Hillcrest Mall

Hillcrest Mall, commonly called Hillcrest, is an enclosed shopping centre in Richmond Hill, Ontario, at the northwest corner of Yonge Street and Carrville Road. The mall occupies a 19-hectare site and provides approximately 54,419 square metres of retail space, with about 135 shops, services, and restaurants. Its tenant mix has historically combined department stores, discount retailers, fashion brands, specialty shops, restaurants, personal services, and community-oriented facilities. The centre opened on August 8, 1974, after being developed through a joint venture between Cadillac Fairview and Greater York Group. Architectural work was prepared by Bregman and Hamann, with interior design by Robert Meiklejohn. The original scheme included more than 100 stores, four anchor tenants, a central square with imported ficus trees, a market-style food court, and a 250-seat auditorium that could be used for community events and fashion shows. The project also incorporated lighting measures developed with input from the David Dunlap Observatory, including shielded parking-lot lighting, restrained signage, and a light-absorbing parking surface intended to reduce light pollution. Hillcrest's anchor history reflects major changes in Canadian retail. The original anchors were Simpsons, Kmart, Sears, and Loblaws. Simpsons was acquired by Hudson's Bay Company and was eventually converted to The Bay in 1991. Sears later moved to the nearby Promenade Mall, while its former space became a Zellers location. A second Zellers conversion occurred in 1998 when the former Kmart store was rebranded, and the space was reorganized alongside Hudson's Bay specialty operations. Target Canada occupied a former Zellers location from 2013 until the chain withdrew from Canada in 2015. That area was subsequently redeveloped for Marshalls and HomeSense, together with other retailers. The mall has undergone several significant investment phases. A major renovation was completed in 2000. A separate northeast parking-lot building later housed a Krispy Kreme location and subsequently Panera Bread, although the building was reported vacant in the reference material. Oxford Properties acquired Hillcrest Mall from Cadillac Fairview in April 2011. Hudson's Bay then completed a major expansion and refurbishment, officially reopening its enlarged store in September 2015. The project added approximately 7,500 square metres of retail space and consolidated the former men's, home, and fashion operations into one larger department-store format. The resulting vacated areas were reused by tenants including Sporting Life, H&M, Aritzia, and Pandora. A further redevelopment announced in 2017 refreshed the interior with new floors, lighting, washrooms, ceilings, entrances, and an upgraded food court. The former Target area was planned for Marshalls, HomeSense, Indigo, and Old Navy, with the broader interior work substantially completed by October 2018. Hillcrest has also hosted a farmers' market on its parking lot and has provided space for community services, including a York Regional Police Community Resource Centre before its relocation. The centre has been accessible by York Region Transit, Viva, and GO Transit services. In 2025, Hudson's Bay's parent company announced the closure of most of its Canadian department stores. Hillcrest was initially among a small number of stores excluded from the first liquidation plan, but the company later stated that it could not find a buyer for the remaining locations. The Hillcrest Hudson's Bay store closed in June 2025. The mall itself remains an active retail property, although the department-store closure materially changes its anchor configuration.

Hillcrest Mall was developed on a 19-hectare parcel at Yonge Street and Carrville Road in Richmond Hill. Cadillac Fairview and Greater York Group formed the development joint venture. Bregman and Hamann prepared the architectural drawings, while Robert Meiklejohn designed the interior. The project incorporated environmental design measures developed with input from the David Dunlap Observatory, including shielded parking-lot lighting and limited signage to reduce light pollution. The shopping centre opened on August 8, 1974, with more than 100 stores and four principal anchors: Simpsons, Kmart, Sears, and Loblaws. The opening included a rose giveaway by Simpsons, referencing Richmond Hill's history as a Canadian rose-growing centre, as well as a promotional trip draw. Interior features included a vaulted central square with four ficus trees imported from Florida, a market-style food court, and a 250-seat auditorium available for community events and fashion shows. A five-screen Cineplex Odeon cinema opened at the mall in October 1980. The cinema had 519 seats in total; the space was later converted for use by GoodLife Fitness. The anchor lineup changed repeatedly during the following decades. Hudson's Bay Company acquired Simpsons in 1978, and the store was converted to The Bay in 1991. Sears left the mall after moving to Promenade Mall, and Zellers occupied its former premises from 1988. In 1998, the former Kmart store also became a Zellers location, while Hudson's Bay Company reorganized related men's and home merchandise operations in the mall. The mall received an extensive renovation in 2000. A separate building in the northeast portion of the parking lot was completed in late 2002. It first housed Canada's second Krispy Kreme franchise location and later a Panera Bread restaurant; the building was subsequently reported vacant. A farmers' market began operating in the parking lot in 2006 on two days each week. Oxford Properties acquired Hillcrest Mall from Cadillac Fairview in April 2011. The retail environment changed again after Hudson's Bay Company sold leases for many Zellers locations to Target Corporation. Hillcrest's Zellers closed in early 2013, and Target Canada opened in the space on November 13 of that year. Target withdrew from the Canadian market in 2015 and liquidated its Canadian stores. Oxford Properties then redeveloped the former Target area for new tenants, including Marshalls and HomeSense, which opened in September 2018. Hudson's Bay undertook a major expansion at Hillcrest. The enlarged store was officially reopened on September 12, 2015, after an approximately $125 million project that added around 7,500 square metres and brought the total store area to roughly 11,000 square metres. The former men's and home store and fashion store were combined. Portions of the vacated anchor space were later occupied by Sporting Life, H&M, Aritzia, and Pandora. In 2017, Hillcrest announced another redevelopment program. The work included updated floors, lighting, washrooms, ceilings, entrances, and food-court facilities. The former Target area was also planned for Marshalls, HomeSense, Indigo, and Old Navy. The interior renovation was substantially completed by October 2018. The mall received municipal approval for a holiday-opening exemption in 2013, allowing it to open on several public holidays while continuing to close on Easter Sunday and Christmas. Hillcrest has also served community functions. A York Regional Police Community Resource Centre operated at the mall before relocating to the southwest corner of Elgin Mills Road West and Yonge Street. Transit access is provided by York Region Transit, Viva, and GO Transit. In March 2025, Hudson's Bay Company announced that most of its Hudson's Bay department stores would close, initially excluding Hillcrest and five other locations. In April, the company stated that it had been unable to find a buyer for those remaining stores. The Hillcrest Hudson's Bay store closed in June 2025 after a liquidation sale. Hillcrest Mall continues as an active shopping centre, but the closure removed one of its most prominent historic anchors.

• 2025

  Hudson's Bay closes at Hillcrest

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Hudson's Bay anchor closed in June after the company failed to find a buyer for the location.

• 2018

  Interior refresh is completed

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall completed updated interior finishes, entrances, washrooms, lighting, ceilings, and food-court improvements.

• 2015

  Hudson's Bay expansion reopens

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  An expanded Hudson's Bay store reopened on September 12 after a major redevelopment.

• 2013

  Target opens at Hillcrest

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Target Canada opened on November 13 in the former Zellers space.

• 2011

  Oxford Properties becomes owner

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Oxford Properties bought the mall from Cadillac Fairview.

• 2000

  Major mall renovation

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Hillcrest underwent an extensive renovation intended to modernize the centre and its tenant environment.

• 1991

  Simpsons becomes The Bay

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Following Hudson's Bay Company's acquisition of Simpsons, the Hillcrest anchor was rebranded as The Bay.

• 1980

  Cineplex Odeon cinema opens

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A five-auditorium cinema opened in October with a combined seating capacity of 519.

• 1974

  Hillcrest Mall opens

  [1]Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed shopping centre opened on August 8 with more than 100 stores and four anchors: Simpsons, Kmart, Sears, and Loblaws.

A major regional shopping centre serving Richmond Hill and surrounding York Region communities, positioned around a broad tenant mix, large-format anchors, convenient transit access, and recurring retail and community programming.

• Fashion and specialty retail · 1974

  Retail and specialty shopping

  Hillcrest Mall offers a broad collection of fashion, accessories, jewellery, beauty, sporting-goods, and specialty retailers. The tenant mix has changed over time as department-store space was subdivided and redeveloped, with examples including Sporting Life, H&M, Aritzia, and Pandora.

• Department and discount retail · 1974

  Large-format anchor space

  The centre has historically been organized around large anchor stores. Its former anchors included Simpsons, Sears, Kmart, Zellers, Target, Loblaws, and Hudson's Bay. After Hudson's Bay closed in 2025, the mall's anchor strategy entered a new phase of redevelopment and tenant repositioning.

• Restaurants and food court · 1974

  Food and beverage destinations

  Food service has been part of Hillcrest's format since opening, when the market court provided picnic-style seating and gaslight-inspired fixtures. The centre has also housed restaurants and a separately located food-service building, while later renovations upgraded the principal food-court environment.

• Events and services · 1974

  Community and seasonal programming

  The mall's original auditorium supported community activities and fashion shows, and the property later hosted a farmers' market in its parking lot. These functions complement its primary role as a regional shopping destination.

• 2006Hillcrest farmers' market

  Richmond Hill · Ontario

  A farmers' market began operating on the mall property two days per week, extending the centre's role beyond conventional indoor retail.

  Source
• 1974Simpsons rose opening promotion

  Richmond Hill · Ontario

  For the mall's opening, the first 10,000 Simpsons customers received a rose. The promotion connected the new shopping centre with Richmond Hill's former reputation as a major rose-growing area, and Simpsons incorporated the flower into local advertising.

  Source

• 2025

  Manage Hudson's Bay anchor closureStrategy

  Background

  Hudson's Bay Company announced a broad Canadian store-closure program in March 2025 and initially excluded Hillcrest from the first liquidation group.

  Action taken

  After no buyer was found for the remaining stores, the Hillcrest Hudson's Bay location entered liquidation and closed in June 2025.

  Aftermath

  The closure ended the mall's long-running department-store anchor relationship with Hudson's Bay and left future use of the anchor space unresolved in the supplied material.

  Source

• 2017

  Refresh interior and redevelop former Target spaceStrategy

  Background

  After Target's withdrawal from Canada, the former anchor area required a new tenant and the wider mall required modernization.

  Action taken

  Hillcrest announced new tenants for the former Target space and upgrades to floors, lighting, washrooms, ceilings, entrances, and the food court.

  Aftermath

  The interior program was substantially completed by October 2018, with Marshalls, HomeSense, Indigo, and Old Navy identified for the redeveloped area.

  Source

• 2015

  Expand and consolidate Hudson's BayStrategy

  Background

  Hudson's Bay undertook a major expansion of its Hillcrest anchor to consolidate its men's, home, and fashion operations.

  Action taken

  The store added approximately 7,500 square metres and reopened as a roughly 11,000-square-metre operation on September 12.

  Aftermath

  Formerly occupied areas were repurposed for tenants including Sporting Life, H&M, Aritzia, and Pandora.

  Project cost. $125 million (2015)

  Source

• 2013

  Seek exemption for holiday openingStrategy

  Background

  Hillcrest applied to Richmond Hill Town Council for an exemption from the Retail Business Holidays Act.

  Action taken

  The application was accepted, allowing the mall to open on six specified public holidays. The mall continued to close on Easter Sunday and Christmas.

  Aftermath

  The exemption expanded the centre's permitted operating calendar.

  Source

• 2013

  Target replaces ZellersProduct launch

  Background

  Hudson's Bay Company sold leases for many Zellers stores to Target Corporation, and Hillcrest's Zellers location closed in early 2013.

  Action taken

  Target Canada opened in the former Zellers space on November 13, 2013.

  Aftermath

  Target liquidated and closed its Canadian stores in 2015, leading Oxford Properties to redevelop the space for other retailers.

  Source

1. 1Hillcrest Mallen.wikipedia.org