NILES — Dave & Buster’s, the Texas-based dining and entertainment chain, plans to open a location at the Eastwood Mall in the space occupied by Dillard’s, which is closing sometime in July.

“Their lease was coming to an end, and we’re sad to see a longtime tenant of the mall leave … times change and needs change, so our team started talking about the best way to develop that space. Dave & Buster’s was the best way to start,” Joe Bell, spokesman for mall owner, the Cafaro Company, said.

Dave & Buster’s will occupy about 23,000 square feet, or about one-fourth, of the 116,000-square-foot Dillard’s store near Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. It will have entrances on the outside of the mall and the interior concourse.

Some preliminary work, including electrical, already is complete, Bell said. There is not a definite open date for Dave & Buster’s, but, Bell said, the anticipation is by the end of 2024.

As for the remaining space occupied by Dillard’s, “you can certainly envision it being subdivided for a number of businesses, but it also could be one large business, an entertainment concept of some sort, another large retailer,” Bell said. “I think there have been multiple discussions with a whole variety of businesses … our people are really excited about the prospect of redeveloping this.”

The project is part of an “ongoing reinvestment and re-invention” of the mall, according to a release from the Cafaro Company.

“Our community deserves nothing but the best,” Cafaro Company co-President Anthony Cafaro Jr. said in the release. “We’re excited to welcome the nation’s preeminent entertainment destination, Dave & Buster’s, to the Valley’s one stop destination for shopping, dining and entertainment – Eastwood Mall Complex.”

DILLARD’S

The clothing retailer’s lease at the mall ends this year.

“We had the desire to move to the next phase and try to redevelop the Eastwood Complex, and that is something that has been ongoing,” Bell said. “We want to bring new life and new and interesting and useful services to the mall, and this seemed like a good idea. People are clamoring for entertainment and recreation, and Dave & Buster’s fits that to a t.”

Dillard’s at the mall opened in 1996. Around 2016, the store transitioned to a Dillard’s Clearance Center.

It’s unknown how many people the store employs. An email seeking comment on the closure was sent to a spokesperson for Dillard’s Monday.

The company, based in Little Rock, Arkansas, is among the largest fashion retailers in the U.S. with 247 locations and 27 clearance centers in 29 states. It offers fashion apparel, beauty items and home collections.

D&B

Founded in 1982, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment owns and operates 222 venues in North America in two brands — Dave & Buster’s and Main Event. There are 163 Dave & Buster’s stores in 42 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. Each offers a full menu of food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and a wide assortment of entertainment around playing games and watching live sports and other televised events.

The Cafaro Company’s release states the location at the mall “will be the Mahoning Valley’s largest venue” to watch sporting events on television while surrounded by arcade games and virtual reality simulations.

It will be the sixth Dave & Buster’s in Ohio. Others are in Canton, Columbus, Hilliard, Cincinnati, Toledo and Cleveland. The chain also has multiple locations in Pennsylvania, including two around Pittsburgh.

An email was sent seeking comment from Dave & Buster’s about the planned Niles location.