From ArborWiki

[edit] Location

Arborland is a big-box mall on Washtenaw Avenue near US-23. Its most notable feature is a large, illuminated sign with a giant letter "A" and a digital clock/temperature display, which is clearly visible from US-23 and serves as a landmark.

[edit] Transportation

Arborland serves as a bus transfer spot for the 4, 7, and 22 lines.

[edit] Stores

Some of the stores in Arborland are: Borders, Old Navy, Marshall's, Bed, Bath and Beyond, PetCo, and Hiller's.

[edit] Restaurants

All of the restaurants in Arborland are national chains. Sit-down restaurants include Chili's, Noodles & Company and Potbelly. For someone looking for coffee and a quick read or some pastries, there is also a Borders cafe in the Borders and a Starbucks. There is also a Cold Stone Creamery.

[edit] History

Arborland was Ann Arbor's first suburban mall, predating Briarwood; it was originally a California-style open mall, later enclosed as an indoor mall after Briarwood opened. In the late 1990s Freed and Associates purchased it on the cheap and razed most of the structure, transforming it into a successful big box cluster. Freed's purchase price was around $6 million; within a decade, in 2005, Freed was said to be seeking a buyer for over $100 million.

The original Arborland Mall was built under contract by Alfred Taubman's construction company, which went on to finance and build Briarwood, followed by many other enclosed malls.

The mural of Jack and the Beanstalk that originally graced the Arborland food court was removed and is now installed in Kerrytown's central lobby.