The Mall at Westlake, almost always referred to as Westlake Mall is a vacant and closed community mall in Bessemer, Alabama.
 | |
 | |
| Location | Bessemer, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°23′43″N 86°58′21″W / 33.3952°N 86.9725°W |
| Opening date | 1969 |
| Closing date | 2009 |
| Owner | Anthony Underwood |
| No. of anchor tenants | 3 |
| Total retail floor area | 300,000 square feet (28,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
History
editWestlake Mall was built on a former lake bed, along US Highway 11. The mall opened in 1969 with three anchors, Sears, Grant's, and Loveman's.
In 1970, former Governor George Wallace held a campaign event for re-election at the mall that was estimated to be attended by 10,000 people, one of the biggest turnouts during his last gubernatorial race.[1][2]
In the late 1970s and 1980s, the mall saw decline. In November 1983, an 18 year old female was raped after being kidnapped near the mall by masked abductors.[3] All three original anchors closed by 1989, making it a dead mall or deserted mall. Continuing urban sprawl southwestward toward the Tuscaloosa County line and increased crime and poverty in the city of Bessemer all contributed to the mall's demise.[citation needed]
During the mid 1980s, there was an effort to turn the mall into a factory outlet center, though many regular stores were still open.[4]
In 1994, Bruno's Supermarkets opened a flagship store in the former Sears anchor location. It was the company's largest store. The mall continued to operate with a small assortment of stores, including a Goody's Family Clothing store in the former Loveman's anchor location.
The Goody's store relocated elsewhere in the late 2000s, and Bruno's filed bankruptcy in 2009, closing its store at the mall.[5]
The center was sold to Bessemer used-car dealership owner Anthony Underwood, who wants to revive the center once again as an outlet mall. As of 2013[update], the mall sits vacant and sealed, with several of its entrances blocked.
References
edit- ^ Wasson, Don (April 26, 1970). "Wallace Touches All Bases In Big Rally at Bessemer". The Montgomery Advertiser. p. 2. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ Lewis, Danny (September 5, 1982). "Wallace". The Montgomery Advertiser. p. 11. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ "New DNA tests lead to dropped charges in 1983 rape case". The Anniston Star. December 2, 1998. p. 10. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ (19 March 2009). West Lake mall's owner dreams of revival in Bessemer, Alabama, Birmingham News
- ^ Whitmire, Kyle. "Jefferson County eyes mall for alternate Bessemer courthouse site". The Birmingham News. Retrieved July 2, 2013.