FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) — Fashion Fair Mall is undergoing its most significant transformation in more than 40 years as management works to modernize the shopping center and adapt to changes in the retail industry.
Construction is now underway at the mall, bringing heavy equipment and visible changes to one of the Central Valley’s largest shopping destinations. Backhoes, bulldozers and piles of concrete rubble mark what mall officials describe as the biggest renovation project in decades.
“We really think that we’re enhancing the customer experience at Fashion Fair Mall in accordance of what the customer asked us for,” said Joey Elliot, the mall’s general manager.
Elliot said the renovations are designed to update the property and create a more modern shopping experience. The project includes removing oversized shade sails, adding drought-friendly landscaping and renovating the mall’s main entrance.
Inside the mall, additional upgrades are planned.
“We are doing a lighting redevelopment. We are swapping everything that is hanging in the ceiling and replacing it with more modern light fixtures,” Elliot said.
The renovation work has also created temporary inconveniences for some shoppers. Management has temporarily closed the mall’s main indoor restrooms and installed portable restrooms in the parking lot while construction continues.
Elliot said the disruption will be temporary and that new restroom facilities are expected to open soon.
“There’s a little bit of an inconvenience right now but the trade-off is brand new restrooms that have all the great features and fixtures that you would come to expect from a shopping center,” he said.
Mall management is also looking ahead to the future with plans for a $22 million Dick’s House of Sport, which is expected to occupy the former Forever 21 space. The store is scheduled to open in late 2027 or early 2028.
Elliot said Fashion Fair’s visitor traffic continues to make it attractive to retailers considering expansion.
“We have about 10.2 million unique visitors a year, so that really interests a lot of the retailers, so when it comes time to expand and develop, Fashion Fair is a great choice for them,” he said.
Management declined to provide a total cost for the broader renovation project, saying only that the investment is well into the millions of dollars.
