Mall stores of memory…
These days, for better or worse, we Americans are more likely to do our shopping online rather than drive to the mall or a department store.
But a curious thing happened in the early 2020s: We realized just how much we’d been taking that glorious mall experience for granted, even as it’s fading away.
In this spirit of reminiscing, we’ve collected 50+ photos of some of the most memorable mall stores from the heyday of shopping centers in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
Fortunately, some of our favorite mall stores still exist — including The Gap, Hickory Farms, and Bloomingdale’s.
But far more have been consolidated, rebranded, or just closed down (we’re looking at you with sadness, Esprit de Corps). Others have shifted their presence to focus on ecommerce.
In any case, we hope you enjoy this nostalgia trip to the mall as much as we loved compiling it.
PS: Don’t miss part 1 — These 48 vintage indoor malls are so dazzling, you’ll want to hop in a time machine and shop ’til you drop and 12 abandoned malls & the history of their heartbreaking decline.
1960s: When mall stores were an entirely fresh and new suburban experience!
Dayton’s department store at Brookdale Shopping Center, Minneapolis (1966)
The parent company of the old Dayton’s department store is still around today, as a little shop you know as Target.
Vintage Smith & Welton store at a shopping mall (1960s)
6 vintage Sears department stores (1962)
ALSO SEE: The history of the iconic Sears ‘Wish Book’ Christmas catalog that made dreams come true
Hudson’s store at Oakland Mall – Troy, Michigan (1969)
Old Newberry’s store (1964)
Vintage McDonald’s mall store in 1968
No — this was a regular department store, not the McDonald’s restaurant!
B Dalton Bookseller – Sunvalley Mall, Concord, California (1967)
Vintage Gray Drug store (1969)
DON’T MISS: See vintage drugstores 100 years ago, selling lots of things you can’t (legally) buy anymore
Bond Clothes mall shop (1965)
Stores that don’t exist anymore: Chess King (1969)
An old (Montgomery) Wards store in 1966
Retro sixties Florsheim Shoes (1963)
Paul’s Shoes (1968)
ALSO SEE: Vintage shoe stores: See what shoe shopping really used to be like
1970s: The 70s started the era of peak mall-building in the United States
Vintage Golde’s mall shop (1978)
Alcove fashion shop (1978)
70s Woman’s World Shops (1973)
ALSO SEE: 50 vintage mini dresses & cute miniskirts from the 60s & 70s
Double Up mall clothing shop (1970)
Team store – Electronics (1972)
Vintage Circus World mall shop (1970s)
Harrison Fabric and Draperies (1970)
Old mall stores that don’t exist anymore: Lion (1972)
Vintage Fine’s store (1973)
An old United Shirt mall clothing store (1973)
Thompson Boland Lee mall store (1970)
Big N – Neisner mall store (1973)
Vintage Foxmoor store (1970)
Vintage 1970s K & K toy store
REMEMBER? Vintage Hoppity Hop & Hoppity Horse toys were bouncing balls of fun
An old-style CVS mall store (1971)
Montgomery Ward retro mall shop (1974)
Retro 70s Standard Sportswear shop (1976)
Thornton’s mall store with old TV sets (1977)
Old mall stores that don’t exist anymore: Murphy’s Mart (1973)
J B Hudson jeweler (1974)
Retro 70s Woolworth mall shop (1979)
Vintage Woolco shop (1974)
Richman Brothers store – Clothing for men (1970)
ALSO SEE: Vintage menswear: 60 old-school suits guys were wearing back in the 1970s
Vintage Hit or Miss – Zayre store (1970)
Old Thayer McNeil Shoes (1971)
Old mall stores that don’t exist anymore: Adams Row clothing (1970)
The Young Individualist clothing store (1972)
Two retro Rich’s stores from 1973
Strawbridge & Clothier grand court at mall in Pennsylvania (1972)
Old Lerner Shops mall store
DON’T MISS: 170 hip vintage 1970s dresses, skirts, pantsuits & other fab retro fashion for women
Vintage Casual Corner mall store from the 1970s
JC Penney at Southdale Shopping Center, Minnesota (1972)
Vintage Hickory Farms mall storefront (1970s/1980s)
SEE MORE: Remember Hickory Farms? That’s how we fed our charcuterie obsession back in the day
Florsheim Shoes store at a mall (1973)
Thayer McNeil Shoes (1973)
ALSO SEE: Late ’70s fashion: Women’s shoes from 1979
Vintage Foot Locker shoe store (1978)
Old mall shops that don’t exist anymore: Alberts womenswear (1978)
ALSO SEE: Vintage fashion: Sassy, stylish women’s suits from the ’70s
Susie’s Casuals clothing store (1979)
1980s: Mall building peaked in the mid-80s
Vintage Cask and Flask mall store in Indiana (c1980s)
Vintage Kinney Shoes store (c1980s)
ALSO SEE: 80s shoes for men: Footwear that stylish guys were wearing back in the day
Old mall stores that don’t exist anymore: Mervyns in the 80s
The Gap retro clothing store
DON’T MISS! Vintage Esprit fashion from the 80s & 90s: This innovative clothing line was ahead of its time
Old Bloomingdale’s department store – Town Center at Boca Raton, Florida (1980s)
80s Eddie Bauer mall store (1987)
ALSO SEE: These were the Eddie Bauer edition Ford Bronco & Bronco II SUV/trucks from the 80s
Vintage Afterthoughts mall shop (1985)
Retro United Shirt store (1986)
Retro Johnson and Murphy store and Journeys shop (1988)
MORE: 284+ retro women’s shoes from the ’80s
Tandy stores – VideoConcepts and Radio Shack (1989)
NOW CHECK THIS OUT: These 48 vintage indoor malls were so dazzling, you’ll want to hop in a time machine and shop ’til you drop
30 Responses
Regarding the Ward’s sign – “Montgomery” was always a part of the name. If anything, that picture was taken late in the company’s existence.
Thank you! We have corrected that. :-)
Of course, having grown up in northern Illinois, I most miss “Marshall Field’s”. But I also recall the other stores at my local mall, which included Prange’s and their discount offshoot, Prange Way. Those were the days!
Of all the defunct mall stores, I miss B Dalton the most. I could spend hours there just browsing. And anytime I had a spare couple of bucks, I’d actually buy a book.
There was a store that sold Copper items, bronze items, and I think paintings.
I still have a pair of brass swans from all those years ago.
Does anybody remember this store ?
Bombay Company?
Spencer’s Gifts was always my favorite.
Who didn’t love Spencer’s? My friends and I loved looking at all the posters, R-rated gag gifts and naughty greeting cards. I bought my first girlfriend a necklace there for about $5 – I felt so sophisticated! She told me it fell apart two weeks after I gave it to her.
It’s still around
We still have Spencer’s here in fort smith Arkansas
There was a restaurant in Brookwood Village in 1979-81 with an old school fireman/firehouse motif. For birthdays there would be sirens and bells and they brought the dessert out on a stretcher. Trying to remember the name is driving me nuts. Please help!
That sounds like Farrell’s ice cream parlor. The did have sirens ansd whirling lights when you order a giant sundae they carried out on a stretcher. Two boys in striped shirts would stomp-step it to the table, then climb up, stomp some more, and deliver it to the birthday boy or girl. It was called the pig trough, I believe, and everyone got a helping. I think it had Jungle in its name. There was another giant sundae that was meant for one person, but it looked like enough for three. The goal was to finish it all without disgracing yourself. It was called the Pig Trough. If you finished you got a t-shirt that said, “I made a pig of myself at Farrell’s.”
The general theme was Gibson girl era. Lots of Gibson drawings, and red flocked wallpaper with gold victorian lighting fixtures and sconces. The servers wore jaunty straw boaters, and the boys wore gaiters on their sleeves. The girls wore dresses, of course (1960’s). There was always an old fashioned candy store up front. They had a cute little newspaper, newsletter? I remember one Gibson drawing of a young man and woman holding hands over their sundaes. He says, “Darling, your hands are so white, and so cold.” She says, “Bill, your hands are in the ice cream!”
Farrel”s — yes. The “Zoo” came with tiny plastic animals and everyone would get one to take home!
Hi does anyone remember the name of BRAND candle store At schaumburg store ? It went out of business early 2000. Thank u and it is not yankee candles
Wicks and Sticks?
How I miss Wicks and Sticks!
Very cool, I wonder if my mom would recognize any of theze. I’d love to see colorized 60s mall pictures.
They shouldn’t have to be colorized. We all used color film in the sixties. I think that B/W photography was a thing from the 50’s and before. My grandparents even had a big color tv.
I’ve been trying to find a photo of the old Zippers stores in Northern Virginia that’s where we got out blue jeans and corduroy pants. Anyone have one??
I miss the old lord and taylor stores – any good shots of the 80s with that store?
There was a store in the old Florin Mall in the ghetto of South Sacramento that made burritos. It was called Otis Spunkmeyers Burritos, does anyone know if they relocated anywhere after the mall was tore down? The best burritos ever!
There was a store in the Atlanta area malls that sold colorful home goods and light furniture. Did it have a name suggestive of “Oriental”?.
As a young homeowner, I loved being able to buy reasonably price items there.
Bombay Company?
I miss that Store
I loved Bombay. It was a fancier version of IKEA, selling reasonably priced furniture that you would assemble yourself. We have an end table that we bought at Bombay back in the late 90’s, and it still looks sharp.
Does anyone remember the names of mall chocolate stores in the 70s? My friend worked at Fannie Farmer, but there was another one with a similar name that I can’t remember. We would visit my friend whenever we went to the mall and she’d give us free samples lol
Does anyone remember the modular 1980s clothing store where every piece could be worn multiple ways? They were all mix and match knits… One item would double as many things, for example, a tubular piece could be a skirt, tube top, cowl neck scarf etc. 1980s.
I’m also trying to remember that store!!!
I only remember incognito,
LeChateu, Express.
Was it UNITS?
A skirt that can also be worn as a top or scarf sounds interesting…