General manager of Wauwatosa's Mayfair mall, Stephen Smith, retires

File photo of Crate & Barrel and P.F. Chang's businesses seen in the parking lot of Mayfair Mall in 2013.

File photo of Crate & Barrel and P.F. Chang's businesses seen in the parking lot of Mayfair Mall in 2013. Photo By Peter Zuzga

March 22, 2016

After more than two decades on the job, the general manager of a premier shopping, dining and entertainment hub in Wauwatosa has stepped down from his post.

General manager Stephen Smith retired March 16, according to an automated response from his General Growth Properties email address.

Located at Mayfair Road and North Avenue, the mall is the largest mixed-use shopping center in the state, boasting 180 retail stores, according to General Growth Properties.

Smith has worked at the mall for more than 20 years. During his tenure, he oversaw the additions of several big-name stores including The Container store and most recently Nordstrom — an upscale department store and the first of its kind to open in Wisconsin.

Further, Smith helped oversee the construction of a new, two-level 622-space parking structure, which opened just east of Boston Store in October 2014.

"It did put a little more strain on some guests," Smith told NOW Newspapers of the structure's construction, which lasted for months.

"We're hoping the benefits far outweigh the upset we've had to cause for the past many months. We're really getting the benefits now of all the hard work that was put in."

Mayfair mall is anchored by tenants like Boston Store, Macy's and AMC Mayfair Theatre. The mall also offers a number of dining options including P.F. Changs, Panera Bread, Maggiano's Little Italy, The Cheesecake Factory and 11 food court eateries.

Smith previously worked as the general manager of the Grand Avenue retail center in downtown Milwaukee for seven years before he was hired at Mayfair mall in March 1995, according to a Milwaukee Sentinel article. Before working in the Milwaukee area, he managed a shopping mall in Muscatine, Iowa, according to the article.

Chicago-based General Growth Properties is company focused on owning, managing, leasing and redeveloping high quality retail properties throughout the United States. The company also owns Oakwood Mall in Eau Claire and Fox River Mall in Appleton.

Representatives from General Growth Properties did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment on who is lined up to replace Smith.

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