by: Jonathan Widener
This friend is the same age I am. We’ve visited many times over the years, had some laughs,
and vented some frustrations. I’d like to think the relationship has been good, but my friends'
time has come. Today I said goodbye to the Lenoir Mall.
While the building is still there and Corner Stone is still open, the actual mall is closed. It’s just as well. The way I let things drag me into a funk, it might have depressed me to no longer be able to walk the halls and play the guessing games of what stores used to be there. No longer will I day dream about what the owner plans to do. The Lenoir Mall is just an old building that has been forgotten. Out of sight out of mind by the traffic that never sees it, since most Lenoir traffic travels US 321 from Hickory to Boone. Morganton Blvd just isn't the traffic gem that 321 is.
I could still probably name all the stores that occupied that place. Woolworth, Belk, and
Spainhour were the anchors. I spent a lot of cash in the Barrel of Fun. Barrel of fun was an arcade that had this very unique barrel entrance. There was also the miniature golf course that for a time occupied the location that was the former Charles’ female clothing store, and B Dalton. My parents and I loved to eat at the Apple House buffet and my second job ever was at Corner Stone. Now it’s just Corner Stone, NewSong Church and the fitness center Quest 4 Life. For those that have never attended, I highly recommend the pastor Trav Oswald at NewSong.
I spotted another blog about the Lenoir Mall. You can read that here. There are a lot of great photos on this blog. Man they bring back memories. I can almost smell the chlorine in the mist that was put off by the fountains.
Dying malls have really been the tend I guess. Wilkes Mall has also gone the way of the Dodo. I really loved going to Wilkes Mall. They had an awesome arcade, great baseball card store, and 4 major department stores. Interestingly enough, I now work in that Mall. Lowe's bought the old mall and turned it into what is now a contact center for Lowe's corporate.
Last year, I went to Valley Hills Mall in Hickory. While walking around with my children the thought hit me.“If I never set foot in this mall again, I am perfectly okay with that. This place has nothing for me.” I guess it’s part of a larger trend. Malls were really big in the 70s and 80s. Movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Mallrats, and, to an extent, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure helped to immortalize the mall atmosphere. Except for Hanes in Winston-Salem and Concord Mills in Concord, I have no desire to go to a mall.
Strip malls and connected areas like the line of stores from Kohl’s to Belk in Wilkesboro are now the norm, and a little walk or drive is no big thing. There’s also the push to bring
people back into the downtown areas, and that’s great, primarily because these people will be local business owners driving the local economy. It also takes people back to the day where downtown meant everything. I totally accept that.
For me, going back means what the mall was, and the great times of my early life. But at least I have my memories, and they’re not for sale. Goodbye Lenoir Mall. You were a barrel of fun.
Note from the editor: Hey Lenoir City Council. Find a way to pull a call center into the old mall. It would be a great location and would would bring in much needed jobs to the area.
This friend is the same age I am. We’ve visited many times over the years, had some laughs,
and vented some frustrations. I’d like to think the relationship has been good, but my friends'
time has come. Today I said goodbye to the Lenoir Mall.
I could still probably name all the stores that occupied that place. Woolworth, Belk, and
Spainhour were the anchors. I spent a lot of cash in the Barrel of Fun. Barrel of fun was an arcade that had this very unique barrel entrance. There was also the miniature golf course that for a time occupied the location that was the former Charles’ female clothing store, and B Dalton. My parents and I loved to eat at the Apple House buffet and my second job ever was at Corner Stone. Now it’s just Corner Stone, NewSong Church and the fitness center Quest 4 Life. For those that have never attended, I highly recommend the pastor Trav Oswald at NewSong.
I spotted another blog about the Lenoir Mall. You can read that here. There are a lot of great photos on this blog. Man they bring back memories. I can almost smell the chlorine in the mist that was put off by the fountains.
Dying malls have really been the tend I guess. Wilkes Mall has also gone the way of the Dodo. I really loved going to Wilkes Mall. They had an awesome arcade, great baseball card store, and 4 major department stores. Interestingly enough, I now work in that Mall. Lowe's bought the old mall and turned it into what is now a contact center for Lowe's corporate.
Last year, I went to Valley Hills Mall in Hickory. While walking around with my children the thought hit me.“If I never set foot in this mall again, I am perfectly okay with that. This place has nothing for me.” I guess it’s part of a larger trend. Malls were really big in the 70s and 80s. Movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Mallrats, and, to an extent, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure helped to immortalize the mall atmosphere. Except for Hanes in Winston-Salem and Concord Mills in Concord, I have no desire to go to a mall.
Strip malls and connected areas like the line of stores from Kohl’s to Belk in Wilkesboro are now the norm, and a little walk or drive is no big thing. There’s also the push to bring
people back into the downtown areas, and that’s great, primarily because these people will be local business owners driving the local economy. It also takes people back to the day where downtown meant everything. I totally accept that.
For me, going back means what the mall was, and the great times of my early life. But at least I have my memories, and they’re not for sale. Goodbye Lenoir Mall. You were a barrel of fun.
Note from the editor: Hey Lenoir City Council. Find a way to pull a call center into the old mall. It would be a great location and would would bring in much needed jobs to the area.
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