Mountaineer Mall

Mountaineer Mall
Interior view (May 2026)
LocationMorgantown, West Virginia, U.S.
Coordinates39°36′20″N 79°57′39″W / 39.60556°N 79.96083°W / 39.60556; -79.96083
Address5000 Greenbag Rd
OpenedAugust 5, 1975; 51 years ago (August 5, 1975)
Renovated1987
DeveloperFirst Union Management
OwnerJager Management Inc.
Stores30 (as of October 2026)
4 (1 open, 3 vacant)
Floor area676,000 square feet (62,802 m2)
Floors1
Parking6,000
Public transit
  • Bus transport MLTA: Route 4
  • Bus transport Buckwheat Express: Route 2
Websitewww.mountaineerplaza.com

The Mountaineer Mall and Professional Plaza is a shopping mall and business park located in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. It is the first of two malls built in Morgantown; the other being the Morgantown Mall. Major tenants are Senior Monongalians, Spark! Imagination and Science Center, and Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes.

History

1975–1999: Early history, expansion, and decline

Mountaineer Mall was developed by First Union Management on the south side of Morgantown, off of U.S. Route 119 and on a raised bluff near the Monongahela River. The mall started construction in 1973 and it partially-opened with 19 stores on August 5, 1975. 32 stores were open by January the next year. Anchors were Murphy's Mart (later Ames), JCPenney, and Montgomery Ward. It was the first mall to open in the Morgantown metropolitan area and despite its compact size, was a big success. In 1987, the mall was expanded 143,000 square feet (13,300 m2), which would include the construction of a freestanding Giant Eagle and a new anchor store, Stone & Thomas, which opened in November.

In the 1990s, many tenants began leave the after the early 1990s recession and the opening of the newer Morgantown Mall. JCPenney followed suit, as they needed more space. The mall then transitioned to attract discount businesses. JCPenney was replaced by U.S. Factory Outlets in 1993, which became Gabriel Brothers in 1996. A 126,000 square feet (11,700 m2) Walmart opened in the former Ames space in January 1994. Stone & Thomas became Elder-Beerman in 1998. Montgomery Ward closed in 1999.

2000–present: Further decline and transition into business

TeleTech opened in 2000, in part of the former Montgomery Ward space. The rest was taken up by General Glass, which opened in February 2005. In 2002, Spark! opened as the Children's Discovery Museum of West Virginia. In April 2005, the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Environmental Protection Agency awarded the Mountaineer Mall with "Best Community Partnership (Large Shopping Center)" for its recycling program. Walmart closed in October 2006, when two new Supercenters opened near Morgantown. In 2007, Gabriel Brothers opened their flagship store in Morgantown Commons near Morgantown Mall, keeping the Mountaineer Mall location open but with a "smaller selection". This would, however, close the next year. Elder-Beerman closed in January 2008 after its lease expiry, having become redundant as the chain had a store at Morgantown Mall. Rex Appliances, one of the last remaining large stores, closed in 2009 when the entire chain shut down.[citation needed]

In February 2010, Mylan Pharmaceuticals announced that it would renovate the former Walmart space into offices for its IT and legal departments. The next year, Mylan started renovating the former Gabriel Brothers to expand its offices.

On February 15, 2020, Eloquence Antiques & Artisans moved and reopened in Mountaineer Mall. The store expanded 4,000 square feet (370 m2) in 2026. In early August 2024, the United States Army Reserve held decontamination training drills at the mall. As of 2026, Mylan and TeleTech have vacated the site.

Overview

The Mountaineer Mall (as of 1975) is primary made up of rusted-brick wall with tiled flooring and carpets; benches, trees, and planters laid throughout the walkways. It was built for 65 stores. The singular corridor had Montgomery Ward to the east, JCPenney in the center, and Murphy’s Mart to the west. The 80s addition extruded from the central area and had fake skylights and brass fixtures. The addition was built on a slight incline, so a ramp and accompanied stairs were needed to connect the two.

Incidents

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Smith, Danise (March 26, 2015). "Mountaineer Mall finds identity with eclectic tenants". WV News. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Progress". Morgantown Dominion Post. January 27, 1976. p. 32. Retrieved October 20, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  3. 1 2 "Mountaineer Mall, more than just stores". The Dominion Post. August 31, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
  4. ↑ Howerton, Jason (July 3, 2011). "Shopping center takes new direction". Morgantown Dominion Post. p. 4. Retrieved October 20, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Way, Prange (July 20, 2010). "Mountaineer Mall; Morgantown, West Virginia". labelscar.com. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Shop center name: 'Mountaineer Mall'". Sunday Dominion-Post. September 30, 1973. p. 10. Retrieved October 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  7. 1 2 "30,000 attend first day at mall". Morgantown Dominion Post. August 6, 1975. p. 18. Retrieved October 16, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  8. ↑ Wilkerson, Ellen S. (1988). Adventures in West Virginia : day trips & longer travels. Huntington, W. Va. : Aegina Press. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-916383-59-6 – via Internet Archive.
  9. ↑ Campbell, Kenneth D.; Campbell, Irene A. (March 13, 1987). Realty Stock Review Vol. XVIII, No. 5. University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Audit Investment Research, Inc. (New York). p. 2.
  10. ↑ "Mrs. Hoffman Promotes Upcoming State Pageant". Cumberland News. November 25, 1987. p. 25. Retrieved October 16, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  11. 1 2 Zink, Abbey L. (December 1993). "Discount stores anchor Mountaineer Mall's comeback". The State Journal. Vol. 9, no. 12. p. 6. Retrieved October 23, 2026 – via ProQuest.
  12. 1 2 3 Bowen, Eric (March 7, 2005). "Mall bounced back from troubled times". Morgantown Dominion Post. p. 4. Retrieved October 20, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  13. ↑ "ICSC and EPA Announce Winners of America's Marketplace Recycles! Awards Program". icsc.org. April 15, 2005. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  14. ↑ Bowen, Eric (December 31, 2006). "Wal-Mart selling all but walls". Morgantown Dominion Post. p. 1. Retrieved October 17, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  15. ↑ Ryan, Evelyn (April 15, 2007). "Gabriel Brothers opens flagship store in Morgantown Commons". Morgantown Dominion Post. p. 107. Retrieved October 16, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  16. ↑ Pam, Kasey (September 21, 2007). "Mountaineer mall: Life after wal-mart". Vol. 23, no. 7. The State Journal. p. 5. Retrieved October 23, 2026 – via ProQuest.
  17. ↑ Eddy, Tracy (November 28, 2007). "Elder-Beerman to close its doors in January". Morgantown Dominion Post. p. 1. Retrieved October 16, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  18. ↑ Eddy, Tracy (February 13, 2010). "Mylan moving IT, legal staff to former Walmart". Morgantown Dominion Post. p. 1. Retrieved October 20, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  19. ↑ "Mylan to lease at mall". Morgantown Dominion Post. October 7, 2011. p. 13. Retrieved October 20, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  20. ↑ "Eloquence Antiques & Artisans reopens in the Mountaineer Mall". The Dominion Post. February 15, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
  21. ↑ Molina, Alondra (July 18, 2026). "Vintage, antique lovers take over Mountaineer Mall". WBOY. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
  22. ↑ Ron, Barbara (August 9, 2024). "Mass casualty exercise held at Mountaineer Mall". WBOY. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Mountaineer Mall & Professional Plaza | 5000 Greenbag Rd". LoopNet. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  24. ↑ Asbury, Kyla (December 26, 2011). "Morgantown woman sues for injuries at Mountaineer Mall". Legal Newsline. Retrieved October 20, 2026.