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Briarwood Mall

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A regional shopping mall in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving the southern Ann Arbor commercial area and much of Washtenaw County.

Last updated August 24, 2026

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Overview

Briarwood Mall is a regional shopping center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, positioned near the intersection of Eisenhower Boulevard and Interstate 94. It is the principal enclosed shopping mall serving Washtenaw County and forms the center of a broader commercial district containing offices, apartments, hotels, restaurants, and other retail properties. The property is generally regarded as a Class A mall by developers, reflecting its sales performance and location within the Ann Arbor market. The mall was developed by A. Alfred Taubman and opened on October 3, 1973. Its original anchor lineup consisted of JCPenney and Sears, followed by Hudson's in 1974. Lord & Taylor became the fourth anchor in 1980. Over time, the anchor spaces changed as department-store groups consolidated or failed. Hudson's became Marshall Field's in 2001 and then Macy's in 2006. Lord & Taylor's space became a Jacobson's store after Jacobson's relocated from downtown Ann Arbor, but Jacobson's entered bankruptcy and closed in 2002. Von Maur took over the location in September 2003, marking that retailer's first Michigan store. Ownership and management of Briarwood have shifted alongside changes in the U.S. shopping-center industry. Taubman's shopping-center interests were placed into the publicly traded Taubman Centers real-estate investment trust in 1992. Taubman Centers later simplified its structure, and in 1998 full ownership was transferred to the General Motors Pension Trust, its financial partner. The Mills Corporation acquired a 50% interest and management role in 2004. Simon Property Group gained control of The Mills in 2007, making Briarwood Simon's first managed property in Michigan. Simon remains the mall's principal operating and ownership partner. Briarwood has undergone several physical and merchandising changes. A large renovation completed in 2004 followed the arrival of Von Maur. Another major renovation in 2013 introduced new flooring, lighting, entrances, LED illumination, seating, and renovated restrooms. Forever 21 opened a larger store in August 2014 in the JCPenney wing, consolidating space formerly occupied by several smaller retailers and a vacant restaurant unit. The mall's former Sears anchor closed after Sears Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018. Its real-estate interest had been transferred to Seritage Growth Properties in 2015 as part of Sears Holdings' property spin-off. The former Sears site became the focus of a large redevelopment proposal. Announced plans initially called for a two-level retail building, a gourmet grocery store, a multifamily residential building, and an outlot structure. Revised plans described in 2024 divided the proposed retail component into two smaller buildings and added a parking structure and outdoor plaza. The redevelopment is associated with Harvest Market, a gourmet grocery concept, planned residential apartments, and a proposed Dick's Sporting Goods location. The referenced material states that Harvest Market opened on April 15, 2026 and that the adjacent apartments were projected for completion on August 15, 2026; these dates should be verified against current property information because they are future-dated or time-sensitive claims. Briarwood has also adapted former entertainment and specialty-retail space. A cinema operated at the mall from its opening under several names, including United Artists Briarwood, Madstone Theater of Ann Arbor, Village 7 Theaters, and Movies at Briarwood. The cinema ultimately closed in 2010, and part of the former theater area was occupied by MC Sports. After MC Sports closed in 2017, the space was divided among other tenants, with later changes including Extreme Fun. Dining has remained part of the mall's tenant mix, including the opening of Texas de Brazil in July 2023 in a former Bravo! Cucina Italiana location.

History

Briarwood Mall was developed by A. Alfred Taubman and opened in Ann Arbor on October 3, 1973. The original center was anchored by JCPenney and Sears, with Hudson's joining the property in 1974. Lord & Taylor became the fourth anchor in 1980. The mall's subsequent history reflects the wider transformation of American department stores: Hudson's converted to Marshall Field's in 2001 and to Macy's in 2006, while Lord & Taylor's former space was occupied by Jacobson's until that retailer closed during bankruptcy proceedings in 2002. Von Maur opened in the former Jacobson's location in September 2003 as its first Michigan store. Taubman's shopping-center interests became part of the publicly traded Taubman Centers real-estate investment trust in 1992. In 1998, Taubman Centers restructured its ownership arrangements and transferred full ownership to the General Motors Pension Trust, its financial partner. The Mills Corporation acquired a 50% interest and management responsibility in 2004. Simon Property Group took control of The Mills in 2007, making Briarwood its first managed property in Michigan. Simon is identified as owning half of the mall and managing the property. The center received a substantial renovation in 2004 after the arrival of Von Maur. A further renovation in 2013 modernized flooring, lighting, entrances, seating, and restrooms, and added LED lighting. Tenant changes continued through the following decade. Forever 21 opened a larger store in August 2014 in the JCPenney wing. Sears Holdings transferred the Sears property into Seritage Growth Properties in 2015 as part of a portfolio spin-off, and Sears announced in October 2018 that the Briarwood location would close following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. Briarwood's entertainment component has also changed. A movie theater operated at the mall from its opening under several successive names, including United Artists Briarwood, Madstone Theater of Ann Arbor, Village 7 Theaters, and Movies at Briarwood. The theater was reduced in size when part of its space was converted for Pottery Barn and ultimately closed in 2010. MC Sports later occupied related space, but closed in 2017; subsequent occupants included Colby Bounce, Signature Nails & Spa, and later Extreme Fun. Redevelopment of the former Sears site became a major strategic project. In 2023, the mall described a plan involving new retail construction, a gourmet grocery store, multifamily housing, and an outlot building. The plan was revised in 2024 to split the proposed retail building into two structures and add a parking deck and outdoor plaza. The referenced account identifies Harvest Market as opening on April 15, 2026, with adjacent luxury apartments projected for completion on August 15, 2026, and reports that Dick's Sporting Goods had announced plans for part of the former Sears site. Because these dates and future development details may change, they should be checked against current Simon Property Group and tenant announcements.

  • 2024

    Redevelopment plan is revised

    [1]

    The revised proposal split the planned retail building into two smaller buildings and added a parking structure and outdoor plaza.

  • 2023

    Former Sears redevelopment is announced

    [2]

    Briarwood announced plans for replacement retail, a gourmet grocery store, multifamily housing, and an outlot building on the former Sears site.

  • 2023

    Texas de Brazil opens

    [1]

    Texas de Brazil opened in July in the former Bravo! Cucina Italiana space.

  • 2018

    Sears announces closure

    [1]

    Sears announced that its Briarwood store would close after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

  • 2017

    MC Sports closes

    [1]

    MC Sports closed, after which its space was divided among replacement tenants.

  • 2015

    Sears property is spun into Seritage

    [1]

    The Sears Holdings property at Briarwood was included among assets spun off into Seritage Growth Properties.

  • 2014

    Larger Forever 21 store opens

    [1]

    Forever 21 opened a larger location in the JCPenney wing in August.

  • 2013

    Major renovation completed

    [1]

    Renovation work refreshed flooring, lighting, entrances, seating, restrooms, and LED lighting systems.

  • 2010

    Mall cinema closes

    [1]

    The mall's cinema operation, which had used several names over its history, closed.

  • 2007

    Simon Property Group gains control

    [1]

    Simon Property Group gained control of The Mills and began managing Briarwood, its first managed property in Michigan.

Products and positioning

Class A regional shopping mall and mixed-use retail destination serving Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County

  • Department store · 2006

    Macy's

    Macy's is one of Briarwood Mall's major department-store anchors. The location traces its lineage through Hudson's and Marshall Field's, reflecting the succession of department-store banners at the mall.

  • Department store · 1973

    JCPenney

    JCPenney has anchored Briarwood since the mall opened in 1973. Its wing has also hosted later specialty-retail expansion, including the larger Forever 21 store opened in 2014.

  • Department store · 2003

    Von Maur

    Von Maur occupies the former Jacobson's anchor location. It opened in September 2003 and was the retailer's first Michigan store, adding an upscale department-store component to Briarwood's anchor mix.

  • Gourmet grocery store · 2026

    Harvest Market

    Harvest Market is the gourmet grocery component of the former Sears-site redevelopment. The referenced material reports an April 15, 2026 opening date, which should be independently verified because it is time-sensitive.

  • Restaurant · 2023

    Texas de Brazil

    Texas de Brazil is a Brazilian-American steakhouse that opened at Briarwood in July 2023 in space formerly occupied by Bravo! Cucina Italiana. It was reported as the chain's second Michigan location.

  • Entertainment venue · 1973

    Briarwood cinema

    Briarwood had a movie theater from its grand opening. The venue operated under several names, including United Artists Briarwood, Madstone Theater of Ann Arbor, Village 7 Theaters, and Movies at Briarwood, before closing in 2010.

Brand decisions

  • 2024

    Revision of Sears-site redevelopmentStrategy

    Background

    The initial redevelopment proposal for the former Sears parcel was adjusted during planning.

    Action taken

    The planned retail building was divided into two smaller buildings, while a 325-stall parking structure and outdoor plaza were added near the residential building.

    Aftermath

    The revised plan broadened the project into a mixed-use expansion combining retail, grocery, housing, parking, and public-facing outdoor space.

    Source

  • 2023

    Redevelopment of the former Sears siteStrategy

    Background

    Sears announced the closure of its Briarwood location in 2018, leaving a prominent former anchor site available for reuse.

    Action taken

    Briarwood announced a plan for new retail space, a gourmet grocery store, multifamily housing, and an outlot building.

    Aftermath

    The redevelopment concept was revised in 2024 to use two smaller retail buildings and include a parking structure and outdoor plaza.

    Source

  • 2013

    Mall modernization programStrategy

    Background

    The property required physical updates to maintain its position as a high-quality regional shopping center.

    Action taken

    Briarwood renovated flooring, lighting, entrances, seating, restrooms, and related common-area features, including LED lighting.

    Aftermath

    The work refreshed the customer-facing environment and supported continued operation as a Class A regional mall.

    Source

  • 2007

    Simon Property Group takes control of the mall's management platformM&A

    Background

    The Mills Corporation held a 50% interest in Briarwood and managed the property from 2004. Simon Property Group gained control of The Mills in 2007.

    Action taken

    Simon assumed control of the relevant ownership and management platform and began managing Briarwood Mall.

    Aftermath

    Briarwood became Simon's first managed property in Michigan and remains associated with Simon's mall portfolio.

    Source

Sources3 sources

  1. 1Briarwood Mallen.wikipedia.org
  2. 2Learn more about what may be replacing the old Sears store at Briarwood Mallmlive.com
  3. 3Official Briarwood Mall websitesimon.com

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