Plaza del Lago, a 100-year-old outdoor shopping center in suburban Wilmette right near Lake Michigan is undergoing a “major revival,” with 13 new business set to open including a mini department store, Pilates studio and several luxury brands.

The announcement is the latest update from WS Developers, which purchased the Spanish Court-style shopping center along Sheridan Road in 2022 and hopes to make the 1920s mall “one of the top outdoor retail destinations in the region.”

“There is something magical about Plaza del Lago,” Samantha David, President of WS Development said in the announcement. “I’m not sure if it’s the 1920’s architecture or the urban legend about its role in prohibition or the views of the lake you catch from unexpected corners but some combination of these things have made it a beloved part of Chicago’s North Shore for nearly a century.”

The announcement went on to say that the new retailers are a “curated collection of fashion, lifestyle and culinary experiences.” The transformation of the mall itself also includes upgrades to building restoration and landscaping, infrastructure improvements, a new walking path and a transformation of second-story residential into two-story retail suites.

“Distinctive art installations and engaging community programming will further add to the experience,” the announcement said.

Newly announced businesses at the shopping center span home, fitness, luxury, lifestyle and high fashion, developers said. Those stores include Oscar de la Renta, Cynthia Rowler, Hill House Home, Peter Millar, rag & bone and Veronica Beard.

Jewelry brand and ear-piercing store Studs will also open a location at Plaza del Lago, along with global fashion brand LoveShackFancy. La Vie Style House, which sells luxury caftans, wraps and dresses, will open its first Chicago location at Plaza del Lago; and Pilates studio Pilatesville will also open at the mall, marking the brand’s third location in the Chicago-area.

Previously confirmed tenants for the shopping center included luxury French brand Hermès, Los Angeles clothing brand James Perse, California lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne and small, luxury department store Space 519.

Businesses are expected to begin opening as early as July 2025, the announcement said, as construction remains ongoing.

“These brands intentionally span the spectrum, David’s statement said. “A mixture of locals and nationals, soft goods and services, at different price points with one common element – they are each best in class. While we hope to attract a broad new audience with these beloved brands, we will never lose our commitment to serving our local community and are just as excited to see kids playing hopscotch on our sidewalks as we are to see customers patronizing our businesses. This is and will always be a place to come and sit as much as it is a place to come and shop.”

In March of 2025, WS Development said the Plaza del Lago site was set to undergo a “complete overhaul including the restoration of building facades,” including masonry, storefronts, and windows; upgrades to building systems and structures including roofs, elevators, flooring, and basements

The firm does not plan to demolish any structures or add new ones as part of the remodel, the update

“Plaza del Lago is on the cusp of a renovation that will honor and preserve the property’s iconic history and architecture while updating it to meet the demands of modern retail and dining and setting it up to prosper for the next 100 years just as it was designed to do for the last 100,” WS Development said at the time.

The Massachusetts-based developer purchased the Plaza de Lago shopping center in June of 2022. It’s the same developer that in 2022 purchased and revamped Wilmette’s Edens Plaza, which now includes Wayfair’s first-ever brick-and-mortar department store in the center’s former Carson Pirie Scott building.

Clothing and gift store Uncharted also recently opened at Edens Plaza, with a nail salon, gym and health food restaurant coming soon.

According to a release, WS Development has also revitalized other historic properties across the U.S., including two in Florida: The Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach, and Hyde Park Village in Tampa.