The Maine Mall

The Maine Mall is an enclosed regional shopping center in South Portland, Maine, United States. It serves the greater Portland metropolitan area and is described as the largest shopping mall in Maine and one of the largest in northern New England. The property is owned and managed through GGP, a subsidiary of Brookfield Properties. Its retail mix combines department stores, specialty retailers, consumer electronics, home furnishings, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The mall's origins predate the enclosed center. In 1969, Jordan Marsh opened a freestanding department store at the site, becoming the chain's first Maine location. The enclosed mall followed in 1971, together with a Sears store. A Gold Star IGA supermarket also opened at the rear of the property in September 1971. The early anchor lineup established the mall as a major suburban retail destination for southern Maine. A major expansion in 1983 roughly doubled the mall's size and added Porteous, JCPenney, and Maine's first Filene's store. During the 1990s, the property continued to evolve through renovations, store replacements, and new entertainment and dining facilities. A $6.5 million renovation completed in 1994 added a food court, Lechmere, and an enlarged Dream Machine arcade, while many fashion, children's, beauty, and specialty retailers also entered the center. Borders Books and Music opened next to Jordan Marsh in 1995. The mall's department-store identity changed repeatedly as retail chains consolidated. Federated Department Stores acquired Jordan Marsh in 1996, leading the mall's Jordan Marsh location to become Macy's. Filene's and its home-store format later closed in 2006 after Federated acquired Filene's and determined that the mall already had a Macy's presence. The former Filene's space eventually hosted Bon-Ton from 2013 until 2017 and then became the home of Jordan's Furniture, which opened in 2020 with a ropes course near its entrance. Other notable changes included the replacement of Lechmere with Best Buy and David's Bridal, the arrival of an Apple Store in 2008, and the conversion of the former Sports Authority space into Round One Entertainment. Ownership also changed during a period of financial stress in the United States shopping-center industry. General Growth Properties acquired The Maine Mall in 2003 for $270 million. GGP filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and reorganized the following year, with Brookfield Properties becoming associated with the reorganized business. The mall has since continued to refresh its tenant mix: Round One opened in 2018, Apple's store moved to a more central mall location in 2019, Miniso opened Maine's first location at the property in 2023, and Dick's Sporting Goods purchased the former Sears building in 2025 with plans for a new store. The mall's current anchors include Best Buy, JCPenney, Jordan's Furniture, Macy's, and Round One Entertainment. Former anchor spaces include locations previously occupied by Forever 21 and Sears. Sears closed in September 2020, while Forever 21 also departed in 2020. The property is served by several public-transit routes operated by Greater Portland Metro and Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit. Longer-term redevelopment concepts have proposed using underused parking areas for housing, hotels, offices, medical services, parks, recreation, a convention center, and other community-oriented uses while improving transit access and reducing automobile dependence.

The Maine Mall developed from a suburban department-store project into southern Maine's principal enclosed shopping center. Jordan Marsh opened a freestanding store at the site in 1969, marking the chain's first presence in Maine. The enclosed mall was added in 1971, with Sears opening in October of that year and a Gold Star IGA supermarket having opened the previous month. These early facilities established the property as a destination serving Portland and surrounding communities. In 1983, the mall underwent a major expansion that approximately doubled its size. The project added Porteous, JCPenney, and the first Filene's store in Maine. The expansion strengthened the center's department-store orientation and created additional space for specialty tenants. A further renovation in 1994 cost $6.5 million and introduced a food court, Lechmere, and a larger Dream Machine arcade. The renovation was accompanied by a broad influx of apparel, children's, beauty, footwear, entertainment, and restaurant tenants. Borders Books and Music opened next to Jordan Marsh in 1995. The second half of the 1990s brought extensive tenant turnover. Jordan Marsh became Macy's after Federated Department Stores acquired the chain in 1996. The mall's former Porteous space later reopened in separate phases as a Filene's Home Store and Sports Authority. F. W. Woolworth closed in 1997; its former space was subsequently divided among Linens 'n Things, American Eagle Outfitters, and KB Toys. Lechmere closed in 1997, with portions of the space later used by Best Buy and David's Bridal. General Growth Properties acquired The Maine Mall in 2003 for $270 million. In 2005, Federated acquired Filene's. Because a Macy's store already operated at The Maine Mall, the Filene's and Filene's Home Store locations closed in 2006. The former Filene's space remained vacant for several years before Bon-Ton announced a new store in 2012. Bon-Ton opened in September 2013 as the chain's only Maine store, but it closed in 2017. The mall continued to add new formats and replace departing tenants. Maine's first Apple Store opened in September 2008, later moving to a more central location in October 2019. Round One Entertainment was announced in 2017 and opened in 2018 in the former Sports Authority space, bringing arcade, bowling, and related entertainment uses to the center. Jordan's Furniture announced plans for the former Filene's and Bon-Ton location in 2019 and opened there in 2020 with a ropes course feature. Sears closed in September 2020 after being included in a nationwide closure program, and Forever 21 also left the mall that year. Miniso opened the first store in Maine at the mall in September 2023. The property has also been considered for broader redevelopment. A transit-oriented district concept developed with the Greater Portland Council of Governments proposed using surplus parking capacity for housing, recreation, offices, medical services, hotels, a convention center, parks, and a baseball field. The concept sought to reduce sprawl and traffic while improving walking and public-transit access. The mall is served by multiple Greater Portland Metro routes and by the Green Line operated by Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit. In 2025, Dick's Sporting Goods purchased the former Sears building and began planning a new store, indicating continued reinvestment in the property despite the reduction of traditional department-store anchors.

• 2025

  Dick's Sporting Goods acquires the former Sears building

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dick's Sporting Goods purchases the former Sears building and begins planning a store at the site.

• 2023

  Miniso opens its first Maine store

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Miniso launches its first Maine location at the mall.

• 2020

  Jordan's Furniture opens

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Jordan's Furniture opens in the former Filene's and Bon-Ton space, including a ropes course feature.

• 2018

  Round One Entertainment opens

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Round One occupies the former Sports Authority space and expands the mall's entertainment offering.

• 2013

  Bon-Ton opens

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Bon-Ton opens in the former Filene's space, becoming the mall's fourth full-line department store at the time.

• 2008

  Apple opens Maine's first store

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The first Apple Store in Maine opens at The Maine Mall.

• 2003

  GGP acquires the mall

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  General Growth Properties acquires The Maine Mall for a reported $270 million.

• 1996

  Jordan Marsh becomes Macy's

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Following Federated's acquisition of Jordan Marsh, the mall's Jordan Marsh location is converted to Macy's.

• 1995

  Borders Books and Music opens

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Borders opens next to the Jordan Marsh store.

• 1994

  Renovation adds dining and entertainment

  [1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A $6.5 million renovation adds a food court, Lechmere, and an enlarged Dream Machine arcade.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A large enclosed regional shopping and entertainment center serving southern Maine and the greater Portland area.

• Retail anchors · 1971

  Department stores

  The mall's department-store role has historically been carried by Jordan Marsh, Macy's, Sears, JCPenney, Filene's, Bon-Ton, and other large-format retailers. The current department-store presence is centered on Macy's and JCPenney, while former anchor spaces have been repurposed for furniture, sporting goods, and entertainment.

• Shopping · 1971

  Specialty retail

  The Maine Mall accommodates specialty stores across apparel, footwear, beauty, children's merchandise, accessories, electronics, books, gifts, and personal care. Its tenant history includes national chains as well as retailers serving the local and regional market.

• Electronics · 1998

  Consumer electronics

  Consumer electronics are represented by Best Buy and, from 2008, an Apple Store. Apple later relocated within the mall to a more central position, while Best Buy occupies space created through the redevelopment of a former Lechmere area.

• Home furnishings · 2020

  Jordan's Furniture

  Jordan's Furniture occupies the former Filene's and Bon-Ton space. In addition to furniture and home furnishings, the location incorporates an experiential ropes course near the entrance, reflecting the retailer's combination of merchandise and entertainment.

• Entertainment · 2018

  Round One Entertainment

  Round One Entertainment uses the former Sports Authority space for an entertainment-oriented offering centered on arcade activities and related leisure attractions. Its arrival broadened the mall beyond conventional shopping and dining.

• Food and beverage · 1994

  Dining and food court

  Dining has been part of the mall's offer since the 1994 renovation added a food court. The broader property has also hosted sit-down and buffet restaurants, giving visitors food and beverage options alongside retail and entertainment.

• 2025

  Shooting near the food court

  A man was shot in a restroom area adjacent to the food court and sustained a non-life-threatening leg injury. Police named a 20-year-old suspect, who surrendered the next day.

  Source

Read more

• 2020Transit-Oriented District Concept Plan

  South Portland · Greater Portland · Maine

  The Greater Portland Council of Governments developed a concept plan, supported by a federal grant, to rethink surplus parking and the area around the mall through transit-oriented development.

  Outcome. The proposal remained a redevelopment concept focused on housing, recreation, hotels, offices, medical services, parks, and better transit and pedestrian connections.

  Source

• 2025

  Dick's Sporting Goods purchases the former Sears buildingM&A

  Background

  Sears closed its mall location in 2020, leaving a large former anchor building available for reuse.

  Action taken

  Dick's Sporting Goods purchased the building and began planning a store at the site.

  Aftermath

  The planned project represents another conversion of a vacant traditional department-store anchor into a contemporary sporting-goods use.

  Source

• 2020

  Transit-oriented redevelopment proposalStrategy

  Background

  The mall faced a surplus of parking capacity and broader pressure to make suburban commercial districts more sustainable and community-oriented.

  Action taken

  A concept plan proposed replacing or reorganizing portions of surface parking with housing, offices, hotels, recreation, parks, a convention center, a baseball field, and structured parking with green roofs.

  Aftermath

  The proposal established a framework for potential future redevelopment, with improved public transportation and pedestrian access as central goals.

  Source

• 2019

  Jordan's Furniture redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  Bon-Ton had left the former Filene's space in 2017, leaving a large anchor vacancy.

  Action taken

  Jordan's Furniture announced plans to open a store with an integrated ropes-course feature.

  Aftermath

  The store opened in 2020 and became a replacement anchor combining home-furnishings retail with an experiential attraction.

  Source

• 2017

  Round One adds an entertainment anchorStrategy

  Background

  The former Sports Authority space became available after the sporting-goods retailer's departure.

  Action taken

  Round One Entertainment was selected for the space and opened in 2018.

  Aftermath

  The mall increased its emphasis on leisure and experiential uses alongside traditional retail.

  Source

• 2012

  Bon-Ton replacement-anchor decisionProduct launch

  Background

  The former Filene's space had been vacant since 2006 after Filene's and Filene's Home Store closed.

  Action taken

  Bon-Ton announced plans to occupy the space and opened its Maine store in September 2013.

  Aftermath

  The location closed in August 2017 and was later redeveloped for Jordan's Furniture.

  Source

• 2003

  General Growth Properties acquisitionM&A

  Background

  The mall was acquired as part of General Growth Properties' shopping-center portfolio expansion.

  Action taken

  GGP purchased The Maine Mall for a reported $270 million.

  Aftermath

  The property later became associated with the reorganized Brookfield Properties platform after GGP's bankruptcy and restructuring.

  Acquisition price. $270 million (2003)

  Source

• 2025

  Dick's Sporting Goods plans a store in the former Sears building[1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Product launch

  Dick's Sporting Goods purchased the former Sears building and began planning a store at the site.

• 2023

  Miniso opens its first Maine location[1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Miniso opened its first store in Maine at The Maine Mall.

• 2020

  Sears closes its Maine Mall location[1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Sears announced the closure of the location as part of a nationwide store reduction, and the store subsequently shut in September 2020.

• 2020

  Jordan's Furniture opens at The Maine Mall[1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Jordan's Furniture opened in the former Filene's and Bon-Ton space, adding a ropes course near the mall entrance.

• 2019

  Apple relocates its Maine Mall store[1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Apple Store moved from its original mall location into a more central space formerly occupied by Abercrombie & Fitch.

• 2009

  GGP bankruptcy and reorganization affect ownership structure[1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · M&A

  The mall's owner, General Growth Properties, filed for bankruptcy and reorganized into a new company associated with Brookfield Properties the following year.

• 2003

  General Growth Properties acquires The Maine Mall[1]The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  General Growth Properties acquired the mall in a transaction reported at $270 million.

1. 1The Maine Mallen.wikipedia.org