Imagine a community hub, a place that has evolved alongside the city. That’s Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill. For 50 years, Hillcrest Mall has been a cornerstone. It has grown with the city.
Hillcrest Mall opened on August 8, 1974. It was the largest mall north of metro Toronto. Cadillac Fairview and Greater York Group created it together.
Early on, the mall took steps to reduce light pollution. This shows forward-thinking design. Minimal signage was used. Shielded lights lit the parking lot. The parking lot surface absorbed light.
Originally, Hillcrest Mall had four anchor stores. These were Simpsons, Kmart, Sears, and Loblaws supermarket. Over 100 stores occupied 540,000 square feet. The first 10,000 Simpsons customers got a rose. This recognized Richmond Hill as Canada’s rose capital.
The central square displayed four ficus trees from Florida. A vaulted ceiling topped it. The market court offered a food court experience. It featured picnic seating and gaslight lamps. A 250-seat auditorium hosted community events. It even hosted fashion shows.
Hudson’s Bay Company acquired Simpsons in 1978. By 1991, Simpsons became The Bay. Zellers opened in 1988. It took the former Sears location.
Extensive renovations occurred in 2000. In 2011, Oxford Properties purchased Hillcrest Mall from Cadillac Fairview.
Several changes occurred over the years. Zellers closed in early 2013. Target Canada replaced it. Target closed in mid-2015. Marshalls and HomeSense jointly leased the space.
In 2015, Hudson’s Bay expanded its anchor store. The expansion cost 125 million dollars. It added 81,000 square feet to the store. Sporting Life, H&M, and Aritzia arrived by the end of 2016.
Hillcrest Mall completed an overhaul in October 2018. Marshalls, HomeSense, Indigo, and Old Navy moved into the former Target. The mall got new floors and lighting. The food court was upgraded. New entrances were created.
Hillcrest Mall boasts over 120 fashion, lifestyle, and food retailers. Popular brands include lululemon, Sephora, and West Coast Kids. The mall spans approximately 585,000 square feet.
Hillcrest Mall sees about 5 million shoppers annually. There are 127 stores. About 87,363 vehicles pass by daily. The average visit lasts 71 minutes. The average retail spend is 218 dollars.
Hillcrest Mall celebrated its 50th anniversary in August. There were timeline walls and a Rose Photo Wall. A back-to-school fundraising initiative supported Sandgate Women’s Shelter.
Today, Hillcrest Mall continues to evolve. It adapts to market conditions. Future plans include residential additions. These additions will create a live, work, and play environment. Hillcrest Mall remains a vital part of Richmond Hill. It is a community gathering place.