A once-popular suburban Chicago mall became the latest to permanently close its doors over the weekend.
Stratford Square Mall in Bloomingdale, the once bustling mall of the 90s, closed for good on Sunday, nearly one month after plans to shutter the mall were first announced. As of Monday, the mall's website has been removed.
Opened in 1981, the mall was previously anchored by Sears, Marshall Fields, and Carson Pirie Scott. It faced many challenges, like other malls across the country trying to keep up with the changing retail landscape, the surge of online shopping and the economy.
"Stratford Square Mall, a product of the 1980s mall-building craze, has faced challenges while other enclosed malls adapted to changing retail landscapes," a Facebook post from the village stated. "Despite efforts by the Mayor and Village Board to collaborate with the mall’s owner, Namdar, negotiations faltered. Consequently, the Village of Bloomingdale took the initiative to acquire the mall and its anchor stores independently. After consolidating the property earlier this year, the Village is now poised to embark on a transformative mixed-use development."
Those who work there, however, say the mall has seen better days.
“If I ever wrote a book about working here no one would believe me,” said longtime mall janitor Stephen Miller. “This mall was totally different. We had totally different stores and over Christmas we couldn’t park in the parking lot because we had so many cars.”
Miller has been a janitor at the mall for nearly 40 years and told NBC Chicago he has seen it all from new stores and the movie theater opening to remodeling to accidents on the escalator.
“It’s amazing watching this whole thing go down,” he said. “Sad, if they really wanted too they could save this mall.”
The Village of Bloomingdale acquired the property and consolidated earlier this year. The village administrator told NBC Chicago they’re working to finalize a redevelopment plan for the property, including a blend of restaurants, entertainment venues, housing, and public open spaces.
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Last month, Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee and Carpentersville permanently closed after 40 years in operation.
