Best Regional Mall in Central Alabama
Following a multi-million dollar renovation, including a new upscale open-air "lifestyle" component, Colonial University Village, as the mall is now call, is the best regional shopping venue in Central Alabama.
Anchored by the moderately priced Belk department store, the whole exterior of the mall has been transformed into an upscale lifestyle center. Tenants located along this lifestyle strip include Coldwater Creek, Talbots, Jos. A. Bank and Ann Taylor Loft. Unfortunately, most of these stores, with the exception of Ann Taylor Loft, have no internal entrance into the mall, so one must exit the mall and walk down the lifestyle promeande in order to reach the lifestyle tenants.
The enclosed corridors of the mall now feature warm material selections and leather seating areas. The ambience of the centralized food court best exemplifies the higher level of quality and elan effusing from this shopping venue. A couple of vacant storefronts in the newly expanded Dillard's and JCPenney wings slightly detract from the ambience, but can be viewed as potential spaces for more higher-end retailers.
Casual, sit-down restaurants such as Ruby Tuesday and Applebees offer up familiar suburban cusine, after a day of shopping.
Colonial University Village is the best regional, enclosed mall in Central Alabama.