Worst mall ever, if you have another one that compares let me know. 1 anchor store in JcPenny. The majority of traffic are power walkers not customers. Barely any stores. 1 floor and sad looking. If you want a poor shopping experience and a reason to drive an hour to Des Moines this is your inspiration. read more

They destroyed the historic downtown for this giant eyesore?! Absolutely stunned it still limps along. It was a failure from the start... and comatose since WalMart's Supercenter moved to town. Most depressing place ever. The only "mall" I know of that has tumbleweeds blowing around...INSIDE. read more

Penn Central Mall - Oskaloosa's bloated and failed attempt for self-esteem is seen in the background. - Shopping Centers Near Me - Oskaloosa, Iowa

JC Penney's & Maurices; that's what is left in this nearly empty building in the middle of town. Through the years they have lost On Cue/Sam Goody, Bath & Body Works, Brass Buckle, MacGregor's, Sernett's, Maid-Rite, Country Kitchen, Regis hairstyling, Hallmark, K-mart, Radio Shack, as well as countless other shops. Most of the local flavor of the area has been killed by Super Wal-Mart, further proven by the death of this mall. read more

I remember coming here back in the early mid-1990s when I attended college in Ottumwa and even then the mall was on its way to being a fossil. Yet this place is in a college town-William Penn University that they would attract a pretty stable crowd, but it seems like these small end malls are seeing a decline in patronage due to the increased placement of Target and Wal Marts. I didnt see much in the mall except going to On-Cue when it was in the mall with a guy I was dating at the time. Anchor stores are what is keeping that mall open and if you go to their website you see how many stores are left in the mall. This is also showing how large conglomerate stores like Wal Mart suck buisness out of small town shopping centers such as this one. read more