As residents across Bismarck begin preparing for the upcoming holiday shopping season, historical details surrounding the capital city's primary retail hub offer a look into local business history, as Super Talk 1270 – Accurate News, Stimulating Talk – Bismarck News Radio reported.
Kirkwood Mall, which first opened its doors in 1970 under the name Kirkwood Plaza, remains an integral part of the Bismarck retail scene. The facility spans over 850,000 square feet of shopping space, establishing it as the second largest shopping mall in the entire state of North Dakota.
The original development of the site was spearheaded by the Wachter family, a familiar name in the local Bismarck community. The family developed and constructed the commercial center before eventually selling the property in a transaction valued at 40 million dollars.
Over its decades of operation in Burleigh County, the property transitioned from its original designation as Kirkwood Plaza to its current identity as Kirkwood Mall. Throughout these years, the shopping center has hosted a rotating lineup of major retail anchor stores. Historical anchor tenants that have operated inside the facility include Montgomery Ward, Herberger's, Dayton's, and Marshall Field's.
In addition to traditional retail operations, the site has served as a venue for notable public gatherings, including a historical boxing match featuring fighter Virgil Hill. Beyond local shoppers, the facility has historically drawn regional foot traffic from across North Dakota, including visitors traveling from Grand Forks and other surrounding areas due to the high volume of store traffic and space compared to other regional facilities.
Kirkwood Mall General Manager Jennifer Wilson reviewed the historical timeline of the commercial space, detailing the transition from the original Kirkwood Plaza era into the modern retail era. Wilson also shared archival photographs from the 1980s and 1990s that document long-gone store fronts and former tenants that once lined the hallways of the property.
While many of the vintage stores featured in the historical photos are no longer operating within the facility, a few original tenants continue to serve local customers today. The property also continues to see new developments, including three recent upgrades at the local Scheels location situated within the mall complex.
With early holiday decorating and shopping activity already picking up throughout Bismarck neighborhoods ahead of Thanksgiving, city shoppers heading back to the state's second largest mall will navigate a space deeply rooted in local retail heritage.
