Much like anyone into old retail, love for neon, anything retro. Extreme Taubman diehard I mainly stick with Minnesota malls, but sometimes I go out of state.
Worked at Tradehome Shoes in that mall back in the mid 80s for a couple years while in college. It was pretty dead even then. Biggest problem was that 15 minutes away was Miller Hill Mall in Duluth which was bigger and unlike WI, MN doesn’t tax any clothing.
History time so before this mall was built there was a mall close to downtown faribault called faribo plaza now called faribo town square used for retail spaces so when the high way was made it stopped people from passing to faribo plaza so they decided to build faribo West Mall in the 70s but when Walmart wanted to separate their store from the mall, people went to Walmart instead of the mall for things and ever since then it’s been struggling with getting tenants the Maurices which was the last remaining original store within the mall from when it opened has recently closed now just Mom and pop shops and a 19 to 21 Program called step in the previous JCpenny they even have a daycare place in there called child’s delight too Through the tendance are owned by the same attendant with a Mexican market, restaurant, and new bakery
That Sears Hometown storefront at 9:41 is awe-inspiring vintage. I love this place so much, just wish this place's sister Pine Tree mall wasn't getting de-malled as we speak. Great footage and documentation!
fantastic look back at what was and will never be again. you can argue it lasted until 1995. Social media and the IPh0ne, our downfall. When i was living in the 80's, I had no idea they were the last years of the empire.
I just saw a news clip pop up the mall was closed for a few days last week. Of course no reason mentioned… Seems like KOHAN is doing what they normally do. Sad to see the tenants have to put up with this. 😢😢😢
Used to come to this mall in the 80's/90's, when I got done with classes from WWTC would drive over to the mall and spend some time window shopping. Getting my NES from Kay*Bee toy store when they first came out in the mid 80's. Usually was so dark in the hallways from what I remember, and not much of a Cafe Court, rarely ate there. Think Barnes & Noble Bookstore is the only thing I would go to in recent years.
I get it that we buy a lot of stuff online nowadays, but I am surprised that humans aren’t still instinctively attracted to the mall experience anymore. We still crave social interaction and we still like to buy stuff.
Right? I personally love shopping at my local mall because I love like you said, the social interaction and I love getting exercise whether I’m shopping or not.
NCD… make sure you check if it’s open before going. The mall randomly closed a few days last week with zero notice in advance. It’s supposedly back open. I’m sure it was typical KOHAN issued. 😢😢😢
I'm 44 years old and when I was a kid we referred to it as the "old mall." When the Iron Gate Mall was busy this mall wasn't much more than what you see today.
I used to work at the GAP from 1997, from 2000. After that, walden books; then represented BMI at Lord and Taylor, this was all before 2003. I remember not being able to find a close parking spot, the mall flooded with customers during the holiday season. In 1999, while working at the GAP, a customer wanted to buy the "crazy striped sweater" off my back because it was so popular. Banana Republic right above us...I made friends with one of their associates and we helped them out. Abercrombie and Fitch next door...We'd hit Panera for breakfast before the opening rush, and the smell of the leather from the store by JC Penny's... buying a stuffed Jerry Bear, and CDs from the entertainment store in the Sears corridor. When I was very young, my siblings and I would want a cookie from Mrs. Fields (the smell flooded the area, in a delicious way) ...the long lines to see Santa and the Easter Bunny...the elevator with glass windows looking on to the fountains where people had thrown coins...I wonder what the total amount was when the pool was drained? From someone who grew up in the '90s thanks for the memories of my first taste of independence.
That's such a cool postcard, holding it up at the begining was really poetic. I love the stories of sister malls like these, its a shame Mesabi mall died so quickly compared to its sister though. Great video!
Thank you so much for posting this! I would have liked to have gone through here myself, but felt that I would get too sad. Would love to see another video like this at Lakeside but with 1980's or 90's footage.. prior to even the food court being built (which to me, is still fairly new). Similar to what @vampirerobot has for other malls on their channel. Again, thank you!
Sadly, I remember when this Mall opened up - along with it's sister/twin Fairlane Mall. With a bunch of fanfare and there were TV commercials all the time. Fairlane used to have an elevated tram that ran between the mall and the Hotel across the parking lot. Now, both are just sad ghosts.
@@Evans_explores LOL! The truth is it wasn't that big of a deal. The TV commercials made it look a lot cooler than it was. It was basically just an oversized, enclosed golf cart. They took it down a few years later because barely anyone ever used it. Eventually, the Hotel closed down too.
