The University Mall is situated at at the intersection of McFarland Blvd and Veterans' Memorial Parkway in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Opening hours are 10am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 1pm to 5.30pm on Sundays. It is the largest mall in western Alabama with a total retail floor space of over 730,000 square feet
The property where the Mall now stands was previously the site of the ruins of the Second War era Northington Naval Hospital. The ruins were destroyed during the filming of a scene in the Burt Reynolds film Hooper in 1978. Aranov Realty, one of the oldest real estate development and management firms in the U.S, own and manage the mall, which opened in 1980 and now features 78 stores and services.
The mall has numerous stores with various eateries all located on one floor, with the four big stores at each end being JCPenney, Belk Women, Belk Men, Home& Kids and Sears. Many fashion stores are featured here including Charlotte Russe and Gap at the north end of the mall near Penney, whilst there is also American Eagle Outfitters, Aeropostale, Gymboree and Rue 21 amongst many others. A number of specialist shoe stores also feature here including Foot Locker, Journeys, Payless Shoes and Shoe Department.
Shoppers can also find a few jewelry stores in the shape of Claire's, Kays, Reed's, Lorch's, Intrigue and Fashion Jewelry, which is next to the Mall Office by Sears. Cards, gifts and stationery can be found at Amy's Hallmark and GameStop has the latest gaming products. University Mall has many specialty stores with Bob's Card & Collectibles close to Sears and Spencer Gifts almost opposite, whilst just further up is Bath & Body Works and Earthbound Trading Company.
There is an assortment of dining options for visitors ranging from snacks to sit down restaurant meals. Snacks and treats can be purchased at Chocolate Chip Cookie Co. or Cinnabons, which are located in the center of the mall. Piccadilly Cafeteria is a large dining area situated next to Gap, whilst there are other eateries such as Chick-fil-A, Taco Casa and Great Japan clustered quite close together.
The city is home to the University of Alabama (UA), which was founded in 1831 as the state's first public college and is ranked as one of the best in the country. There are museums on the UA campus, which are the Alabama Museum of Natural History and the Paul W. Bryant Museum, as well as libraries and top sports facilities. Also on the campus is the Frank Moody Music Building with a 1000-seat Concert Hall and a 140-seat Recital Hall
Services such as dental care, hair salons and barbers, nail treatment and eye specialists are all available at the mall as well. Visitor Center Services are located outside Sears, where office staff are usually available during the center opening hours and can help with store and local area information. Services also include complimentary wheelchairs, stroller rentals, copy and fax services and gift card purchase.
