Ontario Mills

Ontario Mills
Ontario Mills logo
Aerial photo of Ontario Mills
LocationOntario, California, United States
Coordinates34°04′26″N 117°33′07″W / 34.073777°N 117.551908°W / 34.073777; -117.551908
Address1 Mills Circle
Opening dateNovember 14, 1996 (November 14, 1996)
Renovated
  • 2012
  • 2015–2016
Developer
ManagementSimon Property Group
Owner
ArchitectF+A Architects
Stores and services200+ (at peak)
Anchor tenants20 (at peak)
Floor area1,421,863 sq ft (132,095 m2)[1]
Floors1
ParkingParking lot
Websitewww.simon.com/mall/ontario-mills
Building details
Entrance to Ontario Mills, c. March 2005
General information
StatusOperational
Renovating team
ArchitectraSmith
Renovating firmSimon Property Group

Ontario Mills is a super-regional outlet mall in Ontario, California, within the Los Angeles metropolitan area.[2] With 28 million annual visitors,[3][4] it is one of the top shopping and tourist destinations in California. It is one of three Mills landmarks in California that are now managed by Simon Property Group since April 2007. Simon owns 50% of it. The Outlets at Orange and The Great Mall are the others. Ontario Mills was designed by the architectural firm, F+A Architects.

The mall is near the Ontario International Airport and Auto Club Speedway, as well as the interchange between the Ontario Freeway (Interstate 15) and the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10), one of the busiest in Southern California.

Overview

According to the mall's former owners, the Mills Corporation, it is the largest one-level shopping mall in Western North America (there are larger malls, but they have two or more levels). In addition, it is California's largest outlet and value retail shopping destination.[2][5]

Like other Mills malls, Ontario Mills is divided into neighborhoods. This mall has the most out of the Mills malls with ten.[6]

History

Interior view, c. March 2005

1988–1996: Development and opening

Ontario Mills was announced in February 1988 by the Washington, D.C.-based Western Development Corporation (the former developer of the Landmark Mills malls before the 1994 corporate spin-off as The Mills Corporation). The concept for the project would span approximately 1.5 million square feet, featuring around 250 stores of retail outlets, specialty stores, and off-price shops. As common for Landmark Mills malls, Ontario Mills would also feature a movie theater and a food court known as Big Food, divided into themed concourses referred to as "neighborhoods" in a racetrack-like format to help shoppers identify where they are.[7]

The site was selected on the former location of the Ontario Motor Speedway. German-based KanAm Grund Group[8] would help fund and develop the project alongside Western Development Corporation. Melvin Simon & Associates (later Simon DeBartolo Group, now Simon Property Group) held joint venture interests in Ontario Mills, and the mall was originally slated to open in 1991. However, development was delayed due to financial struggles and legal hurdles. As a result, construction started in 1995 under new CEO Laurence C. Siegel, who oversaw the project's completion at a total cost of $150 million.[9] Ontario Mills had its grand opening on November 14, 1996, timed at the holiday season and generating immediate success with over 150,000 visitors and $7 million in sales on its first day.[10]

1996–2003: Early years

Main entrance to AMC Ontario Mills 30 in March 2005

On December 13, 1996, AMC Theatres (operating as AMC Ontario Mills 30) opened at the mall as the world's largest megaplex at the time with 30 screens. It established a record individual theater gross of $168,932 for the company.[11] In May 2002, Simon Property Group sold its interests in Ontario Mills back to the Mills Corp. and KanAm–alongside four other Mills malls–for $430 million.[12] In August 2004, The Mills Corporation and KanAm sold a 50% stake in the property to a fund managed by JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management for approximately $243 million, with Mills Corp. retaining the remaining shares.[9]

Ontario Mills was formerly home to a Vans Skatepark, which eventually closed permanently. The closure was announced in May 2003.[13]

2007–2018: Simon Property Group

In February 2007, The Mills Corp.'s portfolio, including its 50% interest in Ontario Mills, would be acquired by Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management for $1.64 billion, following the rejection of Brookfield Asset Management's offer to acquire The Mills Corp. for $1.35 billion. This was because The Mills Corporation was financially struggling by May 2006.[14] The acquisition was completed in April 2007, and The Mills Corporation was rebranded as The Mills: A Simon Company.[15]

Virgin Megastore at Ontario Mills during liquidation. This store closed permanently on January 31, 2009, as its lease was not renewed.[16]

The mall's Burlington Coat Factory was expanded to 112,000 sq. ft. in October 2010.[17] In January 2012, Simon announced that Ontario Mills' food court (rebranded as The Market) and exterior would be remodeled for a "contemporary feel", alongside an expansion of the Forever 21 and Nordstrom Rack stores. Banana's Ultimate Juice Bar closed during this time and was replaced by a Dairy Queen/Orange Julius combination, alongside several smaller local vendors.[18] In March 2012, Simon Property Group acquired full control of the property's management by buying out Farallon's stake in the Mills portfolio for $1.5 billion.[19]

JCPenney sold its JCPenney Outlet Store division to SB Capital Group, and the store converted into JC's 5 Star Outlet, which closed its Ontario Mills location in early 2014[20], alongside the rest as the division. The sale and permanent closure was because JCPenney wanted to focus on its department stores and online operations, while JC's 5 Star Outlet went defunct as a result of the division's unsuccessful rebranding and performance.[21] The former JCPenney Outlet Store space was renovated in April 2016 by Simon to introduce 12 new stores and restaurants, alongside an expansion in Ontario Mills itself known as Fashion Alley, including The North Face, Original Penguin, Samsonite, Uniqlo and Blaze Pizza. The expansion opened on April 29 of that year, with a new mall entrance being added to access the concourse.[22] raSmith of Brookfield, Wisconsin was the architect of the renovations.[23]

Despite the mall turning 20 years old in November 2016, Simon executives stated that they were "not planning anything special" for Ontario Mills. The general manager of Simon Property Group, Marc Smith, publicly stated the 20th anniversary was "not a big deal" to him, preferring to focus on the "transformation" of adding luxury stores.[10] In July 2017, Ontario Mills got seven new stores, including Stickhouse, WeStyle, francesca's, BoxLunch, and Kidpik.[24] Toys "R" Us Outlet, which has only been open for almost one year, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed all of its U.S. stores in May–August 2018, including the Ontario Mills location.[25]

2020–present

All Simon properties in the U.S., including Ontario Mills, closed temporarily in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[26] Daiso closed permanently in February 2024. MOIDA debuted in the same duration, alongside Lush Cosmetics, Psycho Bunny, and Vitamin World.[27][28]

In March 2025, Marc Jacobs and Suit Emporium opened at Ontario Mills, with later additions being Popeyes, Carbonstar, New Balance, and TARANIS opening in the spring and summer months.[29] The mall's Forever 21 closed permanently in May of that year as the company went out of business in the U.S. due to Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[30] Slick City Action Park opened in March 2026, giving the mall an additional entertainment tenant, the other being Dave & Buster's.[31]

On April 10, 2026, a fire broke out at Ontario Mills that affected several stores, such as True Religion. The 28-year-old Luis Javier Gallegos Jr. of Rancho Cucamonga, the perpetrator of the fire, has been arrested. No injuries were reported.[32]

See also

  • Sawgrass Mills, another flagship Landmark Mills mall
  • Tsawwassen Mills, a Canadian property that is also oval-shaped

References

  1. ^ "Leasing & Advertising at Ontario Mills®, a SIMON Center". business.simon.com. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Reserved., Simon Property Group, L.P. and/or Its Affiliates (NYSE: SPG), © Copyright 1999-2017. All Rights. "Welcome To Ontario Mills® - A Shopping Center In Ontario, CA - A Simon Property". simon.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Visit Ontario, California - Find Hotels, Meeting Spaces, Restaurants and Activities". discoverontariocalifornia.org. Archived from the original on December 19, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  4. ^ "Can you believe it? Ontario Mills is 20 years old".
  5. ^ Reserved., Simon Property Group, L.P. and/or Its Affiliates (NYSE: SPG), © Copyright 1999-2017. All Rights. "Do Business at Ontario Mills®, a Simon Property". business.simon.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "Ontario Mills Fashion District Mall - Ontario, California". ontariothinksbusiness.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  7. ^ "Ontario Mall to Cluster Several Factory Outlets". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  8. ^ "The Mills Corporation 2003 Annual Report" (PDF).
  9. ^ a b Archives, L. A. Times (August 4, 2004). "Mills, KanAm Sell Stake in Ontario Mall". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Can you believe it? Ontario Mills is 20 years old". Daily Bulletin. November 12, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  11. ^ "AMC'S ONTARIO 30-PLEX BOW SETS RECORD". Variety. December 18, 1996. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  12. ^ "EXHIBIT 99.1". SEC. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  13. ^ https://www.wealthmanagement.com/investing-strategies/vans-to-shut-down-skateparks#:~:text=%E2%80%94staff%2520&%2520wire%2520reports,as%2520$20%2520per%2520square%2520foot.
  14. ^ "Mills to be acquired by Simon and Farallon for $25.25 each". CBNC. February 16, 2007. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  15. ^ "Simon, Farallon bid $1.56 billion for Mills". Reuters. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  16. ^ "Virgin Megastores to close in Inland Empire and Orange County". Los Angeles Times. December 31, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  17. ^ "Ontario Mills to expand, add new stores". San Bernardino Sun. October 17, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  18. ^ "RETAIL: Ontario Mills renovating food court, exterior". Press Enterprise. January 6, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  19. ^ "Simon Property Group announces two strategic acquisitions". Simon Investors.
  20. ^ "ONTARIO: Changes at Ontario Mills will bring 12 new shops". Press Enterprise. September 8, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  21. ^ "JCPenney Closing 15 Outlet Stores in 14 States - Real Estate Daily News". Real Estate Daily News. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  22. ^ "ONTARIO MILLS: Mall to unveil Fashion Alley on April 29". Press Enterprise. April 22, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  23. ^ "Ontario Mills Expansion | shopping center development". raSmith. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  24. ^ "Ontario Mills getting 7 new stores this summer". Press Enterprise. July 24, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  25. ^ Thomas, Lauren (June 14, 2018). "More Toys R Us stores went up for sale. Here's what's moving in". CNBC. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  26. ^ "Arundel Mills Operator Closes All Locations Across US | WBAL Baltimore News". www.wbal.com. March 18, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  27. ^ "Several new stores will open at Ontario Mills". Fontana Herald News. February 8, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  28. ^ "Daiso and Ontario Mills Part Ways After Seven Years". The Breeze. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  29. ^ Ludwig, Ashley; src="https://patch.com/img/cdn/assets/layout/badges/verified-patch-staff.svg"/>, Patch Staff<img alt="Verified Patch Staff Badge" class="styles_Badge__np_hU" (March 7, 2025). "6 New High Fashion Stores Open In Ontario Mills". Lake Elsinore-Wildomar, CA Patch. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  30. ^ Barraza, Paris. "Forever 21 is closing stores in California as part of bankruptcy filing. Here's the impact". The Desert Sun. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  31. ^ "'Slick' slides come to Ontario Mills with opening of new action park". Daily Bulletin. March 22, 2026. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  32. ^ Lloyd, Jonathan; Chavolla, Elizabeth (April 10, 2026). "1 in custody after fire at Ontario Mills Mall store". NBC4 Los Angeles.
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