This used to be a very nice upscale mall. Now it's completely dead. Locals say it was a failure from day one. Dillard's is closing later this month, and Neiman Marcus will soon follow suit. And once that happens, the mall will be demolished. If the developer of this mall had any brains whatsoever, they would have designed it after American Dream Meadowlands in East Rutherford which boasts an amusement park along with several other attractions including a water park, a movie theater, and more. But no, the developer of this property just had to make it the way they did. read more

I purchased the package A for my son to see Santa, and unfortunately the experience was very disappointing. Santa seemed cold, distant, and uncomfortable around us. There was little interaction, no warmth, and it honestly felt like we were not welcome. I stepped aside for a moment to observe how he interacted with other children afterward, and the difference was very noticeable he was smiling, engaging, and much more interactive with them. As a parent, this was hurtful and not what I expected, especially after paying for a special holiday moment for my child. Every child deserves the same warmth and joyful experience, and sadly that was not the case for us. read more

A clean mall, but it appears like it isn't going to be around much longer. A lot of empty spaces where stores use to be. We went to check out the Crayola Experience with the grandkids, but we just weren't going to have the time before we had to be at the airport to catch our flight back home to Orlando. Next time we'll definitely be taking them to the Crayola Experience; it looked quite fun. The mall is still in really good shape. Some nice stores still there. Good place to get your air conditioned walking in, if that's your thing. Other than that, I can't say I'd shop here. Even the food court only has about three restaurants and none of them are kid friendly. I don't know about your grandkids, but mine sure aren't eating Mediterranean. LOL It really sucks malls are not the norm anymore. read more

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Another missing review!? This mall was opened around the time of 911. there was a brand new mall about 3 miles away and another established 20-year-old mall to the south. The entire concept was flawed from the beginning I thought. It struggled for years then got a little traction about 15 years ago then bam! the financial crisis of 2008 and the rest is history. The regional mall with few exceptions is dying and this is a prime example. It's a great design with beautiful common spaces but the anchor tenants with the exception of Macy's and Neiman Marcus have moved out leaving a strange mix of other retailers. If you are new to the area and looking at this review to determine what mall to go to...skip ahead to the next one. You probably wont be happy here. read more

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This mall is so sad now. After Covid, you just see Willow Bend slowly lose its soul. Nearly every single major store has closed down and there's only Dillard's, Macy's, and Neiman Marcus left. I'm not quite sure how long the little stores will last but there's almost nothing left here now. If you need something, it'll be Stonebriar or Grapevine Mills as your go to. read more

The Crayola store is pretty much the only thing worth visiting at this mall. Otherwise, many shops are closed, unoccupied, or have low patronage. However, if you're looking for shaded parking and are in the mood to go for a walk on a hot summer day, this mall is fantastic! A large air conditioned building with barely anyone inside is an introvert's dream read more

Walked into this mall because it's much less congested on a regular basis. My daughter wanted to go to a few shops but we found out that this particular mall closes pretty earlier than normal malls do. Fridays 11a.m. -8p.m. So we ended up just going to one our favorite restaurants California Pizza Kitchen. We prayed over our food as usual and after two bites my daughter found hair in her pasta. It may've already been wrapped up in the reusable silverware that's why I normally ask for plastic utensils. We asked for the manager his name was Philippe my daughter reminded him that this wasn't the first time this had occurred. She explained to him that he was the manager the first time she came in a few months ago and he handled that particular situation. He did vaguely recall the time. He apologized, remade her Shrimp Alfredo pasta a second time and everything was fine. Philippe was very nice he even removed the pasta off of her ticket. Our server Angel, was kind of shy but decent. Hopefully she becomes more of a social butterfly soon because working as a server that's the only way you'll be tipped for great servicing. Food For Thought. read more

The Shops at Willow Bend - The Food court entrance - Shopping Centers Near Me - Plano, Texas

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Such a great space for anyone or any family. Clean. Air conditioner. Beautiful lighting. Not much stores. But they will be soon be under construction to add hotels & apartments so I know a lot of store are moving. They have nice clean bathrooms with changing tables for children and a sink included next to the changing table. Changing stations everyone around the mall all you need is to have your charger with you. Only three food options in the food court. Many restaurants outside in the district area provided all open on their own hours. read more

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This mall is honestly kind of sad. I was at Willow Bend on a Saturday at noon, and there were 2 people eating at the food court. The rest of the mall was empty. This was proven by the fact that the kids train driver was on his phone watching a movie. I would do the same if the mall was a ghost town. People are trying to sell you stuff left and right because they probably barely make a sale. It was a nice mall, and had charm to it, with a good selection of stores, but empty. We went to StoneBriar an hour later, and it was absolutely packed. Why don't people come to Willow Bend? That is the question. read more

The Shops at Willow Bend - Empty food court - Shopping Centers Near Me - Plano, Texas

Cute mall with all kinds of fun shops! Love the Crayola store! Would be cool to see some vegan options in the mall. Bit of a ghost town in the food court and I couldn't find anything vegan unfortunately. read more

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Easter bunny photos was hands down the best experience I have ever had. My kids loved him and he was soo entertaining:) Highly recommend Christmas or Easter photos at this location. They provided a good experience and took time getting a good photo! read more

It looks like they're kind of degrading a bit. The train ride no longer has the great songs it used to have. The conductor we had in our most recent visit also lacked enthusiasm from the regular one we used to have before. In the main stores, you're hard-pressed to find someone to take your money. Checkout counters are always empty. Half the escalators don't work. Which is one of the main reasons we go. In the play area, there's always some pesty kid who bumps or pushes away the ones that are doing things right. Also the coin-operated games right outside the playing area is anybody's guess when it works. And when it actually works, the games are just there to steal your money. The red car one, you can play at most 10-15s that's it. read more

I was in awe as soon as I walked in. The last time I saw a shopping mall so beautiful was in Qatar. The mall had beautiful high ceilings upon entering that opened up to such elaborate designs and architecture. It's a great place to just sit and relax with a cup of coffee while the family enjoys their shopping or some entertainment. Lots of food and things to do for people of all walks of life. read more

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My husband and I wanted to do some shopping and decided to try The Shops since it was different than where we normally shop. We were both thrilled when we saw all of the ample parking! Totally different than the Galleria! We soon figured out why we had too choice in the parking lot. It was so sad to see all of the stores that had closed. It was like a ghost town in the mall. COVID devastated so much! If you want a place to walk indoors, this is your spot! Otherwise, it is desolate and kind of creepy. read more

It has been at least five years since the last time I shopped at this mall. Nice location near The George Bush Turnipike and The Dallas North Toll. Plenty of parking available. Stores directory: Ann Taylor Banana Republic bareMinerals Boutiques Bath & Body Works Crate and Barrel H&M read more

When the wind blows very hard - like hurricane or tornado type stuff - the Shops at Willow can take it. They never break. The Shops At Willow Bend... but they never, ever break. Willow Bend is an absolutely massive monstrosity of a Mall in Plano in the Dallas suburbs, located out in the West End of Plano near Frisco. It's pretty fancy and well put-together and looks like it was recently renovated, but funnily enough it is now getting renovated again. Good times. We liked hanging out here and Barbie looked exceptionally spectacular when we were here but then she always does. We probably went in about three-quarters of the stores in the whole mall and spent half a day here so we know this mall better than almost anybody. Except maybe the janitors. Not to be confused with taking tourest snaps of Miss Jackson's home (Janet Tours). I'm interested to see what it looks like after they finish it because it's already pretty big and it's already pretty fancy. Parking can be severely problematic though. Like a really bad loft (a problem attic). read more

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Before you judge my willingness to risk my life for some retail therapy, let me set the stage. Shopping at this mall on a weekday during work hours is like...any of y'all ever play Dead Rising on PlayStation? Because I was feeling very Francis Algernon West (aka Frank). And it was like this BC (before Corona) as well. Real talk, it always appears there has been a zombie apocalypse when I wander these empty hallways, or perhaps a comet hit and only spared the store employees because they were protected by all the lead in the ceiling. This is a feeling my kindreds can appreciate, we who wish most of the world would suddenly disintegrate leaving only a pile of dust. So enough of my attempts at creative writing - let's go, shall we? I parked in the same covered spot I always do at the entrance to the Neiman Marcus men's department and was welcomed by a masked employee. p.s. Most other entrances are closed. Here's the NM bit, scroll past this paragraph if you don't fancy this store.........As always I went straight to the shoe department and as always they only had just enough items to qualify as a shoe department, not sure why I expected anything different this time. They should just put up a sign with directions to Northpark. Louis Vuitton was roped off, one party at a time to shop, but I didn't see any evidence of the fall collection yet so I didn't bother, same as Prada and my fave YSL who didn't have the wallet I wanted. I then had the whole 2nd floor of ready to wear to myself, and grabbed some home decor inspo on 3. I'll add some pix to my old NM review. Furniture on sale - 40% off on some beautiful pieces. Masked, friendly but socially distant employees did appear out of nowhere and offer help. I felt safe so I decided to venture into the mall and get my steps in, plus I was craving a keto vanilla latte from Ascension which was...closed. Click here for details if my writing bores you or you want the current status of all stores: https://www.shopwillowbend.com/directory/ FOOD: The NM cafe was closed. Most of the restaurants like Knife were closed with the exception of CPK and Whistle Britches which may only have takeaway. As many of you know you can usually get alcoholic beverages from the Ascension annex and drink while you shop but not now, all dark and shuttered. The Starbucks looked abandoned and looted, maybe closed some time ago. There is a fancy bubble tea place open and it looks amazing. SO MANY SALES in the places that are open. NY& Company going out of business everything must go discounts. Dillard's had a massive shoe and jewelry clearance and then I saw a woman getting her makeup done with a mask on (seems pointless and wrong). Banana Republic - open, decent sale, nothing new or exciting. Anthropologie: open, standard discounts, and full of women who look like they only shop at Anthropologie. Shit they look like they were born and raised there. No one ever speaks to me and I had Kendra Scott flashbacks so I left quickly. Ummm what else? Kids clothing stores closed. Kids play area closed. (Sorry but yay! And I'm a mom too don't send me hate mail.) However the Crayola experience and cookie place to get your little ones all sugared up are open. 7,000 steps later I started to see more shoppers and unlike Frank West, I made my exit and headed for home. read more

Walking into the mall on a Sunday, I was prepared for total chaos, but there was actually nobody at Willow Bend. It was almost haunting-- a spot that I had frequented in high school that was constantly busy is now home to lots of closed storefronts, and many of the open ones are strange or unknown. The food court is almost completely empty, and there are now several sit-down restaurants outside in a "Legacy West" fashion. I came on a mission to get a formal dress for my upcoming recital, and started at Dillard's because that's where I parked. Looking in juniors and in women's, I found many beautiful but very expensive dresses, and found nothing to try on within my $200 budget. On the other hand, at Macy's, I found 5 dresses to try on that I absolutely loved that were under budget. If you're coming dress shopping here, save some time and start at Macy's. We also popped inside H&M, and while it was eerily empty along with the rest of the mall, we found some cute stuff in the men's section. It's a large H&M storefront with a lot of variety for different styles. If the stores you want to go to are still open, this is a nice empty shopping experience, but if you're craving the traditional early 2000s mall experience, look elsewhere. read more

Have been here a couple times to do some shopping. It's very clean and inviting, and very beautifully done. There's not a ton of stores, but the ones that are there are decent. All the shop owners, at least the ones I visited, were very kind. Wish there was a bit more to do/see to make visiting more often more feasible. read more

I love the shops at Willowbend. It is very relaxing to stroll through the mall. I love the atmosphere since they have added all the wonderful restaurants and coffee bar. I definitely think it is worth the drive from Frisco!! read more

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I rarely go to a mall and when I do, I may hit an anchor store then drive to the other side of I want to see another. I'm not sure when the allure of walking around the mall went away for me, at least a decade. But for some reason, I decided to explore Willow Bend. As with most malls these days, there are a number of vacant retail spaces. For a Sunday there wasn't a big crowd. It didn't take long to remember how fun it was to walk around and browse through shops. Especially at Willow Bend. I spent time at Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, shopped for the best fitting jeans at American Eagle, hit up VS. It was fun to see all the eclectic artwork. If you have never dined in "The District" - then I recommend it. I didn't see a traditional food court with fast food options inside this mall. This is a restaurant area adjacent to the mall with upscale restaurants, 2nd story terraces or patios that are perfect for date night or family night. read more

The mall is pretty empty. Lots of stores closed. Most stores charge mall prices 30% above market.

I went this Saturday to see all the new stuff they've built at WB. I immediately was drawn to the live music stage and the nice restaurants at the new entrance. I went in to walk around and do some window shopping. After a few hours I went back outside. -The weather was perfect. -They had all these chairs to sit right in front of the band. -The band was a Fleetwood Mac cover band. Yas!! -You could be in one of the restaurants while enjoying the music. -Or order some food from the food trucks they had there. -Family ambiance or even date night as well. Apparently they will open some more restaurants right there so it seems to be the next Legacy West. I'm hoping they have festivals and/or activities for the family during the holidays. I really loved it!! I will be coming back to try some of the places while listening to live music. read more

My first time to this mall and it won't be my last. I liked how many unique stores it had but also some of the norms I'm used to. I know a. all is just a mall but I really like this layout. I was disappointed in the lack of coffee options(REALLY? Who can shop w/o coffee :( ) There was a place that was to open and they had a pop up spot but seemed like the open date kept getting pushed back. The outside area between the mall and some nice dining was really pretty with large outside games and some wonderful lounging spots. Looks like the place is recently been renovated and a lot of new cool eating places where going in and some already open read more

Dead mall. No customers and half the storefronts are boarded up. We wasted a Sunday afternoon going here. Stonebriar is much better. Makes sense, though: willow bend requires masks and stonebriar doesn't. read more

It was alright but it's kinda dead. A bunch of empty stores and selection wasn't that big tbh.

A bit out of the way for us normally but at the end of 2019 we had gotten a good Black Friday deal on a annual pass for the crayolla factory, that made it about the price we would have paid for one visit to come for the full year. We came once to activate our passes and explored the mall a bit. I was happy to see a Godiva store and lush ... but honestly we could have done with some different food court options. Then with covid we didn't know when we would be coming back, we wanted to at least do one more visit and luckily they extended our passes at crayolla for the time they were closed. We came back because that locations safety protocols seemed pretty decent and they were. This time around we skipped the food court and we were happy with one of the sit down restaurants, we did CPK which the one closer to us had shut down. As long as we have the passes we will likely at least make the attempt to come to other things here to make the drive worth it and do things we don't have commonly in the mid cities. read more

Been here a few times My only tips stores I go to and like is the basics like Victoria secret and bath and body works I like that is low traffic compared to other malls They don't stay open as late as other malls Clean And easy to map out and walk through read more

Any indoor mall in Texas with strong air conditioning is a great mall! You will definitely feel the strong AC current in this mall to the point of feeling cold, which is a good thing. The design of the mall is very nice and there are many variety of shops inside. Even a Crayola Experience inside for young kids to explore and gift shopto stock up on your favorite crayons and markers. Food court is spacious and there is plenty of seating; food options are: Chik-fil-A, Sonic, Chinese Experience, Bubble Tea, Dragon Breath/N2 Ice Cream, New York Pizza, etc. read more

this mall is kinda 'fancy'. I honestly like coming here because it isn't as packed or busy as other malls. I like that I can leisurely stroll about and shop at my own pace. the design allows you to easily circle the 2 floors without having to double back or go down any 'side alleys' there's a large apple store here with more staff than customers (I hear that it's easier to get an appointment at this location) a lot of the stores have more stock. I suspect it's because there aren't as many 'young' shoppers flooding the stores. there's a nice variety of home goods, clothing, gifts, food, etc. the only super odd thing is the 'convenience store' in the mall. other than that, it's your average mall. one of the few locations that still have a 'Hollister' store. there's also LUSH, Francesca's, H&M, Anthropologie and lots of other stores you would typically find in a mall. It's also located in West Plano with a lot of great restaurants around. read more

So, haven't been to The Willow Bend in 1 1/2 or 2 yrs. Who ever owns this place has done an outstanding job with the design of everything that has been added in, out, and around this place. The new restaurants, the center courtyard awesome Christmas tree in front of one of the entrances. Entrance next to Dillards. It is definitely much more appealing. Me and the fam had a great time walking around and trying different foods. Will definitely visit a few more time a year. read more

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This mall is... an enigma... It is the weirdest mix of active anchor tenants ... Dillards, Neiman Marcus, Macy's.... but it somehow couldn't sustain Sephora, Hollister, Victoria's Secret, Anthropologie, Talbots, Vineyard Vines, American Eagle, Aritzia, Banana Republic, J.Crew (you get the idea)... yet manages to hold onto RH, Crate & Barrel, and until recently Mitchell Gold + Bob Willams (which as a company literally went out of business in its entirety overnight). Meanwhile... some slick leasing / development agent was smooth enough to convince very pricy gym / spa chain Equinox to add a beautiful facility adjacent to Crate & Barrel, RH, and California Pizza Kitchen. The mall also landed a Crayola Experience immersive space... and *almost* had a Cineopolis... the construction started but was never completed. Inside the mall corridor the big names hanging on include Brooks Bros, MAC, H&M, Express, J.Jill, Allen Edmonds, and Foot Locker while many of the spaces that were formerly chain retailers' storefronts have been creatively repurposed into local boutiques, an event space / dress shop, and some other small businesses. The whole scene and vibe at Willow Bend is just odd... is it rallying or is it flatlining? At least Willow Bend keeps Dallas in suspense! One thing is for certain: the Claire's, LensCrafters, and Bath & Body Works at this mall will be in a three way battle to see who will be the last store standing long after the rest finally close up shop. If Willow Bend could have scored Meow Wolf instead of nasty Grapevine Mills it'd have done wonders for this place. Perhaps Cineopolis will reconsider at some point. read more

There are few changes happening to this location. We enjoy visiting and shopping at this location. The smaller shops do appear to change frequently, but the anchor locations stay the same. The California Pizza Kitchen has recently been remodeled. It's worth a walk around. read more

The Shops at Willow Bend - Shopping Centers Near Me - Plano, Texas

5 stars for kid and mommy friendly! There are a handful of lounge spaces with couches, tables and floor space throughout the mall. Perfect for spreading a blanket and letting your little one stretch out, take a seat and nurse/feed a bottle or relax. There's plenty of space for navigating a stroller throughout the entire mall. The food court is stroller friendly, mommy friendly, and kid friendly both in seating and food options. Just opened (Nov. 2014) a new kid area great for playing, climbing and having fun (kids walking and bigger). Family restrooms on the 1st floor (near Forever 21) are amazing! Two huge bathrooms with locked doors. Plenty of space for strollers, yes plural, and built in little pull down seat with straps to contain your little one. Just outside the two stalls is a changing table and lounge area. Private enough for nursing, etc. Way to go Willow Bend for making this an incredibly mommy friendly mall! read more

The Shops at Willow Bend - Family Restrooms on 1st floor by Forever 21 - Shopping Centers Near Me - Plano, Texas

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For what's open it's beautifully decorated! A lot potential. I'm looking forward to having the movie theater open and the food court having more vendors. It's open and airy. Clean and well lit, more classy than most malls I've been in. Smaller in parts and bigger in parts... I think it is cool how they have a tailor, embroider, seamstress, and jewelry repair in the same hallway. Practical for a walk about and there's security guards on both levels. It is gorgeous inside and smells mostly of perfumes and a random food smell. Bubble tea and pretzels are my favorites... I'll check out the pizza later. Chick-fil-A is on deck, so it's a win for the entire family to get a yummy treat. Though most stores appear on the more pricey side of my personal budget, sales racks are plentiful. I could see how the Crayola store would draw in a family crowd. Interactive video screens and a kids play area. Lots of seating for people watching and hanging out with friends. I can say that this is a nice place with nice ambiance and wonderful restaurants! California Pizza Kitchen has cauliflower crust!!! Love it!!! read more

First and foremost, I love that I found parking right away! It's not crowded. Everybody was super nice and helpful. I had lunch at China experience. I had the spicy bourbon chicken which was spicy!!! The fried rice wasn't dried out and it was scrumptious. I also had the sesame chicken which was flavored to perfection. This is a nice mall to get what you need and get out or even stroll around. I didn't make it upstairs and I've been here for 3 hours lol but will definitely have to come back and explore. read more

The Shops at Willow Bend - Shopping Centers Near Me - Plano, Texas

Willow Bend doesn't feel quite as new as some of the other Dallas malls in Texas, but it'll have everything you're looking for! There's also a ton of really easy covered parking and uncovered, so that'll never be an issue. It has a good range of department stores: Macy's, Dillard's, and Neiman's. Business casual stores for women include: Banana Republic, LOFT, and Ann Taylor. Unfortunately, no Gap here. On the plus side the Anthropologie is pretty big here and there's also a newly renovated Apple Store. The food court is hit or miss depending on what's in business. A lot of these places change out so frequently, but the ones that have lasted are Chick-fil-A, Sonic, and Which Wich. They just opened up a rolled ice cream place called 10 degrees, so I'll have to give that a try soon. As far as restaurants go, California Pizza Kitchen is solid choice and actually your only "real restaurant" choice attached to the mall. read more

My family came for the Friends Experience, but instead we had an terrible experience. We spent $140 for tickets and weren't allowed to take pictures with our masks down and the employees were rude and pushy the whole time. If I could leave negative 5 stars I would. read more

This is for the EXPRESS store at Willow Bend, but there's no listing here for the store individually. The Express Store NEVER answers their phone. Once, an employee picked up and slammed the phone back down. Willow Bend, speak to the people at EXPRESS and get them to answer the phone. read more

This is a nice mall. There's not too many stroller moms that take over this mall. There is plenty of parking in the lots or garages. There's a good amount of stores in here. I wish they had a Neimans and Limited. I have to go all the way to North Park for those two stores. There's a ton of really good restaurants that circle the mall. If you're looking for Crate and Barrel its technically listed in the mall but its not in the mall. Its in a building next to the mall. read more