Opened in 1973 Scarborough Town Centre quickly became a landmark. It was designed to be the heart of Scarborough. The mall included Simpson’s and Eaton’s two major Canadian department stores. A Miracle Food Mart supermarket was also there. It was part of the Steinbergs chain. This was co-located with a Miracle Mart a discount department store.
Scarborough Town Centre’s initial design was Y-shaped. Its stem pointed toward the Civic Centre. A second phase of construction added a northern department store. This was the former The Bay store. Two wings were added as well. This expansion added 22000 m2 of retail space. It opened on August 8 1979. This made Scarborough Town Centre only the second mall in history after Quebec’s Promenades Saint-Bruno to have Eaton’s Simpson’s and The Bay simultaneously.
In 1991 Simpson’s rebranded as The Bay. The former The Bay store was then emptied and refurbished. It reopened on September 25 1991 as a Sears. Essentially the same staff worked there. It was the largest of eight locations Sears acquired from the Simpsons chain. Further expansion in 1998-1999 added more anchor stores and retail space.
After Eaton’s closed Sears moved to its space on July 17 2000. It became one of Sears’ largest stores nationwide. Walmart opened its 160000 square foot store on July 26 2001. A 2010 renovation called Lighten Up attracted retailers like Victoria’s Secret. Victoria’s Secret opened one of Canada’s first Pink stores. Forever 21 and Aritzia replaced Sport Chek and Birks. The mall now boasts the largest Zara store in the east GTA at 2200 m2.
In 2016 a new food court opened below the existing one. It was branded as TASTE MRKT. The upper level food court closed then reopened as mall space. It has a unique dining atmosphere. This included more upscale seating. A Jollibee a Tim Hortons and a Ramen Place opened. The Disney Store closed becoming a Game Store.
The Sears store closed in late 2017. This was part of the liquidation of Canadian operations. The space is expected to be redeveloped. The first floor became Urban Behavior. A Muji store opened in 2018 near Centre Court. It was the 5th in the GTA. A Miniso opened outside Walmart. This was in the former Roots Canada location. Roots relocated next to Aritzia. In February 2021 the second level of the former Sears became a COVID-19 vaccine clinic.
An IKEA store opened on the lower level of the former Sears space on August 23 2023. A Decathlon store opened on the upper level on October 14 2023. A Toys R Us opened on May 13 2024. Scarborough Town Centre continues to evolve. It remains a vital part of Scarborough’s landscape. It is a testament to its enduring appeal.