Magic Valley Mall facts for kids
| Location |  Twin Falls, Idaho |
|---|---|
| Address | 1485 East Pole Line Road, Twin Falls, ID 83301 |
| Opening date | October 29, 1986 |
| Developer | Price Development Corporation |
| Owner | Woodbury Corporation |
| No. of stores and services | 63 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 5 (4 open, 1 vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 413,000 square feet (38,400 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
| Parking | 2,324 spaces |
The Magic Valley Mall is a popular shopping mall located in Twin Falls, Idaho. It's a big indoor place where you can find many different stores.
The mall first opened its doors on October 29, 1986. Back then, some of its main stores, called "anchor tenants," were J. C. Penney and Shopko. Today, the Magic Valley Mall is still a busy spot. Its main stores include J. C. Penney, Hobby Lobby, Kohl's, and the Magic Valley Cinema 13 movie theater.
Contents
Discover Magic Valley Mall
How the Mall Started
Early Plans and Challenges
In the late 1970s, people started thinking about building a shopping mall in Twin Falls. In 1979, a company called Lewis Douglas Co. suggested building a mall. Then, in 1980, another company, General Growth Properties, bought the land. They planned a large mall called Canyon Ridge Mall. It would have four big department stores and 90 smaller shops.
At the same time, another company, Woodbury Corporation, wanted to build a separate mall nearby. By May 1980, the city approved plans for both malls.
However, a third company, Price Development Corporation, also wanted to build a mall. Their first plan in 1981 faced some problems. After a long discussion with the city, Price changed their plans. In 1983, they bought the land where Canyon Ridge Mall was supposed to be built.
Building the Mall
Price Development Corporation then planned a slightly smaller mall. The city of Twin Falls approved this new plan in February 1984. Price started looking for big stores to be the main attractions. They talked to stores like The Bon Marché, J. C. Penney, and ZCMI.
In May 1985, Shopko announced it would open a store at the new mall. This mall was now officially named the Magic Valley Mall. Later, The Bon Marché and J. C. Penney also decided to move their stores from downtown Twin Falls to the new mall.
Construction on the Magic Valley Mall began on August 21, 1985. The first store to open was Shopko on October 13, 1986. J. C. Penney and many other smaller stores opened on October 29, 1986. The Bon Marché opened a bit later, on July 30, 1987.
Changes Over Time
New Stores and Entertainment
The mall continued to grow and change. In 1988, Sears announced it would move its store from downtown to the mall. The Sears store opened its doors on August 2, 1989.
In 1992, a fifth main store called Lamonts joined the mall. However, Lamonts closed a few years later in 1996. In 1995, a separate shopping area was built next to the mall. It included a Barnes & Noble bookstore.
In 1998, a movie theater called Reel Theaters opened in the space where Lamonts used to be. This theater showed movies at a lower price. In 2000, the theater was sold and renamed Odyssey Theater. In 2003, The Bon Marché store changed its name to Bon-Macy's, and by 2005, it became a full Macy's store.
Recent Updates
In 2011, plans were made to build a brand new, bigger movie theater. The old Odyssey Theater closed in September 2011. The new and improved Magic Valley Cinema 13 opened in May 2012, offering more screens and a better movie experience.
In 2017, Macy's announced it would close its store at the mall in early 2018. Soon after, in January 2018, Sears also announced it would close its store in April. The space left by Macy's was filled by Hobby Lobby, which opened in September 2018.
In February 2019, Shopko, one of the original anchor stores, closed its doors. However, new stores kept coming! In August 2019, Kohl's confirmed it would open a store in the former Sears building. The Kohl's store officially opened on May 11, 2020.
