Southland Center
An enclosed regional shopping mall in Taylor, Michigan, and the newest of metropolitan Detroit's original four "land" malls.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Southland Center is an enclosed regional shopping mall in Taylor, Michigan, a community in the southern Detroit metropolitan area. The property is one of the four original Detroit-area malls whose names use the geographic suffix "land," alongside Northland, Eastland, and Westland. It opened on July 20, 1970, after being planned by Detroit department-store operator Hudson's and developed by the newly formed Dayton-Hudson Corporation, created through the combination of Hudson's and Dayton's of Minneapolis. The mall was designed by Victor Gruen Associates and Louis G. Redstone Associates. Its original configuration centered on a large, three-level Hudson's department store measuring approximately 272,000 square feet. The initial tenant mix also included a Woolworth's discount store, a Kroger supermarket, a two-screen movie theater, and a combination of national and regional specialty retailers such as L.G. Haig, Lane Bryant, Winkelman's, and Hughes Hatcher Suffrin. Public transportation access was added in 1973 through expanded and new bus routes serving communities south and southwest of Detroit. Southland evolved repeatedly as retail formats changed. Kroger relocated across Eureka Road in 1975, allowing its former space to be divided and incorporated into a new retail wing. That expansion culminated in the opening of a two-level JCPenney store in October 1976. The mall's cinema expanded from two screens to four in 1983; the theater operator was later acquired by AMC Theatres, and the cinema closed in 1999. A western addition introduced a Mervyn's department store in 1988, the same year The Rouse Company acquired the property. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Southland added a food court, enlarged selected specialty stores, and replaced departing tenants with new uses. The food court, Picnic In The Garden, opened in 1992. Woolworth's closed later that year, while the former cinema site became a Borders Books & Music store in 2000. Hudson's was rebranded as Marshall Field's in 2001 and then converted to Macy's in 2006. Mervyn's left Michigan in 2006, and its former space was eventually redeveloped for Best Buy. Ownership and management changed as the commercial real-estate industry consolidated. The Rouse Company was acquired by General Growth Properties in 2004, and Rouse Properties was later separated from General Growth Properties in 2012. After Borders closed in 2011, the space was reused for a larger Forever 21 store. Southland also added tenants including rue21, Torrid, Taco Bell, and other specialty retailers, while several existing stores were renovated. A Shoe Carnival store opened in 2013 after smaller spaces near JCPenney were removed. A major repositioning began in 2014. The former Mervyn's space was selected for a 12-screen, all-digital Cinemark theater, accompanied by outdoor sit-down restaurants. The broader renovation replaced flooring and lighting, removed the central fountain, and introduced seating areas and electronic-device charging stations. Ulta opened in 2014, and H&M joined the tenant roster in 2015. The renovation was substantially completed during the summer of 2015. In 2018, part of Macy's third floor was converted into a Macy's Backstage department. Southland Center was sold by Brookfield Properties to Greenwood Global on January 25, 2025. Jones Lang LaSalle assumed management following the sale. In March 2025, Forever 21 closed its Southland location following the company's broader business shutdown. The mall remains an active regional shopping and entertainment destination anchored by Macy's, JCPenney, Best Buy, and Cinemark Theatres.
History
Southland Center was conceived as part of the expansion of enclosed suburban shopping in metropolitan Detroit. Hudson's, the Detroit department-store company, had considered a southern suburban mall as early as 1962. The project was designed by Victor Gruen Associates and Louis G. Redstone Associates, firms associated with the planning of large-scale American shopping centers. Development proceeded under Dayton-Hudson Corporation after Hudson's combined with Dayton's of Minneapolis. Construction began in August 1968. The mall opened on July 20, 1970, as Southland Mall. Its primary anchor was a three-level Hudson's department store of approximately 272,000 square feet. Other original components included a Woolworth's store, a Kroger supermarket, specialty retailers, and a two-screen cinema operated by Suburban Detroit Theatres. The theater opened on October 8, almost three months after the rest of the shopping center. The original tenant lineup reflected the department-store-led regional mall model of the period, combining clothing, footwear, groceries, general merchandise, and entertainment under one roof. Transportation connections expanded in 1973 when Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority extended service to the center from River Rouge, Ecorse, and Wyandotte and introduced routes from Melvindale, Allen Park, and Lincoln Park. Retail space changed significantly in the mid-1970s. Kroger moved to a larger building across Eureka Road in December 1975. Its former space was divided into smaller stores and connected to a new wing that included General Nutrition Centers and B. Dalton. The expansion ended in a new two-level JCPenney store, which opened on October 6, 1976. The cinema expanded from two screens to four in 1983. Suburban Detroit Theatres was sold to AMC Theatres in 1986, linking the mall's cinema operation to a major national theater company. In 1988, a western addition created space for a 75,000-square-foot Mervyn's store. That October, The Rouse Company acquired the mall from Dayton-Hudson and organized the property through Southland Shopping Center, Inc., associated with Rouse Southland. Southland underwent another major adaptation in the early 1990s. A new food court, Picnic In The Garden, broke ground in February 1992 and opened in November. Its design included a large triangular skylight, and the project was accompanied by an expansion of Champs Sports and the addition of Lerner New York. Woolworth's closed in December 1992. The former store was temporarily used for Tilt Arcade before being divided into smaller retail units. The mall continued to absorb changes in retail and media consumption. AMC's four-screen theater closed in January 1999, and the site reopened as a 22,500-square-foot Borders Books & Music store in August 2000. Hudson's became Marshall Field's in 2001 and was converted to Macy's in 2006. Mervyn's left the Michigan market in 2006; its former space was eventually cleared and rebuilt for Best Buy. The Rouse Company was acquired by General Growth Properties in 2004, and the Borders store closed in 2011 when the chain shut down its remaining operations. Rouse Properties was separated from General Growth Properties in January 2012. Following the Borders closure, Southland added and refreshed tenants. rue21, Torrid, Taco Bell, and other retailers entered the center, while existing stores received renovations. Forever 21 moved from a smaller unit into the former Borders space in spring 2013. Later that year, smaller units near JCPenney were demolished to create an approximately 11,300-square-foot Shoe Carnival store, relocated from a strip development across Eureka Road. The most extensive modern repositioning began in 2014. Rouse Properties announced plans to replace the former Mervyn's area with a 12-screen, all-digital Cinemark multiplex and outdoor sit-down restaurants. At the same time, the enclosed mall received new flooring and lighting. The central fountain was removed and replaced with seating and charging stations for electronic devices. Additional specialty tenants included Pink and Zumiez, while Ulta opened in August 2014. The project was completed in summer 2015, and H&M opened in October of that year. In September 2018, part of Macy's third floor became a Macy's Backstage section. Ownership changed again on January 25, 2025, when Brookfield Properties sold Southland Center to Greenwood Global, an Illinois-based owner. Jones Lang LaSalle became the mall's manager. Two months later, the Forever 21 store closed after the retailer went out of business. Southland Center remains an operating enclosed regional mall with Macy's, JCPenney, Best Buy, and Cinemark as its principal anchors or major attractions.
- 2025
Greenwood Global becomes owner
[1]Brookfield Properties sold Southland Center to Greenwood Global, with Jones Lang LaSalle assuming management.
- 2018
Macy's Backstage is added
[1]Part of Macy's third floor was converted to the Macy's Backstage format.
- 2015
Renovation concludes and H&M opens
[1]The renovation was completed during summer, followed by H&M's opening in October.
- 2014
Major renovation and Cinemark project announced
[1]Plans called for a 12-screen Cinemark theater, outdoor restaurants, and a comprehensive mall renovation.
- 2013
Forever 21 and Shoe Carnival expand the tenant mix
[1]Forever 21 moved into the former Borders space, while a new Shoe Carnival store replaced smaller units near JCPenney.
- 2006
Mervyn's space is redeveloped for Best Buy
[1]Mervyn's exited Michigan and its former space was rebuilt for Best Buy.
- 2000
Borders replaces the former cinema
[1]A 22,500-square-foot Borders Books & Music store opened on the former theater site.
- 1992
Picnic In The Garden food court opens
[1]The mall added a skylit food court and related retail improvements.
- 1988
Western addition and Rouse acquisition
[1]A western addition opened with Mervyn's, and The Rouse Company acquired the property later that year.
- 1983
Cinema expands to four screens
[1]The original two-screen theater reopened as a four-screen operation in December.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping and entertainment center serving Taylor and the southern Detroit metropolitan area, combining department stores, specialty retail, dining, and multiplex cinema.
Retail real estate · 1970
Regional enclosed shopping center
Southland Center provides an enclosed, climate-controlled retail environment with department stores, specialty shops, services, dining, and entertainment. Its role is that of a regional shopping destination rather than a single-product consumer brand, with the tenant roster changing as retail formats and anchor companies evolve.
Department stores · 1970
Department-store anchors
The mall's department-store presence began with Hudson's, later became Marshall Field's, and then transitioned to Macy's. JCPenney joined as a major anchor in 1976. These stores provide apparel, accessories, home goods, beauty products, seasonal merchandise, and general department-store services.
Consumer electronics · 2006
Best Buy
Best Buy occupies space redeveloped from the former Mervyn's area. The store broadens Southland's offer beyond fashion and department-store goods through consumer electronics, appliances, computing products, entertainment technology, and related services.
Entertainment · 2014
Cinemark Theatres
Cinemark's 12-screen, all-digital multiplex replaced the former Mervyn's redevelopment area as part of the mall's 2014-2015 repositioning. The cinema, together with outdoor restaurants, gives the property an entertainment component intended to increase visits beyond conventional shopping.
Off-price department store · 2018
Macy's Backstage
A section of Macy's third floor was converted into Macy's Backstage in 2018. The format adds an off-price component within the department-store anchor and provides discounted fashion, accessories, home merchandise, and seasonal goods.
Brand decisions
2025
Transfer ownership to Greenwood GlobalM&ABackground
Brookfield Properties sold the shopping center as part of a change in property ownership.
Action taken
Greenwood Global acquired Southland Center on January 25, 2025, and Jones Lang LaSalle took over management.
Aftermath
The mall continued operating under new ownership and management. The subsequent closure of Forever 21 removed one major specialty-fashion tenant.
2014
Reposition the mall around entertainment and refreshed common areasStrategyBackground
The property had experienced major tenant changes, including the departures of Mervyn's and Borders. Its owners announced a plan to modernize the enclosed mall and replace the former Mervyn's space with a larger entertainment use.
Action taken
The redevelopment added a 12-screen digital Cinemark multiplex and outdoor restaurants. Interior work introduced new flooring and lighting, replaced the central fountain with seating and device-charging stations, and supported new specialty-retail openings.
Aftermath
The renovation was completed during summer 2015, with H&M opening later that year and the center retaining a mix of department stores, specialty retailers, dining, and entertainment.
Recent events
- 2025
Greenwood Global acquires Southland Center[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Brookfield Properties sold the mall to Illinois-based Greenwood Global, with Jones Lang LaSalle taking over property management.
- 2025
Forever 21 closes its Southland Center store[1]
Bankruptcy
The Forever 21 location closed after the retailer went out of business, removing one of the mall's larger specialty-fashion tenants.
- 2018
Macy's Backstage opens within Southland Macy's[1]
Product launch
A portion of Macy's third floor was converted into a Macy's Backstage off-price retail section.
- 2015
Renovation completed and H&M joins the tenant mix[1]
Product launch
The mall completed its major renovation during the summer, while H&M opened a store in October and the new entertainment and restaurant elements strengthened the center's repositioning.
- 2014
Southland Center launches major renovation and Cinemark redevelopment[1]
Product launch
Plans were announced for a 12-screen digital Cinemark multiplex in the former Mervyn's space, outdoor restaurants, and a comprehensive interior renovation.
- 2006
Hudson's transitions first to Marshall Field's and then Macy's[1]
Leadership change · Other
The mall's original department-store anchor changed its identity as the Hudson's name gave way to Marshall Field's and subsequently Macy's.
- 2000
Former cinema site becomes Borders Books & Music[1]
Product launch
After the four-screen cinema closed, its space was redeveloped into a large Borders Books & Music store.
- 1992
Picnic In The Garden food court opens[1]
Product launch
A new food court opened with a prominent triangular skylight and accompanied additional retail improvements.
- 1988
The Rouse Company acquires Southland[1]
M&A
The Rouse Company purchased the mall from Dayton-Hudson and placed it within a dedicated Southland operating structure.
- 1976
JCPenney opens expanded anchor store[1]
Product launch
Following Kroger's relocation, the former grocery space was reworked into a new wing that culminated in the opening of a two-level JCPenney store.
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