Fayette Mall
A large regional shopping mall in Lexington, Kentucky, and one of the largest enclosed shopping centers in the southeastern United States.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Fayette Mall is a regional enclosed shopping mall at 3401 Nicholasville Road in southern Lexington, Kentucky. Opened on April 20, 1971, the property replaced Turfland Mall as Lexington’s largest shopping center and developed into the state’s largest mall. Its business model is based on a broad tenant mix combining department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment, and food-court offerings rather than on a single merchandise category. The mall was developed by Richard E. Jacobs Group Inc. and originally included Sears, Shillito’s, and Stewart Dry Goods as its principal anchors. Over time, those department-store spaces changed hands as the American department-store sector consolidated. Shillito’s became Shillito-Rike’s in 1982, Lazarus in 1986, Lazarus-Macy’s in 2003, and Macy’s in 2005. Stewart Dry Goods became L. S. Ayres in 1985, Ben Snyder’s in 1987, Hess’s in 1988, and eventually JCPenney in 1993. Sears remained an anchor until its store closed in late 2013. Fayette Mall was expanded and renovated in 1993, adding McAlpin’s as an anchor. McAlpin’s was subsequently converted to Dillard’s in 1998. In 2001, CBL & Associates Properties acquired the mall and classified it among its higher-performing shopping-center assets. At the scale reported in the mall’s reference material, the property contained approximately 1.18 million square feet of gross leasable area, more than 100 in-line stores, and thousands of parking spaces. It has been described as containing just under 200 stores overall, together with a large food court. The property has also grown beyond its original enclosed-mall footprint. In 2006, CBL opened The Plaza at Fayette Mall, an adjacent 190,207-square-foot retail and restaurant center that included Cinemark Theatres 16. This created a wider shopping and entertainment district around the core mall. The former Sears location was later redeveloped: management announced in 2014 that The Cheesecake Factory and H&M would be among the tenants entering the space, which opened on November 7, 2014. Fayette Mall’s current anchor lineup includes Macy’s, JCPenney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Dillard’s. The mall also serves as a regional destination for fashion, dining, sporting goods, entertainment, and general merchandise across the Lexington area and surrounding parts of Kentucky. Apple formerly operated a store at the mall, but that location closed on February 26, 2021, ahead of the store’s move to The Summit at Fritz Farm. As a physical retail destination, Fayette Mall’s identity is tied to its scale, anchor-store selection, extensive specialty-retail roster, and role in the broader Nicholasville Road commercial corridor.
History
Fayette Mall opened in Lexington, Kentucky, on April 20, 1971. Developed by Richard E. Jacobs Group Inc., it supplanted Turfland Mall as the city’s largest shopping center and established a major enclosed-retail destination on Nicholasville Road. The original anchor lineup included Sears, Shillito’s, and Stewart Dry Goods, reflecting the department-store-centered model common to large American malls of the period. The anchor tenants changed as regional and national department-store companies consolidated. Shillito’s was renamed Shillito-Rike’s in 1982 and became Lazarus in 1986. The store later operated under the Lazarus-Macy’s name in 2003 before becoming Macy’s in 2005. Stewart Dry Goods changed to L. S. Ayres in 1985, Ben Snyder’s in 1987, and Hess’s in 1988; the space became a JCPenney in 1993. These successive changes preserved the mall’s department-store role while aligning the property with larger retail groups. A major expansion and renovation took place in 1993, adding McAlpin’s as another anchor. McAlpin’s became Dillard’s in 1998. The ownership structure changed in 2001 when CBL & Associates Properties acquired Fayette Mall. CBL identified it as one of the stronger properties in its shopping-center portfolio. Reference material describing the property in the 2000s reported approximately 1,183,982 square feet of gross leasable area, 111 in-line stores, 5,704 parking spaces, and an 86.6-acre site. The mall has also been characterized as having just under 200 stores and a substantial food court. Fayette Mall’s growth extended into adjacent development. In 2006, CBL opened The Plaza at Fayette Mall, a 190,207-square-foot center containing restaurants, retailers, and Cinemark Theatres 16. The project broadened the destination from a single enclosed mall into a larger retail and entertainment cluster. Sears closed its Fayette Mall store in late 2013. CBL acquired the former Sears space for redevelopment, and in March 2014 management announced that The Cheesecake Factory and H&M would be among the incoming tenants. The redeveloped space opened on November 7, 2014, illustrating the mall’s shift from reliance on traditional department-store anchors toward restaurants, fast-fashion retail, and other contemporary uses. The mall’s anchor stores are Macy’s, JCPenney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Dillard’s. Its tenant and service mix covers fashion, footwear, sporting goods, beauty, electronics, dining, entertainment, and general merchandise. Apple operated at the mall for a period but closed its store on February 26, 2021, relocating to The Summit at Fritz Farm on March 1. Fayette Mall remains a major regional shopping destination for Lexington and the surrounding Kentucky market.
- 2021
Apple store relocates
[1]Apple closed its mall location on February 26 and moved to The Summit at Fritz Farm on March 1.
- 2014
Redeveloped Sears space opens
[1]The former Sears area reopened on November 7 with new tenants including H&M and The Cheesecake Factory.
- 2013
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store closed late in the year, making its former anchor space available for redevelopment.
- 2006
The Plaza at Fayette Mall opens
[1]An adjacent 190,207-square-foot retail, restaurant, and cinema center opened.
- 2001
CBL acquires the mall
[1]CBL & Associates Properties acquired Fayette Mall.
- 1998
McAlpin's becomes Dillard's
[1]The McAlpin's anchor was converted to Dillard's.
- 1993
Major expansion and renovation
[1]The property was expanded and renovated, and McAlpin's was added as an anchor.
- 1986
Shillito-Rike's becomes Lazarus
[1]The former Shillito-Rike's location was converted to the Lazarus name.
- 1982
Shillito's becomes Shillito-Rike's
[1]The Shillito's anchor adopted the Shillito-Rike's name as part of a sequence of later department-store rebrandings.
- 1971
Fayette Mall opens
[1]The mall opened on April 20 under Richard E. Jacobs Group Inc. and became Lexington's largest shopping center.
Products and positioning
A large regional shopping and entertainment destination serving Lexington and surrounding Kentucky markets, with a department-store anchor base, a broad specialty-retail tenant mix, dining, and adjacent commercial development.
Retail property · 1971
Enclosed regional shopping mall
Fayette Mall provides enclosed retail space organized around department-store anchors and a broad collection of specialty tenants. Its tenant categories include apparel, footwear, beauty, sporting goods, electronics, gifts, home merchandise, and general retail. The mall also includes customer amenities such as a food court, parking, and dining-oriented uses. Its scale and anchor mix position it as a regional destination rather than a neighborhood convenience center.
Adjacent retail and entertainment center · 2006
The Plaza at Fayette Mall
The Plaza at Fayette Mall is an adjacent commercial center opened by CBL in 2006. It added restaurants, retailers, and Cinemark Theatres 16 to the broader Fayette Mall destination. The development extends the property beyond the enclosed mall and supports a combined shopping, dining, and entertainment visit.
Brand decisions
2021
Apple store relocation from Fayette MallStrategyBackground
Apple operated a store at Fayette Mall before relocating within the Lexington retail market.
Action taken
Apple closed the Fayette Mall store on February 26, 2021, and moved the location to The Summit at Fritz Farm on March 1.
Aftermath
The move removed Apple's branded retail presence from Fayette Mall while placing it in a newer nearby mixed-use retail destination.
2014
Redevelopment of the former Sears spaceStrategyBackground
Sears closed its Fayette Mall store in late 2013, leaving a large former anchor location available for a new use.
Action taken
CBL redeveloped the space and announced H&M and The Cheesecake Factory as incoming tenants. The remodeled area opened on November 7, 2014.
Aftermath
The project replaced a traditional department-store anchor with fashion retail and a major restaurant, reflecting the mall's adaptation to changing retail patterns.
Recent events
- 2021
Apple closes Fayette Mall store and relocates[1]
Other
Apple closed its Fayette Mall location on February 26, 2021, and moved the store to The Summit at Fritz Farm on March 1.
- 2014
Former Sears space is redeveloped[1]
Product launch
After Sears closed in late 2013, the former anchor space was redeveloped for new tenants including The Cheesecake Factory and H&M. The remodeled space opened on November 7, 2014.
- 2006
The Plaza at Fayette Mall opens[1]
Product launch
CBL opened an adjacent retail and restaurant center with Cinemark Theatres 16, extending the mall's commercial footprint.
- 2001
CBL acquires Fayette Mall[1]
M&A
CBL & Associates Properties acquired the property and placed it among the higher-performing shopping centers in its portfolio.
- 1993
Fayette Mall undergoes expansion and renovation[1]
Other
The mall was enlarged and renovated, with McAlpin's added as a major anchor.
- 1971
Fayette Mall opens as Lexington's largest shopping center[1]
Other
The regional mall opened on April 20, 1971, under developer Richard E. Jacobs Group Inc., replacing Turfland Mall as Lexington's largest shopping center.
Sources1 sources
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