Opened in 2001, the mall features more than sixty retailers, plus a food court, in 645,677 square feet (59,985.4 m2) of gross leasable area.

[2][3] Anchor stores are Dick's Sporting Goods and JCPenney, with three vacancies last occupied by Sears, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Younkers.

The Lakes Mall was developed by CBL & Associates Properties of Chattanooga, Tennessee, on a site south of town, near the junction of Interstate 96 and U.S. Highway 31, at the southeastern corner of Sternberg Road and Harvey Street.

[5] The mall, upon opening, featured Bed Bath & Beyond, JCPenney, Sears and Younkers among its anchor stores.

This center, a former outlet mall, was eventually redeveloped into big box space (including Toys "R" Us, Barnes & Noble, Old Navy, TJ Maxx, and Elder-Beerman, which was converted to a Younkers furniture store in 2008), and several restaurants soon opened along The Lakes Mall's periphery.