VISTA RIDGE MALL: LEWISVILLE, TX
Melissa N. Garrett's Commentary
Added January 17, 2019 (user submitted July 3, 2018)
Vista Ridge Mall (now known as the Music City Mall), was one of the best places to go during my childhood. Concerts, Fourth of July fireworks, and every hip store- this mall had it all. Within the past few years, the decline has become extremely apparent.
During my recent visit to Music City Mall, I could not help but notice how dramatically different everything is from when I used to go there as a child. The decline of the mall really began after the closings of American Eagle and Aeropostale, which was only the beginning of many, many shutdowns of name brand stores being replaced by small businesses.
I am definitely all for supporting small business, but you will be hard pressed to find familiar name brands in this mall, with Charlotte Russe, Rue 21, and Bath and Body Works being some of the only ones I can name off of the top of my head other than the department stores. Popular stops in the food court such as Panda Express have been replaced by the likes of Salt N' Pepper and Sushi Taco. Even what was once a Panera Bread, then eventually a generic knockoff, has now closed its doors for good. The Sears in which I took my driving lessons is currently running their final liquidation sale.
I can't help but have fond memories of this mall- some of my favorite stores as a child are no more, including Hot Topic and Earthbound Trading Company. I also noticed a cellphone repair shop in the same area where the Libby Lu was years ago, where I had my birthday party as a tween. Gone are these shops, replaced by "$5 and under" clothing stores that would not last a single wash.
A few places, such as Victoria's Secret, do remain. However, they have the smallest selection of any other locations in Dallas and the surrounding areas. Most of the stores in general at this mall have become quite small. With rumors of Claire's closing, what will be left?
I greatly admire that the new owners are trying so hard to restore this mall- a carousel was added, pianos that play themselves have been placed throughout the mall (which can make one jump at times), local artists are invited to sing, orchestras sometimes play on the weekends. I have noticed virtual reality simulators and other new attractions pop up during my last couple of visits.
However, without some familiar places to shop, and yet more destined to close their doors, I fear for the future of our beloved Music City Mall.
Have information on 
Check out Deadmalls.com's Dead Malls Media archive!
Mark Reeder’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2024It changed names AGAIN and outside of a Dillard's Clearance and the Cinemark, the only name brands are the two optical stores on each end of the mall.
Yves Adele Harlowe’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2024Vista Ridge had the FLAGSHIP Hot Topic location, before it was in any other mall in the region. Us broke goths used to scrape our meager paychecks together (mostly from other retail or service jobs) and caravan out from Garland and other 'burbs every weekend to see if we could spring for a pair of PVC pants or a new top. I lived in the area from 2003-2005 and was usually at this mall once a week or so, even if just to mallwalk. The decline really started in the 2010s. I was there to commiserate and nostaligize with the last three Hot Topic employees a week or so before it closed there. I was in there a few times right before the pandemic hit, and it was so sad how far things had declined. The mall still has really good bones. I know "Music City" is a religious organization (they've bought other malls around the country) and I worry that the Bible Beater vibe may be keeping people away, not attracting them in.
Unviejo Cualquiera’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2023I was just at this mall on Tuesday November 29th at 7pm and I couldn't believe that there must have been FIVE PEOPLE in the entire mall area, including myself, just 4 weeks out from Christmas. It really broke my heart.
Thomas J Vasquez’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2023My Stepdad used to take me straight to the food court to get an Orange Julius! Especially after working all day on the lawns trimming, mowing, and edging. Summers were hot but the AC was on full blast at the food court... nothing better!
Logan White’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2020When my family first moved to dallas from kc in august 2010; this was usually the prefefered option when it came to shopping malls; at least for a while. While it's verticality is appealing in the eyes of an 8 year old; as i've grown i've gotten less and less interested in shopping here [more specifically pacing back and foth across]. However; i've never been able to see it's glory days, in fact; the mall is beginning to wane at a much faster rate than i first expected. I do agree with brent that this place's movie theatre is the only really entertaining place to visit, as inline stores are either being replaced by "storage" spaces that have christmas decorations year round or no-name mom'n pop type tenants that always seem to have the weirdest re-works of former nation tenant spaces. Overall the place is ok when it comes to the fact that the power is still running; but since 2015 [when grapevine mills rennovated and modernized] the outlook for this place is dire.
Ben Garcia’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2020This mall was being built when I was in middle school. It was THE coolest mall around, though it didnt seem to last long at that popularity. It's not suprising, especially when you look at how many malls there are/were in the Denton-Dallas-Ft-Worth area (just look at the Texas list!). I sometimes wonder about all the stores/shopping-centers that grew up around the mall and are still there and popular today; a bit of cannabalism, I think.
Jessica Deller’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2020VERY cool to see Music City on here! I'm not a native Texan, but I've lived in Dallas for 10 years now, and currently live two minutes from this mall. I am not really a "shopper" in the truest sense, and I'm pretty introverted, so I actually really like Music City, as it ISN'T stuffed to the gills with people and noise, and what is there suits my needs. I hope this mall stays!
Strep Stephen’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2020I still love this mall. I shopped here for Christmas 2019. Found lots of good stuff and I enjoy the mom and pop stores. The new Zion market is very impressive.
Brent Purvis’ Commentary:
User submitted in 2020The only thing that's worth going to this mall is for the Cinemark. When I would come to Lewisville every summer to visit in the 90s, this mall was poppin. It had a Sam Goody, a Suncoast, a Tilt arcade, Waldenbooks, a Luby's and a KB Toys just to name a few. When I moved down here in 2010 it didn't take long to realize how far from grace the mall fell. Dillard's was just recently turned into an outlet store so you can no longer go through the top floor, Hot Topic and Spencers are long gone, the only big-name place in the food court is Sonic which I'm guessing they're going to stay until their lease is up, and there isn't as big of a variety in the anchor stores compared to their other locations. Basically except for a couple, the mall mainly consists of local stores which from what I can tell, isn't getting that much traffic as it is. It's depressing walking through that mall and remembering how it used to be. Despite its dated look and tacky new signage, I still go up there from time to time to go watch the movies. I don't think the future is very bright for this mall. Once Grapevine Mills opened it definitely took some of its thunder.