Deerbrook
Corporate brand
UnclaimedDeerbrook is a shopping center in Deerfield, Illinois, whose enclosed-mall format has gradually been redeveloped around large standalone retailers and service-oriented tenants.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Deerbrook, formally known as Deerbrook Mall, is a shopping center on Waukegan Road in Deerfield, Illinois. The property is positioned north of the Edens Spur and south of Lake Cook Road, serving Deerfield, Northbrook, and nearby communities in Chicago's northern suburbs. Its approximately 47.45-acre site combines retail, food, entertainment, fitness, and other commercial uses. Although the property was originally conceived as a conventional enclosed suburban mall, its commercial identity has changed substantially over time as department-store chains and specialty retailers exited the market. The property originated in 1970, when 30 acres were acquired from local farmer Louis Werhane for mall development. Primary construction was completed in 1971. The name was selected through a drawing and combines references to Deerfield and Northbrook, the two communities most closely associated with the center. In its original form, Deerbrook emphasized a small-town Main Street atmosphere rather than a purely utilitarian shopping environment. The interior included streetlamps, water fountains decorated with brass frogs and other aquatic sculptures, sunken communal seating areas, and a predominantly red-and-brown brick floor with a glossy finish. During its earlier decades, Deerbrook housed a broad range of national and regional retailers. Its former tenants included Venture, Turn Style, Service Merchandise, Spiegel Outlet, John M. Smyth's Homemakers, Montgomery Ward, The Great Indoors, Wonder!, TJ Maxx, Best Buy, Hobby Lobby, OfficeMax, Sports Authority, Art Van Furniture, Bed Bath & Beyond, Blockbuster Video, GameStop, Old Country Buffet, Bally Total Fitness, and a General Cinema theater. Several departures resulted from retail-chain bankruptcies, contractions, or strategic retrenchment rather than from a single property-level event. The center's four-screen cinema, which began as a two-screen theater and expanded during the 1980s, closed in 2001 after General Cinema entered bankruptcy proceedings. Ownership and redevelopment became increasingly important as the enclosed mall experienced vacancy pressure. Lendlease acquired the property in 1998 on behalf of a public-pension-fund client from Valenti Builders and initiated interior and exterior improvements. A more fundamental transformation occurred between 2015 and 2017, when portions of the enclosed mall, former storefronts, and the cinema site were demolished to create space for new construction and larger standalone tenants. This shift reduced the importance of the interior mall corridor and increased the property's dependence on individual anchor and freestanding operators. The current tenant mix has included Marshalls, The Dump Furniture Outlet, Office Depot, Jewel-Osco, Floor & Decor, and Sky Zone, with occupancy changing as retailers enter, relocate, or close. Floor & Decor moved into the former Bed Bath & Beyond space after Bed Bath & Beyond's Illinois stores were liquidated in 2023. Art Van Furniture's location closed after the company prepared for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020. In addition to retail repositioning, a townhome project behind the center was announced in 2023 and later identified as Springs at Lake Cook Crossing, with construction beginning in 2024 and initial move-ins expected in 2025. Deerbrook's public-facing presence appears to have received limited recent investment: the referenced property account states that the website had not been updated since 2018 and went offline completely in 2024, although a website address remains associated with the property. In 2025, the property was reported as sold to Core Acquisitions for $44 million, with Mid-America representing the owner. Deerbrook therefore remains an active commercial property, but its long-term format is best understood as a redeveloped, largely open retail center rather than a traditional enclosed mall.
History
Deerbrook Mall was developed in Deerfield, Illinois, after 30 acres were purchased from local farmer Louis Werhane in 1970. Primary construction was completed in 1971. The center's name was selected through a drawing and reflected the two communities it primarily served: Deerfield and Northbrook. Its original interior was designed around a communal street concept, with streetlamps, fountains, brass frog decorations, aquatic sculptures, sunken seating areas, and lacquered red-and-brown brick flooring. The design sought to give the enclosed mall the character of a small-town main street. The property initially attracted a mix of department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment businesses, and service operators. Venture occupied a large space for approximately a decade before leaving in January 1989. Other former occupants included Turn Style, Service Merchandise, Spiegel Outlet, John M. Smyth's Homemakers, Montgomery Ward, The Great Indoors, Wonder!, TJ Maxx, Best Buy, Hobby Lobby, OfficeMax, Sports Authority, Art Van Furniture, Bed Bath & Beyond, Blockbuster Video, GameStop, Old Country Buffet, Bally Total Fitness, and a General Cinema theater. Many departures reflected the failure, downsizing, or strategic restructuring of the chains involved. The mall's cinema opened shortly after the center itself, initially as a twin-screen venue and later expanding to four auditoriums during the 1980s. It closed in 2001 amid General Cinema's bankruptcy and did not reopen. A Montgomery Ward automotive repair and tire facility had operated in a separate building southeast of the mall; that structure was later occupied by Bally Total Fitness, closed in 2012, and eventually demolished. Deerbrook experienced a major ownership and renovation phase in 1998, when Lendlease acquired the property for a public pension fund client from Valenti Builders. The new ownership pursued interior and exterior improvements in response to aging infrastructure and high vacancy. The property's evolution accelerated between 2015 and 2017. Best Buy's former space became a Hobby Lobby in 2015, while TJ Maxx announced that it would move from the interior mall in 2014. In 2017, the former theater, interior storefronts, and an Ulta Beauty location were removed to support new construction. Sports Authority had already closed during its 2016 bankruptcy, and Art Van Furniture opened in the former Sports Authority space in December 2017. OfficeMax closed later that month. The property continued to lose tenants as retail chains encountered financial distress. Art Van Furniture announced in March 2020 that it would close as the company prepared for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Bed Bath & Beyond's Deerbrook store later closed during the liquidation of the company's remaining Illinois locations, announced in 2023. Floor & Decor subsequently occupied the former Bed Bath & Beyond space. The center's reported current or recent anchors include Marshalls, The Dump Furniture Outlet, Office Depot, Jewel-Osco, Floor & Decor, and Sky Zone. A further mixed-use dimension was added when a townhome development behind the mall was reported in 2023. Construction began in 2024, and the project was later named Springs at Lake Cook Crossing, with move-ins expected in 2025 and completion projected for 2026. In 2025, the property was reported as sold to Core Acquisitions for $44 million, with Mid-America representing the seller. Deerbrook's commercial model has consequently shifted from an enclosed mall toward a redeveloped retail center supported by large-format tenants and adjacent residential development. The property has also been described as a low priority for its developer; its website reportedly stopped being updated after 2018 and went offline in 2024.
- 2025
Reported sale to Core Acquisitions
[1]The property was reported to have been sold to Core Acquisitions for $44 million.
- 2024
Floor & Decor replaces Bed Bath & Beyond
[1]Floor & Decor moved into the former Bed Bath & Beyond space.
- 2023
Residential redevelopment announced
[1]A townhome community was announced for land behind the mall and later named Springs at Lake Cook Crossing.
- 2020
Art Van Furniture closes
[1]The retailer announced closure of its stores as it prepared for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- 2017
Major redevelopment begins
[1]The former cinema, interior storefronts, mall interior sections, and an Ulta Beauty location were demolished for new construction.
- 2017
Art Van Furniture opens
[1]Art Van Furniture opened in the former Sports Authority location on December 13.
- 2016
Sports Authority closes
[1]Sports Authority closed its store as part of the chain's bankruptcy.
- 2015
Hobby Lobby opens in former Best Buy space
[1]Hobby Lobby took over the space formerly occupied by Best Buy.
- 2012
Best Buy and former automotive building close
[1]Best Buy closed, while the former Montgomery Ward automotive building, then occupied by Bally Total Fitness, also ceased operations later that year.
- 2001
Cinema closes
[1]The General Cinema theater closed during the company's bankruptcy and never reopened.
Products and positioning
A suburban, convenience-oriented retail center serving northern Chicago communities, with a portfolio increasingly organized around large standalone anchors, value retail, home-related businesses, grocery, and entertainment rather than a fully enclosed mall corridor.
Off-price apparel and general merchandise
Marshalls
Marshalls is one of Deerbrook's reported current anchor tenants. Its off-price model provides discounted apparel, footwear, accessories, home goods, and related merchandise, helping the center retain value-oriented shopping traffic as the property's traditional enclosed-mall tenant mix has contracted.
Furniture retail
The Dump Furniture Outlet
The Dump Furniture Outlet represents Deerbrook's large-format home-furnishings component. The retailer occupies a substantial anchor-style role and complements the center's broader shift toward home-related, destination-oriented businesses that do not depend on an enclosed mall corridor.
Office supplies and services
Office Depot
Office Depot is listed among Deerbrook's anchor tenants and supplies office products, technology accessories, furniture, printing, and related services. Its presence contributes a practical, service-oriented use to the center's current tenant mix.
Grocery retail
Jewel-Osco
Jewel-Osco provides grocery and pharmacy-oriented convenience retail at Deerbrook. As a grocery anchor, it generates regular local visits and gives the property a more needs-based traffic source than the discretionary specialty retail that characterized its earlier enclosed-mall period.
Home improvement and flooring
Floor & Decor
Floor & Decor moved into the former Bed Bath & Beyond space after the latter's closure. Its warehouse-style flooring and home-improvement concept strengthens Deerbrook's repositioning toward large-format, destination retail focused on housing and renovation projects.
Family entertainment and recreation
Sky Zone
Sky Zone is identified as one of Deerbrook's current or recent anchor tenants. Its indoor recreation format adds an experiential component to the center and broadens the property beyond conventional merchandise retail.
Brand decisions
2025
Reported sale to Core AcquisitionsM&ABackground
The property had evolved into a redeveloped retail center with adjacent residential development planned behind it.
Action taken
Core Acquisitions reportedly purchased the property, with Mid-America representing the owner.
Aftermath
The reported transaction placed Deerbrook under a new ownership structure, although the buyer's subsequent operating strategy is not established in the supplied material.
Reported property sale price. $44 million (2025)
2024
Floor & Decor enters former Bed Bath & Beyond spaceProduct launchBackground
Bed Bath & Beyond's Deerbrook store closed during the retailer's Illinois liquidation process.
Action taken
Floor & Decor moved into the vacated space.
Aftermath
The replacement reinforced Deerbrook's emphasis on home improvement and large-format destination retail.
2017
Conversion toward standalone retailStrategyBackground
The center had lost traditional mall tenants, including a cinema and several major retail chains.
Action taken
The theater, interior storefronts, portions of the mall interior, and an Ulta Beauty location were demolished to make room for new construction and larger standalone tenants.
Aftermath
Deerbrook became less dependent on an enclosed pedestrian corridor and more reliant on anchor-scale retail, services, and destination uses.
1998
Acquisition by LendleaseM&ABackground
The aging shopping center was experiencing high vacancy and required modernization.
Action taken
Lendlease acquired Deerbrook on behalf of a public pension fund client and began interior and exterior renovations.
Aftermath
The acquisition initiated a new investment and renovation phase, although later redevelopment ultimately moved the property away from its original enclosed-mall format.
Sources2 sources
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