Raleigh’s indoor malls have become more sophisticated as time has gone by. Many of them offer mall walking for the elderly, trick-or-treating for the young on Halloween, and, of course, plenty of first rate shopping and dining experiences. Top picks for the Raleigh area include the following indoor malls.
The Triangle Towne Center
This shopping complex, located in North Raleigh off Capital Boulevard, is one of the newest malls. It’s also convenient to the outer loop, called I-540, and is currently the end-point as the loop construction project is still underway. It doesn’t really snow in Raleigh, although, at times we get ice storms. But, people just love to see snow in the winter, so this mall has a snow making machine right outside the food court on the second floor. It is put on at times in the winter. You can sit in the food court and watch it snow as you eat, although the coffee shop on the second floor offers a better view. It adds quite a bit of atmosphere to the place when the colors of summer are gone.
The mall hosts 165 stores and with its easy access from I-540 and ample parking, it is a very popular mall. The anchor stores are Belk, Dillards, Hecht’s, Sears, and Saks Fifth Avenue. The food court itself, has a large variety of cheap and tasty meals. Special events include a Riverfest where kids can do crafts and play, and adults can listen to music or watch performances by magicians, jugglers, and clowns. The Riverfest is scheduled several weekends at various times. For information this event and a listing of the store directory go to www.triangletowncenter.com. Check the special offers on their websites to get a good lead on deals and discounts that are currently active.
The Streets at Southpoint
For a carnival atmosphere and lots of high-quality dining, head to the Streets at Southpoint. On weekends, you can see jugglers, balloon artists, magicians, and other performing artists mesmerize the crowd with their antics. The Streets at Southpoint is both and indoor and an outdoor strip mall, with the performances taking place in the plazas between a set of fountains with sculptures of children playing in the water.
The mall hosts 140 stores and is off of I-40, going towards Chapel Hill. This shopping center’s anchor stores are: Belk, Hecht’s, JC Penney, Sears, and Nordstrom. There is a 16-screen cinema located at the entrance to the strip mall open-air area. The mall also hosts free concerts on the main of varying styles from jazz to rock and bluegrass. There website offers the chance to win a $100 shopping spree just for registering. Visit their website for their store directory and events scheduled at http://streetsatsouthpoint.com.
Crabtree Valley Mall
The Crabtree Valley Mall is the original indoor mall in Raleigh. It is very beloved by all the residents of Raleigh and its status will probably never be usurped, as it is central to most locations in Raleigh, off the inner loop of I-440. The anchor restaurants are a must visit. They are Kanki’s Japanese House of Steak and Sushi, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, and The Cheesecake Factory. At Kanki’s you will be treated to their chef’s masterful culinary performance as well as gourmet skills as you sit around a large table with the cooking area in the center. Depending on the chef you get, they may chop and slice at a dizzying speed, sometimes flipping food onto your plate from a distance! The show is entertaining and filling.
The Crabtree Valley Mall hosts over 220 stores and was the largest enclosed mall before The Triangle Towne Center and The Streets at Southpoint opened. Crabtree’s anchor department stores are: Hecht’s, Belk, Sears and Macy’s (which is due to be added). They have a mall walking and Halloween trick-or-treating program. One of the odd local-known facts about the Crabtree Valley Mall is that it is sometimes flooded by the nearby Crabtree Creek. You can see images of cars being swept down the parking lot on the news if someone was silly enough to leave them there during a major hurricane. But, don’t let that dissuade you! This mall is not going anywhere and a little bit of rain isn’t going to bother them. They may shutdown during large downpours, but they will always re-open and everyone will always go there. For a listing of their store directory, events and promotions go to: www.crabtree-valley-mall.com.
Prime Outlets at Morrisville (Otherwise know to locals as the Airport Mall)
This outlet mall is a bargain hunter’s delight. It is one of the “hidden treasures” of the city and because of that it is rarely crowded. It’s not exactly in the Raleigh-Durham area, it’s actually closer to the airport and located on Airport Boulevard, which is why some calls it the Airport Mall. It is also off I-40, exit 284 traveling towards Chapel Hill. One of the nicest features of this mall is the wood-grained floor, making the entire mall seem homey and quaint. Its anchor stores are Off 5th Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet and DressBarn. It is a smaller indoor mall, hosting only 47 stores, but not all are filled. Rumor has it that this mall may be up for sale and will no longer remain an outlet mall for long due to poor traffic. So, get your bargains in while you can!
