alive. Children looked forward to visits with Santa. Families spent entire Saturdays browsing stores. Teenagers walked laps around the mall simply because that's where everyone else was.

It wasn't unusual to run into neighbors, classmates,

coworkers or relatives during a single shopping trip. East Hills became woven into everyday life in St. Joseph.

When Things Began to Change

Like hundreds of shopping malls across America, East Hills eventually found itself facing challenges that had little to do with the mall itself. Consumer habits began changing.

Online shopping introduced a level of convenience that traditional malls couldn't compete with. Instead of driving across town, people could order clothing, electronics and gifts from their living room. Big-box retailers also changed the landscape.

Stores like Walmart, Target and later Costco gave shoppers the ability to purchase groceries, clothing, household items and electronics during a single trip, reducing the need to visit a traditional shopping mall.

At the same time, many of America's largest department stores began struggling financially.

Montgomery Ward disappeared. Sears declined. Numerous specialty retailers filed for bankruptcy or dramatically reduced the number of stores they operated nationwide.

These weren't problems unique to St. Joseph. They were happening everywhere.

The Domino Effect

Shopping malls rely on traffic and when large anchor stores close, they bring fewer customers through the doors. As customer traffic declines, smaller retailers begin seeing fewer sales. Eventually, more stores close, creating even less reason for shoppers to visit.

It's a cycle that has played out in communities across the country. East Hills was no exception.

One by one, familiar names disappeared. Empty storefronts became more common. The excitement that once defined the mall slowly began fading.

Despite renovation efforts and the addition of new businesses over the years, the retail landscape had fundamentally changed.

The mall wasn't competing against another shopping center anymore.

It was competing against the internet.

A National Story

The decline of East Hills Mall wasn't the result of one decision or one bad year. It reflected a nationwide shift in how Americans shop.

Across the country, enclosed malls that once welcomed thousands of visitors each day have struggled to survive. Some have reinvented themselves as entertainment centers, medical campuses or mixed-use developments with apartments and offices.

Others have closed entirely. East Hills simply became part of a much larger story unfolding across America.

Still Part of the Community

Although East Hills no longer resembles the bustling shopping destination it once was, it continues to serve the community through the businesses that remain.

Many longtime residents still stop by regularly, whether to shop, grab a bite to eat or simply revisit a place that holds decades of memories.

And while the crowds may never return to what they once were, the mall still occupies an important place in St. Joseph's history.

Its story isn't just about retail.

It's about people.

A Place That Will Never Be Forgotten

Ask almost anyone who grew up in St. Joseph during the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s or early 2000s about East Hills Mall, and you'll almost certainly hear a story.

Maybe it was buying a first cassette tape. Maybe it was searching for the perfect Christmas gift with your parents. Maybe it was spending an afternoon with friends after school. Maybe it was your first date. Or maybe it's simply the memory of sitting beside the fountains, listening to the sound of the water while the world around you seemed to slow down for just a little while.

The stores may have changed. The crowds may have faded. The fountains may be gone.

But the memories remain. For countless families throughout northwest Missouri, East Hills Mall wasn't simply a shopping center. It was part of growing up. It was part of raising a family. It was part of the story of St. Joseph itself. And while the future of the property remains uncertain, one thing is clear: East Hills Mall will always hold a special place in the hearts of those who remember it at its best.

What do you remember most about East Hills Mall?

Was it the fountains? The food court? Christmas shopping? Your favorite store? Maybe it was simply spending time with friends on a Friday night.

Share your favorite East Hills memories—and any old photos you may have—in the comments below. We'd love to feature some of your stories and pictures in a future St. Joseph Community Alert nostalgia series called "Remember When St. Joseph."