West 41st Street and South Western Avenue
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The Mount Rushmore State's first regional-class, fully-enclosed mall was built on a 40-acre site, located 2.4 miles southwest of downtown Sioux Falls. The land parcel had previously contained the Sioux Skyways Airport. Development was initiated by the Minneapolis-based Western Land Corporation, who announced plans for the shopping center in December 1966. Its designers were the Thorsen & Thorshov Associates firm, also of Minneapolis.
Ground was broken on October 31, 1967. In December, the interests of the Western Land Corporation were acquired by a joint venture of Thorsen & Thorshov and Minneapolis' Crawford-Mertz Construction Company. An entity known as Western Mall Properties was formed that would complete the shopping center.
The first operational WESTERN MALL store, a 1-level (127,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward, opened for business on October 3, 1968. Seven inline stores were dedicated on October 31st, with an additional eight commencing operation on November 14th. On March 5, 1969, a (60,000 square foot) Tempo Discount Center was inaugurated, followed by a (17,000 square foot) Walgreen Drug, which welcomed first shoppers on April 10th. A (40,000 square foot) Britts opened its doors on April 14th.
Charter inline stores included Three Sisters ladies' wear, Geyerman's ladies' wear, Osborn's men's wear, Brodies Home Appliances, Musicland records, Hubbard's Old-Fashioned Candy & Ice Cream Kupboard and Western Mall Liquors.
The ABC North Central Theatres West Mall Theatre showed its first feature on November 22, 1968. A second auditorium opened on December 25, 1974, with the venue renamed as the West Mall Theatres 1 & 2. The West Mall Theatres 1-2-3 debuted in 1984.
A South Wing was added to WESTERN MALL in the early 1970s. Encompassing 50,000 square feet and twenty-six stores, the South Wing was inaugurated on March 31, 1973. New stores and services included Western Mall Sporting Goods, Mall Pet Center, Satter Carpets, The Photo Sketch, Briar & Leaf Pipe & Tobacco Shop, Team Electronics and the Fireside Lounge cocktail bar. The Tempo store received a Tempo Buckeye nameplate in July 1974.
WESTERN MALL encountered its first competition in September 1975, when SIOUX EMPIRE PLAZA {.6 mile west, in Sioux Falls} was completed. SIOUX EMPIRE quickly established itself as the region's preeminent shopping center. Expansions completed in 1978 and 1988 increased its size to over 1 million leasable square feet.
The first operational WESTERN MALL store, a 1-level (127,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward, opened for business on October 3, 1968. Seven inline stores were dedicated on October 31st, with an additional eight commencing operation on November 14th. On March 5, 1969, a (60,000 square foot) Tempo Discount Center was inaugurated, followed by a (17,000 square foot) Walgreen Drug, which welcomed first shoppers on April 10th. A (40,000 square foot) Britts opened its doors on April 14th.
Charter inline stores included Three Sisters ladies' wear, Geyerman's ladies' wear, Osborn's men's wear, Brodies Home Appliances, Musicland records, Hubbard's Old-Fashioned Candy & Ice Cream Kupboard and Western Mall Liquors.
The ABC North Central Theatres West Mall Theatre showed its first feature on November 22, 1968. A second auditorium opened on December 25, 1974, with the venue renamed as the West Mall Theatres 1 & 2. The West Mall Theatres 1-2-3 debuted in 1984.
A South Wing was added to WESTERN MALL in the early 1970s. Encompassing 50,000 square feet and twenty-six stores, the South Wing was inaugurated on March 31, 1973. New stores and services included Western Mall Sporting Goods, Mall Pet Center, Satter Carpets, The Photo Sketch, Briar & Leaf Pipe & Tobacco Shop, Team Electronics and the Fireside Lounge cocktail bar. The Tempo store received a Tempo Buckeye nameplate in July 1974.
WESTERN MALL encountered its first competition in September 1975, when SIOUX EMPIRE PLAZA {.6 mile west, in Sioux Falls} was completed. SIOUX EMPIRE quickly established itself as the region's preeminent shopping center. Expansions completed in 1978 and 1988 increased its size to over 1 million leasable square feet.
Meanwhile, Britts at WESTERN MALL had closed. Sioux Falls-based Shriver's set up shop on March 25, 1979. Shriver's was in business until April 1986. The store was followed by a Richfield, Minnesota-based Best Buy, which began business on October 1, 1986.
Tempo Buckeye had been shuttered in December 1978. Three supermarkets leased the store space during the 1980s. Phar-Mor Drug debuted on December 6, 1989. This store closed in August 1995. Best Buy renovated the structure, creating a downsized (40,000 square foot) store. They relocated into it in the fall of 1996.
WESTERN MALL had been in various stages of decline since the late 1970s. The situation had become critical by the late 1980s. Walgreen Drug, Hubbard's Kupboard and Geyerman's pulled up stakes during 1988. These store shutterings were followed by those for Wise Buy Foods and Toy-riffic, in February 1989, which left the mall 50-percent vacant.
Montgomery Ward had closed their WESTERN MALL store on July 29, 1981. It was followed by an Omaha-based (Gordmans) 1/2 Price Store, which was dedicated in March 1982. Later in the decade, store space in the southeast corner of the mall was reconfigured as a new movie house. The Mid-Continent Theatres (Midco) West Mall 7 showed first features on June 24, 1988. The 3-plex on the other side of the mall was shuttered.
Tempo Buckeye had been shuttered in December 1978. Three supermarkets leased the store space during the 1980s. Phar-Mor Drug debuted on December 6, 1989. This store closed in August 1995. Best Buy renovated the structure, creating a downsized (40,000 square foot) store. They relocated into it in the fall of 1996.
WESTERN MALL had been in various stages of decline since the late 1970s. The situation had become critical by the late 1980s. Walgreen Drug, Hubbard's Kupboard and Geyerman's pulled up stakes during 1988. These store shutterings were followed by those for Wise Buy Foods and Toy-riffic, in February 1989, which left the mall 50-percent vacant.
Montgomery Ward had closed their WESTERN MALL store on July 29, 1981. It was followed by an Omaha-based (Gordmans) 1/2 Price Store, which was dedicated in March 1982. Later in the decade, store space in the southeast corner of the mall was reconfigured as a new movie house. The Mid-Continent Theatres (Midco) West Mall 7 showed first features on June 24, 1988. The 3-plex on the other side of the mall was shuttered.
A new mall owner came on the scene in the next decade. Bill Hinks, of Sioux Falls, bought the struggling shopping complex in 1996 and began to revitalize and retenant it. By August 2001, the 1/2 Price Store had pulled up stakes . The abandoned building was demolished and replaced by a 3-level (109,000 square foot), Fargo-based Scheels All Sports Megastore. This opened on August 1, 2002. In August 2005, the East Wing mallway was closed off. South Dakota Furniture Mart expanded into the space.
In the 2010s, Scheels All Sports was planning and executing a major expansion. Construction began in September 2012. The existing building was doubled in size, to 200,000 square feet, with a south side addition. The new store included a shooting gallery, mini-bowling alley various sports simulators (golf, baseball, football and hockey), and 45 foot-high ferris wheel. Moreover, lines of sporting goods, outdoor footwear and apparel were greatly expanded. Topping off the store's many features were Gramma Gina's Cafe and Starbucks Coffee. The 25 million dollar mercantile was dedicated in May 2014.
Bill Hinks sold WESTERN MALL to a joint venture of seven Sioux Falls-based investors. The SF Western Center, Limited Liability Company took possession in December 2021. At this time, the complex encompassed approximately 528,100 leasable square feet and housed fifty-one stores and services.
Sources:
The Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
https://www.greetingsfromsiouxfalls.com
Minnehaha County, South Dakota property tax assessor website
https://www.bestbuy.com
https://www.lloydcompanies.com
http://www.scheels.com
https://www.cinematreasures.org
The Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
https://www.greetingsfromsiouxfalls.com
Minnehaha County, South Dakota property tax assessor website
https://www.bestbuy.com
https://www.lloydcompanies.com
http://www.scheels.com
https://www.cinematreasures.org
