CITY OF KATY (Covering Katy News)—Kami Russell of Katy joined local dignitaries and others to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Katy Mills Mall on Monday. She attended not only because it was a special occasion, or because of the giveaways, but also because her youngest daughter manages one of the mall’s stores.
Russell has been a customer since the mall’s opening day in 1999, which she vividly remembers.
“It was busy, but fine,” Russell said. “We were super excited, and one of my daughters was a teenager. The other was younger than that.”
The mall’s original 31 tenants have signs in their windows highlighting their status, mall General Manager Heidi MacMillan said. But the mall has grown since then, as might be expected, with plenty of shopping and entertainment opportunities. A multimillion-dollar renovation in 2017 brought new tenants and additional shopping and entertainment options. The sales taxes collected there are a key part of the city’s ability to keep property taxes under control during a time of growth.
Russell noted that she and her family have purchased many clothing items over the years at the mall stores.
But it has never been just about clothes for Russell and her daughters.
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Covering Katy News/George Slaughter
Katy Mills Mall customer Kami Russell, left, poses with mall general manager Heidi MacMillan.
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Covering Katy News/George Slaughter
Pianist Tanner Harrington plays at the Katy Mills Mall 25th anniversary.
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Covering Katy News/George Slaughter
From left, former mayors Skip Conner, Doyle Callendar, Don Elder, Chuck Brawner, and current Mayor Dusty Thiele at the Katy Mills Mall 25th anniversary.
“The Jonas Brothers were here one time,” Russell said. “I don't know if anybody recalls that. We came up here. I brought my daughters up to that, and it was fun.”
Bringing her daughters to the mall was one thing. Russell humorously remarked that bringing her husband was a different matter.
“Sometimes my husband would come up,” Russell said. “It’s hard to drag him up here, but he would come to watch movies. It was fun.”
MacMillan is the fourth general manager in the mall’s history. She said Monday’s celebration was a long time coming.
“We’ve got a lot to show people, and I think the biggest joy I’ve had is having people come back who have lived here, like this lady, many, many years,” MacMillan said. “They’ve come back, and they’ve seen us change and evolve. I love seeing that.”
Among the forthcoming changes are a P.F. Chang’s restaurant, expected next year, and a Primark clothing retailer, expected in 2026.
“We are just opening more and more new things,” MacMillan said. “There are more things to come.”