"Malls aren't dead, they're in transition." Tell that to Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

 

Photos by Retiring Guy\

Marketplace, 11/27/2023

Southdale was the first indoor mall in the country. It opened in 1956, when suburbia was growing. The shopping center had clothing stores. But it also had European-style sidewalk cafes (minus the sidewalk). An orchestra even held balls there. The idea was to create a place where the community could escape from the freezing Minnesota winter and socialize without the fuss of going downtown. 

That’s what’s happening at Southdale Center in Minnesota — there’s a fancy gym, with co-working stations and pickleball. An upscale grocer will soon become an anchor tenant. Plus, high-end apartments have gone up nearby.

Southdale in 1956

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