By 1812Blockhouse
There’s a certain moment in the life of every declining suburban mall when the question becomes unavoidable: what now? This week, the owners of Ontario Center signaled their answer.
In a Wednesday morning social media post, the center announced plans to bring a new food hall concept to one Ontario, modeled on a project the same team developed at Piqua Center in Piqua in southeast Ohio. The pitch was confident and direct: this is not a speculative idea, but a “concept that works.”
They are now actively seeking tenants for two anchor pieces of the new venture:
- A bar tenant with a full kitchen space, ideally a brewpub-style operation with burgers, nachos, elevated bar fare and a scratch cocktail program.
- A separate bakery tenant to round out the hall.
Inquiries are being directed to the Ontario Center management team:
Email 📧 ctolliver@theontariocenter.com
Call 📞 (419) 529-5312
The Blueprint: What Has Happened in Piqua
The model for Ontario is The Social at Piqua Center, located inside the redeveloped Piqua Center at 987 E. Ash Street. That project reimagined a former regional mall into a mixed-use destination with a strong entertainment component. Inside The Social, the formula is layered:
- Six independent food vendors under one roof.
- A full-service bar with beer, wine and house cocktails.
- A modern redemption arcade with roughly 49 games.
- An indoor amusement area called Hero Day with inflatables and obstacle-style attractions.
- Open seating with built-in table games and space for casual activities.
Programming has also been key. Regular events such as Singo and trivia nights from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM have helped establish the space as more than a place to eat. It is positioned as a community gathering spot, particularly for families. The broader Piqua redevelopment sits on a 60-acre site near I-75 with reported corridor traffic around 50,000 cars per day. Roughly 86,000 square feet are devoted to entertainment and dining within a larger complex that also includes retail and warehouse uses.
That context matters. The Social is not a standalone strip center restaurant. It is embedded in a larger repositioning strategy for a struggling retail property.
Image by Storme Kovacs from Pixabay
