Eastwood Village
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedA Birmingham, Alabama shopping center that evolved from the historic Eastwood Mall, one of the earliest enclosed malls in the southeastern United States.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Eastwood Village is a shopping center in Birmingham, Alabama, occupying the site and broader retail legacy of the former Eastwood Mall. The property lies between Montclair Road and Crestwood Boulevard, or U.S. Highway 78, near Interstate 20 and between the Birmingham-area communities of Mountain Brook and Irondale. The present-day center is a retail destination anchored by Walmart and supplemented by national discount, office-supply, party-goods, footwear, telecommunications, coffee, and other service-oriented tenants. The site began as Eastwood Mall, created by Newman H. Waters, a Birmingham-area drive-in-theater operator. When the enclosed mall opened on August 25, 1960, it was identified as the second enclosed shopping mall in the southeastern United States, following Charlottetown Mall in North Carolina. Its initial tenant roster included J.J. Newberry, S.S. Kresge, J.C. Penney, Kroger, and Colonial Stores. Colonial later became Hill's Food Store and eventually developed into a Winn-Dixie location. The mall initially lacked a major department-store anchor, but local department-store chains including Parisian, Pizitz, and Yielding's, as well as Service Merchandise, were associated with the property over time. Eastwood was an important Birmingham retail center for several decades. A cinema opened on Christmas Day in 1964 and was equipped for Cinerama presentations. The theater later gained cultural significance when it hosted the world premiere of Stay Hungry in 1976, a film set and shot in Birmingham. Ownership changed in 1967, when Waters sold the mall to Alabama Farm Bureau, now known as ALFA. The property remained under that ownership until the mid-1980s. Competition increased after Century Plaza opened across the street in 1975, contributing to a more challenging retail environment. A major renovation in 1989 attempted to modernize Eastwood Mall. The project added a food court beneath a glass atrium, a large video-screen installation, a Books-A-Million store, and expanded space for Parisian. The investment did not reverse the mall's longer-term difficulties. Reported mismanagement and rent increases associated with the renovation drove away many established tenants, leaving the mall increasingly under-occupied and commonly characterized as a dead mall. The theater also closed as larger multiplex cinemas became more popular. Lehman Brothers became the property's last owner during the mall era. Walmart subsequently acquired the site, and demolition of the enclosed mall began on June 23, 2006. The demolition was completed in approximately ten weeks. A Walmart Supercenter opened on October 22, 2007, replacing a smaller Walmart in nearby Irondale and establishing the retail redevelopment that became Eastwood Village. The new center retained the Eastwood name while shifting from an enclosed regional mall to an open retail-center format. The current Eastwood Village includes Walmart as a principal anchor, with other major occupants historically including Ross Dress for Less, Office Depot, Party City, Shoe Carnival, Tuesday Morning, T-Mobile, and Starbucks. A historical display inside Walmart's Retail Center entrance preserves photographs and a short account of Eastwood Mall's history. The display was developed by Friends of Eastwood Mall in cooperation with Walmart. In 2014, the western portion of the center, excluding Walmart and property east of the retailer, changed hands in a reported $17 million transaction. Eastwood Village therefore represents both a functioning contemporary shopping center and the redevelopment of a notable early suburban mall site.
History
Eastwood Village developed from Eastwood Mall, a pioneering Birmingham retail project associated with Newman H. Waters. Waters operated drive-in theaters in the Birmingham area and selected a site near one of his theaters, between Montclair Road and Crestwood Boulevard and close to Interstate 20. Eastwood Mall opened on August 25, 1960, making it one of the first enclosed shopping malls in the southeastern United States. It followed Charlottetown Mall in North Carolina, which had opened in 1959. The original tenant mix combined department-store, variety-store, supermarket, and grocery uses. J.J. Newberry and S.S. Kresge operated variety stores, while J.C. Penney, Kroger, and Colonial Stores provided larger retail and grocery components. Colonial Stores later became Hill's Food Store and ultimately a Winn-Dixie location. The mall acquired stronger department-store representation during the 1960s and later decades through local chains such as Parisian, Pizitz, and Yielding's. Service Merchandise was also connected with the property over time. Eastwood was a leading Birmingham shopping destination for much of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The mall added an entertainment dimension when its theater opened on Christmas Day 1964. The cinema could show Cinerama productions and later became notable as the venue for the 1976 world premiere of Stay Hungry, a Birmingham-set film. In 1967, Waters sold the property to Alabama Farm Bureau, now called ALFA. The arrival of Century Plaza across the street in 1975 introduced direct competition and changed the area's retail dynamics. The mall underwent a substantial modernization in 1989. The renovation included a glass-atrium food court, a wall of video screens designed to operate as one large image, a Books-A-Million store, and expanded premises for Parisian. These changes were intended to keep Eastwood competitive with newer shopping centers. According to accounts of the property, however, management problems and rent increases connected with the renovation contributed to the departure of long-standing tenants. The mall subsequently experienced severe vacancy and became an example of the decline of older enclosed malls. Its cinema closed as larger multiplex formats gained market share. Lehman Brothers was the last owner during Eastwood Mall's enclosed-mall period. Walmart later purchased the property and pursued a redevelopment based on a large-format store rather than preserving the enclosed mall. Demolition began on June 23, 2006, and took approximately ten weeks. The Walmart Supercenter opened on October 22, 2007, replacing a smaller Walmart in Irondale. The resulting open retail center adopted the name Eastwood Village. Eastwood Village's tenant mix has included Walmart, Ross Dress for Less, Office Depot, Party City, Shoe Carnival, Tuesday Morning, T-Mobile, and Starbucks. The western portion of the center was sold in 2014 to Eastwood Village Shopping Center LLC in a reported $17 million transaction; the sale excluded Walmart and property east of the Walmart store. A historical display near Walmart's Retail Center entrance documents the former mall with photographs and a brief history. Friends of Eastwood Mall helped create the display in cooperation with Walmart, reflecting continuing local interest in the site's retail and cultural history.
- 2014
Western retail-center parcel sold
[1]The western portion of the center and an outparcel are sold to Eastwood Village Shopping Center LLC.
- 2007
Walmart Supercenter opens
[1]The replacement Walmart Supercenter opens on October 22 as the redevelopment's principal anchor.
- 2006
Demolition begins
[1]Walmart-led redevelopment begins with demolition of the enclosed mall on June 23.
- 1989
Major renovation
[1]The mall adds a food court, glass atrium, video-screen feature, Books-A-Million, and expanded Parisian space.
- 1976
Stay Hungry premiere
[1]The Eastwood Mall Theatre hosts the world premiere of Stay Hungry, a film set and filmed in Birmingham.
- 1975
Century Plaza opens nearby
[1]A competing mall opens across the street, intensifying competition for Birmingham-area shoppers.
- 1967
Sale to Alabama Farm Bureau
[1]Newman H. Waters sells Eastwood Mall to Alabama Farm Bureau, later known as ALFA.
- 1964
Mall theater opens
[1]A cinema opens on Christmas Day with capability for Cinerama presentations.
- 1960
Eastwood Mall opens
[1]The enclosed Eastwood Mall opens in Birmingham on August 25, becoming one of the earliest enclosed malls in the southeastern United States.
Products and positioning
A convenience-oriented, open-air retail center serving Birmingham-area consumers, while preserving the name and historical identity of the former Eastwood Mall.
Shopping center · 2007
Eastwood Village Shopping Center
The current open retail-center format replacing the former enclosed Eastwood Mall. Its tenant mix has included Walmart, Ross Dress for Less, Office Depot, Party City, Shoe Carnival, Tuesday Morning, T-Mobile, and Starbucks, serving general merchandise, apparel, office, party, footwear, telecommunications, coffee, and household-shopping needs.
Enclosed shopping mall · 1960
Eastwood Mall
The original enclosed mall opened in 1960 and operated for more than four decades. Its historical tenant base included J.C. Penney, J.J. Newberry, S.S. Kresge, Kroger, Colonial Stores, Parisian, Pizitz, Yielding's, Service Merchandise, and other retailers. The mall was demolished in 2006.
Brand decisions
2014
Sale of western portionM&ABackground
The retail center was divided into separate ownership interests, with Walmart excluded from the western-portion transaction.
Action taken
Eastwood Village Shopping Center LLC acquired the 134,000-square-foot western portion and an outparcel from MAP Eastwood LLC.
Aftermath
The buyer acquired the property as an investment; reported tenants included Ross Dress for Less, Office Depot, Party City, Tuesday Morning, Shoe Carnival, T-Mobile, and Starbucks.
Reported transaction value. $17 million (2014)
2006
Replacement of enclosed mall with big-box retail centerStrategyBackground
Eastwood Mall had deteriorated into a substantially under-occupied older mall, while large-format retail was becoming more prominent.
Action taken
Walmart acquired the property, demolished the enclosed mall, and redeveloped the site for a Walmart Supercenter and associated retail uses.
Aftermath
The Walmart Supercenter opened in 2007 and the site operated as Eastwood Village rather than as an enclosed regional mall.
1989
Modernization of Eastwood MallStrategyBackground
The aging enclosed mall faced increasing competition and needed new amenities and retail space.
Action taken
Ownership undertook a major facelift that added a food court, glass atrium, video screens, Books-A-Million, and expanded Parisian space.
Aftermath
The renovation did not prevent decline; reported management problems and higher rents contributed to tenant departures and increased vacancy.
Sources2 sources
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