{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{distinguish|Forest Fair Mall}} {{Infobox shopping mall | name = Forest Mall | image = Forest Mall Fond du Lac.jpg | image_width = | caption = 2020 shortly before demolition. | location = Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, United States | coordinates = {{Coord|43.78633|-88.47693|type:landmark_region:US-WI|display=inline,title}} | address = 835 W. Johnson St. | opening_date = 1973 | closing_date = January 2020 | developer = Melvin Simon & Associates | manager = | owner = ATR Corinth Partners<ref name=MallSold>{{cite web|url=http://www.fdlreporter.com/story/money/2016/02/05/forest-mall-sold-but-buyer-not-named/79875128/|work=Fond du Lac Reporter|title=Forest Mall sold to Texas developer|author=Nate Beck|date=5 February 2016|access-date=24 February 2016}}</ref> | architect = | number_of_stores = | number_of_anchors = | floor_area = {{cvt|500,000|sqft}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.simon.com/about_simon/leasing/localmall.aspx?id=182|title=Leasing information|work=Simon Property Group|access-date=22 February 2013}}</ref> | floors = 1 | publictransit = {{rint|bus|1}} Fond du Lac Area Transit | website = | footnotes = }} '''Forest Mall''' was an enclosed shopping mall in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, United States. Opened in 1973, the mall closed and was demolished in 2020. As of May 2024, The former Pranges/Younkers building, and the entire east side of the former mall is demolished. Kohl's operates in its space on the west side of the former mall and TJ Maxx continue operations in the former Staples location.
==History== Melvin Simon & Associates, now known as Simon Property Group, first announced plans for Forest Mall in 1964.<ref>{{cite journal|year=1964|title=Wisconsin|journal=Chain Store Age|publisher=Lebhar Friedman|pages=E–70|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W3sqAQAAMAAJ&q=%22forest+mall%22+%22fond+du+lac%22+%22simon%22|via=Google Books}}</ref> The mall opened in September 1973, featuring Montgomery Ward, J. C. Penney, H. C. Prange Co., Prange Way and G. C. Murphy.<ref>{{cite journal|year=1973|title=Wisconsin|journal=CSA Super Markets|publisher=Lebhar Friedman|page=100|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6khPAAAAYAAJ&q=%22forest+mall%22+%22Fond+du+lac%22+%22prange%22|via=Google Books}}</ref> A Copps Department Store was also located nearby. Of these stores, Montgomery Ward, J. C. Penney and Prange had relocated from downtown Fond du Lac.<ref>{{cite book|last=Burayidi|first=Michael|title=Downtowns: Revitalizing the Centers of Small Urban Communities|year=2001|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UrjWV14FcUQC&q=%22forest+mall%22+%22Fond+du+lac%22+%22montgomery+ward%22&pg=PA50|page=50|publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=9780815333616|via=Google Books}}</ref> The Montgomery Ward space was later taken over by Kohl's, the Prange Way space by Sears and Prange's became Younkers.
Simon renovated the mall in 1998, adding skylights and new flooring.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://retailtrafficmag.com/mag/retail_adaptability_key_hardy/|title=Adaptability is key in the hardy Midwest|last=King|first=Jenny|date=1 September 1997|work=Retail Traffic Mag|access-date=22 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028114139/http://retailtrafficmag.com/mag/retail_adaptability_key_hardy/|archive-date=28 October 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2006, several new stores opened at the mall, although most were local retailers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/fdlreporter/access/1749892351.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+09%2C+2006&author=Heather+Stanek&pub=The+Reporter&desc=Mall+populated+with+variety+of+new+retailers&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130216164707/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/fdlreporter/access/1749892351.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+09,+2006&author=Heather+Stanek&pub=The+Reporter&desc=Mall+populated+with+variety+of+new+retailers&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2013|title=Mall populated with variety of new retailers|last=Stanek|first=Heather|date=9 October 2006|work=The Reporter|access-date=22 February 2013}}</ref>
In May 2014, JCPenney closed. It was the last of the original anchors in the mall.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/15/jc-penney/4495963/|title=JCPenney closing 33 stores, laying off 2,000|last=Davidson|first=Paul|date=14 January 2014|work=USA Today|access-date=21 January 2014}}</ref> Sears closed on November 2, 2014, as did the Forest Mall Cinema. As a result, many retailers in the mall, local and national such as American Eagle, Aeropostale, PacSun, and Victoria's Secret closed as well.
In 2014, Simon Property Group spun off its underperforming malls, including Forest Mall, into an investment group known as WP Glimcher. In early 2016, Simon's investment group officially sold the mall to ATR Corinth Partners, a Dallas-based investment.<ref name=MallSold /> Simon had developed the mall and owned it for more than 40 years.
Younkers closed in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yonkers Fond du Lac|url=https://stores.younkers.com/wi/fonddulac/younkers-department-store-fond-du-lac-wi-456.html|publisher=Yonkers|access-date=16 February 2018|archive-date=17 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217082622/https://stores.younkers.com/wi/fonddulac/younkers-department-store-fond-du-lac-wi-456.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
By 2020, the mall had no internal tenants and was closed. Kohl's and Staples remained in operation, but had closed their mall entrances. In July 2020, demolition began. Staples closed too, and the mall and all anchors were demolished, with the exception of Kohl's, which remains open as a freestanding store. A Meijer store is set to be built on the site of the mall as well as a clinic for ThedaCare–Froedtert Health.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/2020/09/16/fond-du-lac-forest-mall-demolition-underway/5816091002/|title=Demolition continues at Fond du Lac's Forest Mall, Staples to close next month|author=Sharon Roznik|work=Fond du Lac Reporter|date=16 September 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Shopping malls in Wisconsin}}
Category:1973 establishments in Wisconsin Category:2020 disestablishments in Wisconsin Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2020 Category:Buildings and structures in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Wisconsin Category:Demolished shopping malls in the United States Category:Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Category:Shopping malls established in 1973 Category:Shopping malls disestablished in 2020 Category:Shopping malls in Wisconsin Category:Tourist attractions in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin Category:Shopping malls developed by the Simon Property Group