McCain Mall

McCain Mall

Center Court, 1999
Location	North Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
Coordinates	34°47′35″N92°13′36″W / 34.79298°N 92.22670°W / 34.79298; -92.22670
Opening date	April 1973
Developer	Melvin Simon & Associates (Simon Property Group)
Management	Simon Property Group, Inc.
Owner	Simon Property Group, Inc.
Stores and services	96
Anchor tenants	4 (1 vacant)
Floor area	793,630 square feet (73,730.6 m2) [1]
Floors	2 (3 in Dillard's)
Public transit	Rock Region Metro Bus Route 10
Website	simon.com/mall/mccain-mall

McCain Mall is a shopping mall located in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and is the largest mall in the Little Rock Metro and third largest enclosed mall in Arkansas. ^[2] The mall is anchored by Dillard's, JCPenney, and Regal Cinemas. ^[3]

History

McCain Mall was developed as Arkansas's largest mall on a 53.3-acre site on McCain Boulevard near Interstate 40. ^[4] The mall was officially dedicated in April 1973, although its primary anchor, Little Rock-based Pfeifer-Blass (now Dillard's), had opened for business in late 1972. Among its 96 stores and services were a J.G. McCrory 5 and 10 and McCain Mall Cinema I and II.

Over its 30+ year history, McCain Mall has never been expanded, although renovations were done in 1992 and again in 2011–2012. The former location of M. M. Cohn was demolished in 2012 for a Regal Entertainment Group movie theater. ^[5]

In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off its 235 properties, including the Sears at McCain Mall, into Seritage Growth Properties. ^[6] The auto center closed in 2017 and was demolished. A LongHorn Steakhouse opened on January 22, 2019 at the site of the auto center. On November 7, 2019, it was announced that Sears would be closing this location a part of a plan to close 96 stores nationwide. The store closed on February 2, 2020. ^[7]

Murders and Criminal Acts on the Premises

McCain Mall and attached parking areas have been the site of multiple crime scenes.

Rape and Murder of Laurie White (June 1997)

In June 1997, Laura "Laurie" White, a 26-year-old overnight guard, was murdered by Andrew Engram. After strangling Ms. White and inflicting blunt neck trauma, Engram left her body to be discovered hanging inside the outdoor Sears landscape merchandise tent she had been guarding. During the course of the murder, Engram also raped Ms. White. At the time of the attack, Laurie White was alone and did not have access to a telephone, a radio, or the nearby building. ^[8]

White's parents filed a federal lawsuit against Simon Property Group, Inc. and Sears which was settled out of court in 2000 with details undisclosed. ^[9]

Engram, who had been on parole for only 6 months at the time of White's rape and murder (after having been sentenced to 30 years of prison in 1983 for violent crimes), was convicted in 1999 and sentenced to death. The prosecution relied on overwhelming evidence including DNA profiling in securing the jury conviction. In 2013, Engram's lawyers successfully petitioned the Arkansas Supreme Court for a new hearing after an appeal in which they argued he received ineffective assistance of counsel from the court-appointed lawyers during his original trial. As evidence, they referred to the failure to meet deadlines for filing petitions, including those questioning whether Engram had an intellectual disability (or otherwise diminished responsibility). ^[10]

In 2014, Engram was re-sentenced to life in prison without parole. As of October 2025, he is an inmate at the high-security Varner Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections. ^[11]

Concourse Gunshot (August 2020)

In August of 2020, a man entered the mall and it is confirmed that he fired one shot within the concourse. ^[12]

Christmas Eve Shooting near McCain Mall (December 2020)

One person was killed, and two juveniles were injured in a shooting near the mall.^{[ citation needed ]}

Double Homicide near McCain Mall (November 2022)

Police investigated a shooting on McCain Boulevard, finding two victims inside a vehicle in the parking lot of the mall, who had been shot. Both victims were 17 years old, and one died at the scene.^{[ citation needed ]}

American Eagle Gunshot (January 2023)

North Little Rock police responded to a report of a gunshot fired inside the mall, specifically at American Eagle. A woman shopping at Victoria's Secret reported feeling terrified and crawling on the floor for safety.^{[ citation needed ]}

Other Incidents

There have been other reported shootings near or at McCain Mall, including incidents where suspects have been arrested.^{[ citation needed ]}

External links

• Official website

References

1. "Do Business at McCain Mall, a Simon Property". Simon. August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
2. "Largest Malls and Shopping Centers" (PDF). CoStar Group, Inc. August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
3. Quinn, Paul (April 5, 2011). "McCain Mall plans renovation". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
4. "Other days". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. January 17, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
5. "New Theatre Set for Grand Opening at McCain Mall". archive.is. June 28, 2013. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
6. "At McCain Mall | Seritage". seritage.com. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
7. Tyko, Kelly; Bomey, Nathan (November 7, 2019). "Sears and Kmart store closings: 51 Sears, 45 Kmart locations to shutter. See the list". USA Today. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
8. "Arkansas High Court Hears Arguments In Death Row Case". Southwest Times Record. October 10, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
9. "Arkansas High Court Hears Arguments In Death Row Case". Southwest Times Record. October 10, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
10. "Arkansas death row inmate wins new hearing". KATV. October 31, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
11. "Inmate Search - ADC #080380 - Engram, Andrew R". Arkansas Department of Corrections. November 14, 2025. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
12. "NLRPD confirms one shot at McCain Mall". KLRT - FOX16.com. May 24, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.