Northbrook Mall Pylon Sign
Constructed in 1959, Northbrook Mall was the city’s second shopping center, and the first fully enclosed center to open in North Dakota – reportedly beating Grand Fork’s South Forks Center by a matter of days. Regional grocery chain Red Owl (later called “Freshmart Foods”) was the mall’s sole anchor until closing in 1989. Northbrook Drug has since been the center’s largest store. The center saw a small addition sometime in the early-to-mid 1970s, and underwent major renovation in the late 1980s.
At its prime, the mall was a thriving neighborhood shopping center, complete with a grocery store, salon, hardware store, video rental store, drugstore, and restaurants including Little Caesar’s Pizza. The opening of nearby Gateway Mall in 1979 would offer intense competition for Northbrook and unfortunately cause high vacancy troubles at the shopping center for years.
Midwest Management (now GOLDMARK) assumed management of the mall in late 1986, which at the time only had a 58% occupancy rate. By July 1987, occupancy had risen to 90%. However, the closing of the Red Owl Grocer in 1989 left its largest space empty. High vacancy rates would again plague the center over the next few years. Unable to find stable retail clients, who tend to favor the higher foot traffic of larger malls, today Northbrook houses mostly office space, known unofficially as the Northbrook Professional Center.
NOTE: According to some sources, including a Bismarck Tribune article from 1987, Northbrook Mall opened in 1962, however many sources put it at 1959, including the book “History of Bismarck, North Dakota – The First 100 Years”. Other sources actually cite the opening year as 1964. It is reasonable to assume that construction began in 1959, but was not fully completed until later. There is evidence suggesting that the center was operational by at least 1962.
| List of Northbrook Tenants In 1989: |
|
| NOTE: The former Red Owl/Freshmart space was partially occupied by Santa’s Surplus in November-December 1989. |
Related Articles:
- Red Owl Grocery Store Red Owl was a regional grocery chain headquartered in Hopkins,...
- Box Office Video Takes Over Former Hollywood Video Space Locally-owned Box Office Video has relocated one of its locations...
- Hollywood Video Closing It wasn’t all that long ago that Bismarck was flooded...
- S&H Green Stamps S&H Green Stamps was a national rewards program that was...
- Famous Labels Closed At Gateway Fashion Mall Famous Labels, the center anchor space at Gateway Fashion Mall,...
