New Stores to Locate at Skokie’s Westfield Old Orchard Mall for the Holiday Season

A number of new retail stores are about to open at Skokie’s Westfield Old Orchard mall, with a popular option for book lovers now returning to the mall.

Westfield announced the return of Barnes & Noble, which closed its Old Orchard bookstore last year after 27 years, with the company saying that redevelopment of the old building necessitated the closure.

Barnes & Noble officials are now promising a two-story, roughly 20,000-square-foot store at 4999 Old Orchard Shopping Center, near the Zara clothing store and across from The Cheesecake Factory. Inside the location will be Paper Source, a stationery and gift retailer.

“Old Orchard was one of Barnes & Noble’s busiest bookstores and it was very sad to close the store last year. That said, the building was very dated and having it trashed gives us the opportunity to build a new store,” Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said in a statement. “It’s also exciting to have a paper fountain inside the store. Paper Source is a great Chicago brand and will complement the bookstore beautifully.”

Also scheduled to open before the holidays is Bloomie’s, the second concept store in the country opened by Macy’s Inc., the owners of Bloomingdale’s. Pioneer Press reported in August of a change in strategy with the closure of the Old Orchard Bloomingdale’s department store with the owners downsizing to a smaller location on the property.

It will also open a Psycho Bunny, which offers clothing for men, children and big and tall, and a Levi’s store. Tory Burch, which sells designer handbags, shoes and accessories, and Alo Yoga, which offers yoga and exercise wear, both recently opened.

Mall patrons will also be able to dine at The Capital Grille and Molly’s Cupcakes.

“New openings and long-standing retail partners will continue to deliver a best-in-class shopping experience for the North Shore community, and we look forward to sharing even more updates soon,” said Westfield Old Orchard Senior General Manager Serge Khalimsky, in a statement.

A Westfield spokeswoman did not provide specific store opening dates.