Winter Park Village

Winter Park Village is an open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment center in Winter Park, Florida, serving the greater Orlando area. The center opened in 1999 after the redevelopment of the former Winter Park Mall, an enclosed shopping mall that had opened on the site in 1964. Its tenant mix combines national retailers, restaurants, services, and entertainment uses in a pedestrian-oriented lifestyle-center format. The property represents a transition from the traditional enclosed regional mall model to an open-air center designed around multiple smaller storefronts, restaurants, and entertainment destinations. Its current or historically documented anchor and major tenants include Publix, Arhaus, Guitar Center, REI, and Regal Cinemas. Dining options have included Brio Tuscan Grille, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and P.F. Chang's China Bistro. Regal Cinemas operates a 20-screen movie theater at the center, giving the property an entertainment component in addition to shopping and food service. Winter Park Village occupies a site with a significant retail history. Winter Park Mall was Greater Orlando's first enclosed shopping mall when it opened in 1964, with Ivey's and JCPenney as its original anchor stores. The JCPenney location was reportedly the second-largest in the United States at the time. A major fire on Easter morning, April 6, 1969, damaged a large portion of the enclosed mall; the property was subsequently rebuilt. Ivey's was acquired by Dillard's in 1990, while JCPenney relocated to Orlando Fashion Square in 1993. As the older mall lost traffic to Winter Park's Park Avenue shopping district and newer regional malls, its owners pursued a broader redevelopment strategy. The redevelopment was organized through a joint venture involving the Don M. Casto Organization and the Nikitine family. Most of Winter Park Mall was demolished in 1998, while the former Dillard's structure remained temporarily. When Dillard's did not renew its lease in 1999, the building was reconfigured for new uses. The former department-store space was divided into smaller commercial units, including locations for The Cheesecake Factory and Guitar Center, as well as 58 loft apartments on the upper level. Winter Park Village was formally dedicated on November 15, 1999, although several stores and restaurants began opening earlier in the year. The initial redevelopment also included an Albertsons supermarket and a Regal Cinemas theater. Albertsons closed in 2008 and was replaced by Publix. Borders, another early tenant, closed in 2011 after its parent company shut its stores nationwide; the former Borders building was later demolished and replaced by smaller buildings occupied by Chase and Starbucks. Chamberlin's Market & Cafe, one of the few businesses carried over from the former Winter Park Mall era, closed in 2016, and REI took the space in 2017. The center continued to evolve through tenant replacement and additions. A new Arhaus location was reported as planned for 2024. Overall, Winter Park Village is positioned as a mixed-use lifestyle shopping center rather than a conventional enclosed mall, with its identity built around open-air circulation, recognizable national tenants, dining, cinema, and access to the established Winter Park retail market.

The property now known as Winter Park Village was originally developed as Winter Park Mall, which opened in 1964 as Greater Orlando's first enclosed shopping mall. Its original anchor tenants were Ivey's and JCPenney. The JCPenney store was notable for its size and was described at the time as the second-largest JCPenney location in the country. The mall suffered a major fire on April 6, 1969, Easter morning. The incident damaged a substantial section of the enclosed center and was followed by reconstruction. The mall's competitive position weakened over subsequent decades. Winter Park's Park Avenue district attracted shoppers seeking an upscale, walkable retail environment, while newer malls in the Orlando region created additional competition. Ivey's was sold to Dillard's in 1990. JCPenney left the property in 1993 and moved to Orlando Fashion Square, leaving Dillard's as the remaining principal anchor. Although potential replacement department stores such as Belk and Parisian were considered, the owners ultimately pursued a comprehensive redevelopment rather than simply replacing the vacant anchor. A joint venture between the Don M. Casto Organization and the Nikitine family led the redevelopment effort. Most of Winter Park Mall was razed in 1998, although the former Dillard's structure was retained temporarily. Dillard's did not renew its lease in 1999, allowing the developers to redesign the building and the broader property. The former department-store structure was divided into smaller commercial spaces. The lower level included The Cheesecake Factory and Guitar Center, while the upper level was adapted for 58 loft apartments. Winter Park Village was formally dedicated on November 15, 1999. Some tenants, including Borders and P.F. Chang's China Bistro, had opened earlier in the year. The new center adopted an open-air lifestyle-center format, combining retail, dining, entertainment, and residential elements rather than recreating a conventional enclosed mall. Its opening tenant mix also included an Albertsons supermarket and a Regal Cinemas theater. Tenant turnover has shaped the center's subsequent history. Albertsons closed in 2008 and was replaced by Publix. Borders closed in 2011 after the bookseller decided to shut all of its stores. Its former building was demolished and replaced by two smaller buildings occupied by Chase and Starbucks. Chamberlin's Market & Cafe, one of the businesses that had survived from the Winter Park Mall period, closed in 2016. REI subsequently occupied that space in 2017. The center's documented major tenants have included Publix, Arhaus, Guitar Center, REI, and Regal Cinemas, alongside restaurants such as Brio Tuscan Grille, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and P.F. Chang's China Bistro. In 2024, a new Arhaus location was reported as planned for the property. These changes illustrate Winter Park Village's continuing adaptation from a former enclosed regional mall into a mixed-use, open-air shopping and dining destination serving Winter Park and the wider Orlando market.

• 2024

  Arhaus expansion planned

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  A new Arhaus location is reported as planned for Winter Park Village.

• 2017

  REI takes over former Chamberlin's space

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  REI opens in the space previously occupied by Chamberlin's Market & Cafe.

• 2016

  Chamberlin's Market & Cafe closes

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  Chamberlin's Market & Cafe, one of the businesses associated with the former mall, closes at the center.

• 2011

  Borders closes

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  The Borders store closes during the company's nationwide shutdown, and its former building is later replaced with smaller commercial structures.

• 2008

  Publix replaces Albertsons

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  The Albertsons supermarket closes and its role at the center is taken by Publix.

• 1999

  Winter Park Village is dedicated

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  The open-air center is officially dedicated on November 15, 1999, following earlier openings by some stores and restaurants.

• 1998

  Former mall is largely demolished

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  Most of Winter Park Mall is demolished as part of the joint-venture redevelopment led by the Don M. Casto Organization and the Nikitine family.

• 1993

  JCPenney leaves the mall

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney relocates to Orlando Fashion Square, contributing to the former mall's anchor-space challenge.

• 1990

  Ivey's becomes part of Dillard's

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  Ivey's is sold to Dillard's, which becomes the principal remaining department-store anchor after later tenant changes.

• 1969

  Major mall fire

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  A large section of Winter Park Mall burns on April 6, 1969, and the damaged portions are rebuilt.

• 1964

  Winter Park Mall opens

  [1]Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org

  Winter Park Mall opens as Greater Orlando's first enclosed shopping mall, anchored by Ivey's and JCPenney.

Lifestyle shopping center

• Specialty retail · 1999

  Retail shopping

  Winter Park Village provides a concentration of specialty retail in an open-air setting. Documented major tenants include home-furnishings retailer Arhaus, outdoor retailer REI, musical-instrument retailer Guitar Center, and Publix supermarket. The mix reflects the center's lifestyle positioning rather than a department-store-led enclosed-mall format.

• Restaurants · 1999

  Dining

  Dining is a central part of the center's offering. Documented restaurants have included Brio Tuscan Grille, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and P.F. Chang's China Bistro, giving the property a mix of casual, polished-casual, and upscale full-service food options.

• Entertainment · 1999

  Regal Cinemas

  The center includes a 20-screen Regal Cinemas theater. The cinema adds a recurring entertainment destination and supports the center's broader role as an evening and weekend shopping-and-dining venue.

• Residential mixed use · 1999

  Loft apartments

  The redevelopment converted the upper level of the former Dillard's building into 58 loft apartments. This residential element formed part of the mixed-use approach used in transforming the former enclosed mall site.

• 2024

  Arhaus location plannedProduct launch

  Background

  The center continued to refresh its tenant mix through additions and replacements.

  Action taken

  A new Arhaus home-furnishings store was reported as planned for Winter Park Village.

  Source

• 2017

  REI takes over former market spaceOther

  Background

  Chamberlin's Market & Cafe closed in 2016 after being one of the few businesses associated with the former Winter Park Mall to remain at the redeveloped center.

  Action taken

  REI opened in the location in 2017.

  Aftermath

  The tenant change reinforced the center's specialty-retail and lifestyle orientation.

  Source

• 2011

  Former Borders site is reconfiguredOther

  Background

  Borders closed its Winter Park Village store as part of the company's decision to close all stores.

  Action taken

  The former Borders building was demolished and replaced by two smaller buildings.

  Aftermath

  The replacement buildings housed Chase and Starbucks, creating a smaller-format commercial configuration.

  Source

• 2008

  Supermarket tenant replacementOther

  Background

  Albertsons closed its store at Winter Park Village.

  Action taken

  The supermarket space was subsequently occupied by Publix.

  Aftermath

  Publix became one of the center's documented major anchor tenants.

  Source

• 1998

  Redevelopment from enclosed mall to open-air villageStrategy

  Background

  The former Winter Park Mall had lost popularity amid competition from Park Avenue and newer Orlando-area malls, while its anchor lineup had weakened after JCPenney's relocation.

  Action taken

  A joint venture involving the Don M. Casto Organization and the Nikitine family demolished most of the mall and developed an open-air center combining retail, restaurants, entertainment, and residential space.

  Aftermath

  Winter Park Village was dedicated in 1999 and became the primary identity of the redeveloped property.

  Source

1. 1Winter Park Villageen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Winter Park Village official websiteshopwinterparkvillage.net