University Park Mall will celebrate its 45th anniversary on Thursday, March 14th with a re-dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 pm.
The mall was originally built in a joint effort between Cressy & Associates and the DeBartolo Corporation. University Park Mall was the biggest step in converting corn fields and marshes into the thriving retail and restaurant corridors on Grape Road and Main Street in Mishawaka today.
The mall has undergone several renovations and expansions since opening on March 14th, 1979, including the 62,000 square foot Food Court at the former General Cinema entrance in 1996, the Marshall Field’s store being torn down in 2007 to make way for the 110,000 square foot lifestyle center known as The Village and the 2013 multimillion-dollar investment by Simon Property Group to renovate the inside of the mall.
Despite the closing of the Sears location in 2019, University Park Mall remains the regional shopping destination for residents and tourists across a 65-mile radius, outlasting several competing malls in the area.
University Park Mall continues to thrive today, with three new retailers scheduled to open Thursday:
KPOT – Korean BBQ and Asian Hot Pot, only the 2nd location in Indiana
LoveSac – moving to an in-line store after two successful years in a kiosk
The Suit Company – another new-to-market retailer located next to LoveSac
The ceremony will include a proclamation by Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood before a ribbon cutting with Deputy Mayor Ken Prince, members of the Mishawaka City Council & Board of Works, and representatives from Simon Property Group. After the ribbon cutting, the cake from another Mishawaka legend, the West End Bakery, will be served.
More events will be held throughout the year to commemorate the mall’s first 45 years.
