Origins & The 1980s Boom
Rising from what was once D. Hill Nursery, the vision for Spring Hill Mall began in the late 1970s. Developed by Homart, the mall celebrated its grand opening in October 1980 and quickly established itself as a regional commercial destination. Driven by early department store anchors, Chicago-based Sears and Marshall Field’s, the mall became a bustling retail and social center.
Retail Evolution & Changing Anchors
As consumer preferences shifted from department store-anchored indoor malls to newer formats including big box stores and lifestyle centers as well as the rise of e-commerce, Spring Hill’s popularity began to wane. The closure of JC Penney in 2011 was an early indicator of the rapidly changing retail landscape. While a 2016 endeavor bringing entertainment back to the mall by demolishing JC Penney and replacing it with a Cinemark multiplex theater helped drive some new traffic, the effort alone could not reestablish the mall’s relevance. Subsequent anchor closures, with Carson’s in 2018, Sears in 2019, and Macy’s in 2020, as well as the departure of Barnes & Noble for another area locale in 2021, signaled that a fundamental reimagining of the property was necessary.
Village Acquisition & The Path Forward
Recognizing the importance of this approximately 100-acre site to the local economy, the Village of West Dundee purchased nearly the entirety of the mall through a series of acquisitions (except for the former Kohl’s in neighboring Carpentersville). After the mall’s closure in March 2024, under Village ownership demolition occurred mid-to-late 2025 with the appearance of a clean slate visible in 2026. The Village’s bold, hands-on strategy is intended to ensure that the former mall site and adjacent area will see purposeful mixed-use redevelopment that can align with the future needs of the community.
