Innsbruck Mall: Asheville, North Carolina on DeadMalls.com

INNSBRUCK MALL: ASHEVILLE, NC

Erik Williams's Commentary

Posted January 21, 2008 (user submitted)

Innsbruck Mall is an interesting mall: anchored by what seem to be a thriving Big Lots, Office Depot and a dated Ingles, the mall has new aspects (such as what seem to be a brand-new parking lot and recently-renovated exterior), indicating that its owners think it's worth the investment; dying aspects (a 2-story '70s interior that is locked on Sundays and that has only a few odd stores in it); and dead aspects (a boarded-up movie theater hidden away from view behind the mall).

Based on the mall's appearance, I'd guess it was built in the 1960s or 1970s, when anything with an enclosed corridor was "all that". It's located in a decent area with some new construction around it, and it is so small that I don't see it as a competitor to Asheville Mall, the thriving regional mall nearby, unless Innsbruck was one of Asheville's first shopping centers and had mall-type stores in the interior that were stolen away by thriving Asheville Mall or now-struggling Biltmore Square, which were both probably built later on. I'd guess it's dying simply because its owners haven't re-tenanted it with big-box tenants or found neighborhood-type retail to serve its environs and to replace whatever stores were previously in its interior.

Whatever this mall's history, there is absolutely no reason to go there unless you just want to see an odd, half-living, half-dead mall or unless you live in the area. Ashevillians deserve better; the city is one of the "hippest" in the South but based on the two malls I've seen there, Biltmore Square and Innsbruck, the retail scene appears bleak.

Mitchell’s Commentary:

User submitted Nov 2008

Innsbruck Mall in Asheville, NC was the first mall in Asheville. It was constructed in the late 60 or early 70s and consisted of an exterior anchor store (a now defunct Brendles department store) an interior 2nd floor mall area and an exterior "strip mall" section. There was also a 2 screen movie theater behind the anchor store and a grocery store on the opposite end (I think it was added later). I remember going into the mall in the early 80s and even then there were never very many stores, in fact there are several stores that have never been occupied. The major downfall of the Innsbruck Mall was the opening of the much larger Asheville Mall no more than one mile down the same road in 1974. The Asheville Mall had several department stores and was several times larger. The original decor of the mall was old world European meets 1970 America. An interesting tidbit that was passed on to me from my mother was that the mayor of Innsbruck, Austria was invited to
the grand opening; he declined the offer.

Rod Wright’s Commentary:

User submitted in 2025

I used to go to Innsbruck Mall as a kid in the 70s. Even to preteen me, it seemed a weird place. We really only went to the Brendle's store that was the big anchor at the time.

Phoenix’s Commentary:

User submitted Apr 2006

Could I please request information about the Innsbruck Mall in Asheville, NC? I have seen pictures of the mall on the Deadmalls.com homepage, but I cannot find the entry.

Much appreciated

Phoenix