Northlake Mall, Before the Escalators Slowed
Near the junction of I-77 and Harris Boulevard, the entry glass at Northlake Mall still reflects the sun off the parked rows that wrap around the south wing.
Inside, the flooring changes from tile to carpet as you pass the old Borders space, now an H&M.
The second-floor guardrails are made of metal instead of chrome, and there are visible marks from bags and carts.
When Northlake opened in 2005, stores moved further north, beyond Uptown, into an area of Mecklenburg that hadn’t had much retail beyond strip centers for years.
For some time, this approach brought in tenants and customers. Belk, Dillard’s, Hecht’s – main anchors.
You could see the Apple store’s light from partway down the concourse.
Filling the Retail Gap (2005-2006)
Northlake Mall had a wide main concourse, and the escalators were set near the middle.
Skylights were overhead, and in the afternoon, less light came in.
When it opened in 2005, the mall added 130 storefronts to a part of Mecklenburg that had gone more than a decade without new retail.
Taubman Centers built it about eight miles from uptown Charlotte, on land bordered by Interstate 77.
Two highway exits led directly into the parking lots.
Anchor stores included Belk, Dillard’s, Macy’s (still labeled Hecht’s on opening day), and a 14-screen AMC theater.
Each had its own entrance outside. Most of the first-level stores were national clothing chains.
Foot Locker, Victoria’s Secret, and American Eagle were among the first stores to open.
The upper level had smaller fashion stores and a regular-sized food court. There was no indoor fountain.
The central atrium had recessed lighting in the canopies, which made the area feel taller.
The mall drew regular shoppers from Concord Mills and SouthPark.
By the end of 2006, most of the retail spaces were filled, and new banks, fast food, and sit-down restaurants opened around the mall.
Retailers pointed to housing growth nearby as a reason to expand. Across the parking deck, new apartment buildings were already under construction.
Development and Expansion (2007-2015)
In 2013, Northlake Mall said H&M would move into the old Borders spot.
The bookstore closed in 2011, and the 25,600-square-foot area stayed empty until work started.
Work finished the following year, and H&M opened in 2014. At the time, it was only the second store for the brand in the Charlotte area.
In June 2014, Taubman Centers sold Northlake Mall to Starwood Capital Group as part of a $1.4 billion deal involving multiple malls.
The management team stayed in place. Tenant operations and the mall’s layout did not change right away.
Later court records and statements said Starwood was looking at options for future changes, but did not give any timeline.
Development on nearby properties increased. Outparcels are filled with drive-thru fast food.
New hotels went up by the I-77 ramps. Larger stores opened on nearby lots along the same shopping area.
Starwood’s Expansion Push (2016–2020)
In February 2016, Starwood Capital Group said it planned a $50 million expansion for Northlake Mall.
The plan included about 200,000 more square feet, with mention of new places to eat or for entertainment.
No timeline or tenant list was given at the time.
By 2020, the mall still had the same main anchor stores.
Dillard’s, Macy’s, Belk, and AMC Theatres stayed open, and there were no changes reported to their layout or size.
No public record showed progress on the planned expansion during this period.
Business around the mall continued. Several new restaurants and retail pads were developed along mall-adjacent property lines.
Driveways and parking access were reconfigured in spots, but interior mall entrances were not changed.
By the end of 2020, the $50 million expansion remained on record, but there was no visible construction linked to that plan within the main footprint of the mall itself.
Closures, Crime, and Tenant Exit (2021–2023)
Dick’s Sporting Goods left its Northlake Mall spot in February 2021.
The store took up 75,000 square feet and had served as a junior anchor in the mall.
After Dick’s left, no other business took over that spot for two years. That was the first time the mall lost an anchor tenant since it opened.
On March 1, 2023, Apple permanently closed its store at Northlake. No advance public notice was given.
News coverage cited three separate incidents at or near the mall in the prior 75 days as the reason.
The Apple storefront, a high-visibility tenant near the center of the lower concourse, was removed from the company’s website directory the same day.
The mall was still operating, though some smaller stores left around this period.
Reports online and in local media pointed out lower customer numbers.
New Tenants, Receivership and Planned Sale (2024)
Northlake Mall entered receivership in 2024.
Starwood Capital Group remained the legal owner, but control of the property shifted to Spinoso Real Estate Group.
Wells Fargo took over management of the mall’s debt as the assigned special servicer.
By September, the site was being readied for sale. A formal listing was underway, though no asking price or buyer had been announced.
Spinoso continued to oversee day-to-day operations while coordinating with Wells Fargo and legal representatives handling the receivership.
In September 2024, Belk opened its first North Carolina outlet inside Northlake Mall.
The outlet occupies the upper level of the existing two-story Belk store, with approximately 67,000 square feet converted from full-line to clearance and off-price merchandise.
Construction began in June, following an announcement earlier that spring.
The lower level continues to operate as a standard Belk department store. The outlet opened to the public on September 21 with a formal event.
As of mid-2025, this remains the only Belk Outlet in the state, though additional locations were planned in Gastonia and Raleigh.
Galleria Furniture currently operates inside the former Dick’s Sporting Goods space at Northlake Mall.
By late 2024, Galleria Furniture had moved into the 75,000-square-foot anchor unit, repurposing the layout into a full-scale showroom.
The store offers furniture for living rooms, bedrooms, dining areas, home offices, and patios, as well as mattresses and in-store assembly services.
A New Owner (2025)
Hull Property Group purchased Northlake Mall for $39 million on March 3, 2025.
The sale closed through a court-approved receivership process and was recorded with Mecklenburg County.
The sale covered the main mall property but did not include nearby parcels owned separately.
Hull confirmed the purchase the next day. The company said it would refocus the mall around retail, health services, and local community use.
The announcement outlined general intentions but did not name specific tenants or detail building changes.
All four anchor tenants remained. Dillard’s, Macy’s, Belk, and AMC Theatres continued normal operations.
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