Northwoods Mall used to be a very popular hangout place for young people in Peoria. However, malls across America have been in a sharp decline since the mid-2000’s due to the increasing popularity of E-commerce websites like Amazon. To many teenagers, there’s no need for a trip to the mall when they can simply shop from the comfort of their home. All the same, many people experience feelings of nostalgia when they picture eating burgers and fries in the food court, darting in and out of the trendiest clothing stores, and competing in the arcade against their closest friends. Northwoods Mall was a popular place for all these activities, starting all the way back on August 13, 1973, when it had its grand opening.
Surprisingly, when Northwoods Mall opened, it was the largest indoor mall in the state outside of Chicago. It boasted several popular anchor stores, including Carson’s, Montgomery Ward, and JCPenney. Carson’s was quickly replaced by Famous Barr, which was subsequently bought and changed to Macy’s. Similarly, Montgomery Ward was occupied by Sears after its closure in 1998.
By 1993, Northwoods Mall featured exactly 103 stores, and many of them were specialty businesses that you don’t typically see in malls today. For example, the mall had several bookstores, including B. Dalton Booksellers and Zondervan Bookstore. Some of the most unique stores Northwoods showcased were Musicland (CDs, VHS tapes, video games), Frontier Fruit & Nut (gourmet food items for custom gift baskets), So-Fro Fabrics (fabrics, sewing supplies, craft materials), Dutch Mill (chocolates and candies), Things Remembered (personalized gifts), and Wicks ‘N’ Sticks (hand-carved candles & candle holders).
The mall also had a wide variety of distinctive restaurants, one of the most popular being Farrel’s Ice Cream Parlour. This eatery was known for its lively atmosphere and excessive sundaes, namely the “Zoo”, which consisted of 50 scoops of ice cream. Another popular dining option was the Nordic House, which was located inside of Carson’s lower level and was a Scandinavian-themed restaurant that faced an outside garden containing a sculpture and plantings. One restaurant business that didn’t succeed, however, was Skewer Inn. On October of 1983, 23 customers developed a rare food poisoning called botulism. None of them died, but the restaurant was sued and closed permanently.
Despite this setback, Northwoods Mall still did considerably well in the 80s and 90s, remaining a popular shopping center for teenagers during that time. 25 years later, the mall has a total of 90 specialty stores, but JCPenney and Helzberg’s Diamonds are the only original tenants that remain. However, general manager, Julie Revallo, believes that the mall has a bright future. The recent addition of Tilted 10 as a brand-new arcade complex featuring miniature golf courses, a bowling alley, and bumper cars is very promising and offers plenty of entertainment options to young people and families. “This is a wonderful addition to Northwoods Mall,” Revallo commented upon the announcement of its opening. “We don’t want empty anchors. We want them full, and we’re pretty excited about this one coming in. It will give people of all ages a place to go.”
Northwoods Mall may not be the hotspot that it once was, but its staff are still working to make it a more diverse and entertaining place for visitors. It features many trendy clothing stores such as Aeropostale, Hot Topic, and American Eagle. It also offers several fun places to grab a coffee or a quick snack, like Gloria Jean’s, Auntie Anne’s, and Exotic Snack Guys. Although online shopping offers greater convenience, Northwoods Mall still provides a wide selection of good deals, leisure activities, and dining options to enjoy with friends and family- as do many malls across America, but they grow increasingly vacant as the years go on. This autumn, call up your friends and give Northwoods Mall a visit. You might just find a cute fall fit, a good bite to eat, or your new favorite arcade game. You never know what memories are waiting to be made until you get out there and explore what Peoria has to offer!
Sources:
https://www.pjstar.com/story/business/2023/02/06/the-past-present-and-future-of-northwoods-mall-in-peoria/69784294007/ https://peoriachronicle.com/40-years-of-northwoods-mall/
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/coming-soon-northwoods-mall-peoria-193336837.html
