The Parks at Arlington
A super-regional enclosed shopping mall in Arlington, Texas, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Parks at Arlington, formally known as The Parks Mall at Arlington, is a large enclosed shopping mall in Arlington, Texas, between Dallas and Fort Worth. The property occupies a strategically important location at the intersection of Interstate 20 and South Cooper Street (FM 157), in the southern part of Arlington. With approximately 1.5 million square feet of space, it is one of the largest indoor shopping centers in Tarrant County and functions as a major retail, dining, entertainment, and leisure destination for the surrounding metropolitan area. Development began in the mid-1980s. Construction activity accelerated in 1986, when a substantial building permit was issued for the project, and the mall officially opened on February 24, 1988. The development was associated with Homart Development Company and Herring Marathon. Its initial anchor lineup included Dillard's, Mervyn's, and Sears. The mall expanded soon after opening, adding Houston-based Foley's in 1989. Foley's was later absorbed into the Macy's chain. JCPenney became another major anchor in 1994, strengthening the center's department-store offering. The property has repeatedly adapted its tenant mix as retail formats and major chains changed. A 2002 expansion added a new wing containing Galyan's and The Great Indoors. Galyan's was subsequently incorporated into Dick's Sporting Goods, while The Great Indoors closed in 2003. The former Great Indoors space was later occupied by Steve & Barry's. Following Mervyn's departure in 2006, the mall reorganized the former anchor area for a mixture of large-format and specialty tenants, including Barnes & Noble, The Cheesecake Factory, and Forever 21. The former Steve & Barry's location was converted into a Round1 amusement venue in 2016. The mall's current or recently documented attractions include Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, Dick's House of Sport, Round1, Nordstrom Rack, and an 18-screen AMC movie theater. It also includes an indoor ice rink, giving the complex an entertainment and recreation component beyond conventional shopping. One additional former anchor building has been identified as vacant or in transition. These features support the center's positioning as a destination-oriented regional mall rather than a neighborhood retail strip. The Parks at Arlington has also experienced the broader restructuring of traditional department-store retail. Sears announced in 2020 that its mall location would close as part of a nationwide store-reduction plan. The space later reopened under Sears Hometown Inc. before that operation subsequently closed. In 2023, Dick's Sporting Goods announced plans to replace the former Sears space with a Dick's House of Sport, a larger experiential sporting-goods concept. The new store was reported as opening in June 2026, while the existing Dick's Sporting Goods space was planned for future redevelopment. Forever 21's former space was also reported as being prepared for Primark, with an opening reported for June 2026. These changes illustrate the mall's continuing effort to replace conventional department-store footprints with entertainment-led, experiential, and international retail concepts.
History
The Parks Mall at Arlington was developed as a major enclosed shopping center for Arlington and the growing Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. Construction began in 1985 and accelerated in 1986, when a $21 million building permit was issued for the project. The mall opened on February 24, 1988, with Homart Development Company and Herring Marathon associated with its development. Its original department-store anchors were Dillard's, Mervyn's, and Sears. The property expanded its anchor base in 1989 with the addition of Foley's, a Houston-based department-store chain that later became part of Macy's. JCPenney joined the center in 1994. A further expansion in 2002 created a new wing with Galyan's and The Great Indoors. Galyan's later became part of Dick's Sporting Goods, while The Great Indoors closed in 2003. Steve & Barry's subsequently occupied that space for a period, and the location was converted into a Round1 amusement venue in 2016. The mall's tenant strategy changed significantly after Mervyn's closed in 2006. The former anchor area was reconfigured for tenants including Barnes & Noble, The Cheesecake Factory, and Forever 21. Sears later became another example of department-store contraction: its closure was announced in 2020, followed by a temporary or subsequent reopening under Sears Hometown Inc. That operation later closed. Today, the property is described as a roughly 1.5-million-square-foot super-regional mall and one of the largest enclosed malls in Tarrant County. Its offering combines department stores, off-price and specialty retail, dining, cinema, amusement, and indoor recreation. Documented anchors and major attractions include Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, Dick's House of Sport, Round1, Nordstrom Rack, an AMC multiplex with 18 screens, and an indoor ice rink. The mall has continued to replace older anchor formats with larger experiential concepts. Dick's House of Sport was announced for the former Sears building, while Primark was identified for the former Forever 21 location. The reported 2026 openings for these projects represent the latest phase of the property's ongoing repositioning.
- 2023
Dick's House of Sport announced
[1]Dick's Sporting Goods announced a House of Sport store for the former Sears building.
- 2020
Sears closure announced
[1]Sears announced the closure of the mall store as part of a nationwide reduction plan.
- 2016
Round1 takes over former Steve & Barry's space
[1]The former Steve & Barry's location was converted for Round1 amusement and entertainment.
- 2006
Mervyn's closes
[1]Mervyn's departed, and its former anchor area was subsequently reworked for several new tenants.
- 2002
New wing opens
[1]An expansion added a wing featuring Galyan's and The Great Indoors.
- 1994
JCPenney added
[1]JCPenney became an additional major anchor at the mall.
- 1989
Foley's joins the anchor lineup
[1]Foley's opened as a fourth anchor; the chain later became part of Macy's.
- 1988
Mall opens
[1]The mall officially opened on February 24 with Dillard's, Mervyn's, and Sears as its original anchors.
- 1986
Major building permit issued
[1]Construction activity intensified following issuance of a reported $21 million building permit.
- 1985
Construction begins
[1]Construction of the future Parks Mall at Arlington began as part of a major suburban retail development.
Products and positioning
A super-regional enclosed shopping and entertainment destination serving Arlington and the wider Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area.
Shopping mall · 1988
Enclosed regional shopping center
The core offering is a large enclosed shopping environment with department stores, specialty shops, restaurants, services, and entertainment venues. The mall serves a broad regional catchment area rather than only nearby neighborhoods.
Retail · 1988
Department-store and specialty retail mix
The mall's retail portfolio has included Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, Nordstrom Rack, Barnes & Noble, and other national chains. Its tenant composition has changed over time in response to department-store closures and the growth of off-price and specialty formats.
Entertainment
Entertainment and leisure
Entertainment offerings include an 18-screen AMC multiplex, Round1 amusement facilities, and an indoor ice rink. These attractions broaden the mall's role as a destination for leisure and family activities.
Sporting goods · 2026
Dick's House of Sport
Dick's House of Sport is a larger experiential sporting-goods concept planned for the former Sears building. The format is intended to provide a broader athletic retail and activity experience than a conventional sporting-goods store.
Apparel retail · 2026
Primark
Primark was identified as the replacement for the former Forever 21 space. The reported opening would make the location the Irish retailer's third store in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area.
Brand decisions
2025
Replacement of Forever 21 with PrimarkStrategyBackground
Forever 21's departure created another large-format vacancy within the mall.
Action taken
The space was reported as being converted for Primark.
Aftermath
Primark was reported to have opened on June 25, 2026, subject to confirmation from current official sources.
2023
Redevelopment of former Sears anchorStrategyBackground
The closure of Sears left a large former department-store footprint requiring a new anchor concept.
Action taken
Dick's Sporting Goods announced plans to place a Dick's House of Sport in the former Sears building.
Aftermath
The reported store opening was scheduled for June 2026, with the existing Dick's Sporting Goods space expected to be redeveloped for additional tenants by 2030.
2002
Expansion with new retail wingStrategyBackground
The mall sought to expand its regional retail offer and add additional large-format tenants.
Action taken
A new wing was developed for Galyan's and The Great Indoors.
Aftermath
Galyan's later became associated with Dick's Sporting Goods, while The Great Indoors closed and its space changed occupants.
Recent events
- 2025
Primark planned for former Forever 21 space[1]
Product launch · Other
After Forever 21's reported departure, the space was identified for conversion to a Primark store.
- 2023
Former Sears space planned for Dick's House of Sport[1]
Product launch
Dick's Sporting Goods announced plans to replace the former Sears space with a larger House of Sport concept.
- 2020
Sears location at The Parks Mall selected for nationwide closure plan[1]
Other
Sears announced that the Parks Mall location would close as part of a national plan involving 28 stores.
Sources2 sources
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