History Columbia Mall (Grand Forks)

1 history

1.1 initial concepts
1.2 tenants
1.3 current operations

history





location of columbia mall


initial concepts

dayton hudson experienced fierce competition new mall in city of grand forks in 1975. while proposal build mall @ intersection of 32nd avenue south , columbia road, inland construction of edina, minnesota wanted build mall @ 32nd avenue south , washington street (one mile east of dayton hudson site), dismissed, while group of local investors , farber-kelley ltd. of toronto advanced proposal mall @ demers avenue , 42nd street called marketplace west . while marketplace west preferred city planning department, referendum called annex dayton hudson s proposed columbia mall site city. when passed, city council interpreted public endorsement of columbia mall project. interestingly, marketplace west site later become home of alerus center arena , convention center.

early tenants

columbia mall opened on august 2, 1978 571,800 sq ft (53,120 m) of retail space. 3 initial anchors included both dayton hudson-owned target , dayton s stores jcpenney store. mall s marketing efforts included jingle, meet me @ columbia mall, produced television commercial , recast in holiday version. in 2001, target relocated larger space on 32nd avenue south, becoming supertarget. dayton s location changed marshall field s year following national merger. marshall field s later purchased federated department stores in 2005 , subsequently converted macy s.

current operations

in 2000, sears department store opened @ columbia mall, bringing number of anchor tenants in mall four. 2005, gk development added new food court named dakota cafe, children s play area, , completed restroom renovations. american red cross established temporary disaster relief operations headquarters @ shopping center in response august 26, 2007 tornado struck nearby northwood, nd. scheels sports relocated former target space in 2014. in 2017, macy s shuttered columbia mall location, leaving 1 anchor store unoccupied. future use of space uncertain.