Kohl’s, the last remaining anchor store at the now-defunct Spring Hill Mall in Carpentersville, will close in April, the company has announced.
It is one of 26 “underperforming” store designated to cease operations, according to a corporate news release. The only other Kohl’s in Illinois set for closure is on Route 59 in Plainfield.
“We’re disappointed that Kohl’s is closing, but we realize it was inevitable,” Carpentersville Village President John Skillman said.
Sales tax revenue generated by the mall has been declining over the years as shopping at the 43-year-old mall started to wane, he said.
Three other anchor stores, Macy’s, Carson’s and Sears, closed previously and the mall itself shut its doors in March 2024. All of the shopping center’s real estate — other than the Cinemark movie theater, which remains in operation, and the Kohl’s store — has been purchased by the village of West Dundee for future redevelopment.
The mall property is located within the boundaries of two communities, West Dundee and Carpentersville. The larger portion is in West Dundee.
Employees at the local Kohl’s store and the others earmarked for closure have been informed of the company’s decision and offered a severance package or the chance to apply to work at another Kohl’s store, the company’s release said.
The Carpentersville Village Board will discuss if the village might be interested in buying the Kohl’s building or assist the company in finding a buyer, Skillman said.
“We appreciate all the years Kohl’s has been a business partner in our community,” he said. “It is sad to learn that the store is closing, but we will move forward to identify new retail and commercial growth opportunities that will serve our community and the surrounding area.”
West Dundee Village President Chris Nelson said West Dundee has no plans to buy the Kohl’s building.
“We regret the loss of jobs for the employees of the Carpentersville Kohl’s and the loss of sales tax revenue to the village of Carpentersville,” Nelson said.
Kohl’s current business model appears to focus on locations in “power centers,” like those built in Algonquin, Crystal Lake and South Elgin, he said. It’s rare that the company opens them as part of malls, he said.
“When the local Kohl’s did not receive upgrades that Kohl’s has been prioritizing in other outlets, such as floor space dedicated to Sephora, it was evident that the store was unlikely to survive long term,” Nelson said.
The store’s closure will have no effect on West Dundee’s plans to start razing Spring Hill and its other anchor stores, Nelson said.
“Demolition on the mall itself will begin by March 1 and should be completed by the end of the year,” he said. “The village does not own the Kohl’s space so demolition plans are unaffected.”
Once the teardown begins, West Dundee officials have said they expect developers will start to emerge with redevelopment ideas.
Skillman said he is optimistic about what the redevelopment plans will mean for Carpentersville.
Since a proposal to build an apartment building on adjacent land at Route 31 and Huntley Road fell through last year, the village has been speaking with two developers about tentative ideas for the site, Skillman said. The owners of the Armanetti Fine Wine and Spirits store, also not far from the mall, are planning to rebuild in the wake of bad fire in May 2024, he said.
“It will take some time, but they will open again,” Skillman said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
