 Located nearly 6 miles from the city center of Rockford, the 233-acre mall was located at the intersection of the US 20 bypass and the Northwest Tollway (Interstate 90); although not located near housing, the mall also intersected several major surface streets, connecting it to the eastern half of Rockford.Although not the first enclosed mall in the Rockford region (North Towne and Colonial Village were constructed in 1956 and 1962, respectively), Cherryvale was the first designed to be fully enclosed.In 1975, the mall opened the first of two theater complexes, with a free-standing 3-screen complex northeast of the mall (next to the Sears parking lot).