Southgate Mall
A shopping center in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, serving the northeastern part of the state’s Historic Albemarle region.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Southgate Mall is a shopping center on West Ehringhaus Street, also designated U.S. Route 17 Business, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It has historically been described as the only enclosed shopping center serving the sixteen-county Historic Albemarle region of northeastern North Carolina. The property opened in 1969 as Southgate Plaza Shopping Center after construction began in 1967. Development reportedly cost $3 million at the time and was designed around a traditional enclosed-mall format with large department-store anchors, smaller retail units, a supermarket, a pharmacy, and service-oriented tenants. Belk and W. T. Grant were the original senior anchors, while Winn-Dixie and Peoples Drug occupied junior-anchor positions. Belk has remained the property’s principal long-term anchor and is particularly notable for its early mall-based store design. The Elizabeth City location was one of the first examples of Belk’s transition from downtown and strip-center stores into enclosed shopping malls. Its original exterior used preformed concrete arches, and the building is regarded as the last of three early prototype Belk stores to retain that architectural character, although later painting and renovations changed its appearance. The store also introduced a circular department arrangement around a central jewelry area, an approach that was unusual when it opened. The mall’s tenant mix changed repeatedly as national retailers consolidated or relocated. W. T. Grant operated at the west end until 1974, after which the space was occupied by Rose’s and later partially reconfigured for JCPenney and smaller stores. Winn-Dixie left the mall for an off-site location in 1985, and JCPenney subsequently used the former supermarket space before moving into the former Rose’s premises in 1996. JCPenney closed in 2015 as part of a company-wide store reduction and its building was demolished in 2017. A later replacement building accommodated Hibbett Sports and Ulta Beauty. Other significant occupants included Peoples Drug, later Revco and CVS; Goody’s; Burke’s Outlet; Bealls; Dragon Buffet; Five Below; Hibbett Sports; GNC; The Shoe Department; and local and regional specialty retailers. The former pharmacy space became a Chinese buffet restaurant after CVS relocated to a freestanding site. Dragon Buffet closed in 2022, and Five Below was announced as a future occupant in 2023. Burke’s Outlet was rebranded as Bealls in 2023. In February 2017, Vireo Group acquired the property. The owner then proposed converting the enclosed mall into a more open shopping venue, a process commonly called demalling. Plans included removing the former JCPenney and Merchant’s Tire structures, eliminating an abandoned Kangaroo Express station, and moving several interior tenants toward the front of the property. A possible name, Elizabeth City Centre, was discussed, but the property was ultimately identified as Southgate Park from 2018 onward. Despite the change in format and name, the Southgate identity remains associated with the retail complex and its long-standing Belk anchor.
History
Southgate Mall was developed during the expansion of enclosed shopping centers in the United States. Construction began in 1967, and the property opened in 1969 as Southgate Plaza Shopping Center. Its original tenant plan combined two conventional department-store anchors, Belk-Tyler and W. T. Grant, with Winn-Dixie and Peoples Drug in junior-anchor roles. This arrangement gave the center a broad, one-stop retail proposition that included clothing, household goods, groceries, pharmacy products, and general merchandise. Belk became the property’s enduring anchor. The Elizabeth City store was among Belk’s earliest purpose-built enclosed-mall prototypes, reflecting the company’s mid-century move away from a primarily downtown and strip-center presence. The original store featured a distinctive arched concrete facade and an internal plan that organized departments around a central jewelry area. Later remodels, particularly work undertaken in 1988 and again in 2013, modernized the store and removed or repurposed several older features, including a garden center, catalog and bill-paying facilities, tailoring space, and specialized display areas. The west end of the center experienced greater turnover. W. T. Grant operated there until 1974, with Rose’s taking over the space afterward. Rose’s eventually left during corporate downsizing in 1994. JCPenney first occupied the former Winn-Dixie space after the supermarket moved to an off-site location in 1985, then relocated into part of the former Rose’s building in 1996. The vacated portions were divided among smaller tenants, and former garden-center and automotive areas were separately used by Merchant’s Tire. JCPenney’s Elizabeth City store closed in early April 2015 during a national reduction of underperforming stores. Its building was demolished in 2017, and later redevelopment placed a new building on part of the former footprint for Hibbett Sports and Ulta Beauty. The junior-anchor spaces also changed substantially. Peoples Drug became Revco and subsequently CVS following corporate acquisitions. CVS left for a freestanding location in 2003, ending the center’s long period with an on-site drugstore. The vacated unit was converted into Dragon Buffet, a locally operated Chinese restaurant that remained there until its closure in 2022. Goody’s occupied another former anchor space until the company’s bankruptcy-related demise in 2009; Burke’s Outlet later moved into the unit in 2011 and adopted the Bealls name in 2023. Ownership changed in February 2017, when Vireo Group acquired the center. The new owner proposed a substantial physical and commercial transformation. Rather than preserve the property solely as an enclosed mall, Vireo planned to demolish the former JCPenney and Merchant’s Tire structures, remove an abandoned gas-station site, and reposition retailers toward the property’s exterior. This approach was intended to improve visibility, circulation, and the center’s ability to attract contemporary retailers. A proposed name, Elizabeth City Centre, was discussed but did not become the lasting public identity. By 2018, the property was being referred to as Southgate Park. The change reflected its transition from the original enclosed Southgate Mall format to a more open retail environment. Nevertheless, the complex retains the Southgate name and continues to operate as a local shopping destination, anchored historically and commercially by Belk and supplemented by discount, apparel, beauty, sporting-goods, specialty, and dining tenants.
- 2023
Bealls and Five Below updates
[1]The former Burke’s Outlet adopts the Bealls name, while Five Below is announced for the former Dragon Buffet space.
- 2022
Dragon Buffet closes
[1]The long-running restaurant vacates its former pharmacy location.
- 2018
Property becomes known as Southgate Park
[1]The complex adopts the Southgate Park identity as it transitions toward an open-air retail format.
- 2017
Vireo Group acquires the property
[1]Vireo Group becomes the owner and outlines a plan to remove selected buildings and reposition the center.
- 2017
Former JCPenney building demolished
[1]The former JCPenney structure is demolished as part of the property’s redevelopment.
- 2015
JCPenney closes
[1]JCPenney shuts its Elizabeth City store as part of a national closure program.
- 2013
Belk renovation completed
[1]Belk completes another substantial remodel, simplifying the interior and returning previously stored areas to sales use.
- 2011
Burke’s Outlet opens
[1]Burke’s Outlet takes over a former junior-anchor location.
- 2009
Goody’s departs
[1]Goody’s leaves after the chain’s bankruptcy-related collapse.
- 2003
CVS relocates and Dragon Buffet takes the space
[1]CVS moves to a freestanding location, and Dragon Buffet converts the former pharmacy unit into a restaurant.
Products and positioning
A regional convenience and community shopping destination serving Elizabeth City and surrounding northeastern North Carolina communities, with a long-standing department-store anchor and a progressively more open-air retail configuration.
Department store · 1969
Belk
Belk is Southgate’s enduring original anchor and occupies approximately 67,000 square feet. The Elizabeth City store is historically significant within Belk’s expansion into enclosed malls during the 1960s. It offers department-store categories such as apparel, footwear, beauty, jewelry, and home merchandise. Its exterior and interior have been substantially renovated, but the location retains elements of Belk’s early mall-store history.
Off-price department store · 2023
Bealls
The store occupies a former junior-anchor space with a succession of grocery, department-store, and outlet tenants. It operated as Burke’s Outlet from 2011 until adopting the Bealls name in 2023. Its merchandise focus is value-oriented apparel, footwear, accessories, and home-related goods.
Discount specialty retail · 2023
Five Below
Five Below was announced as the planned occupant of the former Dragon Buffet unit in 2023. The chain generally serves a value-conscious customer with low-priced merchandise spanning accessories, toys, seasonal products, technology items, and lifestyle goods. The announcement represented another conversion of a former service or dining space into contemporary discount retail.
Beauty specialty retail
Ulta Beauty
Ulta Beauty occupies a newer building developed on part of the former JCPenney footprint after that anchor was demolished. The format expands Southgate’s mix beyond traditional department stores into specialty beauty retail, including cosmetics, skincare, haircare, fragrance, and related services.
Sporting goods and footwear
Hibbett Sports
Hibbett Sports was among the tenants identified for relocation toward the front of the redeveloped property. It provides athletic footwear, clothing, and sporting goods, and later occupied space associated with the redevelopment of the former JCPenney area.
Brand decisions
2017
Convert the enclosed mall into a partially open retail venueStrategyBackground
After acquiring the property, Vireo Group sought to respond to anchor departures, vacant space, and changing retail patterns by reducing reliance on the original enclosed-mall configuration.
Action taken
The owner proposed demolishing the former JCPenney and Merchant’s Tire structures, removing an abandoned gas-station site, and moving several tenants toward the property’s frontage.
Aftermath
The property transitioned toward an open-air format and became known as Southgate Park from 2018, although the Southgate name continued to identify the retail complex.
2015
JCPenney closureOtherBackground
The Elizabeth City JCPenney store was identified among underperforming locations targeted for closure.
Action taken
JCPenney closed the store in early April 2015.
Aftermath
The former anchor building was later demolished, creating space for redevelopment and a replacement building serving Hibbett Sports and Ulta Beauty.
Recent events
- 2023
Five Below announced for former Dragon Buffet space[1]
Product launch · Other
Five Below was announced as the planned replacement tenant for the space previously occupied by Dragon Buffet.
- 2023
Burke’s Outlet location rebranded as Bealls[1]
Other
The long-running Burke’s Outlet store at the property adopted the Bealls name.
- 2022
Dragon Buffet closes[1]
Other
Dragon Buffet, which had occupied the former pharmacy space for many years, closed its Southgate location.
- 2018
Southgate property begins using the Southgate Park name[1]
Other
The retail property shifted from its historic enclosed-mall identity toward an open-air format and became known as Southgate Park.
- 2017
Vireo Group acquires Southgate Mall[1]
M&A
Vireo Group purchased the shopping center and announced plans to remove selected obsolete structures and reshape the property into a partially open retail venue.
- 2017
Demalling and tenant-relocation plans are reported[1]
Other
Plans called for several tenants, including Hibbett Sports, GNC, Saslow’s Jewelers, and The Shoe Department, to move from the rear or interior portions of the mall toward newly configured frontage.
- 2015
JCPenney closes its Southgate Mall location[1]
Other
The JCPenney store closed as part of a company-wide program targeting underperforming locations. The property’s former JCPenney building was later demolished.
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/southgate-mall · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled