Fairgrounds Square Mall

Fairgrounds Square Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located just north of Reading, Pennsylvania in Muhlenberg Township. It is anchored by Boscov's, Burlington Coat Factory, and Limerick Furniture. Smaller stores include Super Shoes, Planet Fitness, a movie theater, and Golden Eagle Comics. There are over 70 other stores in the mall, many of which are currently vacant. It is located on 5th Street Highway, U.S. 222 Business.HistoryThe Fairgrounds Square Mall was developed by Interstate Properties, constructed by F&S Construction along with the Owner, Frank Saffiotti, and under the supervision of Gus, Job Site Superintendent and the Office Manager, Rebecca L. Simpson, CCA working with a labor union membership workforce representating various unions throughout the region the mall officially opened in October 1980, with Boscov's and JCPenney serving as anchors. The mall was constructed at the former location of the Reading Fairgrounds, with the Boscov's store existing on the site before the mall was built. A year later, it was purchased by First Union Real Estate Investments. A mall expansion in 1988 added several more stores as well as Phar-Mor. The mall was renovated in 1996, at which point a Montgomery Ward was built as a third anchor. The Montgomery Ward store closed in 1999. The same year, the mall was sold to Jager Management affiliate GP Properties Inc and JCPenney converted its store into an outlet format. In 2000, Jason's Furniture Outlet opened in the former Montgomery Ward anchor space. A National Wholesale Liquidators store opened in the location of Jason's Furniture Outlet in 2003, which had relocated to the former Phar-Mor.