[3] The Midland Mall opened October 2, 1967,[4] included 60 shops, and anchors Sears and Providence based Shepards department store.

The walled-off anchor spaces and Food Court removal were detrimental to the health of the interior mall.

The one driver of foot traffic in the mall was a Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) express location.

[7] Many of the mall's vacant spaces were leased by Royal Ahold, owners of the Stop & Shop supermarket franchise.

Maintaining vacant retail space was a tactic by Royal Ahold to block Wal-Mart from opening a superstore concept with a full grocery department in the mall.

Sears was the last anchor to open into the mall interior, but began leaving their gates down permanently in early 2011, finally closing access off via a partition wall in March 2011.

Rhode Island Mall also has five detached buildings in the parking lot occupied by Toys "R" Us (closed in 2018), Wendy's, Chuck E Cheese's, On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina and Sears Automotive.

"[11] A plan was announced in late 2014 to redevelop the mall as an outlet center, while retaining Kohl's, Walmart, and Sears.

[14] It was announced that Dick's Sporting Goods and Planet Fitness will be relocating to the mall from their original locations.

[15] It was announced in October 2017 that Raymour & Flanigan will be relocating to the mall from its original location, taking over the first floor of the former Sears.