Cross Creek Mall
A regional shopping mall in Fayetteville, North Carolina, with more than 150 stores and over one million square feet of retail space.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Cross Creek Mall is a regional shopping center in Fayetteville, North Carolina, located along the U.S. 401 Bypass between Morganton Road and the All-American Freeway. The property serves Fayetteville and the surrounding Cumberland County market and has developed from a traditional enclosed mall into a broader retail and dining destination. The center contains more than 150 stores and approximately 1,000,000 square feet of retail space. Its principal anchors have included Belk, Macy's, and JCPenney, although the tenant mix has changed substantially since the mall opened. The mall opened on February 26, 1975, at a time when the area around the site was still largely farmland. The 90-acre development parcel formed part of a much larger tract associated with Fayetteville developer J. P. Riddle Jr. It was sold in 1970 to Charlotte-based developer Henry Faison. Planning and construction coincided with the development of the All American Freeway, whose construction began in May 1974. The new road connection helped establish the mall as a major automobile-oriented commercial destination outside Fayetteville's historic downtown core. Cross Creek Mall originally opened with five anchor stores. Sears, Belk, and JCPenney relocated from downtown Fayetteville, while Miller & Rhoads and Thalhimer's entered the local market as new department-store anchors. A three-screen movie theater, Cross Creek Mall Cinemas I-II-III, opened two days after the mall itself. The cinema operated under General Cinema Corporation until closing in January 2001. Its former space was subsequently replaced by a food court known as Creekside Café in 2002. The property experienced several department-store succession events. Miller & Rhoads closed in 1985. Thalhimer's became Hecht's in 1992, and the Hecht's location was converted to Macy's in 2006. Sears remained at the mall for nearly 44 years but closed on January 6, 2019, as part of Sears Holdings' nationwide store-reduction program. The former Sears building was demolished in April 2020. A proposed Dave & Buster's replacement was later abandoned, and Rooms To Go instead developed a location on the site, completing construction in late 2021. LongHorn Steakhouse was added as part of the surrounding redevelopment. The former Sears site later became associated with Main Event, an entertainment concept owned by Dave & Buster's. Main Event announced the project in December 2022, and the facility opened on August 11, 2023, in an exterior location attached to the mall. Additional announced development included US Foods CHEF'STORE and Bahama Breeze, both planned for the mall premises with openings targeted for spring 2024. These changes illustrate Cross Creek Mall's continuing shift from a department-store-centered enclosed mall toward a mixed retail, restaurant, and entertainment complex. CBL Properties owns the property and presents it within its shopping-center portfolio.
History
Cross Creek Mall was developed in Fayetteville, North Carolina, during a period of major suburban and highway expansion. The mall's 90-acre site was part of a larger 600-acre tract connected with local developer J. P. Riddle Jr. In 1970, the site was sold to Henry Faison, a Charlotte-based developer. At the time, the future mall area was predominantly agricultural land, but the planned All American Freeway offered the prospect of strong automobile access and regional draw. Construction of the freeway began in May 1974, and Cross Creek Mall opened on February 26, 1975. Its initial anchor lineup consisted of five department stores: Sears, Belk, JCPenney, Miller & Rhoads, and Thalhimer's. Belk, JCPenney, and Sears moved from downtown Fayetteville, reflecting the broader migration of department-store activity from traditional urban centers to suburban shopping malls. Miller & Rhoads and Thalhimer's were new department-store entrants in the local market. The mall also included a three-screen cinema operated by General Cinema Corporation. Cross Creek Mall Cinemas I-II-III opened on February 28, 1975, two days after the shopping center. The theater closed on January 23, 2001. Its former space was later converted into Creekside Café, a food-court area that opened in 2002. The anchor roster changed over time. Miller & Rhoads closed in 1985. Thalhimer's was converted into Hecht's in 1992, and the Hecht's store subsequently became Macy's in 2006. Belk and JCPenney remained among the mall's principal anchors. Sears continued at the property for almost four and a half decades, but its closure was announced in October 2018 as part of a nationwide program to reduce the Sears store network. The final operating day was January 6, 2019. Redevelopment of the former Sears location became a major later chapter in the property's history. In January 2020, CBL Properties announced that Dave & Buster's would replace the closed Sears store. That proposal did not proceed, and the Sears building was demolished in April 2020. Rooms To Go then developed a store on the site, completing construction in late 2021. LongHorn Steakhouse was added as part of the associated redevelopment. The entertainment component returned to the former Sears area through Main Event, a Dave & Buster's subsidiary. Main Event disclosed plans in December 2022 for a location attached to the mall on the exterior of the former anchor site. Construction was completed the following year, and the venue opened on August 11, 2023. The mall premises also became the site of announced development for US Foods CHEF'STORE and Bahama Breeze, with openings planned for spring 2024. Through these changes, Cross Creek Mall evolved from a conventional enclosed department-store mall into a wider commercial destination incorporating retail, furniture, restaurants, food service, and entertainment. CBL Properties owns the center and includes it in its portfolio of shopping properties. The mall remains active and continues to serve Fayetteville and the surrounding regional market.
- 2023
Main Event opens
[1]Main Event opened its Cross Creek Mall location on August 11.
- 2021
Rooms To Go redevelopment completed
[1]Rooms To Go completed construction on the former Sears site, alongside a LongHorn Steakhouse addition.
- 2020
Former Sears building demolished
[1]The former Sears structure was demolished in April during redevelopment of the anchor site.
- 2019
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store's final operating day was January 6, ending nearly 44 years at the mall.
- 2006
Hecht's becomes Macy's
[1]The former Thalhimer's and Hecht's anchor was converted to Macy's.
- 2002
Creekside Café opens
[1]A new food court replaced the former cinema area.
- 2001
Mall cinema closes
[1]The General Cinema-operated three-screen theater closed on January 23.
- 1992
Thalhimer's becomes Hecht's
[1]The original Thalhimer's anchor was converted to a Hecht's department store.
- 1985
Miller & Rhoads closes
[1]Miller & Rhoads ended its operation as one of the mall's original anchors.
- 1975
Cross Creek Mall opens
[1]The mall opened on February 26 with five department-store anchors.
Products and positioning
A large regional shopping and entertainment destination serving Fayetteville and the surrounding southeastern North Carolina market, combining department stores, specialty retail, restaurants, home furnishings, and family entertainment.
Retail · 1975
Department-store retail
Cross Creek Mall's traditional core consists of large department stores, including Belk, Macy's, and JCPenney. These anchors provide broad assortments spanning apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods, and seasonal merchandise, while also supporting the mall's role as a regional shopping destination.
Retail · 1975
Specialty retail
The mall's more than 150-store tenant base includes specialty retail across fashion, accessories, personal care, services, and other consumer categories. These smaller stores complement the department-store anchors and contribute to the center's regional tenant mix.
Food court · 2002
Creekside Café
Creekside Café is the food-court area created in 2002 in the space formerly occupied by the mall's three-screen cinema. It represents the property's adaptation of former entertainment space for dining and customer amenities.
Home furnishings · 2021
Rooms To Go
Rooms To Go occupies the redeveloped former Sears site. Its presence broadens Cross Creek Mall's offering beyond apparel and department-store merchandise into furniture and home furnishings.
Family entertainment · 2023
Main Event
Main Event is an entertainment venue attached to the mall on the former Sears site. The Dave & Buster's subsidiary adds family-oriented recreation and helps position the property as a mixed retail, dining, and entertainment destination.
Dining · 2021
Restaurant and food-service development
The mall premises have expanded their restaurant and food-service component through additions such as LongHorn Steakhouse and announced locations for Bahama Breeze and US Foods CHEF'STORE. These uses support the site's transition toward a broader commercial destination.
Brand decisions
2022
Approve Main Event entertainment developmentProduct launchBackground
Following the earlier change in plans for the former Sears site, the property pursued a new entertainment use connected to the mall.
Action taken
Main Event, a Dave & Buster's subsidiary, announced plans for an exterior location attached to the mall.
Aftermath
The venue opened in August 2023 and strengthened the mall's retail, dining, and family-entertainment mix.
2020
Redevelop the former Sears anchor siteStrategyBackground
The departure of Sears created a large vacant anchor building after the store closed in January 2019.
Action taken
CBL Properties first announced a Dave & Buster's replacement, but that proposal was abandoned. The Sears structure was demolished, and Rooms To Go and LongHorn Steakhouse subsequently became part of the site's redevelopment.
Aftermath
The project diversified the property beyond traditional department stores and prepared the site for later entertainment development.
Sources3 sources
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