This is a nice enough mall having its origins in the consumer culture that was predominate in the latter half of the 20th century. Opened in 1971, it has been well kept and significantly updated as recently as 2003/2004. There is a rather nice food court with several standard, though not unappealing, options. The layout is like an airplane with a straight main concourse with "bent" wings branching off either side emanating from the center. It is on the smallish side though there are still more than 100 stores with a little over 800,000 square feet of retail space. The Barnes and Noble is a highlight for me. There is also Sears, Penny's, Dick's and Boston Store. There's also a sizable H&M and a Gordman's. Among the out-building facilities is a Planet Fitness. The surrounding commercial area for which this mall is a hub features almost every common American chain store imaginable. There are a plethora of dining establishments in the area as well. One of the interesting developments taking place is the addition of a Flix Brewhouse on the backside of the mall.
The struggle for survival is apparent here as it is for many traditional retail outlets. While there is obvious effort to stay relevant, it is hard to imagine a long future for this mall and those of its kind. On my last visit on a Thursday night, it was striking how sparsely patronized it was. Given the rapidly evolving retail trend toward on-line buying, it is hard to imagine that this facility will not be among the eventual likely first few rounds of closures, unless there are some innovative developments to freshen its presentation and reinvent its attractiveness.