BIGMallrat | Retail history of Northern California

Opened in 1992, Mall of America was unlike anything most American shopping malls had attempted before. Built on the site of a former stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota, the enormous four-level complex combined hundreds of stores and restaurants with attractions, entertainment, and an amusement park at its center. By 2010, Nickelodeon Universe filled the mall's central core, surrounded by Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Sears. This directory captures Mall of America at the height of its evolution into a destination that was as much about entertainment as shopping. Front cover (top) Front cover of the 2010 Mall of America store directory (top). Front cover (bottom) Front cover of the 2010 Mall of America store directory (bottom). Mall & Nickelodeon Universe map Mall and Nickelodeon Universe map from Mall of America, 2010. Fast facts Date : 2010 Location : Bloomington, Minnesota Anchors : Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom and Sears Central attraction ...

Opened just a few years earlier, Crossroads Plaza in 1985 represented a new vision for downtown Salt Lake City. Rather than a conventional suburban shopping mall, it stacked more than 140 stores, restaurants, entertainment venues, and even a sports complex across four levels in the heart of the city. This 1985 directory captures the center during its busiest years, when Nordstrom and Weinstock's anchored one of downtown's most ambitious retail destinations. Front cover Front cover of the 1985 Crossroads Plaza directory. Mall map & directory Mall map and store directory from Crossroads Plaza, 1985. Fast facts Date : 1985 Location : Salt Lake City, Utah Anchors : Nordstrom and Weinstock's Stores and services:  Approximately 140 Layout : Four levels Source : Contemporary mall directory Highlights Documents Crossroads Plaza during its peak years in downtown Salt Lake City. Shows more than 140 stores arranged across four retail levels. Includes anchors Nord...

A snapshot of Bayfair Mall in San Leandro shortly after its two-story retail concourse opened in November 1957, documenting the stores, services, and layout of one of the East Bay's most ambitious new shopping centers. Directory and mall map Mall map and store directory from Bayfair Mall, published in November 1957 shortly after the opening of the shopping center's first two-story retail concourse. Fast facts Date : 1957 Location : San Leandro, California Anchors : Macy's Stores and services:  22 Layout : Two levels Source : Newspaper directory Highlights Published shortly after Bayfair's two-story retail concourse opened in November 1957. Documents the mall's first 22 inline stores alongside Macy's. Shows Victor Gruen's original two-level shopping center layout. Captures Bayfair before its 1959 expansion completed the original design. One of the earliest surviving directories from an East Bay shopping mall. About...

A snapshot of Eastridge Mall in 2005, capturing the shopping center during one of the most significant transformations in its history. Front cover Front cover of the 2005 Eastridge Mall directory. Mall map & directory Mall map and store directory from Eastridge Mall, 2005. Fast facts Date : 2005 Location : San Jose, California Anchors : Sears, Macy's, JCPenney Stores and services:  More than 80 Layout : Two levels Source : Contemporary mall directory Highlights Holiday-themed directory featuring Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Holiday events, including photos with Santa and seasonal entertainment. Documents the mall following its major 2005 renovation. Former Emporium-Capwell site under redevelopment as Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, and AMC Eastridge 15. Grand opening of AMC Eastridge 15, including a Harry Potter-themed red carpet event. About this directory This directory captures Eastridge Mall during the final stages of...