Skip to main content

Exploring Meadowood Mall in Reno – a look back at 1989 with the vintage directory

This 1989 Meadowood Mall directory offers a fascinating glimpse into one of Reno’s premier shopping destinations during its heyday. As a Taubman-developed property, Meadowood featured signature design elements like skylights with integrated lighting and unique art installations throughout the mall corridors.

The 1989 directory: a snapshot in time

Front cover of Meadowood Mall’s 1989 directory, showcasing a minimalist design with stylized typography and Taubman branding, from Reno’s enclosed shopping center.
Front cover of the 1989 Meadowood Mall directory, featuring clean Taubman design lines and a subtle nod to upscale retail branding in Reno, Nevada.

Back page of the 1989 Meadowood Mall directory highlighting guest services, including multilingual assistance in Icelandic, reflecting the mall’s international hospitality.
Back cover: A striking detail—language assistance offered in Icelandic, Mandarin, and others, reflecting the mall’s effort to cater to Reno’s tourist traffic.

Inside view of a Meadowood Mall directory from Reno, Nevada, displaying general mall information including location map, hours of operation, and guest services.
Interior page of a Meadowood Mall directory from Reno, Nevada, showing mall hours, contact information, and a locator map to help visitors plan their visit.

Interior pages of the 1989 Meadowood Mall directory showing store listings and a mall map; visible stores include Miller’s Outpost and Miller Stockman.
Inside the 1989 directory: a full list of stores at Meadowood Mall, including Miller’s Outpost, Miller Stockman, and a variety of fashion and specialty retailers.

Notably, this directory predates the arrival of Sears and the addition of a food court at Meadowood—both developments that would come later, marking an evolution in the mall’s retail and dining options.

Brief history: Meadowood Mall’s beginnings and anchor stores

Meadowood Mall opened in 1978, anchored by Macy’s, Liberty House, and JC Penney. Liberty House closed its doors in 1983, with Macy’s South moving into that space by 1984. Sears joined the mall in 1995, relocating from the soon-to-be-demolished Park Lane Mall and further bolstering Meadowood’s retail presence. It remained a key anchor for over two decades before closing in July 2018, part of a broader national downsizing. Its departure marked the end of an era and a shift toward more entertainment-focused tenants in the former department store space.

Meadowood’s legacy & surrounding landscape

As of today, Meadowood remains the only fully enclosed super-regional mall in the Reno metro, with over 125 stores, a food court, and sit-down dining like The Cheesecake Factory.

In contrast to open-air centers like Summit Sierra or Legends at Sparks—which emerged in the 2000s—Meadowood continues to embody the indoor mall format, even as the region’s retail geography spreads outward.

Final reflection: nostalgia & design through time

That 1989 directory is more than a mall map—it’s a design artifact from an era when shopping felt aspirational, architecturally curated, and community-centered. From Taubman’s artful interiors to unexpected multilingual guest services, it shows a retail world now reshaped by new consumer habits and competition.

Yet, Meadowood persists. Its evolution—from Liberty House and Sears closures to modern anchor shifts—reflects broader trends in American retail. As nearby malls rise and fall, Meadowood continues adapting, just as the directory suggested it might.

Related posts


Comments

Anonymous said…
Your review says that there's a lot of stairs at Meadowood. Does it have many levels to it?? Even though the Taubman style is very similar amongst their malls, I love the subtle variations they employed. I see that Meadowood uses 45deg angles and divided octagonal tiles that compliment the similar shape of the light fixtures above. Unfortunately, remodels to these malls are not as sophisticated in their design.
Scott Parsons said…
Dean, good question. I was thinking about that statement last night. The mall is built on a sloping lot. The mall compensated by having one part of the mall higher (or lower) than the other. They placed the stairs in an Eastridge kind of way. Two or three here, then flat, then two or three more later. Most of them are grouped around the center court, where you can really see the difference in elevation. I think a sloping floor would have done the trick instead. But, considering at one time they intended to add a second floor to this mall, it would then would have been really similar to the elevation changes at Eastridge (or Woodfield, for that matter).
I think you are right about the 45 degree angles. Even the logo has it!
Maybe some Reno-ites can chime in.
Scott
Georob said…
There may be no better illustration of the condition of today's shopping malls than Summit Sierra.

Granted, I don't know the Reno market, but considering the tenants Sierra got, you'd at least have expected an outdoor format like Santana Row or Victoria Gardens in Southern Calif. But the fact that it's not indoor truly tells the tale.

Perhaps if Sierra had gotten a Macys or Nordstrom to come on board it would have been different. Problem is, there just aren't that many big anchors left. And aside from Dillards, their other anchors are quite comfortable with the strip/big box format. And as long as it was upscale, the smaller retaiers didn't care. Had it been anchored by a Wal Mart, I doubt stores like Abercrombie would have gone near it.

Years from now you could concievably put more buildings in front and convert it to a traditional outdoor mall, but I don't see it ever going indoor.

As for Meadowood, I'm surprised Weinstocks never went there and had Reno been a bigger market, we might have seen it happen. But with Sears as a co-anchor, Park Lane probably did quite well for Weinstocks until the end.
Seth said…
Hello, Reno resident here. My earliest memory of Meadowood is learning to skate at the indoor ice arena (long gone) and I was searching for some references to it when I found this page. I very distinctly remember Meadowood without Sears (that was Park Lane Mall) and without a food court.

The mall is not multi-story. The elevation varies inside with short ramps and flights of stairs typically three or four steps in total. As someone else said, it was built on a sloping lot.

As far as its appearance, the original outdoor signs are still on at least one street entrance (the font is very 80's) and the inside still looks the same as it does in the scans you see on this page. The only obvious exception if you were to visit today is that the sculpture in the planter pictured on the front of the directory flier was converted into a fountain. Ultimately it was moved to a location near the information desk because its original planter/fountain location was demolished and replaced with a Starbucks a few years back. I was rather disappointed with that decision, but at least they didn't trash the sculpture. The "stage" area was flattened out with risers to eliminate the pit area (kids falling off it perhaps?), but it wasn't filled in and it's still under there.

Other than the Starbucks, all of the planters are still in place, the light fixtures are the same, and the floor still has the same tile. Today Meadowood owned by Simon Malls.

Meadowood is the only mall of its type left in the city. Park Lane mall was demolished. Sparks has the more promising Legends compared to Reno's Summit, in my opinion. The Legends incorporates a lot of Nevada history and sculptures into its walking areas, and it's basically laid out like Meadowood except without a roof. Legends is also bringing the area's first and only IMAX theater, and it's a much shorter drive than Summit.
Anonymous said…
I remember visiting Meadowood Mall in 1979 just after it opened (I still have an origianl mall directory) showing and listing the many retailers that no longer exist. Such as Liberty House. and the long gone indoor Ice Arena. When we visited in 1979 Meadowood had opened that very day and was still half empty with only Macys and Liberty House open, JC Penney had not opened yet. It was one of my high lights besides skiing since I bought a great portable stereo for $60 at Macys. Changing my Canadian Travel Cheques to US cash and impressing the Macys credit clerk with my very stylish Alberta Drivers Licence...HA HA.

A memory by
Darrell in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada who lives ten blocks from North Americas largest mall. West Edmonton Mall
Matt said…
Thanks for this page. I recently took a job at Meadowood, so it's kind of cool to go back and see the way things used to be.

The mall has begun a massive renovation that will bring in new, upscale tenants and involve several store relocations. I'm working on updating the Mall's Wikipedia page as info becomes available.
Anonymous said…
Does anyone have pictures of Macy's restaurant that was upstairs in the North building? I've been searching for any images of it. And have yet to find one.
BEdivere17 said…
Does anyone remember, and have any pictures, menus, or memories, of the restaurant JB's Arbor house at Meadowood Mall? It was in business between 1983 and 1985, later becoming the Alamo Mexican restaurant. I was a regular there, was friends of many other regulars and the owners themselves, Bob and Joyce Boysol. I lost track of all of them but still have the nostalgic memories.
BEdivere17 said…
Does anyone remember, and have any pictures, menus, or memories, of the restaurant JB's Arbor house at Meadowood Mall? It was in business between 1983 and 1985, later becoming the Alamo Mexican restaurant. I was a regular there, was friends of many other regulars and the owners themselves, Bob and Joyce Boysol. I lost track of all of them but still have the nostalgic memories.
Randy Hansen said…
According to the Macy's, Inc. Corporate Fact Book on their store directory, they say the Macy's Reno Men's Store opened in 1979 (as Liberty House), and the main Macy's the year before. Do you have the exact opening dates for the mall and each of the anchor stores, including when Macy's took over Liberty House? I visited there in late August 1984 as we were moving to Boise, and the Macy's Men's Store was preparing to open soon.
Does anyone remember the location of the Heidi's Hair Salon that was in Meadowood in 1990? I can't seem to remember where in the mall it was specifically, but I know it was at the end of one of the spokes, like one of the first shops you'd see when you entered from the parking lot.

Popular posts from this blog

Lost malls: San Mateo Fashion Island (1981—1995)

San Mateo Fashion Island mall opened its doors in 1981 with promises of modern retail, high fashion, and California cool. From its ambitious beginnings to its eventual demolition, Fashion Island’s story reflects the rise and fall of suburban malls across the U.S.—but especially in the Bay Area. For locals like me, it defined a certain moment in time: the rush of cold air as you stepped inside, the smell of popcorn from the food court, and yes—even the confusion of figuring out which way to go in its oddly laid-out halls. 1970s origins: from Bay Meadows to high fashion The concept for what would become Fashion Island mall in San Mateo started all the way back in 1972. At the time, Bay Meadows Jockey Club was preparing to sell off 40 acres of land near the racetrack. The development was pitched as “Bay Meadows High Fashion Mall” (seriously)—an upscale shopping center with Nordstrom already signed on as an anchor. The original plan fizzled out by 1974, but by the late 1970s, developer...

Top 10 largest malls in Northern California

Looking to explore the biggest shopping destinations in Northern California? Here's a ranked list of the 10 largest malls in the region, based on Gross Leasable Area (GLA)—which usually includes in-line tenants, common area, and anchors. GLA figures are sourced from mall operators and industry data, though slight variations may exist due to rounding or differing definitions. Whether you're a retail enthusiast, real estate researcher, or mall nostalgia buff, these are the heavyweights of Northern California shopping: Top 10 largest malls in Northern California 1.  Westfield Valley Fair  - San Jose Valley Fair Mall, the largest mall in Northern California, is a luxury retail destination—just minutes from Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino. 1,960,000~ sq. ft. Visit Westfield Valley Fair 2. San Francisco Centre - San Francisco 1,500,000~ sq. ft. A flagship urban mall combining historic architecture with luxury retailers. Now facing a wave of tenant closures and vacancy. Vi...

The history of Southland Mall in Hayward — chandeliers, aviaries, and an ice rink

Southland Mall in Hayward will always be the mall that defined my "mall senses." The swoosh of air as you opened the doors, the sound of birds chirping and water trickling, and the smell of popcorn with a hint of chlorine. 1957: the birth of Palma Ceia Shopping Plaza The story of Southland Mall begins in December 1957, when ground was broken on a new project named Palma Ceia Shopping Plaza. The developer, Branden Enterprises, was also responsible for the adjacent Palma Ceia Village, a 1,400-home suburban housing development in Hayward. The shopping center was designed by the acclaimed architecture firm John Graham & Associates, known for projects like Seattle’s Northgate Mall and the Space Needle. Plans called for a massive open-air retail center featuring: A flagship Sears store Two future department stores: JCPenney and Kahn’s of Oakland Multiple inline tenants A unique 6-lane roadway design—Southland Drive—which would originally cut through the mall to...