25 Vintage Photos of Malls That Will Take You Back in Time
While online shopping has made it so easy to get the things you need without ever leaving your couch, there is something fun about shopping malls. Many of us have fun memories of walking around the mall with friends or loved ones, trying on clothes or shoes, picking out the perfect gift, and getting something to eat at the food court (we can practically smell Auntie Anne's pretzels just thinking about it!). We've gathered plenty of vintage photos of malls that will inspire plenty of nostalgia.
Many of these vintage mall photos were taken in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. While some of the malls have since shuttered, downsized, or been converted, many of them still exist today. There's plenty to learn here about the history of malls in America. Maybe you'll even learn something about the mall you grew up going to.
Next time you're searching endlessly for a gift for a senior in your life, an anniversary gift, or a gift for your dad (always hard to shop for!), consider heading to the mall and wandering through the stores there instead of browsing online. You never know what you might find ― plus, no wait for shipping means the mall is perfect for truly last-minute gifts.
If you're looking for even more nostalgic photos, check out our gallery showing what grocery stores have looked like over the years.
Queensgate Centre, 1982
The Queensgate Shopping Centre is located in Peterborough in the United Kingdom. This image was taken in 1982 when the mall first opened to the public. Some of the first retailers were John Lewis, British Home Stores, and Littlewoods.
The Cleveland Arcade, 1980
This incredibly gorgeous mall was modeled after Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The Cleveland Arcade, built in 1890, was one of the first covered shopping centers in the U.S. and was granted National Historic Landmark status in 1975. This photo was taken just a few years later in 1980.
Eldon Garden Shopping Centre, 1989
The Eldon Garden Shopping Centre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne was opened to the public in March 1989. It was built to incorporate an existing pub on the premises called Three Bulls Heads and accommodated 42 shops over three stories.
Hill Street Shopping Center, 1982
This photograph of the Hill Street Shopping Center was taken in 1982. It's located in Middlesbrough in the United Kingdom. Plans for the mall were first shared in 1972, but due to construction delays, it wasn't opened to the public until 1981.
Westminster Mall, 1987
This photo was taken in 1987 at the Westminster Mall in Colorado. Along with JCPenney, it was also home to Wards, Sears, Dillard's, and Macy's over the years. It closed in 2011 and was purchased by the City of Westminster for redevelopment.
South Street Seaport Mall, 1983
The fish in this photo is a reference to the South Street Seaport Mall's history: It was built on the old Fulton Fish Market building. This photo showing shoppers in the mall's glass atrium was taken in 1983.
Woodfield Mall, 1981
This historic photo captures a performance by Rick Springfield at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumberg, Illinois in July 1981. The mall, which is still open today, is one of the largest malls in the United States.
Colonie Center Mall, 1980
While most of us do our holiday shopping online these days, families used to head to the nearest mall to do all their gift shopping. This 1980 photo taken just a few days before Christmas captures some of the holiday decorations at Colonie Center Mall in Albany, New York. This mall is still open today if you've got some holiday shopping to do in-person!
Ashfield Shopping Mall, 1985
This photo was taken to show off The Kelpie, a lightweight vehicle to gather and disperse shopping trolleys back to their spots. It was taken in 1985 at the Ashfield Shopping Mall. Check out this very 1980s outfit on the woman in the photo!
Aurora Mall, 1981
This 1981 photo shows crowds of holiday shoppers at the Aurora Mall in Aurora, Colorado. This was taken by a Denver Post photographer the Saturday after Thanksgiving, notably one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
Columbia Mall, 1973
This 1973 photo shows shoppers in a sewing and fabric store at the Columbia Mall in Columbia, Maryland. It first opened to the public in 1971. Today, the mall has over 200 stores, including Nordstrom, Barnes & Noble, Macy's, and JCPenney.
Topangan Shopping Mall, 1976
This photo shows Ronald Reagan giving a speech at Topangan Shopping Mall in June 1976. This speech was given as part of Reagan's bid to be the Republican presidential nominee; he won primaries in several states but lost the nomination to incumbent President Gerald Ford at that year's Republican National Convention.
North Valley Shopping Center, 1971
This photo shows the North Valley Shopping Center in Denver in the early 1970s. It was taken by Ira Gay Sealy for the Denver Post.
Water Tower Place, 1976
Water Tower Place is a mall located in a 74-story skyscraper in Chicago. This 1976 photo shows an information booth inside the mall, surrounded by shoppers. While the mall was originally eight stories high, it's being downsized to just three stories; the owners of the building are looking to lease out the other five stories as office space.
Chestnut Hill Mall, 1975
How great are these outfits? This photo shows two women in a luxury store at Chestnut Hill Mall in Newton, Massachusetts in 1975. Today, the mall has 55 stores over two stories.
Roosevelt Field Mall, 1976
This photo of Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, New York was taken in September 1976. It's the largest shopping mall on Long Island, and the second-largest in the state of New York. In addition to shoppers, the photo also captures a Baker's Shoes store.
Pathmarks Shopping Center, 1970s
The exact date this photo was taken is unknown, but according to Getty Images, it was taken in the 1970s. It shows the Pathmarks Shopping Center, with a clothes store and a record store featured prominently in the photo.
Mall of America, 1992
The country's largest mall, the Mall of America, first opened to the public in August 1992. This photo was taken the same month and shows a group of shoppers around a mall kiosk selling t-shirts.
Trafford Centre, 1999
This photo shows people lining up to meet Monica Lewinsky at the Trafford Centre in 1999. She was signing copies of her biography, Monica's Story, at the mall located in Dumplington, Greater Manchester, England. The Trafford Centre was the second-largest shopping center in the United Kingdom.
Cherry Creek Shopping Center, 1993
This striking sculpture is located in the Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver, Colorado. This photo of shoppers in front of Foley's was taken by Jerry Cleveland for the Denver Post in September 1993.
Mall of America, 1992
Fun fact: There's a whole theme park inside the Mall of America. This 1992 shot of the Mall of America shows an elaborate Lego display, a roller coaster, and a walkway with chairs for shoppers to relax.
Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, 2001
This photo was taken more than 20 years ago in Dublin, Ireland. It shows Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, which first opened in 1988. The mall has a giant glass clock, and a glass roof that makes the whole space feel open and bright.
Unknown, 1950s
There's little information about this photo on Getty Images, but it shows a parking lot of 1950s cars parked outside a shopping mall. A Sears store and a Sears service station are both visible in the background.
Saint-Laurent-Du-Var, 1960
This photo shows a mall on the French Riviera, in the town of Saint-Laurent-Du-Var. The Cap3000 Mall has more than 300 stores and 50 restaurants, many of which overlook the ocean. How chic!
Ala Moana Center, 1960
This 1960 photo shows the Ala Moana Center, an open-air shopping mall in Honolulu, Hawaii. Today, it has more than 350 stores, restaurants, and services over 4 floors.
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