- McFarland Mall
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McFarland Mall Location Tuscaloosa, Alabama Coordinates 33°10′14.57″N 87°31′15.08″W / 33.1707139°N 87.5208556°W Address 900 Skyland Boulevard East Opening date February 1969 Developer Ward Wharton McFarland Owner Stan Pate No. of anchor tenants 3 No. of floors 1 McFarland Mall is a regional 497,000-square-foot (46,200 m2) shopping mall on U.S. Route 11 (Skyland Boulevard East) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Located at the interchange of Interstate 20/59 with U.S. Route 82 (McFarland Boulevard), it is in the southern section of the city. After opening in February 1969, the mall has seen a steady decline since the opening of University Mall and as of 2009 was rumored as a potential site for demolition and major redevelopment.
History
The center was originally developed by Ward Wharton McFarland and James Hinton. When opened, in February 1969, McFarland Mall was the sixth fully enclosed mall constructed in the state of Alabama after Eastwood Mall in Birmingham, Heart of Huntsville Mall and The Mall in Huntsville, Bel Air Mall in Mobile and Southgate Mall in Muscle Shoals.[1] Constructed with one story, in 1975 Gayfers (subsequently Dillard's[2]) added a second story and has since remained the only two story tenant.[3] The mall's other anchor was originally Woolco, which closed in 1983 and was replaced by Zayre that same year.[4] Following Zayre's closure in 1989, the anchor was divided among Jefferson Home Furniture (later Heilig-Meyers), TJ Maxx and Drug Mart, of which only TJ Maxx opened out into the mall.[5][6]
The mall saw significant renovations in 1980 and again in 1993, with the addition of a 320-seat food court and atrium, as well as a Goody's Family Clothing.[7] The mall remained under the ownership of the McFarland family through 2009.[1] Drug Mart became Shoe Station, and a Crafts, Etc. (now Michaels) store opened between Drug Mart and Heilig-Meyers in 1993. Heilig-Meyers subsequently became Sticks & Stuff.
In May 2009 it was announced the Tuscaloosa developer Stan Pate had purchased the mall from Ward McFarland, Inc. ending the McFarland family association with the facility.[8] The new owners have declared that they will be looking at many options to make the facility more profitable, from future renovations to completely demolishing the structure and building anew.[8] With the demolition of The Mall (2002), Eastwood Mall (2006) and Heart of Huntsville Mall (2007), McFarland is the second oldest enclosed mall in the state of Alabama with only Bel Air Mall being constructed earlier.[1][8]
Following the closure of Dillard's and Goody's, the mall's only remaining anchor is TJ Maxx.[9]
In March 2010, according to the Tuscaloosa News, it was stated that the eastern portion of the mall would be closed and demolished.
References
- ^ a b c Staff Reports (May 20, 2009). "McFarland Mall sold". The Northport Gazette. http://www.northportgazette.com/articles/2009/05/20/news/doc4a144ce84b82f494186864.txt.
- ^ Taylor, Stephanie (June 27, 2008). "Dillard's is gone with the wind". The Tuscaloosa News. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080627/NEWS/513647341.
- ^ Morton, Jason (March 27, 2008). "Dillard's to close McFarland Mall store". The Tuscaloosa News. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080327/NEWS/719618314.
- ^ Heine, Max (21 August 1983). "Association recognizes best man". Tuscaloosa News. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1Hk0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=mKUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6196,4655257&dq=mcfarland-mall+woolco&hl=en. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
- ^ "Harco deep-discount unit opens in its home market. (Harco Drug Inc.)". Chain Drug Review. 1990-01-02. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-8341425.html. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
- ^ Heine, Max (29 October 1989). "Novel retailer opens today". Tuscaloosa News. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3jkdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5qUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4616,8145090&dq=mcfarland-mall+zayre&hl=en. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
- ^ Morton, Jason (February 17, 2007). "McFarland mall goes on market". The Tuscaloosa News. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20070217/NEWS/702170329.
- ^ a b c Rupinski, Patrick (May 21, 2009). "Developer Stan Pate to take over McFarland Mall". The Tuscaloosa News. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090521/NEWS/905209964/1007?Title=Developer-Stan-Pate-to-take-over-McFarland-Mall.
- ^ Rupinski, Patrick (January 8, 2009). "Goody’s clothing store latest retail casualty". The Tuscaloosa News. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090108/NEWS/901070267.
Categories:- Shopping malls established in 1969
- Shopping malls in Alabama
- Buildings and structures in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
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