Mayfair Mall

Mayfair Mall is an enclosed shopping mall on Mayfair Road, also designated Wisconsin Highway 100, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Positioned between North Avenue and Center Street, it serves the Greater Milwaukee metropolitan area and has developed from a mid-century open-air shopping center into a large regional retail and entertainment complex. The property contains roughly 160 stores and restaurants, with major anchors and destination tenants including Macy's, Nordstrom, Barnes & Noble, Crate & Barrel, The Container Store and AMC Theatres. A former Boston Store anchor remains part of the mall's redevelopment story and is planned to be replaced by a large Scheels flagship store targeted for 2027. Construction began in the mid-1950s under Hunzinger Construction Company. The first anchor, Gimbels, opened in September 1958, followed by the formal opening of the 960-foot open-air Mayfair Shopping Center on October 9 of that year with more than 70 stores. Marshall Field's opened at the northern end in February 1959, and a six-story professional office building opened in January 1959. The original design used three east-west shopping corridors, each with its own color scheme, and a landscaped central court containing trees, flowers, benches and picnic tables. Mayfair was enclosed in 1973, reflecting the broader shift toward climate-controlled malls in the United States. The conversion replaced the central park with an arcade known as The Bazaar. Further office development followed in the 1970s. A substantial $15 million remodeling completed in 1986 removed the Bazaar and an ice rink, introduced a two-level atrium and food court, and expanded the upper level. At that point the property had 109 stores, and Milwaukee-based Boston Store had replaced Gimbels as an anchor. General Growth Properties acquired the shopping center in 1998. Subsequent investment expanded Mayfair's entertainment and dining offer, including a Barnes & Noble store and a movie theater in the late 1990s, followed by more than 100,000 square feet of upper-level retail and additional restaurants and shops in 2000. The cinema originally operated under General Cinema and later became an AMC Theatres location after AMC acquired General Cinema. Maggiano's Little Italy opened in 2003, The Cheesecake Factory opened on an outparcel in 2004, and Crate & Barrel opened near the main entrance in 2005. The former Marshall Field's store adopted the Macy's name in 2006 during the nationwide conversion of Federated Department Stores' properties. Nordstrom opened in October 2015 as Wisconsin's first full-line Nordstrom store, while The Container Store also joined the center that year. Nearby development expanded the area's retail ecosystem: The Mayfair Collection opened northwest of the mall in fall 2015 with tenants such as Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, Dick's Sporting Goods, Whole Foods Market and Versona Accessories, together with lodging and planned residential components. Mayfair has faced competition from other Milwaukee-area retail destinations, including Bayshore Town Center and Brookfield Square. The mall introduced a teen curfew during the 2010s following incidents associated with the property and weekend movie showings. Two serious incidents in 2020 also affected the mall's public profile: the February police shooting of 17-year-old Alvin Cole outside or near the mall context, and a November mass shooting that injured eight people. In February 2025, Scheels announced plans to occupy the former Boston Store space with a projected 210,000-square-foot flagship store scheduled for spring 2027.

Mayfair Mall began as the Mayfair Shopping Center, a mid-century retail project constructed from 1956 and completed in 1959 by Hunzinger Construction Company. Gimbels opened at the southern end in September 1958. On October 9, 1958, the 960-foot open-air shopping center formally opened with more than 70 stores. Marshall Field's became the northern anchor in February 1959, while a six-story professional office building opened in January of that year. The initial layout consisted of three east-west corridors named North Mall, Central Park and South Mall, with color-coordinated design elements and a landscaped central court. The property was fully enclosed in 1973. The former central park was replaced by The Bazaar arcade, and later office additions were made on the southwest side. A major $15 million renovation completed in 1986 removed The Bazaar and the central-court ice rink, added a two-level atrium and food court, and enlarged the upper-level retail area. Gimbels was replaced by Boston Store, and the mall then contained 109 stores. General Growth Properties acquired the shopping center in 1998. The following redevelopment period added Barnes & Noble and a movie theater, with further upper-level expansion in 2000 that introduced more restaurants and stores. The cinema began as a General Cinema operation and later became AMC Theatres. Additional tenant changes included Maggiano's Little Italy in 2003, The Cheesecake Factory on an outparcel in 2004 and Crate & Barrel in 2005. Marshall Field's changed its name to Macy's in 2006 as part of Federated Department Stores' nationwide rebranding program. Mayfair added two prominent destination retailers in 2015. Nordstrom opened on October 23 as the first full-line Nordstrom store in Wisconsin, and The Container Store also opened that year. The nearby Mayfair Collection opened in fall 2015, creating a complementary retail district with off-price fashion, sporting goods, grocery, home and lifestyle tenants, as well as hotel and planned residential components. The mall has operated in an increasingly competitive Milwaukee retail environment that includes Bayshore Town Center and Brookfield Square. A teen curfew was introduced during the 2010s after incidents at the property and following weekend movie screenings. The site was also associated with two major 2020 public-safety incidents: the police killing of Alvin Cole in February and a mass shooting in November that injured eight people. Boston Store closed in 2018 after its parent company, The Bon-Ton, entered bankruptcy and shut its stores. In February 2025, Scheels announced plans to redevelop the former Boston Store space as a large flagship store, with opening planned for 2027.

• 2025

  Scheels redevelopment announced

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Scheels announces a planned flagship store for the former Boston Store space, with a target opening in 2027.

• 2018

  Boston Store closes

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Boston Store anchor closes following The Bon-Ton's bankruptcy and store closures.

• 2015

  Nordstrom and The Container Store open

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Nordstrom opens the first full-line Nordstrom store in Wisconsin, and The Container Store joins the tenant roster.

• 2006

  Marshall Field's becomes Macy's

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The anchor adopts the Macy's name during Federated Department Stores' broad brand conversion.

• 2000

  Upper-level expansion

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  More than 100,000 square feet of upper-level retail, restaurants and shops are added.

• 1998

  Acquired by General Growth Properties

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  General Growth Properties purchases the shopping center and begins a later expansion and tenant-upgrade period.

• 1986

  Major renovation completed

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A $15 million remodeling adds a two-level atrium and food court, expands retail space and removes the former Bazaar and ice rink.

• 1973

  Mall becomes enclosed

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The open-air shopping center is converted into a fully enclosed mall.

• 1959

  Marshall Field's and professional building open

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Marshall Field's opens at the north end, while a six-story professional office building opens in the center.

• 1958

  Mayfair Shopping Center opens

  [1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Gimbels opens in September, followed by the formal October 9 opening of the open-air center with more than 70 stores.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A large regional enclosed shopping and entertainment destination serving metropolitan Milwaukee, combining department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants and cinema attractions.

• Apparel and general merchandise · 2006

  Department-store retail

  Mayfair's department-store offer is anchored by Macy's, which occupies the former Marshall Field's position. The department-store component provides apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods and related general merchandise within the mall's regional shopping mix.

• Specialty retail · 2015

  Specialty fashion and lifestyle retail

  Specialty tenants such as Nordstrom, Crate & Barrel and The Container Store broaden the center beyond traditional department-store shopping. Their categories span fashion, home furnishings, kitchen and household organization, supporting Mayfair's positioning as a multi-category destination.

• Books and cinema · 1998

  Books and entertainment

  Barnes & Noble supplies books and related media, while AMC Theatres provides a cinema-based entertainment anchor. The movie theater was introduced during the late-1990s redevelopment period and later changed from General Cinema to AMC.

• Restaurants · 1986

  Dining and hospitality

  The mall's redevelopment added a food court, restaurants and outparcel dining. Named additions include Maggiano's Little Italy, opened in 2003, and The Cheesecake Factory, opened on an outparcel in 2004.

• Planned anchor retailer

  Scheels flagship store

  Scheels plans to occupy the former Boston Store anchor with an approximately 210,000-square-foot flagship location. The project is intended to replace a vacant anchor and is targeted for opening in spring 2027.

• 2020

  Police shooting of Alvin Cole

  Alvin Cole, a 17-year-old, was killed on February 2, 2020, in an incident involving former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah near Mayfair Mall. An independent investigation later recommended Mensah's dismissal and examined his involvement in two other fatal shootings. The incident generated substantial public controversy and protest.

  Source

• 2020

  Mayfair Mall mass shooting

  A mass shooting on November 20, 2020, caused eight non-life-threatening injuries and prompted a large emergency response, including FBI involvement. The shooter fled, and a 15-year-old was arrested in connection with the incident.

  Source

Read more

• 2025

  Redevelop the former Boston Store anchor for ScheelsM&A

  Background

  Boston Store had been vacant since its closure in 2018 following The Bon-Ton's bankruptcy and store shutdowns.

  Action taken

  Scheels announced plans for an approximately 210,000-square-foot flagship location in the former anchor space, targeted for spring 2027.

  Aftermath

  If completed, the project would restore a major anchor use and add a large sporting-goods and destination-retail operation to the mall.

  Source

• 2015

  Add destination-format retailersStrategy

  Background

  Milwaukee was described as the largest metropolitan area in the United States without a full-line Nordstrom, creating an opportunity for a prominent anchor addition.

  Action taken

  Nordstrom opened the first full-line store of its kind in Wisconsin, and The Container Store also opened at Mayfair.

  Aftermath

  The additions strengthened Mayfair's regional draw and coincided with the opening of the nearby Mayfair Collection.

  Source

• 1998

  Expand retail, dining and entertainment usesStrategy

  Background

  General Growth Properties acquired Mayfair as the property faced the need to refresh its tenant mix and remain competitive as a regional destination.

  Action taken

  The redevelopment program added Barnes & Noble, a cinema, additional upper-level retail space, restaurants and shops.

  Aftermath

  Mayfair developed a broader shopping and entertainment mix, with the cinema later operating under AMC Theatres.

  Source

• 1986

  Undertake major modernizationStrategy

  Background

  Mayfair required a substantial redesign to update its interior environment and expand its retail capacity.

  Action taken

  A $15 million remodeling removed The Bazaar and the ice rink, built a two-level atrium and food court, and expanded the upper level.

  Aftermath

  The renovated mall contained 109 stores and featured Boston Store as a principal anchor after Gimbels' departure.

  Renovation cost. $15 million (1986)

  Source

• 1973

  Convert the open-air center into an enclosed mallStrategy

  Background

  The original open-air format had been operating since 1958, while enclosed, climate-controlled shopping centers were becoming a dominant regional retail format.

  Action taken

  Mayfair was fully enclosed and the central park was replaced by The Bazaar arcade.

  Aftermath

  The conversion established the modern enclosed-mall framework and was followed by further office, retail and entertainment additions.

  Source

• 2025

  Scheels announces planned Mayfair Mall flagship[1]Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Scheels announced plans to replace the vacant former Boston Store anchor with an approximately 210,000-square-foot flagship location, targeted to open in spring 2027.

1. 1Mayfair Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Mayfair Mall official websitemayfairmall.com