 Construction on O'Neil's department store, located on the south end, began in July 1977, and a Montgomery Ward opened in October 1977.The mall also included a space along the south wing for a fifth anchor, along with an elevated section along the southern wing known as the Promenade, which included more retail space for a total of 144 stores.Upon opening in 1978, the Promenade section of the mall featured predominantly local and regional shops, along with Motherhood Maternity, Spencer Gifts, and a food court originally known as the Prom-n-Eat, but renamed by 1981 to Picnic Place.