Some shopping destinations are so iconic, they immediately conjure up images of retail bliss and fun-filled days for visitors that hope they will have enough time to take in all the sights. Such is the case with the Aventura Mall in South Florida, which is aptly dubbed as a super-regional shopping mall. This massive shopping destination spans an eye-popping 2.7 million square feet of gross leasable area, and packs more than 300 retailers into its chic three-story layout.
Aventura Mall dates back to April of 1983, when original developer Oxford Development Company opened its doors. At inception, the mall spanned 1.2 million square feet and featured four anchor tenants: JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s and Sears. Fast forward to 1996, and the mall was under the ownership of Turnberry Associates and Simon Property Group, and a major expansion project was in the works.
That project would see the addition of an AMC Theatres multiplex cinema, restaurants and a three-story atrium among others. Additional expansions of individual on-site retailers and retail wings have been added through the years, and the mall now has a whopping six anchor tenants: Bloomingdale’s, JCPenney, Nordstrom, and Sears, as well as a Macy’s dedicated to women’s and children’s wear, and one dedicated to men, home and furnishings.
The remainder of the tenants include a veritable who’s who of retailers. Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Brooks Brothers, Apple, H&M, and Urban Outfitters are just a few of the names that occupy space at this bustling shopping center. There are dining options aplenty to satisfy every budget and palate, ranging from high-end option such as The Grill on the Alley and Rosalia’s, to casual fare that includes the Cheesecake Factory and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Looking for just a quick snack or beverage? Aventura Mall has you covered on that front as well, with offerings that include Starbucks, Teavana, Mrs. Fields and Auntie Anne’s.
As for amenities, fans of the arts will be in heaven when they visit Aventura. The mall is home to Turnberry for the Arts, which features a revolving set of installations from both local and international artists. There’s also an artist-designed interactive playground to keep the little ones busy, as well as a calendar that’s chock full of both individual store events and mall promotions. Add it all up and it’s pretty easy to see why the Aventura Mall is considered to be South Florida’s premiere shopping destination, and it’s a destination that absolutely has to make its way to your travel itinerary if you’ve yet to enjoy all of the splendor that it has to offer.
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Aventura Mall has launched construction on a major expansion that will include a new three-level, 315,000 square-foot retail wing and multi-level parking garage. The new wing, which is expected to open in late 2017, will include several destination restaurants, more than three dozen retail stores, a new food hall with indoor/outdoor seating, a rooftop terrace, and VIP concierge area perfect for private dinners and events.
