Grand Cities Mall
Encyclopedia
The Grand Cities Mall is an enclosed shopping mall
located on South Washington Street in Grand Forks, North Dakota
. It was the first enclosed shopping mall built in North Dakota, but by a quirk of fate, the second opened to the public by only six days difference. The mall covers 351429 sq ft (32,648.8 m²) and is anchored by Kmart
, Family Dollar
and Ace Hardware
. The Grand Cities Mall has many other smaller stores, including a few national chains, although most tenants are local businesses. The mall opened in 1964.
Originally called South Forks Center, the mall was built in stages. Kmart
was opened on February 26, 1964, before the rest of the mall, which was built over the summer. Sears
opened its location in the mall on October 8, 1964. It was the first enclosed shopping mall in the city of Grand Forks. For most of its life, the mall was called South Forks Plaza and was anchored by Kmart and Sears. Until 1973, the mall was in two wings that were not accessible to each other from the inside. Sears and most of the stores fronted onto one wing. Most of these stores also had their own separate entrances from the outside. The Kmart wing also had a coffee shop, a right-wing bookstore, a record store accessible by a spiral staircase, and a number of businesses not typically located in shopping centers, including a portrait photographer. The center of the mall, connecting the two wings, opened in November 1973. Another wing was built to the west and opened in 1977.
The property was acquired by J. Herzog & Sons, Inc. in 1998. The old "South Forks Plaza" name was subsequently dropped and some renovations took place. In 2000, Sears left the mall and moved to the newer and larger Columbia Mall
. The empty Sears space at the Grand Cities Mall was divided up into several smaller stores including a local furniture store, and a Family Dollar. Recently, Burgraaf's Ace Hardware
opened at the mall.
The Grand Cities Mall has had a hard time adjusting to increased competition within the city of Grand Forks. The Columbia Mall opened in 1978 and the Grand Forks Marketplace mall opened in 2001. Today, the mall usually has several vacant spots and has had a hard time holding on to some of its long-time tenants.
The Grand Cities Mall contains many tenants that are not usually located in shopping malls, including Hope Evangelical Covenant Church, a rock climbing wall, a dance studio, and the local Motor Vehicle Department office.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
located on South Washington Street in Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
. It was the first enclosed shopping mall built in North Dakota, but by a quirk of fate, the second opened to the public by only six days difference. The mall covers 351429 sq ft (32,648.8 m²) and is anchored by Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
, Family Dollar
Family Dollar
Family Dollar is a regional chain of variety stores in the United States. It opened in 1959 and operates approximately 6,617 stores in 44 states and the District of Columbia. It is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina....
and Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware Corporation is a hardware cooperative based in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States. ACE Hardware Corporation, with 4,444 stores, does over $3 billion in retail hardware sales annually down from its peak of $12.5 billion in 2007.-History:...
. The Grand Cities Mall has many other smaller stores, including a few national chains, although most tenants are local businesses. The mall opened in 1964.
History
Originally called South Forks Center, the mall was built in stages. Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
was opened on February 26, 1964, before the rest of the mall, which was built over the summer. Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
opened its location in the mall on October 8, 1964. It was the first enclosed shopping mall in the city of Grand Forks. For most of its life, the mall was called South Forks Plaza and was anchored by Kmart and Sears. Until 1973, the mall was in two wings that were not accessible to each other from the inside. Sears and most of the stores fronted onto one wing. Most of these stores also had their own separate entrances from the outside. The Kmart wing also had a coffee shop, a right-wing bookstore, a record store accessible by a spiral staircase, and a number of businesses not typically located in shopping centers, including a portrait photographer. The center of the mall, connecting the two wings, opened in November 1973. Another wing was built to the west and opened in 1977.
The property was acquired by J. Herzog & Sons, Inc. in 1998. The old "South Forks Plaza" name was subsequently dropped and some renovations took place. In 2000, Sears left the mall and moved to the newer and larger Columbia Mall
Columbia Mall (Grand Forks)
Columbia Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall in Grand Forks, North Dakota and is located at the intersection of 32nd Avenue South and Columbia Road.It is the largest mall within...
. The empty Sears space at the Grand Cities Mall was divided up into several smaller stores including a local furniture store, and a Family Dollar. Recently, Burgraaf's Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware Corporation is a hardware cooperative based in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States. ACE Hardware Corporation, with 4,444 stores, does over $3 billion in retail hardware sales annually down from its peak of $12.5 billion in 2007.-History:...
opened at the mall.
The Grand Cities Mall has had a hard time adjusting to increased competition within the city of Grand Forks. The Columbia Mall opened in 1978 and the Grand Forks Marketplace mall opened in 2001. Today, the mall usually has several vacant spots and has had a hard time holding on to some of its long-time tenants.
The Grand Cities Mall contains many tenants that are not usually located in shopping malls, including Hope Evangelical Covenant Church, a rock climbing wall, a dance studio, and the local Motor Vehicle Department office.