Glenbrook Square: Fort Wayne’s Retail Hub
The doors to Glenbrook Square open to the hum of shoppers, the scent of fresh pretzels, and the soft chime of a store’s security alarm as someone exits.
This is Fort Wayne’s biggest mall, and it has been part of the city’s retail scene since 1966.
Built by Glendale Center Inc., it started as Glenbrook Center before growing into what it is today—a 1.2-million-square-foot retail giant.
For anyone looking up things to do in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Glenbrook Square has always been on the list.
The mall sees 15 million visitors a year, making it a major shopping destination in northeast Indiana.
But it’s more than just a collection of stores. Over the decades, Glenbrook has expanded five times, adding new wings, restaurants, and department stores to keep up with shopping trends.
The biggest changes happened in 1976, 1981, and 1998, each time bringing in new anchor stores and more square footage.
Through all the openings, closings, and renovations, Glenbrook Square has stayed open, adapting to new retail landscapes.
It remains one of Indiana’s three largest malls, sharing that title with Castleton Square in Indianapolis and Southlake Mall in Merrillville.
Even as shopping habits change, Glenbrook Square still pulls in crowds, proving that brick-and-mortar retail in Fort Wayne isn’t gone yet.
Anchors and Shifting Retail Trends
Macy’s is at one end, JCPenney at the other, and Barnes & Noble is filling a space that once held an A&P grocery store.
These are Glenbrook Square’s current anchor tenants, but the mall’s lineup has changed over the decades—some names have lasted, others have disappeared as retail has shifted.
Sears opened with the mall in 1966 and held its spot for over 50 years before closing in 2018.
The building didn’t last much longer, and it was demolished in 2019 to make way for a multi-tenant redevelopment project under Seritage SRC Finance LLC.
At one point, Dave & Buster’s was supposed to take part in the space, but that deal fell through.
Other tenants, like HomeGoods and Portillo’s, moved forward, though delays pushed construction beyond its planned 2020 launch.
L.S. Ayres, another early name in the mall’s history, eventually became Macy’s, which still operates today. JCPenney joined in 1976 and remains.
Another anchor spot—added in the 1981 expansion—has seen more turnover. Hudson’s took it first before changing to Marshall Field’s. By 2005, it was empty.
A few seasonal tenants cycled through before Carson’s moved in 2013, bringing the space back to full-time retail.
That lasted five years. Carson’s closed in 2018, a casualty of The Bon-Ton Stores’ bankruptcy.
Brookfield Properties, which took over Glenbrook Square in a broader GGP merger, planned to renovate the space even before Carson’s closed its doors.
In 2019, Japanese company Round One Entertainment announced its arrival, bringing bowling, arcade games, and karaoke to a space that had been home to traditional department stores for nearly 40 years.
However, as of 2025, this development has not materialized, and the location remains unoccupied.
Retail Incidents and Challenges
Problems have been inevitable in a mall that has been open since the 1960s. Over the years, Glenbrook Square has been affected by water damage, economic downturns, and security issues.
Some were minor setbacks, and others forced major changes.
One of the most disruptive incidents happened on October 31, 2013, when a water main break flooded 50 stores overnight.
Most reopened quickly, but one stayed closed through Black Friday, missing the year’s busiest shopping day.
The anchor stores avoided damage, keeping a steady flow of shoppers moving while repairs wrapped up.
Retail shifts brought their struggles. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 slowed redevelopment efforts, halting projects that had been in the works for years.
The Sears space sat untouched for longer than planned, and Round One’s opening faced delays as well.
At the same time, online shopping and changing consumer habits made it harder to keep Glenbrook’s 152 retail spaces fully leased.
Security concerns also made headlines. In May 2024, a shooting inside the mall injured multiple people, shaking public confidence and raising questions about safety.
The incident led to increased security measures and discussions about law enforcement presence.
It wasn’t the first violent event at Glenbrook Square, but it was one of the most high-profile cases in recent years.
Through it all, Glenbrook Square has kept its doors open, adapting as needed. Some storefronts remain empty longer than before, but others bring new business to replace what’s been lost.
Whether through retail, dining, or entertainment, the mall continues to find ways to draw crowds.
Glenbrook Square’s Tenant Mix and Dining Options
Walking through Glenbrook Square, shoppers pass national brands, smaller specialty stores, and kiosks selling everything from phone accessories to gourmet popcorn.
The mall houses about 125 retail spaces, though vacancies have increased in recent years as consumer habits shift.
Longstanding tenants like Macy’s and JCPenney still anchor the space, but Glenbrook’s leasing strategy now favors experience-based offerings.
Barnes & Noble, which opened in 2007, remains a draw, catering to book lovers and coffee drinkers alike.
Other major tenants include H&M, HomeGoods, American Eagle, Bath & Body Works, Foot Locker, and Victoria’s Secret—staples of the typical American shopping mall.
Mid-tier apparel chains have fared better than department stores, with brands like Express and Hollister holding onto their storefronts despite broader retail struggles.
Dining at Glenbrook Square includes fast-casual chains, sit-down restaurants, and grab-and-go spots in the food court.
P.F. Chang’s, Red Robin, Sarku Japan, Portillo’s Ft. Wayne, and BJ’s Brewhouse offer full-service dining, while quick options include Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, and Charleys Philly Steaks.
The food court, positioned near the center of the mall, still draws a lunch crowd, especially on weekends.
Future Outlook: Redevelopment and Market Adaptation
Glenbrook Square’s future depends on how well it reinvents itself. Department stores aren’t the draw they once were, and malls across the country are rethinking their layouts to stay relevant.
Brookfield Properties walked away from Glenbrook Square in 2021, leaving the mall’s future in new hands, Spinoso Real Estate.
The mall still draws crowds, but challenges stack up. Empty storefronts linger longer. Online shopping pulls away buyers who used to spend weekends browsing in person.
Security concerns—especially after the May 2024 shooting inside the mall—add another layer of uncertainty.
Whether Glenbrook Square stays at the center of Fort Wayne’s retail scene depends on how well it adapts to the changing face of shopping malls.