History of Scottsdale Fashion Square in Timeline

Scottsdale Fashion Square is a premier shopping destination in Scottsdale, Arizona. As the largest mall in Arizona and one of the top 30 largest in the US, it boasts 2 million square feet of retail space. The mall features a variety of high-end retailers such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Macy's, alongside entertainment options like a 14-screen Harkins Theatres.

1959: Establishment of a Small Shopping Center

In 1959, the area that would later become Scottsdale Fashion Square saw the opening of a small shopping center. This center included a grocery store, barber shop, liquor store, and camera store, in addition to an existing drug store.

1960: Addition of a Steakhouse

Joe Hunt, Sr. established a steakhouse on the site in 1960, adding to the existing small shopping center.

1961: Construction of Scottsdale Fashion Square

Scottsdale Fashion Square was built in 1961 as a three-story open-air structure. The mall was anchored by Goldwater's department store and AJ Bayless supermarket.

1974: Expansion of Scottsdale Fashion Square

Scottsdale Fashion Square underwent an expansion in 1974, nearly doubling its size. This expansion also saw the addition of Diamond's department store.

1977: Construction of Camelview Plaza

Camelview Plaza, a fully enclosed mall, was constructed west of Scottsdale Fashion Square in 1977. The mall featured Bullock's and Sakowitz department stores and a Harkins Camelview Theatre.

1982: Westcor Connects Competing Malls

After acquiring Scottsdale Fashion Square, Westcor connected it to the competing Camelview Plaza in 1982. This was achieved by building a two-story retail bridge over North 70th Street, which was then lowered and renamed North Goldwater Boulevard.

1989: Goldwater's Becomes J.W. Robinson's

Goldwater's department store in Scottsdale Fashion Square was rebranded as J.W. Robinson's in 1989.

1991: Renovation and Expansion of Scottsdale Fashion Square

The redevelopment project of Scottsdale Fashion Square and Camelview Plaza was completed in 1991. This included renovations, the addition of Dillard's department store, and a ground-level food court with a Harkins Theatres cinema.

1992: Neiman Marcus Joins Scottsdale Fashion Square

Neiman Marcus opened its doors in Scottsdale Fashion Square in 1992, occupying the former Sakowitz location.

1993: J.W. Robinson's Converts to Robinsons-May

Following a rebranding in 1989, J.W. Robinson's in Scottsdale Fashion Square was converted to Robinsons-May in 1993.

1996: Westcor Acquires Camelview Plaza and Expands Scottsdale Fashion Square

Westcor purchased Camelview Plaza in 1996 and merged it with Scottsdale Fashion Square. This acquisition led to a major expansion, including the addition of Nordstrom and the expansion of Dillard's, making it the 13th largest enclosed shopping mall in the country.

1998: Construction of Nordstrom Garage

The Nordstrom Garage, adjacent to Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall, was constructed by Scottsdale Fashion Square Partners and leased to the City of Scottsdale for 50 years in 1998.

1998: Completion of Scottsdale Fashion Square Expansion

The major expansion of Scottsdale Fashion Square, which included the addition of Nordstrom and the expansion of Dillard's, was completed in 1998.

2002: Macy's Replaces Sears

In 2002, Macy's took over the space previously occupied by Sears in Scottsdale Fashion Square.

2002: Westcor Acquires Scottsdale Fashion Square

Ownership of Scottsdale Fashion Square transitioned to Westcor, a subsidiary of Macerich, in 2002.

June 2006: Closure of Robinsons-May

Following the merger of Federated Department Stores and May Department Stores, Robinsons-May in Scottsdale Fashion Square was closed in June 2006.

2009: New Wing with Barneys New York and H&M

Scottsdale Fashion Square saw the addition of a new wing in 2009, anchored by Barneys New York and featuring an H&M store. This year also marked the opening of the first Microsoft Store in the mall.

2012: Prepayment of Nordstrom Garage Lease

Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane and the city council approved a prepayment of the lease for the Nordstrom Garage in 2012, financed through the issuance of municipal bonds.

2015: Expansion with Dick's Sporting Goods and Harkins Theatres

Scottsdale Fashion Square expanded in 2015 with a two-story building housing Dick's Sporting Goods on the lower level and a new 14-screen Harkins Theatres cinema on the upper level.

2015: IRS Challenge to Bond Issuance

The IRS notified the City of Scottsdale in 2015 that the issuance of municipal bonds used to prepay the Nordstrom Garage lease was being challenged for potential non-compliance with the federal tax code.

2016: Scottsdale Fashion Square's National Ranking

In 2016, Scottsdale Fashion Square was recognized as the second highest in sales per square foot among malls in the United States. Travel + Leisure magazine also ranked it among the top 25 most visited malls in the country.

2016: Renovation and Redevelopment Plans Announced

Macerich, the owner of Scottsdale Fashion Square, revealed plans for a significant renovation exceeding $100 million in 2016. This renovation would incorporate high-end residential units, a hotel, a new luxury entrance, hospitality areas, and office space.

2017: Commencement of Renovation

Construction work for the extensive renovation of Scottsdale Fashion Square, as announced in 2016, commenced in 2017.

September 29, 2018: Apple Relocates to Scottsdale Fashion Square

Apple opened a new store in Scottsdale Fashion Square on September 29, 2018, relocating from its previous location at Biltmore Fashion Park.

August 5, 2020: Charges Against Jake Paul Dismissed

Charges against Jake Paul, who was arrested for criminal trespass and unlawful assembly during the George Floyd protests in 2020, were dismissed without prejudice on August 5, 2020.

2021: Life Time Fitness to Open at Scottsdale Fashion Square

In 2021, Life Time Fitness revealed plans to establish a luxury fitness center outside the northwest luxury entrance of Scottsdale Fashion Square.

October 2022: Announcement of Nordstrom Wing Renovation

Macerich announced plans for further luxury renovations to the exterior and interior of the southern Nordstrom wing in Scottsdale Fashion Square in October 2022.

January 2023: Start of Nordstrom Wing Renovation

The renovation of the Nordstrom wing at Scottsdale Fashion Square, as announced in October 2022, began in late January 2023.

2023: New Additions to Scottsdale Fashion Square

Several new stores and businesses, including Hermès, Gucci Men's Store, Versace, Warby Parker, Fabletics, Levi's, Golden Goose, Casper, Capital One Café, Buck Mason, Psycho Bunny, and Lucid Studio, were announced as new additions to Scottsdale Fashion Square by 2023.