Following a years long renovation project that transformed the Northshore Mall, several new stores and eateries are slated to open this year.
The openings come after the final phase of Northshore Mall’s redevelopment, which began in 2017, and on the heels of the 2023 openings of Arhaus, Sweetgreen and L.L.Bean, according to Simon Property Group, the agency that manages the mall.
Between 2020 and 2022, the multimillion-dollar transformation cemented Northshore Mall’s place as a regional entertainment destination and social hub by adding seven new concepts, Simon said.
The shopping center’s redevelopment began on the Route 114-facing side of the mall in 2017, the mall management agency stated in a press release. The redevelopment at the time resulted in a new dining pavilion and the creation of “The Promenade,” which includes outdoor seating, patio dining for seven restaurants that either opened or remodeled with the Promenade, a community stage and more.
“When we began the redevelopment, we focused on maintaining and building upon our strong mix of traditional stores carrying items for a wide range of shoppers, while also expanding our mix of services, dining, entertainment and recreational activities,” Mark Whiting, the Simon Property Group general manager at Northshore Mall, said in a press release in February 2023. “Simon continues to reinvest in its properties, providing new and exciting shopping, dining and entertainment options to match our shoppers’ evolving wants and needs. The overall redevelopment has created a hub where the community can play, shop and utilize a wide array of services.”
Here are some of the new stores set to open at the Northshore Mall in 2024, according to Simon.
Big Chicken, the restaurant founded by NBA Hall of Fame star Shaquille O’Neal, is set to open in the late spring of 2024, according to Simon Property Group. The chain fuses O’Neal’s home-cooked childhood favorites with today’s trending flavors. Menu items include chicken sandwiches like “The Ultimate” and “Shaq Attack” as well as Cheez-It-crusted mac n’cheese and ice cream shakes.
“Each menu item provides an inside look into Shaq’s life and personality,” Simon said.
A popular Philadelphia restaurant is making its way to the Northshore Mall in the late spring of 2024, according to the mall management agency. The restaurant is known for its made-to-order stir-fries, salads and honeybars – a create-your-own bowl of fresh fruit and toppings. Honeygrow has two other locations in Massachusetts, in Boston’s Seaport district and in Fenway.
Immersive Gamebox is a UK-based company that offers fully private, interactive digital rooms with projection mapping, touch screens, motion tracking and surround sounds so that people can enjoy a hyper-immersive 60-minute adventure, Simon said.
No need for virtual reality. Patrons of Immersive Gamebox can move around the digital environment to solve problems, strategize, and play games, according to the agency.
Gametime Lanes & Entertainment, a bowling and entertainment center, will open in the Northshore Mall in late 2024, according to Simon.
The establishment already has a location in Amesbury, but this will be Gametime Lanes’ first expansion, demonstrating its growth and success for a locally owned and operated company, Simon said.
Gametime Lanes & Entertainment will feature 12 lanes of tenpin bowling, two bars, and a full pub menu, according to the mall management agency. The new Northshore Mall location will also include a 6,000-square-foot arcade with video, virtual reality games and axe throwing. The space also has private function rooms free to rent for events of different sizes.
If you go
The Northshore Mall is located at 210 Andover St. in Peabody and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the mall’s website.
