{{More citations needed|date=July 2007}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox shopping mall | name = Alexandria Mall | image = | image_width = | caption = | location = [[Alexandria, Louisiana]], U.S. | coordinates = {{Coord|31|16|39|N|92|27|41|W|display=inline,title}} | opening_date = August 1, 1973 | closing_date = | developer = Paul Broadhead<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 22, 1971 |title=Location Billboard Erected At Site of Alexandria Mall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk/133034895/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=A{{hyphen}}5 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> | manager = [[Jones Lang LaSalle]] | owner = | number_of_stores = 80 | number_of_anchors = 7 (4 open, 3 vacant) | floor_area = {{cvt|869,012|sqft}} | floors = 1 | parking = 4800 spaces | website = {{URL|alexandriamall.com}} | footnotes = <ref name=mall>{{cite web |url=http://www.alexandriamall.com | title=Alexandria Mall}}</ref><ref>[http://www.icsc.org/apps/dmmdisp.php?dispid=LA0020 Alexandria Mall] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930185020/http://www.icsc.org/apps/dmmdisp.php?dispid=LA0020 |date=2007-09-30 }}, [[International Council of Shopping Centers]]. Accessed July 30, 2007.</ref> }} '''Alexandria Mall''' is a [[shopping mall]] located in [[Alexandria, Louisiana]], United States. It features [[Dillard's]], [[J. C. Penney|JCPenney]] and [[Michaels]] as [[anchor stores]].<ref name=mall/>
==Mall history== In March 1972, [[Buddy Tudor]]'s family-owned construction company from [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] began construction of Alexandria Mall. The mall opened its doors on August 1, 1973 with over 30 stores, spanning nearly {{cvt|500000|sqft}} in total. It featured national department stores [[J. C. Penney|JCPenney]] and [[Sears]] (both of which replaced preexisting locations in Alexandria), regional chain Bealls (later [[Beall-Ladymon]]), based in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]], and local department stores Weiss & Goldring, Gus Kaplan (later Green's) and [[Wellan's]] as anchors. Other original tenants included [[Piccadilly Cafeteria]], Peoples Shoes, [[Lerner Shops]] and a two-screen cinema run by General Cinema Corporation.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 31, 1973 |title=Alexandria Mall Complex to Open Wednesday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-alexandria-mall-opening/158451812/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=B{{hyphen}}1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=July 31, 1973 |title=Lerner Shop Is 434th In Nation|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-alexandria-mall-lerner-sho/158452142/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=B{{hyphen}}3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In August 1986, an expansion to the mall was completed that doubled its size to {{cvt|869732|sqft}} and added 56 additional stores, including the department stores [[Dillard's]] and [[Mervyn's]] (the latter of which opened that October due to a delay in construction), and a food court dubbed "The Market Place". Concurrently, portions of the existing mall were renovated, and the two-screen cinema was replaced with a six-screen multiplex on the mall's periphery.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryman |first=Rich |date=August 13, 1986 |title=44 New Alexandria Mall Stores Set to Open Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-alexandria-mall-1986-expan/158452239/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=D{{hyphen}}1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryman |first=Rich |date=April 17, 1985 |title=Mall Expansion, Renovation Work To Begin May 1 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-alexandria-mall-expansion/158452284/ |access-date=October 24, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=D{{hyphen}}1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Robichaux |first=Mark |date=July 23, 1986 |title=New Mall Section Opens in 3 Weeks |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-alexandria-mall-expansion/158452340/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=D{{hyphen}}1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In honor of the mall's expansion, local pizza chefs cooked a {{convert|650|lb|adj=on}} pizza.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alexandria chefs make 650-pound pizza |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AD&p_theme=ad&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB473F9C67EF7B2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |publisher=Baton Rouge Advocate |date=1986-08-18 |access-date=2007-07-31}}</ref>
In July 1989, Wellan's closed after failing to pay rent for seven months; the Alexandria Mall store was the chain's last remaining location.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryman |first=Richard L. |date=July 27, 1989 |title=Wellan's shuts doors on last store |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-wellans-alexandria-mall-c/158452409/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=A{{hyphen}}1–A{{hyphen}}2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1994, Beall-Ladymon was acquired by [[Stage Stores]] and renamed to Stage. In November of that year, a renovation of the Sears wing of the mall and its entrance was completed, and part of the former Wellan's became a [[Sam Goody]] store;<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 15, 1994 |title=Alexandria getting 7 new stores |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-alexandria-mall-1994-renov/158451366/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=B{{hyphen}}8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> [[Stein Mart]] filled the remainder of the space in October 1995.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Watson |first=Mark |date=September 13, 1995 |title=Stein Mart opening new location in Mall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-stein-mart-opening-in-alex/158445754/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Alexandria Daily Town Talk |pages=B{{hyphen}}8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In February 2001, [[General Growth Properties]] (GGP) took over leasing and management of the mall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ruda |first=Mark |date=February 5, 2001 |title=General Growth Properties Wins 14-Mall Management Contract |url=https://www.globest.com/2001/02/05/general-growth-properties-wins-14-mall-management-contract/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |website=GlobeSt}}</ref> It was then sold to J. Herzog Properties of [[Denver, Colorado]] in 2004, with GGP retaining its management role.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FOS/is_2004_April_21/ai_n6278524 |title=Mall portfolio goes to 3 buyers |access-date=2007-07-31 |work=FindArticles.com | year=2004}}</ref> Mervyn's closed in January 2006,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonnette |first=Tom |date=August 8, 2006 |title=Burlington Coat Factory coming to Alexandria Mall by the fall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk/158928284/ |access-date=November 12, 2024 |work=Alexandria Town Talk |pages=B6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> followed soon by the closure of Stein Mart on April 30.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonnette |first=Tom |date=January 11, 2006 |title=Stein Mart to close store in mall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk/158928098/ |access-date=November 12, 2024 |work=Alexandria Town Talk |pages=A1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In March 2007, [[Burlington (department store)|Burlington Coat Factory]] opened in the former Mervyn's location,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonnette |first=Tom |date=March 6, 2007 |title=Shoppers flock to newly opened Burlington Coat Factory in mall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk/158928688/ |access-date=November 12, 2024 |work=Alexandria Town Talk |pages=B6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> while Weiss & Goldring relocated outside the mall into a former [[Firestone Tire and Rubber Company|Firestone]] tire center that was converted into a [[strip mall]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonnette |first=Tom |date=March 28, 2007 |title=Weiss & Goldring going outside Mall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk/158928992/ |access-date=November 12, 2024 |work=Alexandria Town Talk |pages=A1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> [[Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.|Bed Bath & Beyond]] opened in 2008 in the previous location of Weiss & Goldring, and the former Stein Mart became a children's play place called Slinkee's.
GGP handed over management of the mall to [[Jones Lang LaSalle]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/07/12/daily2.html |title=Jones Lang LaSalle strikes mall deal with General Growth Properties |work=[[American City Business Journals]] | date=July 12, 2010}}</ref> Both Slinkee's and the neighboring Lagniappe Theater Company had their leases terminated on September 29, 2015, as the mall was under negotiations to convert their spaces into a [[Conn's]] store, which opened on February 13, 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last=Klein |first=Miranda |date=October 10, 2015 |title=Slinkee's, Lagniappe move out; new retailers to move in mall |url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2015/10/09/slinkees-lagniappe-move-out-new-retailers-move-mall/73466174/ |access-date=October 29, 2015 |work=Alexandria Town Talk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Klein |first=Miranda |date=February 13, 2016 |title=Conn's is now open in the Alexandria Mall |url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/business/2016/02/13/conns-now-open-alexandria-mall/80068934/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Alexandria Town Talk}}</ref>
In September 2018, Sears closed as part of the chain's plan to close 72 stores nationwide.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 31, 2018 |title=Sears at Alexandria Mall expected to close |url=https://www.kalb.com/content/news/Sears-at-Alexandria-Mall-expected-to-close--484204741.html |website=www.kalb.com |language=en}}</ref> Stage closed in early 2019. Bed Bath & Beyond closed in March 2023,<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 5, 2023 |title=Alexandria Bed Bath & Beyond location to close in March |url=https://www.kalb.com/2023/01/05/alexandria-bed-bath-beyond-location-close-march/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=www.kalb.com}}</ref> and Michaels opened in its place later that year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 14, 2023 |title=Michaels store opening in Alexandria Mall |url=https://www.kalb.com/2023/08/14/michaels-store-opening-alexandria-mall/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=www.kalb.com}}</ref> In fall 2024, Burlington Coat Factory moved to the nearby MacArthur Village shopping center, and Conn's closed as part of the chain's bankruptcy proceedings.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Martinez |first=Melinda |date=July 23, 2024 |title=Burlington to move from Alexandria Mall to MacArthur Village |url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/local/2024/07/23/burlington-to-move-from-alexandria-mall-to-macarthur-village/74499587007/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Alexandria Town Talk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Walrath-Holdridge |first1=Mary |last2=Hauari |first2=Gabe |date=August 1, 2024 |title=Conn's HomePlus now closing all stores: See the full list of locations |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/retail/2024/08/01/conns-homeplus-closing-stores-locations-list/74631911007/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref>
[[Chick-Fil-A]] closed their Mall location on December 31, 2025.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Team |first1=KALB Digital |title=Chick-fil-A in Alexandria Mall closing on New Year’s Eve |url=https://www.kalb.com/2025/12/21/chick-fil-a-alexandria-mall-closing-new-years-eve/ |access-date=22 December 2025 |work=Kalb |date=21 December 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.alexandriamall.com/ Alexandria Mall Official Website]
{{Alexandria, Louisiana}} {{Shopping malls in Louisiana}}
[[Category:Shopping malls established in 1973]] [[Category:Shopping malls in Louisiana]] [[Category:JLL (company)]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Alexandria, Louisiana]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Alexandria, Louisiana]] [[Category:Shopping malls developed by Paul Broadhead & Associates]]