On August 7, 1991, CoolSprings Galleria opened in Franklin, Tennessee, in the Cool Springs corridor between Franklin and Brentwood, about 15 miles south of Nashville.
Drivers came off Interstate 65 at exits 68 and 69 and flowed toward a new enclosed mall built at a super-regional scale, planned at about 1.08 million square feet.
Opening day drew an estimated 70,000 to 80,000 visitors. Three anchors greeted the crowds from the start: Castner Knott, Dillard's, and Sears.
CoolSprings Galleria was developed by CBL & Associates Properties in a joint venture with the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation, and the impact showed up in Franklin's finances.
By the early 2000s, sales tax collections had doubled from about $1 million before the mall opened, with the mall alone contributing about $1 million annually.
The mall also kicked off a wider retail build-out. CoolSprings Crossing opened nearby with Target and Service Merchandise. The Home Depot opened across I-65.
In a short span, the corridor shifted from open land into a cluster of big boxes, anchors, and restaurant pads, with the enclosed mall as the center of gravity.
Cool Springs Farm begins in the 1830s
Before the mall and the freeway exits became landmarks, this part of Williamson County was Mallory Valley farmland.
The Cool Springs name came from Cool Springs Farm, which sat near what is now close to the intersection of Mallory Lane and Cool Springs Boulevard.
Around 1830, James Carothers (1792-1865), a War of 1812 veteran, and his wife, Penelope House Barfield Carothers (1801-1839), built a small two-room log house on a 160-acre land grant.
The property stayed in the Carothers family, and the house later gained a second story in the 1870s under Dr. Robert Blake Carothers (1824-1884).
The land changed owners over time, including William A. Jordan in 1888 and Andrew McConnico "Mac" Gant in the early 20th century, who gave it the Cool Springs name.
John H. and Karen Dunn Noel bought the property in 1974 and required the historic farmhouse to be preserved when they sold it in 1985.
In 1993, the City of Brentwood relocated the Cool Springs House to Crockett Park, where it now serves as an event venue.
ATF factory years and the blue ball tower
In the 1960s, the American Type Founders (ATF) Company ran a manufacturing plant in Franklin on the future mall site.
ATF, founded in 1892, dominated metal type production for printing and produced typefaces including News Gothic and Franklin Gothic.
The Franklin factory also produced presses used for pattern printing, including work tied to McCall and Simplicity patterns.
That period ended in the early 1970s. The plant closed as printing moved away from metal type and toward photo typesetting and digital methods.
People emphasized the look of the place as much as the work inside it. The building stood out as a mid-century white structure with a futuristic feel.
A blue ball water tower stood nearby, and at some point, it was shot at, causing prolonged drainage.
A new owner arrived at the end of the 1970s, when Southwestern Family of Companies bought the site.
The conglomerate began in 1855 as Southwestern Publishing House and used the property for publishing and other operations until a tornado damaged the area in 1988.
After asbestos abatement, the remaining structures were demolished. The cleared site, once a factory footprint, became part of the available land for the mall.
Franklin and Brentwood fight for the tax base
CoolSprings Galleria arrived after years of political boundary fights, because city lines determined who collected the sales tax.
In the 1980s, developers targeted land south of Moores Lane, split among the Brentwood and Franklin quadrants. Brentwood annexed areas first under Mayor Tom Nelms.
Franklin answered under Mayor Jeff Bethurum. Franklin annexed 2,200 acres in 1985, then annexed 7,000 more by 1987, nearly doubling the city's size.
Land sales and mall plans changed as the boundaries changed. Marvin Pratt had bought a 220-acre farm in Mallory Valley in 1954 for $40,000.
He later sold to Southeast Ventures, led by George Volkert. Multiple mall ideas competed for the corridor.
CBL & Associates proposed a galleria at Concord Road, but Brentwood rejected it. Other concepts included Liberty Place at Moores Lane and Maryland Farms by the Edward J. DeBartolo Corp.
CBL eventually got the project and teamed up with DeBartolo. The group put together 100 acres from Southwestern Publishing and 65 acres from Pratt.
By 1987, Castner Knott and Dillard's had agreed to be the main stores, and the project moved closer to getting final approval.
Spencer Creek dispute and the mall's build-to-expansion timeline
After the land was assembled, the project still had to get through planning and engineering. The biggest environmental disputes centered on rerouting Spencer Creek.
Once that was settled, the Franklin Planning Commission approved the final site plan on September 9, 1989.
Construction began in May 1990 with an August 1991 target. The doors opened on August 7, 1991, and the mall launched with Castner Knott, Dillard's, and Sears as the anchors.
Turnout hit right away, and the effects showed up in city revenue.
At the same time, the corridor's pace of growth accelerated.
The anchor list grew after opening. JCPenney joined soon after the mall opened. Parisian arrived later, opening on October 24, 1994, as the fifth anchor.
More development followed around it. Chili's and Shoe Carnival arrived in 1994, and Cracker Barrel opened in 2003.
Sears closes, and the 2015 rebuild lands
By the 2010s, the mall faced the same anchor churn hitting enclosed centers across the country. Sears closed at CoolSprings Galleria in 2013.
CBL bought the Sears space and redeveloped it, reopening the area in 2015 with a new layout and a sharper mix of retail and dining.
The renovation converted the former Sears box into five retail areas and added a new facade and mall entrance.
It upgraded lighting, flooring, and restrooms, and it was designed to feel like a seamless extension of the two-level corridor.
New retailers tied to the redevelopment included H&M and American Girl. Belk also expanded through the project, opening a 50,000-square-foot men's and children's store as part of the former Sears space.
Anchor identities shifted over time. Castner Knott, the original north-end anchor, became Proffitt's, then Hecht's, and later Macy's, which remains the current store.
Dillard's has stayed in place as an original anchor since 1991. JCPenney remains. Parisian later became Belk.
Full control returns and the 2025 plan
CoolSprings Galleria has stayed tied to CBL & Associates Properties since it opened. CBL developed the mall with the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation.
In October 2011, TIAA-CREF took a 50% interest. That changed in December 2024, when CBL bought back that 50% stake.
The transaction (covering three joint-venture properties, including CoolSprings Galleria) involved $22.5 million in cash and about $266.7 million in assumed mortgage loans.
In May 2024, CBL put forward a plan to expand the site beyond just shopping.
The proposal added 76,700 square feet of new retail and restaurant space. It also added 600 multifamily units in two buildings and a 120-room hotel.
Franklin approved the framework in March 2025. The Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen rezoned 86.5 acres from Regional Commerce to Planned District.
The approval allowed up to 1,660,000 square feet of nonresidential space, along with the hotel and the 600 units.
The plan follows city rules for busy areas near I-65. It calls for designs that are easy for people to walk around in.
It includes public spaces like plazas. Traffic changes are still being reviewed after a traffic study.
Roundabouts on Mallory Lane are one idea. The plan stays part of a bigger plan for the area, including a rodeo park memorial. People still debate how crowded it might get and how traffic will be affected.
CoolSprings Galleria: A 1.16M-sq-ft mall, about 150 stores
In 2026, CoolSprings Galleria is an enclosed super-regional mall in Franklin, Tennessee. The mall measures about 1,166,000 square feet. It has about 150 stores.
Primark opened on October 30, 2025, with a store of over 35,000 square feet that sells fashion, homeware, and beauty products. The store hosted special events on opening day.
Vans celebrated its grand opening on February 6, 2026, on the upper level near the food court.
Belk, Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, and Primark serve as the main anchors. The mall reported 5,648,000 annual visitors in 2024. Occupancy ran at 94% that year.
The lineup mixes national names with smaller specialty shops. Tenants include American Girl, Apple, and Sephora.
Others include Ulta Beauty, Vans, and LEGO. Shoppers also find Aerie, American Eagle Outfitters, and Hollister.
The mix includes Bath & Body Works, Buckle, and Build-A-Bear. It also includes Forever 21, Journeys, and Kay Jewelers.
Stores like Pandora, Zales, and Yankee Candle round out the list. Newer and smaller names include 96' Kickz, 99 Boutique, The Normal Brand, and Shady Rays.
Other tenants include Aeropostale, Altar'd State, Ann Taylor, Banter, Garage, Lovesac, MiniSo, Miss A, Rack Room, and The Ninety-Nine Boutique.
Food ranges from full-service spots to quick bites. Dining options include Connors Steak & Seafood and The Cheesecake Factory.
California Pizza Kitchen also operates at the mall. Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and Subway are in the mix.
So are Nori Japan, Sbarro, Pyramid Cafe, and Stacked Express.
Snacks and sweets include Auntie Anne's, Great American Cookies, Mr. Crepe, Puffy Cotton Candy, and Starbucks. Services include spas and other personal care options.
