The Mall at Fairfield Commons

The Mall at Fairfield Commons is a regional shopping mall in Beavercreek, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton. Opened to the public on October 27, 1993, the two-level center is situated on North Fairfield Road near Interstate 675, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Wright State University, a golf course, and the Nutter Center entertainment complex. Its location gives it access to both the Dayton-area population and a substantial base of university, military, defense, and suburban consumers. The mall began with four major anchors: Elder-Beerman, Parisian, Sears, and J. C. Penney. Lazarus joined the center in September 1994, completing the original anchor lineup. Over time, changes in department-store ownership, retail consolidation, bankruptcies, and changing consumer habits substantially altered the property. Parisian was converted into a second Elder-Beerman location in 2007, and the two Elder-Beerman stores were consolidated in 2014. The resulting vacant space was subsequently demolished or reused for restaurants and other purposes. Elder-Beerman ultimately closed in August 2018 after the bankruptcy of its parent company, The Bon-Ton Stores. Sears announced its closure in 2018, and the store shut on December 9 of that year. The lower level of the former Sears location later became a Round1 Entertainment venue, while the upper level was ultimately occupied by Morris Home Furniture after an earlier plan by The RoomPlace was abandoned. Macy's, the successor to Lazarus, closed in March 2025 as part of a nationwide store-reduction program. Dick's Sporting Goods subsequently expanded its presence through a Dick's House of Sport location in the former Elder-Beerman space. The new format includes sports-testing and activity features such as a climbing wall, golf simulators, multi-sport cages, an outdoor track, and a large turf area designed for multiple uses. The property has also hosted non-retail and community uses. Mosaic Church occupied part of the former Elder-Beerman space beginning in January 2021, and a traveling reproduction of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling frescos was presented there in early 2022. A proposed conversion of the former department-store building into office, laboratory, and research-and-development space was announced in 2021 but had not proceeded by 2024. The mall was formerly owned by Washington Prime Group. In 2025, Washington Prime announced plans to sell the property, and the mall was later acquired by a joint venture of Spinoso Real Estate Group and Kize Capital. Under the new ownership, management described the center's direction as increasingly focused on experiential retail: events, activities, entertainment, community gatherings, and other uses intended to complement conventional stores and restaurants. The center contains more than 140 shops, department stores, restaurants, and food-service outlets, with its anchor mix continuing to evolve.

The Mall at Fairfield Commons opened to the public on October 27, 1993, after several days of invitation-only soft openings. Its original anchor lineup consisted of Elder-Beerman, Parisian, Sears, and J. C. Penney. The new J. C. Penney replaced two existing area stores, one in Airway Shopping Center and another in Xenia. The mall's layout used connected straight and diagonal concourses, allowing shoppers to reach different sections without passing through an anchor store. Lazarus opened on September 23, 1994, with a formal grand-opening period from September 30 to October 2. Its delayed arrival was linked to the financial reorganization of parent company Federated Department Stores and Lazarus's prior commitment to another mall project. Lazarus was later converted to Macy's as part of the broader consolidation of department-store brands. Dick's Sporting Goods opened an approximately 85,500-square-foot store in 2004. In 2007, The Bon-Ton Stores, then the owner of Elder-Beerman, converted the former Parisian location into a second Elder-Beerman store. The original Elder-Beerman location was reorganized to emphasize men's, children's, and home merchandise, while the converted space focused on women's apparel, cosmetics, footwear, and accessories. In 2014, Elder-Beerman announced that it would consolidate its two mall locations into the original store. The consolidation was completed on August 20, 2014, and the vacated portion was demolished in early 2015. Between late 2015 and 2018, the area was redeveloped with restaurants, including several attached or freestanding food-service locations. Elder-Beerman closed on August 29, 2018, after The Bon-Ton Stores entered bankruptcy proceedings. Sears announced its closure in September 2018 and ceased operations on December 9 of that year. The former Sears building was subsequently divided among new uses. Round1 Entertainment opened on the lower level on November 23, 2019. Morris Home Furniture opened on the upper level on June 15, 2020, after an earlier proposal from The RoomPlace was withdrawn. Morris also operated a temporary clearance and closeout location in the former Elder-Beerman space from June through August 2022. The former Elder-Beerman building also supported non-retail activity. Mosaic Church opened on the upper level in January 2021, and another congregation was considered for lower-level space. In June 2021, Synergy & Mills Development and Washington Prime Group announced a proposed conversion of the building into office, laboratory, and research-and-development space called The Meridian. The project was intended to appeal especially to defense-related tenants associated with nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, but it had not proceeded by February 2024. The property continued to experiment with entertainment and cultural programming. From January 14 through February 27, 2022, it hosted a traveling exhibition reproducing the ceiling frescos of the Sistine Chapel. In February 2024, plans were reported for Dick's Sporting Goods to replace or consolidate its existing presence with a larger Dick's House of Sport. The new location was designed around experiential sports retail, with practice and demonstration areas, a climbing wall, golf simulators, multi-sport cages, an outdoor track, and a turf field usable for seasonal activities. Dick's House of Sport opened on March 7, 2025. Macy's announced in January 2025 that its Fairfield Commons store would close in a nationwide reduction of 66 locations. The store closed on March 23, 2025. Washington Prime Group announced a planned sale of the mall in April 2025, and ownership transferred on October 29, 2025, to a joint venture of Spinoso Real Estate Group and Kize Capital. The new ownership emphasized a shift toward experiential retail, with activities, events, and community gatherings playing a larger role alongside stores and restaurants. Dillard's later opened in the former Macy's location on March 19, 2026, restoring a traditional department-store anchor to the property.

• 2026

  Dillard's opens in former Macy's space

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Dillard's opened in the former Macy's location on March 19, 2026.

• 2025

  Ownership changes and House of Sport opens

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Dick's House of Sport opened in March, and the mall was sold in October to a Spinoso Real Estate Group and Kize Capital joint venture.

• 2022

  Sistine Chapel exhibition presented

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  The mall hosted a traveling exhibition reproducing Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling frescos.

• 2021

  Mosaic Church begins mall operations

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Mosaic Church opened in part of the former Elder-Beerman space, demonstrating the property's use beyond conventional retail.

• 2020

  Morris Home Furniture opens

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Morris Home Furniture opened in the upper level of the former Sears building after The RoomPlace abandoned its proposed store.

• 2019

  Round1 Entertainment opens

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Round1 Entertainment opened in the lower level of the former Sears anchor.

• 2018

  Elder-Beerman and Sears close

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Elder-Beerman closed after The Bon-Ton bankruptcy, and Sears closed later in the year as part of a national store-closure plan.

• 2014

  Elder-Beerman locations consolidated

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  The two Elder-Beerman stores were consolidated into the original location, leaving part of the former second store available for redevelopment.

• 2007

  Parisian converted to Elder-Beerman

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  The Parisian anchor was converted into an additional Elder-Beerman location, while the original store was reorganized by department.

• 2004

  Dick's Sporting Goods opens

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  An approximately 85,500-square-foot Dick's Sporting Goods store opened at the mall.

• 1994

  Lazarus joins the anchor lineup

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  A Lazarus department store opened on September 23, nearly a year after the mall's other original anchors.

• 1993

  Mall opens to the public

  [1]The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  The Mall at Fairfield Commons opened on October 27 with Elder-Beerman, Parisian, Sears, and J. C. Penney as its principal anchors.

A regional suburban shopping, dining, and entertainment destination serving the Dayton area, with an increasingly experiential format built around sports, recreation, events, restaurants, and community uses as well as traditional retail.

• Retail · 1993

  Department-store retail

  The mall's department-store offering has changed repeatedly since opening. Its historical anchors included Elder-Beerman, Parisian, Sears, Lazarus, and Macy's, while current or planned department-store representation includes J. C. Penney and Dillard's. These stores provide broad assortments of apparel, cosmetics, home goods, footwear, accessories, and seasonal merchandise.

• Sporting goods and experiential retail · 2025

  Dick's House of Sport

  Dick's House of Sport is an activity-oriented sporting-goods format that combines merchandise with spaces for customers to test equipment and participate in sports-related activities. The Fairfield Commons location includes a climbing wall, golf simulators, multi-sport cages, an outdoor track, and a large turf field designed for multiple seasonal uses.

• Home furnishings · 2020

  Morris Home Furniture

  Morris Home Furniture occupies the upper level of the former Sears building. The regional home-furnishings retailer provides furniture and related merchandise for living rooms, bedrooms, dining areas, and other residential spaces, giving the mall a substantial home-goods component in addition to apparel and general merchandise.

• Entertainment · 2019

  Round1 Entertainment

  Round1 Entertainment occupies the lower level of the former Sears anchor. Its presence represents the mall's expansion beyond conventional shopping into recreation and entertainment, helping repurpose a large department-store footprint after Sears's departure.

• Food service · 1993

  Restaurants and food court

  The center includes a food court and a broad selection of restaurants. Several restaurants were added in and around the former Elder-Beerman footprint after the store consolidation, including attached venues with exterior-only public entrances and freestanding locations.

• 2022Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition

  Beavercreek · Dayton metropolitan area

  The mall hosted a traveling cultural exhibition reproducing the frescos of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling from January 14 through February 27, 2022.

  Outcome. The exhibition provided a temporary cultural and experiential attraction in former department-store space.

  Source

• 2025

  Sale to Spinoso Real Estate Group and Kize CapitalM&A

  Background

  Washington Prime Group announced plans to sell the property amid broader portfolio changes and asset dispositions.

  Action taken

  The mall was sold on October 29, 2025, to a joint venture between Spinoso Real Estate Group and Kize Capital.

  Aftermath

  The new ownership described a greater emphasis on experiential retail, activities, events, and community gatherings.

  Source

• 2025

  Dillard's replacement of Macy'sProduct launch

  Background

  Macy's announced the closure of its Fairfield Commons store as part of a national program to close 66 locations.

  Action taken

  Dillard's opened a department store in the former Macy's location on March 19, 2026.

  Aftermath

  The change restored a traditional department-store anchor after Macy's departure.

  Source

• 2024

  Dick's House of Sport expansionProduct launch

  Background

  The mall sought to replace or consolidate traditional department-store space with uses emphasizing activity and customer participation.

  Action taken

  Dick's Sporting Goods planned a House of Sport location in the former Elder-Beerman building, with sports-testing facilities and event-oriented amenities.

  Aftermath

  The location opened on March 7, 2025, expanding the mall's experiential retail offer.

  Source

• 2021

  Proposed Meridian mixed-use conversionStrategy

  Background

  A large portion of the former Elder-Beerman building was vacant, and the site was considered suitable for office and research uses because of its proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

  Action taken

  Synergy & Mills Development and Washington Prime Group proposed converting the building into office, laboratory, and research-and-development space.

  Aftermath

  The proposed project had not proceeded by February 2024.

  Source

• 2018

  Sears closure and redevelopmentOther

  Background

  Sears included the Fairfield Commons store in a nationwide closure plan.

  Action taken

  The store closed on December 9, 2018, after which the building was repositioned for multiple tenants.

  Aftermath

  Round1 Entertainment opened on the lower level and Morris Home Furniture later occupied the upper level.

  Source

• 2014

  Consolidation of Elder-Beerman storesStrategy

  Background

  The mall had two Elder-Beerman locations after the former Parisian store was converted in 2007.

  Action taken

  The operator consolidated the two locations into the original Elder-Beerman store and removed the furniture gallery from that location.

  Aftermath

  The vacated space was demolished and replaced over subsequent years with restaurants and other uses.

  Source

1. 1The Mall at Fairfield Commonsen.wikipedia.org