Originally built in 1965 as one of the DeBartolo Corporations smaller regional shopping centers, the Lima Mall had quickly become the areas preferred center and had already begun planning their first expansion to be opened in the fall of 1971. Included in the 262,873 square foot expansion would be the addition of 23 new stores including Foxmoor Casuals, Waldenbooks, Hickory Farms, Camelot Music, and Mary Jane Shoes just to name a few. The highlight of the expansion however would be a new anchor store, Lazarus, a Columbus based department store and a division of Federated Department Stores. This would be Federated’s sixth Lazarus branch store and second outside Franklin County (the first being at Richland Mall in Mansfield).
Featuring three floors and totaling a whopping 165,000 square foot, the store was actually engineered accommodate for a fourth floor to eventually be added (though it never was).
The mall level of the store would house a complete fashion store featuring men’s and women’s apparel and accessories, a budget store, and a home sewing area. Children’s World, with fashion departments for infants through pre-teens would take up most of the second floor. The third floor would consist of the decorative home department, a home entertainment section, and offices. Also on the third floor located in the dome tower would be The Sky View Restaurant. With seating for 130 guests the Sky View would offer the diners a panoramic view of the countryside.
In 2003 the Lazarus store would be rebadged as a Lazarus-Macy’s and then two years later they would completely drop the Lazarus name.
In 2021 Macy’s would close up shop on the former Lazarus store ending its near 50 year run.