GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL
Memorial Drive and Sanger Circle
Saint Johnsbury, Vermont
What was Vermont's first mall-type shopping center? The entirety of GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL, in the northeast corner of the state, was officially dedicated on November 6, 1974. Down in the southwestern section, JUSTER MALL (a.k.a. RUTLAND MALL) was completed in stages.
The first operational JUSTER MALL store opened in October 1974, but it would take until the spring of 1975 for a mall-wide grand opening to be held. So, with these facts in evidence, we award GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL the "first mall in Vermont" distinction.
GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL was developed by a joint venture of William Costa, Orlando Costa and Harvey Kaplan (of Saint Johnsbury) and Matthew Sugarman, Bernard Healy and Barry Malitsky (of Massachusetts). The partially-enclosed complex was built on a 15 acre plot, located 2.4 miles north of the town center of Saint Johnsbury.
The first operational JUSTER MALL store opened in October 1974, but it would take until the spring of 1975 for a mall-wide grand opening to be held. So, with these facts in evidence, we award GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL the "first mall in Vermont" distinction.
GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL was developed by a joint venture of William Costa, Orlando Costa and Harvey Kaplan (of Saint Johnsbury) and Matthew Sugarman, Bernard Healy and Barry Malitsky (of Massachusetts). The partially-enclosed complex was built on a 15 acre plot, located 2.4 miles north of the town center of Saint Johnsbury.
The 3 million dollar complex spanned approximately 195,400 leasable square feet and was anchored by a 1-level (35,300 square foot) W.T. Grant variety store, 1-level (60,500 square foot) Zayre discount mart and (30,400 square foot) A & P supermarket.
GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL had a rocky start. A & P closed in 1975, with the entire Grant's chain declaring bankruptcy in 1976. A McDonald's restaurant, and several other tenants, broke their leases and pulled up stakes. Other mall stores threatened to do the same.
Things had begun to turn around at GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL by 1980. The vacant A & P re-opened as a Shop & Save supermarket. Grant's space was leased by J.C. Penney. A Sears Appliance & Hardware opened in 1981.
Still, stores came and went. Zayre was shuttered in 1988. The store re-opened, as a Salem, Massachusetts-based Rich's, in 1991. At this time, the president of the Rich's chain, Howard Rich, bought a fifty-percent share of GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL, and invested 3 million dollars into renovating the facility.
Still, stores came and went. Zayre was shuttered in 1988. The store re-opened, as a Salem, Massachusetts-based Rich's, in 1991. At this time, the president of the Rich's chain, Howard Rich, bought a fifty-percent share of GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL, and invested 3 million dollars into renovating the facility.
By January 1997, the Rich's chain was out of business. Their (60,500 square foot) anchor store, the largest space in the mall, was occupied by Rocky Hill, Connecticut-based Ames in late 1997. More anchor changes transpired.
The Shop & Save grocery, on the north end of the complex, became a Butson's, and then Sav-A-Lot. That store lasted until 2006. A North Kingston, Rhode Island-based Ocean State Job Lot opened in the space in early 2008.
Meanwhile, on the south end of the mall, the Ames chain went belly-up, with its GREEN MOUNTAIN location going out of business on October 13, 2002. The vacant anchor box was eventually occupied by a relocated J.C. Penney, which held its grand opening on September 26, 2007.
The empty Grant's / Penney's space was reconfigured as an extended North Wing concourse, with a Yankee 1 Dollar housed in one of the newly-created store spaces.
The empty Grant's / Penney's space was reconfigured as an extended North Wing concourse, with a Yankee 1 Dollar housed in one of the newly-created store spaces.
Bernard Healy and Howard Rich, proprietors of GREEN MOUNTAIN MALL, performed a face lift renovation in mid-2011. This was accompanied by the opening of offices for the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce, in December 2011.
Subsequent dedications were held for Fitness Unbound (May 2015) and Saint J Brewery Draft Room & Hoagie Bar (February 2016). Sears, a circa-1981 tenant, closed their "Hometown Store" in 2018.
Subsequent dedications were held for Fitness Unbound (May 2015) and Saint J Brewery Draft Room & Hoagie Bar (February 2016). Sears, a circa-1981 tenant, closed their "Hometown Store" in 2018.
Sources:
http://www.caledonianrecord.com (The Caledonian Record)
http://www.greenmountainmall.com
http://www.geocities.com/ /zayre88
http://www.amesfanclub.com
