Preview of the new mall: More than you imagine
Jonesboro Sun
3/28/2006
While many workers feverishly add the finishing touches to the interior of the MALL AT TURTLE CREEK, others are busy setting up for tonight's Grand Opening Gala. Inside the stores employees are stocking and pricing, going over instructions for customer service. It's a busy place, and it has been for weeks.
Many of you have shopped at Target or the new J.C. Penney store, and a few people have already experienced the new Dillard's, which has been operating on a limited basis since Saturday morning, so you have a sense of what a difference there is.
But Target and Penney have been more like standalone stores up to this point. The new mall is more than you can imagine.
The developers opened the mall to the media and some VIPs Monday afternoon. First we heard a lot of adjectives.
"This is the most anticipated event in the history of Jonesboro," said Henry P. Jones, president and chief executive officer of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce. "It's the beginning of the boom that I've talked about for years."
Other descriptions:
- a lifestyles center;
- a pedestrian street or promenade;
- a super regional mall;
- the No. 1 activity for conventioneers;
- a recruiting tool for business and industry;
- a recruiting tool for college students;
- a multiplier effect for the regional economy;
- a boost for local government and schools; and
- a good day for the entire region of Northeast Arkansas, southeastern Missouri and maybe even western Tennessee.
Then we were turned loose to walk around inside the mall and decide on our own adjectives.
My best description is that the interior of the mall has a metropolitan flavor. The developers intended for the mall to resemble a Main street, and it does. But it's not Jonesboro's old Main Street; it's not the least bit rural; and it's certainly not Indian Mall moved to Turtle Creek. It has a big-city flavor, very light and airy, very spacious.
Jonesboro has never had anything like this mall, and it will make Jonesboro a shopping destination for years to come while others try to catch up.
A lot of people will spend a lot of time there. The developers should have probably included a hotel. Some people will want to move in.
Don't be scared away from the Grand Opening, though. This place can accommodate quite a crowd, and it will be an event to remember.
Some stores won't be open this week, but many will be. You'll have plenty to do once the doors open Wednesday at 10 a.m., even while the work continues on other stores.
The mall's parking lot will accommodate 3,166 vehicles, less some spaces taken up by construction trailers, mostly on the back side of the mall. That means it would be helpful if people will car-pool for the first few days. Actually the parking lot looks much bigger than that, but who's counting.
One set of traffic lights in front of Dillard's isn't working yet. Those lights will be needed. We just thought Stadium Boulevard and Highland Drive were wide enough.
Most importantly for guys, the mall walk has quite a few benches and a few soft chairs that will occupy us while the ladies visit those stores. There is also a mini-playground for the kids near the Target entrance.
Walking the mall itself will be good exercise. The mall is a couple of long blocks, and the mall walk runs almost the full length, from the inside door of Target to the inside door of Dillard's. The mall "street" bends slightly along the way, and there are a few short side "streets" along the way. The windows overhead let in plenty of light. Our informal tour took place on an overcast day, and yet the combination of "street" lights and natural lights gave the mall walk an outside feel, without the chill of these March temperatures we've had of late.
Most of the stores that aren't ready yet are covered with paper murals.
Somebody was cooking at Shorty Small's, which is the mall's only full-service restaurant. It's on the front side near Dillard's, while the food court is in the center of the facility, on the back side and opposite the main entrance. From the looks of things, at least four food court vendors will be open for business Wednesday.
The food court has 426 seats.
The only downside of the tour was when the mall's fire alarm went off, either inadvertently or as part of a test. Believe me, no one will be able to sleep through a fire, even while occupying one of those soft chairs. The emergency fire lights also went on, but fortunately not the sprinkler system. It is comforting to know that the fire alarm works quite well.
The developers have done everything they said they'd do in building this mall. It's an impressive facility that Jonesboro can be proud of. Your family and friends will want to come here to shop -- so get the guest bedroom ready.
back to top