Oxmoor Center

Oxmoor Center is a regional shopping mall on Shelbyville Road in Louisville, Kentucky. It opened on February 8, 1971, across the Watterson Expressway from Mall St. Matthews and became one of the Louisville area's principal enclosed retail destinations. The center was developed on land associated with Oxmoor Farm. Because the property was held under an inheritance trust with restrictions on selling it for a specified period, the mall was established as a leasehold rather than on land owned outright by the shopping-center operator. The restriction later expired, enabling other development in the surrounding area, including the Oxmoor Woods subdivision, while Oxmoor Center continued to operate as a leaseholder. At opening, the mall's principal department-store anchors were Shillito's and Stewart's. Its early tenant mix combined department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment, and services. The center included a large circular fountain in its central atrium, a restaurant within the three-story Shillito's store, a furrier adjacent to Stewart's, a cinema complex, and an upper-level Putters Park attraction. The mall's movie operation expanded from its original two larger auditoriums to six screens during the 1980s. Other early tenants included Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, apparel and footwear stores, a cafeteria, gift shops, and local service businesses. Department-store consolidation and banner changes reshaped the mall over subsequent decades. Shillito's became Shillito Rikes in 1982, Lazarus in 1986, Lazarus-Macy's in 2003, and Macy's in 2005. Stewart's also passed through several operators and names, including Ayres, Ben Snyder's, Hess's, and Jacobson's, before becoming Von Maur. These changes preserved department-store anchoring while reflecting broader changes in American retailing. The Famous Blue Boar Cafeteria, an original tenant, closed in 1995, as did Rax. Oxmoor Center added an upper-level food court in 1989. Kohl's opened a separate two-level store beside the mall in 1996, and a major reconstruction completed in 1998 introduced an octagonal main entrance, vaulted ceilings, new escalators, and a redesigned north facade. The center also added a large-format sporting-goods presence: Galyan's Trading Company opened in a new two-level building in 2001 and was converted into Dick's Sporting Goods in 2004. In 2013, the center announced and completed another substantial renovation. The existing central mezzanine, including the food court and several smaller retail spaces, was removed and replaced with a new center court. The project added seating and a children's play area and was finished in time for the 2013 holiday shopping season. Sears, which had opened a relocated store at Oxmoor Center in 1984, announced in 2017 that its location would close in January 2018. The former Sears footprint was subsequently redeveloped for Topgolf, which opened at the mall in May 2023, adding an entertainment-oriented use to the center's retail and dining mix. Chicken Salad Chick opened at Oxmoor Center in April 2024. The center contains approximately 960,000 square feet of retail space. Its current identity combines traditional department-store anchoring with sporting goods, restaurants, and experiential entertainment. Macy's, Von Maur, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Topgolf are identified as principal anchors or major destinations. Oxmoor Center is owned and managed within the GGP and Brookfield Properties portfolio and primarily serves Louisville and nearby communities rather than operating as a national consumer-products brand.

Oxmoor Center opened on February 8, 1971, in Louisville, Kentucky, on the opposite side of the Watterson Expressway from Mall St. Matthews. Its original anchors were Shillito's and Stewart's. The center was built on land connected to Oxmoor Farm, but the land's trust status prevented an outright sale for a period of time. As a result, the mall operated on leased land, a property arrangement that remained significant even after the relevant restriction expired. The original mall was designed as a broad retail and leisure destination. Shillito's occupied a three-story building at the eastern end and included a small restaurant, while Stewart's occupied the western end. A Yudofsky Furriers store stood near Stewart's, and the central atrium featured a large circular fountain. Early specialty tenants included apparel stores, a shoe retailer, a tobacco shop, an imported-goods store, a candle shop, a custom tailor, and restaurants. The upper level included Putters Park and a cinema operation. Two larger ground-floor auditoriums were later supplemented by four smaller screens, bringing the complex to six cinemas during the 1980s. In July 1984, a Sears store opened in a new wing over the Middle Fork of Beargrass Creek. The two original department-store anchors subsequently changed names as the American department-store industry consolidated. Shillito's became Shillito Rikes in 1982, Lazarus in 1986, Lazarus-Macy's in 2003, and Macy's in 2005. Stewart's underwent several additional changes, becoming associated with Ayres, Ben Snyder's, Hess's, and Jacobson's before ultimately operating as Von Maur. The Famous Blue Boar Cafeteria, which had been an original tenant, closed in 1995 along with Rax. The mall added an upper-level food court in 1989. A two-level Kohl's store opened beside the mall in April 1996. A major reconstruction completed in 1998 updated the property's physical identity through a new octagonal main entrance, vaulted ceilings, escalators, and a redesigned north facade. Oxmoor Center also pursued larger-format retail: Galyan's Trading Company opened a two-level building in the front parking area in October 2001, and that store was converted into Dick's Sporting Goods in October 2004. The center underwent another major physical change during 2013. Its central mezzanine, which contained the food court and several retailers, was demolished and replaced with a new center court. The project added seating areas and a play area near the Sears store and was completed before the 2013 Christmas shopping season. The renovation reflected an effort to make the mall more comfortable and contemporary while preserving its role as a regional shopping destination. Sears announced on October 6, 2017, that its Oxmoor Center location would close on January 14, 2018. The former department-store footprint later received a different type of use: Topgolf opened there in May 2023. This redevelopment broadened the center's mix beyond conventional retail by adding a major entertainment attraction. Chicken Salad Chick opened in April 2024, further extending the dining component. Oxmoor Center now encompasses approximately 960,000 square feet of retail space. It is associated with GGP and Brookfield Properties, which own and manage the center within a larger shopping-center portfolio. Its principal destinations include Macy's, Von Maur, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Topgolf. The mall's history illustrates the evolution of an enclosed suburban shopping center from department-store-led retail and cinemas toward a mixed format incorporating food, services, sporting goods, and experiential entertainment.

• 2024

  Chicken Salad Chick opens

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Chicken Salad Chick opened a restaurant at the center in April.

• 2023

  Topgolf opens

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Topgolf opened in May on the former Sears site.

• 2018

  Sears closes

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The Sears store closed on January 14 after operating at Oxmoor Center since 1984.

• 2013

  Center-court renovation is completed

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The central mezzanine and food-court area were replaced with a new center court, seating areas, and a children's play area.

• 2005

  Lazarus-Macy's becomes Macy's

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The eastern department-store anchor adopted the Macy's name.

• 2004

  Galyan's becomes Dick's Sporting Goods

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The Galyan's location was subsumed into Dick's Sporting Goods.

• 2001

  Galyan's opens

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Galyan's Trading Company opened a new two-level store in the mall's front parking area.

• 1998

  Major reconstruction is completed

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The renovation introduced an octagonal entrance, vaulted ceilings, escalators, and an updated north facade.

• 1996

  Kohl's opens beside the mall

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A two-level Kohl's store opened next to Oxmoor Center in April.

• 1989

  Upper-level food court opens

  [1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Oxmoor Center added an upper-level food court as part of its evolving tenant and dining mix.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A regional Louisville shopping and entertainment destination combining established department stores, specialty retail, dining, sporting goods, and experiential attractions.

• Department store

  Macy's

  Macy's is the successor to Oxmoor Center's original Shillito's anchor. The store represents the mall's continuing department-store role and offers broad merchandise categories typically associated with a full-line department store, including apparel, accessories, home goods, and seasonal merchandise.

• Department store

  Von Maur

  Von Maur occupies the former Stewart's anchor position. Its presence preserves a traditional full-line department-store offer within the center while providing apparel, accessories, home products, and related services to regional shoppers.

• Sporting goods retailer · 2004

  Dick's Sporting Goods

  Dick's Sporting Goods occupies the former Galyan's location. The large-format store broadens Oxmoor Center's offer with athletic apparel, footwear, equipment, and outdoor-oriented merchandise. It replaced the Galyan's banner in 2004.

• Entertainment venue · 2023

  Topgolf

  Topgolf opened in May 2023 on the former Sears footprint. Its presence adds an experiential leisure use to the property, complementing the mall's retail and dining tenants with golf-based entertainment, social activities, and food and beverage service.

• Restaurant · 2024

  Chicken Salad Chick

  Chicken Salad Chick opened at Oxmoor Center in April 2024, adding a fast-casual restaurant to the center's food and dining mix.

• 2023

  Redevelop the former Sears footprint for TopgolfStrategy

  Background

  The closure of Sears created a large vacant anchor space that could support a nontraditional mall use.

  Action taken

  Topgolf opened on the former Sears site in May, adding an experiential entertainment destination.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment diversified Oxmoor Center beyond conventional department-store retail.

  Source

• 2013

  Replace the central mezzanine with a new center courtStrategy

  Background

  The mall sought to update its common areas and reposition the food-court portion of the property.

  Action taken

  The central mezzanine containing the food court and several retailers was removed and replaced with a center court featuring new seating and a play area.

  Aftermath

  The renovation was completed before the 2013 Christmas shopping season and supported a more contemporary, family-oriented common-area experience.

  Source

• 1998

  Modernize the mall's architectureStrategy

  Background

  The property required a substantial physical update as regional shopping competition and consumer expectations changed.

  Action taken

  The center completed a major reconstruction with a new octagonal entrance, vaulted ceilings, escalators, and a redesigned north facade.

  Aftermath

  The project refreshed the center's appearance and circulation while retaining its enclosed regional-mall format.

  Source

• 1984

  Add a new wing and Sears anchorStrategy

  Background

  Oxmoor Center expanded its physical footprint and anchor mix during the 1980s.

  Action taken

  A new wing was built over the Middle Fork of Beargrass Creek, opening a relocated Sears store in July.

  Aftermath

  Sears remained an anchor until its announced closure in 2017 and final shutdown in January 2018.

  Source

• 2024

  Chicken Salad Chick opens at Oxmoor Center[1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Chicken Salad Chick opened a restaurant at the center in April 2024, expanding its food and dining offer.

• 2023

  Topgolf opens at the former Sears site[1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Topgolf opened in May 2023 on the former Sears footprint, introducing a large-scale entertainment use to Oxmoor Center.

• 2017

  Sears announces closure of its Oxmoor Center store[1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Sears announced that its Oxmoor Center location would close in January 2018, ending the department store's tenure at the mall after its 1984 opening.

• 2013

  Oxmoor Center announces major renovation[1]Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The mall announced a reconstruction of its central mezzanine and food-court area, replacing it with a new center court, additional seating, and a children's play area.

1. 1Oxmoor Centeren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Oxmoor Center official websiteoxmoorcenter.com