What is the history of The Dixie Square Mall?

History

The Dixie Square Mall was developed by the Dixie Square Development Company, a partnership of the Wirtz Corporation and the First National Bank of Harvey. The mall was built on a 95-acre (38 ha) site at the intersection of Dixie Highway and Halsted Street in Harvey, Illinois. Construction of the mall began in 1967 and was completed in 1969. The mall opened on August 14, 1969, with Sears, JCPenney, and Montgomery Ward as its anchor stores.

The Dixie Square Mall was an instant success and was one of the most popular shopping malls in the south suburbs of Chicago. The mall featured over 100 stores and restaurants, including a food court, a movie theater, and an ice skating rink. The mall also had a large parking lot with over 5,000 spaces.

In the early 1990s, the mall underwent a major renovation. The renovation included the addition of a new food court, new stores, and a skylight in the mall's atrium. The mall also received a new paint job and new signage.

Decline

The Dixie Square Mall began to decline in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Several factors contributed to the mall's decline, including:

* Competition from newer malls: Newer and more modern malls were built in the south suburbs of Chicago, such as the Orland Square Mall and the Oak Brook Center. These malls had a wider variety of stores and restaurants and were more convenient to get to than the Dixie Square Mall.

* Change in demographics: The demographics of the Harvey area changed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many middle-class families moved out of the area, and the population became more diverse. The mall's tenants began to cater to the new demographics, which resulted in a loss of business from traditional mall shoppers.

* Crime: The crime rate in the Harvey area increased in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This made shoppers feel unsafe at the mall, and many stopped going.

Closing

The Dixie Square Mall closed on January 15, 2006. The mall's owner, the Dixie Square Development Company, could no longer afford to keep it open. The company attempted to sell the mall, but there were no buyers.

In 2011, the mall was demolished. The site is now occupied by a mixed-use development called the Shops at Dixie Square.