Golf Mill Shopping Center

Golf Mill Shopping Center is a regional shopping center in Niles, Illinois, at 239 Golf Mill Center near the junction of Golf Road, Milwaukee Avenue, and Greenwood Avenue. The property opened in October 1960 as an open-air center and developed around a distinctive golf-and-mill architectural theme. Its original design included ponds, bridges, and a working waterwheel, while an office tower designed by Chicago architect Edo Belli was shaped to resemble the upper portion of a golf ball. This theme gave the center its name and helped distinguish it from conventional suburban retail developments. The center has approximately 1.1 million square feet of gross leasable area and historically combined department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment, fitness, grocery, office space, and freestanding outparcels. Its principal current anchors identified in reference material are JCPenney, Target, and Ross Dress for Less. Other major uses include an AMC movie theater, Gordon Food Service, LA Fitness, and a nine-story office tower, together with more than 100 specialty shops and restaurants. The tenant mix has changed over time as department-store and furniture concepts have entered and left the property. Golf Mill's physical format has evolved through several major redevelopment phases. In 1986, the northern end was rebuilt as an enclosed mall section anchored by MainStreet, creating an enclosed connection between Sears and JCPenney and adding a food court. A later renovation in 2006 introduced new flooring, a redesigned food-court entrance, and a 12-screen cinema operated by Kerasotes at the time. Some portions of the earlier north wing and south-wing circulation were not included in that renovation. A proposed relocation of the former south food court associated with the opening of Ulta Beauty in 2017 was not carried out. Management and ownership arrangements have also shifted. General Growth Properties assumed management in 1994. Following General Growth's bankruptcy, Milwaukee Golf Management Corporation took over management in 2009. Sterling Organization acquired the center in August 2014 through a private-equity fund, with Sterling Retail Services managing the property on the fund's behalf according to the cited reference material. In January 2022, Golf Mill announced a broad redevelopment concept described as a live-work-play project. The plan contemplated removing the former Sears building, the AMC theater, the iconic circular tower, and various outlots while introducing outdoor retail, apartments, new green space, and a restored waterwheel. The announcement indicated that several existing tenants, including JCPenney, Ulta Beauty, Chick-fil-A, Panera, Chase, XSport Fitness, Burlington, and Target, were expected to remain. The available material does not establish whether the entire proposal was completed, modified, or abandoned. Golf Mill therefore remains best characterized as an active, evolving suburban shopping center rather than a single-format department-store mall.

Golf Mill Shopping Center opened to the public in October 1960 in Niles, Illinois, as an open-air shopping center. Its name and visual identity came from a deliberately integrated golf-and-mill theme. The complex featured ponds, bridges, and a functioning waterwheel, while its office tower was designed by Chicago architect Edo Belli to evoke the top of a golf ball. Sears was among the original major occupants. A Lord's department store was added shortly after opening, but it closed after several years and was replaced by JCPenney. The Mill Run Playhouse was also developed at the northern end of the complex, although it was not connected to the main mall corridors. The center underwent a substantial physical transformation in 1986. Its northern end was completely rebuilt as an enclosed section anchored by MainStreet. This work enclosed the mall between Sears and JCPenney and added a food court, shifting part of the property from its original open-air format toward the enclosed suburban-mall model that was prevalent at the time. General Growth Properties assumed management of Golf Mill in 1994. During the company's management period, the property received another significant renovation in 2006. That project introduced new flooring and a redesigned entrance to the food court. It also added a 12-screen movie theater operated by Kerasotes. The project did not renovate every part of the complex: the north wing and a corridor in the south wing were reportedly left untouched. In 2009, after General Growth Properties entered bankruptcy, Milwaukee Golf Management Corporation took over management. Sterling Organization purchased Golf Mill in August 2014 through a private-equity fund. Sterling Retail Services subsequently managed the center for that fund. The property's tenant mix continued to evolve in response to changes in department stores, specialty retail, entertainment, and food service. Ulta Beauty opened at the center in 2017. A proposed plan to move the former southern food court closer to the AMC theater in connection with that period of tenant change was ultimately scrapped. The center experienced further anchor turnover. Sears closed in December 2018, and Kohl's closed on Halloween 2020. Value City Furniture was another former anchor. The available reference material identifies JCPenney, Target, and Ross Dress for Less as current anchor stores, alongside AMC Theatres, Gordon Food Service, LA Fitness, and a substantial specialty-retail and dining component. In January 2022, Golf Mill announced a major redevelopment vision organized around a live-work-play format. The proposal called for demolition of the former Sears building, AMC, the circular tower, and several outlots. It also proposed new outdoor retail, apartment buildings, green space, and a return of the waterwheel motif. JCPenney, Ulta Beauty, Chick-fil-A, Panera, Chase, XSport Fitness, Burlington, Target, and other businesses were identified as tenants expected to remain. The supplied sources do not confirm the final status or completion of the redevelopment, so the proposal should be treated as an announced plan rather than a completed transformation.

• 2022

  Live-work-play redevelopment announced

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Golf Mill announced a redevelopment concept combining outdoor retail, apartments, green space, and restoration of the waterwheel, with demolition of several existing structures proposed.

• 2020

  Kohl's closes

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The former Kohl's anchor closed on Halloween 2020.

• 2018

  Sears closes

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The former Sears anchor closed in December.

• 2017

  Ulta Beauty opens

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Ulta Beauty opened at Golf Mill. A related proposal to relocate the former south food court was later abandoned.

• 2014

  Sterling Organization acquires the center

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Sterling Organization bought Golf Mill through a private-equity fund and assigned management to Sterling Retail Services.

• 2009

  Milwaukee Golf Management Corporation takes over management

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Management changed after General Growth Properties entered bankruptcy.

• 2006

  Major renovation and cinema addition

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The center received new flooring and a revised food-court entrance, and a 12-screen Kerasotes movie theater was added.

• 1994

  General Growth Properties assumes management

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  General Growth Properties took over management of the shopping center.

• 1986

  Northern end rebuilt as an enclosed mall section

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The northern portion was reconstructed around MainStreet, enclosed the center between Sears and JCPenney, and added a food court.

• 1960

  Golf Mill opens as an open-air shopping center

  [1]Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Golf Mill opened in October with Sears, an office tower designed to resemble a golf ball, and a distinctive mill-themed landscape featuring ponds, bridges, and a working waterwheel.

A large community and regional shopping center combining department-store anchors, discount and general merchandise, specialty retail, dining, entertainment, fitness, grocery, office space, and redevelopment-oriented mixed-use potential.

• Retail · 1960

  Department-store and general merchandise retail

  Golf Mill's principal retail offer is built around large-format stores serving apparel, home goods, electronics, household needs, beauty, and general merchandise. JCPenney, Target, and Ross Dress for Less are identified as current anchors in the supplied reference material. The center's history also includes Sears, Kohl's, MainStreet, Lord's, and Value City Furniture as former major occupants.

• Retail · 1960

  Specialty retail

  More than 100 specialty shops have operated within the center's broader tenant mix. These uses cover categories such as apparel, accessories, beauty, services, and household products, with Ulta Beauty specifically identified among the continuing tenants in the redevelopment announcement.

• Food service · 1986

  Dining and food service

  Dining is an important part of Golf Mill's community-shopping role, encompassing food-court service, restaurants, and outparcels. The redevelopment announcement named Chick-fil-A and Panera among the tenants expected to remain. The center also includes grocery-oriented food retail through Gordon Food Service.

• Entertainment · 2006

  Entertainment and cinema

  Entertainment has been part of the property since the historical Mill Run Playhouse and later cinema development. A 12-screen Kerasotes theater was added during the 2006 renovation and was subsequently associated with AMC Theatres. The 2022 redevelopment concept proposed removing the AMC building, but the supplied sources do not document the final outcome.

• Services

  Fitness and services

  Golf Mill includes service-oriented uses in addition to retail, including LA Fitness, formerly identified as XSport Fitness, and financial services such as Chase. These tenants broaden the center's role as a recurring destination for local customers rather than a purely transactional shopping venue.

• Real estate · 1960

  Office and mixed-use space

  The property includes a nine-story office tower and other outparcels. The tower has been part of the center's identity since the original development, while the 2022 live-work-play proposal would expand the site's mixed-use character through new apartments, outdoor retail, and green space.

• 2022

  Announce a live-work-play redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The center faced substantial structural and tenant changes, including the loss of former anchors such as Sears and Kohl's and the need to reposition older parts of the complex.

  Action taken

  Golf Mill proposed demolishing the former Sears building, AMC, the circular tower, and selected outlots, then adding outdoor retail, apartments, green space, and a restored waterwheel.

  Aftermath

  The announcement identified several retail, dining, fitness, and service tenants that were expected to remain. The supplied sources do not confirm whether the proposal was completed or materially revised.

  Source

• 2006

  Renovate the mall and add a multiplex cinemaOther

  Background

  Golf Mill sought to refresh its common areas and strengthen its entertainment offer.

  Action taken

  The center installed new flooring, redesigned the food-court entrance, and added a 12-screen Kerasotes theater, while leaving portions of the north and south wings untouched.

  Aftermath

  The property expanded its entertainment component and updated selected interior areas.

  Source

• 1986

  Convert the northern portion into an enclosed mall sectionGeneration change

  Background

  The original property opened as an open-air center, while suburban retail development increasingly favored enclosed, climate-controlled circulation and consolidated department-store anchors.

  Action taken

  Golf Mill rebuilt its northern end around MainStreet, enclosed the mall between Sears and JCPenney, and added a food court.

  Aftermath

  The project materially changed the center's format while retaining its established department-store orientation.

  Source

1. 1Golf Mill Shopping Centeren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Golf Mill Shopping Center official websitegolfmill.com