Retail woes in Stonecrest area reflect metro Atlanta troubles

Twelve years ago, the Mall at Stonecrest in southeast DeKalb County was riding a wave of retail store expansion and spawning growth.

But lately the area around it has taken a hit. Target and Best Buy have closed stores, Kohl’s will leave the mall later this year and a half-built hotel sits as a reminder of the lingering negative impact of the Great Recession.

The woes around Stonecrest, which opened in 2001, reflect the struggles many retailers, and several metro Atlanta malls, face as the sector weathers changes in consumer habits and the disruption of the Internet.