South Shore Mall – Bay Shore
South Shore Mall, formerly known as Westfield South Shore, is a super-regional shopping center along Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore, Suffolk County. Opened in the early 1960s and long anchored by Macy’s, the property has served generations of South Shore shoppers and continues to evolve as retailers and ownership change.
The mall sits between Brentwood Road and Brook Avenue with direct access from Sunrise Highway, drawing visitors from Bay Shore, Brentwood, Islip and other South Shore communities. It remains one of the primary enclosed shopping destinations in western Suffolk County even as regional retail patterns have shifted.
History of South Shore Mall
South Shore Mall opened in 1963, developed by R.H. Macy & Company, which built a three-level Macy’s as the original anchor. The initial configuration was an open-air center that expanded through the mid-1960s with additional stores, a supermarket and a movie theater.
The mall was enclosed in the mid-1970s and later reconfigured with a themed section called Captree Corners, a village-style cluster of small shops and restaurants. In 1986, ownership transferred to the Westfield Group, which pursued major renovations and expansions in the 1990s, adding new anchors and updating the interior.
Over the 2000s and 2010s, anchor changes included the relocation and reconstruction of Macy’s, the opening and closure of Sears and Lord & Taylor, and the conversion of former anchor space to new tenants such as Dick’s Sporting Goods. In 2023, the mall was sold by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield to Namdar Realty Group, marking another transition in ownership and long-term strategy.
Shopping, Dining & Services
South Shore Mall offers a mix of national retailers, specialty shops, restaurants and services in an enclosed environment. The tenant lineup has historically included department stores, fashion and footwear brands, sporting goods, electronics, personal-care retailers and everyday services.
The current store mix continues to change as leases turn over and ownership adapts to shifting retail trends. Shoppers should consult the mall’s official directory for up-to-date information on anchors, smaller retailers, food-court options and standalone food and beverage tenants.
Redevelopment & Recent Changes
Under previous ownership, South Shore Mall underwent substantial revitalization, including a new Macy’s store and interior upgrades intended to modernize the property. As traditional anchors have closed or consolidated, portions of former department-store space have been repurposed for new tenants and uses.
The sale to Namdar Realty Group in 2023 introduced new ownership priorities, with future plans likely to focus on stabilizing occupancy and adapting the mall to current retail and entertainment demand. Specific redevelopment steps, timelines and tenant announcements can change, so observers often follow local news and the mall’s own communications for updates.
Design & Layout
South Shore Mall is configured as a multi-anchor enclosed mall with interior corridors connecting department stores, big-box tenants and smaller inline shops. Earlier open-air sections were enclosed in the 1970s, creating a climate-controlled environment that has been periodically renovated as part of later modernization efforts.
The property includes large surface parking fields around the building and multiple entrances from Sunrise Highway and local roads, reflecting its role as a regional auto-oriented destination. Interior common areas and former themed sections such as Captree Corners have been updated over time to reflect new tenants and design standards.
Location & Transportation
South Shore Mall is located at 1701 Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore, between Brentwood Road and Brook Avenue. Its position along Sunrise Highway places it near major South Shore routes and within reach of nearby communities such as Bay Shore, Brentwood, Islip and West Islip.
Drivers access the mall via Sunrise Highway and connecting local roads, with on-site parking surrounding the complex. Public transit options may include bus routes that serve the Bay Shore area and connections from the Bay Shore Long Island Rail Road station, though visitors should confirm current schedules and routes before traveling.
South Shore Mall & Bay Shore
South Shore Mall has long been part of Bay Shore’s commercial landscape, serving as a regional retail hub alongside downtown Bay Shore shopping streets and nearby shopping centers. Its fortunes have reflected broader changes in department-store retail, enclosed malls and South Shore consumer patterns over the past several decades.
As redevelopment and ownership changes continue, the mall’s future mix of traditional retail, services and potential entertainment uses will shape how it fits into Bay Shore’s wider network of shopping, dining and employment destinations. Local residents and visitors often track these changes as part of the ongoing story of Long Island’s postwar malls and their adaptations.
South Shore Mall
Key Facts & Details
| Official name | South Shore Mall (formerly Westfield South Shore) |
| Type | Super-regional enclosed shopping mall |
| Address | 1701 Sunrise Highway, Bay Shore, NY 11706 |
| Community | Bay Shore |
| County | Suffolk County |
| Opened | August 30, 1963 |
| Original developer | R.H. Macy & Company |
| Gross leasable area | Approximately 1.16 million square feet |
| Past names | Westfield South Shore |
| Past anchors | Macy’s (original and rebuilt), Sears, Lord & Taylor and other department-store tenants over time |
| Ownership | Namdar Realty Group (since 2023) |
| Parking | Surface parking surrounding the mall |
| Mall hours | Typical posted hours run from late morning into the evening; visitors should confirm current hours before visiting |
| Official website | southshoremallrealty.com |
| Complete Directory | Shopping Malls on Long Island |
South Shore Mall illustrates both the longevity and the challenges of postwar regional malls on Long Island, with a history that stretches from open-air 1960s retail to present-day efforts to adapt to new shopping and entertainment patterns.Because store lineups, anchors and hours continue to change, visitors should review the official directory and tenant websites for the latest information before traveling.
