Concord Mills is a nearly 1.4-million-square-foot shopping mall located in Concord, North Carolina. The mall is in Cabarrus County, just a few hundred feet from the Mecklenburg County border, and about 12 miles (19Â km) from Uptown Charlotte. It is one of two malls in Concord, the other being Carolina Mall. Formerly operated by the Mills Corporation, it is now owned by Simon Property Group. It is North Carolina's largest tourist attraction, attracting 17.6 million visitors in 2005. The mall is located about a mile from Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Major stores
Like many of the Mills Corporation's other shopping malls, Concord Mills is composed mainly of outlet stores, big box stores, and entertainment venues. Anchor stores include AMC Theatres, Bass Pro Shops, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Books-A-Million, Burlington Coat Factory, Dave & Buster's, Forever 21, Camille La Vie, H&M, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, Sea Life Charlotte-Concord, Sun & Ski Sports, The Children's Place, and VF Outlet.
Other stores include Nike Factory Store, The LEGO Store, American Eagle Outfitters, Finish Line, Inc., Old Navy Outlet, Express, F.Y.E., T.J. Maxx, Hot Topic, and The Disney Store Outlet.
It also includes a motion simulator and a food court which included the first Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in the Charlotte metropolitan area.
Surrounding area
Originally a wooded area west of Interstate 85 prior to the mall's opening in 1999, the Concord Mills retail district has rapidly expanded. Concord Mills Boulevard, the main road that runs near the mall, is lined with dozens of restaurants, stores, hotels, and car dealerships, with many new establishments opening each year. Other major attractions around the mall include the Great Wolf Lodge of Concord, which also attracts many out-of-town tourists. The Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMax Dragway are about a mile away.
2000 construction fire
On August 21, 2000 on a construction site near Concord Mills, a natural gas pipeline ruptured sending flames to heights of about 100 feet (30Â m). As a result of the explosion, law enforcement officials closed local roads around the mall and Interstate 85 around rush hour (4 p.m.); the roads were reopened one hour later after the situation was contained. The event received national network television coverage and news helicopters provided much of the video shown on national television.
See also
- I-85 Corridor
- List of shopping malls in the United States
References
External links
- Official website