Eastwood Mall
An enclosed shopping mall in Niles, Ohio, serving the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Eastwood Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall in Niles, Ohio, United States, operated and owned by the privately held Cafaro Company. It serves shoppers across the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area and forms the enclosed retail core of the larger Eastwood Mall Complex, a broad commercial development that also contains outdoor strip centers, big-box stores, restaurants, hospitality facilities, entertainment venues, and corporate or event space. The mall opened on September 16, 1969, with Sears, Strouss, Montgomery Ward, and Woolworth as its original anchors. Its opening was notable because it brought Sears and Montgomery Ward together in the same shopping center, a combination that was unusual at the time. The property expanded in 1979 with the addition of a JCPenney wing and subsequently underwent repeated changes as department-store chains consolidated, closed locations, or changed ownership. Strouss became Kaufmann's in 1986 and later Macy's in 2006. Montgomery Ward departed in 1984, after which its building was divided among several occupants before portions were ultimately used by Dillard's. Eastwood Mall has continually adapted its tenant mix beyond conventional department stores. Target opened in 2000, while a new food court and interior renovations were completed near Macy's in 2006. The center also added entertainment and hospitality uses, including a three-tank aquarium in the center court in 2007, a Residence Inn by Marriott and Firebirds Wood Fired Grill in 2012, and a Hampton Inn & Suites and event facilities during a later expansion. Casal Aveda Institute opened in a former Kahunaville space in 2020, illustrating the property's use of former retail and leisure space for educational and service-oriented tenants. The mall's most important recent redevelopment followed the closure of Sears. Sears announced in 2018 that its Eastwood Mall location would close as part of a nationwide reduction, and the former Sears and Tilt Studio premises were subsequently selected for a Boscov's department store. Boscov's opened on October 7, 2021. Dillard's later operated a clearance outlet in part of its former space, but that outlet closed in June 2024. Dave & Buster's opened in the former Dillard's area on January 27, 2025, becoming the entertainment chain's first location in the Mahoning Valley. Reference material also reports a Dick's Sporting Goods redevelopment of remaining former Dillard's space, with an opening reported for June 26, 2026. The enclosed mall contains more than 100 stores and restaurants and approximately 1.6 million square feet of enclosed retail space. Broader measurements of the Eastwood Mall Complex have exceeded 3.2 million square feet, but those figures include adjacent strip plazas, standalone stores, restaurants, and other commercial properties rather than only the enclosed mall. Its positioning is therefore that of a regional, mixed-use shopping and entertainment destination rather than a narrowly defined department-store center.
History
Eastwood Mall opened in Niles, Ohio, on September 16, 1969. Its initial anchor lineup consisted of Sears, Strouss, Montgomery Ward, and Woolworth. The opening was distinctive because Sears and Montgomery Ward, two major American department-store competitors, operated as anchors in the same mall. The center was designed to serve the wider Youngstown–Warren market and became part of a much larger commercial development known as the Eastwood Mall Complex. The property expanded in 1979 with the construction of a JCPenney wing. Tenant changes during the 1980s and 1990s reflected broader shifts in American department-store retailing. Montgomery Ward closed its Eastwood location in 1984, and the former building was divided among Gold's Gym, Toys “R” Us, and Carlisle's. After Carlisle's closed in 1994 and Toys “R” Us moved to a new location, those areas were used by Dillard's. Strouss changed its identity to Kaufmann's in 1986 and later became part of Macy's in 2006. Target opened at the mall in May 2000. In 2006, Eastwood Mall added a new food court near Macy's and completed interior and branding-related renovations. Kahunaville, an entertainment and dining tenant that had opened in 1996, closed in March 2007. Later that year, the mall added a three-tank aquarium in its center court. These changes demonstrate the property's effort to combine conventional retail with food, leisure, and visual attractions. Further redevelopment took place in the 2010s. A Residence Inn by Marriott began construction in the Dillard's wing in 2012, and Firebirds Wood Fired Grill opened beside the store on December 10 of that year. Dillard's initially closed its department store on August 24, 2016, but the premises were subsequently used as a Dillard's Clearance Outlet. In late 2016, the Cafaro Company added space for its corporate offices, an event center, and a Hampton Inn & Suites. Entrance and interior renovations continued in 2017. Sears announced on October 15, 2018, that its Eastwood Mall store would close as part of a nationwide program involving 142 store closures. In 2019, Nickels and Dimes said it would close the mall's Tilt Studio operation by the end of the year. The resulting vacant space was later repositioned for Boscov's, which announced plans to occupy the former Sears and Tilt Studio areas and opened on October 7, 2021. A Casal Aveda Institute cosmetology school opened in the former Kahunaville space on July 14, 2020. Dillard's clearance operations ended in June 2024. On January 27, 2025, Dave & Buster's opened in former Dillard's space, representing a further shift toward entertainment-oriented use and the chain's first venue in the Mahoning Valley. Reference material also records a subsequent Dick's Sporting Goods redevelopment of remaining former Dillard's space, with the store reported as opening on June 26, 2026. The distinction between Eastwood Mall and the wider Eastwood Mall Complex is important. The enclosed mall itself contains more than 100 stores and restaurants and approximately 1.6 million square feet of space. A larger figure of more than 3.2 million square feet has been associated with the complex as a whole, including adjacent strip plazas, standalone big-box stores, restaurants, and other commercial buildings. The mall is owned by the Cafaro Company and remains an active regional retail and entertainment destination.
- 2026
Dick's Sporting Goods reported to open
[1]Reference material reports the opening of a Dick's Sporting Goods store in renovated former Dillard's space on June 26.
- 2025
Dave & Buster's opens
[1]Dave & Buster's opens on January 27 in former Dillard's space.
- 2024
Dillard's clearance outlet closes
[1]The Dillard's clearance outlet closes in June.
- 2021
Boscov's opens
[1]Boscov's opens on October 7 in former Sears and Tilt Studio premises.
- 2020
Casal Aveda Institute opens
[1]The cosmetology school opens on July 14 in the former Kahunaville location.
- 2018
Sears closure announced
[1]Sears announces that its Eastwood Mall store will close as part of a national closure program.
- 2017
Entrance and interior renovations
[1]Further renovations update the mall's entrances and interior areas.
- 2016
Dillard's converted to clearance format
[1]Dillard's initially closes in August but later reopens as a clearance outlet; additional corporate, event, and hotel facilities are developed.
- 2012
Hospitality and restaurant expansion
[1]Construction begins on a Residence Inn by Marriott, and Firebirds Wood Fired Grill opens on December 10.
- 2007
Center-court aquarium added
[1]A three-tank aquarium is installed in the center court after Kahunaville closes earlier in the year.
Products and positioning
A regional shopping, dining, entertainment, and hospitality destination serving the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area, with a tenant mix anchored by department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, and leisure operators.
Shopping center · 1969
Enclosed regional shopping mall
The core Eastwood Mall property is an enclosed shopping center with more than 100 stores and restaurants and approximately 1.6 million square feet of enclosed space. Its tenant mix includes department stores, specialty retailers, dining venues, services, and entertainment operators serving the regional market.
Mixed-use retail complex
Eastwood Mall Complex
The broader complex surrounding the enclosed mall includes outdoor strip plazas, standalone big-box stores, restaurants, hotels, entertainment facilities, corporate offices, and event space. Its reported total area exceeds the enclosed mall because it includes these adjacent commercial properties.
Brand decisions
2025
Dave & Buster's opensProduct launchBackground
Former Dillard's space became available after the clearance outlet closed.
Action taken
Dave & Buster's opened an entertainment venue on January 27.
Aftermath
The venue broadened Eastwood Mall's leisure offer and became the chain's first Mahoning Valley location.
2021
Boscov's opens in former anchor spaceProduct launchBackground
The mall needed a replacement for the departing Sears anchor and the closed Tilt Studio operation.
Action taken
Boscov's opened a department store on October 7 in the former Sears and Tilt Studio premises.
Aftermath
The opening restored a large department-store presence to a major portion of the mall.
2018
Sears replacement planningStrategyBackground
Sears announced the closure of its Eastwood Mall store as part of a nationwide reduction.
Action taken
The mall and prospective tenants planned a new use for the former Sears and adjacent Tilt Studio space.
Aftermath
Boscov's ultimately occupied the combined premises and opened in 2021.
2016
Dillard's space repositionedStrategyBackground
Dillard's closed its conventional department-store operation at the mall.
Action taken
The location later reopened in a clearance-outlet format, while the wider complex added corporate, event, and hotel facilities.
Aftermath
The property retained a Dillard's-related use temporarily and expanded its mix beyond traditional retail.
2006
Food-court and interior modernizationStrategyBackground
The mall updated its interior environment and retail amenities while Macy's replaced Kaufmann's as an anchor identity.
Action taken
A new food court was added near Macy's and interior renovations were carried out.
Aftermath
The project refreshed the mall's dining offer and reinforced the transition to the Macy's brand.
Sources2 sources
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