Mid-City Mall facts for kids
Main facade of the mall
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| Location | Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
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| Coordinates | 38°14′5″N 85°43′4″W / 38.23472°N 85.71778°W |
| Address | 1250 Bardstown Road |
| Opening date | December 6, 1962 |
| Owner | Sandy Metts |
| No. of stores and services | 22 (initially) |
| Total retail floor area | 180,000 square feet (17,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Parking | Surface lots |
Mid City Mall is a unique shopping center in Louisville, Kentucky. It's located in an area called The Highlands. Even though it's called a mall and has an indoor shopping area, it's different from most malls. It has cool places like a comedy club, a bar, a grocery store, and even a public library! In 1994, a newspaper called the Courier-Journal said it was like the "crossroads" of Louisville. They described it as more than just a shopping center; it was also a community spot.
Contents
History of Mid City Mall
How the Mall Started
Mid City Mall was built on land that used to be a home for German Protestant orphans. This orphanage was founded in 1851. It moved to this 10-acre site in 1902. The orphanage stayed there until 1962. In 1959, the land and buildings were sold to people who wanted to build a mall. The old orphanage building was taken down. The orphanage then moved to a new location.
Developers then started building what would become Kentucky's second indoor mall. The first idea for the mall came out in 1958. It was a big plan for a five-story mall. It was supposed to have a pool and even apartments on the top floor! But the plan changed over time. It became a smaller, one-story mall with a lower level. The main person behind the project was Guy E. McGaughey, Jr. At that time, indoor malls were very new. There were only a few of them in the whole United States.
Building the mall began in March 1962. It was finished in October of the same year. The whole project cost $3 million. The shopping center officially opened on October 10, 1962. Important people like Louisville Mayor William O. Cowger were there. The mall had 180,000 square feet of space for stores. It opened with 22 different shops.
Early Years and Challenges
The mall's first owner, Guy E. McGaughey, Jr., was very involved in its early days. He even managed one of the mall's businesses, the Office Lounge. In 1964, a fire started in one of the stores. This fire caused a lot of damage to the mall. Over the years, there were some problems with how the mall was managed. There were also issues with some of the businesses inside.
By the early 1970s, the mall started to have more difficulties. The owner began to fall behind on payments. He also stopped paying for the mall's upkeep.
Mall Changes and Improvements
By the mid-1970s, the area around the mall was not doing well. People in the neighborhood thought the mall was part of the problem. There were many complaints about crime and the mall not being taken care of. To make things better, neighborhood groups worked together. They started to avoid shopping at the mall in 1975. Because of this, the mall faced financial trouble in 1976.
In 1977, the mall was taken over by new management. By the end of the 1970s, the Metts family bought the mall. They were ready to make improvements. They also wanted to work with the community. Because of the success in changing the mall, many people involved formed a group. This group, called the Highlands Commerce Guild, still works to improve the area today.
Soon after the new owners took over, land was rented out. This allowed new restaurants to be built in the parking lot. A Skyline Chili restaurant is still there today. Another spot was first a Gatti's Pizza in 1979. It later became a Dairy Queen in 1997. Now, it's a Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers restaurant. In 1988, a study looked at traffic near the mall. It found that many car accidents happened there. This was mostly because drivers were turning left from the mall. So, in 1989, the number of entrances was reduced. A new, larger entrance with a traffic light was added.
The mall had another tough time in 1990. A big store called Ames moved out. But this decline didn't last long. New businesses started to move in by the mid-1990s. In 1994, the mall got a big makeover. The old Ames store was turned into an 8-screen movie theater. It was first called Baxter Avenue Theaters. Now, it's known as Baxter Avenue Filmworks, and it opened in 1995.
Cool Features of Mid City Mall
Mid City Mall has been home to many interesting businesses over the years. Some of the first stores were local favorites. The Jewel Box, a jewelry store, opened in the mall in 1962 and is still there today! Ehrmann's, a bakery that had been around since the 1800s, was also in the mall. It closed in 2003.
Another original tenant was a Winn-Dixie grocery store. When Winn-Dixie left Louisville, another grocery store called Buehler's Market took its place. That company only stayed for a year. Now, a Valu Market grocery store is in that spot.
Other local businesses that started in the mall included Maud Muller Candy Shop and Taylor Drugstore. A large bar, which has its own entrance, was called the Office Lounge until 1975. In 1987, a new bar called The Back Door opened in that space. It's still open today.
In 1987, a comedy club called the Funny Farm opened. It was in a space that used to be a restaurant. This spot has always been a comedy club since then. It has changed names a few times. Most recently, it was called The Laughing Derby at Comedy Caravan.
In 1988, a large thrift store called the Nearly-New Shop moved into the mall's basement. This area used to be a roller skating rink! The Nearly New Shop is still in business there today. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the basement also had a bowling alley called Derby Bowl. Since 1979, a fitness gym, Jim Cain's Mid-City Fitness, has been on the east side of the basement.
Two branches of the Louisville Free Public Library joined together. They moved into the mall in 1993. This space used to be a Thrifty Dollar store.
