Riverchase Galleria

The Riverchase Galleria is a 1.58 million square-foot super–regional shopping mall, located on Montgomery Highway (U.S. Highway 31) between Interstate 459 and Alabama State Route 150 in the Riverchase subdivision in the city of Hoover. The center is Alabama's largest enclosed shopping center and attracts visitors from a broad region, including parts of neighboring states. During 2008 the mall reported 15 million shoppers, making it Alabama's busiest shopping center.

The Galleria, which opened in 1986, is owned by Jim Wilson & Associates. It is managed in partnership with General Growth Properties, which owns and manages Century Plaza. As of March 17, 2008 the mall's general manager is Sam Warbington, former manager of Colonial Brookwood Village.

History

"The Galleria," as it is locally known, includes not only the shopping mall, but also the 330-room Wynfrey Hotel and the 17-story Galleria Tower, both accessible from the mall's central atrium. The style of this center is modeled after the larger Houston Galleria.

The mall's original anchor stores were JC Penney, Parisian, Pizitz, and Rich's. Not long after the mall opened, Pizitz was acquired by McRae's of Jackson, Mississippi. In 1987, the mall saw its first Macy's store. The mall was expanded in 1996, adding Sears as the new anchor. The expansion made it the largest mixed-use project in the Southeast and one of the top 10 largest mixed-use projects in the United States. It was later renovated in 1998 and again in 2001.

In 2003 the mall lost its Macy's anchor store, as it consolidated with Rich's (the store was the only Macy's that operated in the state of Alabama prior to the merger). The former Macy's location then sat empty while various department stores chains attempted to fill in the void. Then in 2004, the location was extensively renovated and reopened as a Proffitt's, by that time a part of Saks Inc.. One year later in 2005, the mall saw the Macy's name returning in full with the renaming of the former Rich's-Macy's back to Macy's on March 6, 2005. By March 8, 2006, the mall's Proffitt's store was converted to Belk's. Currently, the former McRae's location sits empty with rumors that perhaps Dillards may purchase the location and enter the Birmingham market. (Currently, Dillards and Macy's in Alabama have an unofficial non-compete pact, which is why Birmingham has Macy's and no Dillards locations, and the reverse is true in the rest of the state.)

A full-size, authentic 19th Century Dentzel Carousel is located in the food court in the central atrium. In the past, the carousel was dismantled for part of the year, with foilage and a fountain in its place, and reassembled for the holiday season. Currently, the carousel has remained in place for several years. Occasionally, the traditional carousel animals are replaced with reindeer for the holiday season as well.

The Galleria Today

Currently, the Galleria has 200 stores and restaurants (and is anchored by 5 major department stores. There was also a 10-screen Regal Cinemas movie theater known as the Galleria 10 nearby, but it was closed in 2006. There are two parking decks located on the property (attached to Belk and various mall entrances) of The Galleria, giving the center over 10,000 total parking spaces.

In late 2003, Jim Wilson & Associates entered an agreement to allow General Growth Properties to manage the leasing and operation of the Galleria and the Mall of Louisiana, while they retain ownership over the two properties.

Stores

Anchors

• Belk (opened as Macy's in 1987. Became Proffitt's in 2004. Store purchased by Belk, Inc. in 2005 and converted to Belk's in 2006)
• J.C. Penney (opened 1986)
• Macy's (opened as Rich's 1986, became Rich's-Macy's in 2003; renamed Macy's in 2005)
• McRae's (opened as Pizitz in 1986, McRae's acquired and renamed Pizitz in 1987, the store closed in 2005)
• Parisian (opened 1986)
• Sears (opened 1996 as part of mall expansion)

Others

• Sephora (1st in Alabama, opened 2006)

Freestanding

• Just For Feet (first, opened 1988)

Trivia

• The Riverchase Galleria is home to the world's longest skylight at some 200 feet.
• Taylor Hicks, the 2006 winner of American Idol, worked at the Riverchase Galleria, where he dressed as an Easter Bunny.
• An easily overlooked monument is on the second level in front of the escalator. A floor tile is engraved with an inscription identifying it as the final tile installed in the mall's 2001 renovation.
• The Galleria is serviced by Exit 13B "Galleria Boulevard" from Interstate 459. The Patton Creek Shopping Center, built adjacent to the Galleria in 2003 is also serviced by this interchange.

References

• "Riverchase Galleria." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 July 2006, 13:07 UTC [1]. Accessed 18 July 2006.
• Williams, Roy L. (March 3, 2009) "Space & Rocket Center tops list of state attractions, tourism agency says." Birmingham News

External links

• Riverchase Galleria website
• Riverchase Galleria leasing info at generalgrowth.com