Mall of Georgia Changes From a Regular’s Perspective

The Mall of Georgia represents the south for a good reason, and for that reason, its layout is constantly changing. It keeps it current in a way that brings people coming back for more, even natives like myself. I would say I go to this mall maybe once a month (possibly more during the holidays), and there is always something new and something replaced. It can be hard to keep up with it all! I recently revisited the mall after nearly three months away, and wow. The changes were even more surprising than usual. I made an effort to visit some of the successful stores that I had not yet been inside, but I mostly wanted to report what’s new in 2022.

Something Old

The first old shop I went into was called “Stone Age.” It is a store that, you guessed it, sells rocks, and apparently successfully. This store has been at the mall for several years now, but I never stepped inside because I was never in dire need of a rock collection. For the sake of my mission, I did this time.

First of all, it’s huge. There were maybe four rooms with door frames in total, one of which was longer and wider than some other stores. The moment I stepped inside, I was blown away by the clean, refreshing aroma and the modern décor. I admit I spent more time with the décor than the rocks, but come on! There was a dinosaur!

I also stepped inside a beauty shop, which I never visit because I’m not a beauty kind of person. I’ll put on some basic makeup on the rough days, and that’s good enough for me. I did appreciate how neat the shop was, and the nail polish samples excited my childlike wonder with its similarity to the paint sample wall at Home Depot.

Along the way, I did notice some details in the mall’s design that I never noticed before with no excuse other than I wasn’t paying attention. There are these wonderful signs featuring the history of Atlanta by the elevator that are actually really cool!

Up the elevator, and I swear I’ve never noticed this, there is a wonderful view of the Button Gwinnett statue mounting the top of the mall. He signed the Declaration of Independence on behalf of Georgia, and the Mall of Georgia is located in the county named after him: Gwinnett. I likely never saw this because there are maybe two spots in the whole upper floor that he is visible from. History is more present than I realized!

Something New

As alluded to earlier, the Mall is constantly changing to attract customers new and old. Unfortunately, this does mean some shopping gems don’t stick around long.

Charming Charlie’s, an outdoor clothing and accessory shop, was recently replaced with a Selfie Store. It features a collection of really cute rooms to take pictures in. Although it is sad to see the charming store off, this was a pretty smart move to appeal to mall-going teenagers. 

Our beloved Disney Store was recently replaced with another clothing outlet. It has been a magical break from reality since my birth, so it was heartbreaking to see it leave last year.

Not every change is a negative one for me, though. In one of the locations that seems to always be changing, the new Thought Co. opened. This brought a beautiful smile to my face; this used to be a vending booth in the walkways, and they apparently did well enough to earn a spot in a store. I’m crossing my fingers that they will stick around the next time I stop by.

The mall always had two Dairy Queens: one in the food court and one upstairs. Regardless of the questionable logic of the decision, I was always grateful to have delightful ice cream treats in multiple locations. Apparently others didn’t. They both closed. Both of them! One was already replaced with a really cute fruit and popsicle shop called Michoacana. The location in the food court has yet to be replaced, but it is said to become a “Oh K-Dog,” which is handmade Korean soul food. As much as I love Dairy Queen blizzards, I am eager to try some new food at both of these places. I will definitely be stopping by on my next visit.

In Summary…

…There is always something new to see at The Mall of Georgia. With the emergence of online shopping and the added inconvenience of leaving the house, it makes sense why malls like this one feel a pressure to keep current!

Whether you visit once a decade or once a week, it’s surprising to see how much you can miss! In the future, I will definitely be more observant of my surroundings in similar ways. Whether that be going to new stores, remembering stores past, or looking at it from a new angle, there is so much to see.