Westfield Great Northern
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedEnclosed shopping mall in North Olmsted, Ohio, serving the western Cleveland metropolitan area.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Westfield Great Northern, now generally known as Great Northern Mall, is a single-level enclosed shopping mall in North Olmsted, Ohio, a suburb on the western side of Cleveland. The property developed from a small open-air shopping center established in 1958 on former strawberry fields by Saul Biskind, Sol Shur, and Sidney Shur. The original center included Sears, F. W. Woolworth, Pick-N-Pay, a small J. C. Penney, and other retailers. A freestanding May Company Cleveland department store was added nearby in 1965. The present enclosed mall opened in 1976, expanding around and attaching to the May Company building. The redevelopment introduced larger J. C. Penney and Sears stores and transformed the property into a regional shopping destination. During the 1980s, the complex expanded with the South Court, Plaza South, hotels, office facilities, and related commercial development. Its position near Lorain Road, Brookpark Road, Great Northern Boulevard, and Interstate 480 helped connect the mall with surrounding residential, office, hotel, and business areas. Ownership and management changed several times. Hexalon Real Estate became an investor in 1980 and acquired the remaining Biskind interest in 1991, followed by a major renovation in 1992. The Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation managed the property until 2000, after which Rodamco's Urban Shopping Centers assumed management. The Westfield Group acquired the shopping center in early 2002 and renamed it Westfield Shoppingtown Great Northern. The word Shoppingtown was later removed from the name in 2005. Westfield added Dillard's on March 19, 2003, by expanding the South Court, and a large Dick's Sporting Goods store opened in 2005 after the planned Galyan's concept was changed. The tenant mix subsequently evolved around department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment, and services. Former May Company Cleveland became Kaufmann's in 1993 and Macy's in 2006. The food court was relocated in 2011, and a 10-screen cinema, restaurants, and other improvements were developed on the former food-court site in 2013. The mall was sold to Starwood Retail Partners, an affiliate of Starwood Capital Group, during that construction period. Management later shifted to Pacific Retail Capital Partners in 2020, while ownership arrangements were reported as changing during the following period. Great Northern reached a peak of approximately 120 retailers during the 2000s and 2010s, but its occupancy and tenant composition weakened after the COVID-19 pandemic. Store closures associated with retailer bankruptcies, corporate restructuring, and the growth of online shopping affected the property. Sears, historically one of its principal anchors, closed in August 2020. Regal Cinemas closed in January 2023 after its parent company announced a broader theater-closure program, but the cinema reopened under Phoenix Theatres in June 2024. The mall remains active, with Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and a movie theater among its principal attractions. In 2024, occupancy was reported as being in the 70-to-80 percent range, with vacant national-chain spaces increasingly replaced by local operators and smaller businesses. Macy's reportedly marketed its location for sale in 2024 but continued operating. In 2025, several additional retailers, including Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Forever 21, and FYE, were reported to have departed. Plans discussed in 2026 called for redeveloping the former Sears space for a potential Meijer grocery store, which would add a new major anchor while redevelopment remained ongoing.
History
Great Northern began in 1958 as an open-air shopping center on land described as former strawberry fields in North Olmsted, Ohio. Its developers were Saul Biskind, Sol Shur, and Sidney Shur. The initial tenant lineup combined department-store, grocery, discount, and general retail uses, including Sears, F. W. Woolworth, Pick-N-Pay, and a small J. C. Penney. The addition of a freestanding May Company Cleveland store in 1965 strengthened the center's role as a regional retail destination. In 1976, the property was enclosed and expanded. The new mall was attached to the eastern side of the May Company building and included larger J. C. Penney and Sears stores. The complex grew further during the 1980s, when Plaza South was added to the original strip center and the South Court was added to the enclosed mall in 1987. Nearby hotels and office developments, including Corporate Center and Technology Park, supplemented the retail complex. Access from Lorain Road, Brookpark Road, Great Northern Boulevard, and Interstate 480 supported its regional catchment area. Hexalon Real Estate, an affiliate of the company now known as Unibail-Rodamco, invested in the mall beginning in 1980. In 1991, Hexalon acquired the remaining interest held by the Biskind family and initiated a substantial renovation in 1992. Management was handled by The Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation through 2000, after which Rodamco's Urban Shopping Centers became manager. The Biskind family retained ownership of the adjacent Plazas for a time and sold them to DDR Corp. in 1997, separating those components from the principal mall ownership. The department-store identity of the complex changed over time. May Company Cleveland became Kaufmann's in 1993, and the location was converted to Macy's in 2006. The Westfield Group purchased the shopping center in early 2002 and renamed it Westfield Shoppingtown Great Northern. Dillard's joined the property on March 19, 2003, through a South Court expansion. In 2005, Westfield removed Shoppingtown from the name, and a newly constructed 84,000-square-foot Dick's Sporting Goods store opened. The store had originally been planned around the Galyan's concept. The mall's internal layout and entertainment offer were later updated. The original food court was relocated beside Dick's Sporting Goods in 2011. In March 2013, the former food-court area became the site of construction for a 10-screen Regal Entertainment Group cinema, three restaurants, and additional renovations. The work finished in December 2013. The property was sold to Starwood Retail Partners, an affiliate of Starwood Capital Group, during the construction period. Great Northern was a strong regional mall during the 2000s and 2010s, reaching approximately 120 retailers at its peak. Its performance subsequently reflected pressures affecting many traditional enclosed malls, including retailer bankruptcies, post-pandemic financial stress, corporate store rationalization, and online shopping. Sears announced in June 2020 that its Great Northern store would close as part of a national reduction, and the store closed on August 16 of that year. Management shifted to Pacific Retail Capital Partners in 2020, amid reported ownership transfers and financial difficulties affecting the former owner. The property did not fully regain its earlier occupancy levels after the pandemic period. Several long-standing or national tenants later departed. Christopher Banks left around 2020, H&M closed in 2021 as part of corporate restructuring, and Express closed after experiencing financial difficulties. Regal announced in December 2022 that its theater would be among locations closing across the United States; the theater closed on January 26, 2023. Phoenix Theatres reopened the cinema on June 13, 2024, restoring a significant entertainment use. In 2024, reported occupancy stood between 70 and 80 percent, with local chains and small businesses replacing some departed national retailers. Macy's placed its location on the market, although it continued operating. In 2025, Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Forever 21, and FYE were reported to have left the mall, after which occupancy was described as stabilizing at slightly above 70 percent. Beginning in 2026, plans were discussed to redevelop the former Sears location as a Meijer grocery store. The proposal remained under development and could give the mall a new high-volume anchor while broadening its offer beyond conventional department-store retail.
- 2026
Potential Meijer redevelopment
[1]Plans emerge to convert the former Sears space into a Meijer grocery store, with development ongoing.
- 2024
Phoenix Theatres reopens the cinema
[1]The former Regal location resumes operation under Phoenix Theatres on June 13.
- 2023
Regal cinema closes
[1]The mall's Regal theater closes on January 26.
- 2020
Sears closes
[1]The Sears anchor closes on August 16 after being included in a national closure plan.
- 2020
Pacific Retail Capital Partners takes over management
[1]Management responsibility shifts to Pacific Retail Capital Partners.
- 2013
Regal cinema and restaurant addition completed
[1]A 10-screen cinema, three restaurants, and renovations are completed by December.
- 2011
Food court relocated
[1]The food court moves to an area next to Dick's Sporting Goods.
- 2006
Kaufmann's becomes Macy's
[1]The Kaufmann's department store is converted to Macy's.
- 2005
Name shortened to Westfield Great Northern
[1]Westfield removes Shoppingtown from the property's public name, while Dick's Sporting Goods opens as a major new anchor.
- 2003
Dillard's joins the mall
[1]Dillard's opens on March 19 following expansion of the South Court.
Products and positioning
A suburban regional shopping center serving North Olmsted and the western Cleveland area, combining department stores, specialty retail, dining, entertainment, and services. Its current repositioning reflects the broader transition of enclosed malls toward mixed tenant mixes, local businesses, entertainment, and potential grocery anchoring.
Retail · 1976
Department-store retail
The mall's traditional anchor offer consists of Dillard's, JCPenney, and Macy's. These stores provide broad assortments spanning apparel, accessories, beauty, home merchandise, seasonal products, and other general department-store categories. Sears was historically another anchor but closed in 2020.
Sporting goods · 2005
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods occupies a large anchor-format space opened in 2005. Its assortment is centered on athletic apparel, footwear, sporting equipment, outdoor gear, and related accessories. The store replaced the originally planned Galyan's concept and became part of the mall's post-Westfield expansion strategy.
Entertainment · 2024
Phoenix Theatres
Phoenix Theatres operates the mall's 10-screen cinema in the space previously occupied by Regal Entertainment Group. The theater forms part of the mall's dining and entertainment offer and reopened in June 2024 after the Regal operation closed in January 2023.
Food and beverage · 1976
Food court and restaurants
Great Northern includes a food court and restaurant component serving shoppers and cinema visitors. The original food court was relocated in 2011, and the 2013 redevelopment added three restaurants alongside the cinema. The precise current tenant lineup is not established by the supplied reference material.
Grocery and general merchandise
Potential Meijer grocery anchor
Meijer has been discussed as a possible redevelopment tenant for the former Sears site. The proposed store would introduce grocery and hypermarket merchandise and could become a new major anchor. The project was described as ongoing rather than completed.
Brand decisions
2026
Redevelop the former Sears space for MeijerStrategyBackground
The former Sears anchor remained available after its 2020 closure, while the mall sought new uses and additional traffic drivers.
Action taken
Plans and discussions began concerning a Meijer grocery store at the former Sears site.
Aftermath
The redevelopment remained in progress and, if completed, would add grocery and hypermarket uses and provide a potential new anchor.
2020
Change mall managementStrategyBackground
The property experienced ownership and financial changes during the disruption affecting retail real estate after the start of the COVID-19 period.
Action taken
Pacific Retail Capital Partners became the mall's manager.
Aftermath
The mall continued operating but experienced lower occupancy and a shift toward local and smaller tenants.
2013
Develop a cinema, restaurants, and mall improvementsProduct launchBackground
The mall sought to strengthen its leisure and dining offer while reusing the former food-court location.
Action taken
Construction began on a 10-screen Regal cinema, three restaurants, and related renovations.
Aftermath
The addition was completed by December 2013 and broadened the property beyond conventional retail.
2002
Westfield acquires the shopping centerM&ABackground
The property entered a new ownership phase as regional malls consolidated under larger specialist retail-property groups.
Action taken
The Westfield Group acquired the shopping center and rebranded it Westfield Shoppingtown Great Northern.
Aftermath
Westfield added Dillard's, opened Dick's Sporting Goods, and later dropped the Shoppingtown portion of the name.
1976
Convert the open-air center into an enclosed mallStrategyBackground
The original 1958 shopping center had developed into a larger regional retail property requiring expanded, weather-protected space.
Action taken
The owners opened a single-level enclosed mall attached to the existing May Company building and added larger anchor stores.
Aftermath
The conversion established the property as a regional enclosed shopping mall and provided the platform for later expansions.
Sources1 sources
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