Chapel Hill Business Park (Akron, Ohio)

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Once one of the prime jewels of Akron, Chapel Hill Mall opened its doors to the public on October 12, 1967 anchored by Sears, J.C. Penney, and O'Neil's. The mall was built by J. J. Buchholzer in collaboration with Forest City Enterprises after the hope that the city of Akron would continue to grow Northward.

In the late 1980's an expansion was announced that would have included a new wing that was anchored by a Higbee's. Following much delay that new wing was finally opened in 1994 as part of a major renovation but without a department store anchor. Instead the new wing received a food court. O'Neil's was absorbed by May Company Ohio in 1989. They in turn were absorbed by Kaufmann's in 1993 who were absorbed by Macy's in 2006. There was also a two-screen cinema at the mall that was later expanded to five screens before closing for good in 1994. An Old Navy opened in that spot and operated until 2016. The mall also had a Woolworth's that operated until 1997.

The mall began to decline when Macy's closed in 2016. Sears would follow one year later in 2017, and then J. C. Penney closed in 2020 leaving the mall with no department store anchors. The mall would close its doors for good on April 18, 2021. It would then be transformed into a business park.


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