NEWS FROM APSP
APSP News FeedNorth Star Celebrating 50 Years [August 2010]
Fifty years after its inception, North Star remains one of the most viable, top producing retail centers at the forefront of fashion and style trends. Through the years mall owners have taken great care to maintain the integrity of the center's original charm, while positioning the mega mall as a premiere shopping power center.
North Star forever changed the city's economic climate, spurring other businesses to build along the beltway and eventually the population followed as the middle class moved north. Below is a timeline of the property's historic milestones.
1960 North Star, developed by the Community Research & Development Corporation which later became The Rouse Company, introduces a new concept in retail to San Antonio − the enclosed shopping mall. It's first advertisement described the property as, "50 fine stores, featuring the widest selection in any price range. Thousands of free parking spaces. You'll walk from one wonderful store to another on a completely air-conditioned street, amid tropical flowers, trees and lovely fountains, providing you with an atmosphere that is forever springtime." Original retailers included H-E-B Grocery, Wolff & Marx Department Store, Zales and Luby's.
| 1963 | North Star undergoes its first expansion adding 50,000 sq. ft. to its original 310,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Frost Brothers, a locally owned, upscale department store anchored the extension, along with 13 specialty shops and an office balcony. |
| 1964 | Twin Cinemas, owned by the General Cinema company, opens. |
| 1969 | Joske's purchases its rival Wolff & Marx, and builds its second location in San Antonio at North Star. This second expansion brings the retail center to 610,000 sq. ft. on 55 acres and adds 13 more specialty shops. |
| 1979 | North Star acquires the "World's largest Cowboy Boots" which stand an impressive 40-feet tall, 30-feet long, eight–feet wide and weigh in at 10,000 pounds. Created by Texas artist Bob “Daddy-O" Wade for the Washington Project for the Arts, with assistance from the National Endowment for the Arts; The Rouse Company purchased the landmark for a cool $20,000. |
| 1980 | Star Court emerges in the area that formerly housed Wolff & Marx bringing the total retail space to 923,000 sq .ft. Top retailers including Montalvo's, Brook's Fashions, The Limited, Mission Jewelry, Sheftall's Cartier, Kaska's Oriental Rugs and The Jade Tree Oriental Furniture open. A food court and sub-terranean "music court" were joined by variety stories including The Tabbacco Bowl, Net Results, Texas State Optical, Alamo Music Company, Red Cross Shoes, The Gap, The Magic Pan and Houlihan's. |
| 1982 | Foley's, North Star's first national department store, replaces H-E-B. Built as three levels, Foley's adds another 75,000 sq. ft. |
| 1985 | North Star celebrates its 25th Anniversary by adding a new wing anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue. As part of its celebration, a time capsule was buried to be opened on North Star's 50th Anniversary in 2010. Renovation also begins, converting the Twin Cinemas space into retail stores. |
| 1986 | Marshall Field's, the Food Court and 60 additional retailers open. Mayor Henry Cisneros and celebrity Carol Burnett welcome guests to North Star's gala celebration. |
| 1987 | Dillard's purchases Joske's and opens in its space. |
| 1992 | Mervyn's opens in the space formerly occupied by Frost Brothers. |
| 1997 | Macy's opens its first San Antonio location at North Star in the space which previously housed Marshall Field's. Saks Fifth Avenue completes a renovation, expanding to include a new men's store. |
| 2002 | The Cheesecake Factory opens its first location in San Antonio at North Star. |
| 2004 | North Star undergoes a multi-year, multimillion-dollar renovation, the most extensive renovation in its history. The mall's look moves from Southwestern influenced decor to modern contemporary. Saltillo tiles are replaced with limestone; wooden trellis are removed from the ceiling to allow more natural light. Some fountains are removed to allow for plush seating areas, other fountains are modified for a more sleek appearance. Internal and external property signage, the mall entrances and landscaping were among the improvements. Chicago based, General Growth Properties acquires The Rouse Company which includes North Star. |
| 2006 | Macy's expands and relocates to the Foley's location as part of the Federated Department Stores acquisition of the May Department Stores. |
| 2007 | J.C. Penney Company, Inc., one of the nation's largest department store retailers, opens a new location at North Star in the space formerly occupied by Macy's. |
| 2008 | Apple Store opens second location at North Star. |
| 2010 | Today, North Star is a 1.2 million square-foot, enclosed, one and two-level super-regional shopping center serving San Antonio, south Texas and Mexico markets. The 50 year-old fashion center maintains market dominance. Anchor tenants include Dillard's, J.C. Penney, Macy's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. North Star houses more than 200 specialty stores, many of which are exclusive to the market. |
Situated on 55 acres just off Loop 410, North Star is two miles from the San Antonio International Airport and 15 minutes from the famed Riverwalk downtown.
About North Star
North Star is owned and managed by General Growth Properties (GGP), Inc. GGP currently has ownership interest in, or management responsibility for more than 200 regional shopping malls in 43 states, as well as ownership in planned community developments and commercial office buildings. The company's portfolio totals approximately 200 million square feet of retail space and includes over 24,000 retail stores nationwide. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GGP. For more information, please visit the company web site at ggp.com.
