Eastland Mall opened on February 16, 1967, anchored by JCPenney and Sears, both of which had moved from downtown Bloomington. The mall was built on the east side of town, at the southwestern corner of East Empire Street and Veterans Parkway. At the time, this intersection had only a gas station, although a Kmart store was also under development at the time. Eastland Mall housed many local and national tenants including Woolworth, Kirlin's Hallmark Gold Crown and a Walgreens drugstore, which relocated outside the mall in 1991. Besides the two anchors, several of the mall's tenants had moved from downtown, including Singer Sewing Center and Chadband's Diamond and Gold Center; the latter had been in business since 1892. Other major tenants included a grocery store and movie theater. The mall was expanded several times in its history, first with a Bergner's department store in 1973, the first new department store to open in the city in more than thirty years. Kohl's was added a decade later. A food court was added in 1989 followed by a mall-wide renovation a year later, Sears expanded its store in 1997, and a Famous-Barr was added in November 1999, which became Macy's in 2006. On January 4, 2017, Macy's announced that it would close its store as part of a plan to close 68 stores nationwide. The store closed on March 31, 2017. After the announcement, JCPenney stated on March 17, 2017 that they would be closing their store on July 31, 2017 as part of a plan to close 138 stores nationwide. This was later delayed for unknown reasons, and the store would then close at the end of August. In 2018, it was announced that Planet Fitness and H&M would move into the vacant JCPenney store with both scheduled to open in the fall of 2018. It was also announced that Outback Steakhouse would be built on the northeast corner of the mall property which opened on December 12, 2018. On April 18, 2018 Bergner's announced that its store would be closing as well in August 2018 as the parent company, Bon-Ton Stores, is going out of business. The store closed on August 31, 2018 which left Kohl's and Sears as the only anchor stores left. On June 8, 2018 it was announced that Hibbett Sports will open later in 2018. The new store will open next to the Charlotte Russe store. On August 22, 2018 Sears announced that its store would also be closing in November 2018 as part of a plan to close 46 stores nationwide. After the store closed, Kohl's was the one and only remaining anchor store left. On September 11, 2018 it was announced that H&M would open on October 4. The closure of Woolworth made way for an Old Navy store. Chattanooga, Tennessee-based CBL & Associates Properties acquired the mall from Copaken, White and Blitt in November 2005 along with two other malls.
Community impact
A second mall, College Hills Mall, opened in nearby Normal in 1980. This smaller mall was an unsuccessful competitor, lacking the big chain stores present at Eastland; over time, many stores such as MC Sports would relocate from College Hills to Eastland. College Hills Mall was demolished in 2005 for a new shopping mall called The Shoppes at College Hills.
