Raleigh, N.C. — Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh is marking its 40th year in operation Thursday with a 1970s-inspired celebration that is open to the public.

The event, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the mall, is themed to commemorate the era in which the mall opened.

Mall founder and owner Sam Longiotti said it took more than 10 years of planning and development to break ground on the site. It now serves 12 million customers a year, and its growth has spurred planned improvement projects for U.S. Highway 70 and Creedmoor Road.

“When the planning for Crabtree Valley Mall first began, this area of Raleigh was still a wide expanse of trees,” he said. “The amount of development and growth the community has experienced in the 40 years since the mall opened is astonishing, and, as an organization, we are so proud to be part of that legacy.”

Crabtree Valley Mall, which is 1.4 million square feet, is among the top 5 percent in the country for occupancy, Longiotti said.