Dadeland Mall
Dadeland Mall is a large enclosed shopping center in Kendall, Florida, serving as a major retail and transit destination in the Miami metropolitan area.
Last updated August 22, 2026
AI crawler reads
4requests
1companies- Anthropic4
- Profile
- 2
- Controversies
- 2
- JSON · MD
- 0
- First read
- Nov 4, 2026
- Latest read
- Nov 4, 2026
From this site's server log
Overview
Dadeland Mall is a major enclosed shopping center in the Dadeland district of Kendall, Miami-Dade County, Florida. It began operation on October 1, 1962, as a 535,000-square-foot open-air retail complex developed by Baltimore-based Joseph Meyerhoff Company. The original center contained approximately 60 stores and services and was anchored by Burdine's, a prominent Florida department-store chain. Other early occupants included Food Fair, Gray Drug, and the Summit Restaurant, Lounge and Cafeteria, later known as The Forum. The center expanded and evolved along with suburban Miami. Jordan Marsh opened at the west end in 1966, and a major project begun in the late 1960s approximately doubled the mall's size. That work created a twin-structure layout, added an eastern enclosed wing, enclosed existing courts and concourses, and introduced air conditioning throughout the complex. JCPenney opened as a new eastern anchor in early 1971. A further expansion in the early 1980s added Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor, while a former supermarket space was converted into a food court. Between 1984 and 1987, architect Dick Johnson directed a large modernization program that removed the center's original animal sculptures and drop ceilings. Some of the surviving concrete animals and geometric play structures were donated to public sites in Miami-Dade County. The mall's concrete tower crowned by a large letter D remains one of its best-known visual markers. Dadeland has also appeared as a filming location in the films Invasion U.S.A. and Miami Blues, although portions of the property have since been remodeled. Dadeland's retail mix has changed repeatedly as department-store chains consolidated or withdrew from the market. Jordan Marsh operated at the west end from 1966 until 1991, followed by Burdines Home Store and later Macy's Home Gallery and Kids. Lord & Taylor occupied a south-facing anchor location from 1983 to 2004, after which Nordstrom operated there until its closure in 2020. In February 2025, Dick's Sporting Goods opened a large-format Dick's House of Sport in the former Nordstrom building. Current major anchors include JCPenney, Macy's, Macy's Home Gallery and Kids, Saks Fifth Avenue, Apple, and Dick's House of Sport. The Cheesecake Factory is identified as the mall's largest restaurant. Simon Property Group acquired a 50 percent interest in 1997 and manages the property; Morgan Stanley owns the remaining 50 percent. The center is positioned as a regional shopping, dining, entertainment, and transportation hub rather than merely a local neighborhood mall. It lies between U.S. Route 1 and the Palmetto Expressway and is connected to the Miami Metrorail system through Dadeland North station, while Dadeland South station is located just south of the property. The associated AC Hotel Miami Dadeland opened in October 2021, adding hospitality and meeting facilities to the broader destination.
History
Dadeland Mall opened on October 1, 1962, in the Dadeland district of what is now Kendall, Florida. Developed by the Joseph Meyerhoff Company of Baltimore, it was initially an open-air center of approximately 535,000 square feet with about 60 stores and services. Burdine's served as the principal department-store anchor. The initial tenant mix also included Food Fair, a full-service Gray Drug store, and the Summit Restaurant, Lounge and Cafeteria, which later operated under the name The Forum. The property expanded as the surrounding Miami suburbs grew. Jordan Marsh opened an anchor store on the western end in November 1966. A major construction program launched in late 1969 approximately doubled the size of the complex. The project created a paired building arrangement around the large central Burdine's store, added an enclosed eastern wing, and enclosed and air-conditioned the existing courts and walkways. A very large Burger King, promoted as the King of the Mall, was another feature of the redevelopment. The project was completed with the opening of JCPenney in early 1971. Dadeland became associated with several notorious episodes during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, two gunmen exited a paneled truck and attacked a liquor store, killing two men and wounding a clerk. The victims were subsequently identified as a Colombian cocaine trafficker and his bodyguard, and the event was later treated as an early public marker of Miami's drug-war period. In December 1981, a 13-month-old boy was found alive behind the mall after disappearing four days earlier. The child's parents and four other people had been killed at a Southwest Dade townhouse in a case connected in contemporary accounts to organized crime. A third major expansion began in early 1983. It added Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor along the south-facing side of the property. Later that year, a former Pantry Pride space, itself formerly occupied by Food Fair, became a food court. From 1984 through 1987, the mall underwent a broad renovation led by architect Dick Johnson. The work removed the aging animal sculptures and drop ceilings and gave the complex a more contemporary appearance. A seahorse sculpture was cut apart during the renovation, could not be successfully reassembled, and was ultimately discarded. Other concrete animals and geometric play structures were donated to Miami-Dade County sites. The mall's tenant history reflects wider changes in American department-store retail. Jordan Marsh operated from 1966 to 1991, and the former western anchor was later used by Burdines Home Store before ultimately becoming Macy's Home Gallery and Kids. Lord & Taylor occupied its location from 1983 to 2004. Nordstrom then operated there until announcing its closure in 2020. Dick's Sporting Goods subsequently acquired the former Nordstrom building and opened a Dick's House of Sport there in February 2025. Dadeland's ownership and management also changed. Simon Property Group purchased a 50 percent interest in 1997 and became the property's manager, while Morgan Stanley retained the other half. Proposals in the late 1990s to add a second story across the entire mall were rejected. The center later expanded its destination role beyond retail: the AC Hotel Miami Dadeland opened in October 2021 through a collaboration involving Simon, Concord Hospitality Enterprises, and Marriott. The mall is located between South Dixie Highway, or U.S. Route 1, and the Palmetto Expressway at the expressway's southern terminus. Dadeland North Metrorail station is adjacent to the center and connected by a pedestrian walkway; Dadeland South station is just south of the property. Its visible concrete tower with a large D remains a local landmark. The mall has also served as a filming location, including exterior and interior scenes in Invasion U.S.A. and Miami Blues.
- 2025
Dick's House of Sport opens
[1]Dick's Sporting Goods opens a large-format House of Sport store in the former Nordstrom building.
- 2021
AC Hotel Miami Dadeland opens
[1]A Marriott-affiliated AC Hotel opens as part of the broader Dadeland destination.
- 2020
Nordstrom closes its Dadeland store
[1]Nordstrom announces the closure of its anchor store during the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2004
Nordstrom replaces Lord & Taylor
[1]Nordstrom takes over the former Lord & Taylor anchor location.
- 1997
Simon Property Group acquires a 50 percent interest
[1]Simon Property Group becomes a half-owner and manager of the shopping center; Morgan Stanley owns the other half.
- 1984
Modernization program begins
[1]Architect Dick Johnson leads a multiyear renovation that removes the original decorative animals and drop ceilings.
- 1983
Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor join the mall
[1]A new expansion adds two major department-store anchors and a food court is created in a former supermarket space.
- 1979
Mall shooting becomes linked to Miami drug-war history
[1]A daylight shooting at a liquor store kills two people and injures a clerk in an incident later associated with Miami's drug-war era.
- 1971
Major enclosure and expansion completed
[1]A large redevelopment program encloses the mall, adds air conditioning and new retail space, and culminates in the opening of JCPenney.
- 1966
Jordan Marsh opens
[1]Jordan Marsh adds a western department-store anchor to the complex.
Products and positioning
A large regional enclosed shopping and dining destination in South Florida, combining department stores, luxury retail, specialty stores, restaurants, entertainment, and direct access to Miami-Dade's Metrorail network.
Retail format · 1962
Department-store retail
Dadeland's department-store offer is centered on Macy's, Macy's Home Gallery and Kids, JCPenney, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Together these stores cover mainstream apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods, children's merchandise, and luxury fashion. The anchor mix has changed over time as Jordan Marsh, Burdines, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, and other chains entered or exited the property.
Sporting goods · 2025
Dick's House of Sport
Dick's House of Sport is a large-format sporting-goods concept offering sports equipment, footwear, apparel, and experiential features associated with the Dick's Sporting Goods format. The Dadeland location occupies the former Nordstrom anchor building and opened in February 2025.
Consumer electronics
Apple Store
The Apple Store is one of Dadeland Mall's named anchor or major specialty offerings, providing Apple hardware, accessories, software-related services, and customer support within the mall's technology retail mix.
Restaurants · 1983
Dining and food service
Food service is an established part of Dadeland's tenant mix. The property has operated a food court since the 1980s and includes full-service restaurants, with The Cheesecake Factory identified as its largest restaurant. Earlier food-service tenants included the Summit Restaurant, Lounge and Cafeteria and the later Forum.
Hospitality · 2021
AC Hotel Miami Dadeland
The AC Hotel Miami Dadeland extends the destination beyond shopping with guest rooms, a pool, lounge, fitness center, meeting rooms, and a 3,610-square-foot venue. It opened in October 2021 through a collaboration involving Simon Property Group, Concord Hospitality Enterprises, and Marriott.
Controversies
1981
Child found after connected townhouse killings
A 13-month-old boy was found alive behind the mall after being missing for four days. His parents and four other people had been killed at a Southwest Dade townhouse in an incident described in accounts of the mall's history as connected to organized crime.
1979
Dadeland liquor-store shooting
Two gunmen attacked a liquor store at the mall in daylight, killing two men and wounding a clerk. The victims were later identified as a Colombian cocaine trafficker and his bodyguard, and the episode became closely associated with the beginning of Miami's drug-war period.
Brand decisions
2020
Replace the departing Nordstrom anchorStrategyBackground
Nordstrom announced the closure of its Dadeland store during the economic disruption associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving a large anchor building vacant.
Action taken
Dick's Sporting Goods purchased the former Nordstrom building and selected it for a large-format Dick's House of Sport location.
Aftermath
The building returned to active anchor use when Dick's House of Sport opened in February 2025.
1997
Simon Property Group takes a half interestM&ABackground
Dadeland was an established regional mall requiring large-scale property management and leasing capabilities.
Action taken
Simon Property Group purchased 50 percent of the center and assumed management responsibilities, while Morgan Stanley retained the other 50 percent.
Aftermath
The ownership structure made Simon the operating manager while preserving a shared ownership arrangement.
1983
Add luxury and department-store anchorsOtherBackground
The center continued to broaden its regional tenant mix after its enclosure and earlier expansion.
Action taken
Dadeland added Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor on its south-facing frontage and converted a former supermarket location into a food court.
Aftermath
The changes increased the mall's range of luxury, department-store, and dining offerings.
1971
Convert the open-air center into an enclosed regional mallStrategyBackground
Dadeland's original open-air format was expanded as suburban Miami's retail needs grew and as enclosed, air-conditioned shopping centers became increasingly attractive in South Florida.
Action taken
The redevelopment approximately doubled the complex, added an enclosed eastern wing, air-conditioned the courts and concourses, and introduced JCPenney as an anchor.
Aftermath
The project established the physical format that supported Dadeland's later role as a major regional shopping destination.
Recent events
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/dadeland-mall · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled