5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About The Mall in Auburn, Maine

Once upon a time in the twin cities, the Auburn Mall was considered the hub of retail activity.

Similar to the Maine Mall in South Portland, the Auburn Mall was so popular, it spurred other smaller malls to be built around it.

These days, the Auburn Mall is struggling. People throughout Lewiston and Auburn don't visit it with the same frequency as shopping habits have changed.

However, its legacy lives on. Here's a handful of things you may not know about the history of the mall in Auburn, Maine.

The Auburn, Maine, Mall Was The First Fully Enclosed Mall in The Twin Cities

When the Auburn Mall officially opened on August 7, 1979, it made a piece of history as the first fully enclosed shopping center anywhere in the Lewiston/Auburn area.

Up until that point, there were shopping ares but it was all simply storefronts. The Auburn Mall gave people a chance to shop many stores in comfort, especially during the winter.

There Are Only Two Original Stores Remaining Inside the Auburn Mall

When the Auburn Mall had its grand opening in 1979, it boasted an impressive roster of 50 stores to wow customers.

Fast forward nearly 50 years later and only two of the originals are still standing.

Those stores are Spencer's Gifts as well as JC Penney. Both retailers have closed stores in other malls across the country as well as here in Maine. However, the Auburn Mall stores remain open.

JC Penney Once Had a Popular Restaurant in The Auburn Mall

When the Auburn Mall opened in 1979, 10 different restaurants or places offering food existed. But one that technically didn't count? The very popular JC Penney restaurant.

Through the early 80's, JC Penney lured customers in with a three-course meal at the whopping price of $2.99. The goal was to keep people in their store for as long as possible.

The Auburn Mall Had Plans to Expand and Include a Third Wing

For its entire existence, the Auburn Mall has been a two-wing shopping center. The anchors for many years were JC Penney and Porteous.

In 1990, the owners of the Auburn Mall announced plans for an expansion of the popular shopping center. Those plans would include a third wing with Sears moving from Lewiston to Auburn to be the anchor tenant.

Those plans never came to fruition.

The Auburn Mall Remains One of The Last 'Retro Vibe' Malls in New England

Throughout the 70's and 80's, there was a standard building practice for many malls throughout New England. That came in design, decor and layout.

While many malls updated heavily in the 90's and 2000's, the Auburn Mall remains largely untouched offering new age shoppers a full glimpse into the past and what retail shopping was like for their parents and grandparents.