Lakewood Bon-Ton Liquidation

This particular Bon-Ton, located outside Jamestown in Lakewood, NY, was a location that I enjoyed in particular while documenting most Bon-Ton stores in the area. I do believe it was built at some point in the 1980s and made use of a former Woolworths to gain access to the Chautauqua Mall. Not much more to say than that, so I shall let the pictures do the talking.

Arnot Mall

Located just outside of the Horseheads community, lies the regional mall that serves as the regional shopping complex for the region. Originally opening as a fairly small mall with around 40 stores in 1967, its anchors were JCPenney and store called Iszard's. JCPenney remains, but Iszard's would eventually be converted to a McCurdy's before ultimately becoming Bon-Ton. A 1980 expansion would add Bradlee's and Hess's as two additional anchors. The Bradlee's space became a Burlington Coat Factory in 2006 while Hess's converted to a Kaufman's before becoming a Macy's. I'm not exactly sure when Sears opened here as a fifth anchor, but its exterior architecture suggests it likely opened at some point in the 1990s. In total the mall has over 100 stores including a food court and Regal Cinemas.

Macy's closed their store in 2016, and Bon-Ton would relocate to it in 2017 before ultimately going belly up only a year later. While the mall has no doubt felt the affects of changing consumer preferences after losing 2 of its anchors, it is trying its best to adapt. The former Bon-Ton/Macy's space has been re-purposed as an event center with a mini-golf course on the side. The mall also plans to demolish the original Bon-Ton space and replace it with a hotel and more dining options.
I feel confident in saying that this mall is trying its best to survive.

The Arnot Mall was one of the first malls I ever photographed, so it has a special meaning to me and I'm glad to see it trying to survive unlike the Lycoming Mall, which is much more significant to my childhood, to its south.

I hope enjoy the pics; some of which go all the way back to 2013!

Former Macy's; taken before becoming Bon-Ton