Belden Village Mall
A regional enclosed shopping mall in Jackson Township, north of Canton, Ohio.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Belden Village Mall is a regional shopping center in Jackson Township, a suburban community north of Canton, Ohio. The property opened on October 1, 1970, as a fully enclosed mall of approximately 890,000 square feet. Its original department-store anchors were O'Neil's, Sears, Higbee's, and Halle's, reflecting the traditional American mall model in which several large department stores attracted shoppers to an enclosed collection of specialty retailers, restaurants, and services. The mall's anchor lineup changed as the department-store sector consolidated. Higbee's was converted to Dillard's in 1992. O'Neil's was absorbed into May Company Ohio in 1989, and the resulting store later became part of Kaufmann's in 1993. Kaufmann's was subsequently converted to Macy's on September 9, 2006. Sears remained an important anchor for decades, but its store closed in January 2020 after Sears declined to renew the lease. The former Sears space was then targeted for redevelopment, including a Dave & Buster's entertainment venue and space for Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. Belden Village has undergone several physical and branding changes. A 1989 facelift refreshed tenant signage, major entrances, and the food court. The Westfield Group acquired the property in early 2002 from Cleveland-area developers associated with The Jacobs Group and temporarily operated it under the Westfield Shoppingtown Belden Village name. The word Shoppingtown was removed in 2005. In 2013, Starwood Retail Partners acquired the mall in a transaction involving multiple former Westfield properties, and the property returned to the Belden Village Mall name. Later improvements included a redesigned main entrance in 2016, new storefronts created from a former truck bay in 2017, and a food-court refresh in 2019. The center's offer extends beyond conventional apparel and department-store shopping. Its current or recently documented anchor and major-tenant mix includes Dillard's, Macy's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dave & Buster's, and restaurants and entertainment-oriented outlots. The mall has also accommodated Chili's, Bravo Italian Kitchen, Max & Erma's, Burntwood Tavern, Melt Bar & Grilled, and other food and leisure concepts at different times. Sears Auto Center, which opened with the mall in 1970, closed in 2020. Belden Village functions primarily as a local and regional retail destination serving Canton and surrounding communities. Its long operating history illustrates the evolution of the enclosed shopping-center format: department-store succession, ownership changes, adaptive reuse of anchor space, investment in dining and entertainment, and periodic modernization of common areas. The property remains an active shopping mall, although tenant occupancy and ownership arrangements have changed over time.
History
Belden Village Mall opened on October 1, 1970, in Jackson Township north of Canton, Ohio. Designed as a fully enclosed shopping center, it initially covered approximately 890,000 square feet and was anchored by four department stores: O'Neil's, Sears, Higbee's, and Halle's. The opening reflected the rapid development of suburban retail in the United States, where enclosed malls brought department stores, specialty shops, restaurants, and climate-controlled public space together in a single destination. The center's department-store identity changed as the retail industry consolidated. Higbee's remained at the property until 1992, when the store was rebranded as Dillard's. O'Neil's was merged into May Company Ohio in 1989; the resulting operation became part of Kaufmann's in 1993. Kaufmann's was later converted to Macy's on September 9, 2006. These transitions preserved major-anchor occupancy while aligning the mall with larger national department-store chains. Belden Village received a minor facelift in 1989. The work included refreshed tenant signage, updated entrances with glass atriums, and a food court treatment featuring pastel-colored flags suspended from the ceiling. The property also developed several outlot businesses over time. A Sears Auto Center opened in 1970, Chili's arrived in 1986, Max & Erma's opened in 2005, and Bravo Italian Kitchen opened in 2006. Max & Erma's later closed and the site was converted to Burntwood Tavern. These outlots broadened the property's role beyond department-store shopping by adding restaurants and, later, more experiential uses. After years of ownership by Cleveland-area developers associated with The Jacobs Group, Westfield acquired the shopping center in early 2002. It was renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Belden Village, although the Shoppingtown designation was dropped in June 2005. In November 2013, Starwood Retail Partners acquired several former Westfield properties, including Belden Village, and the property returned to its traditional name. The mall continued to adapt its physical layout and tenant mix. The main entrance was modernized during the latter part of 2016. In 2017, a former truck bay was converted into new storefronts, including space for Melt Bar & Grilled. The food court received a one-day renovation in 2019, with replacement furniture and updated lighting. The most consequential recent change involved Sears. In 2015, Sears Holdings transferred ownership of numerous properties, including the Belden Village Sears building, to Seritage Growth Properties. Sears later announced that it would not renew its lease and would close the store; the final operating day was January 12, 2020. Redevelopment plans for the former anchor included Dave & Buster's, which opened on November 4, 2019, and additional space for Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. The former Sears Auto Center was also identified for potential replacement by a Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen. Ownership-related financial pressure affected the broader Starwood retail portfolio in 2020. Reports said Starwood Retail Partners had defaulted on debt and was required to restructure and divest a group of properties that included Belden Village. A joint venture involving Golden East Investors and Pacific Retail Capital Partners was reported as the leading bidder for the package, subject to arrangements intended to resolve debt and stabilize the assets. Belden Village remains an active regional shopping center. Its current anchor profile is centered on Dillard's, Macy's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Dave & Buster's, combining traditional department-store retail with sporting goods and entertainment. The mall's history demonstrates the continuing redevelopment of mature enclosed shopping centers through anchor replacement, dining, entertainment, facade improvements, and reuse of underperforming service and department-store spaces.
- 2020
Sears closes
[1]Sears ended operations at the mall on January 12 after deciding not to renew its lease.
- 2019
Food court refresh
[1]The food court received new furniture and lighting in a one-day renovation.
- 2019
Dave & Buster's opens
[1]Dave & Buster's opened on November 4 as part of the redevelopment associated with the former Sears space.
- 2017
Former truck bay converted to retail space
[1]A former truck bay was transformed into new storefronts, including a location for Melt Bar & Grilled.
- 2016
Main entrance modernization
[1]The principal entrance was redesigned with a more contemporary appearance.
- 2013
Starwood Retail Partners acquisition
[1]Starwood Retail Partners acquired the mall in a portfolio transaction involving former Westfield properties.
- 2006
Kaufmann's becomes Macy's
[1]The Kaufmann's store was renamed Macy's on September 9.
- 2005
Shoppingtown name removed
[1]Westfield dropped the Shoppingtown element from the property's name.
- 2002
Westfield acquisition
[1]Westfield acquired the property and introduced Westfield Shoppingtown branding.
- 1993
Former O'Neil's anchor becomes Kaufmann's
[1]The former O'Neil's lineage transitioned into the Kaufmann's department-store operation.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed mall combining department stores, specialty retail, sporting goods, dining, and family entertainment for the Canton-area market.
Department stores · 1970
Department-store retail
Belden Village's traditional department-store offer has included successive operations under O'Neil's, May Company Ohio, Kaufmann's, and Macy's, as well as Higbee's and Dillard's. These stores have historically provided apparel, accessories, home merchandise, cosmetics, and other broad household and personal goods.
Specialty retail · 2020
Sporting goods and golf retail
The redevelopment of the former Sears area was planned to accommodate Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. These concepts extend the mall's merchandise mix into athletic apparel, sporting equipment, footwear, and golf products.
Entertainment and dining · 2019
Dave & Buster's
Dave & Buster's adds a large-scale experiential component to the property, combining arcade games, sports viewing, food, and beverages. Its opening in 2019 represented the conversion of former department-store space toward entertainment-led use.
Food service · 1986
Restaurants and outlot dining
The mall has supported a changing collection of restaurants and outlot concepts, including Chili's, Bravo Italian Kitchen, Max & Erma's, Burntwood Tavern, Melt Bar & Grilled, and proposed Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen space. This dining component complements the mall's retail and entertainment functions.
Brand decisions
2020
Portfolio restructuring following Starwood debt problemsM&ABackground
Starwood Retail Partners faced reported debt-default and restructuring pressure affecting a portfolio that included Belden Village.
Action taken
The owner pursued restructuring and divestment of the affected retail portfolio, with a joint venture involving Golden East Investors and Pacific Retail Capital Partners reported as the leading bidder.
Aftermath
The process was intended to resolve debt obligations and stabilize the properties, although the available reference does not establish a definitive completed ownership transfer for Belden Village.
2019
Redevelopment of former Sears spaceGeneration changeBackground
Sears announced that it would leave the property after declining to renew its lease, creating a major vacant-anchor challenge.
Action taken
The former Sears area was repurposed for entertainment and sporting-goods tenants, including the opening of Dave & Buster's and plans for Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy.
Aftermath
The redevelopment shifted part of the mall's offer from traditional department-store retail toward entertainment and specialty sporting goods.
2015
Sears property transferred to Seritage Growth PropertiesStrategyBackground
Sears Holdings separated ownership of numerous real-estate assets, including the Belden Village Sears property, from its retail operations.
Action taken
The Belden Village Sears building was included among the properties transferred to Seritage Growth Properties, creating a framework for future redevelopment.
Aftermath
The Sears store later closed, and portions of the former anchor were planned for Dave & Buster's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Golf Galaxy.
Sources2 sources
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