Source: Natalia Kan / Getty

Back in 1995, Circle Centre Mall was a big deal.

It opened on September 8 as a $307 million project meant to bring shopping back to downtown Indianapolis.

It had two major department stores, nearly 100 shops, a movie theater, and a food court that covered the third floor.

Instead of building everything new, the developers included parts of old buildings that had been on the site for decades—including the well-known L.S. Ayres store. The idea was to mix old and new, creating something that felt modern but still connected to the city’s past.

At first, it worked. Stores like Banana Republic, Coach, and Abercrombie & Fitch lined the walkways. Locals, tourists, and convention-goers packed the mall. For a while, it really was the centerpiece of downtown.

But it almost didn’t happen. The city started talking about a downtown mall back in the late 1970s. Plans changed over and over again. Property deals fell through. Costs kept rising. For years, there was nothing downtown but a giant hole in the ground where the mall was supposed to be. It wasn’t until 1995—16 years after the original idea—that the mall finally opened.

For nearly 20 years, Circle Centre Mall thrived. But things started to go downhill in 2011 when Nordstrom closed. Carson’s (once Parisian) followed in 2018. After that, big-name stores began to leave. By 2020, much of the mall was empty.

Even entertainment started disappearing.

The movie theater closed in 2024. Tilt Studio shut down weeks later. What was once a major shopping and entertainment spot had become nearly abandoned.

In 2024, the mall was sold to Hendricks Commercial Properties. Their plan? Spend $600 million to turn it into something completely new: open-air walkways, apartments, offices, and smaller stores. Construction is expected to take about 10 years, starting in 2025.

Watch the rise and fall of Circle Center Mall below!