Cape Cod Mall In Hyannis, MA: Is It The Next Retail Ghost Town?

Contents

From Storyland to Retail Giant – How Cape Cod Mall Got Its Start

Before Cape Cod Mall took over the land, Hyannis had a different kind of attraction—a children’s amusement park called Storyland.

It wasn’t just a small playground; the nine-acre park was packed with oversized nursery rhyme characters, a train ride, and miniature houses.

By the late 1960s, though, Hyannis was growing fast, and retail developers saw an opportunity.

Local stores were scattered across Main Street, but there wasn’t a central place for people to shop. That’s when plans for a mall started taking shape.

In July 1968, Davenport Realty Trust and Equity Management Inc. announced a $6 million project that would replace Storyland with a brand-new shopping center.

The idea was to create a super-regional mall, something Barnstable County hadn’t seen before.

Construction began in 1969, and the first phase of Cape Cod Mall officially opened its doors on August 4, 1970.

At the time, the mall had 28 stores ready to go, with space for more.

Three major anchors—Sears, Filene’s, and Woolworth’s—set up shop in downtown Hyannis, moving from their old locations.

It didn’t take long for the mall to become a retail hotspot. Demand was growing by the mid-1970s, and developers considered expanding.

In 1976, a new entertainment option arrived—a two-screen movie theater built right behind the mall.

The theater immediately competed with the Hyannis Drive-In, which had been drawing crowds off Route 132 since the 1950s.

Expansion continued in 1978 when a new wing was added to the south side of the mall. This brought in 25 additional stores and a fourth anchor—Jordan Marsh.

Unlike the other department stores, Jordan Marsh had never operated on Cape Cod before, making its arrival a major shift in the local retail scene.

Throughout the 1980s, Cape Cod Mall kept evolving. A small food court was added, giving shoppers more dining options beyond the standalone restaurants in the parking lot.

In 1986, the entire interior was refreshed, modernizing the space without adding much square footage.

By then, the mall had cemented itself as Hyannis’s retail core, drawing shoppers from across the Cape.

It also became part of the local routine, especially in a place where tourism played a huge role—locals and visitors alike considered it one of the key things to do in Barnstable, Massachusetts.

The 1998 Overhaul – Simon Property Group Reshapes Cape Cod Mall

By the late 1990s, Cape Cod Mall needed more than a few renovations.

Retail trends were changing, and shoppers wanted bigger stores, better food options, and entertainment beyond a few small theaters.

That’s when Simon Property Group stepped in. In 1998, Simon acquired a controlling 56.4% stake in the mall and immediately began rolling out a major redevelopment plan.

The expansion kicked off with a new atrium-style wing, extending beyond the former Woolworth’s space, which had been sitting vacant since the chain’s collapse in 1994.

This addition brought 40 new stores, making room for Best Buy, Marshalls, and a two-story Barnes & Noble.

Barnes & Noble had already been in Hyannis, but its old location in the Kmart Plaza across Route 132 couldn’t compete with this new 30,000-square-foot space.

Simon’s project wasn’t just about adding retail. The old two-screen theater was demolished and replaced by a 12-screen stadium-seating complex—the first of its kind in Barnstable County.

Originally owned by Hoyts, the theater later became part of Regal Cinemas.

Dining options also got an upgrade. A larger food court with over ten vendors and seating for 500 people became the new central hangout spot.

A carousel was installed for families, adding a small entertainment option during the shopping rush.

Anchors expanded as well. Sears doubled in size, reaching nearly 140,000 square feet. The layout felt more modern, with skylights and wider walkways.

By the time construction wrapped up in 1999, Cape Cod Mall had transformed into a larger, more competitive shopping center.

Retail Shakeups – Store Closures and Anchor Replacements

The 2000s started strong for Cape Cod Mall, but big-name department stores were struggling.

One of the biggest shifts happened in 2006 when Macy’s took over the Filene’s space.

The move followed Federated Department Stores’ acquisition of May Department Stores, which rebranded Filene’s locations nationwide.

Instead of closing the existing Macy’s, Simon kept both stores, splitting them into separate departments—one for women’s clothing and accessories and the other for men’s, kids’, and home goods.

In 2018, Sears, one of the mall’s original anchors, shut down as part of a nationwide plan to close dozens of locations.

Just a few months later, CVS—the last original tenant still operating—left as well. However, the pharmacy later returned to the newly built Target store.

Target’s arrival had been in the works for a while. The retailer announced its plans in July 2018 and opened in October 2019, bringing with it an 80,000-square-foot space.

The store carried everyday essentials but also focused on seasonal items, vacation gear, and home décor—smart choices for a Cape Cod market that saw plenty of tourist traffic.

Inside, Starbucks added a café option beyond the food court.

Even with Target filling some of the space left behind by Sears, the mall wasn’t done reshuffling.

Dick’s Sporting Goods arrived in 2020, taking over 46,000 square feet.

Five Guys, Chipotle, and Visionworks, which were all previously in the Sears wing, have relocated to a different part of the mall.

This kind of reorganization reflected a broader retail trend—less focus on traditional department stores and more on specialty shops, dining, and entertainment.