Oak Court Mall

Oak Court Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. The complex opened in 1988 after Belz Enterprises developed a mall immediately west of a long-established Goldsmith's department store. Its principal anchors were Lord & Taylor and Goldsmith's at opening; Lord & Taylor later became Dillard's, while Goldsmith's was converted to Macy's in 2005. The mall was notable for incorporating a large pre-existing department-store property into a broader retail complex rather than being built entirely as a new greenfield center. The site had its origins in a freestanding, three-story Goldsmith's store opened in 1961. Goldsmith's expanded the property several times during the 1970s and 1980s, adding retail space, parking structures, a furniture gallery, basement expansion, and an underground parking garage. When the enclosed mall was constructed, portions of this earlier retail campus became part of the Oak Court development. The mall's design placed its first floor below grade, with the second floor at ground level, creating a distinctive configuration tied to the surrounding buildings and parking facilities. Lord & Taylor operated as an anchor from the mall's opening until 1992. Dillard's acquired and occupied the former Lord & Taylor location, relocating its Poplar Plaza operation and eventually dividing its Oak Court presence between women's merchandise and a separate men's and children's store. In 1995, Dillard's expanded into the mall's center court, with the newer department serving men's and children's departments and the original western store serving women's merchandise. The separate men's and children's operation closed in 2021, leaving the main Dillard's store as the mall's continuing department-store anchor. The Goldsmith's building became part of Macy's after Federated Department Stores rebranded Goldsmith's locations in 2005. The property also hosted Tennessee's first Starbucks location, although that shop closed in 2013 and was replaced by a Starbucks location on Macy's second level. By the early 2020s, the center was undergoing management changes and faced the broader pressures affecting enclosed malls, including anchor contraction and reduced retail demand. The Woodmont Company managed the property from 2021, followed by Poag Development Group from 2024. Macy's announced in January 2025 that its Oak Court store would close as part of a nationwide round of store reductions. The store closed in March 2025, ending the operation of the region's largest Macy's location and leaving Dillard's as Oak Court's only remaining traditional anchor. On April 28, 2025, plans were announced to close and demolish the mall as part of a redevelopment of the site. The Macy's building was scheduled for demolition in February 2026, while the remainder of the mall was planned for demolition later that year. Poag stated that Dillard's, an office-park component, and a bank would remain intact, although the future use of the redeveloped land had not been publicly specified in the cited material. Oak Court Mall closed on April 20, 2026, to facilitate redevelopment. Dillard's, the office building, and the bank remained open. As a result, the enclosed shopping-mall component is defunct, while portions of the broader property continue to operate during the transition.

Oak Court Mall developed from a major Goldsmith's department-store site in Memphis. Goldsmith's opened a freestanding three-story store on the property in 1961. During the 1970s, the retailer expanded westward with a three-story structure whose upper floors were used for parking and whose lower level added retail space connected to the original store. A further expansion in the late 1970s added two levels of above-ground retail, enlarged the basement, and created an underground parking garage. Part of this enlarged campus later operated as Goldsmith's Furniture Gallery. Belz Enterprises began constructing the enclosed Oak Court Mall immediately west of the Goldsmith's property in 1986. The mall opened in 1988 with Lord & Taylor and Goldsmith's as its anchor stores. Its unusual physical arrangement placed the first floor below ground and the second floor at ground level. The mall was therefore closely integrated with the earlier department-store building, parking structures, and surrounding office and commercial uses. Lord & Taylor left the property in 1992 during a period of downsizing. Dillard's took over the former Lord & Taylor space after relocating from Poplar Plaza. In 1995, Dillard's expanded into the center court, using the new store for men's and children's merchandise while the original western location became the women's store. The center-court Dillard's operation had an attached parking garage and provided access between the mall, parking, and office-building portions of the site. Federated Department Stores converted Goldsmith's stores to the Macy's name in 2005. The former Goldsmith's became a very large Macy's location and was described as the largest Macy's store in the region. Oak Court also hosted the first Starbucks location in Tennessee. That shop closed in 2013 and was relocated to the second level of Macy's. The retail complex later experienced anchor contraction and management changes. The separate Dillard's men's and children's store closed in 2021. The Woodmont Company managed the property from 2021, and Poag Development Group became the manager in 2024. Macy's announced in January 2025 that the Oak Court store would close as part of a national store-reduction program; it shut in March 2025. On April 28, 2025, plans were announced to close and demolish the mall for redevelopment. The Macy's building was demolished in February 2026, with demolition of the remaining mall structures planned later in 2026. Poag had not disclosed the ultimate replacement project in the cited material, but indicated that Dillard's and portions of the office-park and banking uses would remain. The enclosed mall closed on April 20, 2026, while those retained uses continued operating.

• 2026

  Enclosed mall closes for redevelopment

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Oak Court Mall closed on April 20, 2026, while Dillard's and other retained property uses remained open.

• 2025

  Macy's closes

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Macy's closed the Oak Court location in March after announcing it as part of a national closure program.

• 2021

  Dillard's secondary store closes

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The separate men's and children's Dillard's store in the center court ceased operation.

• 2013

  First Tennessee Starbucks location relocates

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's original Starbucks, identified as the first in Tennessee, closed and was replaced by a location on Macy's second level.

• 2005

  Goldsmith's becomes Macy's

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Federated Department Stores rebranded Goldsmith's locations as Macy's, converting Oak Court's original anchor.

• 1995

  Dillard's expands and separates departments

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dillard's added a center-court store for men's and children's merchandise while its original store became the women's location.

• 1992

  Dillard's replaces Lord & Taylor

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Lord & Taylor closed its Oak Court store, and Dillard's moved into the former anchor location.

• 1988

  Oak Court Mall opens

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opened with Lord & Taylor and Goldsmith's as its principal anchors.

• 1986

  Construction begins

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Belz Enterprises began construction of the enclosed mall west of the existing Goldsmith's store.

• 1961

  Goldsmith's opens on the future Oak Court site

  [1]Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A freestanding three-story Goldsmith's department store opened on the property, establishing the retail site that later became part of Oak Court Mall.

A regional enclosed shopping center serving Memphis with department-store anchors, specialty retailers, dining, and integrated parking and office uses. Its identity was built around established local retail infrastructure, particularly the former Goldsmith's store, rather than around a standalone new mall site.

• Shopping center · 1988

  Enclosed shopping mall

  Oak Court's core offering was an enclosed, multi-level retail environment in Memphis. It combined department stores, specialty shops, food and beverage operators, parking facilities, and connections to office and other commercial uses. The mall's physical design incorporated the earlier Goldsmith's property and used a below-grade first floor with a second floor at ground level.

• Department store · 1992

  Dillard's

  Dillard's became an Oak Court anchor in 1992 after taking over the former Lord & Taylor store. From 1995 to 2021, its presence was divided between a women's store at the west end and a separate center-court men's and children's store. After the latter closed, the principal Dillard's store remained the surviving traditional mall anchor.

• Department store · 2005

  Macy's

  Macy's occupied the former Goldsmith's department-store building after Federated Department Stores rebranded Goldsmith's in 2005. The location was a major regional store, with only its second and third floors open to the public near closure. Macy's announced the store's closure in January 2025 and shut it in March 2025.

• Department store · 1988

  Lord & Taylor

  Lord & Taylor was one of Oak Court Mall's two opening anchors in 1988. The retailer closed its location in 1992 during a period of downsizing, after which Dillard's occupied the site.

• 2025

  Close and redevelop the mallStrategy

  Background

  The property faced anchor contraction after Macy's announced its closure and the mall's enclosed retail component was targeted for redevelopment.

  Action taken

  Plans were announced to close and demolish the enclosed mall while retaining Dillard's and selected office, banking, and property uses.

  Aftermath

  The mall closed on April 20, 2026. The cited material did not identify the final redevelopment program.

  Source

• 2021

  Close Dillard's men's and children's storeStrategy

  Background

  Dillard's had operated separate men's and children's departments in a center-court store since its 1995 expansion.

  Action taken

  The retailer closed the separate center-court operation and retained its main store.

  Aftermath

  Dillard's became Oak Court's sole remaining traditional anchor after Macy's later closure.

  Source

• 2005

  Convert Goldsmith's to Macy'sStrategy

  Background

  Federated Department Stores owned the Goldsmith's locations and undertook a broader brand conversion.

  Action taken

  The Goldsmith's store at Oak Court was rebranded as Macy's.

  Aftermath

  The property retained a major department-store anchor under the Macy's name until the store closed in 2025.

  Source

• 1992

  Replace Lord & Taylor with Dillard'sStrategy

  Background

  Lord & Taylor closed its Oak Court location during a period of store downsizing.

  Action taken

  Dillard's moved from Poplar Plaza into the former Lord & Taylor anchor space.

  Aftermath

  Dillard's became one of Oak Court's principal anchors and later expanded its presence within the mall.

  Source

1. 1Oak Court Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Oak Court Mall official websiteoakcourtmall.com