The chatter inside the boardroom on Ravinia Avenue Monday night quieted to a soft hum as the Orland Park Village Board prepared to honor a major milestone.
For five decades, the fortunes of the village and its premier shopping destination had been closely intertwined. Tonight, the Village Board would officially recognize Orland Square Mall with a formal proclamation honoring its anniversary as a cornerstone of the community.
Sitting in the audience, long-time residents couldn’t help but reminisce about March 15, 1976—the day the historic, 1 million-square-foot enclosed retail hub officially opened its doors.
One of those residents was Trustee Cindy Nelson-Katsenes.
“Congratulations to Orland Square Mall on its 50th anniversary,” she said. “I remember going there as a child when it first opened. Orland Park Mall changed Orland Park from a sleepy farm community into a thriving retail hub.”
Designed by the legendary architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the mall instantly redefined the landscape of the Chicago Southland. Back then, excited crowds flooded the shiny concourses to explore original anchor giants like Sears, JCPenney, Marshall Field’s, and Carson Pirie Scott.
Over the past half-century, the mall evolved from a collection of retail storefronts into the literal community living room. It survived economic shifts, the “retail apocalypse” of the late 2010s, global shutdowns and major structural redesigns—like the removal of its classic cascading indoor fountains.
As the meeting transitioned to the special presentations, the village leadership stood at the podium to present the official proclamation. Mayor James Dodge praised the Orland Square management team for their continued adaptability and reinvestment in the local economy.
The resolution highlighted the mall’s recent renaissance, including the highly anticipated addition of a massive Dick’s Sporting Goods House of Sport that Dodge said will help to breathe new life into the historic Sears anchor space.
Today, bustling with more than 150 stores—ranging from Apple and Sephora to a vibrant lower-level food court—the property remains an undeniable suburban success story.
The mall was more than just brick and mortar. It was families who made memories under its skylights. And it was the backdrop for first-day-of-school outfit shopping, weekend hangouts, first jobs and holiday traditions.
Dodge said that 50 years earlier, the mall had helped transform Orland Park from a quiet, rural community into a thriving destination. Monday, it was clear that even as retail shifts, Orland Square remains the true heart of the village.
My mother grew up going to Ford City… Chicago Ridge and Orland Park Malls for me…. All 3 have become very bad (if not just plain dangerous. All have had shootings. Ford City is shuttered). Thanks but no thanks.
I never heard negatives about Orland mall. Have there been shootings?
Happy 50th Orland Square Mall!! You’ve come a long way, baby. A lot of great memories throughout childhood, teen and adult years. If it were not for Mr. Habercorn selling his pig farm, Orland would have not had local access to retail stores. Just like Beth, another commenter said, people went to Evergreen Park, Dixie Square, Matteson Mall, Yorktown, or Ford City Mall to shop.
Well happy 50 th anniversary to the mall in Orlando park.
Hi have a blessed whole anniversary year.
I could see the mall from the upstairs bedroom window of our newly constructed, first home in Orland, in 1984. We were surrounded by empty fields looking north along 94th Ave onto 151st Street! What tremendous growth we witnessed as the years rolled by. Only blocks from the mall, it was part of our everyday life.
Only the fondest memories!
Congratulations!! I was a senior in high school and this was my first job. I worked at Sears. So many memories come flooding back. Every anchor store had a restaurant and I spent most of my paycheck eating and stopping. There were hundreds of us right out of high school getting our first jobs and starting our careers. Wow! So Great!