Crabtree (shopping mall) facts for kids
 |
|
| Location | Raleigh, North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Opening date | August 8, 1972 |
| Management | Pacific Retail |
| Owner | CVM Holdings |
| No. of stores and services | 200 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 4 (1 Vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 1,343,109 square feet (124,778.9 m2) (GLA) |
| No. of floors | 2 (3 in Belk) |
Crabtree (once called Crabtree Valley Mall) is a big shopping mall in Raleigh, North Carolina. It's the largest enclosed mall in the Research Triangle area. The mall has popular stores like Macy's, Belk, and a special Belk Men's Store.
Contents
How Crabtree Mall Started
Crabtree Valley Mall first opened its doors in August 1972. It was built where two major roads, US 70/NC 50 (Glenwood Avenue) and I-440 Beltline, meet. When it first opened, some of its main stores were Belk, Sears, G.C. Murphy, Miller & Rhoads, and Thalhimer's.
Right from the start, the mall attracted shoppers from all over central and eastern North Carolina. Many came to visit the huge Hudson Belk store. This store is still the biggest in the mall today. In the mid-1980s, the mall was updated. It added many new stores and a place to eat called a food court. For a while, Crabtree didn't have much competition. But in the 1990s, other malls like Cary Towne Center and Crossroads Plaza grew bigger.
What Changes Happened at Crabtree?
To keep up, Crabtree started a big expansion in 1993. Some older stores like G.C. Murphy, Miller & Rhoads, and Piccadilly closed. Thalhimer's became Hecht's and planned a new, larger store. In 1993, a part of the parking deck collapsed, even though it had just been rebuilt.
Sears closed its original store in 1994 and opened a new one nearby. The old Sears building was changed to make room for more stores. It also connected to a new, larger Hecht's store that opened in 1995. The first Hecht's store then became a Lord & Taylor, which later closed in 2006. The top floor of that building became a Belk Men's store. The bottom floor was rebuilt for other stores, including the first H&M in North Carolina in 2010.
In September 2006, Hecht's changed its name to Macy's.
In 2018, it was announced that Sears would close its store. In 2019, plans were shared to turn the old Sears spot into a tall tower. This project is expected to cost a lot of money and create many jobs.
In July 2019, a small fire started in a Macy's fitting room. The sprinklers put out the fire quickly.
In July 2022, some furniture stores like Pottery Barn, Arhaus, and Williams and Sonoma closed their stores at Crabtree. This happened because a new shopping center called Fenton opened in Cary.
Crabtree's Own Police Force
For a long time, Crabtree Valley Mall was special because it had its own private police force. These officers had the same powers as regular police officers, like the power to make arrests. They had to be trained and certified by the state, just like city police. However, Crabtree Police officers were not allowed to carry guns while working.
This special police force was stopped in April 2020 when the mall got new management.
Why Does Crabtree Flood?
Crabtree Valley Mall is built in a low area near Crabtree Creek. This creek starts near Morrisville and flows through Raleigh. Over time, more and more of the land around the mall has been covered with parking lots and buildings. This means rain can't soak into the ground easily. Instead, it runs off into the creek, making it flood quickly after heavy storms.
Flooding happened often in the mall's early years. It got better for a while after Lake Crabtree and large water storage areas were built upstream. But the problem has returned. The lower levels of the mall and parking lots can still flood during heavy summer rains.
Major Flooding Events
- On June 14, 2006, heavy rains from a storm called Tropical Storm Alberto caused the lower parking lots and parts of the main stores to flood. The mall had to close for the day.
- A similar flood happened during Hurricane Fran in 1996. Floodwaters went through the first floor of the mall. Some stores had to stay closed for almost two months.
- The lower parking levels and small parts of the main building also flooded in 2013, March 2016, and July 2016. During a strong storm on July 16, 2016, Crabtree Creek rose 8 feet. This closed roads around the mall and flooded parking lots. Many people were stuck, and cars were damaged.
What About Mall Incidents?
Crabtree Valley Mall has had several times when people got scared and panicked. This happened because of loud, sudden noises that sounded like something dangerous was happening. For example, in August 2016, a widely reported event caused many people to run in fear. Later, officials said no shots were fired, and they couldn't explain the noise.
Similar events happened in August 2022, and again in February and November 2023. Each time, the mall had to be locked down, police were called, and people sometimes got hurt while trying to get away quickly.
Images for kids
-
A smaller entrance to the mall
