White Oaks Mall
Encyclopedia
White Oaks Mall is a major shopping centre in London, Ontario
, Canada. It is located at the southwest corner of Wellington Road and Bradley Avenue, just north of Highway 401
.
department store and a Loblaws
grocery store.
In 1972, the plaza was completely rebuilt to make way for expansion. It became a fully enclosed shopping centre in early 1973, featuring a Woolco
department store and about 40 other tenants. The main entrance to the mall included artistic steel sculptures and a massive arch-like gateway, all of which still exist today.
The mall expanded again in 1976, with a Simpson's
department store replacing the Sayvette (now The Bay
). By the late 1970s and into the 1980s, the area surrounding the mall began to develop. New highrise apartments and homes were constructed. Many new commercial establishments located near the mall as well.
White Oaks was enlarged once again in 1985 and 1988, with an additional 80 new stores and a food court added. This made the mall one of the largest shopping centres in Southwestern Ontario
.
In the mid 1990s, lack of parking became such a problem that a nearby office building was demolished to allow for more spaces. In 2005, the mall was sold to the CPP Investment Board
and Osmington Inc. CPP Investment Board
became the sole owner in 2010.
There are over 175 stores and services in the mall.
opening its first London store. As well, several new retailers including an Applebee's
restaurant, Urban Behavior
, and an expanded Jacob
opened.
2007: More retailers including Guess?
, Ben Moss
, Off The Wall
, D-Tox, Lids
, Joneve, Freshly Squeezed, Dollarama
and Canada's first Aéropostale
store opened. A renovation of the interior of the mall also took place in 2007.
2008: Improvements to the mall and to the store mix continued. The washrooms located by the Wellington Road entrance were expanded and renovated. They now include a family washroom, and a nursing area. One of Canada's first Bath & Body Works
opened. Other retailers including aerie, Town Shoes
, Claire de Lune, S&H Health Foods, and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
opened in the mall. Gap
and Danier Leather renovated their stores and Soft Moc, Bluenotes
,Siblings relocated within the mall.
2009: The washrooms located by the Information Booth were upgraded to be consistent with the renovations of the Wellington washrooms. Coach, Gymboree, Bath & Body Works: Home Fragrance
, Quiznos and Brida Shoes opened.
2010: Auntie Anne's Pretzels
opened in January. Sephora
and Cali Nails opened in May 2010. Marble Slab Creamery opened in the summer. Jack&Jones
, ONLY
, and Payless ShoeSource
opened later in the year. The mall is currently renovating the food court. Phase I of the renovation, including new floors, ceilings, furniture and skylights was completed in November 2010.
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Canada. It is located at the southwest corner of Wellington Road and Bradley Avenue, just north of Highway 401
Highway 401 (Ontario)
King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
.
History
The property on which the mall is now located was originally occupied by a small outdoor plaza, built in 1962. It featured a SayvetteSayvette
Sayvette was a discount department store wholly owned and operated in Canada by Loblaw Companies Limited, a large grocery distribution and retail business, from 1961 until 1977....
department store and a Loblaws
Loblaws
Loblaws is a supermarket chain with over 70 stores in Canada, headquartered in Brampton, with stores across Ontario and Quebec. Loblaws is a division of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor...
grocery store.
In 1972, the plaza was completely rebuilt to make way for expansion. It became a fully enclosed shopping centre in early 1973, featuring a Woolco
Woolco
Woolco was an American-based discount retail chain. It was founded in 1962 in the city of Columbus, Ohio, by the F.W. Woolworth Company. It was a full-line discount department store unlike the five-and-dime Woolworth stores which operated at the time. At its peak, Woolco had hundreds of stores in...
department store and about 40 other tenants. The main entrance to the mall included artistic steel sculptures and a massive arch-like gateway, all of which still exist today.
The mall expanded again in 1976, with a Simpson's
Simpson's
The Robert Simpson Company, or Simpsons , was a Canadian department store chain, founded by Robert Simpson. The chain was eventually bought by the Hudson's Bay Company.- History :...
department store replacing the Sayvette (now The Bay
The Bay
The Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
). By the late 1970s and into the 1980s, the area surrounding the mall began to develop. New highrise apartments and homes were constructed. Many new commercial establishments located near the mall as well.
White Oaks was enlarged once again in 1985 and 1988, with an additional 80 new stores and a food court added. This made the mall one of the largest shopping centres in Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario, centred on the city of London. It extends north to south from the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron to the Lake Erie shoreline, and east to south-west roughly from Guelph to Windsor. The region had a population...
.
In the mid 1990s, lack of parking became such a problem that a nearby office building was demolished to allow for more spaces. In 2005, the mall was sold to the CPP Investment Board
CPP Investment Board
Under the direction of the then Canadian Finance Minister Paul Martin, the CPP Investment Board was created in 1997 as an organization independent of the government to monitor and invest the funds held by the Canada Pension Plan . In turn, the CPP Investment Board created the CPP Reserve Fund. The...
and Osmington Inc. CPP Investment Board
CPP Investment Board
Under the direction of the then Canadian Finance Minister Paul Martin, the CPP Investment Board was created in 1997 as an organization independent of the government to monitor and invest the funds held by the Canada Pension Plan . In turn, the CPP Investment Board created the CPP Reserve Fund. The...
became the sole owner in 2010.
There are over 175 stores and services in the mall.
Recent changes
2006: White Oaks expanded by over 36000 sq ft (3,344.5 m²), with Swedish retailer H&MH&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
opening its first London store. As well, several new retailers including an Applebee's
Applebee's
Applebee’s International, Inc., is an American company which develops, franchises, and operates the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurant chain. As of September 2011, there were 2,010 restaurants operating system-wide in the United States, one U.S. territory and 14 other countries...
restaurant, Urban Behavior
Urban Behavior
Founded in 1989 by Arif Noor, Urban Behavior is a unisex apparel retailer with 40 stores in Canada which sells private label clothing mostly designed out of Los Angeles. Most of the fashions change depending on the current trends, but the focus is on club wear. The store is mostly popular with...
, and an expanded Jacob
Jacob (clothing retailer)
Jacob is a private Canadian affordable women's and girls' clothing store chain based out of Montreal, Quebec. Jacob stores, which number over 200, are all over Canada, usually in malls...
opened.
2007: More retailers including Guess?
Guess?
Guess is a American clothing line brand. Guess also markets other fashion accessories besides clothes, such as watches, jewelry and perfumes. The company also owns the line Marciano.-Founding:...
, Ben Moss
Ben Moss Jewellers
Ben Moss Jewellers is a national jewellery store chain based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canada. It has stores in as 63 stores located in 39 cities in Canada. The company was founded in 1910 and is the largest family owned jeweller in Canada...
, Off The Wall
Off The Wall (clothing)
Off The Wall, founded in 1984 and closed in early 2011, is a former Canadian retailer of apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment for active young women...
, D-Tox, Lids
Hat World
Hat World Inc. is an American retailer specializing in athletic headwear. It primarily operates under the LIDS and Hat World brands with stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. The majority of the stores operate in shopping malls and factory outlet centers. The company was founded in 1995 and...
, Joneve, Freshly Squeezed, Dollarama
Dollarama
Dollarama is a chain of over 690 dollar stores across Canada. The company is headquartered in Montreal and, since 2009, is Canada's largest retailer of items for 2 dollars or less. The first Dollarama store was created at the shopping centre "Les promenades du St-Laurent" in Matane...
and Canada's first Aéropostale
Aéropostale (clothing)
Aéropostale, Inc. is a mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 14-to-17-year-old young women and men through its Aéropostale stores and 7-to-12-year-old kids through its P.S. from Aéropostale stores...
store opened. A renovation of the interior of the mall also took place in 2007.
2008: Improvements to the mall and to the store mix continued. The washrooms located by the Wellington Road entrance were expanded and renovated. They now include a family washroom, and a nursing area. One of Canada's first Bath & Body Works
Bath & Body Works
Bath & Body Works, LLC, is an American retail store under the Limited Brands umbrella. It was founded in 1990 in New Albany, Ohio and has since expanded across the United States and Canada. It specializes in lotions, bath items, personal care items, and home fragrances.The company launched both a...
opened. Other retailers including aerie, Town Shoes
Town Shoes
Town Shoes is a chain of Canadian shoe stores. It has been family owned and operated since 1952 and has 30 locations across Canada including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, London, Toronto, Kitchener, Barrie and Dartmouth. The Shoe Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Town Shoes...
, Claire de Lune, S&H Health Foods, and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is an international franchisor, confectionery manufacturer and retail operator in the United States, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. The Company is based in the town of Durango located on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado...
opened in the mall. Gap
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
and Danier Leather renovated their stores and Soft Moc, Bluenotes
Bluenotes
Bluenotes is a Canadian lifestyle clothing brand and was established in 1984. The concept is designed to attract consumers aged 14–24 through its "If Jeans Could Talk" inspired image and casual wear. It has since developed into one of Canada's leading denim retailers...
,Siblings relocated within the mall.
2009: The washrooms located by the Information Booth were upgraded to be consistent with the renovations of the Wellington washrooms. Coach, Gymboree, Bath & Body Works: Home Fragrance
Bath & Body Works
Bath & Body Works, LLC, is an American retail store under the Limited Brands umbrella. It was founded in 1990 in New Albany, Ohio and has since expanded across the United States and Canada. It specializes in lotions, bath items, personal care items, and home fragrances.The company launched both a...
, Quiznos and Brida Shoes opened.
2010: Auntie Anne's Pretzels
Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an American chain of pretzel bakeries founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages...
opened in January. Sephora
Sephora
Sephora is a chain of cosmetics stores founded in France in 1970 and acquired by Paris-based conglomerate LVMH in 1997. The Sephora chain includes more than 750 stores in 17 countries...
and Cali Nails opened in May 2010. Marble Slab Creamery opened in the summer. Jack&Jones
Bestseller (company)
Bestseller A/S is a privately held family-owned clothing company based in Denmark. The company was founded in 1975 and has 10 brands. Today, Bestseller has well over 5,700 stores selling its product in more than 43 countries, which makes it one of the largest fashion companies in...
, ONLY
Bestseller (company)
Bestseller A/S is a privately held family-owned clothing company based in Denmark. The company was founded in 1975 and has 10 brands. Today, Bestseller has well over 5,700 stores selling its product in more than 43 countries, which makes it one of the largest fashion companies in...
, and Payless ShoeSource
Payless ShoeSource
Payless ShoeSource is a discount footwear retailer founded in Topeka, Kansas in 1956 that is owned by Collective Brands, Inc. In 1961, it became a public company as the Volume Shoe Corporation which merged with the May Department Stores Company in 1979. In the 1980s, Payless was widely known in the...
opened later in the year. The mall is currently renovating the food court. Phase I of the renovation, including new floors, ceilings, furniture and skylights was completed in November 2010.
Anchors and majors
- The BayThe BayThe Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
(165000 sq ft (15,329 m²)) - Walmart Canada (151000 sq ft (14,028.4 m²))
- Sport ChekSport ChekSport Chek is the largest Canadian retailers of sporting clothing, sports equipment and equipment destroy, with stores across Canada...
(20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²)) - H&MH&MH & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
(18000 sq ft (1,672.3 m²)) - JacobJacob (clothing retailer)Jacob is a private Canadian affordable women's and girls' clothing store chain based out of Montreal, Quebec. Jacob stores, which number over 200, are all over Canada, usually in malls...
(16000 sq ft (1,486.4 m²)) - Urban BehaviorUrban BehaviorFounded in 1989 by Arif Noor, Urban Behavior is a unisex apparel retailer with 40 stores in Canada which sells private label clothing mostly designed out of Los Angeles. Most of the fashions change depending on the current trends, but the focus is on club wear. The store is mostly popular with...
(15000 sq ft (1,393.5 m²)) - DollaramaDollaramaDollarama is a chain of over 690 dollar stores across Canada. The company is headquartered in Montreal and, since 2009, is Canada's largest retailer of items for 2 dollars or less. The first Dollarama store was created at the shopping centre "Les promenades du St-Laurent" in Matane...
(13000 sq ft (1,207.7 m²))