Cherryvale Mall (originally The Mall at Cherryvale) is a shopping mall in Rockford, Illinois, along its border with Cherry Valley. Located at the intersection of US 20, Interstate 39, and Interstate 90, the two-story mall is the largest shopping mall in northern Illinois outside of suburban Chicago.
Along with being the largest mall in the region, Cherryvale is notable for being the first mall in Rockford designed as a fully enclosed shopping center along with the opening of the first Marshall Field's department store in Illinois outside of the Chicago region. Developed by the Richard E. Jacobs Group, the mall is currently owned by CBL & Associates Properties, who acquired it in 2001.
Video Cherryvale Mall
History
The Mall at Cherryvale opened in the fall of 1973 with a two-story Sears (opened September 26) and a 3-story Marshall Field's (opened October 1; one of the first stores outside the Chicago metropolitan area). Alongside Sears and Marshall Field's, the mall opened with 23 additional stores, including Lane Bryant, Kroch's & Brentano's Booksellers, Casual Corner, Chess King and Disc Records. Within a year of its opening, H.C. Prange opened as its third anchor store, with a Prange Way discount store.
Located nearly 6 miles from the city center of Rockford, the 233-acre mall was located at the intersection of the US 20 bypass and the Northwest Tollway (Interstate 90); although not located near housing, the mall also intersected several major surface streets, connecting it to the eastern half of Rockford. Although not the first enclosed mall in the Rockford region (North Towne and Colonial Village were constructed in 1956 and 1962, respectively), Cherryvale was the first designed to be fully enclosed.
In 1975, the mall opened the first of two theater complexes, with a free-standing 3-screen complex northeast of the mall (next to the Sears parking lot). In 1983, a four-screen theater opened in the lower floor of the mall between Prange's and Prange Way.
By the beginning of the 1980s, the mall officially took on the shorter name "Cherryvale Mall". Following the growth of the mall, several businesses had begun to use the outlots surrounding the mall, including an automobile dealership, gas station, bank, jewelry shop, bowling alley, toy store, and water park.
In 1989, following the closure of the Prange Way sub-anchor store, the entire mall underwent its first major renovation. The Prange Way space on the lower floor was converted into a food court, with the addition of a main entrance on the north side of the upper floor. From 1992 to 1996, the mall would change one of its anchors, twice. In 1992, HC Prange was acquired by Iowa-based Younkers, remaining a department store; at the end of 1996, following its acquisition, Younkers closed its Cherryvale store (replaced by a Bergner's, eventually closing both its other Rockford locations)
After years of struggling against much larger multiplexes in the region, the mall would close both of its movie theaters, with the freestanding movie theater closed in 1999; the lower-level movie theater was closed in 2000. The lower-level movie theater was remodeled into retail space shortly after its closure, although the freestanding movie theater would remain vacant for nearly 15 years, before becoming remodeled.
In 2001, the mall was acquired by its current owners, CBL & Associates Properties. Shortly after the acquisition of the mall, Rockford and Cherry Valley underwent a street expansion project around the mall, connecting two major streets together. Shortly after, additional commercial development began, including a grocery store, several restaurants, and convenience store.
As the new owners, during 2004, CBL gave Cherryvale Mall its second major renovation, including the most extensive changes to its exterior since 1973. To increase space in the center court of the mall, the two inclined moving walkways were removed in favor of a glass elevator. At the expense of removing the main entrance, CBL added J.C. Penney as a fourth anchor store on the top floor, expanding retail space to 806,900 square feet.
In September 2006, the Marshall Field's location at the mall was rebranded as a Macy's (as part of the former company's acquisition by the latter).
In 2007, CBL began expansion of a "lifestyle" component, intended to attract middle to upper-class shoppers. Featuring a Barnes & Noble as an anchor (replacing the long-defunct Kroch's and Brentano's as the largest bookstore in the mall), the 75,000 square foot addition was built in the parking lot sandwiched between Bergner's and Macy's. In addition to the bookstore, the addition featured Coldwater Creek, Jos. A. Bank, Chico's, Talbots, Lane Bryant (in a move), and the restaurant Granite City Food & Brewery.
In 2015, the mall became part of the Tesla Supercharger network, adding 6 Superchargers to a lower-level parking lot.
Maps Cherryvale Mall
Stores
As of 2018, Cherryvale Mall has 140 stores on 850,253 square feet.
Anchors
- Sears (1973-present)
- operates Sears Auto Center outside mall
- Marshall Field's (1973-2006; replaced by Macy's)
- first Marshall Field's outside of metropolitan Chicago
- HC Prange (1974-1992, becoming Younkers for 1992-1996 and Bergner's, 1996-present)
- Prange Way operated from 1974-1989
- J.C. Penney (2004-present)
References
External links
- Official site
Source of article : Wikipedia
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