Ontario Center wants to offer shopping, entertainment for whole family

ONTARIO ― The Ontario Center is kicking off the opening of a new roller skating rink, hopefully by Black Friday.

Crystal Tolliver, operations manager at the Ontario Center, formerly the Richland Mall, said the new roller skating rink is just one of the new things coming in November to the mall off Lexington-Springmill Road and West Fourth Street.

“Our goal is to have a mix of shopping, entertainment and food,” Tolliver said, who has a full schedule of upcoming attractions and events on tap, including an arcade, indoor playground (opening Nov. 8) and a ticketed event, “Dueling Pianos,” at 7 p.m. Nov. 28.

And she is always looking for new ideas to bring to the Ontario Center.

The roller skating rink, which will be 40-feet by 100-feet, is adjacent to the center court area and will have a party area. Vending machines will be available for birthday parties.

The Ontario Center is also exploring a game show battle room.

Also on tap for the holidays is the Boardwalk Market, where six shops will set up inside the former Victoria’s Secret store. Small business owners can sell their goods from inside the space, which is modeled after the Boardwalk Village at Grand Lake Celina, Ohio. Currently, there are kiosks inside for the holidays. Eventually, each vendor will have a store facade.

A concert series will happen from January through April and Tolliver is asking area residents via Facebook for suggestions for bands they would like to see perform.

The busy Tolliver said the public’s feedback is very important.

“I run our social media page (the Ontario Center) and what I’ve found is our public feedback is very important,” she said. “They want to be involved. They want to know what’s going on in here. They want us to be transparent.

“Our goal is to have something in the mall where you can come with your grandparents, your small children, your teenagers … you can come to the mall with your whole family and you each could all find something to do and have a good time together,” Tolliver said.

Tolliver said a successful MMA fight was held recently at the Ontario Center and another event will be held again.

The food court is expanding to include Robsagna, which will offer pizza and lasagna and more. A restaurant is planned for the former Chuck E. Cheese space.

The Ontario Center is still anchored by JCPenney and Avita Ontario Hospital.

The Richland Mall and its roughly 28 acres was sold in April 2024 for $4 million to Brait Fund, according to the Richland County Auditor’s Office. The property transferred from Richland Mall Holdings LLC to Ontario Mall LLC on April 11. Avita Health System was not included in the Brait Fund’s purchase.

Built in 1969, Richland Mall was the first modern enclosed mall in North Central Ohio and was anchored by Lazarus, the O’Neil’s department store and Sears. Prior to Macy’s, the store operated as Kaufmann’s, and initially as O’Neil’s.

The Ontario Center is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 12-6 p.m.