Remembering Bismarck’s Kirkwood Plaza & The Stores We Miss

It's officially the Christmas season, and I thought it was time for a little nostalgia. 

(Only 52 days until Christmas) Let's look back at some snapshots from Kirkwood Plaza (Mall) from the ghosts of Christmas past.

Kirkwood Mall is the 2nd biggest mall in the state.

Kirkwood Mall is the 2nd largest Mall in North Dakota with over 850,000 square feet of shopping paradise.  Originally, known as Kirkwood Plaza the mall opened all the way back in 1970.  The mall was developed and built by a very familiar name in Bismarck the Wachter family.  They later sold the mall for $40 million dollars.

The mall has had several different anchor stores over the years including Montgomery Ward, Herberger's, Dayton's, and Marshall Field's.

Kirkwood Mall has a rich history.

I got a chance to sit down with Kirkwood Mall's General Manager Jennifer Wilson to go over the history of Kirkwood Plaza and eventually the transition to Kirkwood Mall.

Do you remember when Virgil Hill fought at Kirkwood?  I know growing up in Grand Forks, every trip to Bismarck meant a stop at Kirkwood Mall.  To be honest, it was such a better mall than what we had in Grand Forks.  I was always amazed at the traffic compared to my hometown mall.

Jennifer was kind enough to share some old pictures of the mall from the '80s and '90s and I thought I would share them with you.  Most of these stores are long gone, but a few remain today.  As you hit the mall again this holiday shopping season I thought it might bring back some deja vu or fun memories.  Nostalgia, you have to love it.  Enjoy.