Prien Lake Mall
Prien Lake Mall is an enclosed, regional shopping mall in Lake Charles, Louisiana which serves some 200,000 people. It is located on West Prien Lake Road and is highly visible from Interstate 210. The Mall is named after Prien Lake, which is one of the lakes in the city of Lake Charles. When it opened in 1972 with 35 stores, many retailers from downtown Lake Charles relocated to the mall leading to urban blight in the downtown area. The anchor store on opening was Montgomery Ward. The mall was extended with a new wing opening in 1998, increasing floorspace to 800,000 sq. ft. including a new food court and Sears store, which closed in 2018. In 2001 an Educational Resource Centre was approved for opening in the mall with federal funding from the US Department of Education's Community Technology Centers Program. It provides adult education and English classes.
The mall has been owned by Simon Property Group since its construction.
Prien Lake Mall hosts four department stores: Dick's Sporting Goods, Dillard's, JCPenney, and Kohls, with one vacant anchor last occupied by Sears. It includes 86 stores, and also a food court called the Calcasieu Kettle. Retailers include Talbots, Gap, Aéropostale, Bath & Body Works, American Eagle, and Buckle. Cinemark Theatre provides stadium seating and uses digital technology.
