There are malls you visit because you need something. Then there are malls you visit because you want to be somewhere.
PHOTO Commons.wikimedia.orgWestfield Old Orchard mall in Chicago has firmly crossed into the second category, and it keeps getting better.
Tucked into Skokie on Chicago’s North Shore, Old Orchard has been around since 1956. That’s nearly seven decades of retail history. But what’s happening there right now has nothing to do with nostalgia. A $100 million transformation is turning this open-air center into something that barely resembles a traditional mall anymore. Think luxury apartments, park spaces, chef-driven restaurants and wellness facilities, all woven around more than 150 retailers. The kind of place where you come for a coffee and end up staying the whole afternoon.
A shopping experience that actually feels like an experience
What sets Westfield Old Orchard apart from most malls in the Chicago area is its open-air design. Instead of fluorescent-lit corridors, you stroll along winding outdoor paths lined with trees, water features and a stunning koi pond that locals have loved for years. The layout was deliberately designed in the 1950s to make shopping feel more like a walk through a village than a march through a warehouse. That original vision still holds up remarkably well, especially now that the center has doubled down on landscaping, outdoor seating and green spaces.
The retail lineup is strong without being overwhelming. Anchor stores Macy’s and Nordstrom bookend the property, while names like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch and Anthropologie fill the spaces in between. Newer arrivals include Alo Yoga for the athleisure crowd, Arhaus for design-obsessed homeowners and a relocated Zara that’s significantly larger than its previous Old Orchard location. Blue Bottle Coffee opened its doors in January 2026, and Pop Mart, the collectible toy brand that’s become a global phenomenon, is the latest addition.
The dining scene is no afterthought
Old Orchard made a deliberate choice years ago to skip the traditional food court model. Instead of clustering fast food outlets in one corner, restaurants are scattered throughout the property. It’s a small decision that completely changes the rhythm of a visit. You eat when you stumble upon something that looks good rather than when you’ve exhausted your shopping energy.
The dining roster reads more like a neighborhood restaurant guide than a mall directory. The Capital Grille brings its polished steakhouse experience. Bar Siena, from the team behind celebrated Chicago restaurateur Fabio Viviani, serves wood-fired pizzas and Italian small plates with a lively patio. Sweetgreen offers a quick and clean lunch option. Shake Shack has been a fixture since 2015. And there’s still Maggiano’s Little Italy, an Old Orchard institution since 1994 that continues to draw families for its generous portions and old-school warmth.
Entertainment that goes beyond browsing
Shopping malls have been talking about “experiential retail” for years now. Old Orchard actually delivers on the promise. CMX Cinemas operates a luxury movie theater on site, the kind with reclining leather seats and full food service, making it easy to pair a film with dinner. Puttshack, which opened in the reimagined Lord & Taylor space, brings high-tech mini golf with a social, bar-like atmosphere that works just as well for date night as for a family outing.
The center also invests heavily in seasonal events and community programming. Outdoor concerts, farmers markets, art installations featuring locally sourced pieces and holiday activations fill the calendar throughout the year. If you time your visit right, you might catch one of the Westfield Days events, curated shopping and lifestyle experiences that rotate across Westfield properties nationwide.
The transformation that’s reshaping Chicago’s North Shore
Perhaps the most ambitious part of Old Orchard’s evolution is what’s coming next. In partnership with Focus Development, Westfield is adding approximately 400 luxury apartment homes to the property along with street-level retail, a public park and event spaces. Construction began in 2025 and the first residents are expected to move in by early 2027.
The idea is not just to add housing. It’s to create what Westfield calls a “24/7 ecosystem,” a neighborhood where people live, work, shop and eat without needing to drive anywhere else. The residential component will include a pool, fitness center, co-working spaces, a pet spa and outdoor gathering areas designed for concerts and community events. Sustainability is baked into the plan as well: the development is pursuing LEED Gold certification, incorporating renewable energy, biophilic design and natural materials.
It’s a strategy that reflects a broader shift in how the best retail spaces operate. The malls that thrive in 2026 are the ones that stopped being malls a long time ago. Old Orchard understood this early and has been executing on it consistently since 2022.
Practical information for visitors
Westfield Old Orchard sits at 4905 Old Orchard Center in Skokie, Illinois, about 20 minutes north of downtown Chicago by car, depending on traffic. The Edens Expressway (I-94) provides direct access. Parking is free, with roughly 8,000 spaces spread across surface lots and covered garages.
Hours run Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Individual restaurant hours may vary. If you’re visiting during warmer months, the outdoor environment is at its best, but even in winter, the covered walkways and heated restaurant patios keep things comfortable.
For travelers staying in downtown Chicago, Old Orchard makes for an excellent half-day excursion. Pair it with a visit to the nearby Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center or simply use it as a reason to explore the leafy North Shore suburbs that most tourists never see. Either way, you’ll find a destination that has quietly become one of the most compelling places to spend a few hours in the Chicago metro area, and one that keeps giving you new reasons to come back.
