Hudson Belk, Cary Towne Center, Cary, North Carolina. (Wake County, North Carolina Real Estate)

Previously on LiveMalls
Hudson Belk, Cary Towne Center

Belk (former Leggett), Liberty Fair Mall, Martinsville, Virginia. Photographed 9/22/07.

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk (former Leggett), Liberty Fair Mall

Marshall Field's (later Kaufmann's and Macy's), Columbus City Center, Columbus, Ohio. (Various Sources)

Macy's (former Marshall Field's and Kaufmann's), Columbus City Center, Columbus, Ohio. Mall entrance, Holiday 2006 (Karl Kuntz, Columbus Dispatch)

Marshall Field's (later Kaufmann's and Macy's), Columbus City Center, Columbus, Ohio. Exterior entrance during conversion to Kaufmann's, 2003 (James D. DeCamp, Columbus Dispatch)

Marshall Field & Company made their second debut in Central Ohio in August 1989 as one of the anchors of Columbus City Center, a large urban renewal project in Columbus highlighted by a 1.3 million square foot enclosed mall connected to the existing flagship Lazarus store. The three-level Field's covered approximately 200,000 square feet and featured a two-story atrium with a prominent clock tower.

The location of the new store, at 3rd & Rich Streets, was very near the site where the former flagship store of The Union stood. The Union was a Columbus-based department store chain that was purchased by Marshall Field in 1980. It was located at the intersection of Town & High Streets, across from Lazarus. Field's itself changed owners shortly after the transaction, and The Union was briefly merged with Field's Cleveland-based division Halle's before closing for good by 1983.

Shortly after the City Center location opened, Marshall Field's was sold again, to Dayton-Hudson Corporation (now Target Corporation). Dayton-Hudson added a second Field's location at the nearby Tuttle Crossing mall in 1996, and operated both stores until 2003, when they were sold to May Department Stores and renamed Kaufmann's, as part of the Pittsburgh-based chain's foray into the Columbus market.

In 2005, Federated Department Stores (parent of the Columbus-based Lazarus and Macy's chains) purchased May Department Stores and eventually divested the Kaufmann's store at Polaris Fashion Place (opened in 2001, prior to the Field's transaction). The City Center and Tuttle Crossing stores were converted to Macy's, and ironically the new Macy's was on the opposite end of the mall from a recently closed Macy's location that was formerly Lazarus.

In September 2007, citing a sales slide due to failing fortunes at City Center, Macy's announced that it was closing its City Center location, with a final closing date just before the holiday season.

Special thanks to Friend of LiveMalls Aryan666 for additional historical information.

former Jacobson's, Columbus City Center, Columbus, Ohio. Mall entrance during store closing sale, 2003 (James D. DeCamp, Columbus Dispatch)

Chicago Place, Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Place, Chicago, Illinois. Promotional photo, circa 1995. (from Chicago Place directory)

Chicago Place is a mixed-use high-rise at 700 N. Michigan Avenue (between Huron and Superior Streets) in Chicago, Illinois along the Magnificent Mile. The base is an enclosed eight-story shopping mall anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue featuring 45 shops and restaurants; above that is a 49 story tower containing condominiums.

The mall is one of several vertical malls along the Magnificent Mile, which include Water Tower Place, North Bridge and 900 North Michigan.

Though initially successful, Chicago Place has struggled for years, losing large tenants including Room & Board and Ann Taylor and failing earlier this year to lease space to Best Buy.

As a whole, the mall lacks a clear retail identity outside of being the home of Saks, and suffers from its oddly configured vertical layout and dated late-1980s design elements. Still, the mall has its appeal, with a number of smaller shops that specialize in European imports.

Though not for long. Change is afoot at Chicago Place.

To combat the lack of success, the mall’s owners are spending $20 million to $25 million over the next two years to eliminate the eight-story mall's center atrium and fill in the floors. The planned makeover to the mall could eliminate as much as half of the roughly 160,000 square feet of specialty-store space.

Instead of a revolving door leading into a mall, the building's Mag Mile facade will have doors into three separate retailers. Zara, the cheap chic retailer from Spain, plans to open its first Chicago store in part of the street-level space facing Michigan Avenue. Saks Fifth Avenue will remain as anchor on the north corner and could possibly expand.

Another unnamed retailer will take 15,000 to 18,000 square feet in the middle, with a floorplate stretching to the back of the building and into the basement formerly occupied by Bockwinkel's grocery store.

Additionally, the mall owners are in talks to turn 100,000 square feet to 150,000 square feet on the third through seventh floors into a hotel.

Celebrities at Belk

Belk, Huntsville, Alabama. Photo of Colonel Harland Sanders, during a promotional visit, 1969. (Photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

Belk, SouthPark mall, Charlotte, North Carolina. Professional tennis stars Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert hold a press conference in December 1989 -- they played a tournament that evening sponsored by Belk and Levi's. (Photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

Belk, SouthPark mall, Charlotte, North Carolina. Actress Brooke Shields talking with the late John Belk in January 1990. She was in town promoting her new line of hair care products. (Photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

Matthews Belk, Eastridge Mall, Gastonia, North Carolina. The California Raisins celebrating Belk's 100th Anniversary, October 1988. (Photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Oprah Winfrey makes a benefit appearance for Belk on October 8, 1988 -- she even held a Belkie Bear! (Photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk, SouthPark
Matthews Belk, Eastridge Mall
The Belk Archive

Belk, Burlington Square, Burlington, North Carolina. Exterior entrance during last days of Store Closing Sale, 9/1/07. (cantnot)

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk, Burlington Sqaure Mall

Eastland Mall, Charlotte, North Carolina. Center court, 1983. Notice the the full view of the arched skylight, the recessed seating/viewing area in the lower front of the picture, the partial view of the ice rink name ("Ice Capades Chalet"), the tile of the area to the right of the rink, the Morrow's Nut House store across the way in red, and the "F" of Florsheim on the extreme right.(courtesy Pat Richardson)

Previously on LiveMalls
Eastland Mall, Charlotte, North Carolina

Belk (former McRae's) Dogwood Festival Market, Flowood, Mississippi. (Pat Richardson)

This Belk store opened as a McRae's Department Store (rendering at left) on April 17, 2002, with 114,000 square feet of space on two levels. It is the main anchor store of the Dogwood Festival Market, Mississippi's first lifestyle shopping center, located just outside Jackson in the bedroom community of Flowood. The store was designed by Dean and Dean/Associates Architects of Jackson and dedicated in honor of the 100th Anniversary of McRae’s.

On March 8, 2006, this McRae's store, along with the rest of the chain. was converted into Belk stores. Belk acquired the chain in July 2005 from Saks Incorporated.

Belk-Beery, Independence Mall, Wilmington, North Carolina. Exterior entrance, July 1979. (Pat Richardson)

Belk-Beery, Independence Mall, Wilmington, North Carolina. Escalator well, July 1979. (Pat Richardson)

These pictures of Belk-Beery, Independence Mall, were taken the week before the store opened in July 1979. The escalator well featured a glass-sided elevator -- framed by antique brick, marble, and wrought iron -- in the style of the antebellum houses in Wilmington.

Belk, Independence Mall, Wilmington, North Carolina. Exterior entrance, August 7, 2007. (roadgeek89)

Belk, Independence Mall, Wilmington, North Carolina. Mall entrance, August 7, 2007. (roadgeek89)

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk, Independence Mall, Wilmington, North Carolina

JCPenney, Alamance Crossing, Burlington, North Carolina, August 10, 2007. (Alamance Crossing - UPDATE, originally uploaded by JerseyFresh.)

Dillard's, Alamance Crossing, Burlington, North Carolina. Mall entrance, August 10, 2007. (Alamance Crossing - UPDATE, originally uploaded by JerseyFresh.)

Belk-Harry, Salisbury, North Carolina, circa 1980. (Pat Richardson)

Belk FabricFair, Salisbury, North Carolina, circa 1980. (Pat Richardson)

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk-Harry, Salisbury, North Carolina

Find more Belk memories like these in The Belk Archive

former Charlottetown Mall, Charlotte, North Carolina. Interior view, summer 1961. (Pat Richardson)

former Charlottetown Mall, Charlotte, North Carolina. Vintage postcard, circa 1960. (Pat Richardson)

former Charlottetown Mall, Charlotte, North Carolina. Vintage aerial view, circa 1960. Charlottetown Mall Cinema is at top of photo. (Pat Richardson)

former Charlottetown Mall Cinema, Charlotte, North Carolina. Exterior view just before demolition, 2006. (Pat Richardson)

former Charlottetown Mall Cinema, Charlotte, North Carolina. View of former freestanding sign just before demolition, 2006. (Pat Richardson)

Azalea Mall, Richmond, Virginia. Exterior view, from the 1960s. (Unknown Image Source)

Check out Labelscar: The Retail History Blog's entry on Azalea Mall

Dillard's (former Ivey's), SouthPark mall, Charlotte, North Carolina. Aerial view, 1976. Belk and the main mall entrance are in the background. (Pat Richardson)

Previously on LiveMalls
Dillard's (former Ivey's), SouthPark
The Ivey's Archive
SouthPark 1975

Belk (former Leggett), Valley View Mall, Roanoke, Virginia. Upper level exterior entrance. Photographed with camera phone 6/22/07.

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk (former Leggett), Valley View Mall

Neiman Marcus, North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Exterior view. (Neiman-Marcus at Midnight, originally uploaded by DCVoyager.)

Macy's (former Hecht's), The Streets at Southpoint, Durham, North Carolina. Sign on exterior entrance canopy. Photographed with camera phone 6/16/07.

Previously on LiveMalls
Macy's (former Hecht's), The Streets at Southpoint

More Belk Memories

Matthews Belk, Eastridge Mall, Gastonia, North Carolina. The California Raisins celebrating Belk's 100th Anniversary, October 1988. (Photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Oprah Winfrey makes a benefit appearance for Belk on October 8, 1988 -- she even held a Belkie Bear! (Photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

Belk Corporate Headquarters, Charlotte, North Carolina. Womenswear vendor doing a presentation for buyers during the 1960s. (Photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

Find more Belk memories like this on The Belk Archive

Previously on LiveMalls
Matthews Belk, Eastridge Mall

Macy's, Herald Square, New York, New York. Exterior view from 7th Avenue and 34th Street. Photographed by Sammantha Casolari for New York magazine.

Related Story
The Profit Calculator -- New York Magazine

Previously on LiveMalls
Macy's, Herald Square

Macy's (former Hecht's), Northgate Mall, Durham, North Carolina. Exterior entrance detail. Photographed with camera phone 6/2/07.

Macy's (former Hecht's), Northgate Mall, Durham, North Carolina. Exterior facade. Photographed with camera phone 6/2/07.

Tanglewood Mall, Roanoke, Virginia. West interior court, circa 1990. (Virginia Film Office )

Previously on LiveMalls
Tanglewood Mall, Roanoke, Virginia

Sears, Friendly Center, Greensboro, North Carolina. Main store building, circa 1990. (Sears Roebuck & Co.)

Previously on LiveMalls
Sears, Friendly Center

JCPenney, Four Seasons Town Centre, Greensboro, North Carolina. Level One mall entrance, circa 1990. (J.C. Penney Co.)

JCPenney, Four Seasons Town Centre, Greensboro, North Carolina. Escalator well. Photographed with camera phone 8/26/05.

Previously on LiveMalls
JCPenney, Four Seasons Town Centre