What did Aventura Mall look like when it opened four decades ago? See for yourself

Howard Cohen

Aventura Mall opened in April 1983 in a considerably different South Florida landscape.

Four anchor stores, led by Lord & Taylor. No 24-screen movie theater. At 1.2 million square feet, a fraction of the near 3 million-square-foot attraction Aventura has become over four decades.

MORE: Aventura Mall is more than shopping — it’s an experience

Here’s a visual tour of Aventura Mall in its earlier years through photographs from the Miami Herald archives.

Workers polish the Lord & Taylor sign at the Aventura Mall in its early years. Lord & Taylor was the first major tenant when Aventura opened in April 1983, joined by a JCPenney, Sears and Macy’s’ first Florida store. Today, only JCPenney and Macy’s remain.
Workers polish the Lord & Taylor sign at the Aventura Mall in its early years. Lord & Taylor was the first major tenant when Aventura opened in April 1983, joined by a JCPenney, Sears and Macy’s’ first Florida store. Today, only JCPenney and Macy’s remain.
A file photo from Feb. 11, 1998, at the Aventura Mall, located by U.S. 1 south of the Broward-Dade line. Lord & Taylor was the first of four original anchors. The store closed in 2005.
A file photo from Feb. 11, 1998, at the Aventura Mall, located by U.S. 1 south of the Broward-Dade line. Lord & Taylor was the first of four original anchors. The store closed in 2005.
In this file photo from 1989, Don Morris, left, and Jesus Portuondo, both Volunteers from Telephone Pioneers of America, add more fruit to the one-ton fruit salad that was in the making at Aventura Mall.
In this file photo from 1989, Don Morris, left, and Jesus Portuondo, both Volunteers from Telephone Pioneers of America, add more fruit to the one-ton fruit salad that was in the making at Aventura Mall.
A demonstration Aeurobics event at Aventura Mall in 1991.
A demonstration Aeurobics event at Aventura Mall in 1991.
Thursday 09/13/01 - Richard Patterson/for the Herald - From Left: Dean Shechtman, of Aventura, watches his daughter, Taylor Shechtman, 20 months, dance to some oldies that were being played by Mel Olman, of Hollywood and a piano player in the Aventura mall for 6 years inside of the mall. 3 of 3
Thursday 09/13/01 - Richard Patterson/for the Herald - From Left: Dean Shechtman, of Aventura, watches his daughter, Taylor Shechtman, 20 months, dance to some oldies that were being played by Mel Olman, of Hollywood and a piano player in the Aventura mall for 6 years inside of the mall. 3 of 3
Back in the days when the AMC 24 Theatre was new at the Aventura Mall. This file photo from July 24, 1998, shows the inside of the southeast side of the mall. Two three-story parking garages were added to feed into some of these anchors, which for a few years included a Rainforest Cafe across from the movie theaters.
Back in the days when the AMC 24 Theatre was new at the Aventura Mall. This file photo from July 24, 1998, shows the inside of the southeast side of the mall. Two three-story parking garages were added to feed into some of these anchors, which for a few years included a Rainforest Cafe across from the movie theaters.
Years before Taylor Swift could gather crowds of young girls, Aventura Mall hosted a fashion show for “tween” girls ages 7-14 that drew hundreds for a fashion show and contest promotion event. This file photo from July 7, 2001, is from the Passion for Fashion ‘Tween’ Fashion Show.
Years before Taylor Swift could gather crowds of young girls, Aventura Mall hosted a fashion show for “tween” girls ages 7-14 that drew hundreds for a fashion show and contest promotion event. This file photo from July 7, 2001, is from the Passion for Fashion ‘Tween’ Fashion Show.
An aerial view of Aventura Mall in North Miami-Dade on March 14, 2001. The mall has been renovated and expanded several times since its 1983 opening, including in 2017.
An aerial view of Aventura Mall in North Miami-Dade on March 14, 2001. The mall has been renovated and expanded several times since its 1983 opening, including in 2017.
In this file photo from Jan. 22, 2004, Jesur Mier dresses the manequin at the Burdines in Aventura Mall. South Florida’s Burdines and New York’s Macy’s merged that years and all of its stores initially used a hypenated name. It was part of a Federated Department Store strategy to leverage the Macy’s name nationally while still keeping the local flavor of Burdines.
An undated file photo showing Aventura Mall’s restaurant wing that was a part of an expansion in the late-1990s. The Cheesecake Factory first opened in Kendall at Dadeland Mall before opening at Aventura Mall. A Cafe Tu Tu Tango was also at Aventura Mall in the late-1990s, joining its Cocowalk location in Coconut Grove.
An undated file photo showing Aventura Mall’s restaurant wing that was a part of an expansion in the late-1990s. The Cheesecake Factory first opened in Kendall at Dadeland Mall before opening at Aventura Mall. A Cafe Tu Tu Tango was also at Aventura Mall in the late-1990s, joining its Cocowalk location in Coconut Grove.
Gino Gaetano plays the piano at the old food court in Aventura Mall on Tuesday evening, Oct. 5, 2010, as a listener dances in the background.
Gino Gaetano plays the piano at the old food court in Aventura Mall on Tuesday evening, Oct. 5, 2010, as a listener dances in the background.
Santa arrives at Aventura Mall for the holiday season in this Nov. 14, 2009, file photo.
Santa arrives at Aventura Mall for the holiday season in this Nov. 14, 2009, file photo.
An Aventura Mall sign along U.S.1 in this file photo from Feb. 11, 1998.
An Aventura Mall sign along U.S.1 in this file photo from Feb. 11, 1998.
An aerial view of Carsten Höller’s 93-foot glass-and-steel slide, and Robert Indiana’s “Love” sculpture on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. The visual welcomes visitors to Aventura Mall, one of the largest and most popular shopping centers in the United States.
An aerial view of Carsten Höller’s 93-foot glass-and-steel slide, and Robert Indiana’s “Love” sculpture on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. The visual welcomes visitors to Aventura Mall, one of the largest and most popular shopping centers in the United States.

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