WILMINGTON -- More than one million square feet of shopping center space will soon be transformed in the port city.

Independence Mall will see major renovations inside and out.

It will become 'The Collection at Independence' following a change that will include knocking out the SEARS and putting more restaurants, outdoor store entrances, and street-scape. 

“We eat out quite a bit, and so the dinning and being able to sit in a nice environment would really be nice,” says shopper, Becky McFarland, who is excited to see the new concept.

Experts say as malls become less of an attraction, due to online shopping, owners are finding different way to bring in more people. 

"They cater to much younger clientele that's more interested in entertainment and, food, and drink. That pattern seems to be continuing to evolve. The craft breweries have sprung up like, for lack of a better word, like a plague across the country," says UNCW Professor of Real Estate and Finance Edward Graham

According to National Department of Labor data between 2001 and 2016, jobs at traditional department stores has fallen 46 percent.

Other plans for the mall includes adding a medical office building and incorporating green space into the property. 

Developers say they are working with the city to obtain permits and approvals for construction.

Some of the current retailers will need to be relocated.