7 Wonders You Never Knew About North Park Center

North Park Center is one of the most premier shopping venues in the country.   The attention to detail is unfathomable, the shopping selection is first-rate, and the art is riveting.   North Park is perhaps one of the top attractions you MUST see in Texas (second only to the Alamo); and those are big words as I might as well hand in my Houstonian card confessing anything to be better in Dallas.

1. North Park Is An Art Museum.

That’s right the walls and halls are lined with unique art from Warhol to Borofsky.  The beauty behind this jewel is admission is 100% free.  Wine, dine, shop, and enjoy one of a kind original masterpieces all around.  Want to do it all the way?  Check in with the Conceirge desk just outside of Neimans and pick up your own brochure that boasts of all the great insights and details of each piece.

2. It Was Listed As One of The 7 Retail Wonders of The Modern World

Not only were they listed but they were the only mall elected in its entirety in the United States! (How does that taste Mall of America?)    It’s large open spaces, and beautiful surroundings made this mall shoe in for the countdown.

3. The Shopping Center is Family Owned and Operated

Since the day it was opened in 1965 the Nasher family has held a firm control over their magnum opus, and wouldn’t you?  Founder Raymond Nasher’s daughter Nancy Nasher and her husband now run the facility. Her handprint, alongside her sisters’ footprints are still imprinted in the concrete of this mall in the south court.  She grew up sliding down the tall curved planter beside the interior duck and turtle pond, and now she watches as she can assure children generations after her can do the same.

Our job is to bring the best retail to Dallas. But this is also a great public space. You can fill it up with retail kiosks, junk and advertising or beautify it with landscaping you won’t see anywhere else and a coll (4).png

4.  Was The Largest Mall In The Entire U.S. in 1965

It may not still be the largest mall in the country, but it still holds its place in the top 20, particularly after the giant expansion completed in the early 2000’s.

5. The Plants Are Chosen A Year or Two In Advance

You may notice the halls lined with azaleas at 10 am, and then round the corner again by 1 pm and find the same planters now bustling with gorgeous orchids.  The botanics are a nonstop job of upkeep and these are each specially selected a year or two in advance by Nancy Nasher herself.

6. Game Stop Started at North Park

In 1984 Ross Perot put some money into a dream of two Harvard graduates, James McCurry and Gary M. Kusin, who wanted to start a little company called Babbages.  A small shop that offered PC gaming supplies.  Today that little shop in the North Park Center has grown to a foot print of over 7,000 locations under the name of Game Stop!  (For More information on GameStop as a brand then and now, click here.)

7.  It is the Only Mall with A Park

The newest expansion created a full enclosure of the gardens that lined the shopping center before.  Now it is a 1.4 acre green area that sits at the heart of the mall, with sidewalk dining, children dashing, and amazing artwork this is one of my favorite spots to relax away a Sunday afternoon.

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To find out more about North Park Mall, Please visit Their Website Here.

Until next time fan boys and girls—>

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Nancy Nasher Interview

19 thoughts on “7 Wonders You Never Knew About North Park Center”

    1. How great is that? I’ve lived in three states now since I became a mom five years ago and I still take them to Memorial City in Houston to do Santa Photos, (though I do not know how much longer I can convince my husband on the necessity of this expensive tradition.) 😉

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  14. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to this mall so it’s probably improved a great deal since I was there last. I did get that art museum feel when I was there in the mid eighties, partly because it seemed so still and quiet there. I actually didn’t care for the mall then as a place to go shopping as at the time it seemed there were mostly upper scale clothing stores and such. I can’t even recall a food court. And I don’t remember any outstanding music stores which was what I was most interested in back then. It was a nice place to stroll around and that was as much as I can remember. Now I’d like to go back to check it out again. I’d probably like it better now.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. It’s still primarily upscale, but they have diversified greatly from strictly fashion over the years. The upper left level of the header picture is their present food court, and is, I believe, part of the expansion that the mall underwent in the early 2000’s.

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