{{short description|Regional mall in Asheville, North Carolina}} {{more citations needed|date=June 2010}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{infobox shopping mall| | name = Asheville Mall | image = Dillards - Asheville Mall Asheville, NC (7414910548).jpg | caption = Exterior of Dillards at Asheville Mall, May 2012 | location = Asheville, North Carolina, United States | coordinates = {{Coord|35.58056|-82.526556|display=Inline,title|type:landmark}} | opening_date = {{start date and age|1973|11|23}} | number_of_stores = 99 | developer = R. L. Coleman | owner = Kohan Retail Investment Group<br>Summit Properties USA | address = 3 South Tunnel Road | number_of_anchors = 5 (3 open, 1 vacant, 1 coming soon) | floor_area = {{convert|974399|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}. <br> (GLA)[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928200331/http://www.asheville-mall.com/shop/asheville.nsf/facts ] | floors = 1 (2 in anchors and Barnes & Noble) | website = {{URL|asheville-mall.com}} }}

'''Asheville Mall''' is a regional mall in Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville Mall is located off Interstate 240 in eastern Asheville. It is predominantly a one-story mall. Its anchors are Belk and two Dillard's locations. A former anchor store, Sears, closed in July 2018. The space still sits vacant as of {{CURRENTYEAR}}. In May 2025, JCPenney closed its store and the former JCPenney is currently under development to become an emergency operations center for a hospital. It has 132 stores and is the largest mall in Western North Carolina. It also dominates the area's retail.

==History== Asheville Mall was developed by R. L. Coleman and Company opening in stages beginning with Sears on February 3, 1972 and the rest of the shopping center opening November 23, 1973.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://citizen-times.newspapers.com/image/202253955/?terms=asheville+mall+opens|title=22 Nov 1973, Page 62 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|access-date=2018-01-25|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://citizen-times.newspapers.com/image/195495072/?terms=coleman+shopping+center+approved|title=16 Jan 1970, Page 1 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|access-date=2018-01-26|language=en}}</ref> The mall's development was met with resistance from city officials and nearby property owners. During site grading a neighbor pulled a shotgun and threatened a bulldozer operator with it.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://citizen-times.newspapers.com/image/195493581/?terms=coleman+shopping+center+shotgun|title=11 Jul 1970, Page 11 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|access-date=2018-01-26|language=en}}</ref> During the construction's final phase a helicopter crashed into roof and had to be removed with a crane.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://citizen-times.newspapers.com/image/197800740/?terms=R.+L.+Coleman|title=12 May 1973, Page 7 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|access-date=2018-01-29|language=en}}</ref> The copter was being used to move air conditioning units onto the roof at the time of the crash.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://citizen-times.newspapers.com/image/197799906/?terms=woolworth+helicopter|title=11 May 1973, Page 17 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|access-date=2018-01-29|language=en}}</ref> The center's completion is a testament to the negotiation skill and perseverance on Mr. Coleman's part. The original anchors were The Bon Marche, Belk, and Sears.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://citizen-times.newspapers.com/image/198556329/?terms=R.+L.+Coleman|title=17 Feb 1973, Page 11 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|access-date=2018-01-29|language=en}}</ref> The S & W Cafeteria moved to the Mall from downtown Asheville in 1974.<ref name="nrhpinv">{{Cite web | author =Robert Topkins and Mary Alice Hinson| title =S & W Cafeteria| work = National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory | date =April 1976 | url = https://files.nc.gov/ncdcr/nr/BN0014.pdf | publisher = North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office | accessdate = 2014-08-01}}</ref> Shortly after the opening, an Ivey's was added in the mid-1970s, along with a minor addition to the mall. In 1989, JCPenney joined the mall, adding onto a wing that had been added earlier in the decade. Montgomery Ward opened in 1994 in the space that housed The Bon Marche, later regional chains Meyers-Arnold and Uptons. After Dillard's purchased Ivey's in the early 1990s, that store was converted to a Dillard's. Belk expanded its store and added a second level in 2000. In the same year the mall added a Food Court. Chick Fil-A opened the first store in the region in the mid eighties. This was the only mall location in company history open on Sundays due to mall rules until 1997 when the lease was renegotiated.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

The mall also expanded a wing from JCPenney to Belk adding 30 stores. The Coleman family sold the mall in 1997. After Montgomery Ward's closure in 2000, its store became Dillard's Men's, Children's, and Home, with the original Dillard's becoming a women's store.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off 235 of its properties, including the Sears at Asheville Mall, into Seritage Growth Properties.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.seritage.com/retail/property/1-s-tunnel-rd/3312566/landing|title=At Asheville Mall &#124; Seritage}}</ref> Sears closed this location in July 2018 and is planned to be redeveloped into new apartments.

On June 30, 2020, an SEC filing<ref>{{cite web |last1=CBL Properties |title = SEC Filings - Document Details|url=https://invest.cblproperties.com/sec-filings/sec-filings-details/default.aspx?FilingId=14340803 |website=10-Q Quarterly Report, 8/17/2020 |accessdate=24 August 2020}}</ref> by owner CBL Properties listed Asheville Mall among properties that would likely be foreclosed upon.

September 2024, Summit Properties USA acquired ownership of the mall and assumed management responsibilities.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=2024-12-04 |title=Summit Properties Completes $700 Million Acquisition Phase of U.S. Shopping Centers |url=https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/summit-properties-completes-700-million-acquisition-phase-of-u.s.-shopping-centers-950400 |access-date=2025-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Biba |first=Jacob |title=Answer Man: Will the Asheville Mall be abandoned by the time I turn 16? |url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2024/09/27/will-asheville-mall-stores-soon-be-abandoned/75345211007/ |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=The Asheville Citizen Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

JCPenney closed on May 25, 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Seaton |first1=Iris |title=JCPenney closing stores in Asheville, North Carolina: Here's what we know |url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2025/02/10/jcpenney-closing-stores-in-asheville-other-north-carolina-sites/78382735007/ |website=The Asheville Citizen Times |access-date=10 February 2025 |date=10 February 2025}}</ref> In late 2025, it was announced that, development had began on potentially converting the former JCPenney into an emergency center. Buncombe County officials are now considering purchasing the site, turning it into the county's first standalone emergency operations center and the first emergency operations center within a mall. The six acre former JCPenney location was chosen because of its central location in the county and its ability to house multiple different agencies. The proposed location will serve as the year-round home for the Emergency Services Department, providing a larger footprint for training, preparedness, and disaster response planning and operations. It is expected to cost $5 million to purchase the JCPenney anchor building.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandoval |first=Jose |date=2026-05-29 |title=Former Asheville Mall JCPenney to potentially convert into Buncombe County emergency center |url=https://www.bpr.org/growth-development/2026-05-29/former-asheville-mall-jcpenney-to-potentially-convert-into-buncombe-county-emergency-center |access-date=2026-05-31 |website=BPR |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.asheville-mall.com/ Asheville Mall] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080428064726/http://www.ashevillenow.com/s_commerceServices/shopping/asheville_mall.asp Guide to the Asheville Mall, and other Shopping Attractions in Asheville]

Category:Buildings and structures in Asheville, North Carolina Category:Shopping malls in North Carolina Category:Shopping malls established in 1971 Category:Tourist attractions in Asheville, North Carolina