r/todayilearned • u/radiocleve • Jun 28 '22
TIL the first indoor mall in the US was opened in 1955 in Wisconsin (R.1) Tenuous evidence
https://www.postcrescent.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2015/02/11/looking-back-valley-fair-mall/23269417/[removed] — view removed post
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u/Cue_626_go Jun 29 '22
Literally drove past the former site today. It’s sad. The movie theater still stands, but closed years ago. Saw Big Hero 6 there. Good times.
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u/DeeDee-Allin Jun 28 '22
This is incorrect. The first shopping center that was called a Mall was Northgate in Seattle.
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u/ManWhoPlantedTrees Jun 28 '22
Okay DeeDee, calm down. They said INDOOR mall.
Which is also incorrect, the first fully enclosed indoor mall was Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota.
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u/phosphenes Jun 29 '22
Valley Fair opened a year before Southdale. Confusingly, he shopping mall page on wiki lists both malls as the first one. Unless Valley Fair isn't totally enclosed?? It looks closed to me in those pictures.
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u/Melchizedeck44 Jun 29 '22
Southdale was the first completely climate controlled mall according to Wikipedia, not just "weather protected". I think that's how they're splitting the hairs.
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u/idleat1100 Jun 29 '22
I’m pretty sure the first mall was Trajans Market in Rome in AD100 or so.
That place was indoors and outdoors. You can still go check it out.
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u/Proper-Emu1558 Jun 29 '22
It was Southdale Mall in Edina, MN. I know because it’s ten minutes from my house. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/06/southdale-center-america-first-shopping-mall-history-cities-50-buildings
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u/dreadredheadzedsdead Jun 28 '22
The first outdoor mall was opened in Kalamazoo, MI in 1959!
I only know this because it's my hometown. Also where Gibson guitars was born. And Derek Jeter.