Market Debut and Anchor Strategy
Foothills Mall opened in 1983 as a new retail center for Maryville, built around four major anchors: Proffitt’s, Miller’s, JCPenney, and Sears.
The project was developed by CBL & Associates and planned with a mix of department stores and smaller national chains spread across a single-level indoor layout.
Each anchor came with its own draw. Proffitt’s was already well-known in the region and gave the mall a homegrown edge. Miller’s, then owned by Allied Stores, brought in a customer base familiar with its larger Tennessee footprint…