Village District facts for kids
Village District storefronts
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| Location | Raleigh, North Carolina, United States |
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| Coordinates | 35°47′38″N 78°39′27″W / 35.79380°N 78.65760°W |
| Opening date | 1949 |
| Developer | J.W. York and R.A. Bryan |
| Management | York Properties |
| Owner | Regency Centers |
Village District (once called Cameron Village) was the first planned community built in Raleigh, North Carolina. It started in 1947 when J.W. York and R.A. Bryan bought 158 acres of land. This land was about two miles west of downtown Raleigh. It was also close to the North Carolina State University campus. The plan was to create a "village" with a shopping center, apartments, and single family homes. In 2021, the area was renamed Village District. This change was made to move away from the name of the Cameron family. This family had owned a large farm called Stagville Plantation where people were forced to work.
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History of Village District
The shopping center first opened in 1949. It was called Cameron Village then. It quickly became the best place to shop in Raleigh. Many people also think it was the first shopping center built between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. It is an open-air shopping mall. This means the stores are outside, not inside one big building. But it's different from a strip mall. Its stores are grouped into blocks, and some even have two levels. Parking garages were added in the 1960s. However, most of these were removed later. This was done to make the area feel more open.
Cameron Village grew very fast. By 1950, it had 65 stores and a movie theater. There were also over 600 homes and apartments. More than 100 business offices were there too. Downtown Raleigh used to be the main shopping spot. But it started to lose business. Shoppers liked the easy parking at Cameron Village more.
The Occidental Life Insurance Company Building was added in 1956. This building was later listed as a historic place in 2003.
On January 28, 2021, the shopping center changed its name. After 71 years, Cameron Village became Village District. This change was made to avoid honoring the plantation owner. The original name was linked to someone who had owned a plantation where people were forced into slavery.
Village District Neighborhood
People who live in the homes and apartments in Village District have a group. It's called the Cameron Village Neighborhood Association. They meet a few times a year. They talk about things like traffic, building rules, and other important topics.
Fun and Entertainment
In the 1970s, a special underground area opened. It was called “The Village Subway.” This area was once a bomb shelter during the Cold War. It was turned into a place for fun and music. It had shops and restaurants too. This spot was under where The Fresh Market is now. It was also under the Oberlin Regional Library. Nightclubs like The Frog and Nightgown and The Pier opened there. They brought in many popular performers. Famous artists like Muddy Waters and R.E.M. played there. “The Village Subway” was open for about 12 years. Most of the places closed down in the 1980s.
Village District Today
Today, big stores like The Fresh Market and Harris Teeter are here. Walgreens and a Wake County Public Library branch are also main stores. The shopping center has been made bigger and updated many times. It was restyled in the mid-1980s and again in the early 2000s. Now, Village District has over 100 stores. This includes more than a dozen restaurants. You can find places like The Flying Biscuit Cafe. It also has the world's first two-story Chick-fil-A.
