Woodfield Mall — then the largest of its kind in the United States — opens in Schaumburg
PUBLISHED Sep 9, 2026, 6:05 AM ET
On September 9, 1971, Woodfield Mall officially opened its doors on 191 acres of former farmland in Schaumburg, Illinois, spanning roughly 1.6 to 1.9 million square feet of retail space. At its debut, it was the largest shopping mall in the United States and briefly claimed the title worldwide. Named after retail legends General Robert E. Wood and Marshall Field I, the mega-mall featured a high-profile grand opening celebration with marching bands, singer Carol Lawrence, and actor Vincent Price. The complex launched with major anchor stores including Sears, Marshall Field and Company, and JCPenney, alongside numerous specialty shops. The development fundamentally transformed Schaumburg from a quiet farming community into a booming suburban commercial and residential hub. Today, it remains an influential landmark of twentieth-century American retail history and continues to operate as a prominent shopping destination in the Chicago metropolitan area.
By Emily Rhodes | JQJO News
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Left: Emphasizes community growth, labor impact, and suburban economic shifts. Center: Focuses on historical facts, retail scale, and economic development. Right: Highlights private enterprise, capitalist expansion, and commercial real-estate success.
Woodfield Mall officially opened in Schaumburg on September 9, 1971. https://www.chicagotribune.com/
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Woodfield Mall opens in Schaumburg
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