Franklin Mills: Leaves memories behind

Did you hear that Franklin Mall, the large outlet mall in Northeast Philadelphia, has indeed been put up for sale by its current owners?

- Yanina Carter Entertainment Editor

Formerly known as Franklin Mills and later as Philadelphia Mall, the property, recently renamed Franklin Mall, has seen a significant decline in occupancy and foot traffic in recent years.

The real estate firm JLL is marketing the 170-acre property for sale, but no official asking price has been listed. All options for the site’s future are being considered by potential buyers, including maintaining it as a retail center; redeveloping the property into an industrial facility (warehouse space) due to its access to I-95, or transforming it into a mixed-use development, a trend that other ailing malls in the Philadelphia region are also following.

The mall’s appraised value dropped significantly from over $200 million in 2012 to $76 million in 2024, and it recently reported an operating loss, highlighting its struggles.

In its high days, folks would drive to Franklin Mills for a day of entertainment and shopping. From the movie theater, arcade, and shops like Spiegel’s, a mail-order and catalogue retailer known for European trends and brands like Eddie Bauer and Newport News, which was developed into a store that became a major section of the mall. The mall also has the former Burlington Coat Factory, now known simply as Burlington.

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