West Market Street and Ghent Road
Fairlawn Village (Fairlawn), Ohio
The first mall-type shopping center in Greater Akron was developed by Youngstown's Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation. AKRON SQUARE PLAZA, a single-level, open-air complex, opened in August 1962. Mr. DeBartolo went on to conceive and construct Greater Akron's first fully-enclosed shopping complex.
SUMMIT MALL was built on a 62-acre parcel, located 6 miles northwest of the center city. The site was within the hamlet of Fairlawn Village, which became a city with the 1970 census. DeBartolo had announced plans for SUMMIT MALL in 1963. At the time, he promoted the mall-to-be as "the finest, most unique shopping development in the nation."
Ground was broken in June 1964. A 2-level (111,400 square foot), Cleveland-based Halle's ["Hal-eez"] became its first operational store on October 13, 1965. The 15 million dollar facility was dedicated on October 28, 1965, with an initial twenty-eight stores. The grand opening was attended by Mr. DeBartolo and Joseph Poticny, Mayor of Fairlawn Village. Entertainment was provided by the Copley High School Band and Majorettes.
In its original state, SUMMIT MALL encompassed over 650,000 leasable square feet. A 2-level (130,600 square foot), Akron-based O'Neil's and 2-level (125,700 square foot), Akron-based Polsky's were officially dedicated, along with the mall, on October 28th.
When fully-leased, SUMMIT MALL housed fifty-seven stores and services. These included Goodyear Tire & Appliance, Bond Clothes, Lerner Shops, Franklin Simon ladies' wear, Waldenbooks, Disc Records, Peoples Drug, Diamond's Men's & Boy's Store and a Stouffer's restaurant.
Junior anchors were an (18,100 square foot) Kroger supermarket, (16,500 square foot) Acme Markets and 2-level (60,900 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10. The RKO-Stanley-Warner Summit Mall Theatre presented its first feature on October 27, 1965. The in-mall venue was twinned in the 1970s and shuttered in July 1989.
The second fully-enclosed retail hub in the region, CHAPEL HILL MALL {7.6 miles southeast, in Cuyahoga Falls}, was dedicated in 1967. The area's third enclosed center, ROLLING ACRES MALL {5.7 miles southeast, in Akron}, opened in 1975.
By the early 1980s, ROLLING ACRES had become the preeminent mall in Greater Akron, with SUMMIT seen as a smaller, out-of-date facility. It was soon in a downward spiral. Polsky's had shut down on December 23, 1978. The upper level re-opened, as a (66,000 square foot) Jewel Mart, on September 23, 1982. Halle's, one of the last operational stores in the chain, went dark on September 8, 1982.
A 3.1 million dollar SUMMIT MALL face lift had commenced in July 1982. Mallways were carpeted, new lighting installed and the exterior refurbished. A grand re-opening began on October 14, 1982. As part of the festivities, a Cleveland-based Higbee's (taking the place of a vacant Halle's) was inaugurated. Unfortunately, this renovation failed to lift the mall out of its doldrums.
Sections of old Polsky's lower level were reconfigured as a (15,000 square foot) Charlotte's West for Women dress shop, which opened in July 1988, and Rizzi's Ristorante & Jazz Lounge, launched in July 1990. The Jewel Mart above was shuttered in March 1991. The Woolworth 5 & 10, downsized some years before, closed for good in February 1993.
Ownership of SUMMIT MALL changed as a result of the 1996 merger of the DeBartolo Realty Corporation and Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. A comprehensive, 20 million dollar, renovation had begun in June 1995. This project added a 9-bay Food Court (in the vacant Woolworth space) and installed new ceilings and skylights. The mall's interior was redecorated as an "indoor garden setting".
New stores brought into the mall included Fougasse Cafe & Bakery, The Children's Place and Kopper Popper. The remodeled shopping hub was re-dedicated on November 1, 1996. This time around, its face lift renovation was an astounding success. SUMMIT MALL was reinstated as the premier shopping mall in Greater Akron. ROLLING ACRES started to decline and was eventually shuttered and demolished.
Dillard's had rebranded the SUMMIT MALL Higbee's in August 1992. A "double-header" was established on June 1, 1998. The Jewel Mart space, vacant for 7 years, was refashioned into a (62,800 square foot) Dillard's Men's & Home store. The original Dillard's location became a Women's & Children's store.
The Little Rock retailer embarked on a 50 million dollar renovation of its "double-header" stores at SUMMIT MALL in 2004. The two locations would swap places. Work on the 2-level (125,800 square foot) Dillard's North Women's Store (in the old Polsky's) was completed September 29, 2005. The (111,400 square foot) Dillard's South Men's, Children's & Home Store (in the old Halle's) was dedicated on April 5, 2006.
Meanwhile, O'Neil's had morphed into a Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio on January 27, 1989. On January 31, 1993, the store was rebranded as a Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's. As part of the conversion, the building was expanded to 195,700 square feet. Kaufmann's morphed into a Macy's on September 9, 2006.
A major renovation of the mall commenced in January 2007. 9,000 square feet were added, with the south facade reconfigured as an exterior-entranced Streetscape. New stores joined the tenant list, such as Bravo! Cucina Italiana, David's Bridal, Coldwater Creek and Ann Taylor Loft. The mall's Main Entrance was also rebuilt. This project was completed in November 2007.
Sources:
The Akron Beacon Journal
http://www.ohio.com / "Fifty Years Ago, Summit Mall Changed How We Shopped" / Mark J. Price
"At The Dawn of Summit Mall" / Fairlawn Historical Commission / Jim Kroeger
http://www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
http://www.cleveland.com
http://www.cinematreasures.org
"Summit Mall" article on Wikipedia
Junior anchors were an (18,100 square foot) Kroger supermarket, (16,500 square foot) Acme Markets and 2-level (60,900 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10. The RKO-Stanley-Warner Summit Mall Theatre presented its first feature on October 27, 1965. The in-mall venue was twinned in the 1970s and shuttered in July 1989.
The second fully-enclosed retail hub in the region, CHAPEL HILL MALL {7.6 miles southeast, in Cuyahoga Falls}, was dedicated in 1967. The area's third enclosed center, ROLLING ACRES MALL {5.7 miles southeast, in Akron}, opened in 1975.
By the early 1980s, ROLLING ACRES had become the preeminent mall in Greater Akron, with SUMMIT seen as a smaller, out-of-date facility. It was soon in a downward spiral. Polsky's had shut down on December 23, 1978. The upper level re-opened, as a (66,000 square foot) Jewel Mart, on September 23, 1982. Halle's, one of the last operational stores in the chain, went dark on September 8, 1982.
A 3.1 million dollar SUMMIT MALL face lift had commenced in July 1982. Mallways were carpeted, new lighting installed and the exterior refurbished. A grand re-opening began on October 14, 1982. As part of the festivities, a Cleveland-based Higbee's (taking the place of a vacant Halle's) was inaugurated. Unfortunately, this renovation failed to lift the mall out of its doldrums.
Sections of old Polsky's lower level were reconfigured as a (15,000 square foot) Charlotte's West for Women dress shop, which opened in July 1988, and Rizzi's Ristorante & Jazz Lounge, launched in July 1990. The Jewel Mart above was shuttered in March 1991. The Woolworth 5 & 10, downsized some years before, closed for good in February 1993.
Ownership of SUMMIT MALL changed as a result of the 1996 merger of the DeBartolo Realty Corporation and Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. A comprehensive, 20 million dollar, renovation had begun in June 1995. This project added a 9-bay Food Court (in the vacant Woolworth space) and installed new ceilings and skylights. The mall's interior was redecorated as an "indoor garden setting".
New stores brought into the mall included Fougasse Cafe & Bakery, The Children's Place and Kopper Popper. The remodeled shopping hub was re-dedicated on November 1, 1996. This time around, its face lift renovation was an astounding success. SUMMIT MALL was reinstated as the premier shopping mall in Greater Akron. ROLLING ACRES started to decline and was eventually shuttered and demolished.
Dillard's had rebranded the SUMMIT MALL Higbee's in August 1992. A "double-header" was established on June 1, 1998. The Jewel Mart space, vacant for 7 years, was refashioned into a (62,800 square foot) Dillard's Men's & Home store. The original Dillard's location became a Women's & Children's store.
The Little Rock retailer embarked on a 50 million dollar renovation of its "double-header" stores at SUMMIT MALL in 2004. The two locations would swap places. Work on the 2-level (125,800 square foot) Dillard's North Women's Store (in the old Polsky's) was completed September 29, 2005. The (111,400 square foot) Dillard's South Men's, Children's & Home Store (in the old Halle's) was dedicated on April 5, 2006.
Meanwhile, O'Neil's had morphed into a Cleveland-based May Company of Ohio on January 27, 1989. On January 31, 1993, the store was rebranded as a Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann's. As part of the conversion, the building was expanded to 195,700 square feet. Kaufmann's morphed into a Macy's on September 9, 2006.
A major renovation of the mall commenced in January 2007. 9,000 square feet were added, with the south facade reconfigured as an exterior-entranced Streetscape. New stores joined the tenant list, such as Bravo! Cucina Italiana, David's Bridal, Coldwater Creek and Ann Taylor Loft. The mall's Main Entrance was also rebuilt. This project was completed in November 2007.
Sources:
The Akron Beacon Journal
http://www.ohio.com / "Fifty Years Ago, Summit Mall Changed How We Shopped" / Mark J. Price
"At The Dawn of Summit Mall" / Fairlawn Historical Commission / Jim Kroeger
http://www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
http://www.cleveland.com
http://www.cinematreasures.org
"Summit Mall" article on Wikipedia
