Several of the large dark storefronts around Maplewood Mall now have tenants. They are opening at very different speeds, and the speed tracks the size of each bet. A national discount chain took over a former fabric store and opened in one morning. Three restaurant brands sharing one Beam Avenue address are running behind their target date. The independent project in the old Sears and Macy's buildings is aiming to fully open by 2027.
For anyone who drives Beam Avenue and White Bear Avenue every week, that pattern answers the question you actually have. You can shop at some of these places today. Others you can plan around this fall. The biggest ones are still a work in progress.
The Old Jo-Ann Turned Over Fastest
The former Jo-Ann Fabrics at 1717 Beam Ave. in Birch Run Station is now Ollie's Bargain Outlet. Its grand opening was Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at 9 a.m., and the store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to Ollie's own announcement.
The company calls Maplewood its 700th store and a milestone in its Midwest expansion. The shelves carry closeout goods: books, food, toys, electronics, home and bath goods, clothing, furniture, flooring, seasonal items and hardware.
That speed is what a chain with 699 other stores can do. It already knows how to fit out a retail box, stock it and staff it. In late August, Maplewood's city manager put Ollie's on a list of businesses the building department was helping toward opening "within the next couple weeks," and the store opened about a month after that update. Of the businesses on that list, it is the clearest finished opening so far.
One Address, Three Food Brands, a Little Behind
A few doors down, 1745 Beam Ave. is the shared address for three food brands. The same August city bulletin listed them together as "Chingu / Kyo Matcha / & Lao Hu Tong."
- Lao Hu Tong is a dim sum, noodle and dumpling chain. You check off your order on a card, and the menu includes shu mai and bao. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported on Oct. 20 that the opening had been expected in September but was pushed back by building delays, and that the restaurant's social media feed suggested it was "getting close."
- Chingu Korean Fried Chicken serves Korean street food: wings, tenders, bulgogi, bibimbap and loaded fries. On Oct. 12, the Maplewood City Council agenda included an on-sale wine license for TC Dinky LLC, doing business as Chingu Korean Fried Chicken, at 1745 Beam Avenue, Suite A.
- Kyo Matcha makes matcha drinks and desserts, including parfaits and towel-style cakes.
Chingu and Kyo Matcha are already familiar names in the metro. Bring Me The News reported that both held grand openings at Burnsville Center in October 2025. So Maplewood is getting a pairing that has already worked at another older regional mall, plus a dim sum restaurant on top. If you've eaten at the Burnsville pair, you know what to expect.
The Star Tribune put Lao Hu Tong's postponement down to building delays. That leaves 1745 Beam running a few weeks behind Ollie's, even though both showed up on the same city list in August.
That August list named a few other Beam Avenue neighbors too: El Obero Work Gear at 1735 Beam, Los Campeones Gym at 1852 Beam, and Cajun Express Restaurant on Woodlynn. If they all open, that stretch of Beam goes from a row of dark windows to a full block of storefronts.
The Biggest Shells Are on the Longest Clock
The former Sears and Macy's are the largest spaces in the area, and they are on the slowest schedule. Both now belong to Pan Asian Center at 3001 White Bear Ave., which connects to Maplewood Mall.
Sahan Journal reported that Toua Xiong's group bought the former Sears building in November 2023 for $5.25 million and finished buying the Macy's building in March 2025 for $3.25 million. That works out to $8.5 million for two former anchor stores. Steven Thao, a partner and general construction developer on the project, told Sahan Journal the two buildings total 406,500 square feet on 24 acres.
Xiong founded HmongTown Marketplace in St. Paul in 2004. In KARE 11's coverage, he said "we've been operating Hmongtown for the last 22 years" and described the St. Paul operation as having outgrown its space.
The plan is big. Thao described it to Sahan Journal as "like a modern Asian mall, something similar to the malls in Thailand or a mall in Singapore," built on a small-business model. The full plan includes a retail floor, about 20 restaurants, kid zones, medical and professional offices, a spa area, a grocery store and an event center for more than 3,000 people. The former Macy's is meant to focus on retail and the former Sears on entertainment. Xiong's stated goal in 2025 was to fully open by 2027.
Two smaller steps show where things stand this fall.
- Food Depot, the planned grocery in the former Sears, received its certificate of occupancy in mid-July. The city's bulletin said that certificate allows "a future opening" and that the store will offer fresh produce and Asian products. Pan Asian Center's own Food Depot page had billed a May 2026 grand opening, so call ahead before making a grocery run.
- The parking lot has already been in use. The Asian Street Food Night Market took over the Pan Asian Center South lot Aug. 7 through 9. The Pioneer Press called it a semiannual cultural festival with more than 80 food and craft vendors. Sahan Journal's preview listed performances, lion dancers, a K-pop dance party, a beer garden and a car show.
The parking lot has been active sooner than the buildings, and that fits the scale of the project. Clearing a lot for a weekend festival is quick. Fitting out 406,500 square feet for many small tenants takes longer, which is why Sahan Journal described the 2025 launch as the start of a multi-year opening with a 2027 target.
What the Pattern Looks Like From Your Car
Put the three projects side by side and the order makes sense.
| Space | New use | Status as of late October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Former Jo-Ann Fabrics, 1717 Beam Ave. | Ollie's Bargain Outlet | Open since Sept. 24 |
| 1745 Beam Ave. | Lao Hu Tong, Chingu, Kyo Matcha | Expected to open; Lao Hu Tong reported close on Oct. 20 |
| Former Sears and Macy's, 3001 White Bear Ave. | Pan Asian Center, incl. Food Depot | Phased; full opening targeted for 2027 |
Getting there is a bit easier now too. Ramsey County's repaving of White Bear Avenue, the road that leads to Pan Asian Center's door, finished in August. The city reported that crews completed it on time with minimal traffic disruption.
Inside the mall, one familiar shop is staying. When Wonders Ice Cream announced it would close its St. Paul location after Sept. 13, the Minnesota Star Tribune's restaurant roll call noted that its Maplewood Mall location would remain open.
A Few Things to Know This Week
- The Pan Asian Center farmers market at Pan Asian Center South, 3001 White Bear Ave., Building A, was advertised for Thursday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the season ending Saturday, Oct. 31.
- Lao Hu Tong posts updates on its Instagram. Check there before heading to 1745 Beam for dim sum.
- Ollie's is open daily, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., at 1717 Beam Ave.
- Across town, Angus Meats at 2700 Maplewood Drive becomes Grundhofer's Old Fashion Meats as of Oct. 31, according to the city.
The next milestones to watch are a confirmed opening day at 1745 Beam and the first grocery carts rolling out of Food Depot in the former Sears.
If you live near the mall and want to know how these openings affect your corner of Maplewood, we're glad to talk it through, whether you're making plans or just curious about the empty storefront down the street. Let's connect at West + Main Homes MN.
