For its 40th, Fashion Place is ready to party

Fashion Place Mall is marking its 40th year with a weeklong celebration that kicked off Monday with the unveiling of a Mall of Memories wall and the opening of a display featuring items that were sealed in a time capsule in the mid-1970s at the grand opening of The Broadway department store (now Dillard’s). Contents of the capsule included a women’s outfit from the period, a scroll with thousands of signatures from community members who attended the grand opening gala and more. Shoppers this week will be treated to exclusive offers, giveaways and the 15-foot memories wall, which is next to the Apple Store. Tuesday and Wednesday starting at 10:40 a.m. the mall will give away $40 gifts cards and prize packets on Facebook. On Thursday, customers will be served cake during a birthday party honoring 40 kids affected by cancer, and select stores will offer sales of up to 40 percent off. On Friday, the mall invites shoppers to dress in 1970s attire for a retro fashion party that begins at 6:40 p.m. Fashion Place, at 6161 S. State St. in Murray, opened in 1972 but is in the midst of a revival of sorts that began in 2009 with the addition of a larger Nordstrom store, a new food court and an outdoor plaza. The mall added 16 stores and restaurants in 2011, and seven in 2012. More stores are planned for 2013.