Jump to content

Charlotte's First Big Boxes

DigitalSky

By DigitalSky
in Charlotte Coffee House

Recommended Posts

DigitalSky City

DigitalSky

Posted
Posted

Can people tell me where the first Walmarts, Targets and Kmarts were in Mecklenburg Co?

this is what i got: (just tell me if i'm missing anything older)

K-mart

-North Tryon St. (closed) then moved to:

-University City Blvd (closed).

-Freedom Drive (open)

-Park Road (closed) then moved to:

-The Centrum at Carolina Place (open)

-South Boulverd (closed)

-Independence Blvd, Charlotte (closed)

-Independence Blvd, Matthews (closed)

-Sardis Road North (closed)

Target

-Eastway Dr/N Tryon (Northpark Mall) (closed) then moved to:

-University City Blvd & Harris Blvd. (open)

-Freedom Mall (closed)

-Tyvola Road Near I-77 (Westpark Mall) (closed) then moved to:

-South Blvd & I-485. (open)

-Stonecrest at Piper Glen (open)

-Independence Blvd (closed) then moved to:

-Albemarle Road (open)

-Matthews Township Parkway, Matthews (open)

-Sam Furr Road, Huntersville (open)

Wal-Mart

-The Arboretum (open)

-South Boulveard (closed) then moved to:

-Arrowood Road & I-485 [supercenter] (open)

-Eastway Blvd (open)

-Albemarle Rd (open)

-Harris Blvd (open)

-Sardis Rd North [supercenter] (open)

-Mt Holly-Huntesrville Rd [supercenter] (open)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 31
  • Created
  • Last Reply
StevenRocks City

StevenRocks

Posted
Posted

I think the Target you have listed at Tyvola Mall was actually a little further west on Tyvola. If memory serves, it was located where Costco is now, out near I-77. There was a Bi-Lo up there on the hill, too.

Tyvola Mall used to have a Woolco (judging by the architectural scars and what I've read), but I don't remember a Target being there, just Toys 'R' Us, Overton's and a couple other things before the current tenants came.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DigitalSky City

DigitalSky

Posted
  • Author
Posted

thanks i fixed it. It was part of Westpark Mall, with Bi-Lo, not Tyvola Mall.

I want to make sure I've got all of them. I read somewhere that 3 Wal-Marts in Charlotte closed down, but I could only remember the South Blvd one closing down... I don't recall there being other older ones that closed so if anyone knows about that. And was there ever a Kmart in North Mecklenburg county?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

Posted
Posted

Thanks for refreshing my memory. When I said Tyvola mall earlier I was actually referring to the Westpark Mall which doesn't exist anymore. It originally was one of the 4 Richway/GC/Target conversions in the county. Target is a relative latecomer to the county.

Other notible chains that are now gone were Woolco, Woolworth, Zayres, Roses (as mentioned above), Brendles, Service Merchandise, Home Quarters, Lechmere, Incredible Universe, Lionel Toys, and Paces Membership Warehouse. I'm not sure if there was actually a Sky City in Meck, but there were ones in several of the surrounding counties.

Not to mention, A&P, Kroger SaveOn, Bilo (the first time in Charlotte, cows on top of stores), 3 Guys Grocery stores and Park & Shop.

There also used to be 7-11's and Fast Fares all over the city.

The comment about no Kmart in N. Meck is correct. There is one located in Mooresville, but it is not in Meck. but fairly close to N. Meck residents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
atlrvr Metropolitan Area

atlrvr

Posted
Posted

Lionel Toys.....that's the one with the kangaroo logo that I had been trying to think of.

Also, don't forget Phar-Mor.....too bad about that one, I rather enjoyed them.

This is a little off topic of big box, but does anyone know what happened to Golden's Chicken and their famous "ugly biscuits"?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

Posted
Posted

....

This is a little off topic of big box, but does anyone know what happened to Golden's Chicken and their famous "ugly biscuits"?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Probably gone to fast food heaven in the sky along with Wiener King, Hot & Now, Holly Farms Chicken, Taco Tico, Pizza Inn, Godfathers, and Western Steer. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
QC704 Whistle-Stop

QC704

Posted
Posted

Thanks for refreshing my memory.  When I said Tyvola mall earlier I was actually referring to the Westpark Mall which doesn't exist anymore.  It originally was one of the 4 Richway/GC/Target conversions in the county.  Target is a relative latecomer to the county. 

Other notible chains that are now gone were Woolco, Woolworth, Zayres, Roses (as mentioned above), Brendles, Service Merchandise, Home Quarters, Lechmere, Incredible Universe, Lionel Toys, and Paces Membership Warehouse.  I'm not sure if there was actually a Sky City in Meck, but there were ones in several of the surrounding counties.

Not to mention, A&P, Kroger SaveOn, Bilo (the first time in Charlotte, cows on top of stores), 3 Guys Grocery stores and Park & Shop.

There also used to be 7-11's and Fast Fares all over the city.

The comment about no Kmart in N. Meck is correct.  There is one located in Mooresville, but it is not in Meck. but fairly close to N. Meck residents.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You forgot Nichols but I am not sure if that was a gastonia only thing.

I remember going into all of those stores except Lechmere and Zayres. Correct me if I am wrong but I think both Lionel and Paces are both being used as warehouses now. How long has A&P been out of Charlotte? The one here in Gastonia held on until the early 90's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

Posted
Posted

You forgot Nichols but I am not sure if that was a gastonia only thing.

I remember going into all of those stores except Lechmere and Zayres. Correct me if I am wrong but I think both Lionel and Paces are both being used as warehouses now. How long has A&P been out of Charlotte? The one here in Gastonia held on until the early 90's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lechmere's building is now BestBuy on Independance.

Zayres was Kmart like chain. One was located at the former shopping center at Eastway and the Plaza. This strip mall also had an A&P. There was a Zayre on Indepencance and South Blvd. as well, but I don't remember which strip mall they were located in. I don't ever remember there being a Nichols in Charlotte.

A&P has been gone a long time. I don't remember how long now but I think the last store to go was the on on Freedom drive near Camp Green rd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

Posted
Posted

There was also a Giant Genie on The Plaza near 36th street. (formerlly an A&P) It may still be some sort of grocery store as I have not been over that way in a while. This neighborhood also had a WinnDixie which got converted to a rather ugly generic FoodLion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DigitalSky City

DigitalSky

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I believe the only thing ever in North Meck from a long time ago was a Rose's at exit 28 which closed.  I can't think of any other Wal-Marts that have closed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Speaking of Rose's are any stores still open in the area? I remember there being one in Belmont where the Harris Teeter was... Is that still open? i think there might be one in Chapel Hill and Durham if i'm not mistaken and if they're still open

Link to comment
Share on other sites
StevenRocks City

StevenRocks

Posted
Posted

Speaking of Rose's are any stores still open in the area? I remember there being one in Belmont where the Harris Teeter was... Is that still open? i think there might be one in Chapel Hill and Durham if i'm not mistaken and if they're still open

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is still a Roses at University Mall in Chapel Hill. There is also one in my town (Rocky Mount, VA) and in Chatam, VA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 8 months later...
DigitalSky City

DigitalSky

Posted
  • Author
Posted

There was also a Giant Genie on The Plaza near 36th street. (formerlly an A&P) It may still be some sort of grocery store as I have not been over that way in a while. This neighborhood also had a WinnDixie which got converted to a rather ugly generic FoodLion.

Interesting, I never knew that was a Winn Dixie

Speaking of Rose's are any stores still open in the area? I remember there being one in Belmont where the Harris Teeter was... Is that still open? i think there might be one in Chapel Hill and Durham if i'm not mistaken and if they're still open

Yes, I saw it, it's still open. But no doubt the new Wal-Mart will hurt the store a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

Posted
Posted

Interesting, I never knew that was a Winn Dixie

Yes, I saw it, it's still open. But no doubt the new Wal-Mart will hurt the store a lot.

Yeah it was one of those older 60s format Winn Dixies where they had the baking chickens in the meat dept in one of those merry go round chicken roasters. Next door was Shamrock Drugs. Both are gone now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
otherstream Whistle-Stop

otherstream

Posted
Posted

Zayres was Kmart like chain. One was located at the former shopping center at Eastway and the Plaza. This strip mall also had an A&P. There was a Zayre on Indepencance and South Blvd. as well, but I don't remember which strip mall they were located in.

Zayre on Indepnedence was where Sports Authority and Marshall's are now, in the same center with the former Harris Teeter which just became a Compare Foods. South Boulevard was at Woodlawn (later Home Quarters and more recently Media Play).

Zayre also had a location on Freedom Drive across from Freedom Mall (became a Lowe's Home Improvement in the 1980s and it's now vacant), which was the first to open in Charlotte, I believe.

A&P has been gone a long time. I don't remember how long now but I think the last store to go was the on on Freedom drive near Camp Green rd.

Actually, the last to close was one of the oldest in town: the one at Queens and Providence (now HT Express), which closed in 1997. It had been operating in that location for almost fifty years, and in a nearby spot for even longer. The Park Road Shopping Center and East Trade/Five Points stores closed in 1996.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.