Orland Square Mall

Orland Square Mall is a regional shopping center in Orland Park, Illinois, in the Chicago metropolitan area's Southland region. The property opened on March 15, 1976, with Marshall Field's and Sears as its original department-store anchors. JCPenney joined the center in April 1977, followed by Carson Pirie Scott in October of the same year. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and built by Inland-Robbins Construction Company, the mall became a significant commercial destination for Orland Park and surrounding communities. The center covers approximately 1.23 million square feet, making it one of the largest enclosed retail properties in the Chicago Southland. Its trade area includes Frankfort, Homer Glen, Mokena, New Lenox, Oak Forest, Orland Hills, Orland Park, and Tinley Park. The mall's growth has been closely connected with the broader suburban development of the area, and it has served not only as a retail venue but also as a gathering and entertainment destination. Orland Square has undergone several important periods of change. A fire destroyed the Buy The Weigh candy store in July 1994, and the mall received a major remodeling the following year. A later renovation in 2012 updated entrances, signage, flooring, lighting, and the food court. The property also expanded its nontraditional retail and entertainment mix through nearby or freestanding venues, including Dave & Buster's, Cheesecake Factory, Gizmo's Fun Factory, Sky Zone Trampoline Park, and Texas de Brazil. The department-store lineup changed substantially in the 2000s and 2010s. Macy's assumed the former Marshall Field's location in 2006 after Federated Department Stores acquired May Department Stores. Sears announced the closure of its anchor in 2018, and the building was subsequently sold to Cubework. Carson's and its furniture gallery also closed in 2018 after the bankruptcy of its parent company. The former Carson's space was reconstructed for Von Maur, which opened in November 2019. Other notable tenants and additions have included H&M, Hot Topic, Gap, Half Price Books, Duluth Trading Company, and Cheesecake Factory. As of the available reference material, the mall's principal department-store anchors include JCPenney, Macy's, and Von Maur. In 2025, Dick's Sporting Goods announced plans for a large-format Dick's House of Sport in the former Sears building. Construction was expected to start in 2027, with completion anticipated in 2029. The planned project illustrates the property's continuing repositioning from a traditional department-store-centered mall toward a broader mix of retail, dining, sports, and entertainment uses. Orland Square Mall remains an active suburban retail property operated under the Simon Property Group portfolio. Its history reflects the evolution of enclosed American shopping centers: an expansionary 1970s opening, periodic physical renovations, department-store ownership changes, anchor closures, adaptive reuse, and continued attempts to maintain relevance through experiential and specialty tenants.

Orland Square opened in Orland Park on March 15, 1976, during a period of rapid suburban expansion around Chicago. Its initial anchor lineup consisted of Marshall Field's and Sears. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the shopping center, while Inland-Robbins Construction Company completed its construction. JCPenney opened on April 6, 1977, and Carson Pirie Scott followed on October 31, 1977, giving the mall a conventional department-store-centered format typical of major American suburban malls of the period. The property became an important commercial hub for Orland Park and adjacent communities in Chicago's Southland. Its approximately 1.23 million square feet of space placed it among the largest shopping centers in the region. The surrounding trade area included Frankfort, Homer Glen, Mokena, New Lenox, Oak Forest, Orland Hills, Orland Park, and Tinley Park. The mall's development helped reinforce Orland Park's role as a retail and commercial center for the south and southwest suburbs. A fire destroyed the Buy The Weigh candy store on July 21, 1994. Orland Square underwent a major remodel the following year. The tenant mix continued to evolve in the 2000s. H&M opened in the Sears wing in November 2004, and Macy's took over the former Marshall Field's location in 2006 after the corporate transactions involving Federated Department Stores and May Department Stores. Hot Topic opened near JCPenney in September 2002, shortly before a comparable store opened at Woodfield Mall. The mall expanded its mix beyond conventional retail during the 2010s. Half Price Books opened outside the mall in 2010, while Ruby Tuesday closed in 2011. A substantial renovation in 2012 refreshed the entrances, signage, flooring, lighting, and food court. Dave & Buster's opened in a freestanding location in the parking area on September 22, 2012, and Cheesecake Factory opened on December 5 of that year. Gap was added near Sears in January 2013. In November 2016, Gizmo's Fun Factory and Sky Zone Trampoline Park added further entertainment-oriented uses near the former Carson's Furniture Gallery. The mall's anchor structure changed sharply after 2017. Sears announced in January 2018 that it would close its store, and the building was sold to Cubework. Carson's and its Furniture Gallery were announced for closure in April 2018 after the failure of their parent company. The former Carson's building was then reconstructed for Von Maur, which opened on November 2, 2019. Texas de Brazil also opened in 2019 in the upper level near the former Sears area. Duluth Trading Company joined the property in August 2020. The mall has continued to pursue replacement and repositioning strategies as department-store retail has contracted. In 2025, Dick's Sporting Goods announced plans to place a large-format Dick's House of Sport in the former Sears building. The project was expected to begin construction in 2027 and reach completion in 2029. Together with dining and entertainment tenants, the planned sports concept indicates an effort to diversify the mall's use beyond traditional apparel and department-store shopping. Orland Square is currently associated with Simon Property Group and remains an active regional mall. Its history combines long-term suburban commercial growth with the pressures facing enclosed malls across the United States, including anchor turnover, corporate bankruptcies, renovations, experiential retail, and adaptive reuse of large department-store spaces.

• 2025

  Dick's House of Sport announced

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dick's Sporting Goods announced plans for a large-format Dick's House of Sport in the former Sears building.

• 2019

  Von Maur opens

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Von Maur opened in the reconstructed former Carson's anchor building on November 2.

• 2018

  Sears and Carson's anchors depart

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sears announced its closure, and Carson's and its Furniture Gallery closed after the bankruptcy of their parent company.

• 2012

  Renovation and entertainment expansion

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A major renovation refreshed the mall, while Dave & Buster's and Cheesecake Factory opened during the year.

• 2006

  Macy's replaces Marshall Field's

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Macy's assumed control of the former Marshall Field's location.

• 2004

  H&M opens

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  H&M opened in the Sears wing on November 12.

• 1995

  Major remodeling completed

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall received a major remodel following the 1994 fire.

• 1994

  Buy The Weigh store destroyed by fire

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A fire destroyed the Buy The Weigh candy store on July 21.

• 1977

  JCPenney and Carson Pirie Scott join the mall

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney opened on April 6, followed by Carson Pirie Scott on October 31.

• 1976

  Mall opens

  [1]Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Orland Square opened on March 15 with Marshall Field's and Sears as its initial anchor stores.

A large regional shopping and entertainment destination serving Chicago's Southland, combining department stores, specialty retail, restaurants, and leisure venues.

• Retail · 1976

  Department-store retail

  Orland Square's core offer is department-store shopping, represented by JCPenney, Macy's, and Von Maur. These stores provide broad assortments across apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods, and other general merchandise. The anchor mix has changed over time as Marshall Field's became Macy's, Sears closed, and Carson's was replaced by Von Maur.

• Retail · 2002

  Specialty retail

  The mall's specialty-retail mix has included fashion, youth apparel, books, and lifestyle goods. Examples mentioned in the mall's history include H&M, Hot Topic, Gap, Half Price Books, and Duluth Trading Company. These tenants complement the department stores and help serve different customer segments within the regional trade area.

• Food and beverage · 2012

  Dining

  Dining is an important part of the property's repositioned offer. The mall has included Cheesecake Factory and Texas de Brazil, along with food-court services and other restaurant uses. These venues extend visits beyond conventional shopping and support the center's role as a social and leisure destination.

• Entertainment · 2012

  Entertainment and recreation

  Orland Square's broader property has added entertainment concepts such as Dave & Buster's, Gizmo's Fun Factory, and Sky Zone Trampoline Park. These uses reflect the mall's effort to diversify into experiences and family recreation as traditional department-store traffic patterns have changed.

• Sporting goods

  Dick's House of Sport

  Dick's Sporting Goods announced a planned large-format Dick's House of Sport for the former Sears building. The concept is intended to combine sporting-goods retail with a broader, experience-oriented format. Construction was expected to begin in 2027, with an anticipated opening in 2029.

• 2025

  Planned Dick's House of Sport conversionProduct launch

  Background

  The former Sears building became available after Sears announced its closure and the property was sold to Cubework.

  Action taken

  Dick's Sporting Goods announced plans to open a large-format Dick's House of Sport in the building, with construction expected to begin in 2027.

  Aftermath

  The planned project would further shift the former department-store space toward specialty sporting-goods retail and experiential shopping, with completion expected in 2029.

  Source

• 2019

  Replacement of Carson's with Von MaurM&A

  Background

  Carson's and its Furniture Gallery closed after the bankruptcy of their parent company, leaving a major anchor building vacant.

  Action taken

  The former Carson's anchor building was reconstructed for Von Maur, which opened on November 2.

  Aftermath

  The project preserved a department-store anchor while replacing the failed Carson's operation with a different retailer.

  Source

• 2012

  Property-wide renovation and experience expansionStrategy

  Background

  The mall sought to update its physical presentation and broaden its appeal beyond conventional retail.

  Action taken

  The property upgraded entrances, signage, floors, lighting, and the food court, while adding or supporting entertainment and dining uses including Dave & Buster's and Cheesecake Factory.

  Aftermath

  The changes gave Orland Square a more contemporary environment and strengthened its role as a shopping, dining, and entertainment destination.

  Source

• 1995

  Remodel after 1994 fireOther

  Background

  A fire had destroyed the Buy The Weigh candy store in 1994, and the mall also required periodic modernization as the property matured.

  Action taken

  Orland Square underwent a major remodel in 1995.

  Aftermath

  The renovation marked an early major refresh of the center after its opening-era construction.

  Source

1. 1Orland Square Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Simon Property Group: Orland Square Mallsimon.com