CROSSROADS MALL
Williamson Road Northwest / US 11 and Hershberger Road Northwest
Roanoke County (Roanoke City), Virginia
The first interior mall in The Old Dominion was also the first major shopping complex developed by Salem, Virginia's Double T Corporation. This was a joint venture of Thomas "T.D." Steele and T.A. Carter, Junior. Their double-decked mall was built on a 36-acre dairy farm, located 3 miles north of center city Roanoke, in an unincorporated section of Roanoke County.
T.A. Carter, Junior designed the structure. During its early development, the prospective retail center had gone by several names. SKYWAY SHOPPING CENTER morphed into the CROSSROADS SHOPPING CENTER which eventually became CROSSROADS MALL. Construction commenced in May 1960, with the complex being dedicated on July 27, 1961. Charlotte Ann Thomas, "Miss Virginia 1961," cut a ceremonial ribbon. 10,000 people visited the mall on opening day.
In its original state, CROSSROADS MALL encompassed approximately 310,000 leasable square feet and contained twenty-eight stores and services. Its shopping concourse, or Tropical Garden, was 65 feet wide, 260 feet long and 25 feet high. This area was accented by trees, plants, fountains, reflecting pools and seating areas and was used for concerts, trade shows and sock hops.
The mall was anchored by a 1-level (33,700 square foot), Henderson, North Carolina-based Roses 5-10 & 25 Cent store and 2-level (50,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. Charter tenants included Fink's Jewelers, Smartwear Irving-Saks, Hoffmeir's, Lazarus ladies' wear, Cato Ladies' Fashions, Sidney's ladies' wear, Peoples Drug and Kroger and Winn-Dixie supermarkets.
An expansion was completed in the mid-1960s. A 1-level (103,000 square foot) Woolco discount mart opened for business on September 28, 1966. At the same time, the existing J.C. Penney was enlarged. The (88,000 square foot) "New Generation" store included a freestanding Penneys Auto Center. With these modifications, the complex covered approximately 565,000 leasable square feet.
The Dominion Theatres Terrace Theatre was built as a northeastern outparcel. The single-screen "UltraVision" venue showed a first feature on May 4, 1967. Over the years, the movie house would be operated by Dominion Theatres, Plitt Theatres, Cineplex Odeon, Neighborhood Entertainment, Incorporated, USA Cinemas and James Duffy.
An expansion was completed in the mid-1960s. A 1-level (103,000 square foot) Woolco discount mart opened for business on September 28, 1966. At the same time, the existing J.C. Penney was enlarged. The (88,000 square foot) "New Generation" store included a freestanding Penneys Auto Center. With these modifications, the complex covered approximately 565,000 leasable square feet.
The Dominion Theatres Terrace Theatre was built as a northeastern outparcel. The single-screen "UltraVision" venue showed a first feature on May 4, 1967. Over the years, the movie house would be operated by Dominion Theatres, Plitt Theatres, Cineplex Odeon, Neighborhood Entertainment, Incorporated, USA Cinemas and James Duffy.
On August 26, 1974, a SupeRx Drugs and (54,000 square foot) Kroger supermarket opened in a freestanding building on the west end of the site. The in-mall Kroger was shuttered and divided into inline store spaces. Up to this time, the mall had been in unincorporated Roanoke County. It was annexed into the "independent city" of Roanoke in 1976.
The first regional-class competitor of CROSSROADS MALL opened in March 1973. TANGLEWOOD MALL {5.9 miles south, in Roanoke County} was also developed by the Double T organization. A more formidable rival was dedicated in July 1985. VALLEY VIEW MALL {.7 mile southwest, in Roanoke City} enveloped 886,000 leasable square feet and immediately snatched five CROSSROADS tenants.
Zane May Interests, of Dallas, Texas, acquired the mall in March 1988. They signed Myrtle Beach-based Waccamaw Pottery, who assumed 70,000 square feet previously occupied by Winn-Dixie, Peoples Drug and thirteen inline stores. Waccamaw welcomed first shoppers on August 17, 1989.
As a keeping up measure, CROSSROADS was given a 2 million dollar face lift. A "futuristic space frame" network was suspended over the Center Court (Tropical Garden) and new flooring installed throughout. In September 1985, the complex was converted to a "discount pricing" format and renamed CROSSROADS CONSUMER MALL.
Woolco had been shuttered in March 1983. Kmart set up shop in an 87,400 square foot section and opened on July 21, 1983. The remaining 15,500 square feet became a Food Court in June 1986. J.C. Penney shut down in July 1985. A (71,000 square foot) section was rebuilt as a 2-level Circuit City Superstore, which opened for business on November 26, 1986.
Zane May Interests, of Dallas, Texas, acquired the mall in March 1988. They signed Myrtle Beach-based Waccamaw Pottery, who assumed 70,000 square feet previously occupied by Winn-Dixie, Peoples Drug and thirteen inline stores. Waccamaw welcomed first shoppers on August 17, 1989.
Alas, the shopping hub's discount reinvention was not successful. In October 1989, its original name -CROSSROADS MALL- was reinstated. In April 1991, Zane May Interests defaulted on their mall loan. The complex was deeded back to the lender.
Johnstown, Pennsylvania's George D. Zamias Company acquired the property in October 1991 and began to retenant it with big box stores. Larger tenants were given exterior entrances. Knoxville-based Goody's Family Clothing opened a (23,300 square foot) unit on August 6, 1993. Jo-Ann Fabrics assumed the old Roses space.
In May 2001, the Zamias Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They emerged from the proceedings in 2004. Meanwhile, Kroger had closed in June 1994 and was replaced by Birmingham-based Books-A-Million. Waccamaw was shuttered on June 29, 2001, with Circuit City shutting down in late 2004.
A subsidiary of the Southeast Real Estate Corporation, of Mobile, Alabama, acquired the struggling shopping hub. New office-type tenants filled vacant space. Advance Auto Parts leased the old Waccamaw store in August 2001 and reconfigured it as offices.
Another attempt at reinventing CROSSROADS MALL was announced in January 2006. 4 million dollars was spent separating retail area from offices. The 300,000 square foot office segment was renamed CROSSROADS CORPORATE BUSINESS CENTER. It was comprised mainly of a new corporate headquarters for Advance Auto Parts, who expanded into vacant Circuit City space and now occupied 102,500 square feet.
Ownership of CROSSROADS MALL and CORPORATE BUSINESS CENTER changed hands in March 2009. New York City's Crossroads Investors completed the conversion of the retail mall into an office complex. Jo-Ann Fabrics pulled up stakes in early 2011.
Ownership of CROSSROADS MALL and CORPORATE BUSINESS CENTER changed hands in March 2009. New York City's Crossroads Investors completed the conversion of the retail mall into an office complex. Jo-Ann Fabrics pulled up stakes in early 2011.
The entire lower level was now occupied by the Advance Auto Parts corporate headquarters. State of Virginia offices were leasing upper level space (the old Goody's store). Big Kmart was now the only retail tenant. The former shopping mall was now promoted as CROSSROADS CORPORATE BUSINESS PARK. Kmart, and the retail structure west of it, were known collectively as CROSSROADS CENTER.
In January 2015, it was announced that German discount grocer Aldi would open a (21,000 square foot) location in CROSSROADS CENTER. The store was dedicated in November 2015. Big Kmart went dark in March 2017. The building was demolished and replaced by a 1-level (100,000 square foot) BJ's Wholesale Club, whose dedication was held on November 3, 2018.
Sources:
The Roanoke Times
In January 2015, it was announced that German discount grocer Aldi would open a (21,000 square foot) location in CROSSROADS CENTER. The store was dedicated in November 2015. Big Kmart went dark in March 2017. The building was demolished and replaced by a 1-level (100,000 square foot) BJ's Wholesale Club, whose dedication was held on November 3, 2018.
Sources:
The Roanoke Times
The World News (Roanoke, Virginia)
The Salem Times-Register
The Salem Times-Register
The Covington Virginian
https://theroanoker.com
Virginia Record / Ninth Annual Virginia Architectural Arts Edition / November 1961
http://www.mallmemories.com / Doug Force
http://stevenswain.blogspot.com / Steven Swain
https://www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.roanoke.com
Roanoke County, Virginia property tax assessor website
http://www.mallmemories.com / Doug Force
http://stevenswain.blogspot.com / Steven Swain
https://www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.roanoke.com
Roanoke County, Virginia property tax assessor website
