Thanks for visiting my blog. I created this blog to document some of Minnesota’s retail establishments. I’ve searched the Internet time and time again and found several “dead mall” sites, but none strictly devoted to Minnesota. I figured, why not start one? I’m surely not the only Minnesotan out there who is interested in this sort of thing.
I wish I would’ve started this earlier, as there are so many places that have changed, gone out of business, or completely demolished that I would’ve liked to have covered. But – there’s no time like the present!
I try to be as accurate as possible with the information I provide (dates, mall tenants, etc) – and a lot of this is based on memory . I could be wrong, and I know I’m definitely missing information, so I welcome any corrections to my articles. I’ve done research on the places I write about at some of the local libraries by searching old newspapers and searching Google, but a lot of times, the information I’m seeking just isn’t there.
The photos on this site are NOT the best quality and I apologize for that. Most of the photos are taken incognito with my iPhone camera – I’d love to bring my regular digicam with me to the malls, but I don’t need security rollin’ up on me.
If you have any pictures or information you’d like to contribute, please let me know! dumpystripmalls at gmail dot com. Or if you’d be interested in seeing me cover a certain retail establishment, I’d be happy to hear about it! Suggestions are always welcome 
If you’ve read any of the entries on this blog, you’ve probably noticed that this isn’t a hard-core historical research site. That’s not really my style, so if you’re looking for something more serious, this might not be the place for you. This blog is a hobby for me and a personal account of my experiences with these establishments and you might not agree with what I have to say. I use a lot of sarcasm and humor in this blog — it’s all in good fun Dead malls & abandoned buildings can be kind of a dry topic, so I try to add sass to the subject!
Are you a blogger? I’m happy to add your link, as long as your site is either a Minnesota-based blog (any topic is fine) or if you have your own retail blog — just let me know.
That said, I hope you enjoy this blog – if you do, please spread the word!
#1 by John Charles Wilson on September 11, 2008 - 4:25 pm
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Thanks for the informative site! I agree with you about most of the stuff. I’m also a “Twin Citizen” but I was away during two major changes in the culture of this area: 1983-87 and 1995-2006. Therefore the shock of how things have changed has probably impacted me more than if I lived here continuously. I remember when most suburbs were decent places. Brooklyn Park was high-class in 1982, believe it or not.
I wonder if any of these malls can be saved? What do you think?
#2 by The Old Scowl on September 21, 2008 - 5:34 am
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You need to include the now-gone Village North Shopping Center that was on Brooklyn Boulevard in Brooklyn Park. It was razed some time ago and even plans to replace it with a mixed commercial/retail complex have gone to the wayside, replaced with rows of cheap townhouses that are a result of successfully cloning vinyl siding. There are a number of gone and dying strip malls along Coon Rapids Boulevard in Coon Rapids that merit study too. Crystal and Robbinsdale have some malls of interesting chameleonic abilities as well. How do I know? I live in the mall boneyard, it seems.
#3 by Old Scowl on October 9, 2008 - 12:18 am
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Try to resurrect some memories of Zanebrook mall in Brooklyn Park on Zane south of Brooklyn Blvd.. It too was a strip mall to rival Humbolt Square in the pucker factor. A few other strips hang on in the general area. Another place is the intersection of Xerxes and Brookdale Drive in Brooklyn Park. Kind of creepy at night.
And take a venture in search of Zachary Lane Square or mall in Maple Grove. It looks like it never even got going before the retail areas to the south and west in Maple Grove along Weaver Lake Road sucked out the customers that were between the times of the old Main Street of Osseo shops and a latecoming small town enclosed strip mall that was Zachary Lane.
#4 by eunos on October 20, 2008 - 4:42 am
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I stumbled upon this site from the Brookdale wiki. Thanks for your effort, this kind of stuff is very interesting, and sad in a way too. Growing up in Crystal in the late 80s, Brookdale was a hopping place. Now it’s just pathetic.
I live in Plymouth now, and it’s intersting to see the store closings in Arbor Lakes of all places. It’s obviously not “dumpy strip mall” yet, but for an “upscale” part of town they sure have a lot of empty store fronts. Sharper image, Smith and Hawken (closing after Christmas I think), Joe’s Crab Shack, Baker’s Square, Wickes, Linens & Things, Krispy Kreme are the ones coming to mind off the top of my head. I’m sure I’m missing some.
Anyway, thanks again for your effort!!
#5 by Rehcsif on October 27, 2008 - 5:05 pm
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Howdy– just wanted to encourage you to keep going with this blog. I found it a few weeks back, bookmarked it in anticipation of your future mall ramblings, but so far, my wait has been unfruitful . Would love to see more articles soon.
#6 by Ashley on November 7, 2008 - 11:34 pm
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I think your blog is fantastic. It truely sheds light on what’s really gone on here throughout the cities in the last 10-12 years. Keep it goin!
#7 by Chad on November 22, 2008 - 4:51 am
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Awesome blog. I’ve been looking for YEARS for a site like this — dead malls are an interest of mine as well.
As someone who grew up in the north metro in the 1980s, I spent much of my childhood at some of these places. My memory is decent, so I’ll try to help fill in gaps. You’re doing a great job though!!
How about Har Mar Mall for a future entry? That place seems to die and (sort of) reinvent itself every few years.
#8 by Laura on December 23, 2008 - 4:15 pm
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I enjoyed your blog. I came across it doing a Google search for Tom Petters (I didn’t realize he was the same Sun Country & Petters Warehouse guy, makes sense). I too (like Old Scowl) grew up going to Brookdale in the late 80′s. I now live in Phoenix so needless to say I really like looking at the photos. I cannot believe how much things have changes. Thanks a bunch!
#9 by Laura on December 23, 2008 - 5:02 pm
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Does anybody remember a restaurant called “The Gazebo”? I think it was in the middle of Brookdale. Anyone remember???
#10 by The Old Scowl on December 25, 2008 - 9:33 pm
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I was looking through the book ‘The Brooklyns’(put out the the historical society of Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park) that mentioned the names of two malls that flanked Brookdale Center and whose names I had forgotten until then.
One was NorthBrook, which was on the other side of Highway 100 and was composed of 2 strip malls a service station, and a 2 standalone buildings with one business in each, which had been renamed ‘Hmong Shopping Center’ (by the name of the sign that was up for a brief period of time) before being bought by the city and razed for an unknown commercial development that I do not know of around 2004 or 2005. There was the only typewriter sales and service business I have ever seen in my life in one of the standalone buildings there. Minnesota Fabrics was in the complex, in addition to the Chuckwagon Inn (bar and grill), a martial arts school, laundromat, a hiking and camping store, Subway, hair and nail salon, video rental stores(many in the same storefront), and a Salvation Army thrift store.
The second mall was a small enclosed mall called WestBrook, which had (over the years)as tenants BestBuy, before it moved to a new building where LaBelle’s/Best had been, The Good Earth, a organic/ natural foods restaurant, The Hobbit, which was initially a toy store and then morphed into a travel agency, as well as Maid of Scandinavia and some hair salons and electronic stores (where my family would RENT a VCR for a week as a treat in the early 1980s and watch movies that they rented out as well–they had nearly 3 or 4 hundred movies you could watch in the VHS format, but probably only one-tenth as many in the BETA format). It was razed in the mid to late 1990s to make way for the CubFoods and it’s adjacent minimall(s) that mimic the past Northgate complex.
#11 by dumpystripmalls on December 26, 2008 - 11:45 am
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Yes!! Oh my gosh, I remember those places! I clearly remember the Northbrook strip mall (after all, it hasn’t been gone for all that long). I used to go to the Subway there quite a bit, when I worked in the area when I was in college in the late ’90s/early00′s. It was the closest Subway to our office, and I was always a little scared to go in there. It seemed like such a shady shopping center – a lot of the places had bars on the windows. I never ate at the Chuckwagon inn, but I do remember it. There was also a Northern Tool & Equipment store in the parking lot of the mall.
I remember Westbrook, but my memories are pretty vague. I think there was a Kids R Us there too, at one point. I don’t remember Best Buy being there at all – I had NO IDEA it had a previous location than its current location in the old LaBelle’s building. I do remember The Hobbit – I LOVED that store!
#12 by The Old Scowl on December 28, 2008 - 11:50 pm
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Two more stores that had been in Brookdale Center:
Claires. A cheap tweenage jewelry store. They still exist in the Mall of America.
The Cutlery Shop. They sold knives and scissors. I can only think of The Sharper Image or Brookstone for those who would prefer blades to guns or tire irons in committing their homicides. But the prices were prohibitive, and Brookdale has never been a destination for those couples from Edina or Wayzata to pick up some fine Solingen steel for their kitchens.
Did you include the Orange Julius franchise as a past fixture in Brookdale?
A little factoid on the Brookdale area is that the Hennepin County Library was located in what is currently the area Girl Scouts of America office along Brooklyn Boulevard.
#13 by The Old Scowl on January 3, 2009 - 2:17 am
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Another little factoid or two: Dayton’s (remember back when?) had a home store in the WestBrook mall that faced toward Brookdale.
There was also a bank branch in that section (though not part of the mall–an outparcel)that was round and all glass to presumably keep bank robbers away for fear of their acts being seen by scores of Brookdale and Westbrook mall shoppers.
#14 by calenti on January 9, 2009 - 6:16 pm
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Factory Outlet Centre, Eden Prairie. The ‘re’ really brought the class.
This was a mall between ’82 and ’86 where Suburban Ford/Chevrolet/whatever it is is now. It had a bunch of cheapo stores in it, including Linens n’ Things, Banister Shoes, Winona Fabrics, Frugal Frank’s Shoes, Island Sun…etc.
It should have been a money machine; this was when EP’s population was doubling every two years, and the cops drove sky blue squad cars and helped change flat tires, before they all shaved their heads and gobbled steroids and turned into the SA.
But it wasn’t. Why? It looked crappy, it smelled crappy and it sold crappy stuff at regular prices. So in ’86 it all came down and that was The End.
Now it lives only in our dreams.
#15 by D. Kendall on January 12, 2009 - 9:53 pm
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Your blog is awesome! I hope you can hit up the east side of the burbs, with such gems as Sun Ray and any strip mall in Hastings, Cottage Grove and Oakdale.
#16 by BillB on January 18, 2009 - 12:43 am
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For Sale: Brookdale Crossings
Brooklyn Drive and Xerxes
2940 Brooklyn Drive
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota 55444
Description:
This is a neighborhood center located on one of the main corridor roads in Brooklyn Center. It has an Elks Lodge as one of the anchors with many smaller service retail stores rounding out the remaining tenancy. There is a large 25,000 sf block of space available which was a former Country Club Market grocery.
The Elks Lodge is ONE of the anchors?
Maybe the other was the ‘Outpost 2000′ where one could find comic books, board games, and uber geeks playing board game tournaments.
(Store has since moved to Coon Rapids and the space is now a consignment store’)
I’m in awe of the multiple ethnic food stores and the Avon store- no need for your neighbor to harass you!
A church has even been built in the corner of the mall. This place is movin’ up!
———
Brooklyn Square- Childrens Palace
Was Superior to the Toys R Us (now a K @ B Men’s across from Brookdale)
Unsubstantiated rumor- Childrens Palace would offer diapers and other items at price below its cost to draw more customers- Toys R Us employees would purchase all, then add them to their stores inventory…and thus began the end of Childrens Palace
——–
Northtown- Brooklyn Park
Ah, Circus Circus Pizza- the creepy old men discussed were actually downtrodden dad’s with the great misfortune of having to host a pampered child’s birthday party. In my visit during its death rattle, the animatronic lead singing bear had a paralyzed arm, while the wolf had a frozen eye. It was my first exposure to stroke victims.
Radio Shack- once upon a time you could find a wide array of parts and components in the back when no ‘Axe Man’ existed at the time.
Giving your mailing address ensured you’d recieve a catalog of coolness in the mail.
Now RS has been reduced to just another cell phone vendor where one must wait in line while cell billing is argued in various accents and unitelligeble clicks and grunts.
——–
RUMOR MILL:
Brookdale is being considered as a site for a new MN Vikings stadium. The current MPLS MetroDome will fit quite nicely in this razed space. Unlike the MetroDome,there is also room for parking onsite.
Across the road, the Center Pointe apartment complex is on the auctioneers block at the end of January 2009. Formerly the ‘Summer Chase’ complex (aptly named – when the TCF bank across the street was held up in the summer, police would often chase the culprits to their homes here) could become, along with other now vacant spaces in the area, even more parking structures. The city has a history of “eminent domain” seizures in this area, and due to the inordinant amount of police calls (over 30 percent of city total) this would be a prime opportunity to make this blight vanish.
____
Hilarious, great historical reading- I LOVE this blog!!
#17 by super rookie on January 24, 2009 - 12:27 am
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870 Sibley Memorial Highway Lilydale, MN 55118
Greatest strip mall ever.
It has a western theme. Can’t wait to read your viewpoints on this pedestal of awesomeness to the consumer culture.
Google streetview that shit for instant excitement.
#18 by randamuko on February 9, 2009 - 9:47 am
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I agree with the Lilydale strip mall, or the old mall in West Saint Paul on Robert Street (I shopped at the DOTS there all the time and got my ears pierced there at the age of 12 in none other than Two by Two)
The other one you should look into is Eden Prairie Center around the time MallRats was filmed, it is really nice now but god what a piece of crap it was then.
#19 by Dave E on February 9, 2009 - 10:37 am
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Ah, the Lilydale strip mall…a classic. I liked it better when it was Diamond Jim’s mall. Was there a better-named strip mall in all of Minnesota? I doubt it.
The restaraunt — what is it now, Moose Country, formerly Moose Preserve, formerly Jose’s, formerly Pony’s? And the awesome liquor store that would take the fake i.d. I literally made in my dorm room with a Polaroid and a printer? Great times.
#20 by David J Rolon on March 16, 2009 - 9:05 am
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My stomach hurts from guffawing so much at your Fuddruckers bashing! Just stumbled upon your site and glad I did. Kudos!
#21 by James W on March 16, 2009 - 4:47 pm
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Hi and Congratulations on a wonderfully humourous and informative website!
I too share the strange interest that many do with the life and death of the retail world, and I love how you captured the overall feeling from outlet mall veterans! (especially the ‘decoys’!!!)
As a visitor to your friendly country at least twice a year, myself and my family have fallen for the regular price store trickery!!
Keep up the good work and Thanks again for the painfully honest entertainment!
Sincerely,
James W
United Kingdom
#22 by Darrel on March 20, 2009 - 8:47 pm
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Hi..nice blog. I have been trying for years to remember the name of a toy store that use to be in one of the strip malls that suround Roseville Center in the 90′s. It isn’t there anymore. I think it’s a Joann Fabrics now. Can anyone remember the name of the toy store? Thanks
#23 by JAYSON on May 17, 2009 - 4:47 pm
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you should do one on the the coon rapids family center mall i have always been curious about this place but cant find not history about it feel free to email me i like your website…. thanks for the flash backs lol..
#24 by jayson on May 18, 2009 - 7:49 am
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darrell? are you talking about childrens palace? looked like a castle?
#25 by Dave Lansing on May 31, 2009 - 9:21 pm
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Wonderful work! Keep it up, and I love your humor
#26 by bn on June 28, 2009 - 11:38 pm
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very insightful blog. love the witty humor.
#27 by Melissa on July 2, 2009 - 4:22 pm
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I love, love, love your blog. It’s nice to know I’m not the only weirdo who cares about old dead buildings. I always wish I would have taken pictures of these places back in the day. You should go to Zachary Square in Maple Grove. That place is rather sad now, but it used to be great with Pat’s SuperValu and J’s Variety Hut. I used to go there for all my slap bracelets and clacker toys needs.
#28 by Johnme on July 12, 2009 - 11:08 pm
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Can you add my blog to your list of links? http://southernretail.blogspot.com/ My blog is about failing retail establishments also. Thanks
John
#29 by Tim G on July 20, 2009 - 5:24 pm
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You know, Zachary Square might rebound if they ever get 610 built… or not.
Tim G
#30 by PalmerLakeGuy on September 27, 2009 - 2:44 am
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Oh my god, this is THE coolest blog I’ve ever seen and I can’t believe I only just now came across it! Your pics and info regarding the Brooklyn Center area are fantastic and fun to read. I’ve been to just about all of the places you’ve featured and have some sort of memories relating to each of them. Though I’ve only been a Brooklyn Center resident since 2001, I am ASTOUNDED by amount of establishments that have closed and/or been razed in the short time I’ve lived here. My wife and I constantly talk about how much things have changed. The trend is exemplified by the Brookdale Mall but there’s so many other places in addition that I’m starting to think it has more to do with the City of Brooklyn Center itself. Seriously, I’ve never seen an urban area change so frequently. I’ve actually been meaning to type up a list of places that have gone out of business in the last 8-9 years and I’m sure it would be a long one. How bout the Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel and big (Pink colored?) hotel that bordered 694 just south of the Humbolt Square strip mall? There’s also an old Hardees there that is now an Asian grocery store. Speaking of…I enjoyed “The Old Scowl’s” comments regarding Northbrook -eventually renamed the “Hmong Shopping Center.” My wife and I frequented The Chuckwagon Restaurant as it was the only “bar” within walking distance of our house. We also liked the occasional visit to Subway as well as the Asian Supermarket who kept an impressive array of live Tilapia and Lobster. I believe I have some photos of this mall taken before it was completely razed. I will try to locate them and forward to you. Please keep up the interesting posts -I think it is fabulous that other people are interested in this type of thing!
#31 by Dan on October 11, 2009 - 9:10 pm
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I just want to thank you so much for all of your effort in creating and maintaining this blog. It’s a great form of nolstagia for those of us who grew up in the Cities and is also well written, cleverly mixing anecdotes, business-related observations, and a little bit of architectural/design critcism all rolled up into one blog.
P.S. My dad works for an auctioneer who has been taking care of closing retailers and restaurants, such as Joes’ Crab Shack in Roseville and numerous Baker’s Square locations throughout the Cities. You too can own tacky items from these establishments! (My parents are decorating their Jimmy Buffett(coincidentally also their dog’s name) Margaritaville-themed gazebo with some of these lovely treasures.)
#32 by The Old Scowl on November 28, 2009 - 3:47 pm
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Tim G:
Might Zachary Square be in the way of the 610 to 81 addition and get razed? I have looked at a street atlas, and while the planned addition is there, I cannot find the location of the mall. I guess Google Earth might give an answer to my question.
#33 by The Old Scowl on November 28, 2009 - 3:53 pm
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Well, after viewing the Google Map’s site, it looks like the 610 addition will either just graze Zachary Square or obliterate it. I am choosing the latter. Anyone remember how long the extension is planned to take?
#34 by wayzata dave on December 12, 2009 - 12:04 pm
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I believe that the extension is scheduled for 3-4 years.
My take on it is that the extension will miss z-square – also it is interesting (perhaps) that Lunds owns z-square – is
something up there? Perhaps a new store / development?
#35 by Brooks Rownd on December 14, 2009 - 5:38 pm
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Long time, no post. There’s gotta be somewhere dumpy out there to write about…
#36 by Disco Studd on December 15, 2009 - 4:47 am
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4 months without an update? Somebody needs to make a new site dedicated to crappy old malls around the Twin Cities.
There ya go, call it “Crappy Old Malls!” Or how about “Dumpier Strip Malls,” “Dumpier Old Malls,” or “Crappy Strip Malls.”
Any takers? If anybody takes up the cause, post the new site’s addy over here so we can follow you over…
#37 by Jake on December 16, 2009 - 9:49 pm
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Dumpy Strip Malls II: The Sequel
#38 by Matthew on December 17, 2009 - 2:19 pm
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Zachary Square was built to take advantage of its location NEXT to 610, right off the Zachary exit. The place didn’t get dumpy until stores started leaving with that non-existent highway not bringing them any customers. My in-laws ran the video store that was in Zachary Square. It didn’t fare too well.
The real question is what are they going to do with that old house that actually is in the path of 610. Apparently that’s the oldest home in Maple Grove.
#39 by Amy Jane Gustafson on January 25, 2010 - 2:50 am
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My BFF and I absolutely adore your blog! We spent the most….boring, I guess, years of our lives wandering around Village North in Brooklyn Park. Are you from the are?
#40 by NellieBly on June 20, 2010 - 9:24 pm
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I totally remember The Gazebo restaurant in Brookdale, in fact, I believe it was at the Gazebo that I tasted rum cake for the first and last time.
I grew up in the north metro in the seventies and eighties, departing in 88, never to return. I have very fond memories of some of these places, especially the Target on Coon Rapids Boulevard, Northtown and Brookdale. I lived closer to Northtown, so went there often, although even in the eighties we knew it was crappy and preferred the Dales, other than Brookdale. (Although Brookdale did have somewhat of an exotic air because it was closer to Minneapolis).
I remember going to Brookdale in the mid-seventies around easter time. I have a memory of a large Easter bunny in the middle of the store. You would put a quarter into the rabbit and a plastic egg with some kind of toy would roll out. It seemed like it was about 20 feet tall but it was probably more like five. I remember enjoying Donaldson’s at Northtown at Christmastime, and I think I got my ears pierced at some store in Northtown in 1982. I also remember being my own plastic piercer and stud at a kiosk in Brookdale and piercing my nose in the bathroom. Ha.
Anyway, I am living out of state now and really enjoying this site. Thanks for memories!
#41 by Lucy on July 13, 2010 - 8:35 pm
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Wow. For some odd reason I decided to look up Skateland in Brooklyn Park and found this. Freaking awesome! As a refugee of Brooklyn Park before it went ghetto, I warmly remember Village North & Brookdale. Very sad when the era of Brookdale came to an end this past spring.
Anyone remember Toy City, which was not too far from Brooklyn Square? It’s now the urgent care. I bought a record player there in the early 80s. Awesome!
What about Show Biz Pizza Place, which was next to the Burger Brothers. I was so upset when that closed in ’86. i hated Circus Circus!
Thanks for putting this together!!!!!!! It’s like Lost Twin Cities, only for crappy things.
#42 by L on July 31, 2010 - 10:53 pm
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What about Har Mar mall? Or Holly Center in Fridley?