Carolina Circle Mall
Carolina Circle Mall was a shopping mall in northeastern Greensboro, North Carolina, that operated from 1976 until its closure in 2002.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Carolina Circle Mall was a regional shopping mall in the northeast section of Greensboro, North Carolina, located along U.S. Route 29 near Cone Boulevard. It opened in 1976, two years after Four Seasons Mall began operating in southern Greensboro, and became one of the city’s principal retail destinations during the late 1970s and early 1980s. At opening, the approximately 800,000-square-foot mall was anchored by Belk, Ivey’s, and Montgomery Ward. Belk began trading in February 1976, while Montgomery Ward, Ivey’s, and 22 additional stores opened in August. The center was notable for its range of entertainment and destination features. Its central corridor included Greensboro’s only ice-skating rink, and the property also had a movie theater. Other major tenants and nearby retail uses included Piccadilly Cafeteria, Annabelle’s restaurant and bar, a Toys “R” Us outparcel, and a Kmart across Cone Boulevard. The mall competed successfully with Four Seasons and other Greensboro retail locations for much of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Its position weakened later in the decade when Four Seasons expanded, increasing competitive pressure and contributing to rising vacancies at Carolina Circle. In response, Carolina Circle was renovated, and the ice rink was replaced by a food court in 1988. The change reflected an effort to modernize the center and maintain customer traffic through more conventional mall amenities. By 1990, however, the property was experiencing a sustained decline. Complaints associated with a nearby skateboarding park, reports of drug use and other incidents around the property, and broader concerns about gangs and crime discouraged some shoppers. Vacancies continued to increase during the 1990s. Formerly established specialty tenants, including Waldenbooks, Camelot Music, and Radio Shack, departed. Belk reduced its footprint and leased the lower level to the U.S. Post Office. Ivey’s, which later operated under the Dillard’s name, ultimately closed; before closing, Dillard’s had reduced its presence to a clearance center. By 1998, Belk and Dillard’s were gone, leaving Montgomery Ward as the only remaining anchor and only a small number of inline stores. Montgomery Ward’s bankruptcy and subsequent closure in 2002 effectively ended Carolina Circle Mall’s operation. Afterward, several possible redevelopment concepts were discussed, including government offices, a Guilford Technical Community College branch, and sports or indoor fitness facilities. Linder Investments acquired the property and converted portions of the parking areas into soccer fields, but the mall building remained vacant and boarded up while vandalism continued. Walmart purchased part of the site on June 1, 2005, after which demolition began. A Walmart store and a strip of new retail stores opened on the redeveloped property in 2006. The redevelopment also altered part of the former ring road. In 2007, a Lowe’s store replaced the Kmart location across from the former mall. Carolina Circle Mall therefore shifted from a conventional enclosed regional mall into a redeveloped retail site, with the original mall structure disappearing after its closure.
History
Carolina Circle Mall was developed as a major enclosed shopping center for Greensboro, North Carolina, and opened in 1976 in the city’s northeastern area along U.S. Route 29 and Cone Boulevard. Its launch followed the opening of Four Seasons Mall in southern Greensboro by two years, establishing a competitive two-center retail environment within the city. The mall’s initial anchor tenants were Belk, Ivey’s, and Montgomery Ward. Belk opened first, in February 1976, while Ivey’s, Montgomery Ward, and 22 other stores began operating in August. The complex covered about 800,000 square feet. The property was designed as more than a collection of stores. Its central corridor contained an ice-skating rink, described as the only such rink in Greensboro at the time, and the mall also included a movie theater. Dining and adjacent retail expanded the site’s appeal. Piccadilly Cafeteria and Annabelle’s restaurant and bar were among the notable food and restaurant tenants. Toys “R” Us operated as an outparcel, while a Kmart stood across Cone Boulevard. These features supported Carolina Circle’s role as a family shopping and entertainment destination during the late 1970s and early 1980s. For a time, the mall performed successfully despite competition from Four Seasons and other Greensboro retailers. Its circumstances changed in the late 1980s when Four Seasons expanded. The expansion increased competitive pressure and coincided with a rise in Carolina Circle’s vacancy rate. Mall management responded with a renovation. In 1988, the ice-skating rink was removed and replaced with a food court, shifting the center toward a more typical late-1980s enclosed-mall format and attempting to preserve customer activity. The mall’s decline became more evident by 1990. Complaints connected with a skateboarding park adjacent to the property were accompanied by reports of drug use and other incidents around the mall. The growth of gangs and concerns about crime in the surrounding area further damaged the property’s image and reduced shopper traffic. During the 1990s, vacancies increased, and several recognizable specialty retailers left, including Waldenbooks, Camelot Music, and Radio Shack. The anchor lineup also deteriorated. Belk downsized its store and leased the lower level to the U.S. Post Office. Ivey’s later became associated with Dillard’s, which eventually reduced its operation to a clearance center. By 1998, both Belk and Dillard’s had closed. Montgomery Ward remained as the sole anchor, with only a handful of smaller tenants still operating inside the center. When Montgomery Ward entered bankruptcy and closed in 2002, Carolina Circle Mall effectively ceased operations. The property remained the subject of redevelopment proposals after closure. Ideas included government offices, a Guilford Technical Community College branch, and a sports complex or indoor fitness facility. Linder Investments acquired the property and used some parking areas for soccer fields, but the enclosed mall remained vacant and boarded up. Persistent vandalism affected the abandoned structure. A major change began in 2005, when Walmart purchased part of the site on June 1 and demolition commenced. By 2006, Walmart had opened alongside a strip of new stores. The redevelopment removed part of the former ring road and replaced the enclosed-mall setting with a more open retail arrangement. In 2007, Lowe’s replaced the Kmart across Cone Boulevard. The site’s history illustrates the rise of regional enclosed malls in the 1970s, the competitive and social pressures that contributed to their decline, and the later conversion of obsolete mall properties into large-format retail developments.
- 2007
Lowe’s replaces Kmart
[1]A Lowe’s store replaced the Kmart location across Cone Boulevard from the former Carolina Circle Mall.
- 2006
Replacement retail development opens
[1]Walmart and a strip of new stores opened on the redeveloped portion of the former mall property.
- 2005
Walmart acquires part of the site
[1]Walmart purchased part of the property on June 1, and demolition of the former mall began.
- 2002
Mall closes
[1]Montgomery Ward’s bankruptcy-related closure marked the end of Carolina Circle Mall’s operating life.
- 1998
Major department-store anchors depart
[1]Belk and Dillard’s closed, leaving Montgomery Ward as the mall’s only remaining anchor and only a small number of inline tenants.
- 1990
Decline becomes pronounced
[1]The mall faced increasing vacancy and weakening shopper traffic amid concerns involving incidents, drug use, gangs, and crime around the property.
- 1988
Central ice rink is replaced
[1]A renovation replaced the mall’s central ice-skating rink with a food court as the property responded to competition from the expanded Four Seasons Mall.
- 1976
Carolina Circle Mall opens
[1]Belk opened in February, followed in August by Montgomery Ward, Ivey’s, and 22 other stores. The mall offered about 800,000 square feet of retail space.
Products and positioning
A large, family-oriented regional shopping mall serving Greensboro and surrounding communities, combining department-store anchors with specialty retail, dining, entertainment, and leisure facilities. In its later years, the property became associated with declining occupancy and weakening shopper traffic before closing and undergoing redevelopment.
Retail property · 1976
Enclosed regional shopping mall
The core offering was an approximately 800,000-square-foot enclosed shopping center serving Greensboro and nearby communities. It combined department-store anchors with specialty shops, dining, entertainment, and supporting outparcel retail.
Entertainment facility · 1976
Ice-skating rink
The central corridor included Greensboro’s only ice-skating rink at the time. It functioned as a distinctive leisure attraction and helped differentiate the mall from conventional shopping centers before being removed during the 1988 renovation.
Dining facility · 1988
Food court
The food court replaced the central ice rink during the mall’s 1988 renovation. Its introduction represented an effort to update the property’s tenant mix and provide a contemporary gathering and dining area.
Department-store retail · 1976
Department-store anchor lineup
Belk, Ivey’s, and Montgomery Ward formed the original anchor group. Ivey’s later became associated with Dillard’s, while Belk eventually reduced its footprint before closing. The anchor lineup was central to the mall’s early regional-shopping proposition.
Brand decisions
2005
Redevelop the property after Walmart acquisitionM&ABackground
After the mall’s closure, the building remained vacant and was affected by vandalism. Linder Investments had acquired the property and used portions of the parking area for soccer fields.
Action taken
Walmart purchased part of the property on June 1, 2005, and demolition began.
Aftermath
Walmart and a strip of new stores opened in 2006. The former enclosed mall site shifted toward open-format, large-scale retail use.
2002
Close the mall following the loss of its final anchorOtherBackground
By the late 1990s, Belk and Dillard’s had closed, leaving Montgomery Ward as the only remaining anchor. Montgomery Ward’s bankruptcy led to the closure of its Carolina Circle location.
Action taken
Carolina Circle Mall ceased operations after Montgomery Ward closed in 2002.
Aftermath
The vacant property was considered for several alternative uses before parts of the site were acquired for retail redevelopment.
1988
Renovate the mall and replace the ice rink with a food courtStrategyBackground
The expansion of Four Seasons Mall increased competitive pressure and was associated with a rising vacancy rate at Carolina Circle Mall.
Action taken
The property was renovated, and its central ice-skating rink was removed and replaced by a food court.
Aftermath
The renovation did not prevent a longer-term decline. By 1990, the mall was experiencing increasing vacancies, weakened traffic, and growing concerns about conditions around the property.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/carolina-circle-mall · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled