The face of Crossroads is undergoing big changes, but the character remains the same.

Numerous new stores and attractions have made their way into Crossroads’ centerpiece complex with the goal of making the diverse mall an attraction for visitors from all over the state.

“When people come to Crossroads we want them to have a unique experience,” said Chris Cole, president of Sher Partners, which owns the mall.

And unique it is.

The mall’s more than 20 independent food vendors that serve cuisine from every corner of the world are enough of a draw on their own. But throw in the larger-than-life chess set and the performance stage, and Crossroads becomes a one-stop shop for entertainment, groceries, shopping and lunch.

Add to that the debut of Stone Gardens Climbing Gym, Bellevue’s first branch of Famous Footwear, Peaks Frozen Yogurt, Sally Beauty, and a number of enlarged, remodeled stores and Crossroads’ evolution continues.

“It’s the best I’ve seen it,” said Nathan Jackson, a former Bellevue resident and manager of the Crossroads Famous Footwear, which has been open for about two weeks.

To Cole, keeping Crossroads a community landmark represents the most important goal. He said the process of finding new tenants is molded by the mall’s identity.

Nowhere is that identity clearer than at the door. Under the funky-font Crossroads sign, the first stops are a Half Price Book store and the extensive Daily Planet News stand, leading into the Food Court.

To Terry Brainard, an employee at the Daily Planet, this spot most exemplifies the identity of Crossroads.

“This kind of sets up that this is a community where conversation, education and reading count,” he said.

On a daily basis, Brainard says he sells papers and magazines to politicians, Microsoft employees and executives, high-powered attorneys and countless other local big-hitters.

At the nearby food court, visitors can hear everything from a discussion about yet-to-be-released details of Microsoft’s new Windows 8 platform to a jovial trash-talking session between a group women of playing the Mexican Train variation of Dominos.

Cole is excited to see the new stores blend into the trademark character of the mall. Cole said stores need to be invested in the nearby neighborhood if they want to come to Crossroads. He pointed to Peaks Yogurt and the new Washington State Liquor Store as stores that have expressed desire to be a big part of the Crossroads community.

Stone Gardens in particular, will add to the ambiance of the mall, he said. Twice the size of the Seattle Stone Gardens, Bellevue’s incarnation is expected to bring in climbing enthusiasts from Eastern Washington as well as the Puget Sound region.

The gym fits with a new theme at Crossroads of health and fitness-related attractions, Cole said. With Crossroads park just down the block, mall officials are attempting to create a link between the two community anchors. This theme pushes the philosophy of standing out in a retail world where many of the options provide little identity.

“One of the things we realized in traveling around the country, a lot of the retail looks the same, whether you are in Minneapolis or San Francisco, there’s not a lot of differentiation,” Cole said.

But Crossroads is different, and even with it’s new stores, it will stay that way.