The Avenue (previously known as Grand Avenue Mall and The Shops of Grand Avenue) is an urban shopping plaza currently under renovation that spans three city blocks in the downtown neighborhood of Westown in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There is one store anchored by T.J. Maxx and GRAEF-USA Incorporated, and three vacant spaces last occupied by Old Navy, OfficeMax, and Linens 'n Things.

The Avenue has been the only major indoor shopping facility in the city of Milwaukee proper with the closing of Capitol Court in 2000 and the Northridge Mall in 2003 due to competition from newly renovated malls in nearby suburbs.

History

Grand Avenue opened in 1982 and hosted over 80 specialty stores, along with what was at one time the largest food court in Wisconsin. It was developed by Rouse Co. subsidiary Rouse-Milwaukee, LLC.

The shopping center was named after a bustling merchant street during the 19th century, Grand Avenue (the portion of the present day Wisconsin Avenue west of the Milwaukee River). A main portion of The Shops of Grand Avenue encompasses the former Plankinton Arcade with many of its original features still intact including the statue of John Plankinton in the center of the circular atrium. The Arcade replaced the Plankinton House Hotel on the same site.

Grand Avenue was opened during a time when many downtown retail centers in major cities were shutting down. It sought to avoid these problems by relying on locally owned shops that cater to the "urban" tastes of the nearby populace, in addition to the national chain-stores it houses such as the anchor T.J. Maxx. Because of limited street/surface parking, an adjacent south ramp provides hourly fee parking, costs heavily offset by mall purchase validation.

At one time, the mall also featured Marshall Field's (Gimbels until 1986) on the east edge of the mall, but the location closed in 1997. The building that housed it, now ASQ Center, is still connected to The Avenue by a skywalk and features a Residence Inn, although it is not technically part of The Avenue. With the east addition of the downtown YMCA, their circling walking track has views down to Grand Plankinton Concourse through skylights.

TJ Maxx and Linens 'n Things were added in 2002.

In 2005, New York-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation purchased The Shops of Grand Avenue for $31.7 million. Due to the economic downfall and its impact on the Milwaukee metropolitan area, by 2009 the mall had lost many key tenants. In 2012 the mall was foreclosed upon and was put up for auction in October 2013. New York based real estate firm Alliance Capital Invest won with a final bid of $16.5 million. After struggling to improve performance, the mall was sold to a local ownership group for $24.6 million in December 2015.

Anchors

Current

  • TJ Maxx – Opened in 2002
  • Kohl's – Opened in 2023

Former

  • Gimbels – Opened in 1887, closed in 1986, replaced by Marshall Field's
  • Boston Store – Opened in 1911, closed in 2018, first floor replaced by Kohl's
  • Marshall Field's – Opened in 1986, closed in 1997
  • Linens 'n Things – Opened in 2002, closed in 2008

See also

  • Statue of John Plankinton

<gallery mode=packed>

File:Milwaukee November 2022 02 (Plankinton Arcade).jpg|The rotunda of the Plankinton Arcade

File:Milwaukee July 2022 039 (Plankinton Arcade).jpg|Exterior of the Plankinton Arcade

File:Shops of Grand Avenue on Wisconsin Avenue.jpg|Outside of the Shops of Grand Avenue on Wisconsin Avenue

File:Milwaukee November 2022 40 (3rd Street Market Hall).jpg|Interior of the 3rd Street Market Hall

File:Milwaukee July 2023 034 (3rd St. Market Hall).jpg|Exterior of the 3rd Street Market Hall

</gallery>

References

  • Official site
  • The old Plankinton House Hotel and Oscar Wilde