Oakway Center

Oakway Center is a shopping center in Eugene, Oregon, and one of the principal retail centers serving the local area. The property opened in 1966 as Oakway Mall, beginning with a traditional department-store-and-supermarket format. Its original anchor tenants included Albertsons, Tiffany's Drugstore, and Oakway Department Store. The department store lasted only about six years before closing, after which its space was divided among multiple retailers. This early change established a recurring pattern in Oakway's history: the center has repeatedly adapted its large-format spaces as retail concepts changed and individual tenants departed. Albertsons later moved to a new store in 1990, and the former supermarket space was converted to a TJ Maxx location in the same year. Tiffany's Drugstore remained an important part of the center's early tenant mix but closed in 1998. Its former premises subsequently became a Borders Books & Music store. Borders eventually closed in 2011, and the space was the subject of reports that H&M might become a replacement tenant. In 2013, Nordstrom Rack announced plans to open a store in the former Borders location, adding a major off-price apparel and home-goods retailer to the center. The property continued to be reconfigured in the 2000s and 2010s. TJ Maxx moved across the street in 2005, and its former space was divided among other retailers, including White House Black Market. These changes reflect Oakway Center's evolution from a conventional enclosed or department-store-oriented mall into a more flexible shopping destination with subdivided retail units and a varied tenant base. Oakway Center's tenant roster has included national brands such as Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, and Trader Joe's, which serve as prominent anchors or anchor-like destinations. Other tenants have included Borders Books & Music, Pier 1 Imports, TJ Maxx, Albertsons, Tiffany's Drugstore, and Oakway Department Store at different points in the property's history. The center has therefore combined apparel, grocery, home goods, books, specialty retail, and food or service uses rather than relying on a single merchandise category. The property also experienced the effects of broader retail-sector disruption. Pier 1 Imports announced in May 2020 that it would close all of its stores, including its Oakway Center location. A later redevelopment and tenanting change was announced in January 2025, when REI said its Eugene store would relocate to Oakway Center in 2026. REI is expected to occupy the former Bed Bath & Beyond space, which became available after that retailer closed its Eugene location in 2023. This planned move indicates continued repositioning of the center toward destination-oriented specialty retail. Oakway Center is best understood as a local shopping-center brand rather than a national retail chain. Its identity is tied to its Eugene location, its long operating history, and the ability to refresh its tenant mix as anchor businesses close, relocate, or are replaced. Ownership, corporate control, detailed operating metrics, and current management information are not established in the supplied sources.

Oakway Center opened in Eugene, Oregon, in 1966 under the name Oakway Mall. Its initial format was centered on several traditional anchor businesses: Albertsons, Tiffany's Drugstore, and Oakway Department Store. Oakway Department Store closed after approximately six years, and its premises were subdivided for use by multiple tenants. The early closure demonstrated the need for the property to adapt its physical layout and tenant strategy rather than depend on a single department store. Albertsons later moved to a new store in 1990. The former Albertsons space was converted into a TJ Maxx location during the same year. Tiffany's Drugstore closed in 1998, after which the space became a Borders Books & Music store. Borders operated there until 2011. Following its closure, there was speculation that H&M could take the space, but the subsequent major tenant announcement came from Nordstrom Rack, which stated in 2013 that it would open a store in the former Borders premises. The center underwent another significant change in 2005, when TJ Maxx moved across the street. Its former premises were divided among other retailers, including White House Black Market. The series of relocations, closures, and subdivisions gradually changed Oakway from its original mall configuration into a more flexible shopping center with a mixture of large and smaller retail units. Over time, Oakway Center developed a tenant mix spanning apparel, groceries, books, home goods, and specialty merchandise. Prominent later or current anchor-style tenants identified in available descriptions include Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, and Trader Joe's. The property has also hosted retailers that later left the market or changed their corporate strategy, including Borders Books & Music, Pier 1 Imports, TJ Maxx, Albertsons, Tiffany's Drugstore, and Oakway Department Store. The center's history mirrors wider changes in American retail. Pier 1 Imports announced in 2020 that it would close all stores, including its Oakway Center location. Bed Bath & Beyond also later vacated its Eugene premises, with that space becoming the planned future home of REI. In January 2025, REI announced that its Eugene location would move to Oakway Center in 2026. The planned relocation is a further example of the center replacing departing general-merchandise tenants with a destination specialty retailer. Available sources do not establish the property's founder, owner, operating company, management team, detailed financial performance, or precise redevelopment dates beyond the tenant changes described above. Oakway Center remains an active Eugene retail destination.

• 2025

  REI relocation announced

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  REI announces that its Eugene store will relocate to Oakway Center in 2026 and occupy the former Bed Bath & Beyond space.

• 2020

  Pier 1 Imports closure announced

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Pier 1 Imports announces the closure of all stores, including its Oakway Center location.

• 2013

  Nordstrom Rack plans Oakway location

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Nordstrom Rack announces plans to open in the former Borders space.

• 2011

  Borders Books & Music closes

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The Borders store at Oakway Center closes following the retailer's broader business failure.

• 2005

  TJ Maxx relocates

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  TJ Maxx moves across the street, after which its former Oakway space is subdivided among other retailers.

• 1998

  Tiffany's Drugstore closes

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The longtime original tenant closes, and its space later becomes a Borders Books & Music store.

• 1990

  Albertsons relocates and TJ Maxx takes over former space

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Albertsons moves to a new store, while the former location is converted to TJ Maxx.

• 1972

  Oakway Department Store closes

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Oakway Department Store closes after approximately six years, and its space is divided for other retailers.

• 1966

  Oakway Mall opens

  [1]Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The property opens in Eugene as Oakway Mall with Albertsons, Tiffany's Drugstore, and Oakway Department Store as its initial anchor tenants.

A long-established Eugene shopping center positioned around a diverse mix of national retailers and destination-oriented tenants, with a tenant roster that has been repeatedly reconfigured to respond to changing retail formats.

• Off-price apparel and home retail · 2013

  Nordstrom Rack

  Nordstrom Rack is a prominent Oakway Center tenant offering discounted apparel, footwear, accessories, and selected home merchandise. Its planned placement in the former Borders space represented a major reuse of one of the center's larger retail premises.

• Apparel retail

  Old Navy

  Old Navy provides value-oriented clothing and accessories for adults, children, and families. It is identified among Oakway Center's principal anchor or anchor-like national retailers.

• Grocery retail

  Trader Joe's

  Trader Joe's gives Oakway Center a grocery destination alongside its apparel and specialty retail tenants. Its presence broadens the center's customer base beyond occasional comparison shopping.

• Outdoor and sporting-goods retail · 2026

  REI Eugene relocation

  REI announced a planned move of its Eugene store to Oakway Center in 2026. The store is expected to occupy the former Bed Bath & Beyond location, adding a destination-oriented outdoor and sporting-goods use to the center.

• 2025

  Planned REI relocation to Oakway CenterStrategy

  Background

  The Eugene Bed Bath & Beyond location became available after the retailer closed its store in 2023.

  Action taken

  REI announced that its Eugene store would relocate to Oakway Center in 2026 and occupy the former Bed Bath & Beyond space.

  Aftermath

  The planned move would bring a major outdoor specialty retailer to the center and further refresh its tenant mix.

  Source

• 2013

  Reuse of former Borders space for Nordstrom RackStrategy

  Background

  The Borders Books & Music location had become available after the bookstore closed in 2011.

  Action taken

  Nordstrom Rack announced plans to open a store in the former Borders premises.

  Aftermath

  The announcement continued Oakway Center's pattern of replacing departed large-format tenants with a new national retailer.

  Source

1. 1Oakway Centeren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Oakway Center official websiteoakwaycenter.com