- Some malls have started to reopen across the US at reduced capacity.
- In the 1960s through the 1990s, malls were the place to be to hang out, shop, and grab a bite to eat in the food court.
- Some malls in the United States date back as far as the 1850s, long before there were such things as “anchor stores” or food courts.
- In recent years, some malls have been demolished, redeveloped, or abandoned, but others remain just as popular as they were decades ago.
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Across the country, malls are beginning to reopen, some at reduced capacity. Even before the coronavirus pandemic shuttered their doors, malls were dealing with the effects of the retail apocalypse and suffering from closures. But in the ’50s and ’60s, malls and shopping centers were popping up all over the country.
Some of those earliest malls are closed and abandoned today, while others have received a complete renovation and are still opened as a historic landmark.
Keep reading to learn which mall in your state is the oldest and if they remain in operation today.
ALABAMA: Eastwood Mall in Birmingham opened in 1960.
When Eastwood Mall opened in 1960, it was the third-largest mall in the nation with 300,000 square feet. It had 43 stores and 2,200 parking spaces. The mall was closed in 2004 when tenants went out of business, and the mall was demolished two years later.
ALASKA: Bentley Mall in Fairbanks opened in 1977.
Although Bentley Mall opened in 1977, the shopping center is still in operation today. It's the only enclosed shopping center in North Fairbanks, Alaska, with national brands, and it's the highest-grossing mall in the region.
ARIZONA: Christian Spectrum Mall in Phoenix opened in 1961.
When the Christian Spectrum Mall opened its doors in 1961, it was the biggest mall between Houston and Los Angeles. It was also the first enclosed, air-conditioned mall in the state. Today, the mall is still in operation with over 50 stores and 10 dining options.
ARKANSAS: The Phoenix Village Mall in Fort Smith opened in 1970.
The Phoenix Village Mall was the first mall to open in the state and had 489,000 square feet. It was a popular destination for shoppers until Central Mall was opened in the '80s. The Phoenix Village Mall was closed in the early 2000s as retailers went out of business.
CALIFORNIA: Lakewood Center in Lakewood opened in 1950.
When Lakewood Center opened in the '50s, it was the first shopping mall in the state. At first, it was a four-story shopping center but it grew to include additional shops, offices, a hospital, a bowling alley, and a post office. It quickly became a "shopping city." Today, the mall is still in operation and houses hundreds of stores.
COLORADO: Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver opened in 1949.
When Cherry Creek Shopping Center first opened in 1949, it was the third mall in the country. The mall underwent a complete renovation and expansion in 1990, and it's still in operation today, housing anchor stores Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Macy's.
CONNECTICUT: Ridgeway Center in Stamford opened in 1947.
Ridgeway Center was not only the first mall in Connecticut, but it was also the first one in New England. When it opened, it was 110,000 square feet of space, housing stores like Pennsylvania Drug, Deena's, and The Lurie Company. The mall is still in operation today and has over 40 stores.
DELAWARE: Concord Mall in Wilmington opened in 1968.
Concord Mall opened in the late '60s and has remained a landmark in the Wilmington community for decades. The 800,000-square-foot mall is still operating these days although its future is unknown after Sears announced its closure there.
FLORIDA: Biscayne Shopping Center in Miami opened in 1955.
Biscayne Shopping Center had 38 stores and a restaurant when it opened in the '50s as an open-air shopping center. It was also home to Miami's first JCPenney. Today, the shopping center is still operating but is known as Midpoint instead of Biscayne Shopping Center.
GEORGIA: Lenox Square in Atlanta opened in 1959.
Ten years after Lenox Square mall opened in Atlanta, it was the largest shopping mall south of Washington, DC. It was estimated that 30,000 people came to shop at the stores every day on average. Today, the mall is still in operation with close to 300 stores.
HAWAII: Kahala Mall in Honolulu opened in 1954.
When Kahala Mall opened in 1954, it was known as Waialae Shopping Center. At first, there was a grocery store, a drug store, and a department store. Under its new name, the mall is still in operation and has a Macy's and Whole Foods.
IDAHO: Karcher Mall in Nampa opened in 1965.
Karcher Mall in Nampa is the oldest mall in Idaho and has been open for 55 years. In 2019, however, the mall started undergoing a complete renovation of the 37-acre property. The renovation is expected to cost between $30 million and $50 million.
ILLINOIS: Market Square in Lake Forest opened in 1916.
Market Square is said to be the "first planned shopping center" in the country, dating back over 100 years. Today, the shopping center is still in operation as a historic landmark in the community, and it houses brands like J.Crew, Talbots, and Lululemon.
INDIANA: Washington Square Mall in Evansville opened in 1963.
When Washington Square Mall opened its doors for the first time in the early '60s, it was the first enclosed shopping center in the state. In its 200,000 square feet, there were 30 stores, a grocery store, a pharmacy, and a bowling alley. Today, the mall is still in operation.
IOWA: Village Shopping Center in Davenport opened in 1956.
When first opened, the Village Shopping Center was 14,000 square feet with 29 stores. It was the first mall-like structure to ever open in the Midwestern state. Today, the shopping center is still in operation and has grown to 250,000 square feet.
KANSAS: Mission Center Mall in Mission opened in 1956.
When Kansas' first mall opened in the middle of the '50s, it was actually a shopping center. In 1989, the Mission Center Mall was built in its place, but that mall was demolished in 2006.
KENTUCKY: Mall St. Matthews in Louisville opened in 1962.
When Mall St. Matthews opened in the '60s, it was the first indoor mall in Louisville and in the state. At the time, it was known as The Mall and housed department stores like JCPenney, Kaufman-Straus, and Rose's. Mall St. Matthews is still a popular destination for shoppers in Kentucky.
LOUISIANA: Lakeside Shopping Center in New Orleans opened in 1960.
Lakeside Shopping Center is one of the oldest malls in the country, and it started out as an open-air shopping center. The mall is still in operation, but it has completely transformed into an enclosed mall and has become one of the most popular shopping destinations in the southern city.
MAINE: Pine Tree Shopping Center in Portland opened in 1959.
Pine Tree Shopping Center had only 12 stores when it first opened in the late '50s and eventually grew to 20 retailers. Some brands at the mall included W.T. Grant, Woolworth's, Child World, Rexall, and Zayre. The mall today has been completely renovated and now includes big box stores.
MARYLAND: Harundale Mall in Baltimore opened in 1958.
Not only was Harundale Mall the first shopping center in Maryland, but it's also the second oldest mall in the country. The mall was a success for several decades until it closed in 1999. Harundale Plaza, a strip mall, opened in its place.
MASSACHUSETTS: Shoppers World in Framingham opened in 1951.
As people moved out of Boston, many settled down in Framingham, and a shopping center was needed. Shopper's World was the result, and it had 44 stores and 6,000 parking spots. The mall was torn down in 1994, but a new Shoppers World has taken its place and is still open today.
MICHIGAN: Northland Mall in Southfield opened in 1954.
When Northland Mall opened in Michigan, it had 7,500 parking spots and retailers like J.L. Hudson department store. Some call it the first shopping mall in the US, but the mall did close its doors in 2017. That same year, the city of Southfield pitched building Amazon's second headquarters at the now-defunct Northland Mall.
MINNESOTA: Southdale Center in Edina opened in 1956.
When the Southdale Center opened in '56, it was the first "fully enclosed, climate-controlled" mall in the US, according to the Guardian. The mall is still in operation today and has a Macy's, an AMC theater, and an Apple store.
MISSISSIPPI: Jackson Mall in Jackson opened in 1970.
Jackson Mall was the first mall in the state of Mississippi. When it opened its doors, the mall had Penny's, Gayfers, and Woolco as its anchor department stores. Although the mall was successful for several decades, it eventually closed down and was turned into Jackson Medical Mall, housing several doctors' offices.
MISSOURI: Country Club Plaza in Kansas City opened in 1922.
Country Club Plaza was designed to look like the city of Seville, Spain, and housed several high-end retailers, like Saks Fifth Avenue. But the shopping center also had Sears and Woolworth's for its anchor department stores. Today, the strip mall is still open and hosts retailers like West Elm and Kate Spade.
MONTANA: Holiday Village Mall in Great Falls opened in 1959.
Holiday Village Mall opened with Albertson's as its anchor store. The mall is now anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, JCPenney, PetSmart, Ross Dress for Less, and Scheels All Sports. The mall is still in operation.
NEBRASKA: Crossroads Mall in Omaha opened in 1960.
The mall originally opened with the Brandeis department store and has held major chains like Sears, Target, and Dillard's. However, the mall is in talks to be demolished and redeveloped, as many of its anchor stores have closed.
NEVADA: The Boulevard Mall in Paradise opened in 1968.
When the mall first opened, it contained four department stores and 40,000 additional square feet of retail space. The mall is still open and has 140 stores, but a few of its main anchors, including Macy's, JCPenney, and Sears have closed.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Nashua Mall in Nashua opened in 1969.
When the Nashua Mall first opened, it was one of the many malls that featured a Woolco Discount Mart. The mall closed in 2003.
NEW JERSEY: Garden State Plaza in Paramus opened in 1957.
The original anchor was Bamberger's, with Gimbels and JCPenney added in 1958. The mall has since been renamed Westfield Garden State Plaza and is one of the most profitable shopping malls in the country. Its current department store anchors are Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom.
NEW MEXICO: Coronado Center in Albuquerque opened as an open-air mall in 1965.
The mall was remodeled to become an enclosed mall in 1975. Its original anchors included Sears and Rhodes Brothers, which was rebranded as Liberty House. The Sears has since closed, but other anchors like The Cheesecake Factory, Macy's, and Barnes & Noble remain.
NEW YORK: Paddock Arcade in Watertown was built in 1850, making it the second-oldest covered shopping mall in the United States.
The use of the historic mall has been uninterrupted since the 1850s, an incredible feat as many malls have closed as a result of the retail apocalypse.
NORTH CAROLINA: Charlottetown Mall in Charlotte opened in 1959.
The mall became the first enclosed shopping mall in the Southeast. Over the years, the mall gained "dead mall" status as developers failed to revive it. In 2005, the site was torn down and later redeveloped to hold a Target and a Home Depot Design Center, which was later replaced by BJ's Wholesale Club.
NORTH DAKOTA: The Grand Cities Mall in Grand Forks opened in 1964.
The Grand Cities Mall made history as the first enclosed mall to open in the state of North Dakota. Today, the mall is anchored by Kmart and Ace Hardware.
OHIO: The Arcade in Cleveland was built in 1890.
Not only is The Arcade Cleveland the first indoor shopping center in Ohio, but it's also one of the oldest indoor shopping centers in the entire country. It cost $875,000 to build, and began to deteriorate over the years. However, in 2001, a massive $60 million renovation brought the shopping center back to its original glory.
OKLAHOMA: Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City opened in 1960.
Penn Square Mall was originally built as an outdoor shopping center, before being enclosed in 1982. The mall is still in operation today, with JCPenney, Macy's, and two Dillards stores acting as the mall's anchors.
OREGON: The Lloyd Center in Portland opened in 1960.
When the Lloyd Center first opened, it claimed to be the largest mall in the country, and it was the largest mall in the Northwest. After Marshalls and Sears both left the mall, Macy's was left as the mall's only anchor.
PENNSYLVANIA: North Hills Village Mall in Ross Township opened in 1957.
The strip mall opened in the 1950s with Gimbels as its main anchor. It was enclosed in 1976 before reverting back to a strip mall in 1996.
RHODE ISLAND: Rhode Island Mall in Warwick opened in 1967.
Midland Mall, later renamed Rhode Island Mall, was declared a "dead mall" in the 2000s after its main anchors left, but the mall was announced to be undergoing redevelopment in 2014.
SOUTH CAROLINA: The Arcade Mall in Columbia first opened in 1912.
Originally named The Equitable Arcade, the century-old mall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The roof was enclosed in 1970, and it has continued to attract business.
SOUTH DAKOTA: The Western Mall in Sioux Falls opened in 1968.
When the Western Mall first opened, it had 25 stores inside its enclosed shopping complex, the first of its kind in the state. Western Mall is still home to a movie theater, a Best Buy, and more.
TENNESSEE: The Arcade opened in Nashville in 1903.
Remodeled after an arcade in Italy, The Arcade in Nashville is now home to 50 tenant spaces and offices, 23 restaurants and cafés, 18 art spaces, and more.
TEXAS: NorthPark Center in Dallas opened in 1965.
When the NorthPark Center first opened, it was the largest climate-controlled retail establishment in the world. Ahead of the pandemic, the shopping center was a leader among US malls, with more than 235 stores and a commitment to remaining innovative with virtual reality exhibitions and free performances happening frequently.
UTAH: Cottonwood Mall in Holladay opened in 1962.
Now closed, Cottonwood Mall was the first enclosed shopping mall in Utah. In 2008, the main building was demolished. The TGI Friday's and Macy's located on the property both shut their doors not too long afterward. The site is now undergoing plans for redevelopment.
VERMONT: The Ethan Allen Shopping Plaza in Burlington opened in 1951.
The Ethan Allen Shopping Plaza is known as the state's first strip mall. According to the New England Historical Society, the mall featured the Ethan Allen Bake Shop, Plouffe's Pharmacy, Ben Franklin, Carvel Ice Cream, a bowling alley, and a movie theater when it opened.
VIRGINIA: The Village at Shirlington in Arlington opened in 1944 as the first large-scale shopping center in the Washington, DC area.
The first enclosed mall, Ballston Quarter, which originally opened as Parkington Shopping Center, would open seven years later in 1951. Both shopping destinations are still in operation today.
WASHINGTON: Bellevue Square in Bellevue opened in 1946.
The open-air shopping center, which originally had only 16 stores, has since grown to its current 5.5 million-square-foot space and been renamed "The Bellevue Collection."
WEST VIRGINIA: Middletown Mall in White Hall opened in 1971.
Middletown Mall was the first large-scale shopping center in the state, as well as the first enclosed mall to open in the state. However, parts have since fallen into disrepair and abandon.
WISCONSIN: Bayshore Town Center in Glendale opened in 1954.
It was originally an outdoor mall but was enclosed in 1974. The mall has struggled in recent years, with many of its vacant retail spaces becoming replaced by offices and apartments. However, many of its now-outdoor retail spaces continue to remain in operation.
WYOMING: White Mountain Mall in Rock Springs opened in 1978.
One of only three malls in the entire state, White Mountain Mall opened its doors with JCPenney and Zales among its tenants. The mall boasted 35,000 square feet of leasable area at the time. The mall is still in operation today.
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