Airport Mall - Bangor

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by Zayre88
The Airport Mall in Bangor.  The first enclosed mall in Maine.  Used to be anchored by Woolco, then Rich's, then Ames, then Marshalls/Dollar Tree/Vacant.  Almost every large store does not have access to the indoor mall.

The small mall looks old inside and has many vacancies and local stores.  

The shopping center seems to be doing good business even if the small mall section often looks empty.

[Zayre88]

Old looking storefronts

[Zayre88]

Fashion Bug entrance inside the 70's looking mall !!

[Zayre88]

Another view.  Boarded up Ames/Rich's/Woolco entrance to the left.

[kendra]

Alright, I have been doing some research, and I now have a complete list of original Airport Mall tenants along with pertinent information about each retailer. This is obviously an ongoing project, of course, but this is what I have at present:

Airport Mall Tenant List -- December 1970
------------------------------------------------------------
Allied Radio Shack
   This was a merger of Allied Radio Co. and Tandy Corporation's Radio Shack
        moniker.Tandy bought Allied in 1970. In 1973, stores were changed back to
        "Radio Shack." This store is still open in the Airport Mall today.
Bell Shops
   This store appears to have sold off-price name-brand women's clothing,
        kind of like a TJ Maxx or Marshall's store.
J.E. Chandler, Ltd.
   This was a ski shop selling equipment and clothing. Pending investigation,
        the chalet-style storefront may still exist in the mall.
Chess King
   This was a mens' clothing retailer that was particularly successful in the
        1980s. By that time, Bangor's Chess King had relocated to the larger
        Bangor Mall.
Consumer Value Stores
   Now known simply as "CVS," this is a chain of drugstores that can still be
        found throughout the United States. Bangor lost its last CVS (at the
        Bangor Mall) in 2007.
Docktor Pet Center
   A pet store advertising a variety of dog breeds and "Pay As You Love"
        instant credit.
Doug's Shop 'n Save
   Originally just a small store on the left-hand side of the plaza, what is now
        Hannaford Bros. supermarket encompasses a significant portion of the
        former Freese's space.
Eastern Trust & Banking Co.
   This became Northeast Bank & Trust Co., which was acquired by Norstar
        Bank of Maine, which was acquired by Fleet, which was acquired by Bank
        of America. Uncertain if there is a Bank of America branch currently in the
        mall.
Fabric Bazaar
   All things one might need for sewing, from fabric to machines.
Fanny Farmer
   A candy manufacturer and retailer. Still in business, but not at the mall.
Freese's Dept. Store
   This was the mall version of one of Maine's most legendary department
        stores. The Freese's building in downtown Bangor is now home to elderly
        housing and the Maine Discovery Museum, while the Airport Mall Freese's
        closed in 1987 and was eventually parceled into Fashion Bug, Staples, and
        part of Hannaford.
The Homespun, Inc.
   A retailer of products for knitting, weaving, and needlecraft enthusiasts.
        Also advertised in-store instruction in these areas.
Mr. Paperback
   A Maine-based book and gift retailer that remains open in the Airport Mall
        today.
Parklane Hosiery
   Sold hosiery, presumably. The company went bankrupt in 1991.
Rines Co.
   A Maine-based retailer of upscale women's clothing. Little is known of the
        Airport Mall location, but it is now home to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
        The labelscar of the stylized "Rines Co." logo can still be seen on the
        awning if one looks carefully.
Spencer Gifts
   Now known mainly for its risque and off-color products, the Spencer's of
        1970 advertises nothing more wild than inflatable armchairs. Essentially a
        novelty shop, Bangor's Spencer Gifts is still open today in the Bangor Mall.
Standard Shoes
   A Bangor-based shoe company who closed their final location (at the
        Bangor Mall) in 1998 after ninety years of business. The Airport Mall store
        shuttered in 1993.
Suzy Boutique
   Women's sportswear, accessories, and wigs.
Thom McAn Shoe Store
   A once-ubiquitous shoe store that could be found virtually anywhere in the
        United States. Currently, Thom McAn-branded products still be purchased
        at Kmart.
Weeks Ice Cream Shop
   Served desserts and full meals and boasted seating for almost 100 people.
Woolco Dept. Store
   The discount division of F.W. Woolworth, this was the first Woolco to open
        in northern New England. It became Rich's in the mid 1980s, then Ames,
        and is currently parceled into Ocean State Job Lot, Dollar Tree, and
        Marshalls.


Hope this is of interest or use to someone...

[jmcnamara96]

Great information kendra

[Zayre88]

List of stores in 1974: