North Point Mall

North Point Mall, located in Alpharetta, Georgia, is a popular shopping destination in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The mall opened on October 20, 1993, as one of the largest shopping malls in the United States and was built by Homart Development Company, with North Point Mall being one of the final two properties developed by the company. Currently, the mall features Dillard's as one of its anchor stores and remains one of the most popular shopping centers in Atlanta as of 2023.
The mall boasts of four well-known anchor stores, namely Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, and Von Maur, that offer a wide variety of products to shoppers. These anchor stores contribute significantly to the mall's popularity and success.
== History ==
Like Pembroke Lakes Mall which opened in the previous year, this mall opened with space for 6 anchor stores, 5 of which were initially occupied: Rich's, Lord & Taylor, Mervyn's, JCPenney, and Sears. One of the more distinctive elements of the mall was the Rich's store, which was designed with numerous distinctive historical elements and a more elaborate design to pay tribute to its lost flagship store in downtown Atlanta, which had closed only two years earlier. Though it became a Macy's in 2005, the outside of the store retains the elaborate sculptings of the original store.
Dillard's filled the sixth pad on the southwest side of the mall as their first Atlanta location (this was likewise done at Pembroke Lakes a year before) along with a parking deck in 1996. As Mervyn's left the following year, their space was filled by Parisian, which had 4 other area stores and made the mall more upscale. With the exception of Lord & Taylor, the mall had the same anchor lineup as The Mall at Stonecrest, which opened in 2001.
The mall was renovated in 2003, when the interior was modernized to introduce more sitting areas, and again in 2004, when an escalator was moved from the East Court near Starbucks to the Sears wing of the mall. In 2019, many of the mall's interior atriums were modernized with new sitting areas and flooring. This also included the addition of an LED color changing tree.
In June 2004, The Cheesecake Factory opened its third Georgia location and first location outside of Atlanta at North Point. The store is located in the mall parking lot just beyond the parking deck. A walking path known as the "yellow brick road" connects the restaurant to the mall's Center Court.
In 2005, Lord & Taylor was repositioned and shuttered entirely and became Belk.Parisian shuttered in September 2007, after it was acquired by Belk, which was already present in the previous Lord & Taylor outpost. Belk left the center in September 2009. Luxury retailer Von Maur announced in October 2010 it would remodel the two-story previous Belk outpost, expanding it to 140,000 square feet (13,000 m2) from 115,000 square feet (10,700 m2). The new design includes reddish brick, a cupola, and columns to echo Georgia and the South. The store opened in November 2011.
The previous Parisian outpost converted to a 12-screen AMC Theatres featuring a MacGuffins bar, recliners, Coca-Cola Freestyle, IMAX, and ETX in September 2012.
In June 2018, it was announced Sears would shutter as part of an ongoing decision to eliminate its brick-and-mortar format. The previous Sears outpost is proposed to be a part of a future enhanced development. 
By 2019, the mall development firm had determined that it's appropriate to invest in the property as places like Halcyon, and Avalon come into the market. They have gone on to propose a future enhanced development.
In March 2022, Brookfield Properties sold the mall to Trademark Properties, leading to the rebranding of the shopping center as North Point exclusively. Plans to redevelop the former Sears into apartments, restaurants, new retail areas, and small parks were later announced. However, these plans fell through following a heated city council meeting. 
In November 2021, Dino Safari Opened Inside The Former Sears Store. In January 2024, Dino Safari closed.
In March 2024, Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment, led by former National Hockey League player Anson Carter, made a proposal to redevelop the North Point Mall site as part of an effort to bring the NHL back to the metro Atlanta area; Carter's bid for an NHL franchise is competing against The Gathering at South Forsyth, located near the Fulton—Forsyth County line six miles (10 km) north of the North Point Mall site.
== Carousel ==
The beautiful carousel located behind a floor-to-ceiling window in North Point Mall's food court was crafted in Brooklyn, New York by the Fabricon Carousel Company in the early 1990s. Hand-painted with exquisite detail, the fiberglass animals were modeled after a vintage Victorian carousel in Coney Island. The carousel was originally intended for display at Perimeter Mall, but it was shipped to a warehouse near Duluth, Georgia, where it sat for eight months before being brought to North Point Mall in August 1993. The carousel was assembled in the mall's spacious, high-ceilinged, unfinished room, which is now the Food Court. Unfortunately, a broken part delayed its grand opening, but it finally operated a few weeks after the mall's official opening. Although it was supposed to be the centerpiece of the mall, the carousel still delights shoppers with its whimsical charm and intricate craftsmanship.
== Gallery ==
=== Videos ===
File:HUGE Montgomery Hydraulic Scenic Elevator At North Point Mall In Alpharetta, GA|The Main Elevator
File:Montgomery Vector Hydraulic Elevator At JCPenney North Point Mall In Alpharetta, GA|The JCPenney Elevator
File:Golden Montgomery Kone Hydraulic Elevator At Dillard's North Point Mall In Alpharetta, GA|The Dillard's Elevator
File:Schindler Hydraulic Elevator - Macy's North Point Mall - Alpharetta, GA|The Macy's Elevator
File:Schindler 330A HT Hydraulic Elevator - Von Maur North Point Mall - Alpharetta, GA|The Von Maur Elevator
File:STORE CLOSED! Montgomery Hydraulic Elevator At Former Sears North Point Mall In Alpharetta, GA|The Sears Elevator
File:MontgomeryKONE Hydraulic Scenic Parking Elevator at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, GA|The Parking Garage Elevator
== External Links ==
North Point Mall's Official Website
Northpoint Mall Tenant List:Category:Shopping Malls
Category:Malls in the United States
Category:Malls in Georgia
Category:Malls that opened in 1993
Category:Multi-Level Malls
Category:Brookfield Properties Retail Group Malls
Category:Former Rich's-anchored Malls
Category:Former Mervyn's-anchored Malls
Category:JCPenney-anchored Malls
Category:Former Sears-anchored Malls
Category:Dillard's-anchored Malls
Category:Former Parisian-anchored Malls
Category:Former Lord & Taylor-anchored Malls
Category:Former Belk-anchored Malls
Category:Von Maur-anchored Malls
Category:AMC-anchored Malls
Category:Macy's-anchored Malls