Southgate Mall (Elizabeth City)

Southgate Mall is the sole enclosed shopping center in the sixteen county Historic Albemarle region of northeastern North Carolina.

Located on West Ehringhaus Street (US 17 Business) in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the mall is currently anchored by Belk and until its closing in early April 2015; JCPenney.

The original West-end anchor W. T. Grant complemented the mall's one-stop shop appeal with auto repair bays and a garden center, persisting at Southgate until 1974.

A basic small-town Penney, the Elizabeth City location contained fewer frills than its cross-mall rival, with apparel, bed, bath, shoe and kitchenware selections considerably more sparse, its only advantage an in-store salon.

The supermarket departed the mall in 1985 for an off-site location, and was immediately replaced by JCPenney which relocated from downtown Elizabeth City.

The store was most notable for retaining its original 1960's layout, flooring and high ceilings throughout the People's Drug-Revco-CVS reign with only minimal maintenance, such as repainting.

A locally owned Chinese restaurant and existing mall tenant, Dragon Buffet, immediately relocated from the former Roses cafeteria location adjacent to JCPenney.

[13] On October 22, 2017; Elizabeth City's Daily Advance newspaper reported that remodeling plans as part of the proposed "demalling" would result in three other tenants, Hibbett Sports; GNC and Greensboro-based jeweler Saslow's Jewelers would move from the rear of the mall to the front, with a separate report and a map of the proposed changes in the article showing The Shoe Department also moving from the back to the space vacated when RadioShack closed as part of a recent string of closings in April 2017.

Elizabeth City Belk in January 2015. One of three late 1960s prototype stores designed for smaller-format enclosed malls, the other two are in Kinston, NC and Savannah, GA. All except the Southgate location have since been heavily modified beyond their original appearances.
Elizabeth City Belk during renovation re-dedication in October 2013. The store's first extensive renovation since 1988 radically rearranged its interior configuration, but did not affect the exterior.
April 20, 2015 photo of the now-shuttered JCPenney at Elizabeth City, NC's Southgate Mall. Was W.T. Grant from 1969–74; Roses from 1974–94 and JCPenney from 1996–2015
West junior anchor of Southgate Mall. Original tenant Winn-Dixie 1969–1985; JCPenney from 1985–1996; Roses Express from 2002–2003; Goody's from 2005–2009; Burke's Outlet from 2011 to present.
East junior anchor of Southgate Mall. Original tenant People's Drug/Revco/CVS 1969–2003; Dragon Buffet from 2003 to present.