Walt Whitman Shops celebrates makeover

The Walt Whitman mall in Huntington Station will celebrate its recent makeover Thursday, unveiling a bronze statue of its namesake and kicking off four days of food tastings, fashion events and music.

Walt Whitman Shops, as the mall is now called, underwent a 70,000-square-foot expansion over the last year, adding more than 30 new retailers and restaurants. Among the new shops in the mall are Anthropologie, Carhartt, Free People, Henri Bendel, lululemon athletica and Urban Outfitters. Restaurants Brio Tuscan Grille and Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar also debuted in the renovated shopping center. And longtime tenant Bloomingdale’s completed its first major interior makeover since it opened at the mall 15 years ago.

The rejuvenation of the shopping center, owned by Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, brought interior improvements such as accent lighting, new skylights, soft seating and revamped restrooms. The mall’s exterior also was transformed into a pedestrian-friendly streetscape.

Mall and local officials will begin the four-day celebration with a ribbon-cutting and unveiling of the bronze Walt Whitman statue at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. Individual stores will offer sales, and musical performances and style and tasting events will be held in the mall’s center court.