Been to Westfield Old Orchard Mall lately? It might look different than how you once remember.
The Skokie Mall, which started undergoing a "massive" redevelopment plan in 2022, has seen a slew of new stores and restaurants move in -- including Alo Yoga, Psycho Bunny, and outposts of several popular Chicago Restaurants -- along with the return of mall favorite Barnes & Noble, which opened at the mall in 1994 but shuttered in 2021.
The mall has seen high profile closures, too. One of the mall's anchor department stores, Lord & Taylor, closed in 2018, and The Gap and Gap Kids both closed in early 2023. In the fall of 2022, Bloomingdale's, one of only three department stores left at Old Orchard, also closed its doors, but was revived in a new way through a smaller, more "curated" concept store, Bloomie's.
Late last year, the mall announced it would soon be home to residences, health and wellness amenities, an outdoor plaza and more as part of an ambitious plan to make Westfield Old Orchard the "preeminent live, work, shop, and play destination on the North Shore," a 2022 release from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield said.
Work for the plan, which also includes reimaging the Lord & Taylor space, is expected to continue through 2024 and 2025, with opening phases scheduled for 2026.
"More detailed plans for the development will be unveiled in early 2024, and community input will be encouraged," the release went on to say.
Currently, the mall is in the process of working to "increase the amount of locally-sourced artwork" throughout the mall, in the form of art walk-throughs and more, officials say. Additionally, more patio and outdoor seating at restaurants and in common areas is now available, as are free, oversized games lawn games, like cornhole and Connect 4.
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âWe continue to revitalize our space, augmenting an already exceptional experience at the center,â senior general manager of Westfield Old Orchard Serge Khalimsky said in a release.
âAs a top destination on the North Shore, we remain focused on creating a suburban oasis that has everything that the city offers and moreâwhere you can shop top fashion, dine at the best restaurants and enjoy the latest in entertainment in a lush, outdoor environment unlike anything else in Chicagoland.â
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As the mall continues to renovate, here's a look at some of the renderings Old Orchard has released, as part of its redevelopment vision.
