Al Klairmont, the CEO, president and a principal of Chicago-based Imperial Realty, said when his company bought the Belvidere Mall in Waukegan in 1985, he saw potential, but knew there was work to do.
One of the first indoor, enclosed malls in the area when it opened in 1965, Klairmont said when his company purchased it, anchor tenant Montgomery Ward was set to move to the new Lakehurst Mall, and there were a lot of vacancies.
“We leased 11 stores in 90 days,” Klairmont said. “We had storefronts on the outside, and there was a lot of empty spaces in the mall on the inside. We decided to make (the) inside of the mall a flea market.”
When city officials told Klairmont that a flea market was unacceptable, he needed different ideas. Then, one of the people operating a business in the flea market, said he wanted to rent space. It opened a door.
“He asked if he could rent a store,” Klairmont said. “He did. Then more people from the flea market rented stores. It became a Hispanic bizarre.”
Belvidere Discount Mall celebrated its 60th anniversary Saturday in Waukegan, throwing a party for the community with movies, music and more, demonstrating how a mall operator can be successful in an ever-changing retail climate.
Merchants and local officials cut a ribbon to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Belvidere Discount Mall on Saturday in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)
Walking into the main entrance and turning left, customers will see numerous stores both in the mall space and on the walkway between shops, with many offering a Hispanic flair. Klairmont said that from long-term merchants to newer ones, the shopping center is alive.
Turning right after entering the mall at the main entrance, people will find shops, but also other areas more suited for entertainment. The onetime four-screen movie theater is still used on special occasions, as it was Saturday.
Austin Cantu was part of a group of 2020 Waukegan High School graduates who opened an art gallery in the mall five years ago with the goal of featuring local artists. He continues to advocate for the shopping center. He was one of the organizers of the 60th anniversary celebration.
Planning the event months ago, Cantu said for the past few months, traffic slowed as federal law enforcement agents made numerous arrests during Operation Midway Blitz. Several alleged illegal immigrants were detained at Home Depot, which shares a common wall with the mall.
Some budding entrepreneurs like Marlene Banales, left, can rent a table on a daily basis at the Belvidere Discount Mall, which celebrated its 60th anniversary Saturday in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)
“This was an overwhelming success,” Cantu said Sunday. “ICE was keeping people away from the mall,” he added referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. “We weren’t sure what to expect. There were a lot of people you don’t normally see there.”
Along with shopping, Cantu said the celebration included two showings of “ET the Extra-Terrestrial” in the theater, a fashion show, a raffle, classic cars and live music. People young and old offered up their memories of the 60-year-old shopping center.
Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham was one of those people who remembered the mall as a place he was able to frequent during his childhood. There was an arcade then near the theater that attracted young people.
“Pac-Man was real popular then,” Cunningham said. “I’d play games at the arcade while my mother shopped.”
A merchant works on an alteration outside his shop at the Belvidere Discount Mall during its 60th anniversary celebration Saturday in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)
Cunningham said the current rendition of the mall is an example of adjustments business owners — in this case, a shopping center operator — make to remain successful as times change. People come for bargains and are able to find them.
Lawrence Harris, the owner of Optical Extravaganza, is one of the longtime merchants at the Belvidere Discount Mall. He started his own business 37 years ago, around the time Montgomery Ward left. He worked for the company before it departed.
Harris said people coming to his shop can find a wide array of frames. They can also get tested for glasses or contact lenses.
“I’ve fitted glasses on three generations of families,” Harris said. “We take care of our customers. They get a one-year warranty.”
Western wear is popular at the Belvidere Discount Mall, which celebrated its 60th anniversary Saturday in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)
While the flea market is long gone, people like Marlene Banales of Waukegan, who excel at a craft like knitting, can rent a table in the mall on a weekend day to gain exposure and sell some of their wares.
If Klairmont has unleased space, he is not opposed to renting it on a short-term basis to organizations like the Kohl Children’s Museum’s Mobile Learning Lab. It is currently exposing children to educational activities in a three-month stint ending Jan. 17.
Mariel Serrano, Kohl’s community engagement manager, said the mobile effort exposes youngsters in Lake County to experiences they may not otherwise encounter.
“We’re trying to make our experiences inclusive by helping children experience learning they may not otherwise be able to,” Serrano said. “This is giving them exposure to early childhood education.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/24/belvidere-mall-waukegan-anniversary/
