Beachwood Place Faces Major Shift as Saks Fifth Avenue Closes Doors
Beachwood Place, a long-standing shopping destination, is bracing for a significant transformation following the announcement of Saks Fifth Avenue’s closure. This development mirrors similar shifts experienced by other major retail centres in the region, such as those in Strongsville and North Olmsted, as the retail landscape continues to evolve. The departure of a key anchor store, especially one that has been a fixture since the mall’s inception, comes at a time when consumers are increasingly favouring online shopping and home deliveries over traditional mall visits. The process of finding suitable replacements for such large retail spaces can often span several years.
The blow to Beachwood Place was delivered earlier this month when Saks Fifth Avenue, a cornerstone of the mall since its opening in 1978, was included on a nationwide closure list. This decision stems from Saks Global, the parent company that acquired Neiman Marcus in 2024 and is currently navigating substantial debt under federal bankruptcy protection. The restructuring effort will see twenty Saks Fifth Avenue locations eliminated, leaving the chain with a significantly reduced footprint of just 13 stores. The nearest remaining Saks will be in Troy, Michigan, with other locations scattered across California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, and New York. Beachwood did not meet the company’s criteria for “prioritizing the best-performing and most desirable locations in markets with the highest growth potential.”
Although the mall operator has indicated the Beachwood store will remain open until May, the impact of the March 6 announcement was immediate. Discounts began appearing throughout the store, and shelves were seen emptying rapidly within a week of the news breaking. A recent inspection of the two-story, one-million-square-foot mall revealed approximately 20 vacancies among smaller storefronts. This included four empty units situated near the second-floor entrance to Saks.
A spokesperson for Trademark Property, the mall’s leasing and management company based in Fort Worth, Texas, stated that the company is “actively executing a thoughtful remerchandising strategy focused on strengthening the tenant mix.” The spokesperson expressed optimism about “the level of interest” from potential new tenants but declined to provide specific details or answer further questions. For now, Dillard’s and Nordstrom will continue to serve as the remaining anchor stores at Beachwood Place.
Lessons from the Past: Great Northern and SouthPark’s Anchor Departures
The experiences of two other major indoor malls in Cuyahoga County, SouthPark and Great Northern, offer a glimpse into the potential timeline for Beachwood Place’s recovery. While each retail environment is unique, these past transitions highlight the challenges and lengthy processes involved in redeveloping large retail spaces.
Great Northern Mall faced a similar situation when its Sears store, an anchor since the mall’s 1976 opening, closed its doors in 2020. This left a substantial void in the mall’s structure. It wasn’t until this year that a developer presented plans to the council to demolish the former two-story Sears space and replace it with a “grocery super center and associated gas station/convenience store,” strongly indicating a Meijer development. According to North Olmsted Mayor Nicole Dailey Jones, this project, which forms the first phase of the property’s redevelopment, will involve constructing a new, detached store and rebuilding the ring road. However, even with a smooth process, the new store is not expected to open for at least 18 months, nearly eight years after Sears’ closure.
SouthPark Mall in Strongsville saw its Sears store, a tenant for 22 years, close in 2018. It took seven years, until 2025, for Dick’s House of Sport to occupy the completely rebuilt former Sears space, filling the gap left by a major anchor. However, the former, smaller Dick’s Sporting Goods location at SouthPark remains vacant. In parallel, planning is in its final stages for a Hilton-brand hotel to be situated on the south end of the mall property, separate from the main mall structure. Strongsville City Planner George Smerigan explained that this is part of a broader strategy to diversify the property and adapt to evolving retail trends. “There’s obviously an evolution with retail. Things have changed. A lot of the malls that were kind of marginal malls couldn’t handle it,” Smerigan commented, adding that “strong ones like SouthPark, Beachwood Place and Belden Village (near Canton) are handling it.”
The Evolving Retail Landscape and Beachwood’s Future
In today’s market, vacant spaces left by traditional department stores like Saks are rarely filled by similar large retailers such as a new Sears, JCPenney, or Macy’s. Nationally, some malls have explored alternative uses, including museums and mini-amusement parks, to draw visitors and shoppers. Both Great Northern and SouthPark benefit from large, multi-screen movie theatres that contribute to significant foot traffic.
Catherine Bieterman, economic development director for the city of Beachwood, acknowledged the nostalgic significance of Beachwood Place, describing it as “the iconic fashion center with distinctive architectural designs.” She expressed confidence in the 48-year-old mall’s enduring appeal and future prospects. “Our approach is centered on attracting high-quality retailers, experiential concepts, destination and specialty retail businesses that enhance the overall shopping environment and continue to draw visitors to Beachwood,” Bieterman stated.
When the mall first opened in August 1978, Saks and Higbee’s were the original anchor tenants, supported by approximately 80 other businesses. The Saks store marked the retailer’s 31st location nationwide and its first in Ohio. If the recent histories of Cuyahoga County’s other major malls are any indication, the departure of Saks Fifth Avenue at Beachwood Place will necessitate a patient and strategic approach to redevelopment, likely involving a considerable timeframe to fully reshape the mall’s offerings.
