Axios Phoenix
July 31, 2026
1 big thing: Dinner at the mall, anyone?
Chandler Fashion Center thinks it's got the bones to become the East Valley's premier dining destination — and it's launching a massive remodel to pull it off.
Why it matters: Several Valley malls have closed in recent years as retailers scaled back their brick-and-mortar operations.
- Chandler, which celebrates its 25th anniversary later this year, is bucking the trend.
State of play: Construction starts next month on a re-imagined entertainment and dining district near the Harkins Theatres on the property's south end, the center's general manager, Monica Greenman, tells Axios.
- A new restaurant row will include the Valley's second Din Tai Fung and first Wagyu House (an all-you-can-eat Japanese steakhouse), both slated to open next year.
- More dining announcement are imminent, Greenman says.
- The porte-cochère outside the food court will be closed to traffic to create a covered gathering place with lawn games, and the space between the food court and movie theater will become a park with an expanded splash pad and space for music performances.
Catch up quick: Chandler Fashion Center opened in 2001, replacing 320 acres of farm land on Chandler Boulevard near Loop 101 with high-end retailers and department stores.
- The project delivered Arizona's first Apple Store and second Nordstrom, a Cheesecake Factory, 20-screen Harkins Theatres, California Pizza Kitchen, Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn.
- It was a signal that the southeast Valley was growing and deserving of luxury investment.
Reality check: There have been some speed bumps since then.
- Two of the center's anchors — Sears and Nordstrom — closed in 2019 and 2020 and many of the original restaurants and storefronts have turned over many times in the past 25 years.
I was among the skeptics who doubted the mall would survive after Nordstrom bounced. But it may have been the best thing that could've happened.
- In 2023, Scheels took over the space with its first Arizona location, igniting a resurgence of interest in the mall.
- Then last year, Round 1, an arcade and bowling alley, moved into the downstairs of the former Sears.
The bottom line: "It's about taking the risk," Greenman says, noting that bowling alleys and grocery stores aren't normal mall tenants. "But guests want this, so why not give it to them?"
3. Chips & salsa: Goodbye to a Valley music staple
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5. 🇺🇲 1 memory to go
25 years ago, I was a second grader living in Chandler who thought it was just about the coolest thing ever that I was getting a mall in my backyard.
- And I can prove it to you.
Head to the northeast end of the food court and you'll find a hallway leading to the center's management office.
- The walls are lined with painted tiles designed by Chandler kids for the grand opening.
- The vast majority are either USA or D-Backs related (remember, this was October 2001).
Zoom in: Mine has a funky looking handprint, some polka dots, a smiley face and the message: "God Bless the USA."
The intrigue: These used to hang near the family restrooms on the opposite side of the food court, but were removed a decade-plus ago during a previous remodel.
- I assumed they'd been trashed but was so excited to accidentally stumble upon them during one of my recent mall strolls.
Axios Phoenix
