An extant asset
Surprisingly enough, the fast growing city in the desert, Las Vegas, has never been over-malled even with nearly unlimited square miles of wasteland surrounding it. Though most visitors may only be aware of the retail facilities located on the Strip such as Fashion Show Las Vegas and the Forum Shops at Caesar’s, most wouldn’t be familiar with those facilities built mainly for the local population. While Meadows Mall serves much of the north and west residing patrons, The Galleria at Sunset serves those on the south and eastern ends of the burgeoning metropolis.
1- The original main mall entrance. 2- The early interior floors. (Source for 1 & 2) 3 & 4- An overview of the main concourse in the Galleria at Sunset’s earlier days. (Source for 3 & 4)
Being a bit out of the way, I was never able to make my own trip to the region’s newest enclosed retail facility on my most recent trip to Las Vegas. The closest I came was flying directly over the sprawling complex while on final approach to Harry Reid International Airport. But from what I have gathered, it presents pretty much standard mall fare highlighted by Dillard’s, JCPenney, Macy’s, Kohl’s and Dick’s as anchors.
Galleria at Sunset Mallmanac ca. 2011. View the full PDF version here.
Labeled as Ranch Mall upon its conception in the mid-eighties, construction was delayed until the mid-nineties in what was then mainly undeveloped desert lands on the outskirts of Henderson. Just the proposition of a large, enclosed retail facility being constructed in the area drove rapid development in the vicinity that would one day push Henderson to the second most populous city in the state, surpassing even the biggest little city in the world, Reno.
1- The Galleria at Sunset’s new main entrance. (Source) 2- Macy’s and the front exterior. (Source) 3- Looking down the concourse toward JCPenney. (Source) 4- The original center court before renovation. (Source)
What had by then been renamed as The Galleria at Sunset opened its doors in early 1996 as a double-tiered, one million square foot climate controlled facility, drawing tens of thousands of patrons at its debut. The four original anchors consisted of Dillard’s, Robinsons-May, JCPenney and Mervyn’s. The original interior was archetypical nineties, employing geometric elements in the colors of the desert. From pictures I have seen, it was absolutely fantastic.
Galleria at Sunset site plan ca. 2024. View the full PDF version here.
The Galleria at Sunset saw its first expansion in 2002 when thirteen additional spaces were added as well as new junior anchor tenant Galyan’s sporting goods. Around the same time, the first anchor shuffle occurred when Robinsons-May was usurped by the Macy’s brand. Several years later in 2009, Mervyn’s shuttered its space. Soon after, clothing retailer Kohl’s opened in its place.
The Galleria at Sunset’s first overall renovation happened in 2013 when all of the original desert themed décor, as well as the popular chess piece topiaries located in the food court, were removed for, well, the basic mall template for the mid-2010s. Another smaller scale expansion took place in 2014, leaving the center with its present day footprint.
1- Kohl’s entrance. 2- The bus comes to the Galleria. 3 & 4- Bingo in the food court. (Source for all)
Though it’s nothing flashy even when compared to its cross town peer Meadows Mall, the shopping center serves its purpose well and has found its own niche within the southwestern reached of the Las Vegas Valley. Commercial development within the vicinity continues to grow, and the spark for this buildup, The Galleria at Sunset, continues to thrive.
(Source)
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