White Oaks Mall (Springfield, Illinois) facts for kids
White Oaks Mall from the southeast
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| Location | Springfield, Illinois |
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| Coordinates | 39°46′02″N 89°42′13″W / 39.76723°N 89.70358°W |
| Opening date | 1977 |
| Owner | Simon Property Group (80.7%) |
| No. of stores and services | 77 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 6 (4 open, 2 vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 928,772 square feet (86,285.7 m2) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Website | simon.com/mall/white-oaks-mall |
White Oaks Mall is a large shopping center in Springfield, Illinois, United States. It is the biggest enclosed shopping center in Central Illinois. You can find it on the southwest side of Springfield, about five miles from the city center. The mall is located where two main roads, Illinois Route 4 (Veterans Parkway) and Wabash Avenue, come together.
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White Oaks Mall: Your Shopping Adventure!
White Oaks Mall is a popular place for shopping and fun. It has a huge area of 928,772 square feet (86,285.7 m2) for stores. The mall is owned mostly by a company called Simon Property Group. They call White Oaks Mall a "super-regional shopping mall" because it's so big and has so many different stores.
Fun Facts and History
Construction of White Oaks Mall began in 1974. The mall first opened its doors in 1977. Its original name was planned to be Westroads Mall. Famous people like Ed McMahon and Billy Carter even came to the grand opening party on August 24, 1977!
In the early 1990s, the mall got a big makeover. This $14 million renovation added a new food court where you can grab a bite to eat. In 1997, a fun carousel was installed, which is great for younger visitors. The mall also has a special play area just for kids.
The mall's name, White Oaks Mall, comes from the White Oak tree. This tree is the official state tree of Illinois.
Stores You'll Find
White Oaks Mall is home to over 100 stores! It has several large main stores, called "anchor stores." These are usually big department stores or popular shops that attract many visitors.
Currently, the main anchor stores are:
You can also find stores specializing in kids' clothing, like Children's Place and Carter's.
What Happened to Some Stores?
Over the years, some of the original anchor stores have changed or closed.
- Macy's was originally a store called Famous-Barr. It became Macy's in 2006 and is still open today.
- Bergner's was another original anchor store. It used to be called Myers Brothers before becoming Bergner's in 1982. Sadly, Bergner's closed in 2018.
- Montgomery Ward was also an original anchor. It closed down in 2001. Its large space was then divided into smaller stores. These included Dick's Sporting Goods, Cost Plus World Market, and Linens 'n Things. After Cost Plus and Linens 'n Things closed in 2008, their spaces were taken by other stores. Michaels and LA Fitness are now in parts of the old Montgomery Ward area.
- Sears, Roebuck and Company was the last original anchor store to close. It shut its doors in 2018.
What's Next for the Old Sears Store?
After Sears closed, the large building it used to occupy was empty. In 2020, the state of Illinois bought the old Sears building. This building is about 120,000 square feet in size. The state plans to turn this space into offices for three of its departments:
- The Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology
- The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
- The Illinois Pollution Control Board
This means the old Sears store will have a new purpose, helping the state government.
- Mall website
- Corporate website
