Do you have any information to add? Do you have any old photos you would like to share? Any ideas for the site?
Email me at dumpystripmalls at gmail dot com.
I’m also open to “guest” posts from anyone who would like to contribute to this blog, especially if you wanted to write about a mall/retail establishment outside the Twin Cities Metro area. While I’d like to visit every retail center in Minnesota myself, it’s just not possible. You won’t get paid (I do this for fun, mind you!), but I would give you full credit. Photos (current OR older OR both) of the establishment are required for any contributions.
Please contact me if you are interested.
#1 by Rick S on July 24, 2009 - 2:18 pm
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Love your website. My co workers and I are lol right now. Your descriptions are hilarious.
#2 by mygypsynature aka Tracy Jo - 1961 on July 25, 2009 - 1:28 pm
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Can I link your site to my FaceBook????? I’ve got many Minnesotan’s that would appreciate the irony : )
#3 by admin on July 26, 2009 - 8:59 pm
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Oh sure, no problem! I’d appreciate it!
#4 by Dave on August 1, 2009 - 11:39 pm
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Hi – I love the site! Your information is great, and your site is definitely the funniest of all the retail fansites, bar none.
I have a color photo of the Brookdale Sears taken shortly after opening (1962, I think) that you might like. I tried to email you at the address given above but it might not have gone through.
#5 by Heather on August 3, 2009 - 3:46 am
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This site is such a riot! Wow, how you find time to keep up on your postings? I love it, I have no clue how I stumbled across your page but 2 hours later I am still laughing at your humor & outlook on MN! I don’t even live here either haha! I am in Vegas of all places! Came for a quick trip in November of 08! A place I will never forget. Thanks for keeping my interest peaked! Your sooo funny
#6 by joe on August 4, 2009 - 2:47 pm
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I came across your site by accident and wanted to say that I really enjoyed your writing style; you’ve posted some very funny (and informative) stuff. But, I really need to know… who are you??? Thanks for the clever commentary, Joe
#7 by Peter on August 14, 2009 - 8:04 pm
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Hmmm… Needs some updates on Brookdale.
Let’s see:
VS is closed, Mobile Phone Company Gone, S&Bs gone.
There is still a GNC and a RadioShack…
#8 by DeKay on August 18, 2009 - 12:03 am
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I’ve spent 4 hours here tonight. Obviously, I thought I had a life.
Great site!
#9 by admin on August 18, 2009 - 11:34 am
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@DeKay: Ha ha ha
Thanks, I’m glad you like the site!
#10 by ElectroTim on September 9, 2009 - 9:48 pm
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I too have been lured into spending hours revisiting these relics.
Back in 1983, my wife and I lived in the Century Court apartments in BP, there was always some reason for the cops to be lurking around in the parking lot. My wife worked for the restaurant on the second floor of the Donaldson’s in the Brookdale mall (were Mervyn’s was) and we thought it was “Dumpy” back then. The Rocky Roccoco pizza place was still in Brookdale back then too.
I was working as a TV repairman for Curtis Mathes which was one of the original “Rent-to-Own” retail chains… they rented “Rutherford” televisions that people ended up paying way too much for by the time the rent-to-own contract was done.
They were located in one of the dumpiest stripmalls I can remember, the HI-Lake Shopping Center 2116 East Lake street. It was almost dead back in the 1980′s but must have come into some community re-investment monies recently with alot of new buildings around it.
You have a very entertaining writing style, Thanks for the trip back in time.
#11 by tvaddict19 on November 3, 2009 - 2:56 pm
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Circus Circus was definitely a good time back in the day. The photo you have of people eating there, the child in red, looks like my twin as I had a similar outfit I wore when I was 5 and in April 1988 I woulda been 5. (I know it couldn’t have been me unless it was shot at a b-day party and I knew you once upon a time…)
Anyway, good times, thanks for the reminisce!
#12 by kattie L. on November 20, 2009 - 6:05 pm
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What a joke about Brookdale Mall,used to work there from 05-07. Cheap paying employer. Rest In Peace Brookdale Mall.
#13 by kattie L. on November 20, 2009 - 6:08 pm
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What do other former employees which about Brookdale Mall?
#14 by Jake on December 14, 2009 - 2:56 am
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Anybody got any photos of what Gasoline Alley looked like inside in its prime?
#15 by SPG on December 22, 2009 - 12:13 pm
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Hi there–love this website and your writing style. I grew up in New Brighton, so can try to think of the businesses in the New Brighton Village Shopping Mall on the corner of 694 and Silver Lake Road. There used to be an L-shaped strip mall there anchored on the north end by Lund’s grocery store, and on the west end by Snyder’s Drug store. There was the First State Bank of New Brighton in the outlot, as well as a Champps restaurant, and an old-school Sinclair gas station next to it. There were other stores in the mall itself, but I’d have to search for old pictures and rake my memory. I do remember various ill-fated restaurants in the mall, such as “Chutney Indian Restaurant”.
Hope this helps…
Mike
#16 by Bonnie on January 11, 2010 - 5:15 pm
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I lived in BC and BP. How about Murphys at VN and Penny’s grocery store and Golden Fox. That was the western place you were thinking about, behind the car dealers on Brooklyn Blvd. Aldi’s has taken over by Dennys. I remember when CUB went in and you took a grease pencil to write prices on the cans. What memories!!
#17 by Drew on February 27, 2010 - 6:35 pm
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Great site! I found it while Googling “KDWB aircheck.” Wanted to see if there was anything out there that I hadn’t heard yet. Imagine my surprise when I found a site that uses the same WordPress Arclite theme as mine does!
If you want to hear radio from when these dumpy strip malls were actually new and vibrant, check out http://www.radiogeekheaven.com I have quite a bit of stuff from the Twin Cities and smaller surrounding towns that I recorded as a kid in the 1970s & 80s.
PS: The ultimate dumpy strip mall of the last few decades was CEDARVALE in Eagan. FINALLY, they tore it down!
#18 by Jon on March 28, 2010 - 12:51 pm
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This site is hilarious. I remember when these malls were the shit. There is one restraunt you forgot the name of (in the parking lot of Century “Slums” Courts). The cowboy restraunt was called “Happy Trails” (old ChiChi’s), I used to bus tables there in High School. On paydays we would haul ass over to the bank to cash our checks, because only half of them went through.
Love the Humboldt Square pics too.
#19 by Doug on April 21, 2010 - 1:25 am
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Well, the Roseville Joe’s Crab Shack is open again but Fuddruckers is now closed. I heard that an iHop is going into the Fudds spot but don’t see any activity. Since I live only a few blocks away, I’ll keep an eye on it.
#20 by Carl on April 22, 2010 - 10:20 am
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Update the site again
#21 by Jamie on May 7, 2010 - 11:33 am
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Hey. I’m wondering if you might have or know of somewhere I can get pictures of the Eden Prairie mall BEFORE the renovations they did awhile back. I cannot find any whatsoever!
Thanks
#22 by Azar on May 24, 2010 - 11:52 am
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Are to planning on continuing this blog, or have you lost interests of it?
#23 by L on May 31, 2010 - 1:15 pm
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Love your website!
#24 by Eric on June 9, 2010 - 10:46 pm
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can I share some photos with the site, I have some good Venture abandon walmart,value city,handy Andy, service merchandise,WARDS and more from the Chicago burbs
#25 by Lucy on July 13, 2010 - 8:54 pm
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Hello!
I often thought about a blog or some sort of history, either a book or website dedicated just to the history of Dayton’s. I accidentally asked for a book which I thought was just that for Christmas one year, but when I got it, it turned out to be just a bunch of pictures of Dayton’s stores. No real in-depth history. That was truly a heartbreaker when they ended their reign the place to shop for nice things.
Also, it would be nice to see a site similar to the Apache Plaza one just for Brookdale.
#26 by A.J. on July 25, 2010 - 10:14 pm
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Some good and bad updates from a resident within spiting distance from the old Target (CRB). BP gas station at corner of CRB and Crooked Lake Bvld closed, the Matress place behind it closed (something new is going into it though, remodelling it now), I like the homes being built on the old Jeep dealershp property. Now that’s what they need to do with the Target area, don’t need businesses there being they can barely keep Riverdale rented as it is. Need to offset the Condo/Townhome crazyness around here. I like this neighborhood and don’t want to leave, might be buried here some day even.
#27 by s1500 on August 17, 2010 - 7:47 am
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I love your site. I especially love the local focus. What a productivity killer at work. My idea from many moons ago was to take a picture of a current business & tell everyone what it used to be. Copper Dome Restaurant in St. Paul? Used to be an auto parts store. I also love the picture of the Le Car + MG(for some defunct auto dealership) painted on that one building on University Avenue. A fun relic from the past.