Gurnee Mills
A large enclosed outlet and value-oriented shopping mall in Gurnee, Illinois, serving the Chicago–Milwaukee region.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Gurnee Mills is an enclosed shopping mall in Gurnee, Illinois, in the northern Chicago metropolitan area. It was developed as a large regional destination combining manufacturer outlets, conventional retailers, restaurants, entertainment venues, and tourism-oriented attractions. Its location near the Tri-State Tollway and Grand Avenue places it within reach of both the Chicago area and southeastern Wisconsin, while nearby attractions such as Six Flags Great America and Great Wolf Lodge reinforce Gurnee's role as a regional leisure and shopping destination. The mall was conceived by Western Development Corporation as part of the Landmark Mills chain, a format that blended outlet shopping with the scale and theatrical design of a super-regional mall. Development began after the company announced the project in 1988 and acquired farmland near the intersection of the Tri-State Tollway and Grand Avenue. The site had long been associated with the Lamb family, whose agricultural holdings and businesses gave the area the historical name Lamb's Corners. Conditions attached to the land sale included preserving mature trees and protecting wetlands along the highway. Construction began in July 1989. CambridgeSeven served as lead architect, with Rory McCarthy Design responsible for interior work. The resulting building used a single-story, Z-shaped plan with a long central concourse and roughly 1.94 million square feet of gross leasable area. Its original design drew on the rural setting and combined agrarian imagery with references to mid-century roadside architecture and Prairie School design. The mall opened its concourse to the public on August 8, 1991, initially offering a mixture of outlet stores, department-store clearance concepts, food venues, and family entertainment. Although it was promoted as the world's largest outlet mall, the presence of full-price retailers created some early consumer confusion about its identity. During the 1990s, Gurnee Mills expanded beyond a conventional shopping role. Additions included restaurants such as Rainforest Cafe and Planet Hollywood, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, a movie theater, a reptile attraction, and an ice-rink and arcade concept. These features reflected the Mills Corporation's strategy of making large shopping centers experience-driven destinations rather than collections of stores alone. Visitor traffic grew substantially, and the property became one of Illinois's most visited tourist attractions, receiving large numbers of tour buses. The mall's tenant mix changed as outlet and clearance businesses struggled or disappeared. Phar-Mor, Syms, Waccamaw Pottery, Spiegel, Borders, Linens 'N Things, and other former occupants eventually closed or were replaced. Full-price retailers including Kohl's, Sears Grand, Macy's, and later specialty stores helped create a hybrid format combining outlet, discount, department-store, and entertainment uses. In this evolution, Gurnee Mills moved through several commercial phases: an outlet-led opening period, an entertainment-focused period during the 1990s, and a more diversified hybrid retail model in the 2000s and 2010s. Ownership changed after financial and accounting problems at the Mills Corporation. In 2007, Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management acquired the Mills portfolio, including Gurnee Mills. Simon later bought Farallon's interest and obtained full control of the portfolio in 2012. Under Simon's ownership, the mall received major renovation and repositioning programs. A 2010 renovation plan sought to modernize the aging agricultural interior, while a 2013 redevelopment added a new Macy's building and a full-price retail wing. Further work beginning in 2017 redeveloped the food courts into the Dining Pavilion North and South and refreshed common areas. Gurnee Mills remains an active Simon-managed shopping destination. Its offer centers on outlet and value shopping, department stores, specialty retail, food service, and…
History
The land occupied by Gurnee Mills was historically part of Section 16 of Warren Township. Much of the property belonged to the Lamb family from 1837 until the land was sold for development in 1988. The crossroads near Grand Avenue and Hunt Club Road was known as Lamb's Corners because successive generations of the family farmed and operated small businesses there. The development agreement reportedly included preservation requirements for old trees and wetlands. Western Development Corporation announced plans in 1988 for a super-regional shopping center on approximately 324 acres of land near the Tri-State Tollway and Grand Avenue. The site was annexed into Gurnee as the project advanced, and the planned mall became part of Western's Landmark Mills concept. Potomac Mills had already opened in Virginia, while Franklin Mills and Sawgrass Mills were being developed. Gurnee Mills was ultimately the last Mills-branded center developed under Western Development before the company's corporate separation produced the Mills Corporation. A groundbreaking ceremony took place on July 19, 1989. The project was designed by CambridgeSeven, with interior design by Rory McCarthy Design. The construction site eventually covered about 422 acres of farmland and wetlands, and the building required approximately 25 months of work. The mall opened its public concourse on August 8, 1991. Its single-story building followed a Z-shaped corridor approximately 4,400 feet long, an unusual arrangement for a shopping center of its size. The interior combined rural and agrarian motifs with elements inspired by 1950s diners and Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School. The original tenant plan included outlet, clearance, department, food, and entertainment uses. Early anchors included Sears, Phar-Mor, Spiegel, Marshalls, Bed Bath & Beyond, Waccamaw Pottery, a family entertainment center, and later Filene's Basement. The property was marketed as an enormous outlet mall, but the inclusion of regular-price stores made its format difficult for some local shoppers to categorize. Phar-Mor closed after roughly a year because of weak sales, and other original anchors later departed as retail conditions changed. Gurnee Mills grew rapidly during the 1990s. New retail space was added for Burlington Coat Factory, Foot Locker, Syms, and The Clearinghouse by Saks Fifth Avenue. A movie theater opened in 1993, followed by Rainforest Cafe in 1996, Planet Hollywood in 1997, and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World later that year. Serpent Safari and Rink Side Sports added further experiential uses in 1999. The mall's strategy was to encourage longer visits and attract tourists, not merely serve nearby households. By the middle of the decade, the mall was drawing millions of visitors and thousands of tour buses annually. The opening and success of Gurnee Mills affected the surrounding retail landscape. Nearby Lakehurst Mall in Waukegan lost tenants over the course of the 1990s and closed in 2001. Gurnee Mills itself was affected by the early-2000s recession and by the decline of several clearance and specialty chains. Syms, Waccamaw Pottery, Spiegel, and other former anchors disappeared or were replaced. Kohl's took over one former space, Circuit City moved into another, and Sears eventually returned in a larger Sears Grand format in 2004. These changes marked a shift toward a more conventional full-price and discount mix. The Mills Corporation encountered serious financial problems in the mid-2000s. The Securities and Exchange Commission identified accounting errors associated with the company's management, and the company entered bankruptcy proceedings. In April 2007, Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management acquired the Mills portfolio. Simon viewed the mall's original agricultural decor as dated and began planning a more contemporary presentation. In 2010, it announced a renovation program, and in 2011 it outlined a larger repositioning that included a new Macy's building and a full-price retail wing. These elements opened in July 2013. Simon acquired Farallon's stake in the Mills portfolio in March 2012, leaving Simon with full control. The owner continued to adjust the tenant mix and physical plant. A Floor & Decor store opened in 2017 in a former Shoppers World location. A renovation begun in September 2017 rebuilt the two food courts as Dining Pavilion North and South. The mall's former ice-rink and arcade area also underwent changes after equipment failures closed the rink; plans were discussed to reopen the entertainment space under new management. Today, Gurnee Mills operates as a large Simon Property Group shopping center with outlet and value retailers, full-price department and specialty stores, restaurants, food-court facilities, and entertainment-oriented offerings. Its regional accessibility and proximity to major tourist attractions continue to support a broad customer base extending beyond Gurnee itself.
- 2017
Floor & Decor opens and food-court renovation begins
[1]The mall adds Floor & Decor and begins a further renovation that creates the Dining Pavilion North and South.
- 2013
Macy's and full-price wing open
[1]A major redevelopment adds Macy's and reworks part of the mall for full-price retail.
- 2012
Simon obtains full ownership control
[1]Simon buys Farallon's interest in the Mills portfolio.
- 2007
Simon and Farallon acquire the Mills portfolio
[1]Gurnee Mills changes ownership following the Mills Corporation's financial problems.
- 2004
Sears Grand opens
[1]A large Sears Grand hypermarket replaces and expands the former Waccamaw Pottery space.
- 2001
Lakehurst Mall closes
[1]A nearby competitor closes after years of tenant losses and declining activity.
- 1999
Serpent Safari and Rink Side Sports open
[1]The mall adds a reptile attraction and an ice-rink-centered entertainment facility.
- 1997
Planet Hollywood and Bass Pro Shops arrive
[1]The mall adds high-profile themed dining and an outdoor-recreation superstore as part of a broader expansion.
- 1996
Rainforest Cafe opens
[1]The themed restaurant becomes part of the mall's growing entertainment and tourism proposition.
- 1993
First major post-opening additions
[1]New retail space, additional tenants, a Circuit City-area development, and a Marcus movie theater broaden the center's offer.
Products and positioning
A large hybrid outlet and regional shopping destination combining value retail, full-price stores, dining, entertainment, and tourism appeal.
Retail format · 1991
Outlet and clearance retail
Outlet and clearance stores are central to Gurnee Mills' original identity. The center was developed to bring manufacturer outlets and discounted merchandise together at a regional scale. Over time, this category has been supplemented by regular-price retailers, department stores, and specialty chains, making the property a hybrid rather than a pure outlet center.
Retail · 2002
Department stores and full-price retail
Department-store and full-price retail became increasingly important as the mall matured. Kohl's, Sears Grand, Macy's, and other conventional operators helped diversify the tenant mix and reduce reliance on traditional outlet concepts. The 2013 Macy's opening and full-price wing were explicit parts of the center's repositioning.
Outdoor recreation retail · 1997
Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World
Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World opened at Gurnee Mills in 1997 as a large destination retailer focused on hunting, fishing, camping, boating, and related outdoor equipment. Its scale and themed presentation fit the mall's strategy of using experiential tenants to attract regional visitors.
Food service · 2017
Dining Pavilion North and South
The Dining Pavilion North and South are the redeveloped successors to Gurnee Mills' original Dine-O-Rama and Lake County Fare food courts. Their creation formed part of the mall's 2017 renovation program and supports the center's role as a destination where visitors combine shopping with meals and breaks.
Entertainment · 1991
Entertainment attractions
Entertainment has historically included a family entertainment center, arcade facilities, a movie theater, themed restaurants, Serpent Safari, and Rink Side Sports. These attractions were intended to lengthen visits and make the mall appealing to tourists and families as well as conventional shoppers.
Controversies
2006
Mills Corporation accounting investigation and bankruptcy
The Mills Corporation faced bankruptcy after the Securities and Exchange Commission identified approximately $350 million in accounting errors over several years. The issue concerned the mall's corporate owner rather than a consumer-product scandal at Gurnee Mills, but it led to the eventual sale of the Mills portfolio, including Gurnee Mills, to Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management.
Brand decisions
2017
Redevelop food courts and shared amenitiesOtherBackground
The property required further physical updates as retail and dining expectations changed.
Action taken
Simon began a renovation that replaced the two legacy food courts with Dining Pavilion North and South and addressed entertainment facilities.
Aftermath
The mall's dining and common-area offer was refreshed, while the former ice-rink facility remained subject to operational changes.
Announced renovation budget. $6 million (2017 announcement)
2012
Simon buys Farallon's Mills interestM&ABackground
Simon Property Group and Farallon had jointly acquired the Mills portfolio in 2007.
Action taken
Simon acquired Farallon's stake in the portfolio and took full control of the Mills properties.
Aftermath
Gurnee Mills continued under Simon's sole ownership and management.
Portfolio acquisition consideration. $1.5 billion (2012)
2011
Create a hybrid outlet and full-price centerStrategyBackground
The mall needed to refresh its tenant mix and respond to changing consumer behavior and the decline of several clearance-oriented chains.
Action taken
Simon planned a new Macy's building and a remodeled full-price wing, including demolition of a vacant former Circuit City location.
Aftermath
The Macy's and related redevelopment opened in July 2013 and was presented as a new phase in the mall's commercial life.
2010
Modernize the mall's designStrategyBackground
Simon Property Group considered the original agricultural-themed decor dated after nearly two decades of operation.
Action taken
Simon announced a renovation program intended to give the property a more contemporary and sophisticated appearance.
Aftermath
The modernization effort was followed by a broader repositioning toward a hybrid outlet and full-price shopping center.
Announced renovation budget. $5 million (2010 announcement)
1997
Expand into themed entertainment and destination retailStrategyBackground
The Mills format sought to make large shopping centers regional attractions rather than simple collections of stores.
Action taken
Gurnee Mills added Planet Hollywood, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, and other experiential uses while continuing to expand retail space.
Aftermath
Visitor traffic rose substantially during the late 1990s, and the mall became a major tourism and tour-bus destination.
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