Battle of the elite malls in suburbia (Chicago, Schaumburg: house, closing)

[edsg25]

This is a battle as to which elite, high end Chicago suburban mall is the best. The following criteria was used to select the group:

• each one had to have had Chicago's premiere department store, Marshall Field's

• each had to have at least one of the following high end anchor stores which I limited in exclusivity to having no more than three Chicago suburban stores and only four in the metro area (all had downtown locations).

The stores: Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller, Neiman Marcus, I. Magnin, Nordstrom

Only four shopping centers made the cut:

Oakbrook, Oak Brook
Old Orchard, Skokie
Woodfield, Schaumburg
Northbrook Ct, Northbrook

Criteria:
best physical environment
through most of its existence, best selection of stores
quality of entertainment and dining
others can be used.

Which one is (was) the best? And why?

[olive03]

I've never thought of Woodfield as elite/high end. Just big.

[CLfan1977]

2 are indoor, so in winter, that was a plus.

I lived near Woodfield for several years and shopped there a lot. It was almost too large, kind of like Tyson’s near DC. The Fields store there was really nice, though.

Oakbrook felt the most upscale, with fewer lower-level chain stores. I can’t remember the names but their restaurants weren’t the usual mall spots to eat.

[FireStation46]

Based upon OP’s criteria. Not too scientific.

[noid_1985]

Oakbrook wins, especially with the many dining options.

[Master Jay]

Ed, you always have us thinking!!!...Well I don't know Oak Brook (believe it or not!) You gave us a tough one! Dare I say Woodfield Mall is too big??? I'm a definite people person, but sometimes extraordinary large crowds can be a deterrant. So, hmmm. I do appreciate Old Orchard, when the weather is not so cold! Northbrook Court has that quaint homey feel for me. And I always liked that tree house in the center! Can't I choose the latter 2? Out of curiosity, how come Westfield Mall and Gurnee did not fit the eligibility? Master Jay in Milwaukee

[Nearwest]

Of the 4 malls listed in this post, only Woodfield has never had an anchor store close.


The Macy's in Northbrook Court closed during this summer. This mall now has Lord and Taylor and Neiman-Marcus as its 2 remaining anchors.


Old Orchard lost its Lord and Taylor store last year. It's now anchored by Macy's, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's. This is Bloomie's only suburban location.


Oak Brook has had a spate of upscale anchor closings. The Bonwit Teller and I. Magnin stores closed in the 1990s. Since the new millennium, Oak Brook has seen the closing of Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, and earlier this year, Lord and Taylor. And, the great American retailer, Sears, closed its store in Oak Brook in April, 2019. This mall is now anchored by Macy's, Nordstrom, and Neiman-Marcus.

[Nearwest]

BTW, I neglected to mention that I. Magnin also had a Northbrook Court location. This store was closed in the 1990s.

[Kluch]

Woodfield is the one we frequent the most (because we live closest to it) so I guess I'm biased in that way. We also really enjoy their kid zone (since we have little ones) and that it's indoors so you can go when the weather isn't the best. My wife and I aren't "high end" shoppers so that didn't factor into my criteria. Again, I'm probably pretty biased here lol

[Vosges]

I’m not a fan of the western burbs, but Oakbrook mall is NIIIICE. Several options that Old Orchard doesn’t offer.