Valley West Mall Loses More Signature Retailers As Victoria's Secret, PINK Close Stores

Victoria’s Secret and its sister store PINK at Valley West Mall have closed.

It’s unclear when the side-by-side stores in the malls main floor north concourse closed. A spokesperson for the metro Columbus, Ohio-based women’s lingerie and fashion chains did not respond to a request for comment.

Victoria’s Secret still has a West Des Moines location at Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines.

The empty former Victoria's Secret store in Valley West Mall. The PINK store next door also is gone/ — The empty former Victoria’s Secret store in Valley West Mall. The PINK store next door also is gone/

Valley West has struggled since two of its three anchor stores closed — Younkers in 2018 and Von Maur in 2022— leaving JCPenney as its sole remaining anchor. It was foreclosed on in May 2022 and was supposed to be auctioned shortly thereafter, but the court-appointed receiver has allowed the mall to continue operating as its prepares for a sale that could occur sometime next year, according to the city of West Des Moines.

Several of Valley West’s other remaining name-brand stores closed in the last year, including sports memorabilia store Pro Image, Champs Sports and fashion retailer Buckle.

More: Worried area could ‘die on the vine,’ West Des Moines pushes Valley West Mall redevelopment

There are still a few traditional mall staples like clothing chains Maurices and Eddie Bauer.

While chain stores leave, Valley West is hosting a growing number of locally owned small businesses and retailers. Late last month Steph Jessen, owner of craft consignment retailer The Cherry Pit Collective, said she loved having a business at the mall, but fewer people have come to her shop this year than in 2023.

The Cherry Pit Collective sits near the center of the mall next to Maurices, where The Gap used to be located.

The Victoria's Secret name is still faintly visible where the lettering was removed above the entrance to the former store at Valley West Mall. — The Victoria’s Secret name is still faintly visible where the lettering was removed above the entrance to the former store at Valley West Mall.

“If it weren’t for the mall walkers we would be much more weak, and 90% of those mall walkers don’t want to see this mall die,” Jessen said in November. “They’re pretty supportive and they will buy things because they want to keep supporting us, which is pretty generous.”

The city is eager to see the site redeveloped.

Philip Joens covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184, pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Victoria’s Secret, PINK leave Valley West Mall in West Des Moines

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