Open Shopping Malls

Below are pictures from an outdoor shopping mall called the Forum in Norcross. It has every store for a Norcross shopper from Barnes and Noble, to J. Crew, to Orvis. There is no food court, like in a traditional enclosed mall, but the Forum is home to numreous restaurants ranging from Atlanta Bread Company, to La Parilla, to Ted's.

Above is the round about at the central entrance of the Forum. The huge Christmas tree gives constant purchasing motivation to shoppers. The Forum streches at least 100 yards to the left and right of the round about.

Catering to the automobile, there is ample parking at the Forum. The above parking lot runs through the center of the Forum, but there is plenty of addtional parking behind the stores.

The arching clock tower behind the round about gives the Forum a small town feel and harkens back to a nostalgic city center. The Forum is intended to be very different from the enclosed mall, and as such, gives a much different feel to the shoppers.

Stores such as Barnes and Noble enjoy central location at the round about. All of the stores also conform to the architecture of the Forum.

While the center lane of the Forum provides parking, there is generous sidewalk space along the strech of stores that encourages shoppers to park and then walk from end to end. The sidewalk is complimented by similar groupings of trees, trashcans, and bushes. There are also not so well hidden speakers playing a soft holiday mix for pleasure of passing shoppers.

Another view of the Christmas tree at the center of the Forum and visible from each end of the Forum.

Plenty of parking. Perfect for the suburban shopper.

The Forum (Norcross, GA)