New stores, restaurants and attractions are popping up at two of Oakland County’s popular regional malls − and more are on the way.
Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills and Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, both owned by Simon Property Group, have implemented a winning strategy in an ever-changing and sometimes challenging retail environment.
“The mall is obviously thriving; we have all these great retailers that opened this year, and we’re looking forward to more coming later this year or next year,” Kristen Old, director of marketing and business development at Great Lakes Crossing, said. “In general, people talk about ‘in-store shopping is dying, and everyone is shopping online,’ but that is clearly not the case for GLC.”
Great Lakes Crossing
is set to become an even bigger regional draw with the recent additions of an IKEA Pop-Up store, Escapology, a Hopcat restaurant and a Popmart.
IKEA had a line of enthusiastic customers that stretched out the door when it opened on Aug. 27 next to Nordstrom Rack and Dick’s Sporting Goods at the mall’s entry 1.
As a pop-up, the store is a much smaller version of the full-sized IKEA in Canton, but less overwhelming and just as fun, Old said. The pop-up, which she hopes will become a permanent addition and could even expand, carries about 600 products in store with a focus on home décor, closet and storage items and a large kids’ section.
There is furniture as well, and items can be ordered online and delivered to the store for customer pick-up.
The IKEA Pop-up also has the Swedish brand’s iconic meatballs, but sold frozen for fans to take home and make.
Mall shoppers who want someone else to do the cooking or have a taste for something else might want to visit Hopcat.
The new addition to Great Lakes Crossing is a great fit for the mall, Old said, known for a cool vibe and “really great food at a great price point for our customers.”
Hopcat, meanwhile, is known for its Cosmik fries, burgers, and one of Old’s favorites — the Pickleback chicken sandwich. They are located at entry 6, next to the AMC theater.
Great Lakes Crossing has new entertainment too, adding Escapology in August with seven escape rooms. Each features a different theme and difficulty level, challenging puzzlers to alternately free themselves from haunted houses, solve murders, find fortunes and save towns or even the world. Escapology is located near Legoland Discovery Center at entry 6 to the mall.
Most recently, Popmart opened at Great Lakes Crossing. The store with designer toys and collectible figurines is “very pop culture, very trendy and very popular,” Old said, and is located in district 8, adjacent to Bass Pro Shops.
New Twelve Oaks stores
Popmart opened late last year at Twelve Oaks Mall, and the Novi shopping center has had several new additions in 2026 as well, General Manager Scott Lofton said.
Among them are:
- Platform, a men’s streetwear brand that opened earlier this month.
- Body and Soul Medical and Holistic Spa, offering services including advanced laser treatments, skin rejuvenation, body contouring, and preventative health services.
- Overrated Korean Beauty, a specialty retailer featuring Korean beauty products and Asian-inspired lifestyle merchandise.
- Exotic Snack Guys, an international marketplace allowing guests to try snacks and drinks from all over the world.
- And finally, Ragstock, heralded as one of America’s longest-running retailers of vintage and recycled clothing.
Lofton said the new additions reflect how the mall, and Simon Property Group, is committed to providing shoppers “with the opportunity to touch, try and buy in-store through both retail and mixed-use experiences. These additions reinforce Simon's commitment to creating engaging in-person shopping experiences where guests can discover, explore and interact with brands firsthand.”
The commitment continues to keep both malls thriving in contrast to some large shopping centers that are floundering.
Lofton and Old are both looking forward to continuing Simon’s strategy with new offerings this fall.
At Twelve Oaks Mall, the long-vacant space once held by Sears will be filled by three new establishments: a Round1 Bowling and Arcade; Primark, a European clothing retailer; and Dick’s House of Sport, an offshoot of Dick’s Sporting Goods, which includes athletic facilities indoors and out.
Meanwhile, a Books-A-Million store is nearing completion at Great Lakes Crossing, and Old is preparing for the holidays, including an Oct. 17 trick-or-treat event with more than 70 stores participating, plus the arrival of Santa and more store openings.
“We anticipate more this year and some next year,” Old said. “We do a really great job of providing our customers with more to do than just shopping. We want to give people reasons to come to the mall.”
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: These 2 Oakland County malls are thriving with new arrivals
