Alderwood Mall - History

History

Originally opened in 1979 after over ten years of delays by developer Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. on land originally owned by Allied Stores, Alderwood Mall's anchors included The Bon Marché, Lamonts, Nordstrom, JCPenney and Sears. The mall was later sold to the New York State Common Retirement Fund, which retained DeBartolo's management company to operate the center, and remained essentially unchanged except for the addition of a court and cosmetics renovations in 1995-1996. After briefly being managed by Simon Property Group following its acquisition of the DeBartolo mall interests in 1996, in 1997 General Growth Properties assumed management of the property. General Growth became co-owner of the mall following the formation of a joint venture with the New York pension fund in 1999.

Facing a major vacancy with the 2000 closure of Lamonts, General Growth used the opportunity to embark on a major renovation and expansion of Alderwood Mall in 2002. The old Lamonts store was purchased and razed for the construction of a new Nordstrom that opened in 2003. The former Nordstrom was leveled in its turn for the construction of The Village, an attached, open-air lifestyle area on the mall's northern side comprising new shops, restaurants and a Borders Books & Music. At the same time a second expansion, The Terraces, was constructed on the mall's southwest side incorporating an expanded food court, restaurants and anchored by a new 16-screen Loews Cineplex multiplex which opened in 2005. The expansion included two new parking garages, and the theater was constructed over subterranean parking. The 'mall' was dropped from the name at this time and became simply Alderwood.

The Bon Marché was briefly renamed Bon-Macy's in 2003, before assuming the Macy's name in 2005. The Loews company was merged with AMC Theatres and was branded with the AMC/Loews name in 2006.

In 2006, Daiso, a Japanese dollar-store, opened its first U.S. store in Alderwood next to Sears.

The mall is referenced in the 1985 song "Searchin' USA", by the Seattle indie rock band The Young Fresh Fellows ("Well I've been to the Alderwood Mall, and I must admit it's pretty doggone big!")

In February 2011, Borders announced it would close its unsuccessful Alderwood Mall location after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Clothing chain Forever 21 now occupies the Borders space.