Mall del Norte
Mall del Norte is a super-regional shopping mall in Laredo, Texas, serving the retail needs of South Texas and the surrounding cross-border region.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Mall del Norte is a super-regional shopping mall located along Interstate 35 in Laredo, Texas. The property opened in 1977 and became a major retail destination in a rapidly expanding commercial area of the city. Its location on one of the principal north–south transportation corridors through Laredo gives it visibility and accessibility for local residents, visitors, and shoppers from the wider South Texas region. The mall encompasses approximately 1,212,515 square feet, or about 112,646 square meters, and has more than 160 stores and commercial units. It is generally described as the second-largest mall in South Texas by floor area, behind La Plaza Mall in McAllen, which is approximately 3,000 square feet larger. Mall del Norte's scale and tenant mix position it as a regional destination rather than simply a neighborhood shopping center. The property has undergone several major phases of renovation and expansion. A renovation took place in 1991, followed by an expansion in 1993. Further redevelopment work was carried out in 2007 and 2012. The 2007 work included the construction of a Cinemark theater complex and a Circuit City location in space formerly occupied by Montgomery Ward. These changes reflected the mall industry's broader shift toward combining traditional retail with entertainment and other destination-oriented uses. Mall del Norte has also experienced the effects of changes in the American department-store sector. Sears, one of the mall's anchor tenants, was included in a nationwide closure program announced in 2020. Its Mall del Norte store closed in September of that year, leaving a large anchor space available for reuse. In April 2024, Mega Furniture opened in the former Sears location, introducing a new large-format furniture tenant and restoring activity to the vacant anchor area. The mall is currently owned by CBL & Associates Properties, a company whose portfolio has historically focused on enclosed shopping centers and other retail properties. Mall del Norte's present identity is therefore tied both to its local role in Laredo and to the operating strategy of a larger regional mall owner. Its principal offerings consist of apparel, footwear, specialty retail, services, food and beverage, entertainment, and large-format or anchor-store shopping. The official property website provides current information about tenants, services, events, and mall operations.
History
Mall del Norte opened in 1977 in Laredo, Texas, along Interstate 35. The mall was developed to serve a growing retail area and quickly assumed a regional role because of its scale, highway access, and position within the city's expanding commercial district. Rather than functioning solely as a local neighborhood center, it was designed as a destination capable of attracting shoppers from across Laredo and the surrounding South Texas market. The property developed through a series of renovations and expansions. A significant renovation was completed in 1991, and the mall expanded in 1993. These projects helped preserve its competitiveness as newer shopping centers and changing retail formats emerged in the region. Additional redevelopment occurred in 2007. During that phase, the former Montgomery Ward space was replaced or reconfigured to accommodate a Cinemark Theater 16 complex and a Circuit City store. The inclusion of a cinema broadened the center's role by adding an entertainment component alongside traditional shopping. Another renovation followed in 2012. Across these successive projects, Mall del Norte maintained its identity as a large enclosed regional mall while adapting its tenant mix and physical facilities. The completed property is approximately 1,212,515 square feet, or 112,646 square meters, and contains more than 160 stores. It is commonly identified as the second-largest mall in South Texas, with La Plaza Mall in McAllen ranking slightly ahead by roughly 3,000 square feet. Like many American malls, Mall del Norte has been affected by the contraction and restructuring of traditional department-store retail. On July 1, 2020, Sears was identified as one of 28 stores slated for closure in a nationwide program. The Mall del Norte Sears location closed in September 2020, creating a substantial vacant anchor space during a period when many enclosed shopping centers were seeking replacement uses for department-store boxes. The former Sears space was subsequently reused. Mega Furniture opened a furniture store there on April 7, 2024, bringing a large-format home-furnishings business into the former anchor location. This transition illustrates the mall's continuing adaptation from a department-store-centered model toward a broader mix of specialty retail, furniture, entertainment, dining, and services. Mall del Norte is currently owned by CBL & Associates Properties. Its ongoing role is that of a major retail and entertainment destination for Laredo and the wider South Texas area. The official mall website functions as the current source for tenant information, services, events, and visitor details.
- 2024
Mega Furniture opens
[1]Mega Furniture occupies the former Sears anchor space, adding a large-format home-furnishings tenant.
- 2020
Sears closes
[1]The Sears anchor closes in September after being included in the retailer's nationwide store-closure plan.
- 2012
Further renovation
[1]The mall receives another renovation.
- 2007
Entertainment and former-anchor redevelopment
[1]Cinemark Theater 16 and Circuit City are constructed in the area formerly occupied by Montgomery Ward.
- 1993
Mall expansion
[1]The property expands its facilities and retail capacity.
- 1991
First major listed renovation
[1]Mall del Norte undergoes a renovation as it develops its regional shopping-center role.
- 1977
Mall del Norte opens
[1]The enclosed shopping mall opens in Laredo, Texas, along Interstate 35.
Products and positioning
A large enclosed regional shopping and entertainment destination serving Laredo and the broader South Texas market, with a prominent Interstate 35 location and a tenant mix spanning specialty retail, anchors, dining, services, and entertainment.
Super-regional shopping mall · 1977
Mall del Norte shopping center
The core offering is a large enclosed shopping center of approximately 1,212,515 square feet with more than 160 stores and commercial units. Its tenant categories include fashion, footwear, specialty retail, food and beverage, personal services, entertainment, and large-format anchor businesses. The mall serves Laredo and the broader South Texas market.
Entertainment · 2007
Cinemark Theater 16
A 16-screen Cinemark cinema complex added during the mall's 2007 redevelopment. The theater expanded Mall del Norte's role beyond shopping by providing a destination entertainment use within the property.
Furniture and home furnishings · 2024
Mega Furniture
A large-format furniture store that opened in the former Sears anchor space in April 2024. Its arrival introduced a home-furnishings tenant into a major vacant department-store footprint.
Brand decisions
2024
Mega Furniture opens in former Sears anchorProduct launchBackground
The closure of Sears in 2020 left a large anchor space available at Mall del Norte.
Action taken
Mega Furniture opened a furniture store in the former Sears space on April 7, 2024.
Aftermath
The opening returned a large-format retail use to the former department-store location and diversified the mall's tenant mix.
2020
Replacement planning following Sears closureStrategyBackground
Sears was scheduled to close its Mall del Norte location as part of a nationwide program affecting 28 stores, leaving a major anchor space vacant.
Action taken
The Sears store closed in September 2020, creating an opportunity for the property to pursue a new anchor or large-format tenant.
Aftermath
The former anchor space was later occupied by Mega Furniture in 2024.
Sources2 sources
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