An extant asset
(Source)
I love city center malls, especially ones found unexpectedly in smaller towns. Being the mall nerd that I am, I’ve located them in hamlets such as Kalispell Center in Kalispell, Montana, Mankato Place in Mankato, Minnesota and Mason City Iowa’s Southbridge Mall. But one of the most successful and active that I have found, so much so that it outlasted its own suburban peer, is in Oregon’s state capital, Salem Center.
Salem Center lease plan ca. 2002. View the full PDF version here.
Though I’ve never been to the Salem Center, only having passed through the city via Interstate 5 on my way to Portland, it does seem to punch way above its weight when compared to the retail options in cities of a similar size. To this day, it still hosts a traditional department store with Macy’s as well as several junior anchors. What’s most unique, however, is that even though it is no longer open, this center once hosted a full line Nordstrom store.
1 to 4- Interior shots of Salem Center. (Source for all) 5- Empty storefronts in the center. (Source) 6- The mall entrance to the former Nordstrom store. (Source)
What today is known as Salem Center opened in 1979 occupying several blocks in the capital’s city center. But the first of its anchor stores was actually built in the mid-fifties when Meier & Frank opened their first branch outlet on the corner of High and Center Streets. A decade later in 1965, JCPenney joined the downtown lineup with their own two level addition just a few blocks away. Then, in 1970, downtown’s first major suburban competition came with the opening of Lancaster Mall just to the east.
Salem Center lease plan ca. 2011. View the full PDF version here.
Originally titled as Nordstrom Mall and Salem Plaza, the double and single tiered buildings were constructed on a couple of blocks between the two extant anchors. JCPenney was connected to the Nordstrom Mall via a skybridge while the Seattle based luxury retailer of the same name debuted their own 72,000 square foot facility. Mervyn’s opened their outlet in Salem Plaza, which itself was expanded with a second level in the mid-eighties.
Salem Center lease plan ca. 2015. View the full PDF version here.
Soon after, the separate centers were consolidated and rechristened as the Salem Center. Over the years, Mervyn’s ceded to Kohl’s and Meier & Frank was converted to a Macy’s upon their takeover. Nordstrom pulled out of what was by then one of their smallest full line locations in 2018 while JCPenney announced their departure in 2020. While these losses have had an impact, Salem Center still hosts standard mall retailers such as American Eagle Outfitters, Hot Topic and Spencer’s.
1 & 2- Two of Salem Center’s mall entrances. 3- The Cinnebare Theaters. (Source for 1 to 3) 4- The former JCPenney store. (Source) 5- The former Nordstrom exterior. (Source) 6- Apartments now stand where Nordstrom once did. (Source)
Salem Center’s sole competition within the market, Lancaster Mall, was de-malled in the late 2010s and was relabeled as Willamette Town Center. This leaves the downtown complex as the only remaining enclosed plaza in the area. The former Nordstrom location was demolished with a residential complex built in its place. Hopefully this will keep enough patrons coming back for the city center retail destination to survive.
Salem Center Mallmanac ca. 2023. View the full PDF version here.
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