Beginnings and Early Years of Foothills Mall
Foothills Mall broke ground on September 22, 1972. The developer, EverWest, was created by Everitt Enterprises and Westcor to build on land they had purchased back in 1968.
Sears, The Denver Dry Goods, and May-Daniels & Fisher signed on as anchors, with Sears opening on August 9, 1973, and The Denver Dry Goods opening on August 10, 1973.
From October 1973 through February 1974, more stores opened in stages, with May-Daniels & Fisher arriving last as the final major anchor of the mall's first phase.
The first year saw fifty-three retail spots planned for completion, with outparcels for a movie theater, grocery store, drugstore, and bank.
By late 1974, all but seven spaces were filled. Approximately 450 employees worked in the mall, reflecting the mall's strong early usage.
Traffic changes came quickly. The city widened College Avenue and installed a traffic light at the mall entrance to manage rising demand.
Reports showed that nearly a quarter of shoppers were crossing the Wyoming border to visit the new mall. EverWest marketed the project as more than a retail destination.
Sears had previously operated only a catalog store downtown, so this full-line department store marked a step up in the region. The Denver Dry Goods, long associated with Colorado retail, also expanded its reach.
By the close of 1974, the mall was firmly operating with anchors in place and steady leasing, positioning itself among the early things to do in Fort Collins, CO, for shopping and entertainment.
Decline and Transition
By 2001, Foothills Mall had expanded to offer more than 600,000 square feet of space. It had become the largest retail property in northern Colorado.
Its lineup had shifted: The Denver Dry Goods had closed in 1987, replaced by Mervyn's in 1989, while May-Daniels & Fisher had been sold to Foley's in 1993.
A fourth anchor, JCPenney, had joined in 1980 but later vacated its original space in 2006 for a larger store.
General Growth Properties bought Foothills Mall in 2003 and announced plans for renovation after Mervyn's and JCPenney closed their original stores.
Mervyn's shut down in 2005. That same year, Foley's was rebranded as Macy's after a corporate sale.
The loss of anchors and rising vacancies weakened the property's position. Deferred maintenance made leasing more difficult and contributed to the decline.
The mall's position weakened further when General Growth filed for bankruptcy in 2010, leaving its renovation plans unfinished.
By the early 2010s, large sections of the property were vacant, as national retail shifts drew customers away from enclosed malls.
The conditions set the stage for a full redevelopment, with city officials and potential tenants pressing for major changes to keep the site viable.
Redevelopment into a Lifestyle Center 2015–2018
Alberta Development Partners took control in 2012 and began work on converting the aging enclosed mall into a mixed-use project.
In late 2014, Sears closed its store, clearing the way for demolition and reconstruction.
The redevelopment introduced Cinemark, Nordstrom Rack, and Ross Dress for Less as anchors. At the same time, H&M joined as a major apparel tenant in 2016.
Restaurants and smaller shops filled in alongside these larger draws, and new apartments were built as part of the plan.
The rebranded Shops at Foothills opened in stages through 2015 and 2016.
Henderson Engineers oversaw multiple phases of work. More than 575,000 square feet was demolished before the West Green was built, adding four buildings for nine tenants.
The East Green followed with restaurant pads and the cinema site.
The project combined enclosed corridors with new outdoor plazas, altering the property's layout and usage.
By 2018, occupancy stood at about 77 percent.
Leasing momentum slowed, and many open spaces were filled by smaller businesses, such as yoga studios and nail salons, which generated lower tax revenue.
Developers noted that restaurants and retail stores were still arriving, even as challenges lingered.
Foreclosure Threat and Ownership Change, 2020–2021
In December 2020, the Foothills Mall owners missed a loan payment. By April 2021, the property was set for foreclosure. The default followed years of high vacancy and weak leasing.
In February 2021, McWhinney, a Colorado developer, bought the core of the mall before the foreclosure was finalized.
The purchase covered about 63 acres with 662,000 square feet of space.
It did not include the separate Macy's parcel, the Foothills Activity Center, or the parking garages.
McWhinney said the site would be repositioned for broader use. No plan was released at the time. Housing, retail, and entertainment were listed as possible additions.
For the small tenants that remained open in early 2021, the sale provided a measure of stability and placed the mall under the control of a developer already active in northern Colorado.
Contractor and Design Engagement, Mid-2020s
After McWhinney bought the mall in 2021, the focus turned to construction. Saunders North was hired as the general contractor for new core and shell buildings along College Avenue.
Their work included white-box interiors, restaurant pads, and structural support for tenants.
Farnsworth Group handled the design work. They prepared plans for façades, entrances, and service corridors that connected new buildings to the outdoor plazas built in 2015–2016.
The layouts emphasized flexibility, with retail shells sized for different tenants and dining areas placed along landscaped walkways.
The approach allowed construction to begin before every lease was finalized.
The Beck Group's earlier work remained in place. The apartments, walkways, and gathering areas built nearly a decade earlier shaped the footprint for the next phase.
By the mid-2020s, the site showed work from three firms layered on top of each other: Beck's residential and open-air layout, Farnsworth's updated design, and Saunders North's construction. Each round had to fit around what was already there.
On December 12, 2022, Macy's announced it would close its Foothills Mall store in March 2023.
Public Safety Incident, April 2025
On April 5, 2025, a shooting took place outside Foothills Mall around 5 p.m.
Two men were hit on the sidewalk between the parking lot and the main building. Both were taken to a hospital, where they later died.
Police closed the area, including the Cinemark theater, and restricted access while securing the scene.
Shoppers and employees were kept away from entrances as officers worked through the evening.
On April 6, Fort Collins Police announced the arrest of a juvenile male.
He was taken into custody overnight on preliminary charges while investigators interviewed witnesses and gathered evidence.
On April 21, the Larimer County District Attorney's Office confirmed the suspect would be charged as an adult.
The charges moved the case into district court, with hearings scheduled for later in the year.
City Council Redevelopment Presentation, May 20, 2025
On May 20, 2025, developers brought the Foothills Mall redevelopment plan to the Fort Collins City Council.
The proposal called for partial demolition and new inline retail tied directly to outdoor plazas.
Long indoor corridors would be replaced with open-air walkways, where stores and restaurants opened onto public gathering spaces.
Renderings showcased a blend of enclosed and outdoor elements, combining older building shells with updated façades.
Housing was a key part of the plan. About 300 residential units were proposed, with some labeled as affordable.
Council members asked for specifics, how many units would qualify, and what measures would ensure their affordability over time.
Developers said the apartments would be integrated into the retail layout, but didn't offer pricing details.
The financial model drew questions. The project depends on a public improvement fee collected through retail sales to fund infrastructure.
Council members raised concerns about whether that revenue would hold up, given the mall's track record of vacancies and anchor store losses.
Developers acknowledged the risks but pointed to ongoing lease talks. The May meeting was the first major public presentation of the redevelopment vision.
Current Tenants, 2025
Walking through Foothills Mall in 2025 feels uneven.
Anchors include Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, Ross Dress for Less, and H&M, alongside chains such as Buckle, Athleta, Hot Topic, Ulta, Bath & Body Works, Skechers, and LensCrafters.
Despite the breadth, long stretches remain empty, with vacant storefronts visible.
Dining is stronger. Torchy's Tacos, Jinya Ramen, and Bad Daddy's Burger Bar bring steady traffic.
Longhorn Steakhouse and Modern Market offer sit-down meals, while Crumbl Cookies, Auntie Anne's, and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory cater to quick stops.
Food and drink feel livelier than retail and keep people on-site longer.
Lifestyle and entertainment tenants add variety. Cinemark XD continues as the major draw, joined by Cyclebar, Yoga Pod, and XGolf.
Color Me Mine and School of Rock bring family traffic but lack the pull of large anchors.
Overall, the mall shows a split. Dining and lifestyle spaces carry energy, while traditional retail looks thin.
Reviews in 2024 and 2025 reflect the divide - some highlight restaurants and upkeep, while others describe a quiet property with too many vacancies.