Mic Mac Mall facts for kids

Mic Mac Mall is a very large shopping mall located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It's one of the biggest malls in Atlantic Canada! You can find it just across the water from Halifax, Nova Scotia. A company called Ivanhoé Cambridge, based in Montreal, owns and manages the mall.

The mall was built in 1972 and first opened its doors in 1973. It was created after Nova Scotia Highway 111 was built, making it easier for people to visit. When it first opened, it had big department stores like Simpsons and Eaton’s. The mall grew even bigger with major additions in 1978 and 1981.

Today, Mic Mac Mall has stores on three different levels. It's a popular place for shopping in the Maritimes. It's also the only place east of Quebec where you can find a Decathlon store!

Getting to Mic Mac Mall

The mall is located in a neighbourhood south of Lake Micmac. It's also near a special highway exit called the Micmac Parclo interchange. You can easily get to the mall by bus, as it has its own Halifax Transit bus terminal.

Bus Routes to Mic Mac Mall

Here are some of the bus routes that stop at the Mic Mac Terminal:

• 10 (Dalhousie/Westphal)
• 54 (Montebello/Alderney)
• 55 (Port Wallace/Bridge Terminal)
• 56 (Dartmouth Crossing/Bridge Terminal)
• 66 (Penhorn/Cobequid)
• 72 (Portland Hills via Woodlawn/Dartmouth Crossing via Wright Ave)

Meet Woody: The Talking Christmas Tree

For over 25 years, Mic Mac Mall had a special Christmas tradition: a talking Christmas tree named Woody! Woody would be set up in the main area of the mall, right next to Santa. Kids could talk to Woody, and he would even wink at them! He was a beloved part of the holiday season for many families.

Why Woody Left the Mall

Sadly, in 2007, Mic Mac Mall decided to retire Woody. This was because he needed a lot of repairs and there were some safety worries about his structure. Many people were very sad to see Woody go. Some even started a Facebook group hoping to bring him back!

What Stores Can You Find at Mic Mac Mall?

Mic Mac Mall has many different stores for you to explore. Here are some of the main ones:

• Hudson's Bay (a large department store)
• Winners (where you can find brand-name clothes and home goods at great prices)
• Old Navy (known for casual clothing for the whole family)
• H&M (a popular fashion retailer)
• Shoppers Drug Mart (a place for health, beauty, and everyday items)
• Decathlon (a huge store for sports gear and outdoor equipment)
• LinenChest (for home decor and kitchen items)
• Chapters (a large bookstore, located separately from the main mall building)
• Urban Planet (a trendy clothing store)

A Look Back: Stores That Used to Be Here

Over the years, many stores have come and gone at Mic Mac Mall. Here are some of the well-known ones that used to be a part of the mall's history:

• Eaton's: This department store opened with the mall in 1973 but closed in 1997.
• Simpsons: Another original department store from 1973. It was later bought by the Hudson’s Bay Company and became a Hudson’s Bay store in 1986.
• Zellers: This store opened in 1999 in the old Eaton's spot. It closed in 2013.
• Target: This store opened in 2013 where Zellers used to be, but it closed just two years later in 2015.
• Toys "R" Us: This popular toy store opened in 1994. It moved to a different shopping center, Dartmouth Crossing, in 2012.
• Forever 21: This fashion store took over the old Toys "R" Us space but closed in 2019. Decathlon is now in that spot.
• Dominion: This grocery store opened in 1974 and later became an IGA. It closed in 2004, and a Winners/HomeSense store took its place.
• HomeSense: This store, which sells home decor, was once paired with Winners. It moved to its own separate location in Dartmouth Crossing in May 2020.

Images for kids

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  Woody the talking Christmas tree winks at a child.