The Plaza Shopping Center

Address: 9500 S. Western Ave., Evergreen Park, IL, 60805

Hours:

10:00 - 20:00 ( Mon - Sat )  11:00 - 18:00 ( Sun )  

Coordinates: 41²43?06?N 87²40?60?W? / ?41.7184, -87.6833 The Plaza, formerly known as Evergreen Plaza, is an enclosed shopping mall located in Evergreen Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The mall's anchor stores are Carson Pirie Scott and Office Depot; it also features over 120 stores, as well as a food court. Having opened in 1952, The Plaza is considered the first major regional shopping center in the country.

In 1936, Developer Arthur Rubloff first conceived a shopping mall in the Evergreen Park area located between the corners of W 95th Street and Western Ave, 98th Street and Western Ave, 98th Street Slightly west of Campbell Ave, 96th Street and Campbell Ave and 95th and Campbell Ave. Opened to the public in 1952, the mall was originally a 500,000 square foot open-air shopping center anchored by The Fair Store, Lytton's and Walgreens. The center also contained a supermarket, which featured a conveyor belt that carried groceries from the store to a parking lot kiosk. The mall's Walgreens was the second self-service Walgreen pharmacy in the chain; it was also the chain's first location in a shopping center.

Chas. A. Stevens added a store to the mall in 1962. Carson Pirie Scott was added as another anchor, and the mall was later enclosed. Also, The Fair Store was converted to Montgomery Ward in the 1970s. Circuit City came in the early 1990s, replacing a Silo electronics store that was formerly in this space. Other additions over time included a food court.

Montgomery Ward closed its four-story store in 2001 as the chain declared bankruptcy. Shortly aferward, Village of Evergreen Park officials submitted proposals for Target Corporation to open in the former Wards; however, these deals fell through.