Northgate Mall is a regional shopping mall located off Interstate 85 and Gregson Street (exit 176) in northern Durham, North Carolina, United States. The mall is in close proximity to Duke University and downtown Durham, between the Trinity Park and Walltown neighborhoods.
History
Northgate opened in 1960 as a traditional open air strip shopping center developed by W. Kenan Rand. The original center ran perpendicular to W. Club Blvd. Original tenants included Colonial Stores, Roses, Kerr Drug and eventually a cinema opened in 1962. In 1973, facing increased competition from other enclosed shopping centers, developers decided to add a Sears and Thalhimers department store and built an indoor enclosure connecting the two stores.
Northgate Mall first expanded in 1986, when Thalhimers relocated to a newer store at the east end of the mall, along with additional shop shape. The following year, a portion of the original shopping center was torn down and a food court was later added. Big Star (later Harris Teeter) relocated to a newly-built strip-style plaza, called "The Shops at Northgate", which also included a few locally-owned businesses previously located in the original strip center. Kerr Drug relocated next to Sears, while Roses remained until closing in 1992. Hecht's relocated to the south end of the mall 1994 on the site formerly occupied by Roses. The former Thalhimer's store became Hudson Belk later that same year.
In the 2000s, the tenant mix of the mall began shifting from national chains to more mom-and-pop stores due to the opening of The Streets at Southpoint. The demise of South Square Mall helped Northgate for a time since the competition was further away and didn't have too much direct impact on business. More changes were in store when Belk left the mall in 2005 and was replaced by a Phoenix Theaters cineplex (now Northgate Stadium 10), while its wing was renovated into an outdoor plaza. Also that year in the Shops at Northgate, the Harris Teeter closed, with its space converting into a C&H Cafeteria, a regional cafeteria chain, and a Guitar Center. Office Depot moved into the space spot OfficeMax previously occupied that year as well, which is now occupied by Sky Zone.
However, crime at the mall remains to be seen as an issue. Local news reports say that the mall has had five violent incidents in the last five years, including a fatal stabbing in 2007, many of these provoked by fights and teen violence.
On January 4, 2017, Macy's announced it was closing its Northgate location following a disappointing holiday shopping season. The closure was part of a company-wide effort to improve profitability and reduce its brick-and-mortar footprint. Following the announcement, mall officials have begun working on a new master plan to transform Northgate from primarily retail space to accommodate multiple uses, including office space, fitness, entertainment, and seasonal operations.
Anchors
Current
- Sears - Opened in 1974 175,428 sq ft (16,297.8 m2).
- Northgate Stadium 10 - Opened as Thalhimers in 1986, became Hecht's in 1992, became Hudson Belk in 1995. Hudson Belk closed in 2003 and converted into movie theater in 2005.
Former
- Macy's - Opened in 1994 was Hecht's, became Macy's in 2006, closed in 2017. 185,090 sq ft (17,195 m2)
References
External links
- Northgate Mall
