A developer is eyeing Ford City Mall to build an industrial park. At a recent meeting, many neighbors agreed it should close with Ald. Derrick Curtis (18th) saying the Southwest Side is in “big trouble” if the mall isn't redeveloped. But some are mourning the loss of this third space.
The truth is, the mall is pretty much already dead. I say having recently visited — and as a former mall rat.
Here’s what’s left 👇
The mall is roughly a half-mile long, east to west. (Google Maps)
How To Get There
- Bus 53 on Pulaski; or 79 on 79th Street
- Bus 54B from the Midway Orange Line
What To Do
I grew up finding solace in the third spaces of malls all over Chicagoland, so I was excited to see what’s still kicking at Ford City Mall. Although the majority of the mall is empty, remaining stores include:
- JC Penney. This is the only anchor store in Ford City Mall, and its lease ends early 2026.
- Shoe Pier, where I almost bought a comic-print suit, pictured below.
- Victoria’s Secret/PINK
- The Vault, though it was closed when I was there.
- The Modern Man
- Sam’s Furniture
- The Shop, which occupies two separate storefronts
- Foot Locker
- Golden Design Jewelers, which took up three consecutive storefronts
- Bath and Body Works
- Flawless Diamonds
- Seya, a salon
- Perfume Palace
- Lids, a mall staple
- DTLR
- Sniper
- Rainbow, a dependable destination for baddies nationwide
- Journeys
- Exact Time
- Two cell phone repair stores: Connect Cell and We Fix It
The cell phone trend was strong among the kiosks as well. The day I explored Ford City Mall, I counted five active kiosks: Always Cellular, Cell Phone Fix, iFix, Lyla, and Noor. The latter two sell jewelry.
Food, meanwhile, was limited. The food court was full of vacant stands. Two of them, Sweet Honey Tea and New Cajun Grill, appeared to be in business, but neither was open on a Monday afternoon. Auntie Anne’s was my only option. Luckily, their cinnamon bites hit the same way they did in eighth grade.
A dressing room montage in Shoe Pier; a desolate food court; making friends at Auntie Anne’s; the children’s area outside About Time; the center fountain in front of more empty stores; RIP Claire’s. (Emmi Mack / Hey Chicago)
What To Do Nearby
- AMC Ford City 14 isn’t attached to the mall, but the fully functioning megaplex is just across the parking lot.
- Neighboring strip malls offer more stores and restaurants than you’ll find in the actual concrete mall — mainly chains. Old Navy and Marshall’s are technically considered part of the general Ford City Mall shopping center. A bit further, on LaCrosse Avenue, there’s a Kohl’s.
- Thin-crust classic Vito & Nick’s is less than two miles away — walkable depending on your mood! (I’m always in the mood for Vito & Nick’s.)
This farewell from H&M was especially eerie. Even fast fashion can’t survive these days. (Emmi Mack / Hey Chicago)
