Great Northern Mall

Welcome to the Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted, Ohio. As we begin our exploration of this retail landmark, it is essential to understand that this site has undergone a remarkable transformation over the last seven decades. …

To understand the current layout of the mall, we must look back to 1965, a pivotal year in its development. At that time, the Biskin family realized that the shopping center needed a major high-end draw to keep pace with the…

As we walk through the central concourse, much of what you see today is the result of an extensive renovation completed in late 1992. Before this update, the mall featured a vastly different aesthetic, characterized by heavy…

The early 2000s marked another major chapter in the mall's history, characterized by the addition of the three-story Dillard's store. Opening in 2003, this massive expansion added 15 more inline tenants to the South Court,…

In the northwest corner of the mall, we find ourselves at the site of one of its most important recent success stories: the Phoenix Theaters. This area has a complex history. …

As we approach the former Sears location, we encounter a poignant symbol of the challenges facing traditional retail. This store closed its doors for the final time on August 16, 2020, marking the end of the last full-line Sears…

Returning to the heart of the mall, we can appreciate the central courtyard as a functional community space. Despite not having the 'pizzazz' of older-school mall characteristics like massive fountains or elaborate neon, this…

Our journey through the Great Northern Mall concludes where it began, in a space that has seen nearly seventy years of change. From its origins as Saul Biskin’s strawberry patch to its current status as a retail and entertainment…