History of Mall of Louisiana in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 24, 2026

The Mall of Louisiana is a mid-scale shopping mall and the largest mall in Louisiana, located in Baton Rouge between I-10 and Bluebonnet Blvd. It serves as the only regional mall in the city. Its anchor stores include two Dillard's locations, Dick’s House of Sport, Main Event Entertainment, JCPenney, and Macy's, making it a prominent retail and entertainment destination in the region.

1997: Mall Opening

In 1997, the Mall of Louisiana was built and opened. The original anchor stores were Dillard's, McRae's, Sears, JCPenney, and Maison Blanche.

2001: Parisian Closed

In 2001, Parisian closed their store in the Mall of Louisiana.

2003: Foley's Opened

In 2003, Foley's opened in the Mall of Louisiana at a location formerly occupied by Parisian.

November 2005: Dillard's Acquired McRae's

In November 2005, Dillard's acquired the McRae's store in the Mall of Louisiana from Belk.

July 21, 2006: Rave Motion Pictures Opened

On July 21, 2006, Rave Motion Pictures opened a 15-screen movie theater adjacent to the Mall of Louisiana.

September 9, 2006: Foley's Rebranded as Macy's

On September 9, 2006, Foley's in the Mall of Louisiana was rebranded as Macy's.

2008: The Boulevard Opened

In 2008, The Boulevard, an unenclosed area of the mall, was opened to the public.

2008: The Boulevard and Power Center Construction

In 2008, an unenclosed area called The Boulevard and a 10-tenant power center were constructed as additions to the Mall of Louisiana.

June 2013: AMC Theatres Acquired Rave Motion Pictures

In June 2013, AMC Theatres acquired the Rave Motion Pictures movie theater adjacent to the Mall of Louisiana.

2015: Nordstrom Rack Opened

In 2015, Nordstrom Rack opened a 30,000 square foot store in the Mall of Louisiana.

March 2017: H. H. Gregg Closed

In March 2017, H. H. Gregg closed its store at the Mall of Louisiana.

November 2017: Smashburger Announced Plans to Open

In November 2017, Smashburger announced plans to open a location in the Mall of Louisiana.

January 2018: Banana Republic and Gap Closed

In January 2018, Banana Republic and Gap closed their stores in the Mall of Louisiana.

June 2018: Main Event Entertainment Announced Plans to Open

In June 2018, Main Event Entertainment announced plans to open a location in the Mall of Louisiana in the space formerly occupied by H. H. Gregg.

November 2018: H&M Announced Plans to Open

In November 2018, H&M announced plans to open a store in the Mall of Louisiana in the former Gap location.

February 12, 2021: Sears Closing Announcement

On February 12, 2021, it was announced that Sears would be closing as part of a plan to close 32 stores nationwide.

April 1, 2021: Blue Zoo Aquarium Opened

On April 1, 2021, a Blue Zoo aquarium opened in the Mall of Louisiana.

May 2, 2021: Sears Closed

On May 2, 2021, Sears closed its store at the Mall of Louisiana. This was the last Sears store in Louisiana.

July 6, 2021: Burmese Python Escaped

On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, a 12-foot-long Burmese python named Cara escaped from her enclosure at the Blue Zoo aquarium in the Mall of Louisiana.

May 16, 2025: Dick's House of Sport Planned Opening

On May 16, 2025, Dick’s Sporting Goods is planning on opening one of their large format Dick’s House of Sport locations in the former Sears in the Mall of Louisiana.

April 23, 2026: Mass Shooting

On April 23, 2026, a mass shooting occurred inside the Mall of Louisiana, resulting in one teenager dead and five others injured. The shooting garnered national attention.