Twelve Oaks Mall
An enclosed super-regional shopping mall in Novi, Michigan, serving the northern Detroit metropolitan area.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Twelve Oaks Mall is an enclosed super-regional shopping center in Novi, Michigan, at the intersection of Twelve Mile Road and Novi Road. It is one of the largest malls in Michigan by gross leasable area and store count and serves a broad trade area across the northern and western Detroit metropolitan region. The mall combines department-store anchors, national specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment, and seasonal or experiential attractions in a large enclosed format. The project originated in the late 1960s, when the J.L. Hudson Corporation acquired land in Novi. The location had previously been considered for use as a landfill, but opposition from local residents and the village prevented that proposal. A separate mall concept had also been considered in Farmington Township, involving The Taubman Company and Homart Development. Resistance to that project helped shift the development west to Novi. The eventual mall was developed through a partnership involving A. Alfred Taubman, Homart Development, and Dayton-Hudson Corporation. Construction began after site excavation in 1975, and Twelve Oaks Mall opened on August 2, 1977. Hudson's was the first anchor to begin operations, followed by Sears in October 1977, Lord & Taylor in March 1978, and JCPenney in May 1978. The architectural work was associated with Gruen Associates and Richard Prince, while Richard Marrone served as the principal builder. The mall formed part of a group of major Taubman developments built in Metro Detroit during the late 1970s. The property evolved as the department-store sector changed. Hudson's became Marshall Field's in 2001 and then Macy's in 2006. In 2002, the former United Artists theater area was redeveloped into a new lifestyle-oriented food court, and the mall began allowing kiosks, changes that represented a move away from some of its earlier restrictions on informal food-court activity and temporary retail formats. In 2005, Taubman announced a major expansion valued at $63 million. The project added approximately 97,000 square feet of common space and a 165,000-square-foot Nordstrom store. Construction began in 2006, and Nordstrom opened in September 2007 alongside numerous specialty shops. Later changes reflected both retail growth and anchor-store contraction. The Cheesecake Factory opened in 2013. H&M relocated in 2018 to a two-level space in the Sears wing, creating Michigan's first two-story H&M location. Sears announced its closure in 2019, while Lord & Taylor shut down in 2020 during the chain's liquidation. Crate & Barrel opened in 2020, initially operating from a temporary renovated store while its larger permanent location was prepared in the Macy's wing. The former Sears space has become central to the mall's next phase. In 2024, Dick's Sporting Goods signed an agreement for a Dick's House of Sport location within part of the former anchor space. Primark and Round1 were also identified as planned additions for the former Sears area. These projects indicate a strategy of replacing a declining traditional department-store anchor with a combination of active retail, value fashion, and entertainment uses. Following Simon Property Group's acquisition of Taubman Realty Group, formerly Taubman Centers, in November 2025, Simon became the mall's owner and manager according to the referenced Wikipedia material.
History
Planning for Twelve Oaks Mall began in 1967, when the J.L. Hudson Corporation acquired land at Twelve Mile Road and Novi Road in Novi, Michigan. The site had previously been considered for a landfill, but local residents and the then-Village of Novi opposed that use. A different shopping-center proposal had been considered in Farmington Township by The Taubman Company and Homart Development, with Sears expected to serve as an anchor. Opposition to that project contributed to the decision to develop the mall farther west in Novi. The final project was organized as a joint venture involving A. Alfred Taubman, Homart Development, and Dayton-Hudson Corporation. Site excavation began in spring 1975, followed by building construction later that year. Gruen Associates and Richard Prince were associated with the design, and Richard Marrone served as the head builder. The mall opened on August 2, 1977, with Hudson's as its first operating anchor. Sears opened on October 1, 1977, Lord & Taylor on March 6, 1978, and JCPenney on May 3, 1978. Twelve Oaks was one of three major Taubman super-regional malls developed in Metro Detroit during the late 1970s, alongside Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights and Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn. Its enclosed format, multiple department stores, and broad specialty-retail mix gave it a regional role beyond the immediate Novi market. The property was modernized and reconfigured as retail patterns changed. Hudson's became Marshall Field's in 2001. In 2002, the former United Artists Theatres site was replaced by a new lifestyle-oriented food court, and mall management began allowing kiosks. These changes represented a departure from earlier policies that had treated food courts and kiosks as inconsistent with the mall's upscale environment. In 2005, Taubman announced a $63 million expansion. The work added approximately 97,000 square feet of common space and created a 165,000-square-foot Nordstrom store. Construction started in February 2006 under Clark Construction Company. Marshall Field's converted to Macy's in 2006 and expanded to approximately 300,000 square feet. Nordstrom opened in September 2007, with more than 40 specialty stores associated with the expanded area. The mall continued adding and relocating tenants in the following decade. The Cheesecake Factory opened on August 13, 2013. In 2018, H&M moved into a two-level store in the Sears wing, a format described as the first two-story H&M location in Michigan. Sears announced its closure in March 2019. Lord & Taylor closed in 2020 during the retailer's liquidation. Crate & Barrel also opened in 2020, initially using a temporary renovated store while a larger permanent location was developed in the Macy's wing. The former Sears space became the focus of a later repositioning effort. In 2024, Dick's Sporting Goods signed a lease for a Dick's House of Sport location occupying part of the former anchor. Primark and Round1 were also slated for the redevelopment. These planned uses broaden the mall's offer beyond traditional department stores by combining sporting goods, value-oriented fashion, and arcade entertainment. According to the referenced Wikipedia material, Simon Property Group acquired Taubman Realty Group, formerly Taubman Centers, in November 2025 and became the owner and manager of Twelve Oaks Mall. The mall remains an active regional retail destination anchored by Macy's, JCPenney, and Nordstrom, with additional replacement-anchor projects planned or expected in the former Sears area.
- 2025
Simon Property Group becomes owner and manager
[1]Simon Property Group's acquisition of Taubman Realty Group was reported as transferring ownership and management of the mall.
- 2024
Former Sears space targeted for mixed-use retail and entertainment
[1]Dick's House of Sport signed a lease, with Primark and Round1 also identified as planned tenants.
- 2020
Lord & Taylor closes and Crate & Barrel arrives
[1]Lord & Taylor closed during liquidation, while Crate & Barrel opened a temporary location pending completion of a larger store.
- 2019
Sears closure announced
[1]Sears announced that its Twelve Oaks anchor would close.
- 2018
H&M moves to a two-level store
[1]H&M relocated to a two-floor store in the Sears wing.
- 2013
The Cheesecake Factory opens
[1]The restaurant opened at the mall on August 13.
- 2007
Nordstrom opens
[1]The new Nordstrom anchor opened in September with an expanded specialty-retail component.
- 2006
Expansion construction begins and Macy's conversion occurs
[1]Construction began in February, while Marshall Field's was converted to Macy's and expanded.
- 2005
Expansion announced
[1]Taubman announced a $63 million expansion including additional common space and a new Nordstrom store.
- 2002
Lifestyle food court created
[1]The former United Artists Theatres area was redeveloped into a lifestyle-oriented food court, and kiosks were introduced.
Products and positioning
A large, upscale-leaning regional shopping and entertainment destination combining department stores, national specialty retailers, restaurants, and replacement-anchor concepts in northern Metro Detroit.
Department store · 1977
Macy's
The mall's largest traditional department-store anchor, offering apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear, home merchandise, and related services. The location originated as Hudson's, became Marshall Field's in 2001, and was converted to Macy's in 2006, when the store also expanded.
Department store · 1978
JCPenney
One of Twelve Oaks Mall's original anchors, JCPenney opened in 1978 and provides mass-market apparel, footwear, accessories, home products, beauty merchandise, and services.
Department store · 2007
Nordstrom
Nordstrom was added as part of the mall's major mid-2000s expansion. The large store strengthened Twelve Oaks' higher-end department-store positioning and opened in 2007 with an associated group of specialty shops.
Restaurant · 2013
The Cheesecake Factory
A full-service restaurant and dessert-focused dining venue that expanded the mall's food and leisure offer beyond its enclosed food-court facilities. It opened at Twelve Oaks in August 2013.
Home furnishings · 2020
Crate & Barrel
A home-furnishings and housewares retailer added in 2020. It initially operated from a renovated temporary store while a larger permanent location was prepared in the Macy's wing.
Sporting goods and experiential retail
Dick's House of Sport
An experiential sporting-goods format planned for part of the former Sears space. The concept is intended to add sporting equipment, athletic apparel, and activity-oriented retail to the mall's replacement-anchor mix.
Value fashion
Primark
A value-oriented fashion retailer identified as a planned tenant for the former Sears redevelopment area. Its proposed presence would add a high-volume apparel offer distinct from the mall's department-store anchors.
Entertainment
Round1
An arcade and entertainment concept planned for the former Sears area. Its proposed addition would increase the mall's emphasis on leisure, gaming, and experiential visits alongside conventional shopping.
Brand decisions
2025
Transfer ownership and management to Simon Property GroupM&ABackground
Simon Property Group acquired Taubman Realty Group, the mall's previous owner and manager.
Action taken
Following the acquisition, Simon Property Group became the reported owner and manager of Twelve Oaks Mall.
Aftermath
The property joined Simon's portfolio while continuing its redevelopment and tenant-replacement strategy.
2024
Redevelop the former Sears anchorStrategyBackground
Sears' departure left a major anchor space available for repositioning as department-store retail continued to contract.
Action taken
Dick's Sporting Goods signed a lease for a House of Sport location, while Primark and Round1 were identified as additional planned occupants.
Aftermath
The proposed tenant mix would combine sporting goods, value fashion, and entertainment in the former Sears area.
2018
Move H&M into a two-level storeStrategyBackground
The mall reorganized tenant space in the Sears wing while maintaining a strong fashion presence.
Action taken
H&M moved from the JCPenney wing into a two-floor location in the Sears wing.
Aftermath
The move created what was described as Michigan's first two-level H&M store.
2005
Approve a major expansion anchored by NordstromStrategyBackground
Taubman sought to expand one of its largest Metro Detroit properties and strengthen its department-store and specialty-retail offer.
Action taken
A $63 million expansion was announced, adding approximately 97,000 square feet of common space and a 165,000-square-foot Nordstrom store.
Aftermath
Construction began in 2006 and the new Nordstrom opened in 2007 with more than 40 associated specialty shops.
Expansion cost. $63 million announced investment (2005 announcement)
2002
Introduce a lifestyle food court and retail kiosksStrategyBackground
Management reassessed earlier assumptions that a food court could encourage unwanted loitering and that kiosks would weaken the mall's upscale atmosphere.
Action taken
The former United Artists Theatres site was converted into a lifestyle-oriented food court, and kiosks were permitted inside the mall.
Aftermath
The changes broadened the mall's dining and temporary-retail formats and marked a shift in operating policy.
Recent events
Rebel Nell announces planned Twelve Oaks Mall store opening[3]
Reported:
Rebel Nell announced that it was set to open a retail-only storefront at Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi on Wednesday; a ribbon-cutting ceremony was planned for 4:15 p.m.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
Sources3 sources
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