The Big One

Mall of Georgia celebrates its 20th year

BY ALISON MILLER

hen Simon Property Group opened Mall of Georgia in 1999, it was the largest shopping destination in the Southeast. With 1.8 million square feet of indoor space and 150,000 square feet of outdoor space, it still is. And though 2019 marks its 20th year as the nucleus of northern Gwinnett, it has without a doubt evolved into a 21st-century mall—something markedly different from the dim suburban shopping structures of yore. It is not simply somewhere to shop, it’s a multifaceted gathering place with experiences at every turn.

Take, for instance, The Village. Just outside the mall’s central entrance, four freestanding retail structures flank a lengthy green space filled with family amenities. A spacious lawn fans out from an open-air amphitheater. Beyond it, there’s a kids play area and a splash pad, and in the winter, a synthetic ice-skating rink.

“The Village is a destination unto itself,” says Mall of Georgia’s General Manager John DiCioccio. Restaurants, including Aliño Pizzeria, Smokey Bones, and Tin Lizzy’s Cantina, surround this communal area, and as of 2016, open containers are allowed within its bounds—which means you can kick back in a comfy Adirondack chair, cocktail in hand, as the kids romp and roam.

Events like Shake Your Shamrock, Movies Under the Stars, and the Summer Concert Series, take place here throughout the year, while free yoga classes and a CornholeATL league are offered in the spring, summer, and fall. “It’s a place to create great family memories,” says Director of Marketing and Business Development Teresa Holloway.

With a soaring, barrel-vaulted ceiling full of skylights and an enormous fan-shaped window above its entrance, the mall’s food court mimics Atlanta’s original Union Station. A floor-to-ceiling revamp last year added soft banquettes, modern tables and chairs, new flooring, LED lighting, and two large TVs that stream sporting events.

The renovation also added thoughtful touches like charging stations and family hand-wash areas outside the restrooms.

Beyond the food court in the mall’s crescent-shaped core, varied interior elements inspired by Georgia’s regions—e.g., a vaulted beam ceiling representing the mountains, a fountain modeled after the one in Savannah’s Forsyth Park—create a peaceful flow. With 230 stores ranging from Dillard’s and Macy’s to more localized shops such as Brooklyn’s and Palmetto Moon, there’s plenty for shoppers to explore. But you’ll also find a carousel; a newly expanded indoor playscape for kids; Paranoia Quest, an escape-room experience; and Billy Beez, an expansive, multilevel, indoor play park. A children’s train traverses the first floor. And on the third level is a Regal Cinemas 20-theater multiplex, including an IMAX theater.

“It’s a changing retail environment, and we have to meet that change,” says DiCioccio of the mall’s evolution. Recognizing that time is a luxury these days and technology influences the way we shop, Mall of Georgia has introduced valet parking as well as the MyPark app, which allows users to reserve spots at three entrances. “It’s ideal for the customer who has a return or buys online and picks up in store,” says Holloway. “You’re literally at the front door.”

Shake Your Shamrock Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with music, bounce houses, kids activities, and giveaways.

Spring Festival The mall welcomes spring in April with food and fun.

Movies Under the Stars and Summer Concert Series Enjoy live music, food, games, and popular movies on Saturdays in June and July.

Star Spangled Fourth Light up your Independence Day at the mall with a patriotic salute, including fireworks, concerts, and kids activities.

Spring, Summer, and Fall Cornhole Leagues Three divisions compete on Thursday nights in this seven-week league with a season-ending tournament.

The Ultimate Family Tailgate Catch the UGA-Notre Dame football game.

Annual Great Gwinnett Road Run Kick off October Breast Cancer Awareness Month with music, awards, and a 5k run/walk.

Tree Lighting Beginning in November, ring in the season with holiday-themed activities and a movie.

Get Social Gwinnett's remarkable food scene, unique sweet shops, and explosive movie sets have people all abuzz

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Fun Facts about Gwinnett County

1Norcross is home to Georgia’s largest elm tree, located in Betty Mauldin Park.

2The City of Suwanee is home to White Street Park, the largest community garden in the state. The Orchard at White Street Park was added in 2017 and is the first public orchard in the Southeast.

3There are more than 600 mounds of unknown origin at Little Mulberry Park. Some think they’re from 18th-century settlers and farmers; some think they're from Native American or prehistoric times.

4Gwinnett is home to the largest Hindu Mandir (temple) in the Southeast in Lilburn.

5Gwinnett's “sister city” is Gangnam-gu District in Seoul, South Korea. This makes perfect sense, as the county has earned the moniker Seoul of the South™.

6The Hudgens Center's Al Weeks Sculpture Garden is a designated Audubon Society Bird Sanctuary. Each spring, a pair of Canadian geese nests in the garden.

Taken from Elliott Brack's 366 Facts About Gwinnett County, Ga.

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AR Workshop 178 East Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, 770.751.8157, arworkshop.com Aurora Theatre 128 East Pike Street, Lawrenceville, 678.226.6222, auroratheatre.com BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Atlanta 460 Rockbridge Road, Lilburn, 678.906.2277, baps.org/atlanta The Bowl at Sugar Hill 5039 West Broad Street, Sugar Hill, 770.945.6716, thebowlatsugarhill.com Cinestage Atlanta 6420 Atlantic Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, 770.912.2366 Coolray Field 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville, 678.277.0340, coolrayfield.com Eagle Rock Studios 6205 Best Friend Road, Norcross, 404.939.9600, eaglerockstudiosatl.com Eye Candy Art Studio 3127 Main Street, Duluth, 678.714.5683, eyecandyartstudio.net Hudgens Center for Art and Learning Infinite Energy Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, 770.623.6002, thehudgens.org Infinite Energy Center 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, 770.626.2464, infiniteenergycenter.com Lionheart Theatre Company 10 College Street, Norcross, 678.938.8518, lionhearttheatre.org Masterpiece Mixers 3886 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, 678.928.1100, masterpiecemixers.com Medieval Times 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, 888.935.6878, medievaltimes.com Netherworld Haunted House 2076 West Park Place, Stone Mountain, 404.608.2884, fearworld.com Nitro Zone 6344 Cash Court, Peachtree Corners, 470.636.3230, nitrozone.com Seoul of the South™ Food Tours exploregwinnett.org/ seoulofthesouth Sip Happens 3890 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, Suwanee, 678.765.6115, siphappens.wine Southeastern Railway Museum 3595 Buford Highway, Duluth, 770.476.2013, srmduluth.org Suwanee SculpTour Town Center Park, 330 Town Center Avenue, suwanee.com Tannery Row Artist Colony 554 West Main Street, Building C, Buford, 470.326.6656, tanneryrowartistcolony.net White Street Orchard 752 White Street, Suwanee, 770.945.8996, harvestfarmsuwanee.com

45 South Cafe & Coffee House 45 South Peachtree Street, Norcross, 770.409.4009, 45southcafe.com 1910 Public House 107 Main Street, Lilburn, 770.564.6911, 1910publichouse.com Adriatic Grill 396 West Pike Street, Lawrenceville, 770.299.1115, theadriaticgrill.com Coolray Field

Agavero Cantina Parkside 66 Main Street, Lilburn, 678.314.6068 Alcove Coffeehouse 4615 Stone Mountain Highway, Lilburn, 770.979.3030, alcovecoffeehouse.com Aqua Terra Bistro 55 East Main Street, Buford, 770.271.3000, aquaterrabistro.com Ba Bellies 6025 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 770.710.0565, babellies.com The Baking Grounds Bakery Cafe 4360 South Lee Street, Buford, 678.765.6690, thebakinggrounds.com Bally Budaejjigae 1291 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, 770.654.8000, bally-budaejjigae. business.site Beard Papa’s 5215 Town Center Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, beardpapa.com Berens Frozen Custard 1132 Atlanta Highway, Grayson, 770.736.7762, berenscustard.com Black Walnut Cafe 5242 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 770.604.1700, blackwalnutcafe.com The Blaxican 5260 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, 404.606.3737, blaxicanfood.com Blue Rooster Bake Shop and Eatery 169 West Pike Street, Lawrenceville, 770.995.0065, blueroosterbakeshop.com The Brunch Apothecary 2595 Fence Road, Dacula, 678.731.7338, thebrunchapothecary.com Burger 21 1575 Scenic Highway, Snellville, 770.559.3207, burger21.com Busan Fish Cake Bakery 1291 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, 770.299.1093, busanfishcakeusa.com Cosmo’s Little Italy 144 East Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, 770.338.9274, pizzaoncrogan.com Coughman’s Creamery 1956 Duluth Highway, Lawrenceville, 770.545.8844, coughmanscreamery.com Dazzle Dogs 1925 Braselton Highway, Buford, 470.448.3975, dazzle-dogs.com Dominick’s 197 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, 770.277.8477, dominickslawrenceville.com; 95 South Peachtree Street, Norcross, 770-449-1611, dominicksitalian.com Epicurean Cafe 3579 West Lawrenceville Street, Duluth, 770.476.2989, epicureancafeatl.com Famous Toastery 1120 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Suwanee, 678.541.5345, famoustoastery.com Firebirds Wood Fired Grill 5215 Town Center Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, 770.225.4662 firebirdsrestaurants.com First Watch 5320 Town Center Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, 470.781.9190, firstwatch.com Foggy Bottom BBQ 202 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, 678.878.3251, foggybottombbq.com Fratelli’s Pizza NY Style 1711 Atlanta Highway, Grayson, 470.375.4701, fratellispizza-ny.com Georgia French Bakery & Cafe 3512 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, 770.622.2682, georgiafrenchbakery.business.site

grace | 17•20 5155 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 678.421.1720, grace1720.com Graft 516 Grayson Parkway, Grayson, 770.338.9001, graftrestaurant.net Grayson Coffee House 502 Grayson Parkway, Grayson, 770.837.3448, graysoncoffeehouse.com Hong Kong Garden 455 Grayson Highway, Lawrenceville, 770.962.1004, hongkonggardentogo.com Indio Brewing 5019 West Broad Street, Sugar Hill, 678.206.3700, indiobrewing.com Ivy Tea House 23 Holcomb Bridge Road, Norcross, 470.424.4715, ivyteahouse.com Jang Su Jang 3645 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, 678.475.9170, jangsujangatlanta.com K-Factory BBQ 3885 Venture Drive, Duluth, 770.232.8881, kbbqstory.com Kremo Ice Cream 2180 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 470.375.8185; 5210 Town Center Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, 470.375.8185, kremoicecream.com La Cazuela 179 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, 770.682.3481, lacazuela.com Ligero Tobacco House 2828 Buford Drive, Buford, 678.926.3260, ligerocigarshop.com Local Republic 139 North Perry Street, Lawrenceville, 678.205.4782, thelocalrepublic.com Mac Lab Bakery & Cafe 2131 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 678.580.1985, maclabbakery.com Maple Street Biscuit Company 3550 West Lawrenceville Street, Duluth, 678.404.5625, maplestreetbiscuits.com Marlow’s Tavern 1950 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, 770.622.2033; Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive, Buford, 678.765.8689; 5210 Town Center Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, 470.550.1197, marlowstavern.com Martin’s Restaurant 6350 Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Norcross, 770.448,4148, martinsrestaurants.com Masterpiece 3940 Buford Highway, Duluth, 770.622.1191, masterpiece-chinese.com McCray’s Tavern 100 North Perry Street, Lawrenceville, 770.407.6754, mccraystavern.com Mojitos Cuban American Bistro 35 South Peachtree Street, Norcross, 770.441.2599; 5161 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 770.686.3254, mojitosbistro.squarespace.com Nacho Daddy 3095 Main Street, Duluth, 770.417.8700, nachodaddy.com Noble Fin 5260 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 770.599.7979, noblefinrestaurant.com Noona Steakhouse & Oyster Bar 3550 West Lawrenceville Street, Duluth, 678.404.5001, noonaduluth.com O4W Pizza 3117 Main Street, Duluth, 678.587.5420, o4wpizza.com Operation Homebrew 1142 Athens Highway, Grayson, 770.638.8383, operationhomebrew.com Osteria di Mare 5005 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 678.691.0344, osteriadimare.weebly.com Oyster Bay Seafood Cafe 125 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, 770.910.7521, oysterbayseafoodcafe.com Parkside District 909 Parkside Walk Lane, Lawrenceville, 770.910.9601, parksidedistrict.com The Peachtree Cafe 50 South Clayton Street, Lawrenceville, 678.377.8745, peachtree-cafe.com RW’s Subs 3360 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, 770.622.7827, facebook.com/Rws-Subs Rico’s World Kitchen 306 West Main Street, Buford, 678.765.7518, ricosworldkitchen.com Roll It Up 5150 Buford Highway, 470.545.0357, rollitupicecream.com Sarah Donuts 45 Satellite Boulevard, Suwanee, 770.271.1129; 9760 Medlock Bridge Road, Duluth, 770.622.2222; 5860 Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Norcross, 770.409.9020; 7110 McGinnis Ferry Road, Suwanee, 470.375.2969, sarahdonuts.com Seo Ra Beol 3040 Steve Reynolds Boulevard, Duluth, 770.497.1155, seorabeolduluth.com Simply Done Donuts 3550 West Lawrenceville Street, Duluth, 678.772.0523, simplydonedonuts.com Snowflake Tea House 2180 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 678.475.1560 Special Kneads and Treats 156 Scenic Highway South, Lawrenceville, 678.237.7147, specialkneadsandtreats.org SriThai 4500 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, 770.837.2723; 2218 Main Street East, Snellville, 770.985.8078, srithaikitchen.com Strange Taco Bar 225 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, 678.869.5220, strangetacobar.com Sugar Hill Bakery and Cafe 4969 West Broad Street, Sugar Hill, 678.765.8008, sugarhilltowne.com SunO Dessert 2570 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 404.969.5128, sunodessert.com

Graft Sweet Rice Cafe 2180 Merchants Way, Duluth, 770.476.9303 T-Ray’s Fire Grill 125 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, 770.910.7529, t-raysfiregrill.com Taqueria del Mar Bar & Grill 5075 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 678.820.9836, taqueriadelmar.com Tequila Mama Taqueria 340 Town Center Avenue, Suwanee, 678.456.3131, tequilamama.com Three Blind Mice 1066 Killian Hill Road, Lilburn, 770.696.4139, tbmrestaurant.com Tree Story Bakery & Cafe 2550 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 678.584.0000 Truck & Tap 3137 Main Street, Duluth, 470.292.3630, truckandtap.com/duluth Universal Joint 181 East West Pike Street, Lawrenceville, 770.299.1898, ujlawrenceville.com

Agit Lounge & Karaoke 3492 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, 770.559.5306, agitlounge.com Atlanta Coliseum 2075 Market Street, Duluth, 678.473.1000, atlantacoliseum.com Do Re Mi Karaoke 2550 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 770.497.0070 Eddie Owen Presents: Red Clay Music Foundry 3116 Main Street, Duluth, 404.478.2749, eddieowenpresents.com Everett’s Music Barn 4055 Stonecypher Road, Suwanee, 770.772.1276, everettsmusicbarn.net

Good Word Brewing & Public House 3085 Main Street, Duluth. 404.973.2077, goodwordbrewing.com Hope Springs Distillery 4839 Railroad Avenue, Lilburn, 678.591.6334, hopespringsdistillery.com Infinite Energy Arena 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, 770.626.2464, infiniteenergycenter.com Iron Shield Brewery 394 North Clayton Street, Lawrenceville, ironshieldbrewing.com Sound of Music Karaoke 3525 Mall Boulevard, Duluth, 678.691.2078

Antiques in Old Town 93 Main Street, Lilburn, 770.279.1300, antiquesinoldtown. blogspot.com Aritaum 2550 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 770.418.0203; 10820 Abbotts Bridge Road, Duluth, 770.814.2989; 1295 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, 770.882.2463, aritaum.com The Chocolaterie 3099 Main Street, Duluth, 678.585.3338, thechocolaterie.com Clothes Mentor 3310 Buford Drive, Buford, 678.714.1883, clothesmentor.com Creative Enterprises Thrift Store 701 High Hope Lane, Lawrenceville, 770.962.3908, creativeenterprises.org Daffy’s New & Used Pet Supplies 143 South Clayton Street, Lawrenceville, 404.345.6821, daffyspetsoupkitchen.info Depot Records 470 North Clayton Street, Lawrenceville, 678.982.4353, depotrecords.business.site Dress Up 5155 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 770.368.0108; 320 Town Center Avenue, Suwanee, 678.482.4539, shopdressup.com Happy Tails Pet Grooming & Boarding 1328 Buford Highway, Buford, 770.331.7448, facebook.com/ happytailsbuford Hollywood Feed 2220 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Duluth, 770.870.5173; 1250 Scenic Highway, Lawrenceville, 770.802.5216; 5215 Town Center Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, 678.691.9127; 3425 Peachtree Parkway, Suwanee, 770.886.5660, hollywoodfeed.com Jeju Sauna 3555 Gwinnett Place Drive, Duluth, 678.336.7414, jejusauna.com Lizard Thicket 5135 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross, 470.268.8227, shoplizardthicket.com Mall of Georgia 3333 Buford Drive, Buford, 770.271.9458, simon.com/mall/ mall-of-georgia NV Bath Body Bar 117 North Perry Street, Lawrenceville, 678.243.5518, facebook.com/NVBathBodyBar/ The PawPlex 3580 Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, Suwanee, 770.904.1970, thepawplex.com Personify Shop 3550 West Lawrenceville Street, Duluth, 770.776.5812, personifyshop.com Pooch N Paws Pet Boutique 320 Town Center Avenue, Suwanee, 770.932.7040; 5185 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 770.446.6672, poochnpaws.com Queen of Hearts Antiques & Interiors 4125 Georgia Highway 20, 678.714.0643, queenofhearts antiques-interiors.com Smiling Canine Bakery 5181 Martins Crossing Road, Stone Mountain, 678.926.9866, smilingcaninebakery.com Super H Mart 2550 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 678.543.3000, hmart.com

Dress Up Swanky Paws Bet Boutique 1860 Duluth Highway, Lawrenceville, 678.985.0005, swankypaws.com Taste of Britain 73 South Peachtree Street, Norcross, 770.242.8585, tasteofbritain.com Three Dog Bakery 1911 Grayson Highway, Grayson, 470.246.5798, threedog.com Vintage Village 2393 Oak Road, Snellville, 770.978.0013, facebook.com/ thevintagehag/ VSOP Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom 81 South Peachtree Street, Norcross, 678.795.2002, vsoptaproom.com W1sh Beauty 3450 Steve Reynolds Boulevard, Duluth, 770.232.3012, lalabeautywholesale.com World of Life Books 2550 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 678.957.1021, atlantalifebooks.com

Atlanta Gladiators Infinite Energy Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, 770.497.5100, atlantagladiators.com Big Splash Fountain Town Center Avenue, Suwanee, suwanee.com Briscoe Park Sawyer Parkway, Snellville, 770.985.3535, snellville.org/ parks-recreation Chattapoochee Dog Park 4291 Rogers Bridge Road, Duluth, 770.476.3434, duluthga.net George Pierce Park 55 Buford Highway, Suwanee, 678.277.0910, gwinnettparks.com Georgia Swarm Infinite Energy Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, 770.813.7600, georgiaswarm.com Gwinnett Stripers Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville, 678.277.0340, coolrayfield.com Holcomb Bridge Park 4300 Holcomb Bridge Road, Peachtree Corners, 678.277.0920, gwinnettparks.com Ivy Creek Greenway 2355 Mall of Georgia Boulevard, Buford J.B. Williams Park 4935 Five Forks-Trickum Road, 678.277.0179, gwinnettparks.com Jones Bridge Park 4901 East Jones Bridge Road, Peachtree Corners, 678.277.0920, gwinnettparks.com Lawrenceville Lawn 210 Luckie Street, Lawrenceville, lawrencevillega.org Lillian Webb Park 5 College Street, Norcross, 678.421.2000, norcrossga.net McDaniel Farm Park 3251 McDaniel Road, Duluth, 770.904.3500, gwinnettparks.com Mitsubishi Electric Classic 2595 Sugarloaf Club Drive, Duluth, 770.232.7872, mitsubishielectricclassic.com Rock Springs Park 550 Rock Springs Road, Lawrenceville, 770.904.3996, gwinnettparks.com Ronald Reagan Park 2777 Five Forks-Trickum Road, Lawrenceville, 678.277.0179, gwinnettparks.com Settles Bridge Park 380 Johnson Road, Suwanee, 678.277.0910, gwinnettparks.com Simpsonwood Park 4511 Jones Bridge Circle, Peachtree Corners, 678.277.0900, gwinnettparks.com Stone Mountain Park 1000 Robert E. Lee Boulevard, Stone Mountain, 800.401.2407, stonemountainpark.com Suwanee Town Center Park 330 Town Center Parkway, Suwanee, 770.945.8996, suwanee.com Treetop Quest 2020 Clean Water Drive, Buford, 404.277.6113, treetopquest.com Tribble Mill Park 2125 Tribble Mill Parkway, Lawrenceville, 678.277.0890, gwinnettparks.com

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