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AIG · Galaxy Fun Park · Sites

Empty Anchor & Big-Box Location Research

Galaxy’s proven model occupies ~65,000 sq ft in a former big-box retail space. This report outlines how to find and evaluate similar vacant anchors (30,000–90,000+ sq ft) for franchisees.

Why this matters

Galaxy Fun Park’s Raleigh flagship demonstrates that a former big-box can be successfully converted into a multi-attraction indoor entertainment center. The franchise model is flexible on footprint (30k to over 90k sq ft) and attraction mix. Many national retailers have vacated large spaces; those vacancies are the natural inventory for Galaxy locations. Entertainment concepts (Urban Air, Fun City Adventure Park, Sky Zone, Elev8 Fun, and others) are actively taking former Sears, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Big Lots, and similar boxes and turning them into foot-traffic drivers for shopping centers.

Ideal site criteria

  • Size: 30,000–90,000+ sq ft (Galaxy’s published range). Prefer single-floor or easily adaptable multi-level with high ceilings for go-karts, ropes, drop tower, and trampolines.
  • Former use: Department store, big-box (Sears, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Big Lots, Bed Bath & Beyond, Party City, etc.), or large vacant retail box with existing parking and infrastructure.
  • Access & parking: Strong visibility, ample parking (entertainment guests stay longer), good highway or arterial access.
  • Demographics: Family households, reasonable median income, limited direct multi-attraction competition.
  • Landlord alignment: Landlords increasingly view experiential entertainment as a traffic driver that benefits the rest of the center.

Research approach

Primary sources:

  • LoopNet, CoStar, and local commercial real-estate broker listings for vacant retail 30k–90k+ sq ft.
  • Mall and shopping-center owner announcements of anchor vacancies.
  • News of retailer closures (Sears, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Big Lots, etc.).
  • Direct relationships with retail brokers who specialize in large-box repositioning.

Scoring factors: square footage and ceiling height, parking ratio, demographics within 10–15 minutes, existing competition, lease economics, and speed-to-open (existing structure vs. ground-up).

Output: A living pipeline of 10–20 scored opportunities per target region, updated monthly, that can be shared with qualified franchise prospects during discovery.

Illustrative examples from the market

  • Fun City Adventure Park taking ~52,000 sq ft of former Sears at Colonie Center (NY).
  • Sky Zone and similar trampoline concepts moving into vacant Big Lots and other boxes (examples in California and elsewhere).
  • Urban Air Adventure Park converting vacant big-box stores into multi-attraction parks at scale.
  • Elev8 Fun and others purchasing or leasing former department stores for large indoor adventure formats.
  • Galaxy’s own Raleigh location as the proof-of-concept conversion of a big-box into a 65,000 sq ft multi-attraction center.

These are not specific recommendations for Galaxy franchisees; they illustrate that the inventory of suitable empty anchors exists and that the conversion model is proven across the industry.

Prepared by Accurate Information Group · October 13, 2026 · Based on public reporting and industry trends.