Richardson Square Mall
A former enclosed shopping mall in Richardson, Texas, that operated from 1977 until 2006.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Richardson Square Mall was an enclosed, single-level shopping center on Plano Road in Richardson, Texas, between Belt Line Road and Spring Valley Road. It opened in 1977 around an existing Sears store and became one of the principal retail destinations in the Richardson area during the 1980s. The complex had four major anchors: Sears, Montgomery Ward, Dillard's, and Titche-Goettinger, the latter becoming Joske's in 1979 and later a second Dillard's location after Dillard's acquired the Joske's chain in 1987. The mall's Sears building had opened independently on March 6, 1974, three years before the enclosed mall. Sears and Montgomery Ward occupied single-level spaces, while the original Dillard's and Titche-Goettinger/Joske's anchor spaces were two stories. During its strongest period, Richardson Square was reportedly fully leased and offered a conventional suburban mall mix of department stores, specialty retailers, food vendors, bookstores, music stores, entertainment, and a General Cinema theater. Its attractions included the Richardson Square I-II-III movie theater, a video-game arcade, Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, Musicland, Camelot Music, and several quick-service food outlets. The property remained popular even after Collin Creek Mall opened nearby in Plano in 1981. An L-shaped strip of freestanding stores was added on the part of the site closest to Lloyd V. Berkner High School in 1984–85. The mall also operated under Texas's former Sunday-closing restrictions until September 1, 1985, when the state's blue law was repealed. Richardson Square entered a prolonged decline in the early 1990s. By 1993, occupancy had fallen to approximately 60 percent, and stores began leaving the center. A major 1998 remodeling attempted to reposition the property by adding a food court and combining multiple smaller storefronts into larger spaces. Barnes & Noble took over a substantial area, while Stein Mart occupied a former entertainment and food-service corridor near Sears. These changes did not reverse the center's long-term difficulties. Montgomery Ward's bankruptcy in 2001 accelerated the deterioration. Its former pad was demolished and replaced by a Super Target that opened in 2002. Stein Mart, Oshman's, and other tenants subsequently departed. The opening of Firewheel Town Center in nearby Garland in 2005 drew away several prominent tenants, including Dillard's, Old Navy, and Barnes & Noble. Richardson Square Mall closed in 2006 and was demolished in 2007, although the Sears building remained. The site was redeveloped as Richardson Square, an open-air retail center. The successor property included the former mall's Super Target and other retailers such as Ross Dress for Less, Shoe Carnival, and Lowe's. Sears continued operating as part of the retail center until March 10, 2019, after its closure was announced in connection with a nationwide store-closing program. Later redevelopment proposals described plans to renovate or replace the former Sears building and create additional open-air retail space. These subsequent projects belong to Richardson Square rather than to the defunct enclosed mall itself.
History
Richardson Square Mall developed from a Sears department store that opened on March 6, 1974, on Plano Road in Richardson, Texas. The enclosed mall opened three years later and made the Sears store one of four anchors. The other anchors were Montgomery Ward, Dillard's, and Titche-Goettinger. Titche-Goettinger became Joske's in 1979, and after Dillard's acquired Joske's in 1987, the location operated as a second Dillard's. Sears and Montgomery Ward were single-level buildings, while the two other anchor spaces had two floors. During the 1980s, Richardson Square was a successful suburban mall and was described as fully leased. Its tenant mix reflected the standard American enclosed-mall model of the period: department stores, apparel and specialty retailers, bookstores, music stores, food vendors, and entertainment. The mall included the Richardson Square I-II-III theater operated by General Cinema and a video-game arcade. Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, Musicland, and Camelot Music were among the specialty tenants. Food outlets were concentrated near the Sears and Montgomery Ward entrances. An L-shaped strip of freestanding stores was added during 1984–85. The mall also began opening on Sundays in September 1985 after repeal of Texas's blue-law restrictions on Sunday retailing. Competition increased after Collin Creek Mall opened in nearby Plano in 1981, but Richardson Square continued to attract shoppers for much of the decade. Its position weakened in the early 1990s as stores closed and the property lost occupancy. By 1993, approximately 40 percent of the mall's space was vacant. Management pursued a substantial renovation in 1998. The project introduced a food court, combined numerous small spaces into larger units, brought in Barnes & Noble, and converted a former movie-theater and food-service corridor near Sears into a Stein Mart. These changes refreshed the property but did not restore its earlier tenant strength. The closure of Montgomery Ward stores following the retailer's 2001 bankruptcy removed a key anchor. The former Montgomery Ward pad was demolished and replaced by a Super Target, which opened in 2002. Other departures followed, including Stein Mart and Oshman's. Firewheel Town Center, an open-air retail project in nearby Garland, opened in 2005 and attracted several prominent Richardson Square tenants, including Dillard's, Old Navy, and Barnes & Noble. The mall closed in 2006 and was demolished in 2007. The site was subsequently reorganized as Richardson Square, an outdoor retail center. The redevelopment retained or added retailers including Super Target, Ross Dress for Less, Shoe Carnival, and Lowe's. Sears, the surviving former mall anchor, continued operating at the site until 2019. Its closure marked the end of the last major physical remnant of the original mall's retail operation. Later proposals concerning the former Sears building and additional open-air development should be treated as the history of Richardson Square, the successor retail center, rather than as continued operation of Richardson Square Mall.
- 2019
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store, the last major surviving component of the original mall, closed on March 10, 2019.
- 2007
Mall is demolished
[1]The enclosed mall was demolished, while Sears remained standing.
- 2006
Mall closes
[1]Richardson Square Mall ended operations.
- 2005
Firewheel Town Center opens nearby
[1]The opening of Firewheel Town Center contributed to further tenant departures from Richardson Square Mall.
- 2002
Super Target replaces Montgomery Ward
[1]The former Montgomery Ward pad was demolished and replaced with a Super Target.
- 2001
Montgomery Ward files for bankruptcy
[1]Montgomery Ward's bankruptcy led to the closure of its store and the loss of a principal mall anchor.
- 1998
Major remodeling is completed
[1]The mall added a food court and larger-format retail spaces, including areas for Barnes & Noble and Stein Mart.
- 1993
Occupancy falls during the decline
[1]The property's occupancy rate had fallen to about 60 percent.
- 1987
Joske's becomes Dillard's
[1]Dillard's acquired Joske's and converted the mall's former Joske's space into a second Dillard's store.
- 1985
Sunday opening begins
[1]The mall began opening on Sundays on September 1 after Texas repealed its blue-law restrictions.
Products and positioning
A suburban regional shopping mall serving Richardson and surrounding North Texas communities, with department-store anchors, specialty retail, dining, and entertainment.
Retail property · 1977
Enclosed shopping mall
Richardson Square Mall provided an enclosed suburban retail environment with department-store anchors, specialty shops, food vendors, and entertainment. Its tenant mix changed over time, moving from many smaller specialty stores in its peak period toward larger-format tenants during the 1998 renovation.
Cinema and entertainment
Richardson Square I-II-III
The mall included a General Cinema movie theater known as Richardson Square I-II-III. General Cinema later built a six-screen expansion across Plano Road while retaining the original in-mall location.
Dining · 1998
Food court
A food court was added during the 1998 remodeling as part of an effort to modernize the mall and create a more concentrated dining area. Earlier food vendors had operated in entrance corridors near Sears and Montgomery Ward.
Brand decisions
2007
Conversion of the property to Richardson SquareStrategyBackground
The enclosed mall had closed after sustained vacancy and tenant migration to newer retail formats, including Firewheel Town Center.
Action taken
The mall was demolished while Sears remained, and the site was redeveloped as an open-air retail center.
Aftermath
The successor center operated with retailers including Super Target, Ross Dress for Less, Shoe Carnival, and Lowe's.
2002
Replacement of Montgomery Ward with Super TargetStrategyBackground
Montgomery Ward's 2001 bankruptcy left a vacant anchor pad at the mall.
Action taken
The former Montgomery Ward pad was demolished and replaced by a Super Target store.
Aftermath
Super Target became part of the successor Richardson Square retail center after the enclosed mall closed.
1998
Mall renovation and tenant consolidationStrategyBackground
The property was losing stores and occupancy in the 1990s, creating pressure to refresh the tenant mix and physical layout.
Action taken
Management remodeled the mall, added a food court, and combined multiple smaller storefronts into larger spaces for tenants such as Barnes & Noble and Stein Mart.
Aftermath
The renovation temporarily introduced new tenants but did not prevent continued anchor and specialty-store departures.
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