Northcross Mall Plaza — Attraction in Austin

I refer to this as Northcross 2.0, and since the old version of the mall played a major role in my life, I can't help but compare the two. The old indoor mall was entirely self-contained—several department stores, candy stores, a vast sporting goods store, kiosks specializing in sunglasses, restaurants and an all-I-could-eat cafeteria all focused upon this one climate-controlled, comfortable, walking space furnished with benches and tropical plants. There were signs that informed exercise walkers how far they had gone and what stretches would be appropriate at every turn.

But now we live in World 2.0. The builders and designers have given up the charade that they care for us. Example: for complex unspoken reasons benches are disappearing in World 2.0—I suspect that in this Brave New World, people who sit on benches not only fail to spend money, but are considered suspect and undesirable. Desirable people sit at home, sit in their cars, and nimbly leap into the shop of their choice without the need for outdoor furnishings. The same has happened at Hancock Center 2.0 as well. HEB Hancock still has a picnic table outside, but a security guard on a Segway and with a gun on his hip ran me off, saying that the picnic table was reserved for HEB employees.

In the one surviving air-conditioned interior tunnel at Northcross—which feels more like a spillway for floods than a space for people—there are no benches, and people waiting for their kids at the skating rink have no choice but to sit on the floor. Except for the skating rink—a lone survivor from Northcross 1.0, though I think they changed names and probably owners—the businesses along that corridor cater not to people but to other businesses by doing things like organizing events. I use this tunnel because it serves as a shortcut out of the heat and traffic, and it leads to the side of the mall where I need to be when I come here. I also get a heady sense of defiance by using a tunnel, every design element of which, seems calculated to tell me that this tunnel is not for me. Yet even those people who drive in the comfort of their climate-controlled cars to Northcross and manage to park close to the one shop they've come to visit cannot help but be aware of the peril of the parking lot. More die from cars than from wars.

There is of course some silver lining in this ugly blot on civilization, and that of course lies in the shops themselves. Dos Batos Tacos and Tea Haus are among the cool places here. I'd give anything to be a kid dropped off at the Ice Age (as it was called in the day of 1.0) to learn to skate, so I'm vicariously glad for all the kids these days who are learning to skate at Chaparral Ice, even if they do have to sit on the floor while waiting for their classes. Walmart may not be the pleasantest place to shop, but it is sometimes useful. Outlying specialty shops must please people whose hobbies and needs bring them there. There are shops for people who come for, in no particular order, appliances, bagels, banking, beauty, clothing, manicures, mattresses, phones, pharmaceuticals, jewelry, veterinary care, dentistry, games, nuts, waxing, weightloss, lunch or dinner. Of course in the outer circle there is an assortment of fast food restaurants to please every...

Convenient Location with great parking, I mostly come here for Walmart and Guitar Center, and so that I can eat while I'm doing it, but I seem to end up passing through here running errands with someone else all the time too. I tend to think of "Northcross Mall" as more of an umbrella term for the whole two block radius of North Austin near Anderson in this area, and there's a lot of good to be said about it.

Though I was bummed that "The Egg and I" closed recently, there's plenty of fast food nearby. Panda Express is a personal favorite, and the one here is cleaner than most, but P. Terry's is also just around the corner of you're into that kinda thing. There's also Main Event AND Alamo Drafthouse if you're in a drinking mood, and obviously an affiliated movie theatre is part of that too.

I was also thrilled to discover that Guitar Center has recently expanded their Repair and Tune-Up service to cover a much wider variety of issues without having to go to multiple stores. I'll always recommend local shops like Straight Music, Wild About Music, or Bass Emporium for quality of experience and service, especially if you're looking for serious advice, extensive repairs, or professional lessons. These stores usually offer a competitive price, though sometimes it's a bit better or a bit worse. But Guitar Center is unmatched for selection, availability of high end equipment, and variety of services offered.

The Wal-Mart here is smaller than most, and seems to be set up a bit oddly. It's hard to find your way around if you don't know the store already, but the location makes the confusion well worth it in my opinion.

I Have, Would, and will most likely will continue shopping here again and...

For those who already know, you already know. Northcross Mall is a pale imitation of what it used to be. There still are some interesting places, such as the guitar center, where there is always a chance to have some fun and jam out a bit. Timo's on the opposite end of the parking lot has wonderful gyros if you're into that sort of thing. Wonderful tzatziki sauce!

OH, and there's a Walmart too I guess. But I'd suggest instead going diagonally across the street to Terra Toys. It doesn't matter how old you are, there is guaranteed something there that will pique your interest, and possibly teach you something along the way. All in all, there's not too horribly much to do and explore, but everything that is available is worth checking out...