The 15 Oldest Stores Still Operating at The Maine Mall

All across the country, there are a lot of malls that have come and gone over the last 50 years.

Here in Maine, that really isn't the case.

The Maine Mall started in 1971 thanks a standalone Jordan Marsh store wanting to add some other retail options around it to wrangle in additional customers. The rest was truly history.

The Maine Mall in South Portland Started With About Two Dozen Stores

When the Maine Mall became an enclosed shopping mall the early 70's, it started with Jordan Marsh and Sears as its primary anchors.

The mall featured several small stores, many of whom were opening their very first locations in the Maine marketplace.

One of the unique aspects of the Maine Mall in the 70's was that it was home to a supermarket to fill all the shopping needs of customers.

A Major Renovation in 1983 Began Transforming The Maine Mall For Good

The 70's version of the Maine Mall was such a smashing success that the mall underwent a substantial expansion in 1983. That expansion more than doubled the size of the Maine Mall.

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It added two additional anchor stores to the mix as well as several more national retailers making their entrance into the Maine marketplace.

Unfortunately, almost none of the stores that opened in the 1983 expansion still operate at the mall today but it remains a pivotal moment for the shopping center.

1994 Was The Last Major Expansion For The Maine Mall

1994 is when things really changed for the Maine Mall as we know it today. The mall added another anchor in Lechmere, worked tirelessly to bring some significant national retailers to the state for the first time and added a food court.

Many of those stores that joined in 1994 remain as some of the oldest stores still operating today at the Maine Mall.