Rowan Mall Explained

Rowan Mall
Location:Salisbury, North Carolina, United States
Coordinates:35.6543°N -80.4602°W
Opening Date:October 25, 1967
Closing Date:1995
Developer:Rowan Mall Shopping Center Inc.
Number Of Anchors:3 (2 Junior Anchors)
Floor Area:108000square feet
Floors:1

Rowan Mall was a shopping mall located in Rowan County, North Carolina. It was anchored by Roses.

History

1960's

Rowan Mall opened its doors by a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 25, 1967.[1] It opened with 11 stores, being primarily anchored by Roses, with junior anchors Winn Dixie and Eckerd Drug.[2] The Roses at the mall was roughly 60,000 square feet, the Eckerd Drug was 10,100 square feet, and the Winn Dixie was 13,300 square feet.[3] Construction costs for the mall project were $1.5 million dollars. The mall was located at the intersection of i85 and E. Innes Street, right across the street from Towne Mall.[4] Mall developer Rowan Mall Shopping Center Inc. was based out of Columbia, South Carolina.[5]

Management duties for the mall were transferred in June of 1969 to Headen Realty Co., who specialized in apartment management. This would be their first venture into commercial retail environments.[6]

1970's

The mall would sell to a group of 5 Businessmen from Greensboro, Raleigh and Burlington, North Carolina in June of 1976. The 108,000 square foot mall was purchased for a price of more than $1.7 million dollars, and had 10 tenants at the time of the sale.[7] [8] [9]

1980's

In March 1981, Roses would undergo a small renovation that involved the addition of a garden center on the outside, and the reconfiguring of the interior layout of the store.[10]

In December 1981, the mall would sell to I. R. E Real Estate Fund Ltd., based out of Florida, for an estimated $2.2 million dollars.[11]

On November 19, 1985, the then famous Budweiser Clydesdales made a display at the Rowan Mall. They were on display from 1pm to 5pm.[12]

On January 25, 1989, Winn-Dixie at Rowan Mall would close.[13]

1990's

On March 29, 1994, 2 men and 1 female entered a gun shop located inside of the mall. One of the men while the owner was opening a cabinet, smashed a glass display with his own firearm. The other man pulled out a .308 pistol and shot the shop keeper, and all 3 ran off. Nothing was actually stolen, and the shopkeeper ended up receiving medical treatment at Rowan Memorial Hospital.[14]

The final blow to the mall would come when Roses announced it would close its Rowan Mall store as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Liquidation started in January 1994 and would conclude in roughly 2 to 3 months.[15]

The mall would soon after close, and by April of 1996, it was being demolished for the Innes Street Market, a 400,000 square foot power center.[16]

Notes and References

  1. News: Rowan Mall Shopping Center Opens Today . The Charlotte Observer. October 25, 1967. 1. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  2. News: Rowan Mall Shopping Center Opens Today . The Charlotte Observer. October 25, 1967. 1. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  3. News: S.C Firm Wins Rowan Contract. The Sentinel. March 13, 1967. 11. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  4. News: Rowan Mall Shopping Center Opens Today . The Charlotte Observer. October 25, 1967. 1. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  5. News: Construction Under Way On Salisbury Shopping Center. The Charlotte News. March 22, 1967. 1. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  6. News: Headen Realty To Expand, Manage Commercial Property Center. The Charlotte Observer. June 8, 1969. 60. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  7. News: Group Buys Rowan Mall. The Robesonian. June 14, 1976. 26. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  8. News: Greensboro businessmen join in purchase of mall. The Greensboro Record. June 7, 1976. 22. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  9. News: Group Buys Mall. News and Record. June 10, 1976. 31. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  10. News: Roses completes big remodeling project . . March 18, 1981 . 16 . . April 11, 2024.
  11. News: Rowan Mall sold for $2.2 million . . December 31, 1981 . 1 . . April 11, 2024.
  12. News: Famous Clydesdales Coming To Salisbury . Statesville Record and Landmark. November 17, 1985. 50. Newspapers.com. October 6, 2023.
  13. News: Winn-Dixie closing store in Rowan Mall . The Salisbury Post. January 10, 1989. 1. Newspapers.com. April 11, 2024.
  14. News: 3 sought in shooting at Rowan gun shop. The Charlotte Observer. March 31, 1994. 26. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  15. News: Rose's to close stores in Hickory, Salisbury . The Charlotte Observer. November 5, 1993. 47. Newspapers.com. September 25, 2023.
  16. News: Rowan Mall bites the dust . The Salisbury Post. April 11, 1996. 19. Newspapers.com. April 11, 2024.