Ultimate Mall Guide

With their shops, restaurants and entertainment options, malls have always made a go-to outing for families. Especially when it's cold or the weather is otherwise lousy, enclosed malls offer an outdoor escape and hours of fun. We analyzed and visited all of the area's malls* to bring you this Ultimate Mall Guide. We looked at the number and types of stores, unique stores, entertainment options, sit-down and counter food service, and safety* at each mall.

Click on mall name in the chart below for specific details on each shopping plaza.

	Playing	Shopping	Eating
St. Louis Mills	Features: Ice rink, go-carts, train, skate park, play area and more Sprout Pic: Best Mall for Family Entertainment	Anchors: Books a Million, Cabela's, Children's Place, Marshalls Megastore, Sears Outlet, and more	Dining: Chevy's, Johnny Rockets, Tony Romas, food court
West County Center	Features: Play area, Build-a-Bear	Anchors: Barnes and Noble, Dick's Sporting Goods, Macy's, Nordstrom, JCPenney Sprout Pic: Best Place to Actually Shop	Dining: More than 20 eateries including McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant, Nordstrom's Cafe Bistro, Bravo! and more
Alton Square Mall	Features: Library, play area	Anchors: JCPenney, Macy's, Sears	Dining: Olga's Kitchen and a few fast-food restaurants
Chesterfield Mall	Features: Movies, carousel, bungee trampoline, play area	Anchors: Borders, Dillards, Macy's, Sears	Dining: Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, St. Louis Bread Co., food court
Crestwood Court	Features: Movies, crafting opportunities, live performances	Anchor: Sears	Dining: Bread and Honey Bakery
Plaza Frontenac	Features: Movies	Anchors: Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue	Dining: St. Louis Sippery & Cafe, Cardwell's at the Plaza, Canyon Cafe, The Zodiac
Saint Louis Galleria	Features: Movies, "Bodies the Exhibition"	Anchors: Dillards, Macy's (Nordstrom coming in 2011)	Dining: Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, food court
Jamestown Mall	Features: Movies, play area	Anchors: JCPenney Outlet, Macy's	Dining: Mar's Best BBQ, O'Pestky's Pub and Grill, food court
Mid Rivers Mall	Features: Movies, play area, arcade	Anchors: Borders, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dillards, JCPenney, Macy's, Sears	Dining: The Diner at Mid Rivers, Max and Erma's, food court
South County Center	Features: Play area, The Little Gym	Anchors: Borders, Dillards, JCPenney, Macy's, Sears	Dining: Applebee's, Qdoba, food court
St. Clair Square	Features: Mini train, carousel	Anchors: Dillards, JCPenney, Macy's, Sears	Dining: Olga's Kitchen, food court

* What is a mall? For the purpose of this guide, we defined a mall as an enclosed shopping center featuring at least one major anchor retail store.

* A Note About Safety: Each mall includes related information about either arrests made from the property or calls police responded to from the property (each call does NOT necessarily result in an arrest). Please note that this is just one measure of mall safety. The majority of arrests made at malls are related to shoplifting, and all malls maintain their own security services.

This article was published October 2010.

A South County institution, the South County Center provides a vibrant, if not standard, mall experience complete with all four of the main mall anchor stores.

Anchor Stores: Borders, Dillards, JCPenney, Macy's, Sears (view complete store directory)

Some Unique Shopping Opportunities: Shaely's Bridal, St. Louis Dugout

Young kids will love:

• Soft play area on the upper level by Sears
• Activities at The Little Gym

Families will love: A family lounge and restroom in the lower level near Sears.

Dining at South County Center: Casual dining options include Applebee's and Qdoba. There is also a variety of fast-food restaurants and specialty food shops.

Safety In 2009, the St. Louis County Police Department made 670 arrests from the South County Center. South County Center saw the highest number of arrests in 2009. While the majority of arrests made in malls are related to shoplifting, South County Center averages about 12 arrests a week.

South County Center
18 South County Centerway, St. Louis, Mo., 63129
314-892-8954
Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This article was published October 2010.

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Sprout Pic: Best Mall for Family Entertainment

St. Louis Mills is by far the best mall for keeping your entire family entertained. With 13 entertainment establishments within its walls, the Mills is as committed to playing as it is to shopping. Ice-skating, skateboarding, jumping, train-rides, playgrounds, theatres and go-carts make this an ultimate destination for indoor family fun. The shopping's not bad either, as the Mills boasts 160 specialty stores in addition to its big box anchors. The Mills also features a variety of special family events, from Halloween costume contests to Santa's arrival and book blasts.

Anchor Retail Stores: Bed Bath and Beyond, Books a Million, Burlington Coat Factory, Cabelas, Children's Place, Marshalls Megastore, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, Sears Outlet (see complete store directory)

Anchor Entertainment: Ice Zone, Nascar Speedpark, PlanNine Skatepark, Regal Cinema 18

Some Unique Shopping Opportunities: Cabela's, Nike Factory Store, Books a Million, Tommy Hilfiger, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse

Young kids will love:

• Riding on the trackless train
• An indoor playground
• Xtreme Web jumping

Older kids will love:

• Nascar Speedpark
• PlanNine Skatepark (ask about their overnight programs)
• Movie theatre onsite
• Skating or watching the St. Louis Blues practice at the Ice Zone

Parents will love:

• Shopping at the numerous outlet stores
• Enrolling their kids in the Kidgits program for special gifts and giveaways and invitations to events.
  
• Family bathrooms and lounges for nursing moms near the Food Court
• WiFi access throughout the Mills

Dining at St. Louis Mills: Nine food counters, Chevys Fresh Mix, Johnny Rockets and Tony Romas Famous for Ribs, make family dining easy.

Safety: In 2010, the Hazelwood Police Department wrote 374 police reports (Jan. 1 through Oct. 27). There is a Hazelwood Police Department substation onsite. The Mills provides 24-hour mall security. On Friday and Saturday nights, those 16 years of age or younger must be with a parent or guardian.

St. Louis Mills
5555 St. Louis Mills Blvd., Hazelwood, Mo., 63042
314-227-5910
Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This article was published October 2010.

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What makes the Alton Square Mall unique is that it houses a branch of the Hayner Library. With a teen center and a variety of family activities, the library makes this mall a destination for families.

Anchor Stores: JCPenney, Macy's, Sears, (view the complete store directory)

Some Unique Shopping Opportunities: BMK Fashions

Young kids will love:

• Story times, crafts and family movie nights at the Hayner Alton Square Library
• The Eagle's Nest children's soft play area

Older kids will love: Teen Space and teen movie nights at the Hayner Alton Square Library

Parents will love: Books are even cooler when they're in the mall, and there are plenty of literary events and activities for the entire family at the Hayner Alton Square Library.

Dining at Alton Square Mall: To eat, Alton Square offers Olga's Kitchen and a few food-court establishments.

Safety: The Alton Police Department made 109 arrests from Alton Square Mall in 2009.

Alton Square Mall
200 Alton Square, Alton, Ill., 62002
618-465-5500
Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 12-6 p.m.

This article was published October 2010.

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The only thing keeping the doors open at Crestwood Court these days is creativity -- and lots of it. The once-thriving mall was hard hit in recent years and only has a handful of traditional mall stores. But for what it lacks in traditional retail offerings, it makes up for with art. More than 50 artists and art organizations have opened up shop in the "Art Space" at Crestwood Court. Visitors will find performing artists, small theaters, children's museums, photographers, rug-makers, magicians, painters, dancers, designers, crafters and more making productive use of the mall's space.

Anchor Stores: Sears (view the complete store directory)

Young kids will love:

• A play area near the theatre
• Participating in a variety of hands-on arts activities and classes offered by various Art Space vendors.

Older kids will love:

• AMC Crestwood 10 Theatres onsite
• Cool special events, such as the Zombie Mallwalk on Oct. 29

Parents will love:

• Exploring the arts with their children in a quiet, uncongested setting
• Family lounge and bathrooms

Dining at Crestwood Court: You have exactly once choice, the Bread and Honey Bakery.

Safety: In 2009, the Crestwood police made 94 arrests at Crestwood Court.

Crestwood Court
109 Crestwood Plaza, St. Louis, Mo., 63126
314-962-2395
Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This article was published October 2010.

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