Westfield Eastridge
Encyclopedia
Westfield Shoppingtown Eastridge, known colloquially as Westfield Eastridge, is a regional shopping mall
located in Gastonia
, North Carolina
, and is 19 miles west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina
. Opened in 1976 as Eastridge Mall, it is located off Interstate 85
at exit 20, N. New Hope Road, and the mall houses around 70 stores.
is an original anchor tenant of this mall. While the other anchor stores relocated during the late-1990s renovations, Matthews Belk anchor remained in place but underwent extensive interior renovation.
department store. In May 1990, the entire Ivey's chain was acquired by Dillard's
which promptly rebranded the Eastridge store with the Dillard's name. A new 202000 sq ft (18,766.4 m²) Dillard's location was constructed on the former JCPenney site in 1998.
became the fourth anchor tenant of this mall when it moved into the space vacated by Dillard's in 1998.
Although the mall was renamed in April 2002, the exterior signs still said "Eastridge Mall" in February 2004. The last trace of the mall's original name was finally erased in August 2004 when a large "Eastridge Mall" pole sign along Interstate 85 was removed.
. The theater was closed on January 8, 1998, and a nearby Radio Shack
relocated, to make way for construction of a new food court as part of the mall's late-1990s renovation. In August 2004, the mall added an 800 sq ft (74.3 m²) Family Lounge near the food court that includes private nursing stations, bottle warmers, a microwave oven, a large-screen TV, and leather seating.
, in 2007.
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 in Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and is 19 miles west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. Opened in 1976 as Eastridge Mall, it is located off Interstate 85
Interstate 85 in North Carolina
In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 85 scales the state for from the South Carolina border to the Virginia border. As the second-longest interstate in the state , it provides an important link between the cities of Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, Greensboro, Richmond, Virginia and...
at exit 20, N. New Hope Road, and the mall houses around 70 stores.
Matthews Belk
Matthews BelkBelk
Belk is a department store chain founded in 1888 in Monroe, North Carolina, today part of the Charlotte metropolitan area. After the founding of the first Belk store, the company grew in size and influence throughout the South via the chain in the USA, with its stores primarily located in the...
is an original anchor tenant of this mall. While the other anchor stores relocated during the late-1990s renovations, Matthews Belk anchor remained in place but underwent extensive interior renovation.
JCPenney
JCPenney is an original anchor tenant of this mall, although the store is no longer in its original location. In 1997, a new 104000 sq ft (9,661.9 m²) JCPenney store was built on the northwest side of the mall and the old location was demolished.Dillard's
The third anchor store when the mall opened in 1976 was an Ivey'sIvey's
Ivey's , a former department store chain, was acquired by Dillard's, Inc. in 1990. Ivey's was based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was founded in 1900 by Joseph Benjamin Ivey.-History:...
department store. In May 1990, the entire Ivey's chain was acquired by Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
which promptly rebranded the Eastridge store with the Dillard's name. A new 202000 sq ft (18,766.4 m²) Dillard's location was constructed on the former JCPenney site in 1998.
Sears
SearsSears, 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...
became the fourth anchor tenant of this mall when it moved into the space vacated by Dillard's in 1998.
Ownership
Eastridge Mall was developed in 1976 by Carlson Properties on the site of the former Rhyne Dairy Farm. In January 1989, Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs Co. purchased Eastridge Mall from Carlson Real Estate Co. of Minneapolis for an undisclosed sum. Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs had managed Eastridge Mall since 1984. In August 1999, the Richard E. Jacobs Group Inc. announced that it was putting Eastridge Mall — and nearly 40 other malls — up for sale. In April 2002, Sydney, Australia-based Westfield America Trust bought Eastridge Mall and eight other shopping centers across the United States from the Richard E. Jacobs Group for a combined purchase price of US$756 million. This latest purchase triggered a name change from Eastridge Mall to Westfield Shoppingtown Eastridge on April 26, 2002.Renovation
The mall's first significant renovation since opening in 1976 began with expansion that started in April 1996. A new JCPenney location was built, the old building demolished and replaced by a new location for Dillard's, and Sears moved into the old Dillard's location. To make room for some of the new construction while maintaining the same number of parking spaces, and with the approval of the Gastonia City Council, the mall reduced the width of the most distant 20 percent of the mall's parking slots from 9 feet (2.7 m) to 8 in 6 in (2.59 m). The mall's interior was updated, new exterior mall entrances were built, floors and fixtures were replaced, and a relocated food court was opened. While work on the new anchor locations would continue into 1999, principal renovation of the mall interior was completed in November 1998.Although the mall was renamed in April 2002, the exterior signs still said "Eastridge Mall" in February 2004. The last trace of the mall's original name was finally erased in August 2004 when a large "Eastridge Mall" pole sign along Interstate 85 was removed.
Eastridge IV Cinemas
This four-screen movie theater, located on the second level of the mall since it opened in 1976, was last owned by Carmike CinemasCarmike Cinemas
Carmike Cinemas Inc. is a motion picture exhibitor headquartered in Columbus, Georgia in the United States of America. As of December 31, 2010 it operates or has an interest in 239 theaters with 2,236 screens in 35 states, making it the fourth largest theatre company in the United States.Carmike...
. The theater was closed on January 8, 1998, and a nearby Radio Shack
Radio shack
Radio shack is a slang term for a room or structure for housing radio equipment.-History:In the early days of radio, equipment was experimental and home-built. The first radio transmitters used a noisy spark to generate radio waves and were often housed in a garage or shed. When radio was first...
relocated, to make way for construction of a new food court as part of the mall's late-1990s renovation. In August 2004, the mall added an 800 sq ft (74.3 m²) Family Lounge near the food court that includes private nursing stations, bottle warmers, a microwave oven, a large-screen TV, and leather seating.
Jeepers!
The mall's third floor, vacant since the food court was relocated to a new space on the second floor in November 1998, reopened in December 2004 with 80% of the floor space occupied by a "Jeepers!" theme park restaurant. This 28000 sq ft (2,601.3 m²) tenant, featuring games, a playground, a diner, party rooms and amusement rides, held its grand opening on January 14–17, 2005. Jeepers! also featured a steel sitdown roller coaster known as Python Pit. Because of the low ceilings and other space considerations, this roller coaster had a maximum height requirement of 63 inches (1.6 m). This Jeepers! location closed in early 2006. The roller coaster was relocated to Go-Karts Plus in Williamsburg, VirginiaWilliamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, in 2007.