Perimeter Mall

Perimeter Mall is a large regional shopping center in Perimeter Center, a commercial district of Dunwoody, Georgia, north of Atlanta. The property stands near the junction of Interstate 285, commonly known as the Perimeter, and Georgia State Route 400. Its location helped establish the mall as a central retail destination for the northern Atlanta suburbs and gave the surrounding district its widely used Perimeter identity. The mall opened in 1971 on land formerly associated with the Spruill family. It was the fourth shopping mall to open in DeKalb County and was notable at the time for being the first major mall in metro Atlanta located outside Interstate 285. Its original department-store anchors were Rich's and JCPenney. The early configuration resembled the layout of Greenbriar Mall, another Atlanta-area shopping center, but Perimeter Mall later developed a more upscale and regionally prominent tenant mix. Expansion and reconfiguration have been recurring features of the property's history. A new wing added a Davison's department store in 1982, creating a T-shaped plan. Davison's became Macy's in 1986. Nordstrom opened a three-level store in 1998, its first location in the southeastern United States, and the mall was expanded again around the same period. JCPenney closed in 2000, and its former space was demolished for a new Dillard's store, which opened in 2005. A Cheesecake Factory restaurant also opened at the mall in 2000. The department-store lineup changed further in the early 2000s. Rich's became Rich's-Macy's in 2003 and then Macy's in 2005, while the original Macy's location was converted into a Bloomingdale's store in 2003. Bloomingdale's was later scheduled for replacement by Von Maur, which was announced in 2012. The resulting anchor mix has included Macy's, Dillard's, Von Maur and Nordstrom, alongside a broad selection of fashion, beauty, dining and specialty retailers. Perimeter Mall has also invested in transportation and visitor amenities. A five-level parking garage was completed in 1997, and MARTA's Dunwoody station opened at the southwest corner of the parking lot in 1996, giving the property direct rail access. The center is known for a comparatively busy environment within the Atlanta mall market, current retail offerings, upscale restaurants and salons, and services such as valet parking. Its food court was renovated in 2013, with Chipotle Mexican Grill among the additions, while a larger renovation program from 2015 through 2017 introduced new flooring, lighting, seating, restrooms and signage. Ownership has changed through a series of real-estate transactions. The Rouse Company regained full control in 2002 from Rodamco North America in a transaction involving Simon Property Group and Westfield. Rouse sold the property to General Growth Properties in 2003, and General Growth subsequently acquired Rouse. Brookfield Properties acquired General Growth Properties in 2018 and became the mall's corporate owner and operating platform. In the 2020s, the center continued adding specialty and fashion tenants, including Ubikwitas7 World of Hats, Psycho Bunny, Mango, Fabletics, Lovisa and Warby Parker. Perimeter Mall has also served as a filming location, including for mall scenes in the 2024 Christmas action film Red One.

Perimeter Mall opened in 1971 in what is now Perimeter Center, Dunwoody, Georgia. Before construction, the Spruill family sold a substantial portion of its property for development. The mall opened during the growth of suburban retail in metropolitan Atlanta and became the fourth mall in DeKalb County, following Avondale Mall, North DeKalb Mall and the Gallery at South DeKalb. Its original anchors were Rich's and JCPenney. Unlike most earlier major Atlanta malls, Perimeter Mall was built outside Interstate 285, a decision that placed it at the center of an emerging suburban commercial district rather than within the established inner suburban ring. The center's physical plan and tenant mix evolved through multiple expansions. In 1982, a wing containing a Davison's department store was added, giving the mall a T-shaped configuration. Davison's was converted to Macy's in 1986. A major transportation improvement followed in 1996, when MARTA opened the Dunwoody station at the southwest corner of the mall's parking lot. A five-level parking garage was completed in November 1997. On February 20, 1998, Nordstrom opened a three-level, 230,000-square-foot store at Perimeter Mall, its first store in the Southeast, and the mall expanded again during that period. The property experienced significant anchor turnover around the turn of the century. The Cheesecake Factory opened in 2000, while JCPenney closed and its building was demolished. The replacement Dillard's store opened in 2005. In 2003, Rich's became Rich's-Macy's, and the mall's original Macy's location became Bloomingdale's. Rich's-Macy's was subsequently renamed Macy's in 2005. In 2012, the mall announced that Von Maur would reconstruct and replace the Bloomingdale's space after Bloomingdale's closed. Perimeter Mall's ownership history reflects consolidation in the American shopping-center industry. The Rouse Company regained full control in 2002 from Rodamco North America through an arrangement involving Simon Property Group and Westfield. Rouse sold the property to General Growth Properties in 2003, and General Growth later acquired Rouse. Brookfield Properties acquired General Growth Properties in August 2018, bringing Perimeter Mall into Brookfield's retail portfolio. The mall continued to modernize its common areas and food-service offer. The food court was renovated in 2013, with Chipotle Mexican Grill added among the new or updated offerings. Renovations from 2015 to 2017 replaced or updated elements of the mall's 1970s appearance, including ceramic flooring, lighting, seating areas, restrooms and signage. The center remained positioned as one of the busier and more current shopping malls in the Atlanta area, with department stores, fashion retailers, restaurants, salons and valet parking. In the 2020s, Perimeter Mall announced additions including Ubikwitas7 World of Hats, Psycho Bunny, Mango, Fabletics, Lovisa and Warby Parker. The property also gained cultural visibility as a filming site: mall scenes for the 2024 Christmas action film Red One were filmed there. The mall's continuing role is primarily regional and experiential rather than that of a conventional product brand; its value comes from its location, anchor tenants, retail assortment, dining, services and access to MARTA and major highways.

• 2024

  Red One filmed at the mall

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The film Red One used Perimeter Mall for mall scenes.

• 2023

  New specialty and fashion tenants announced

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Reported additions included Ubikwitas7 World of Hats, Psycho Bunny, Mango, Fabletics, Lovisa and Warby Parker.

• 2018

  Brookfield Properties acquired General Growth Properties

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Brookfield Properties acquired General Growth Properties, bringing the mall into Brookfield's retail portfolio.

• 2015

  Multi-year renovation program began

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Perimeter Mall began a renovation program that continued through 2017 and updated common-area finishes and amenities.

• 2013

  Food court renovation

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The food court was renovated and Chipotle Mexican Grill was added.

• 2012

  Von Maur replacement announced

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall announced that Von Maur would reconstruct and replace the closing Bloomingdale's location.

• 2005

  Dillard's opened and Rich's-Macy's became Macy's

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A new Dillard's replaced the former JCPenney site, while Rich's-Macy's adopted the Macy's name.

• 2003

  Major anchor and ownership changes

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Rich's became Rich's-Macy's, the original Macy's space became Bloomingdale's, and Rouse sold the property to General Growth Properties.

• 2000

  Cheesecake Factory opened and JCPenney closed

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Cheesecake Factory opened, while JCPenney closed and its former building was later replaced by Dillard's.

• 1998

  Nordstrom opened

  [1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Nordstrom opened its first Southeastern United States store at Perimeter Mall, alongside another mall expansion.

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A busy, upscale-leaning regional shopping destination serving Perimeter Center and the northern Atlanta suburbs, combining major department stores with contemporary fashion, specialty retail, dining and salon services.

• Retail anchors · 1971

  Department stores

  Perimeter Mall's principal anchor offer has included Macy's, Dillard's, Von Maur and Nordstrom. These stores provide broad assortments across apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods and other department-store categories, giving the property a strong regional-destination role.

• Shopping · 1971

  Fashion and specialty retail

  The mall hosts a changing mix of national and specialty retailers focused on clothing, footwear, accessories, hats, jewelry, beauty and lifestyle merchandise. Reported newer additions include Mango, Psycho Bunny, Fabletics, Lovisa, Warby Parker and Ubikwitas7 World of Hats.

• Food and beverage · 2000

  Dining and food service

  Perimeter Mall combines a renovated food court with sit-down restaurants and upscale dining options. The Cheesecake Factory opened in 2000, and Chipotle Mexican Grill was added during the 2013 food-court renovation.

• Services · 1971

  Beauty, salon and visitor services

  In addition to retail, the center offers salons and other personal-care services. Visitor-oriented amenities include valet parking, extensive parking facilities and direct access to MARTA's Dunwoody station.

• 1990

  Food-court shooting

  On April 25, 1990, James Calvin Brady opened fire with a revolver in the mall's food court, killing one person and injuring four others before surrendering to police.

  Source

Read more

• 2015

  Modernized common areasStrategy

  Background

  The mall sought to refresh older interior design elements and improve the visitor environment.

  Action taken

  A renovation program running from 2015 through 2017 introduced ceramic flooring, updated lighting, modern seating, renovated restrooms and new signage.

  Aftermath

  Several original 1970s decorative elements were replaced, giving the center a more contemporary appearance.

  Source

• 2012

  Announced Von Maur replacementStrategy

  Background

  Bloomingdale's was scheduled to close, creating an opportunity to replace a department-store anchor.

  Action taken

  The mall announced that Von Maur would reconstruct and replace the Bloomingdale's location.

  Aftermath

  The planned change continued the property's strategy of maintaining a strong department-store anchor lineup.

  Source

• 2000

  Reconfigured the JCPenney anchor siteGeneration change

  Background

  JCPenney closed after serving as one of the mall's original anchors.

  Action taken

  The former JCPenney store was demolished and the site was prepared for a new Dillard's store.

  Aftermath

  Dillard's opened on the replacement site in 2005, preserving a major department-store presence.

  Source

• 1998

  Secured Nordstrom's first Southeastern storeStrategy

  Background

  Perimeter Mall was expanding its regional and upscale appeal through major anchor additions.

  Action taken

  Nordstrom opened a three-level store at the mall, its first location in the southeastern United States.

  Aftermath

  The opening reinforced the mall's position as a major destination in the Atlanta retail market and coincided with another expansion.

  Source

• 1982

  Added a new department-store wingStrategy

  Background

  The expanding suburban retail center sought to increase its scale and anchor capacity.

  Action taken

  Perimeter Mall added a wing containing Davison's, changing the mall's plan to a T-shaped configuration.

  Aftermath

  The Davison's location became Macy's in 1986 and remained part of the mall's evolving department-store network.

  Source

• 2024

  Red One filmed mall scenes at Perimeter Mall[1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Christmas action film Red One used Perimeter Mall as a filming location for scenes set in a shopping mall.

• 2023

  Perimeter Mall announced new retail additions in the 2020s[1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The mall announced several newer tenants and additions, including Ubikwitas7 World of Hats, Psycho Bunny, Mango, Fabletics, Lovisa and Warby Parker.

• 1998

  Nordstrom opened its first Southeastern location at Perimeter Mall[1]Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Nordstrom opened a three-level, 230,000-square-foot store at the mall, marking the department-store chain's first location in the southeastern United States.

1. 1Perimeter Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Perimeter Mall official websiteperimetermall.com