A friend tipped me off that crews were working inside Sears and J.C. Penney, construction fencing was spreading across the parking lot, holes were being dug outside, and -most ominously- Muncie Mall’s water had supposedly been shut off. That sounded like the beginning of the end I’d been waiting to document! Naturally, I decided to investigate the water situation by drinking a Monster Energy, a quart of water, and half a gallon of Kroger Zero Sugar Raspberry Tea before the mall opened Saturday morning. Then my brother and I headed over to see what was left. Is demolition finally imminent?
Muncie Mall’s been circling the drain for some time now. In February, its owners announced that nearly the entire place will be demolished! Stores have been relocating and closing ever since, but aside from the old three-screen cinema, little visible progress has been made.
Things had shifted by Labor Day weekend. John and I started at the old J.C. Penney, which has been surrounded by construction fencing for months. This time, their perimeter had grown and two dumpsters sat inside. It wasn’t a dramatic change, but after months of waiting, it was something significant: external evidence that demolition work was finally happening inside.
We continued past familiar landmarks like the mall’s main entrance and Books-A-Million until Sears stopped us. There, a huge swath of its parking lot had been fenced and cordoned off with construction equipment parked inside. Whatever was happening there looked much more substantial than before.
I assumed that meant the mall’s eastern Sears entrance would finally be locked, but it wasn’t. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to see in the mall’s northern wing. There wasn’t much to see anywhere! John headed towards Books-A-Million while I wandered the halls. Only nine stores remain, and one of them, Tradehome Shoes, no longer opens with the mall. It was still dark shortly after ten; a sign said it would open at eleven.
More changes were apparent around the old L.S. Ayres and Macy’s concourse. The kiddie carousel and photo booth that lingered in the J.C. Penney wing after it was closed off have finally been relocated. Nobody seemed particularly eager to use either one, but moving the carousel was an improvement over the eerie music that used to drift out of the darkened southern hall.
Speaking of darkened spaces, Nirvana -the mall’s longtime purveyor of band shirts, incense, and assorted countercultural merchandise- wasn’t open Saturday either. I don’t know whether it’s closed for good or was merely taking the morning off, but the distinction matters: Nirvana represents roughly 11 percent of Muncie Mall’s remaining stores! That’s how far things have fallen.
Buyers Market has occupied the old L.S. Ayres and Macy’s space for five years. Muncie’s location is one of a twelve-store chain and feels like a cross between Big Lots and Ollie’s, with all the raccoonery of a Dollar General. Most recently, it was inaccessible from inside the mall. Over Labor Day weekend, though, part of the interior entrance was open again. Whether it stays that way is anybody’s guess.
By that point, the Monster, water, and half-gallon of raspberry tea had accomplished their mission. Before leaving, I made a beeline for the restroom to investigate the most pressing rumor of the day. Flush. Wash. No hiccups- literal or otherwise! At least on Saturday morning, water was still very much on at Muncie Mall.
How long that will remain the case is anyone’s guess. According to city officials, full demolition of Sears and J.C. Penney has been delayed while owner Hull Property Group grapples with the roughly $600,000 cost of relocating a subterranean gas line1. Still, the expanding fences, dumpsters, equipment, and work inside the dead anchors suggest the property is no longer simply sitting around waiting for something to happen.
Meanwhile, Books-A-Million, Buyers Market, Finish Line, Hot Topic, Louie’s Tux Shop, Maurices, Nirvana (maybe), Serenity Spa & Boutique, and Tradehome Shoes continue to soldier on inside a building that is visibly preparing to disappear around them. Muncie Mall isn’t completely dead yet, but for the first time in months, it looks like someone has finally started digging its grave.
Sources Cited
1 Muncie Redevelopment Commission August 20, 2026 (2026, August 20). The City of Muncie. YouTube. Web. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
