Five Dead Malls in the Dallas and Fort Worth Area

Dead malls and abandoned shopping centers have always fascinated me. These decaying relics of once thriving retail chains are our modern day ghost towns. Over the past decade, enclosed malls have seen a decline in popularity all across the country, no thanks in part to the convenience of online shopping. Here is a list of five dead shopping malls of the Dallas/Fort Worth area that are now closed or completely demolished.

The Forum 303-Arlington, TX

A popular hang-out in the 1970s and 80s, the Forum was a one story shopping mall that housed a movie theater, a video arcade (with a GIANT indoor carousel), a public amphitheater, and a beloved local toy store called 'Toys By Roy' that specialized in fine children's toys such as Lionel Trains, Madame Alexander Dolls, and mechanical 'wind-up' toys. The Forum's popularity began to decline in the late 1980s after the Parks at Arlington opened on Cooper Street in the spring of 1988. Through out the 1990s and early 2000s, it underwent several make-overs including a flea market style shopping center, but all attempts to give it new life failed miserably. The Forum officially closed in 2006 and was torn down a year later. A business park and offices now occupy its place.

Six Flags Mall-Arlington, TX

Once the most prominent shopping mall in Arlington, Six Flags Mall was another victim of The Parks, as it began to decline in popularity in the late 1980s. Today, the mall sits virtually a ghost town, surrounded by strip clubs, bars, tattoo parlors, and other seedy establishments in a now run-done part of Arlington. Back in its prime however, Six Flags mall was an elegant and fun place for the entire family to shop. The original interior of the mall had a dark, medieval castle look and feel, with tons of leafy trees and stone animals to sit on (back then us kids had to use our imaginations to have fun when we went to the mall!) In the early 1990s, the mall was given a modern make-over, which took away a great deal of its charm. All attempts to compete with the Parks failed miserably, and even with the opening of the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium close by, there is little to no hope for new life in this ancient shopping mall, and there are talks of tearing the mall down completely as of 2010.


North Hills Mall-North Richland Hills, TX

Built in 1979, this mall had its heyday in the 1980s and 1990s, being a popular hangout for teenagers back then. One of the smaller malls in the north Texas area, North Hills began to decline in 1999, when construction on Airport Freeway limited customers' access to the it. This, along with bigger and newer malls in the area contributed to its closing in 2004. For several years the mall sat vacant and rotting away, until it was finally demolished in 2007.


Prestonwood Mall-Dallas, TX

Also built in 1979, Prestonwood Town Center (or Prestonwood Mall as it was locally called) had its heyday in the early to mid 1980s. This elegant, two story mall featured upscale anchor stores such as Neiman Marcus and Lord & Taylor, in addition to a large ice skating rink. Sadly, competition with the local Galleria Dallas and Valley View Center caused the mall to decline by the early 1990s, and the mall was sold to a telecommunications business in the year 2000. After that venture failed as well, the building was demolished in 2004.

Big Town Mall-Mesquite, TX

Built in 1959, this was not only North Texas' very first enclosed and air-conditioned shopping mall, but the very first one built in the Southwest. This mall was THE place to shop in the 1950s and early 1960s, as it was the biggest, newest, and grandest mall in the North Texas area at the time. The mall flourished until the late 1970s when newer malls began to sprout up all around the area. Anchor stores such as JC Penney's kept the mall alive during its last 30 years, and interestingly, the mall kept its mid-century decor up until the very end in 2006. This website has some great pictures of the mall as it looked during its final years, and could possibly be considered North Texas' version of Dixie Square Mall (the most famous 'dead' mall in the world, located in Harvey, IL) as it sat decaying for years with its original look and style intact.

Many more dead malls dot the North Texas area, but these five are the most well known, and best remembered by the locals. I remember shopping at these malls growing up, and was very saddened to see them close up shop for good, but sadly all good things must come to an end, but we are blessed with memories, and images of what once was.

Sources:
www.deadmalls.com
www.wikipedia.com