Galleria at Crystal Run Observes 25th Anniversary

TOWN OF WALLKILL—The Galleria at Crystal Run has stood at the crossroads of Interstate 84 and Route 17 for a quarter century, with Route 211 and Crystal Run Road to either side. Those roads have brought a variety of shoppers and tenants to the mall, but while businesses, customers, and the mall itself have changed over two-and-a-half decades, some stores and faces remain constants.

Roddy and Barbara Whitby have been coming to the Galleria nearly every day since it opened on April 1, 1992. Regulars in the Mall Walkers program, they've covered every inch of the shopping center. They've seen the lineup of stores change (they were there before Target), but they also remember when Dilip and Kiran Amarnani, owners of Sweet Feelings Jewelers, opened their storefront upstairs next to Macy's on opening day. The Amarnanis have been in their original spot ever since, as have Cohen's Fashion Optical, Eye to Eye Vision, Hallmark, JCPenney, Pretzel Time, Things Remembered, Wendy's, and Zales. C&C Unisex, Express, and Kay Jewelers are also original to the mall.

The tiles the Whitbys walk on have changed. In October 2016, the Galleria wrapped up an enhancement project that lasted more than a year. The mall's entire appearance was overhauled, from its tiles to its paint scheme, seating, lighting, and entrances. Roddy and Barb will see even more changes, as the relocated H&M's old space will soon become Round 1 Bowling and Amusement, part of the Galleria's move to include a variety of entertainment options in addition to traditional retail. Peru Cuisine Bar & Grill will bring Latin flavors to the hall outside AMC Theater, which completed its own extensive renovations in fall 2015.

To celebrate the past 25 years and what is yet to come, the Galleria at Crystal Run will hold a free 25th anniversary party, featuring break dancing performances by the Famous Breakdance B-Boy Show, music and a live broadcast by K104, desserts catered by “You're the Boss!” Weddings and Events, and live music by The Drizzle. To promote this celebration as well as the mall's tenants, the Galleria has launched its #25til25 campaign, during which one sale will be promoted each day for 25 days leading up to the event. The festivities will be held Saturday, April 22, from 12:00-4:00 PM in the mall's Center Court.