At the beginning of February, Portland’s Lloyd Center announced its closure was set for winter 2026, with demolition of the mall to follow shortly after. The mall’s owners, Urban Renaissance Group (URG) and KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc., explained their desire to build a new neighborhood within Portland, which will be home to businesses, apartments and a concert venue.
In response to the announcement, Portlanders launched Save Lloyd, a website where an alternative plan and petition can be found. The alternative plan includes keeping the Lloyd Center up, reutilizing it to avoid any “environmental impact,” according to the website.
The future of the stores still operating at the mall is uncertain, with store owners unsure of when they will receive closure notices. Moustapha Gueye, the owner of the sports apparel store Demba, mentioned that he plans to relocate to Pioneer Courthouse Square once the notice comes.
“All I know is they don’t sign any contract anymore. We’re month-to-month now, so it can happen any time,” Gueye said.
Scott Copeland, an employee of the lightsaber store Docking Bay 45, mentioned that the plan is to continue operating as planned, although their future remains uncertain.
“I do know with certainty that if we do need to pack up at some point, then we will do exactly that,” Copeland said. “We’ll make sure to announce that on our socials and anywhere else where we’re going to show up.”
Robin Ziari, owner of ZRE Music Studios, heard about a potential timeline from August to the end of the year for the mall’s closure.
“They’ve told us we won’t be open for another holiday season, so sometime before December,” Zari said.
An anonymous employee of Jumbo’s Pickleball shared the surprising stance of their business, located on the top floor of the mall.
“Apparently, this building has a separate owner, a separate lease,” they said, “so I think this building is supposed to stay. The owners told us that it will remain open even when Lloyd Mall is closing down.”
Additionally, ice skaters have begun fighting to keep their beloved ice rink alive at the center, with Oregon Public Broadcasting, KPTV and KATU sharing the stories of those people who have been using the rink for decades. The ice rink also received its very own petition, with Olympic figure skater Ilia Malinin sharing it on his Instagram account.
Employees at the ice skating rink declined to be interviewed, stating they are not allowed to talk to the press.
The Lloyd Center Barnes & Noble announced on February 25th that they are set to close on May 2nd.
On March 5th, 2026, the Portland design commission unanimously voted to approve the Lloyd Center’s demolition. City Council could potentially hold a hearing if someone were to file an appeal with the City on this case.
