2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 7 – Eastwood Mall

Posted on August 13, 2026 | by Joe Bell

2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 7 — Eastwood Mall

8/4/2026

Eastwood Mall houses 7 17 Credit Union Field, home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. (Image courtesy of Cafaro Properties)

(Chain Store Age ranks the most innovative shopping center experiences each year. We will be counting down the top 10 until No. 1 is revealed.)

It holds more than 200 retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues—the largest selection of consumer offerings in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

It is home to the only Bass Pro Shops within a 50-mile radius and the largest department store in the trade area, a 180,000-sq.-ft. Boscovs. And — though we can’t be absolutely sure about this — it’s the only shopping center in the land that contains a minor league baseball stadium, home field of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

“Eastwood Mall is a city within a city. Actually, it spans two different municipalities,” said Cafaro Properties co-president Anthony Cafaro Jr., whose grandfather turned a golf course into one of the nation’s largest shopping centers. “When it opened in 1969, it was anchored by May Company, Strouss, Montgomery Ward, A&P and Woolworth’s. Today we have three million square feet of retail in the mall and six different power centers.”

Eastwood Mall is the prime retail and entertainment destination in eastern Ohio and draws customers from as far as 100 miles away to shop its plethora of brands. Over the past five years, more than 20 new brands have opened at the complex. Among them are Meijer, HomeGoods, Dave & Busters, Macy’s Backstage and Sierra.

Recently arrived food and beverage brands include Raising Canes, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, Bibibop and Bubbles Tea & Juice. Regal Cinemas Eastwood just completed an extensive renovation with luxury seating, improved concessions, and improved projection technology.

“Eastwood may not be the highest grossing mall in the nation, but what we’ve accomplished over all these years is designing a conglomeration of retail, restaurants, and entertainment scaled for middle markets,” Cafaro said. “That’s what we’ve been able to do for more than 57 years.”

Eastwood Earns National Recognition

Posted on August 13, 2026 | by Joe Bell

Tribune Chronicle

Eastwood Mall earns national recognition for retail experiences

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZAugust 13, 20263 min read

NILES — Good fun, good food and good shopping. That’s the Eastwood Mall, an experience the Mahoning Valley and its neighbors have immersed themselves in for nearly 60 years.

Chain Store Age, a national magazine, is directing its audience to the complex situated in Niles and Howland. Coming in at No. 7, the publication named the Eastwood Mall Complex as one of “Top 10 Retail Center Experiences.”

Anthony Cafaro Jr., Cafaro Company’s co-president, said the honor is appreciated. But, he is not surprised.

“This success is not by chance,” he said. “Our family and talented team have made deliberate decisions and worked very hard over the years to create a place that is truly unique and our customers have likewise responded as sales revenues have experienced significant growth over the past 24 months.”

The mall’s first anchor stores consisted of Strouss’, Montgomery Ward, Sears and Woolworths built on property that housed a golf course, Cafaro said.

“Today, we have 3 million square feet of retail in the mall and six different power centers,” he said.

Chain Store Age highlighted the explosion of the complex’s lineup beyond its original site at 5555 Youngstown-Warren Road. More than 200 businesses — from retail stores to three hotels — operate under the umbrella of the Eastwood Mall Complex.

A few of the featured attractions include Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dave & Buster’s, Sierra Trading Company, Bass Pro Shops, Boscov’s and the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, who play at 7 17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood. Patrons can take part in approximately 60 dining and entertainment choices.

“We’re proud to be part of the Eastwood Mall community and congratulate the Cafaro family and their team on this well-deserved recognition,” said Jim Boscov, chairman and CEO of Boscov’s. “Eastwood creates a unique destination that combines shopping, dining, entertainment and service. This honor reflects the Cafaro family’s long-term vision and commitment to providing an exceptional customer experience.”

While its acknowledged reach is a 35-mile radius in Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, visitors are known to travel 100 miles to shop at the Eastwood Mall. One analytics platform, Placer.ai, reports more than 16.2 million customers visit the location yearly.

Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, praised the news and the Cafaro family.

“Our economic development momentum right now depends on growing our population and talent pool,” he said Wednesday. “Having one of the nation’s Top 10 retail center experiences in the Mahoning Valley definitely helps the cause.”

Coviello said that community investment makes the complex a unique destination.

“We’re fortunate to have The Cafaro Co.’s headquarters and Eastwood Mall Complex here, and to have good corporate supporters like 7 17 Credit Union investing in the community,” he said. “The Cafaro Company continues to invest in Eastwood, and 7 17’s naming rights investment in 7 17 Credit Union Field, home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, adds to what makes Eastwood such a unique destination.

“Those investments help us stay a cut above the competition when it comes to quality of life.”

7 17 Credit Union’s CEO John Demmler touted the mall’s economic importance.

“The Eastwood Mall Complex is an economic link that connects the Valley, serving as a center of entertainment,” Demmler said. “This accolade comes as no surprise.

“Furthermore, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers are the most amazing partners the credit union has ever worked with, bringing families together and creating a sense of community that makes them a gem in Northeast Ohio. We’re proud to be part of that experience.”

Youngstown-Warren Region Named Nation’s Hottest Housing Market

Posted on April 16, 2026 | by Joe Bell

Youngstown-Warren Region Named Nation’s Hottest Housing Market

by The Business Journal Thursday, April 16, 2026

CANFIELD, Ohio – The Youngstown-Warren region is earning national attention for the strength of its housing market and overall economic standing, according to new data presented at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s annual meeting Thursday at Waypoint 4180.

The Youngstown-Warren area was listed as the No. 1 hottest real estate market in the United States by Cotality, formerly CoreLogic, a global information services company that specializes in property data and draws from billions of real-time data sets.

In Area Development magazine’s annual analysis, the Youngstown/Warren market ranked 23rd among 411 metropolitan statistical areas nationwide for economic and business development. It also ranked fifth among 91 Midwest MSAs and seventh among 123 medium-size MSAs nationwide. Area Development is a leading publication focused on corporate site selection, relocation and economic development.

The rankings align with local data showing steady gains in the region’s workforce and population.

The region’s civilian labor force has risen each year since 2021, climbing from 188,000 in 2021 to 190,000 in 2022, 192,000 in 2023 and 193,000 in 2024, according to Federal Reserve Economic Data, an economic database maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Population trends also showed back-to-back increases, with the Youngstown metro area growing 0.28% in both 2024 and 2025, a notable shift after decades of decline, according to MacroTrends.

“These rankings show real progress in the Mahoning Valley,” said Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber. “Our labor force is growing; population trends are favorable; and national data is recognizing the strength of our housing market and economy. This is the result of collaboration.”

Dani Robbins, CEO of Lake to River Economic Development, highlighted the importance of the data.

“When site selectors and investors come to us evaluating where to grow, this region has a compelling story to tell and the infrastructure to back it up,” she said.

“We’re seeing the kind of momentum that creates real opportunity for entrepreneurs and innovators,” said Said Barb Ewing, CEO of YBI. “As the region strengthens its talent base

and continues to grow its innovation ecosystem, it becomes a place where new ideas can take root and scale. That’s critical to building a more diverse, resilient economy for the future.”

Anthony Trevena, executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority, said the national recognition “underscore the momentum” being built in the region.

“The national recognition the Youngstown-Warren region is receiving reflects years of intentional

investment in infrastructure, workforce development and collaboration,” he said. “When you see growth in jobs, population and housing demand alongside strong national rankings, it reinforces that this region is competitive and moving in the right direction.”

Joe Koch Jr., a member of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber Board of Directors and chair of the chamber’s Housing Council, said housing is “a critical part” of the momentum in the Valley.

“As demand continues to grow, we’re seeing the impact on the housing market in real time,” he said. “The work of the council and its partners is focused on expanding supply and ensuring people can find quality housing of all types as the region continues to grow.”