Gadsden Mall
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGadsden Mall is a regional shopping center in Gadsden, Alabama, serving the surrounding Etowah County area.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Gadsden Mall is a regional shopping center located on U.S. Route 411, also known as Rainbow Drive, in the southern part of Gadsden, Alabama. The mall sits near the interchange of Interstate 759 and U.S. Route 411 and has approximately 502,591 square feet, or 46,692 square meters, of retail space. It was the first enclosed shopping mall in Etowah County and became an important part of the area's transition from traditional downtown retail toward automobile-oriented suburban shopping. The property was developed by Colonial Properties. Site preparation began in September 1972, construction started in March 1973, and the mall opened on July 31, 1974. Its original anchor lineup included Sears and Belk Hudson, both of which relocated from downtown Gadsden, along with other downtown merchants. This relocation reflected a broader retail pattern in the United States during the period, as department stores and specialty retailers increasingly moved into enclosed malls with large parking areas and highway access. During the early 2000s, the property adopted the name The Colonial Mall, although it later became known again as Gadsden Mall. The center's anchor history has changed considerably over time. JCPenney operated at the mall from 1991 to 2001 and returned in 2008 as part of a remodeling project that created a new anchor location. That second JCPenney store closed on July 31, 2017, following the retailer's nationwide store-reduction program. Sears subsequently announced the closure of its Gadsden Mall store in October 2018, and the store closed as part of Sears Holdings' broader retrenchment. These closures left Belk as the mall's only remaining traditional department-store anchor for a period. The former Sears space was later reused by Food City, a supermarket chain. Food City opened in the mall's former Sears location on January 24, 2024, adding a grocery anchor and broadening the center's tenant mix beyond conventional department-store retail. The mall's current anchor lineup is identified as Belk, Martin's Family Clothing, and Food City. Gadsden Mall has also received attention because of reports concerning Roy Moore, a former Alabama chief justice and 2017 U.S. Senate candidate. In late 2017, news coverage revisited allegations that Moore had frequented the mall in the early 1980s and approached teenage girls for dates. Some local accounts described him as having been banned from the property, but reporting cited in the mall's reference material did not establish that a formal ban had been proven. The episode was a news controversy associated with the mall's historical setting rather than a documented mall operating decision. Today, Gadsden Mall functions as a regional retail and service destination for Gadsden and nearby communities. Its evolution—from a 1970s enclosed mall anchored by major department stores to a center incorporating apparel retail and a supermarket—illustrates the changing role of regional malls in smaller American metropolitan areas.
History
The land on which Gadsden Mall was built was historically known locally as the flats near Barrel Springs. The mall's development formed part of the expansion of enclosed suburban retail in Gadsden and represented a major shift in the city's commercial geography. Colonial Properties developed the project. Site preparation began in September 1972, followed by construction in March 1973. Gadsden Mall opened on July 31, 1974, becoming the first mall in Etowah County. Sears and Belk Hudson served as its initial major anchors, relocating from downtown Gadsden along with other merchants. The combination of department stores, enclosed retail space, highway access, and extensive parking gave the new center a regional role beyond the immediate city. The property was renamed The Colonial Mall in the early 2000s. The change connected the center more directly with its developer's identity, although the Gadsden Mall name later returned to use. Anchor occupancy subsequently reflected the changing fortunes of American department-store retail. JCPenney operated at the property from 1991 until 2001, then returned in 2008 after a remodeling project created a new anchor location. Its second Gadsden store closed on July 31, 2017, during a national JCPenney reduction involving 138 stores. Sears announced in October 2018 that its Gadsden location would close as part of a nationwide program affecting 142 stores. The closure removed another original department-store anchor and left Belk as the only remaining traditional department-store anchor for a time. The vacant Sears space was eventually repositioned for supermarket use. Food City opened there on January 24, 2024, giving the mall a grocery anchor and demonstrating a shift toward mixed retail formats rather than reliance solely on legacy department stores. The mall's currently identified anchors are Belk, Martin's Family Clothing, and Food City. It remains located on U.S. Route 411 near Interstate 759 in southern Gadsden and serves shoppers from the city, Etowah County, and surrounding parts of northeastern Alabama. In 2017, Gadsden Mall also appeared in national and regional reporting concerning Roy Moore. Reports revisited claims that Moore frequented the mall in the early 1980s and approached teenage girls for dates. Although some local people said he had been banned, the available reference account states that no formal ban was proven. The matter is therefore best recorded as a controversy associated with the mall's reported history, not as a verified mall sanction. Gadsden Mall's history illustrates the lifecycle of a regional shopping center: an initially strong department-store-led opening, a period of rebranding and remodeling, the loss of traditional anchors during nationwide retail contractions, and adaptive reuse of large-format space by a grocery operator.
- 2024
Food City opens
[1]Food City opened in the former Sears space on January 24.
- 2018
Sears closure announced
[1]Sears announced the closure of its Gadsden Mall store in October.
- 2017
JCPenney closes again
[1]The returning JCPenney store closed on July 31 as part of the retailer's national store-closure program.
- 2008
JCPenney returns
[1]JCPenney returned in a new anchor location created through a mall remodeling project.
- 2001
JCPenney first store closes
[1]JCPenney ended its initial period of operation at the mall.
- 2000
Property adopts The Colonial Mall name
[1]The center's name was changed to The Colonial Mall in the early 2000s.
- 1991
JCPenney begins first tenancy
[1]JCPenney began operating at the mall during the 1990s.
- 1974
Gadsden Mall opens
[1]The mall opened on July 31 with Sears and Belk Hudson as anchor stores.
- 1973
Construction starts
[1]Construction of the mall began in March.
- 1972
Site preparation begins
[1]Preparation began for the first enclosed shopping mall in Etowah County.
Products and positioning
A regional, highway-accessible shopping center serving Gadsden, Etowah County, and nearby communities through a mix of department-store, family-apparel, grocery, and other retail offerings.
Department store anchor · 1974
Belk
Belk is a department-store anchor offering apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty products, and home merchandise. It is identified as one of the mall's current anchor tenants and has roots in the center's original department-store lineup through Belk Hudson.
Family apparel retailer
Martin's Family Clothing
Martin's Family Clothing is an apparel-focused anchor serving family clothing needs. Its presence gives the mall a value-oriented and regional clothing component alongside the department-store and grocery anchors.
Supermarket anchor · 2024
Food City
Food City occupies the former Sears anchor location and provides grocery and supermarket merchandise. Its opening introduced a daily-needs retail anchor to the mall and represents the adaptive reuse of a large department-store space.
Controversies
2017
Reports concerning Roy Moore's mall visits
During the 2017 U.S. Senate campaign, reporting revisited allegations that Roy Moore frequented Gadsden Mall in the early 1980s and approached teenage girls for dates. Local claims that he had been banned from the mall were reported, but the cited account does not establish that a formal ban occurred.
Brand decisions
2024
Conversion of former Sears space to Food CityStrategyBackground
Sears announced the closure of its mall store in 2018, leaving a large former anchor space available for reuse.
Action taken
Food City opened a supermarket in the former Sears location on January 24, 2024.
Aftermath
The mall gained a grocery anchor and a tenant focused on recurring everyday shopping needs.
2008
Remodeling and creation of a new JCPenney anchor locationStrategyBackground
JCPenney had previously operated at the mall from 1991 to 2001 and later returned during a redevelopment period.
Action taken
A remodeling project created a new anchor location for JCPenney, which reopened at the mall.
Aftermath
The returned JCPenney store ultimately closed in 2017 as part of the chain's national store-reduction plan.
2000
Rebranding as The Colonial MallStrategyBackground
The property adopted a new name in the early 2000s, linking it more closely to the Colonial Properties identity.
Action taken
The mall changed its operating name to The Colonial Mall.
Aftermath
The property later became known again as Gadsden Mall.
Sources2 sources
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