Plaza del Lago

Plaza del Lago is an open-air shopping center at 1515 Sheridan Road in Wilmette, Illinois. It is identified as the second-oldest open-air shopping center in the United States and occupies a site with a distinctive history tied to the former No Man's Land area along Chicago's North Shore. The center began in 1928 as Spanish Court, an ambitious Spanish-style retail and entertainment development created during the economic expansion of the 1920s. Its original layout combined shops, apartments, a garage, a restaurant, and a movie theater around a central drive and parking area. That arrangement was an early example of a shopping environment organized around automobile access while retaining an architectural and social identity distinct from a conventional downtown retail street. The development was designed by architect Edwin Hill Clark. The original complex included Teatro del Lago, a Spanish-themed movie palace that opened before the remainder of the center and accommodated approximately 1,300 patrons. The theater presented silent films with organ accompaniment and became one of the area's notable entertainment venues. Other early occupants included Spanish Court Pharmacy and Bills Realty. The site was also connected to the surrounding community through its employees and visitors; people associated with the theater included figures who later became publicly prominent, although the center is primarily significant for its architectural and commercial history. The surrounding district experienced a difficult period after the original development. A fire in the 1930s destroyed much of the area's prominent construction, and the former No Man's Land area acquired a reputation for low-quality roadside businesses and poor conditions. Wilmette annexed the area in January 1942. In the 1960s, Evanston attorney Plato Foufas, working with attorney Joseph Stefan, acquired Spanish Court and began a major redevelopment. The project sought to restore the site's commercial appeal while adapting it to contemporary retail requirements. Teatro del Lago was demolished in December 1965 after redevelopment and parking proposals failed to progress, and a Jewel supermarket was later built near the theater's former location. The redevelopment, begun in 1967, replaced the former garage with arcade-style shops arranged along an indoor passage designed to resemble a Spanish street. New structures were added, while the former five-story apartment building was removed and replaced by retail space. The center was renamed Plaza del Lago after the work was completed. Its bell tower, retained from the earlier Spanish Court design, remains a defining visual feature. A Howard Johnson's restaurant also operated at the complex from 1967 into the early 1980s; the premises later housed The Ground Round and then Convito Italiano before being replaced by a newer stucco building containing several shops. Plaza del Lago benefited from its location in a densely populated North Shore community with relatively limited nearby shopping-center competition. The property was appraised as successful in 1979, and Foufas and Stefan also developed lakefront cooperative housing across Sheridan Road. In July 2017, the center was offered for sale following the death of longtime owner Joseph Moss. Retail Properties of America announced its acquisition on January 3, 2018, for $48 million. The center continues to operate as a local and destination-oriented retail property, with a tenant mix that includes fashion and lifestyle labels such as Lily Pulitzer, James Perse, Jenni Kayne, Veronica Beard, and rag & bone. Future tenant announcements have included Oscar de la Renta, Thom Browne, Peter Millar, and Hermès, which are expected to open stores at Plaza del Lago in 2026. In addition to retail, the center hosts recurring community programming such as summer concerts, art shows, classic-car events, sidewalk sales, children's races, and occasional winter carriage rides.

The site of Plaza del Lago was originally part of an undeveloped tract known as No Man's Land. The area had been associated with landowner Henry Gage, but unlike the rest of his property it was not initially annexed by Wilmette. During the 1920s, the tract remained largely vacant and was bordered by gas stations, while Sheridan Road was still unpaved. Although Wilmette's planning efforts contemplated using the area as a park, that plan was not implemented before the tract's commercial development became possible. During the prosperity of the 1920s, a group of North Shore businesspeople proposed an elegant Spanish-themed retail and entertainment complex. Architect Edwin Hill Clark prepared plans in 1926 and 1927. The scheme called for several buildings arranged along the west side of Sheridan Road, with a central drive and parking area. It included a movie theater, shops, a restaurant, apartments, and a 50-car garage. This combination of retail, entertainment, residential space, and automobile access was innovative for its period. The complex opened in 1928 under the name Spanish Court. Teatro del Lago opened in 1927, before the rest of the development, as a 1,300-seat movie palace with Spanish architectural detailing and an organ for silent-film accompaniment. Early commercial occupants included Spanish Court Pharmacy and Bills Realty. The surrounding district later deteriorated. A fire in the 1930s destroyed many prominent structures, and the area became associated with gas stations, roadside food stands, and a garbage dump. Wilmette annexed No Man's Land on January 6, 1942. A new phase began in the 1960s when Evanston attorney Plato Foufas, assisted by Joseph Stefan, acquired Spanish Court. They planned to rehabilitate the shopping center and the broader district. Teatro del Lago's owner, Sam Meyers, had considered constructing a parking garage, but the proposal did not receive final approval from the village. Foufas and Stefan subsequently purchased the theater property and demolished the theater in December 1965. A Jewel supermarket was later constructed near its former location. Redevelopment began in 1967. The 50-car garage was removed and replaced by arcade shops set along an indoor corridor designed to evoke a Spanish street, including a fountain. Additional buildings were constructed in the former theater parking area, and the five-story apartment building was demolished and replaced by retail space. The remodeled complex was renamed Plaza del Lago. Its bell tower, inherited from the original Spanish Court design, remained its principal architectural landmark. The redevelopment also included a restaurant site at the southeast end of the property. A Howard Johnson's operated there from 1967 into the early 1980s, despite disagreements over elements of the chain's standard design. The location subsequently became The Ground Round and later Convito Italiano, which remained until 2008. The structure was eventually demolished and replaced by a stucco building containing three shops. The center's commercial performance was attributed in part to the population density of the surrounding area and the limited supply of comparable shopping centers nearby. In 1979, Plaza del Lago was described as successful. Foufas and Stefan also developed cooperative high-rise housing along the lakefront across Sheridan Road. After longtime owner Joseph Moss died in 2017, the property was placed on the market. Retail Properties of America announced its purchase on January 3, 2018, for $48 million. Plaza del Lago remains an active open-air retail center. Its tenant mix has included Lily Pulitzer, James Perse, Jenni Kayne, Veronica Beard, and rag & bone. Announced future tenants include Oscar de la Renta, Thom Browne, Peter Millar, and Hermès, expected in 2026. The center also maintains a community role through summer concerts, art exhibitions, classic-car shows, sidewalk sales, children's races, and occasional winter carriage rides.

• 2026

  Luxury store openings planned

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  Oscar de la Renta, Thom Browne, Peter Millar, and Hermès are expected to open stores at the center.

• 2018

  Retail Properties of America becomes owner

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  Retail Properties of America announced the acquisition of Plaza del Lago.

• 2017

  Property is marketed for sale

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center was placed on the market following the death of longtime owner Joseph Moss.

• 1967

  Redeveloped center is renamed Plaza del Lago

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  The property was substantially remodeled with arcade shops, new structures, and a Spanish-street-inspired interior passage.

• 1965

  Teatro del Lago is demolished

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  The original movie theater was demolished during preparations for the shopping center's redevelopment.

• 1942

  No Man's Land is annexed by Wilmette

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  Wilmette annexed the area on January 6, bringing the former unincorporated tract into the village.

• 1928

  Spanish Court opens

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  The broader shopping and entertainment complex opened along Sheridan Road in Wilmette.

• 1927

  Teatro del Lago opens

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  The 1,300-seat Spanish-themed movie theater opened before the remainder of the Spanish Court complex.

• 1926

  Spanish Court plans are developed

  [1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  Plans were prepared for a Spanish-style retail and entertainment complex on the largely undeveloped No Man's Land tract.

A historically styled, community-oriented open-air shopping center with an increasingly upscale fashion and lifestyle tenant mix.

• Retail property · 1928

  Open-air shopping center

  Plaza del Lago's principal offering is a walkable open-air shopping environment combining retail storefronts, restaurants, services, parking, and community programming. Its Spanish-inspired architectural elements, including the bell tower and arcade-style circulation areas, distinguish it from a conventional enclosed mall.

• Apparel and accessories

  Fashion and lifestyle boutiques

  The center hosts contemporary, premium, and luxury fashion retailers. Reported tenants include Lily Pulitzer, James Perse, Jenni Kayne, Veronica Beard, and rag & bone, while planned 2026 openings include Oscar de la Renta, Thom Browne, Peter Millar, and Hermès.

• Events and entertainment

  Community events

  Recurring programming includes summer concerts, art shows, classic-car displays, sidewalk sales, children's races, and occasional winter carriage rides. These activities support the center's role as a local gathering place as well as a retail destination.

• 2018

  Acquisition by Retail Properties of AmericaM&A

  Background

  Plaza del Lago was marketed for sale in 2017 after the death of longtime owner Joseph Moss.

  Action taken

  Retail Properties of America acquired the shopping center for $48 million.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition transferred ownership to a retail-property operator while the center continued operating in Wilmette.

  Acquisition price. $48 million (2018 acquisition)

  Source

• 1967

  Redevelopment and rebranding as Plaza del LagoStrategy

  Background

  The former Spanish Court complex required modernization after the surrounding district's decline and changes in retail and entertainment patterns.

  Action taken

  The owners removed the former garage, demolished Teatro del Lago and a five-story apartment building, added retail structures, and created a Spanish-street-inspired shopping passage. The property was renamed Plaza del Lago.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment established the center's present identity and preserved selected Spanish architectural features, including the bell tower.

  Source

• 2026

  Luxury fashion tenants announced for 2026[1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Oscar de la Renta, Thom Browne, Peter Millar, and Hermès are expected to open stores at Plaza del Lago, further strengthening its luxury-oriented retail profile.

• 2018

  Retail Properties of America acquires Plaza del Lago[1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Retail Properties of America announced that it had purchased Plaza del Lago for $48 million, changing the property's ownership.

• 2017

  Plaza del Lago is put up for sale[1]Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Other

  The Wilmette shopping center was marketed for sale in July 2017 after the death of longtime owner Joseph Moss.

1. 1Plaza del Lagoen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Plaza del Lago official websiteplazadellago.com