Aurora Avenue North and North 205th Street
King County (Shoreline), Washington
The fifth regional-class shopping center in Greater Seattle was designed by John Graham, Junior. Open-air in format, the complex was developed by Seattle's Manson F. Backus, under the auspices of Aurora Shopping Center, Incorporated. AURORA VILLAGE CENTER was built on 35 acres, located 13.9 miles north of the center city. The site, then in unincorporated King County, was directly south of the King-Snohomish County line.
Plans for the mall were announced in April 1959, with construction commencing on July 13, 1959. The first stores in the 17 million dollar shopping venue opened on April 5, 1960. The final original tenant began business on August 16, 1961. At this time, there were thirty stores and services.
Anchors were a (40,000 square foot) J.C. Penney, (21,000 square foot) Pay 'n Save Drug, (30,000 square foot) F.W. Woolworth and (20,900 square foot) Big Bear-Lucky Stores supermarket. Charter inline stores included Andy's Village Inn restaurant, Nordstrom's Shoes, Bon Ton French Bakery, Edwards Junior Boot Shop, Singer Sewing Center, Turner Jewelers and the GI-EM Gift Shop.
A 3-level (180,000 square foot), Seattle-based Frederick & Nelson opened, on the east end of the mall, on July 22, 1963. In 1967, Ernst Hardware relocated from a mall store into a freestanding (32,700 square foot) Ernst Home Center. It was built in the mall's south parking
area.
On March 29, 1974, a 2-level (71,000 square foot) Nordstrom was dedicated. It was the first unit in the Seattle-based chain to
be built as a bona fide Nordstrom department store (earlier locations
had operated under the Best's Apparel and Nordstrom Best banners). A parking deck was also built adjacent to the new Nordstrom.
Shopping centers in the AURORA VILLAGE trade area included NORTHGATE CENTER (1950) {4.6 miles south, in King County (Seattle)}, AURORA SQUARE (1967) {2.2 miles southwest, in King County (Shoreline)} and ALDERWOOD MALL (1979) {4.7 miles northeast, in Snohomish County (Lynnwood)}.
Shopping centers in the AURORA VILLAGE trade area included NORTHGATE CENTER (1950) {4.6 miles south, in King County (Seattle)}, AURORA SQUARE (1967) {2.2 miles southwest, in King County (Shoreline)} and ALDERWOOD MALL (1979) {4.7 miles northeast, in Snohomish County (Lynnwood)}.
Lucky Stores and Pay 'n Save Drug moved from mall-based stores into a freestanding structure; this built west of the Ernst Home Center. The grocery store and pharmacy were open for business by 1977. AURORA VILLAGE was enclosed and climate-controlled soon after. Work commenced in March 1979 and was completed in 1980. New retail area flanked mall entrances. Moreover, the Luxury Theatres Aurora Village 4 was installed in mall space vacated by Lucky Stores. The multiplex showed first features on December 12, 1980.
The revitalized AURORA VILLAGE MALL encompassed approximately 510,000 leasable square feet and housed sixty stores and services. It was acquired by the Kirkland, Washington-based Northwest Building Corporation in 1987. Renovation plans were announced that would never come to fruition. \\
The revitalized AURORA VILLAGE MALL encompassed approximately 510,000 leasable square feet and housed sixty stores and services. It was acquired by the Kirkland, Washington-based Northwest Building Corporation in 1987. Renovation plans were announced that would never come to fruition. \\
The mall was re-sold in 1989, with the buyer being the Portland-based Pan Pacific Development Corporation. By this time, the complex was in a downward spiral. Pan Pacific planned a renovation, whereby the moribund mall would be demolished, leaving its two anchors standing. These would be worked into a new 777,000 square foot shopping mall with two levels of retail, a food court, multiplex cinema and over 140 stores and services.
A 370,000 square foot power center, known as AURORA VILLAGE CENTER, was built. Its 1-level (156,000 square foot) Costco welcomed first patrons on June 30, 1994. Stores and services included Petco, Office Max, Big 5 Sporting Goods (a former mall tenant), and 1-level (130,000 square foot) Home Depot. The shopping center site became part of the newly-incorporated city of Shoreline in August 1995.
Sources:
The Seattle Times
The Catholic Northwest Progress (Seattle, Washington)
Financing for the project was never secured. The mall fell into disrepair and became a haven for crime. Frederick & Nelson pulled up stakes in September 1991, starting an inline store exodus. Nordstrom, the mall's final operational store, went dark on May 30, 1992. New York City-based Citicorp, acquired the property by loan default in October 1992. They decided to raze the entire structure, with demolition commencing in late 1993.
A 370,000 square foot power center, known as AURORA VILLAGE CENTER, was built. Its 1-level (156,000 square foot) Costco welcomed first patrons on June 30, 1994. Stores and services included Petco, Office Max, Big 5 Sporting Goods (a former mall tenant), and 1-level (130,000 square foot) Home Depot. The shopping center site became part of the newly-incorporated city of Shoreline in August 1995.
Sources:
The Seattle Times
The Catholic Northwest Progress (Seattle, Washington)
http://www.shorelineareanews.com
https://www.movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
https://www.movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
https://www.cinematreasures.org
