BROOKDALE MALL: BROOKLYN CENTER, MN
Dan Faltesek's Commentary
Posted September 12, 2010 (user submitted)
Brookdale center was initially developed by the Dayton Hudson company shortly after Southdale, opening in 1962. The Mall featured wide corridors, and only had one level in contrast to the other malls developed from the Gruen model. Brookdale also differed from its counterparts in the Twin Cities area, as the area around the mall was substantially less well to do than the areas around Rosedale, Ridgedale, and especially Southdale.
At its peak, Brookdale had three anchors and over seventy other stores. A wing build in the early aughts brought a fourth anchor position and a food court. In 2004, Brookdale lost its first anchor. Within five years, there was near total attrition from the location. In April 2010, the mall was closed to the public. Causes of the closing include: the graying of the community, changing traffic patterns caused by new roads, the opening of new shopping centers, and the struggles of maintaining a public space.
Links
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marje/sets/72157624490320816/ - Flickr photoset from user "Marje"
http://dumpystripmalls.com/2008/08/28/brookdale-mall-brooklyn-center-mn/ - Feature on dumpystripmalls.com
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Douglas Potthoff’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2020Brookdale Center was never called Brookdale "Mall".
Dave Haas’ Commentary:
User submitted in 2019I remember going to brookdale first when I was kid - like 5-6 years old. I am pretty sure we went a few times, but it was a harder bus ride for my mother and they had the same stores as Southdale which was easier to get to or even downtown.
Bob Crouse’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2019Brooklyn Center became a low-income, subsidized-housing community that could no longer support a large mall.
Clinton Anderson’s Commentary:
User submitted in 2018all that remains now is Sears. The rest of it is basically gone. A walmart was put up on the lot.. The only reason the sears is stil lthere is because they refused to sell.