Lexington Mall site history

1971: McAlpin's and Shoppers Choice Supermarket open before the rest of the mall.

1974: What's presently called Saul Centers Inc. acquires an ownership stake in the property on which the majority of the mall sits.

September 1975: The mall opens with 48 stores after years of on-and-off construction due to bankruptcy by its original owners, John W. Waites Associates.

January 1984: County Market grocery opens. Although attached to the mall, it was built on property belonging to a different owner.

1980s: Mall thrives with high occupancy.

June 1990: Chris Netter of the mall's majority owner, B.F. Saul Co., tells the Herald-Leader "there are plans to do some major stuff," including possibly adding another anchor store.

February 1993: A leasing agent at Saul says the mall will be remodeled.

February 1994: The mall's manager says workers plan to refurbish it in 1995 and update its 1970s-style facade.

October 1995: Kroger closes County Market after buying its parent company, Randall's.

January 1996: The mall's manager says it might get a makeover.

March 1996: Restaurant company Thomas & King announces it will break ground in front of the mall the next month on Rio Bravo Cantina restaurant.

September 1996: The mall's manager says it might expand and include a second story.

January 1997: Mall owner Saul files suit against The Home Depot, objecting to the retailer's plan to raze the former County Market and build a free-standing store. At issue is the fact that the mall is built on two parcels of land. The mall portion is owned by Saul, while the the other belongs to two private trusts. Home Depot sought to build its store strictly on the trusts' land, but Saul noted that a 1969 agreement specifies the two properties should be developed as "one (1) mall-type shopping center."

June 1997: Sony Theaters and its two screens cease operation.

December 2000: Dawahares announces it will close its mall store in January.

February 2001: The mall continues to lose retailers with Radio Shack, Shoe Sensation, Things Remembered and Verizon Wireless leaving. However, Up the Creek Fish Camp and Southern Grill opens in the former Rio Bravo spot.

November 2001: Rite Aid announces it will leave the mall and move into a freestanding building in Patchen Village.

Summer 2005: A plan is submitted to city planners that calls for the demolition of the existing Home Depot and the vacant space that once was a Dillard's home furnishings store. A new 102,100-square-foot Home Depot would be built as an anchor on that end of the mall, ending a long-running dispute between Saul and Home Depot that saw a 2004 victory for Saul in the state Court of Appeals.

June 2005: Saul and Home Depot reach a deal that will see the home improvement store stay put. Home Depot agreed to cooperate with Saul in redeveloping the mall by allowing the entire 46-acre site to be considered as one parcel to meet parking and greenspace requirements.

July 2005: Dillard's announces it will close its mall location in September. The store was the last in the mall. Later that month, a development plan is approved that would call for reconstruction of the mall entrance on Richmond Road. A lawyer for Saul said his clients "are committed to, and excited about, redeveloping the Lexington Mall property."

October 2005: Demolition begins on the former spot of the Dillard's Home Store. The 57,000 square feet being torn down belongs to The Home Depot, and the development plan for the property says it will be used for parking.

Late 2005/early 2006: Famous Dave's closes in the restaurant space in front of the mall that previously housed Rio Bravo, Rosie's Mexican Cantina and Up the Creek.

September 2006: Mayor Teresa Isaac floats the idea of using the city's power of eminent domain to take the Lexington Mall property and turn it into a softball complex. She later backs off the idea.

August 2007: Applebee's announces it will open in September in front of the former mall space.