Today marks the 30th anniversary of the grand opening of SouthPark Mall (then SouthPark Center) back in 1996. The mall has changed a lot over that time and has gone through multiple eras. From SouthPark Center to Westfield SouthPark to SouthPark Mall. From the Jacob’s Group to Westfield to Starwood to Spinoso. When I visit SouthPark, I can tell it was designed with an intention to stand out among others. The architectural design from the heights of the impressive entrance vaults, grand barrel vault skylights & domes to the attention to detail in the ground tile patterns (more so of the original in this case) never get old for me and I hope they continue to inspire for years to come. SouthPark played a role in my desire to pursue a career in the world of architecture.
This is the mall I grew up with and it’s fascinating to think about the strength of presence it’s had on me. My early memories include the Westfield years with the Disney Store and the dining court with the glass facade. Not long after, the 2006 facelift took place. I remember experiencing the mall amidst the renovations and how exciting that was.
There’s so many memories in general. I remember a Charlotte’s Web experience with the Christmas setup one year. The clock tower used to be filled with references to “A Christmas Story” (before I understood any of that). I remember Caribou Coffee (although I was too little for coffee at the time), Firefly’s Minigolf, and Kids Concoctions. Helping with setup for Christmas decorations multiple years in high school. The grand opening of Mitchell’s Ice Cream. I also have a vague memory of the existence of Johnny Rockets.
So many memories and so much has changed over 30 years that has not always been kind to SouthPark. There have definitely been challenges but I’m optimistic that SouthPark’s highs can still be stronger than its lows. Even with the addition of newer centers like Crocker Park and Pinecrest, SouthPark continues to perform. Ownership changes through the years have shown (in my view) different levels of effort towards SouthPark. I’ll long miss the Westfield era and, although there have been positive impacts, I’m still skeptical of the Spinoso era. I hope they genuinely have the best interests of SouthPark in mind and are willing to do whatever it needs to continue perform in the long term. (A Westfield level full interior renovation would be nice for one. Replacing the faulty escalators for two.)