Gateway Fashion Mall (formerly Gateway Mall) is an enclosed shopping mall in Bismarck, North Dakota. Opened in 1979, the mall currently features more than 30 stores, with Conlin’s Furniture, Hancock Fabrics and Sears as anchor stores.
Anchor Store History
White Mart – Occupied center until 1986; Occupied by Menards until 2001; Now home to Hancock Fabrics and a medical mall
A.W. Lucas – Purchased by Herberger’s about a year after moving to the mall, who occupied the space until 1994; Jacob’s Trading Company and World’s Greatest Deals occupied it for a short period; Conlin’s Furniture occupied space in 2005, after it had sat empty for some time
Sears – The only original anchor tenant
Gateway Mall today
Since January, 2003, the mall has been sold three times. On May 10, 2006 it was announced that the center was purchased by Raymond Arjmand, of Encino, California at a purchase price of $13.25 million. It celebrated a grand re-opening on November 18, 2006, and is now known as "Gateway Fashion Mall". Arjmand is nearing completion of a $10 million renovation to the mall. Macy’s was mentioned as an additional anchor store in 2006, but never came to fruition. A two story addition including a vaulted atrium is in the process of being built, which will require the relocation of the food court and will add up to six new stores. Under the new ownership the mall is leased at 85% of its capacity.
Major Tenants Vacate
In 2008, CVS/pharmacy announced they were leaving Gateway Mall upon constructing their own freestanding store, which is a more typical business strategy for the company. On June 26, 2009, Conlin’s Furniture and Joy’s Hallmark announced intentions to vacate the mall. This marks the fourth anchor store to depart from the space occupied by Conlin’s Furniture in the mall’s thirty year existence. Joy’s Hallmark had been a tenant at the mall for over twenty years.
