McCain Mall was developed on a 53.3 acre site on McCain Boulevard and Interstate 40 as Arkansas's largest mall.[4] The mall was officially dedicated in April 1973, although its primary anchor, Little Rock-based Pfeifer-Blass (now Dillard's), had opened for business in late 1972. Among its 96 stores and services were a J.G. McCrory 5 and 10 and McCain Mall Cinema I and II.
Over its 30+ year history, McCain Mall has never been expanded, although renovations were done in 1992 and again in 2011–2012. The former location of M. M. Cohn was demolished in 2012 for a Regal Entertainment Group movie theater.[5]
In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off its 235 properties, including the Sears at McCain Mall, into Seritage Growth Properties.[6] The auto center closed in 2017, and a portion of it became LongHorn Steakhouse on January 22, 2019. On November 7, 2019, it was announced that Sears would be closing this location a part of a plan to close 96 stores nationwide. The store closed on February 2, 2020.[7]
In August of 2020, a man entered the mall and it is confirmed that he fired one shot within the concourse.[8]