Check Out Dead And Dying Malls Throughout Minnesota

Growing up, malls were the place to go shopping and even just hang out with friends. Here are some dead and dying malls throughout Minnesota.

I feel like not too long ago, shopping malls were huge! Always jam-packed and full of people. Arcades, stores, and the food court, are always made for some fun people-watching. I remember just going to the mall, walking around, and chilling with friends growing up.

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Just the other day my oldest and I were walking around the Duluth Mall and she goes "this is it?". Nowadays, it just seems like malls are dying off. I even loved walking around the Mariner Mall as a kid in Superior. I don't even remember the last time I stepped foot in there, other than to get some food at Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant.

I found a pretty cool site that lists off all the dead malls throughout United States. For now, let's dive into our wonderful state of Minnesota:

Dead & Dying Malls In Minnesota

Brookdale Center

Located in Brooklyn Center, the mall opened in 1962. The mall only had one level, but very wide corridors. The mall closed in 2010 and according to Dead Malls, it was due to: the graying of the community, changing traffic patterns caused by new roads, the opening of new shopping centers, and the struggles of maintaining public space.

Burnsville Center

With 3 stories and over 1,000,000 square feet, this mall opened in 1977. Miss USA and Miss Minnesota even made an appearance on opening day. It was estimated that there were 29,000 visitors and 10,800 cars parked on opening day. The mall no longer has its there 3 original anchor stores (Sears, Dayton's, and Powers Dry Goods), but it is still open today.

As a whole, the mall isn't as bustling as it once was. My favorite place to go was the Playland Arcade. However, it doesn't quite look like it used to.

The Conservatory

Known as an upscale mall in downtown Minneapolis, the mall opened in 1987. The mall was designed with an Italianate style with marble and brass features, live plants, grand staircases, and multiple levels of shops and restaurants.

By the early 90s, most of the mall was sitting vacant and the flagship stores Orvis and FAO Schwartz had left. In 1998, the building was destroyed by an implosion which you  see above.

Bandana Square

Probably one of the coolest malls on the list, located in St. Paul it was once an old railroad station. The complex opened in 1984 with restaurants like the Dakota Jazz Club, and even had the Twin City Model Railroad Museum as a tenant.

The building is still open today, but no longer ran as a mall. The center was converted to offices in 2006.

Westridge Mall

Located in Fergus Falls, this mall was opened in 1978. This mall had four anchor stores: Woolworth's, J.C. Penney's, Red Owl Grocery, and Herberger's. The mall even had a Godfather's Pizza at one point and a two-screen movie theatre. Not me, missing when the Miller Hill Mall in Duluth had a movie theatre.

Sounds like the Woolworth's wing has been torn down and the mall has a whole is permanently closed.