A red brick and concrete construction located to the southeast of Kilmarnock Cross, Burns Mall was designed to form a focal point for the town centre. It is the only covered shopping centre in Kilmarnock, with external shops extending to the south down King Street, the prime retail thoroughfare in the town.
With 29 retail units (inside and outside the covered area) and a floor area of 16,741 sq. m (180,200 sq feet), the shopping centre is entirely at ground floor level, although the building itself rises to two and three storeys. Originally known as Kilmarnock Centre, it was designed by local architectural practice Hay, Steel & Partners and completed in 1976. The centre was opened by Elma Ross (1923 - 2018), wife of Willie Ross (1911-88), the long-serving Secretary of State for Scotland. The anchor tenants are now New Look and Home Bargains, with Argos having closed in 2022.
Immediately to the north of the centre is a multi-storey car park with 430 spaces (built 1972-74), linked to the northeast is the Kilmarnock Bus Station and nearby is the main taxi rank for the town.
