I went downtown to the Greensboro Public Library today and did some Carolina Circle research since the Internet has recently let me down.
I looked at the microfilm and found the article from the Greensboro Daily News about the opening day on August 4, 1976. I printed it out and I'll post some items I found interesting.
1. The mall opened for the first time at 10:00 AM.
2. 22 stores were open on opening day.
3. Belk and Montgomery Ward opened months before the mall officialy opened.
4. The ice rink was called the Ice Chalet.
5. Activites for the next 3 days were concerts by an Eastern Music Festival group and "Bluegrass Experience". Also, visits by characters from Alice's Wonderland and a hot air balloon exhibition, if weather permitted.
6. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included Mayor Jim Melvin and Bob Alpert.
7. It took over 2 years to build the mall.
8. The mall cost more than $25 million.
9. At the time, the planned peripheral stores were K-Mart, Weiner King, and Shoney's. All of them are currently closed. Weiner King was in the current Bojangle's building.
10. The parking lot could hold more than 4,000 cars.
11. Stores that were open at the mall on opening day were:
Chick-Fil-A
Karmel-Korn Shoppe
Orange Julius
Kay Jewelers
Gordon's Jewelers
Carlyle and Company
Kinney Shoe Corporation
Thorn McAn
Butler's Shoe Corporation
County Seat
Foxmoor
Electronics America
12. Other stores opening were:
Radio Shack
Camelot Music
Ridgeway Optical Company
GNC
K&K Toys
Waldenbooks
Champs
13. The mall's occupancy was 76 stores.
2 comments:
What's interesting is that all of these companies are still around today except for Weiner King, Karmelkorn, Gordon's Jewelers, Kinney, Butler's, County Seat, Foxmoor, Electronics America, and Ridgeway Optical. Granted, some fo the surviors are under different names now ;-)
Quick correction: It was Thom McAnn - not Thorn McAn. It was a shoe store.
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