Gorham and Payne (Maine Mall) Roads
South Portland, Maine
The history of the Pine Tree State's preeminent shopping hub begins in 1966. South Portland City Manager Bernal B. Allen convinced the City and its Chamber of Commerce to acquire the 137-acre Dwyer's pig farm for potential development as a retail center.
The plot, located 4 miles southwest of center city Portland, was adjacent to a section of the Maine Turnpike (Interstate 95) that had opened to traffic in December 1955. Boston's Julian Cohen, a philanthropist and real estate developer, bought the pig farm parcels and initiated construction of a 2-level (188,000 square foot), Boston-based Jordan Marsh. This freestanding department store was dedicated on August 8, 1969.
Ground was broken for a fully-enclosed shopping center in April 1970. The complex was designed by Boston's Sumner Schein, with input from the Portland-based Milliken, Tomlinson Company (service supply house for IGA supermarkets). MAINE MALL opened, with an initial twenty-one stores, on August 16, 1971. Charter tenants included Zales Jewelers, Chess King, Consumer Value Store (a.k.a. CVS), Spencer Gifts, The Plum Tree, Stride-Rite Bootery and (48,300 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10.
A (21,300 square foot) IGA Gold Star supermarket commenced operation on September 15, 1971. This store dedication was followed by the grand opening of a 1-level (102,000 square foot) Sears, on October 11, 1971. MAINE MALL now housed around 510,100 leasable square feet and fifty-six tenants.
On December 25, 1975, the General Cinema Corporation Maine Mall Cinema I-II-III showed its first features. The venue, built as a freestanding structure, was located on a site across Payne (Maine Mall) Road from the shopping hub. The theater was expanded into a 7-plex in 1984 and shuttered in November 2002.
Ground was broken for a 40 million dollar expansion of MAINE MALL on May 27, 1982. Over 500,000 square feet of retail space was added in a new East Wing. Three anchor stores joined the tenant list; a 2-level (120,800 square foot), Boston-based Filene's ["fiy-leenz"], 2-level (79,000 square foot), Portland-based Porteous, Mitchell & Braun and 1-level (80,000 square foot) J.C. Penney.
A 65 million dollar renovation was done in the mid-1990s. A food court, installed as part of the 1980s expansion, was relocated. Moreover, new tile flooring and skylights were installed throughout the mall and a 1-level (55,900 square foot), Woburn ["woo-burn"] , Massachusetts-based Lechmere ["leech-meer"] was built at the west entrance.
The official name of the complex was also altered. Henceforth, it would be known as THE MAINE MALL. A re-dedication ceremony was held on October 16, 1994. The center, which now spanned approximately 1,099,000 leasable square feet, had 120 stores and services under its roof.
Porteous closed on December 31, 1994. The building was gutted and subdivided. A (36,000 square foot) Filene's Men's & Home Furnishings store opened, on the Lower Level, October 30, 1996. A (40,000 square foot), Englewood, Colorado-based Sports Authority began business, in the Upper Level, in June 1997.
Jordan Marsh had been rebranded as a Macy's on March 31, 1996. Woolworth was shuttered in July 1997 and replaced, by a Clifton, New Jersey-based Linens 'n Things, on July 2, 1999. Lechmere was shuttered in November 1997 and re-opened, as a Richfield, Minnesota-based Best Buy, October 16, 1998.
The turn of the century brought more changes. The shopping hub was purchased by Chicago-based General Growth Properties in October 2003. 2 years later, the Filene's chain was dissolved as part of a Federated Stores / May Stores merger. Its two THE MAINE MALL locations closed in March 2006.
For years, reports circulated concerning a prospective lifestyle-type expansion of THE MAINE MALL. The vacant Filene's main store was to be razed and replaced by a 16-screen Regal multiplex cinema and open-air section of stores. This addition, to be known as MAINE MALL COMMONS, was to house a Barnes & Noble bookstore and five casual dining restaurants.
Best Buy was also to relocate into a newly-built outparcel store. The original location in the mall was supposed to be torn down and replaced by a new open-air section of stores. However, a lawsuit, The Great Recession, and financial problems at General Growth Properties caused these projects to be abandoned.
Nevertheless, several vacant spaces at the mall were filled. The old Filene's Men's & Home Furnishings was divided between a (25,900 square foot) Forever XXI and (17,100 square foot) H & M. These stores opened on October 29, 2008.
The old Woolworth / Linens 'n Things space had been temporarily leased as a Gobeil's Furniture Gallery. This store was shuttered and divided between a (25,000 square foot) Extreme Family Fitness Center and (15,000 square foot) Super Shoes. These began business in October 2010. The Extreme facility was short-lived. It was replaced by Old Navy on November 16, 2011.
After sitting vacant for 7 years, the old Filene's at THE MAINE MALL was retenanted. York, Pennsylvania-based The Bon Ton renovated the 2-level space and held a grand opening on September 12, 2013. The 19-year-old Sports Authority store was shuttered in mid-2016. In August 2017, The Bon Ton closed their THE MAINE MALL location, which had been in operation for nearly 5 years.
Brookfield Property Partners, based in Hamilton, Bermuda, acquired a share of General Growth Properties in 2016. In August 2018, Brookfield established 100 percent ownership of the corporation. Hence, THE MAINE MALL became part of the Brookfield retail center portfolio.
Sources:
The Boston Globe
On December 25, 1975, the General Cinema Corporation Maine Mall Cinema I-II-III showed its first features. The venue, built as a freestanding structure, was located on a site across Payne (Maine Mall) Road from the shopping hub. The theater was expanded into a 7-plex in 1984 and shuttered in November 2002.
Ground was broken for a 40 million dollar expansion of MAINE MALL on May 27, 1982. Over 500,000 square feet of retail space was added in a new East Wing. Three anchor stores joined the tenant list; a 2-level (120,800 square foot), Boston-based Filene's ["fiy-leenz"], 2-level (79,000 square foot), Portland-based Porteous, Mitchell & Braun and 1-level (80,000 square foot) J.C. Penney.
The addition was officially dedicated on August 4, 1983. The Bridgton Community Marching Band provided musical accompaniment for the official ribbon cutting. Speeches were given by Governor Joseph E. Brennan (D), Sydney H. Schwartz (Mayor of South Portland), Elliot Stone (President of Jordan Marsh), Merwin S. Kamenstein (President of Filene's), Earle L. Ingalls (President of Porteous, Mitchell & Braun) and Stephen R. Weiner (President of S.R. Weiner Associates, managing partner of the mall). The shopping hub now encompassed approximately 1,043,100 leasable square feet and housed 125 stores and services.
A 65 million dollar renovation was done in the mid-1990s. A food court, installed as part of the 1980s expansion, was relocated. Moreover, new tile flooring and skylights were installed throughout the mall and a 1-level (55,900 square foot), Woburn ["woo-burn"] , Massachusetts-based Lechmere ["leech-meer"] was built at the west entrance.
The official name of the complex was also altered. Henceforth, it would be known as THE MAINE MALL. A re-dedication ceremony was held on October 16, 1994. The center, which now spanned approximately 1,099,000 leasable square feet, had 120 stores and services under its roof.
Porteous closed on December 31, 1994. The building was gutted and subdivided. A (36,000 square foot) Filene's Men's & Home Furnishings store opened, on the Lower Level, October 30, 1996. A (40,000 square foot), Englewood, Colorado-based Sports Authority began business, in the Upper Level, in June 1997.
Jordan Marsh had been rebranded as a Macy's on March 31, 1996. Woolworth was shuttered in July 1997 and replaced, by a Clifton, New Jersey-based Linens 'n Things, on July 2, 1999. Lechmere was shuttered in November 1997 and re-opened, as a Richfield, Minnesota-based Best Buy, October 16, 1998.
The turn of the century brought more changes. The shopping hub was purchased by Chicago-based General Growth Properties in October 2003. 2 years later, the Filene's chain was dissolved as part of a Federated Stores / May Stores merger. Its two THE MAINE MALL locations closed in March 2006.
For years, reports circulated concerning a prospective lifestyle-type expansion of THE MAINE MALL. The vacant Filene's main store was to be razed and replaced by a 16-screen Regal multiplex cinema and open-air section of stores. This addition, to be known as MAINE MALL COMMONS, was to house a Barnes & Noble bookstore and five casual dining restaurants.
Best Buy was also to relocate into a newly-built outparcel store. The original location in the mall was supposed to be torn down and replaced by a new open-air section of stores. However, a lawsuit, The Great Recession, and financial problems at General Growth Properties caused these projects to be abandoned.
Nevertheless, several vacant spaces at the mall were filled. The old Filene's Men's & Home Furnishings was divided between a (25,900 square foot) Forever XXI and (17,100 square foot) H & M. These stores opened on October 29, 2008.
The old Woolworth / Linens 'n Things space had been temporarily leased as a Gobeil's Furniture Gallery. This store was shuttered and divided between a (25,000 square foot) Extreme Family Fitness Center and (15,000 square foot) Super Shoes. These began business in October 2010. The Extreme facility was short-lived. It was replaced by Old Navy on November 16, 2011.
After sitting vacant for 7 years, the old Filene's at THE MAINE MALL was retenanted. York, Pennsylvania-based The Bon Ton renovated the 2-level space and held a grand opening on September 12, 2013. The 19-year-old Sports Authority store was shuttered in mid-2016. In August 2017, The Bon Ton closed their THE MAINE MALL location, which had been in operation for nearly 5 years.
Brookfield Property Partners, based in Hamilton, Bermuda, acquired a share of General Growth Properties in 2016. In August 2018, Brookfield established 100 percent ownership of the corporation. Hence, THE MAINE MALL became part of the Brookfield retail center portfolio.
The Boston Globe
The Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine)
The Evening Express (Portland, Maine)
The Maine Sunday Telegram (Portland, Maine)
The Directory of Major Malls / 1979 / MJJTM Publications / Suffern, NY
The Maine Sunday Telegram (Portland, Maine)
The Directory of Major Malls / 1979 / MJJTM Publications / Suffern, NY
http://www.mainemall.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
www.labelscar.com
www.southportland.org
www.geocities.com
www.usm.maine.edu / "A Study Of Retail Sprawl & The Lives of People In Greater Portland, Maine" / Kevin Burke
www.ggp.com / General Growth Properties
www.southportland.org
www.geocities.com
www.usm.maine.edu / "A Study Of Retail Sprawl & The Lives of People In Greater Portland, Maine" / Kevin Burke
www.ggp.com / General Growth Properties
http://cinematreasures.org
www.cinematour.com
FAIR USE OF THE MAINE MALL PHOTOS:
The photos from The Portland Public Library Archives help to illustrate a key moment in the mall's history that is described in the article. The images are not replaceable with free-use or public-domain images. The use of the images does not limit the copyright owners' rights to distribute the images in any way. The images are being used for non-profit, informational purposes only and their use is not believed to detract from the original images in any way.
