Brookfield Properties is putting $85 million into The Woodlands Mall, betting that the empty department store wing is worth more as a place to eat and hang out than as traditional retail. The 180,000-square-foot anchor space will become a mix of entertainment, dining, and office.

The plan calls for a 45,000-square-foot food hall with 18 restaurant concepts, a luxury movie theater with recliners and in-theater food service, a 20,000-square-foot coworking space, and an indoor-outdoor event venue that can hold 800 people. Construction starts third quarter 2026.

It's the same playbook malls are running across the country. Department stores keep closing, and mall owners are filling the gaps with things you can't buy on Amazon. Brookfield says malls that have entertainment and restaurants see 35 percent more spending per visitor than ones that are all shops.

The project should take about 18 months. If things go to plan, it opens in early 2028, creates about 400 jobs, and generates an estimated $12 million a year in sales tax revenue.