Park City Center Mall Opens in Lancaster
Park City Center opened in 1971 as Lancaster County's largest enclosed shopping mall, built by Park City Shopping Center Corporation with a distinct snowflake floor plan.
The mall featured eight corridors branching from a central octagonal court beneath a white tent-style roof, creating a landmark design visible in the heart of the complex.
Its original four themed wings were Winter with JCPenney, Spring with Sears, Summer with Gimbel's, which later became Pomeroy's and then Boscov's, and Autumn, anchored by Watt & Shand and later Bon-Ton.
The design drew regional shoppers by combining department stores with early attractions.
An ice skating rink sat beside the Winter wing, near the studios of WLYH-TV 15, which broadcast from inside the building.
Center Court quickly became the focal spot, linking corridors and serving as the hub for circulation.
Park City Center covered more than one million square feet upon opening, with 7,000 parking spaces set around the property.
Positioned near U.S. Route 30 and Harrisburg Pike, it was within reach of nearby cities such as York, Reading, and Harrisburg, making it a regional magnet from its earliest days.
The scale, layout, and integration of features marked a new stage in Lancaster's retail growth, placing the county firmly within the era of large, enclosed shopping malls spreading across the United States.
Growth and Anchor Stability in the 1970s and 1980s
Throughout the 1970s, Park City Center built its reputation on the reliability of its department stores.
JCPenney operated in a two-level wing, Sears carried a broad range of merchandise, and Pomeroy's occupied the former Gimbel's space before its eventual conversion into Boscov's.
Watt & Shand maintained a large presence in the Autumn corridor, tying the new mall to Lancaster's older retail traditions.
The 1980s brought further expansion of tenants around the anchors.
National chains such as clothing retailers and specialty shops arrived alongside local businesses that found a steady audience inside the enclosed corridors.
During these two decades, the seasonal theming of the main corridors remained intact and helped visitors identify the wings.
The "Mall of Four Seasons" label appeared in advertisements and in the way shoppers described the layout.
By the close of the 1980s, the mall held its original structure with all anchor spots occupied, thousands of parking spaces surrounding the property, and over one million square feet of retail space in continuous use.
"Park City Center" by Mike Kalasnik is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Shifts in Department Stores, 1990s to Early 2000s
In 1992, The Bon-Ton acquired Watt & Shand and replaced the long-standing nameplate in Park City Center's Autumn corridor.
The move brought the regional chain into the mall while retiring the brand that had anchored downtown Lancaster since the late 1800s.
It marked one of the most visible identity changes for the property during this period.
By the 1990s, Boscov's operated as a full anchor, expanding its position with a two-level store that contrasted with the single-level layout used through most of the mall.
JCPenney and Sears remained stable during these years, continuing to occupy their original wings without disruption.
The reshaping of department stores coincided with a broader mall shift. National chains took more space. Clothing, jewelry, and specialty stores crowded out local tenants.
By the turn of the millennium, Park City Center contained over 170 stores within more than 1.4 million square feet, reflecting the broader pattern of enclosed malls preparing for modernization as consumer habits changed.
Renovation and Redesign, 2008
By 2008, Park City Center was prepared for a full-scale update that touched nearly every part of the property.
Brookfield managed an 18-month project that modernized entrances, flooring, lighting, and storefronts.
The goal was to bring the mall in line with newer retail complexes while keeping its established footprint intact.
Center Court, long defined by its octagonal plan and tent-like roof, received a refreshed interior that brightened common areas and improved circulation.
Skylights and updated finishes replaced older surfaces that dated back to the early years of the mall.
The project also emphasized clear sightlines from the core out into the branching corridors, giving anchor stores greater visibility.
Fountain Shoppes, a cluster of exterior-facing stores linked to the interior, added a different type of space to the property.
As part of the redesign, older indoor fountains were permanently removed, leaving only the outdoor feature at Fountain Shoppes in operation.
Food service areas were renovated to create more space for quick-service chains and new sit-down options.
Restroom facilities, signage, and seating were all reworked, marking one of the most extensive upgrades since the property's opening.
When the work wrapped up, Park City Center emerged with a contemporary look while retaining its established snowflake layout.
The Anchor Departures, 2018–2020
In April 2018, The Bon-Ton announced the closure of its Park City Center store after the company failed to reach new terms on long-term debt.
The departure left an anchor vacant for the first time since the mall's opening.
Brookfield Properties soon unveiled plans to repurpose the building with a new entry plaza, two freestanding restaurants, and a redesigned enclosed entrance, though work stalled in 2020 when the pandemic interrupted construction schedules.
By December 2018, Sears confirmed it would shut down its Park City Center location as part of a corporate phase-out of traditional department stores.
The closure marked the end of another original anchor and opened the door for a new type of tenant.
In August 2019, the property announced that Round One Entertainment would take over the Sears space.
Construction advanced quickly, with Round One opening in 2021.
The venue brought bowling, arcade games, and amusement attractions into what had once been a traditional retail anchor.
The transition highlighted how large-scale tenants were changing, moving from department store models toward entertainment-driven operations.
Within two years, two of the mall's earliest anchors were gone, replaced or awaiting redevelopment, setting a new course for the property as it entered the 2020s.
New Anchors and Adaptations, 2024–2025
In November 2024, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture & Mattress opened a two-level showroom inside the former Bon-Ton space.
The anchor had been vacant since 2018, and its renovation included work throughout 2024 to prepare both floors for furniture displays and bedding galleries.
The opening reintroduced a full-scale tenant to a corner of the mall that had been without one for six years.
By February 2025, Lululemon had relocated to a larger unit within Park City Center.
The move expanded the retailer's floor space and reflected an emphasis on athletic and lifestyle brands.
Just months later, in July 2025, Urban Planet announced it would debut a store inside the property with an opening date set for August 1.
The fashion chain joined the roster, replacing Forever 21 as another international retailer bringing younger-oriented styles to the mall's corridors.
Brookfield Properties pushed the evolution by diversifying beyond fashion.
Raymour & Flanigan established itself as a leading furniture anchor. Round One kept its entertainment venue in the former Sears.
Along with Boscov's, Kohl's, and JCPenney, the tenant lineup showed Park City Center adapting with a combined model of furniture, clothing, and entertainment.
Park City Center Today
As of September 2025, Park City Center contains more than 150 stores and covers about 1.4 million square feet of retail space.
It ranks as the fourth-largest enclosed shopping mall in Pennsylvania.
Anchors now include Boscov's, JCPenney, Kohl's, Raymour & Flanigan, and Round One Entertainment.
Brookfield Properties manages the mall and continues to shape its roster with a mix of national chains and newer entrants.