Disney store closing at the Mall of America
Mall of America is saying hello to Warby Parker and goodbye to the Disney Store.
These are the latest changes to Mall of America amid the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting retail landscape that's focusing more on e-commerce.
So long, Disney
The Disney store, which has been on the first floor of the Bloomington megamall for more than 20 years, will close "on or before" May 19, according to its website.
The closure isn't completely unexpected. Disney has been teaming up with Target on mini-stores in dozens of Targets in the U.S. and in early March Disney said it'd close 20% of its brick-and-mortar locations by the end of the year as it shifts its focus to e-commerce for online shoppers.
The Mall of America store, which opened in 1992, was one of two Disney store locations in Minnesota. The other, at Ridgedale Center in Minnetonka, is already closed. It had opened in October 1995 and it appears it to have closed within the last month.
Warby Parker opening
Warby Parker is opening its third optical shop in Minnesota this summer.
The affordable glasses brand that started online in 2010 will open on Mall of America's first floor (west side), where people can shop from its collection of frames, get a new prescription or buy contacts.
An exact opening date hasn't been announced.
Warby Parker's other brick-and-mortar locations are in Minneapolis and Edina.
Among the other recent changes at MOA: The Fair on 4, a new food and entertainment venue opened at Mall of America this spring, as did a Capital One cafe. Meanwhile the Hard Rock Cafe closed its megamall location, The Current reported earlier this month.
