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: Nickelodeon Universe
- Stores and services: Approximately 520
- Layout: Four levels
- Source: Contemporary mall directory
Highlights
- Captures Mall of America more than a decade after its 1992 opening.
- Shows the four-level retail complex surrounding Nickelodeon Universe.
- Documents approximately 520 stores and services operating in 2010.
- Includes four major department-store anchors: Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Sears.
- Illustrates how entertainment and attractions had become an integral part of the Mall of America experience.
- Preserves the tenant mix and layout of the mall during the 2010 shopping era.
About this directory
Published in 2010, this directory captures Mall of America at a point when its identity had expanded well beyond that of a traditional shopping mall. The four-level complex surrounded Nickelodeon Universe, the indoor amusement park occupying the former stadium site at the center of the building, while hundreds of retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues filled the surrounding levels. Four department stores—Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Sears—served as major anchors, but the directory makes clear that shopping was only one part of the experience. Attractions and entertainment were woven directly into the mall's layout, helping establish Mall of America as a destination in its own right.
Stores you’ll remember
The directory includes many retailers that were once familiar sights at Mall of America and in shopping malls across the country:
- As Seen On T. V.
- Barnes & Noble
- Benetton
- Coldwater Creek
- Disney Store
- Eddie Bauer
- Gamestop (2 locations)
- Glamour Shots
- Hollywood Hair (3 locations)
- Minnesot-ah!
- Minnesota Bound
- Shady Eyewear (4 locations)
- Sunglass Hut (3 locations)
- The Limited
- The Walking Company
- Wet Seal
- White House Black Market
- Yankee Candle
Entertainment & attractions
The directory reflects Mall of America's unusually broad entertainment mix, with attractions ranging from an indoor amusement park and aquarium to miniature golf and a comedy club:
- Nickelodeon Universe
- A.C.E.S. Flight Simulation
- AMC Theatres
- LEGO Imagination Center
- MagiQuest
- Moose Mountain Adventure Golf
- Rick Bronson's House of Comedy
- Silicon Motor Speedway
- Underwater Adventures Aquarium
Food and dining options
Dining options listed in the directory include:
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
- Famous Dave's BBQ
- Hooters
- Rainforest Cafe
- Ruby Tuesday
- Tona Roma's
- Wolfgang Puck Express
- Four Caribou Coffee locations
- Two Nestle Toll House Cafe locations
- Two Freshens Yogurt locations
- Two Starbucks Coffee locations
What stands out
You could practically begin and end your life at Mall of America. The 2010 directory lists the Chapel of Love Wedding Chapel alongside AARP, clothing alterations, Ticketmaster, and an astonishing range of other services. It was a reminder that Mall of America had become considerably more than a place to shop.
That breadth was part of what made Mall of America different from the typical American shopping mall. Shopping, dining, entertainment, recreation, and everyday services were all folded into the same enormous complex, with Nickelodeon Universe at its center. The directory reads less like a simple list of stores than a snapshot of a self-contained destination—one designed to give visitors reasons to stay long after they had finished shopping.
Collection
Historic shopping mall directories preserving the retail history of shopping centers through their stores, layouts, and services.
Comments