The Shops at Willow Bend

The Shops at Willow Bend, commonly called Willow Bend Mall, is an enclosed shopping center in western Plano, Texas, at the intersection of West Park Boulevard and the Dallas North Tollway. It opened on August 3, 2001, as a major upscale retail project developed by Taubman Centers. The approximately $200 million development was designed with more than 1.5 million square feet of space and was intended to attract affluent shoppers from the northern Dallas–Fort Worth area. Its original anchor lineup included Foley’s, later converted to Macy’s, Dillard’s, Lord & Taylor, and Neiman Marcus; Saks Fifth Avenue was planned as an additional anchor and opened in 2004. The mall opened with roughly 70 percent occupancy and drew an estimated 250,000 visitors during its first weekend. Its launch, however, came at a difficult time for the regional and national retail economy. The September 11 attacks weakened consumer spending, while the collapse of the technology-driven Telecom Corridor reduced economic momentum in part of the mall’s intended trade area. Willow Bend also faced strong competition from established and newer shopping destinations. Galleria Dallas, approximately seven miles south, already had a deep luxury tenant base; Stonebriar Centre, roughly six miles north, offered a broader assortment of mid-market stores and entertainment; and Legacy West, which opened in 2017, created a nearby open-air mixed-use alternative with premium retailers, restaurants, offices, and residences. Tenant changes became a recurring feature of the property’s history. Lord & Taylor left the North Texas market in 2003 and its building was later demolished. Saks Fifth Avenue closed its Willow Bend store in 2010, directing customers toward its Galleria Dallas location. Crate & Barrel subsequently opened on the former Lord & Taylor site in 2011, in a standalone building outside the mall’s interior circulation system. In 2018, the property added the 60,000-square-foot Crayola Experience family attraction and opened The District at Willow Bend, an outdoor restaurant area intended to broaden the center’s appeal beyond traditional luxury shopping. A planned Cinépolis cinema, Equinox fitness club, hotel, and office tower formed part of a larger repositioning effort, although only some components advanced. The property changed ownership in 2014 as part of a seven-property transaction acquired by Starwood Capital Group. Starwood later announced a roughly $100 million renovation program intended to diversify the mall’s audience through restaurants, offices, hospitality, and entertainment. That strategy was interrupted in March 2020, when Starwood Retail was unable to refinance a $135.7 million loan. Ownership transferred to the lender, management moved to Trigild, and redevelopment work stopped. The planned cinema was reportedly about 85 percent complete but was never opened, while the proposed office tower and boutique hotel were abandoned. Centennial Real Estate acquired the mall in May 2022 with financial support from Cawley Partners and Waterfall Asset Management. The owners subsequently proposed The Bend, a mixed-use redevelopment combining retail, residential, office, and potentially sports-entertainment uses. Early plans called for replacing the Dillard’s wing with open-air retail, a seven-story office building, and three apartment communities totaling about 960 units. After Macy’s announced that its store would close in March 2025, the redevelopment plan was revised to target the Macy’s wing instead. Later announcements concerning the planned closures of Dillard’s and Neiman Marcus further signaled the decline of the original enclosed-mall format. By 2026, redevelopment plans called for demolishing most or all of the mall’s interior while retaining selected elements, including Equinox, Crate & Barrel, The District, and parking structures. The City of Plano also discussed a possible new arena for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League as part of The Bend concept, with development plans reportedly approved by the city council in June 2026. Because portions of the redevelopment remain proposals and the site is in transition, the long-term final tenant mix, construction schedule, and arena outcome remain subject to change.

The Shops at Willow Bend was developed by Taubman Centers as a major upscale shopping center for western Plano and the northern Dallas–Fort Worth market. The approximately $200 million project opened on August 3, 2001, with more than 1.5 million square feet planned and an initial occupancy rate of about 70 percent. Its original anchor lineup included Foley’s, Dillard’s, Lord & Taylor, and Neiman Marcus, while Saks Fifth Avenue was planned for a later opening. The center attracted substantial opening-weekend traffic, but its launch coincided with the economic slowdown following the September 11 attacks and the collapse of the technology boom in the Telecom Corridor. From its earliest years, Willow Bend competed with several powerful regional destinations. Galleria Dallas had an established luxury position to the south, Stonebriar Centre offered a larger mix of mainstream stores and entertainment to the north, and Legacy West later introduced a nearby open-air mixed-use environment with premium retail and dining. These competitive pressures, together with recessions and occupancy challenges, made it difficult for Willow Bend to sustain its original luxury-focused strategy. Anchor turnover was central to the mall’s evolution. Lord & Taylor closed in 2003 after the retailer withdrew from North Texas, and its building was eventually removed. Saks Fifth Avenue opened in 2004 but announced its departure in 2010, favoring its Galleria Dallas store. Crate & Barrel took over the former Lord & Taylor site in 2011, using a standalone format rather than connecting directly to the enclosed mall. In 2018, Willow Bend added Crayola Experience, a large family-oriented attraction, and opened The District at Willow Bend, an outdoor restaurant district. These additions reflected an attempt to supplement conventional shopping with dining and experiential activities. The mall was sold in 2014 as part of a seven-property transaction to Starwood Capital Group. In 2015, Starwood announced a proposed renovation of roughly $100 million. The plan sought to broaden the property’s appeal through a restaurant district, office space, a hotel, a cinema, and a fitness club, replacing some of the former luxury-anchor footprint with a more varied mixed-use environment. The District opened in 2018, and a Cinépolis theater was substantially built, but the broader program did not reach completion. In March 2020, Starwood Retail lost the property after it could not refinance a $135.7 million loan. The mall transferred to the lender and was placed under Trigild’s management. Construction stopped immediately, including work on the unfinished cinema. The proposed office tower and boutique hotel were also abandoned. This interruption left Willow Bend with an incomplete repositioning strategy and reinforced the financial challenges of maintaining a large enclosed mall in a highly competitive retail corridor. Centennial Real Estate acquired Willow Bend in May 2022, supported by Cawley Partners and Waterfall Asset Management. In 2023, the new ownership group announced The Bend, a proposed mixed-use redevelopment intended to replace portions of the enclosed mall with open-air retail, dining, office, and residential uses. The initial concept included a seven-story office building and three apartment complexes totaling approximately 960 units. After Macy’s announced the closure of its Willow Bend store in 2025, the plan was adjusted to focus demolition on the Macy’s wing. Later plans also incorporated the expected departures of Dillard’s and Neiman Marcus. By 2026, the redevelopment concept had expanded to the possible inclusion of a Dallas Stars arena. Revised plans reportedly called for removing the mall’s interior while retaining selected businesses and infrastructure, including Equinox, Crate & Barrel, The District, and parking structures. The City of Plano subsequently approved development plans for a new arena in June 2026, according to the cited reference material. The property therefore represents a transition from a traditional luxury-oriented enclosed mall toward a mixed-use district, although the final scope, schedule, and tenant composition remain dependent on future approvals and construction.

• 2026

  Arena concept added to redevelopment

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  Plans and public discussions incorporated a possible Dallas Stars arena into The Bend redevelopment.

• 2025

  Macy’s closure changes demolition plan

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  Macy’s announced its departure, after which the redevelopment focus shifted from the Dillard’s wing to the Macy’s wing.

• 2023

  The Bend redevelopment announced

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  A mixed-use redevelopment concept was announced, combining open-air retail, offices, apartments, and other uses.

• 2022

  Centennial Real Estate acquires property

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  Centennial Real Estate purchased the mall with backing from Cawley Partners and Waterfall Asset Management.

• 2020

  Mall transfers to lender

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  A refinancing failure caused ownership to transfer to the lender, ending the active Starwood redevelopment program.

• 2018

  Experiential and dining additions open

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  Crayola Experience opened, followed by The District at Willow Bend restaurant district.

• 2015

  Large renovation plan announced

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  Starwood proposed a major repositioning involving restaurants, offices, hospitality, entertainment, and fitness uses.

• 2014

  Ownership transfers to Starwood Capital Group

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  The mall changed hands as part of Starwood Capital Group’s acquisition of a seven-property portfolio.

• 2011

  Crate & Barrel opens

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  Crate & Barrel opened in a standalone building on the former Lord & Taylor anchor site.

• 2004

  Saks Fifth Avenue opens

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  Saks Fifth Avenue opened its Willow Bend store after a one-year delay.

• 2003

  Lord & Taylor exits

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  Lord & Taylor closed its location after leaving the North Texas market; the former anchor building was later demolished.

• 2001

  Mall opens

  [1]The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org

  The Shops at Willow Bend opened in Plano on August 3 with approximately 70 percent occupancy and an upscale department-store anchor lineup.

An upscale regional shopping center shifting toward mixed-use retail, dining, entertainment, office, residential, and potentially sports-event uses.

• Retail property · 2001

  Enclosed shopping mall

  The property’s original and defining offering is a large enclosed regional shopping center serving Plano and surrounding North Texas communities. Its tenant mix historically emphasized department stores, luxury apparel, accessories, home furnishings, specialty retail, dining, and family-oriented experiences. The center was designed as an upscale destination rather than a purely convenience-oriented neighborhood center, although its strategy broadened over time in response to competition and changing consumer behavior.

• Dining and entertainment district · 2018

  The District at Willow Bend

  The District at Willow Bend is an open-air restaurant area created during the mall’s attempted repositioning under Starwood ownership. It was intended to add food, social, and leisure activity to the property and to make the center less dependent on luxury merchandise sales. The district became one of the components identified for retention in later versions of The Bend redevelopment concept.

• Family entertainment attraction · 2018

  Crayola Experience

  Crayola Experience was a large interactive family attraction located between Macy’s and the mall food court. Its addition represented Willow Bend’s move toward experiential retail, using hands-on entertainment to attract families and create reasons to visit beyond shopping. The attraction temporarily closed in February 2026, briefly reopened, and then closed permanently in March 2026 according to the cited reference material.

• Mixed-use redevelopment · 2023

  The Bend

  The Bend is the proposed successor development for the Willow Bend property. Plans have included open-air retail, restaurants, residential buildings totaling approximately 960 units, a seven-story office building, retained parking structures, and potentially a Dallas Stars hockey arena. The concept has been revised as anchor stores announced closures, and later plans called for demolition of most or all of the mall’s interior while preserving selected standalone or district-level uses.

• 2026

  Revise redevelopment toward broad interior demolition and possible arenaStrategy

  Background

  The property’s major department-store anchors were leaving, and the existing enclosed format was no longer the basis of the proposed future project.

  Action taken

  Centennial revised plans to demolish most or all of the mall interior while retaining selected uses and considering a new Dallas Stars arena.

  Aftermath

  Tenants were reportedly given notices to vacate, demolition was expected within the following year, and Plano city officials reportedly approved arena development plans in June 2026.

  Source

• 2023

  Launch The Bend mixed-use redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  Centennial Real Estate acquired the property after years of retail competition, anchor turnover, and incomplete redevelopment work.

  Action taken

  Centennial and its partners proposed replacing portions of the enclosed mall with open-air retail, offices, and three apartment communities totaling approximately 960 units.

  Aftermath

  The plan was revised after Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Neiman Marcus announced or planned closures. Later versions contemplated removing the mall interior and adding a possible Dallas Stars arena.

  Source

• 2020

  Redevelopment work halted after lender transferStrategy

  Background

  Starwood Retail could not refinance a $135.7 million loan secured by the property.

  Action taken

  Ownership transferred to the lender, Trigild became property manager, and active redevelopment construction was stopped.

  Aftermath

  The planned cinema, office tower, and boutique hotel were not completed, leaving the property to await a new ownership and redevelopment strategy.

  Loan subject to refinancing failure. $135.7 million (2020)

  Source

• 2015

  Broaden the mall beyond luxury retailStrategy

  Background

  The property faced occupancy pressure and competition from Galleria Dallas, Stonebriar Centre, and later Legacy West. Starwood sought to reach a wider customer base by adding dining, office, hotel, entertainment, and fitness uses.

  Action taken

  Starwood announced a proposed redevelopment program involving a restaurant district, office tower, boutique hotel, cinema, and Equinox fitness club.

  Aftermath

  The restaurant district opened and Crayola Experience was added, but the cinema and other major components were not completed after the property transferred to its lender in 2020.

  Proposed renovation investment. $100 million announced renovation program (2015)

  Source

1. 1The Shops at Willow Benden.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official websiteshopwillowbend.com