In photos: The rise and fall of Chesterfield Mall
Built in 1976, Chesterfield Mall boomed for years, featuring dozens of name brand destinations including anchor department stores, an American Girl store, AMC Theatres and a Cheesecake Factory restaurant. Like many other shopping centers, it struggled to survive and gradually ceased to be viable.
The entry sign to the Chesterfield Mall, near the old Cheesecake Factory, is demolished as workers take down the ceremonial first piece of the mall on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. The 30-acre site will become Downtown Chesterfield, a mixed-use district.
Chesterfield resident Tricia Capps and her children watch from outside the fences as the ceremonial beginning of demolition happens at the old Chesterfield Mall on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. “They all love construction sites, especially excavators,†said Capps. “My husband grew up going to the mall. He said it’s bittersweet to see it go.â€
A rendering of the new Downtown Chesterfield development is posted near fencing that blocks access to the Chesterfield Mall on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Demolition of the mall is scheduled to begin on Oct. 15.
AMC Theaters' location in Chesterfield Mall is closed to the public on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. Tenants of the mall were told to vacate by August by landlord The Staenberg Group.
Abdullah Kuziez, left, Ilias Bouchibti and Mohammed Kuziez prepare to have their photo taken standing inside the old Polo Ralph Lauren display in the shuttered Chesterfield Mall Macy’s on Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan on Friday, April 21, 2023. Thousands of area Muslims filled the empty store for a final Eid prayer.
Muslim women pray in the old women's activewear area of an empty Macy's at the Chesterfield Mall on Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan on Friday, April 21, 2023. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Workers remove the star from the exterior of Macy's on Nov. 14, 2022, at Chesterfield Mall. It was the last major department store at the shopping center.
Men play a game of pickleball in the old food court area of the Chesterfield Mall on Sunday, May 16, 2021. The Arch Badminton Center has filled much of the first floor public spaces with badminton and pickleball courts, rented out by the hour on the company's app.Â
Badminton players are reflected in the windows of a shuttered store at the Chesterfield Mall on Sunday, May 16, 2021. The Arch Badminton Center has filled much of the first floor public spaces with badminton and pickleball courts, rented out by the hour on the company's app.
The service and appliance pickup side of a shuttered Sears department store is photographed on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, outside Chesterfield Mall. In May 2018, Sears closed two area locations, at Chesterfield Mall, and South County Center.Â
Shoppers make their way around Chesterfield Mall on Friday, March 4, 2016 in Chesterfield.
A third floor water leak pools in the lower entrance to Dillard's at the Chesterfield Mall after it was closed on Sept. 7, 2016
Gracie Koch, 3, of Marthasville, Mo., sizes up Santa Claus as she stands in line to have her picture taken at the Chesterfield Mall on Black Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. After a brief hesitation by her sister Claire, 4, the Koch girls had their photo taken by workers at Cherry Hill Photo.
Protesters stage a die-in at center court of the Chesterfield Mall on Black Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, where they stayed put for 4 and-a-half minutes, representing the more than 4 hours that Michael Brown's body was lying in the street after he was killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.
Customers pay for their purchases at Old Navy in the Chesterfield Mall during Black Friday shopping on Nov. 29, 2013.
Carrying both her American Girl Dolls, Julie and Emily, Sydney O'Brien, of Affton, explores the American Girl store Wednesday, April 18 , 2012, in Chesterfield. "My mom told me we had to go to the doctor's but she surprised me and we came here," said a very happy O'Brien.Â
A customer enters the Bakers shoe store in Chesterfield Mall on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, on the first day of a liquidation sale at that location as the footwear chain undergoes bankruptcy.Â
"It's the only series of books I have ever read. They are that good," said Alex Haueisen, 16, of Town and Country, who dressed as "Draco Malfoy" for the midnight show of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" at the AMC Chesterfield 14 at Chesterfield Mall on Thursday night, July 14, 2011. AMC installed their first IMAX-3D screen at the theatre. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" is the first film to be shown there in the IMAX 3-D.
Workers prep the new Bam! store in Chesterfield Mall, on June 16, 2011. New retailers such as Bam! are moving into spaces once occupied by "big box" retailers, in this case a Borders bookstore.
Once demolition and razing wraps up next April, the building of horizontal infrastructure, such as roads, sidewalks, parking, sidewalks and utility installation will begin.
