Oct. 15 marked 40 years since Oakwood Mall opened in Eau Claire. The 800,000-square-foot mall's debut shifted the retail focus of the Eau Claire area and accelerated a decline for downtown, eventually leading to the closure of London Square, the Chippewa Valley's first major mall.
In the years since, many malls nationally have been abandoned, converted or demolished as online shopping grew and the COVID-19 pandemic changed habits. At Oakwood, former anchor stores Macy's, Younkers and Sears closed in 2017 and 2018.
Two of those anchor spaces are now occupied by Hobby Lobby and HOM Furniture, and Scheels remains a busy draw. JCPenney, Maurices and Games By James remain from the mall's 1986 opening, with Games By James having just moved to a new location inside the mall.
Micon Cinemas began operating the in-mall theaters in 2022, and the mall has added restaurants and other storefronts in recent years. Oakwood Mall, at 4800 Golf Road, is owned by Brookfield Properties' GGP brand, except for some end-cap retailers that own their spaces.
