The upscale shopping mall Westfield Old Orchard in north suburban Skokie is about to get a set of new stores, part of a $100 million transformation that is the most far-reaching in its 67-year history. The owners are reconstructing the now-empty Lord & Taylor building into a home for smaller retailers such as home furnishings brand Arhaus, mini golf outlet Puttshack and upscale clothing store ZARA.
“This will absolutely help the rest of the retailers by bringing more foot traffic and sales to the whole site,” said Westfield Old Orchard senior general manager Serge Khalimsky.
It’s also part of a move away from traditional big-box retailers like Lord & Taylor, which struggle to survive in many suburban shopping malls. Owner Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s plan, first unveiled in 2022, envisions the new Old Orchard as a 24/7 community, shrinking the amount of traditional retail in favor of new homes, a town square, outdoor amenities and new restaurants.
“It will become a mini city within a city,” Khalimsky said.
Other parts of the mall are also getting new looks. Aritzia, a women’s fashion boutique, will move from its small Old Orchard store into a space once occupied by the Gap, tripling its size.
Bloomingdale’s closed its 200,000-square-foot store in 2022 but opened a new spot in the mall called Bloomie’s that is roughly one-fourth the size. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield will soon begin developing hundreds of residences on the old Bloomingdale’s site.
“The transformational redevelopment now underway at Westfield Old Orchard will enhance experiences for Skokie residents and visitors, supporting the center as an economic engine for our community,” Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen said in a statement. “The Village looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Westfield Old Orchard to help Skokie thrive and remain the North Shore’s premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination for decades to come.”
ZARA already occupies a small space on the north end of the mall and will double in size when it moves into the transformed Lord & Taylor building, which will get a completely new facade.
“When the community sees it, it will be hard to recognize what it used to be,” Khalimsky said.
More to come.