Valley View Center

Infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Valley View Center


caption =
location = Dallas, Texas USA
opening_date = August 1973
developer = Homart Development Company
manager = The Macerich Company
owner = The Macerich Company
number_of_stores = 130+
number_of_anchors = 5
floor_area = convert|1635449|sqft|m2|0|abbr=oncite book |publisher=The Macerich Company |title=Macerich 2007 Annual Report |chapter=Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 |date=2008-02-27 |first=Arthur M. |last=Coppola |format=PDF |url=http://www.macerichannualreport.com/media/pdf/Macerich-2007-Form-10K.pdf]
floors = 3
website = [http://www.shopvalleyviewcenter.com/ ShopValleyViewCenter.com] |

Valley View Center is a super-regional shopping mall located at Interstate 635 and Montfort Road in north Dallas, Texas, USA. [cite news |first=Maria |last=Halkias |work=Dallas Morning News |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9013468_ITM |title=Some Older Malls Remain Significant Players on Dallas-Area Retail Landscape |date=2003-12-16] The mall is owned and managed by The Macerich Company.

The mall was developed in 1973 when Homart Development Company, the real estate development subsidiary of Sears, Roebuck & Co., [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Construction to begin on mall |date=1986-04-23 |first=Donna Steph |last=Hansard |page=] added a Sanger-Harris and several smaller stores to the existing Sears store that had been built in 1965. LaSalle Street Fund bought the mall in the early 1980s and oversaw continued expansion plus addition of a fourth anchor store. The Macerich Company, a Santa Monica, California-based shopping center operator, purchased Valley View Center in 1996 for a reported $85.5 million in cash and debt.cite news |date=1996-10-23 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |title=Investment trust buys Valley View Center mall |first=Kathryn |last=Hopper |page=1]

In August 1973, as part of the mall's grand opening celebration, the Thom McAn Shoe Store in Valley View Center offered a free 8-ounce steak with any purchase of $5 or more.cite news |work=Bucks County Courier Times |title=Store offers filet of sole |date=1973-08-03 |first=Edward A. |last=Fulton] The promotion drew local and national media attention.

Anchor tenants

ears

The convert|235055|sqft|m2|0 Sears, Roebuck and Company anchor actually pre-dates the mall itself having been built in 1965. [cite web |date=2004-09-27 |work=Sears Archives |url=http://www.searsarchives.com/stores/history_texas.htm |title=Store History - Texas: Dallas and Fort Worth |accessdate=2008-08-12] This Sears was built as a freestanding store on what was then the far northern fringe of Dallas and the location was largely surrounded by pasture land.cite news |work=Fashion Windows |title=Mannequins in Dallas: Valley View Center Mall |first=Tom |last=Massey |url=http://www.fashionwindows.com/mannequins/2000/0010.asp |date=January 2000] It would be another eight years before the Homart Development Company would add a Sanger-Harris department store to the site and connect it to Sears with a corridor of specialty retailers to create Valley View Mall.

Macy's (vacant)

The mall's second anchor (convert|300196|sqft|m2|0) opened in August 1973 as a Sanger-Harris department store as part of the original Valley View Center development.cite news |title=Macy's Valley View Center store among 9 to be closed |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/retail/stories/122907dnbusmacysclosings.5e451dc5.html |first=Maria |last=Halkias |work=The Dallas Morning News |date=2007-12-28] Sanger-Harris was merged with Foley's and renamed in 1987 [cite news |date=1987-07-19 |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Foley's signs spreading through local stores |first=Donna Steph |last=Hansard |quote=Workmen began replacing the Sanger Harris signs on the chain's Valley View Center store with Foley's this week.] then the combined company was sold to May Department Stores in 1988. The store was renamed Macy's in September 2006 as a result of Federated Department Stores' purchase of the May Company in 2005. This location closed on March 15, 2008 and is, as of August 2008, vacant. [cite news |first=Maria |last=Halkias |work=The Dallas Morning News |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/031608dnbusvalleyview.39b424f.html |date=2008-03-16 |title=Valley View Center mall has shot at renewal after Macy's closing]

Dillard's (closed)

Dillard's department store, the mall's third anchor (convert|302268|sqft|m2|0), was opened in 1979 as a two-level store accompanied by further expansion of the mall's interior.cite news |work=Fashion Windows |title=Mannequins in Dallas: Valley View Center Mall II |url=http://www.fashionwindows.com/mannequins/2000/0009.asp |first=Tom |last=Massey |date=January 2000] In October 1985, Dillard's added a third floor to its Valley View Center store.cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Hallmark closing up 'creative outpost' in Dallas |date=1985-10-15 |first=Donna Steph |last=Hansard |quote=] Linens, furniture, electronics and housewares were relocated to the new third level and several clothing departments on the original two levels were expanded. At the same time, Dillard's added a candy and cookie department as well as a junior department. In July 2008, Dillard's announced that it will close this location on August 30, 2008.cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Dillard's at Valley View Center to close |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/070308dnbusdillards.16a7d553.html |first=Maria |last=Halkias |date=2008-07-02]

JCPenney

LaSalle Street Fund purchased Valley View Center in the early 1980s and expanded the mall again with more interior stores and a fourth anchor store, Bloomingdale's. This (convert|220378|sqft|m2|0) anchor location opened its doors in early 1983. On August 18 1990, Bloomingdale's closed this location, citing declining sales and increased market competition. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Bloomingdale's closing in Dallas |date=1990-06-06 |first=Pat |last=Baldwin |page=] After the store's closure, the mall, which identified store locations by anchor store quadrants, furnished the former Bloomingdale's corridor with a grand piano, added landscaping and artwork, and branded the area as "The Conservatory." [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Business Notebook |date=1990-09-23] In August 1990, Montgomery Ward & Co. Inc. attempted to acquire the ground lease for this store from Federated Department Stores Inc. through the bankruptcy court.cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Ward's seeks Bloomingdale space |date=1990-08-10 |first=Pat |last=Baldwin |quote=Montgomery Ward & Co. Inc., the nation's ninth-largest retailer, is eyeing the 200,000-square-foot Bloomingdale's building in Valley View Center to expand its Dallas-Fort Worth presence -- over the objections of Valley View's owner.] If successful, the company planned to buy the 200,000-square-foot building for a new Montogmery Ward's location. Valley View Center's owner, then the Chicago, Illinois-based LaSalle Street Fund Inc. of Delaware, objected in court.cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Court to decide Ward's future at Valley View |date=1990-09-09 |first=Pat |last=Baldwin] In March 1991, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge in Cincinnati ruled that Federated could withdraw from its deal to sell the building in favor of a deal from the LaSalle Street Fund to "avoid further costs of litigation" and as it would be "a sounds business decision."cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Valley View free to buy back lease; Court ruling involves old Bloomingdale's site |date=1991-03-28 |first=Pat |last=Baldwin |quote=] The space would ultimately remain vacant until October 19, 1996 when JCPenney opened in that location. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Penney to fill Valley View spot; Retailer plans store at site vacated by Bloomingdale's in 1990 |date=1995-11-30 |first=Maria |last=Halkias] At the time, it was the largest JCPenney location in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=A new level of store; One-of-a kind Penney to debut at Valley View |date=1996-10-14 |first=Maria |last=Halkias]

AMC Valley View 16

In 2000, as part of a general redevelopment of the mall, Valley View Center announced the addition of a 20-screen AMC movie theater as a fifth anchor.cite news |work=Tribune Business News |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5644620_ITM |title=Dallas-Area Mall to Add 20-Screen AMC Theater |date=1999-04-07] After several delays, construction for a 16-screen theater began in June 2003. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Movie theaters' tale keeps on twisting; One area megaplex just closed, but another is under construction |date=2003-07-04 |first=Maria |last=Halkias |coauthors=John Kirkpatrick] The AMC Valley View 16 opened on May 14, 2004.cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Megaplex opens at Valley View |date=2004-05-14 |first=Philip |last=Wuntch] The grand opening was marked by a ceremonial "ticket-tearing" featuring Dat Nguyen and Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title='Cans Film Festival' will benefit food bank |date=2004-05-13] The stadium-style seating theater complex was built on top of the Sears anchor store so that no parking or retail space would be given up for the addition.

Former features

Valley View Cinema 1 & 2 (1975-1991)

In 1975, a twin-screen movie theater owned and operated by General Cinema Corporation was added to the northeast corner of the mall. The theater, known as Valley View Cinema 1 & 2 [cite web |url=http://generalcinematheatres.com/GCCLocations1983.htm |publisher=General Cinema Corporation |title=1983 GCC Locations |accessdate=2008-08-10] , closed in 1991. The facade of the movie theater was boarded up and the interior furnishings were stripped out.cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Old Theater Buildings Get Second Chance With Different Businesses |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8661990_ITM |first=Steve |last=Brown |date=2002-03-08] The convert|13240|sqft|m2|0 space remained empty until it was renovated in late 2001 by Radio One to house radio stations KBFB and KSOC.cite news |title=Deserted movie theaters breathe new life: Dallas, Fort Worth cinemas find new operators |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-27227463_ITM |work=Dallas Business Journal |date=2001-11-16] Renovation included levelling the sloping floors in the theater and installing new air-conditioning and heating units. Officially opened in January 2002, the broadcast studios, located on the mall's second level, are in what used to be the theater projection rooms. The area that housed the ticket counters became the reception desk and part of one movie theater was retained as a 150-seat auditorium. The facility also includes a small basketball court [cite news |work=Women's Wear Daily |title=One Day In Dallas |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25510100_ITM |date=2002-05-30] , two production studios, a mix room, a newsroom, and office space. [cite pressrelease |publisher=PR Newswire |title=Radio One, Inc. Creates Innovative Home at Local Mall; Valley View Center in Dallas Houses 97.9 The Beat and Magic 94.5 |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25037139_ITM |date=2002-02-14]

mart Shoppers Club (1994-2000)

In April 1994, Valley View Center added a frequent-shopper rewards program called the Smart Shoppers Club. [cite news |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |title=Frequent-shopper programs have a number just for you |date=1994-11-22 |first=Laura |last=Vozzella |page=1] Mall management said they planned to spend roughly $500,000 over the first two years of the program in a bid to increase mall traffic while collecting invaluable demographic data about mall shoppers.cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Valley View pleased with frequent-shopper club |date=1994-09-06 |first=Maria |last=Halkias] Within five months, 9,000 shoppers had joined the club and the mall announced a goal of 20,000 members by the end of 1994. Shoppers logged their visits by swiping their membership card and entering a personal identification number at one of the mall's three touch-screen kiosks.cite news |work=Direct Marketing |title=Kiosks build mall loyalty and database |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/sales/475222-1.html |first=Greg |last=Gattuso |date=1994-10-01] Member benefits included special discount coupons, free gifts, and the chance to win prizes. Club members also received a periodic "Shopping Smart" newsletter, a Valley View Center shopping bag, plus a birthday card and gift. The Smart Shoppers Club was terminated in late 2000 when it was replaced by a cardless web-based system called Centerlinq. [cite pressrelease |work=PR Newswire |title=Centerlinq Network Goes Live in Additional Malls, Beginning a New Phase of Growth |date=2000-11-02] Customers were then able to redeem their old Smart Shoppers Club cards at the mall's customer service desk for a Valley View Center t-shirt.

Dallas Children's Museum (2000-2006)

Originally opened in August 1998 at the Inwood Village shopping center [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Children's museum moves closer to reality; Group planning to open in Inwood Village by fall |date=1998-03-28 |first=Lawson |last=Taitte |quote=According to board president Becky Wadsworth, the 3,700-square-foot site at 5330 W. Lovers Lane will house a farm-to-market exhibit, a kids' TV studio and cultural attractions related to art and music.] [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Children's museums enjoying boom years |date=1998-08-25 |first=Barbara |last=Hall] , the Dallas Children's Museum relocated to Valley View Center in June 2000.cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=A world of their own; Museum's new play areas will include a hospital and a grocery store |first=Kris |last=Imherr |date=2000-06-09] The new museum, double the size of the previous location, was located on the second level of the mall between JCPenney and the Disney Store. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-7230016_ITM |title=Robert Miller Column |first=Robert |last=Miller |date=2000-06-07] For six years the museum hosted both touring cultural exhibits and permanent features including a play hospital and kid-sized grocery store. In September 2006, the Museum of Nature & Science and the Dallas Children's Museum announced their merger and closed the Valley View Center location. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=New name, space for kids' museum |date=2006-09-19 |first=Ann |last=Pinson] The museum reopened in Fair Park as the Children's Museum at the Museum of Nature & Science in October 2006. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Dallas Children's Museum (closed) |first=Ann |last=Pinson |url=http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97375&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&item_id=15649 |date=2006-09-19]

Changing times

September 1, 1985 marked the first legal Sunday shopping day in Texas. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Blue Law's End Brings Lookers, Fewer Buyers |date=1985-09-02 |first=Donna Steph |last=Hansard] Valley View Center, like other area malls, celebrated the end of the state's 24-year-old blue law with entertainment and special promotions. Some smaller retailers objected to the new hours but mall officials informed them in writing of their contractual obligations to operate while the mall is open. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Sunday Pressure Irks Small Retailers |date=1985-08-21 |first=Donna Steph |last=Hansard]

January 1, 1987 was the first New Year's Day that the anchor stores of Valley View Center were open for business on the holiday. [cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=New Year's a day for shoppers to celebrate |date=1986-12-21 |first=Donna Steph |last=Hansard |quote= [M] ore stores plan to join the ranks this season, including Sanger Harris, Macy's and Sears, Roebuck & Co., all three of which remained staunchly closed last Jan. 1.] Many smaller stores in the mall followed their lead although it would be a few years before every store would be obligated to be open on the first day of the new year.

Honors and awards

In November 2007, the International Council of Shopping Centers presented a Maxi award in the Community Relations category to Valley View Center for work with the Tejas Council of Girls Scouts. [cite news |title=Kudos: Honors and awards in the Dallas-area business community |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-kudos_04bus.ART.State.Edition1.35b8532.html |work=The Dallas Morning News |date=2007-11-05]

See also

*List of shopping malls in Dallas, Texas

References

External links

* [http://www.shopvalleyviewcenter.com/ Valley View Center official website]
*