The Slow Revival of North DeKalb Mall?
Decatur Metro | July 18, 2012Tomorrow’s News Today reports…
Raleigh, North Carolina-based Golden Corral is coming to an outparcel of North DeKalb Mall. I’d love to say that after all this time that Costco, too , is opening, but alas, their plans remain tabled for the time being. Golden Corral will open in a portion of the parking lot directly behind the current free-standing Chick-fil-A and former Checkers restaurant, nearest to Macy’s. At times, the space has been used to stage a traveling amusement park.
But one buffet chain doesn’t a revival make. However, TNT also notes that N. DeKalb Mall has also recently seen a Marshall’s and a Zaxby’s move in. Additionally, there’s talk that a larger Chick-fil-A will soon be built nearby. And as you just read above, according to TNT, the Costco plan isn’t totally dead, just “tabled” for the time being.
If the stars align, could North DeKalb Mall be poised for a comeback?
That would be nice for it to come back. I was very sad when the GAP moved out. It would be nice to have some nicer places to shop for clothes on this side of town. I love the little boutiques in downtown Decatur but they don’t carry basic staples like underwear and jeans. Has been nice to have the Marshall’s they are better than what we have had out here in recent years.
I miss the Gap, Children’s Place, and Old Navy… I can’t believe an Old Navy can’t survive in the outskirts of Buckhead!
I miss Spinnakers. Had a lot of fun times working there.
North Dekalb Mall on the outskirts of Buckhead? I think that’s a bit of a stretch.
I would classify the mall right now as really crappy. However, with its location, it could & should be able to thrive.
I don’t think the Zaxby’s is in the mall, but rather on N. Druid Hills Rd next to the mall.
Robert-
Has it opened yet?
The Zaxby’s opened about a week ago.
Correct Robert, the Zaxby’s opened on N. Druid Hills Road, adjacent to Pier 1. The Golden Corral, also not in the mall, is on mall property, unlike Zaxby’s.
True. In no way is Zaxby’s a sign that the mall is undergoing a revival.
I miss the PharMor
I miss PharMor’s closing sale. I just happened to be in line when beer went on sale 1/2 price. Ah, what a fun summer!
With the mall’s location, it should not be the failure that it is right now. It is definitely under performing.
I wonder what’s up, too. I know a lot of older shopping malls were decimated by newer, larger developments, but I don’t understand what (essentially) killed North DeKalb Mall. I’ve lived in this general area since 1996 and shopped there pretty regularly, certainly preferred to go there than trek all the way to Lenox for clothes, shoes, etc., until it gradually started losing its good tenants.
I still shop at Macy’s and sometimes venture down to Bath and Body Works, but it’s just pretty sad. The mall is in a great population center. Does everyone just shop online or go up to Buckhead? Or, in my case now, over to Target?
I always believe it is because they changed the name from Market Square and the Merry Go Round left
I don’t know about that. Maybe it is underperforming precisely because of it’s location. Intown Atlanta, meaning the streetcar suburbs extending from Midtown to Avondale, is not the typical suburban wasteland with nothing better to do than go hang out at the mall. Maybe we’ve had a “Back to the Future 4″, with the Main Streets getting up off the mat and knocking out the suburban malls. Maybe household income demographics only work when the surrounding built environment offers no other alternatives.
I think you’re on to it. Typical mall stores are not likely to attract many customers in this area. For one thing, I’d guess that the demographic does a lot of online shopping. I’d also say that an anti-big box chain attitude is a factor. This would apply to the restaurants there too: who wants to go to an Applebee’s or a Zaxby’s when there are so many better choices not far away? People want fun, interesting experiences if they are going to go out and spend money.
Northlake Mall, though not as desolate as N. DeKalb, is struggling too. There the problem seems to be an aging demographic and a decline in disposable income. The nearby Oak Grove area is thriving, but I bet a lot of those people don’t visit the mall very often, for the same reasons mentioned in the previous paragraph.
The reason Northlake fails to attract Oak Grove shoppers is because Oak Grove is close to Lenox Mall. Lenox is operated by the same company that runs Northlake. As long as Simon Malls manages both malls, Northlake will struggle. Simon Malls has no incentive at all to lure quality stores to Northlake.
“Oak Grove is close to Lenox Mall”
Your map is different than mine. By what route is Lenox closer than a straight shot up LaVista Rd to Northlake?
Did I say Oak Grove was closer to Lenox than it is to Northlake? No, I did not. Oak Grove is pretty close to Lenox. Are you disputing that?
I sure don’t think so.
I’m sure some in Oak Grove shop at Lenox, but I think the real issue is the overall decline in mall shopping, period. Driving to and parking and shopping at Lenox is not something I would choose to do. It sounds like an unnecessary chore more than a good time.
It sounds unpleasant to me, too. However, a lot of people still like to shop at malls. Oak Grove is well within the range these people are willing to drive to get to a mall. For people in Oak Grove who like to shop at malls, Lenox is quote close. Simon Malls knows this. That is why they aren’t doing anything to improve Northlake. Why would they compete against themselves?
First I’ve heard of the Costco! As we now trek out to Cumberland, Morrow or Brookhaven (from East Atlanta – full disclosure) that would be incredibly welcome at North Dekalb.
+1
Screw Trader Joe’s. A Costco in this neck of the woods would be the real game changer. But this rumor has been limping along for years now with no indication that it would ever actually happen, so not holding my breath. Thankfully I work two miles from the Cumberland one, so I can at least stop on my way home from work.
That Pottery Place just moved to North DeKalb Mall!
I love the movie theater. Sometimes, I’m the only person at a screening. I don’t have to worry about blaming my farts on someone else.
I love that theater too! And Marshall’s. The NYTimes just did a piece on malls becoming entertainment centers since people shop online so much now — I thought about the Pottery Place. And I also agree that the Gap leaving was the sign of the end. That was the best Gap — and back when Gap sold Levi’s, the Market Square Gap carried 401s for $20 — and being a lower tier store, it got all the sales items sent there and placed on deeps discount — perfect for ASC students on a budget!
I believe that’ll be the first ITP Golden Corral
We need a Sweet Tomatoes –healthier buffet befitting our ‘ahem’ healthier lifestyles
I miss the long, nearly empty center hallway, the vacant storefronts, the stores with strange names selling stuff I don’t want to buy and the classic ‘mall music’ echoing off the walls….no, no, wait! that’s all still there…..
I don’t know guys. I talked with Costco officials when the N.Dekalb idea was initially shelved, and they said it was a no go. They chose Brook haven instead. They said there were too many issues to surmount at N.Dekalb, wetlands among others. Does TNT blog have actual new info regarding a reconsideration (hope!) or was that just wishful thinking?
I have contacts within Costco who have indicated to me that they continue to look at NDM but that if / when a store comes to fruition, it likely won’t be for at least 2 years. As I said, not dead but also not about to be done.
It seems to me and my (admittedly imperfect) memory that North Dekalb Mall experienced a little boom right after the movie theater initially opened, maybe 1997.
For the theater’s opening they screened the original Star Wars movies and showed them for 75 cents. Anyone remember that? We made a trip over from Emory and it was the first time I’d heard of North Dekalb Mall — I was shocked to know it was there. The movie theater was packed for months after that, and I went to that mall all the time.
After Regal Hollywood 24 opened, it seemed like that movie theater never really recovered, and it affected the whole mall. But again, that’s just my impression.
I would love to see failing malls (or large retail-only districts) like North DeKalb and Northlake (neither are what they used to be) turned into multi-use (retail/office/residential/light manufacturing) developments.
For comparison purposes:
– North DeKalb: the area used by the parking lot and mall building is roughly the same size as encompassed by Commerce to the north and west, Church or North Candler to the east, and Sycamore/Swanton to the south.
– Northlake: The parking lot and mall are about the same size but if Northlake Festival (with the antenna) is included, the whole area is about 1.5 times the size of downtown Decatur.
Maybe it’s just me but I think that these areas could be fantastic live/work/play centers with excellent access to transportation. (Northlake sits right on a rail corridor and North DeKalb is rather close to one; both are at important roadway junctions).
Keep an eye on Gwinnett Place Mall- the mall management company basically gave up on them and left, a development such as you are describing is in the works for that area. Now if it ever comes to fruition. . . Well your guess is as good as mine, but I found it intriguing that the proposal is there.
That is intriguing, indeed. It’s too far away from the city (and MARTA) for what my wife and I prefer but intriguing, nonetheless.
All of the testimonials that people have posted about restaurants failing, the malls not doing well, empty mall theaters, etc, less me to buy further into the conclusion that malls are dying as a way of shopping. We need to reintegrate shopping districts back into our communities, make small towns within the fabric of the greater metro area. I see more Decatur, Atlantic Stations, other multi-use areas doing well in the future. But uses have to be mixed to make it happen. And multi-modal access will be a huge factor in the success or failure of a redeveloped site.
North DeKalb Mall is also poised to be connected to the Path, which could connect it for bikes and walkers to Emory with only one minor road crossing at Willivee. And the Emory Shuttles already pick up there.
Jasper, when you say poised, do you mean there’s a plan somewhere? I’ve heard about connecting the mall to surrounding areas but have not seen an actual schematic.
I mean “poised” as in it is physically adjacent to the nature preserve, which is itself close to Medlock Park and the existing Path that connects to Mason Mill Park. The connection of the mall to the Path is speculative on my part but extending the Path into the preserve is something that has been discussed by the Path Foundation and the preserve. There is a path down the backside of the preserve that runs along the creek and could host the Path and provide access to the mall parking lot just by crossing the stream.
On the other end of the Path, after it crosses the train tracks, I’ve spoken to the Path Foundation and they would like to extend it to the left along the tracks and the creek following it under Clairmont into Emory’s Lullwater Park.
I don’t think it is one of the immediate priorities and there are probably some right-of-way issues to work out between the reserve and Medlock Park as well as entering Lullwater, which is private property … but it’s certainly at least as possible as a mixed-use development at North DeKalb.
And here’s the existing path: http://pathfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/south-peachtree-creek-trail.pdf
Jeff, I loved Spinnakers! The flower pot bread! It was Market Square back then, and it had a lot of good shops. I’d love to see it make a resurgence.
A bunch of lousy corporate restaurants that you can find in suburban sprawl of Everytown, USA.
I’d prefer to eat intown. It may cost a bit more, but at least I know the ingredients in my food haven’t been manufactured somewhere off of the New Jersey turnpike.
Interesting, fun website: http://www.deadmalls.com
Strangely fascinating website on dead malls!
Columbia Mall, now the site of the Wal-Mart, is one mentioned.
Could be a great opportunity to retrofit suburbia…
North Dekalb Mall could be awesome. It seems like there would be plenty of folks around who could and would support it. I would love for it to bounce back and become a destination. I’d hate to think what shape it would be in if it weren’t for the movie theater!
N. Dekalb Mall’s putting some energy into making it awesome again! There’s a comment on N.Druid Patch’s post about That Pottery Place from Taylor Dozier, the mall’s manager, about their focus on food and family.:0)
http://northdruidhills.patch.com/articles/walmart-s-in-suburban-plaza-that-pottery-place-is-out
* There’s a Georga Chess Association tournament there tonight starting at 6:30.
(Want to also plug the Ironman Chess Club, a beginners friendly all ages club that also offers free instruction. It meets the 1st and 3rd Tues each month at The Church of Decatur Heights.
For info All Things Chess: http://www.georgiachess.org/
We love the AMC Theatre at North DeKalb. The best thing about it is the $5 shows before noon on the weekends. That’s cheaper than any other discount or any other theater!
And isn’t it only $7.50 on weeknights?
Probably has something to do with why RaceTrac wants to build their new store in that particular location on Lawrenceville. Count me in for the hopes of the revival. I actually go that Marshalls, but only there, never in the mall. When I need to do some serious shopping not just browsing, I hit Lenox and Buckhead, LOVE Nordstrom Rack!
There might be a glimmer at Northlake as well. It was announced last week that a new restaurant, Fork in the Road, is coming to that mall.
That spot in NLake where Fork in the Road is going in has been a failure since the original owners of Crescent Moon left the location several years ago. Maybe this place will be different, but they’d better do something that attracts people with a reputation for quality instead of mistakenly assuming a mall location is automatically going to lure customers. And for goodness sakes, try something different instead of trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator tastes. In other words, please no more huge diner menus with fifty kinds of blandness! It will fail!
“original owners of Crescent Moon”
Remember it was the second owners of Crescent Moon, who also ran the Decatur location into the ground, that owned the Northlake location when it closed.
Don’t know whether it’s a sign of “revival” or not, but there is a large and well-tended new community garden at North Dekalb Mall now too.
From their Facebook page:
“The North DeKalb Mall Community Garden was started this summer as a trial run for an urban community garden. Keep DeKalb Beautiful participated in providing compost and mulch. The Atlanta Community Food Bank provided many of the seeds, and Global Grower’s Network helped plan and coordinate this effort.
The initial plot is 100 feet long by 60 feet wide and is farmed by a Bhutanese refugee family living less than a mile from the mall. But other interested parties — neighborhoods, churches, etc. — can have their own plots, volunteer to help new gardeners and to be a part of the community garden and its programs.”
Just noticed that garden for the first time last week after we snuck out for a flick at N. Dekalb. That’s really great, and makes me think someone over there has the right idea of how to begin to make the mall a part of this community, something more than just a retail assemblage.
With 4-mo.-old twins, our ability to get out for a movie are now very limited, and suddenly the Regal Hollywood 24 and the Landmark Midtown (our usual go-tos for blockbusters and art house fare respectively) seem much farther away. We generally avoided the N. Dekalb theater because it seemed less clean (Left with Milk Duds on seat of pants on multiple occasions, gum on floor, etc.), but now I’m kind of thankful to have it so close when we may only have 2.5 hours of family childcare for a quick date. It did seem cleaner on this last trip.
You might try the theater at the South DeKalb Mall. Easy parking, the place is clean, and there’s a full bar attached. We had the entire auditorium to ourselves for Rock of Ages and were able to make silly comments all through the flick without disturbing anyone.
Um, isn’t that in South Postal Decatur, where all the crime and violence happens? For god’s sake, man, are you trying to get CODers killed?
Bwahahahaha.
Empty theaters aren’t necessarily a priority for us (unless we tried to take the boys, I guess), so long as the folks that ARE there don’t ruin the experience with talking, texting, etc. There certainly was a period when I had time enough to deliberately seek out bad movies and riff them MST3K-style, but those days are long gone and now if I’m at the theater it’s because it’s something I actually want to see, so woe unto you if you impinge upon that. You’re liable to get some Reese’s pieces winged at the back of your head.
Consider the Starlight Drive In with babies-the drive lulls them to sleep and you don’t have to wake them when you get there. I always wanted to do that but my husband was leery of the Starlight.
A big no to the Starlight 6 after the Mitt Lenix incident. Sorry.
“A big no to the Starlight 6 after the Mitt Lenix incident.”
Your prerogative, obviously, but is there a pattern of this kind of thing at Starlight? Madness can rear its head anywhere, as evidenced by the rampage in the Denver movie theater last night and the Tuscaloosa shooting from earlier this week.
I don’t know of any pattern, but that incident hit very close to home.
You may want to check out the Decatur Theater to see what’s showing. It has air conditioning and is family friendly. Check out Next Stop Decatur for the latest movies.
North DeKalb? Wish they would bring back Richs Budget Shop but glad to see that Chick fil A is still there after all these years.
“…glad to see that Chick fil A is still there after all these years.”
Tee hee. Given the FFAF thread, I think they call that “poking the bear.”
Isn’t it Golden Corral that has the chocolate waterfall to dip (and double dip) your fried chicken leg in to?
Yep.
Chocolate dip on fried chicken???? Eewww!