My local malls (Michigan)

[SomeBeach]

Alpena Mall - Alpena, Michigan

Alpena Mall started out with a Kmart store that opened ca. 1978 on the south side of Alpena. The 225,000 SF mall opened ca. 1983 with JCPenney as its other anchor. Early tenants included Waldenbooks, Hallmark, Circus World (toy store, later KB Toys), Charbonneau's restaurant, First of America bank, and Shifrin-Willens Jewelers. Kmart moved across the street in 1997. Their old store was split, with part becoming a Gordon Food Services (no mall access) and a Stage department store (with mall access). The Stage closed and quickly changed to Glik's. Part of the former Kmart is still vacant. Though some spaces are vacant, the mall is still very much alive and well. Current stores include f. y. e., Waldenbooks, Maurices, Fashion Bug, and a dollar store

[SomeBeach]

Bay City Mall - Bay City, Michigan

Bay City Mall started out with a Target store that opened in 1990. The mall was opened a year later, featuring a 6 screen theatre, a food court, as well as Prange's (a Wisconsin based department store) and Sears. JCPenney would move out of another mall in town and add onto Bay City Mall a year later. The food court was never at full occupancy, even when GNC moved into the food court taking two restaurant spaces! Pranges became Younkers (another midwest chain) in 1992 as well.

There are also a few spaces in the Target wing that have never been filled, and one space in the Sears wing. Dunham's Sports, an original tenant, recently expanded, taking almost the entire side of one wing. Many original tenants have left, including a restaurant, and some local stores have been added. Some spaces are divided awkwardly, such as a local store that takes half of an old Lerner, even using a temporary wall to block off the back of the store. A former Ritz Camera, now a Sprint dealer, also uses a temporary wall.

[SomeBeach]

Hampton Towne Centre, Bay City Michigan

Hampton Towne Centre is the nearest dead mall to me; it's also the one that cemented my interest in dead malls. My first experience was in 2002 when the Kmart anchor there was having a going out of business sale. I ventured into the mall hallways, checking out the myriad of empty stores, amazed at the fact that some malls were actually in this state or worse.

Later, I found out the mall's history through many sources. It opened in 1975 with Wiechmann's (local store) and Kmart for anchors, also featuring a Perry Drugs (with mall access) and an A&P Supermarket (without mall access). It was the only mall in Bay City for many years, and also drew from nearby Midland. JC Penney moved out of downtown in the 1980s, anchoring a 10-store addition to the mall. The mall's lineup included many chain tenants like Lerner, Fannie Farmer, Hot Sam Pretzels, Kinney Shoes, B. Dalton, and Zales Jewelers.

Things went downhill when Bay City Mall opened in 1991. Midland nearby, also got its own mall in 1991, both malls being a big blow to Hampton. JCPenney moved out to Bay City Mall in 1992, and Wiechmann's went under in 1993. A&P closed all Michigan stores the same year. The JCPenney became a Family Independence Agency, and Wiechmann's became classrooms. Other offices, such as Edward Jones, would also open in the mall, replacing the former stores. The last chain tenant to leave was not Kmart, but Hallmark, which closed in late 2002. The last actual STORE to leave was Spring Crest Drapery, which moved out. The mall still houses offices and a Chinese restaurant, but most of the tenants have been dark for 10+ years now. The mall concourse lights are usually kept off and the roof leaks.

[SomeBeach]

Midland Mall - Midland, Michigan

This mall doesn't have much of a history really. Elder-Beerman and Target were the first stores to open in early 1991; the mall opened later, with Sears and JCPenney rounding out the anchors. The mall included about 60 stores and a food court. For some reason, the Penney's wing has always been dead, with many stores like KB Toys, Waldenbooks, Sam Goody, Bugle Boy, etc. pulling out of it. Barnes & Noble opened in 2003 (I was there opening day), taking a good chunk of the Penney's wing. Steve & Barry's opened in 2005, taking another good slice of Penney's wing. Strangely, the mall has no CD store, Sam Goody and Record Town both having closed ca. 2000!

[SomeBeach]

Fashion Square Mall, Saginaw Michigan

Fashion Square Mall opened ca. 1975 in Saginaw, on the north side of town near the college (a major draw). Original anchors were JCPenney and Sears, as well as smaller local stores Wiechmann's and Heavenrich's. Hudson's was added in 1977. Heavenrich's closed in the 1980s and was replaced with Dunham's Sporting Goods. 1993 saw the Wiechmann's chain close; their space was gutted for a food court. Dunham's moved out and was replaced with Steve & Barry's; Hudson's is now Marshall Fields and is soon to become Macy's. The mall boasts about 100 stores and is the dominant shopping center in my area.

[SomeBeach]

Fort Saginaw Mall, Saginaw Michigan

Fort Saginaw Mall's Kmart store opened in 1966, with the mall opening a year later. The south (Kmart) wing was an enclosed strip, and the east wing (anchored by Muir Drugs and Federal's) was a fully enclosed mall. Other anchors included Scott's 5 & 10 (later TG&Y) and a one screen theater. The theaters closed in 1976 when their manager was murdered. The mall was always in a high crime area, yet it continued to survive as a viable center. Federals closed in 1977 and was later replaced with Burlington Coat Factory. Burlington Coat moved in 1991 and was replaced with Phar-Mor which closed in 1992. TG&Y later became Norman's Sports before closing. The mall itself was shuttered in the mid 1990s, except for Kmart which survived until 2005. Behind the former Federals was originally a supermarket - once Giantway, later Kessel, now Save A Lot and some other stores. The mall remains boarded up and vandalized, and is about to be torn down according to reports.

[SomeBeach]

Downtown Saginaw Mall, Saginaw Michigan

Morley's department store anchored a very small (about 20 stores) mall in downtown Saginaw Michigan in the 1960s to 1980s or so. Tenants included a bookstore, Zales, and Hallmark. I don't know much about it but the mall is supposedly now a satellite campus or offices.