The Muskegon Mall was in existence for 25 years, 1976 – 2001. I owned a record store, yes record store, there from 1980 – 1991. It was a regional magnet with three anchor stores, retail shopping, restaurants, banking, offices, and much more. The mall was built over Western Avenue. About half of the mall was new construction and the rest utilized existing buildings. The roof was at the two story level. You could look through the skylights and see attached buildings which rose above the mall.
People came to the mall to visit with Santa, the Easter bunny, attend coin and antique shows. It was where people came to walk the wide concourses, shop, or just people shop. The first President Bush held a rally at center court during the 1980 Presidential primary. He lost to Ronald Reagan but was his Vice President for eight years before he became our 41st President. It was also a great place for students who were skipping school. I’ve attached a couple of links below. One gives a history of the mall and the other links to a Muskegon Mall Facebook group. The group has people who either worked or remember the mall. Feel free to join if you are so inclined.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZWxeGtiBmk
www.Facebook.com/group.php?gid=105458649487785
