Chapel Hill Mall
Encyclopedia
Chapel Hill Mall is a one-story, 860000 sq ft (79,896.6 m²) enclosed mall located at 2000 Brittain Road in Akron, Ohio
. Built by Richard (R.B.) Buchholzer and Forest City Enterprises
, it opened on October 12, 1967. They continued to own the mall until 2004, when it was sold to the Chattanooga, Tennessee
company CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
. The mall features more than 100 stores, with three anchor store
s in JCPenney, Sears and Macy's
.
Chapel Hill Mall sits on land once owned by Richard Buchholzer's father, J.J. Buchholzer. During the Great Depression, J.J. Buchholzer became owner of a Hower's department store in downtown Akron. The Buchholzers knew Akron would grow to the north, and they felt that a Hower's store should be located on their land. It later became evident that even larger opportunities existed, and the natural choice was a climate-controlled shopping mall. Buchholzer teamed up with Forest City Enterprises to build Akron's first indoor mall. Plans were ready by 1963, but before the mall opened, Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation built Summit Mall
on the west side of Akron. Chapel Hill Mall was the first completely self-contained shopping mall, with its own water storage/distribution facility, gas-fired electricity generating plant, and central heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system . In the 1930s, young Richard Buchholzer found what appeared to be an old Indian council circle on his father's land. Because of this, Buchholzer named the development "Chapel Hill".
Chapel Hill Mall features three anchor store
s: Macy's
, JCPenney and Sears, which opened in 1966 before the mall proper. Macy's operates in an anchor that was originally occupied by local chain O'Neil's
until 1989, May Co. until 1993, and Kaufmann's
from 1993 to 2006. There used to be a multi-screen cinema at the mall as well. It opened in October 1966 as a two-screen theater, and eventually expanded to five screens. In 1987, General Cinemas (owner of the mall's cinema) opened an 8-screen multiplex just west of the mall, and in October 1996, Regal Cinemas
opened their 10-screen theater immediately south of the mall. Less than two weeks later, the General Cinemas at the mall closed, and Old Navy
took over the former theater. Woolworth
also operated a store at the mall until 1997. It was later occupied by The Gap which has since closed as well. Steve & Barry's
also operated a junior anchor until late 2008.
. The carousel displays images of Akron-area landmarks and icons. These include the Stan Hywet estate, Blossom Music Center
, Derby Downs
, a Goodyear Blimp
, Firestone Country Club
, and the Ohio and Erie Canal
.
store came up numerous times in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A plan was considered in 1988 by part-owner Forest City Enterprises
. It included a 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) addition for an additional department store. Expansion was again mentioned in 1989. A front-page story on the January 31, 1990 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal
read "Higbee's Coming to Chapel Hill Mall". The store, along with a food court and additional retail space, would be open by Fall 1991, it said.
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
. Built by Richard (R.B.) Buchholzer and Forest City Enterprises
Forest City Enterprises
Forest City Enterprises is a $9-billion diversified real estate management and development company based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Its portfolio includes interests in retail centers, apartment communities, office buildings and mixed-use projects in the U.S...
, it opened on October 12, 1967. They continued to own the mall until 2004, when it was sold to the Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
company CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., , is a real estate investment trust based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. The fourth largest shopping mall REIT in the United States, it owns, holds interests in or manages 130 properties including 79 market-dominant enclosed malls...
. The mall features more than 100 stores, with three anchor store
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
s in JCPenney, Sears and Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
.
Background
Summit Mall (Akron, Ohio)
Summit Mall is a one-story, enclosed mall located at 3265 W. Market Street in the Akron suburb of Fairlawn. While its mailing address is Akron, the mall is located in Fairlawn ....
on the west side of Akron. Chapel Hill Mall was the first completely self-contained shopping mall, with its own water storage/distribution facility, gas-fired electricity generating plant, and central heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system . In the 1930s, young Richard Buchholzer found what appeared to be an old Indian council circle on his father's land. Because of this, Buchholzer named the development "Chapel Hill".
Major tenants
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
s: Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, JCPenney and Sears, which opened in 1966 before the mall proper. Macy's operates in an anchor that was originally occupied by local chain O'Neil's
O'Neil's
O'Neil's was a regional department store chain based in Akron, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1877, the store grew to several locations throughout northeastern Ohio. Owned by May Department Stores, in 1989 it was merged with May's Ohio division, May Company Ohio, which was subsequently merged into...
until 1989, May Co. until 1993, and Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last...
from 1993 to 2006. There used to be a multi-screen cinema at the mall as well. It opened in October 1966 as a two-screen theater, and eventually expanded to five screens. In 1987, General Cinemas (owner of the mall's cinema) opened an 8-screen multiplex just west of the mall, and in October 1996, Regal Cinemas
Regal Entertainment Group
Regal Entertainment Group also known as REG is a movie theater chain headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Regal operates the largest and most geographically diverse theater circuit in the United States, consisting of 6,775 screens in 548 locations in 39 states and the District of Columbia as of...
opened their 10-screen theater immediately south of the mall. Less than two weeks later, the General Cinemas at the mall closed, and Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
took over the former theater. Woolworth
F. W. Woolworth Company
The F. W. Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. The first successful Woolworth store was opened on July 18, 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store"...
also operated a store at the mall until 1997. It was later occupied by The Gap which has since closed as well. Steve & Barry's
Steve & Barry's
Steve & Barry's was an American retail clothing chain, featuring casual apparel. By mid-2008, the chain operated 276 stores in 39 states. The company was headquartered in Port Washington, New York. The company liquidated all of its stores throughout 2008....
also operated a junior anchor until late 2008.
Layout
The mall follows a basic, horizontal plan. The main concouse has Sears at one end and Macy's at the other. At the very center of this concourse is the fountain. JC Penney is located here. Across the fountain from JC Penney is a corridor leading to the food court, added in the 1990s. The food court is home to a carouselCarousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
. The carousel displays images of Akron-area landmarks and icons. These include the Stan Hywet estate, Blossom Music Center
Blossom Music Center
Blossom Music Center is an amphitheatre located in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The pavilion seats 5,700 people, with space for about 13,500 more on the lawn. It is the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra, which performs its annual Blossom Festival there. The venue is also host to a full summer...
, Derby Downs
Derby Downs
Derby Downs, in Akron, Ohio, has been the home track of the All American Soap Box Derby since it was built as a Works Progress Administration project in the late 1930s...
, a Goodyear Blimp
Goodyear Blimp
The Goodyear Blimp is the collective name for a fleet of blimps operated by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for advertising purposes and for use as a television camera platform for aerial views of sporting events...
, Firestone Country Club
Firestone Country Club
The Firestone Country Club is a private golf club located in Akron, Ohio, United States.The Club comprises three courses—those of the North, South, and West—each of which hosted a televised golf event, respectively the American Golf Classic, the CBS Golf Classic and the World Series of Golf, in...
, and the Ohio and Erie Canal
Ohio and Erie Canal
The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
.
Earlier expansion plans
Expansion plans to include a Higbee'sHigbee's
Higbee's was a department store founded 1860 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1992, Higbee's stores were re-branded as part of Dillard's.-History:Higbee's was founded by Edwin Converse Higbee and John G. Hower on September 10, 1860 as Higbee & Hower Dry Goods. The first day of business saw $100 in sales. ...
store came up numerous times in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A plan was considered in 1988 by part-owner Forest City Enterprises
Forest City Enterprises
Forest City Enterprises is a $9-billion diversified real estate management and development company based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Its portfolio includes interests in retail centers, apartment communities, office buildings and mixed-use projects in the U.S...
. It included a 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) addition for an additional department store. Expansion was again mentioned in 1989. A front-page story on the January 31, 1990 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal
Akron Beacon Journal
The Akron Beacon Journal is a four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning morning newspaper in Akron, Ohio, United States, and published by Black Press Ltd.. It is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. The paper places a strong emphasis on local news and business...
read "Higbee's Coming to Chapel Hill Mall". The store, along with a food court and additional retail space, would be open by Fall 1991, it said.
1994 expansion
In 1994, the mall's owners added the food court and retail expansion that exists today. New flooring and ceiling tiles, a new fountain, and new lighting were also added.Other malls in Akron area
- Rolling Acres ComplexRolling AcresRolling Acres is a shopping district in Akron, Ohio. Planning for the area began in 1960s with Forest City Enterprises, a Cleveland real estate company and the powerful Buchholzer family, whose previous endeavors involved financing much of the Chapel Hill Mall area. Despite warnings by civic...
- Summit MallSummit Mall (Akron, Ohio)Summit Mall is a one-story, enclosed mall located at 3265 W. Market Street in the Akron suburb of Fairlawn. While its mailing address is Akron, the mall is located in Fairlawn ....