25 Stores We’ll Never Forget From This Defunct Boise Shopping Mall

Back in 2011, I remember limping from Parkcenter Pond across the street to Moxie Java, where I hoped they’d serve a grown adult a big glass of chocolate milk. I’d just completed my first half marathon and before I crossed the street, I remember looking at a sad-looking building that had a sign that said “Parkcenter Mall” standing out front. All I could think was “I bet this building has a story.”

If you moved to Boise in 2013 or later, you don’t remember that sign. Today that building houses SAGE International school, but for a few shiny years it was Parkcenter Mall.

The Boise Mall That Almost Was (1985)

The original concept for Parkcenter Mall was approved in 1985. At the time, the vision was to build a 100,000-square-foot shopping mall on Parkcenter. The project, also known as “The Courtyard,” was supposed to hold 40 retailers, a four screen movie theater, a bank, restaurants and an athletic complex. Unfortunately, the developer couldn’t secure enough leases to keep his lenders happy and they pulled the plug.

Parkcenter Mall Finally Opens (1988)

Three years later, a reimagined “Parkcenter Mall” was under construction. The developer and his partners decided that their mall needed to be enclosed and focus more on “soft goods.” That is industry speak for clothing, shoes and other non-durable items. Their main anchor was Boise’s locally-owned department store, The Bazaar. The main mall would measure 90,000 square feet and cost approximately $6.5 million to build. That would be the equivalent of more than $17.8 million in 2025.

READ MORE: Vintage Footage Shows What Boise Towne Square Mall Looked Like 35 Years Ago

And things started off promising for the mall. In a 1988 holiday ad in the Idaho Statesman, the mall had already secured 26 tenants with two more slated to open soon. However, many couldn’t help but address the elephant in the room. Boise Towne Square Mall opened just a few months after the “grand opening” at Parkcenter Mall. When asked about the competition, Parkcenter Mall’s developer told the Idaho Statesman that they didn’t expect Boise Towne Square Mall to hurt them. In fact he went as far as saying “We haven’t even considered it.”

Full Occupancy, Then Bankruptcy Hits Parkcenter Mall

The two malls were rather different and things, at least from an occupancy standpoint, seemed to be going well. In March 1991 the mall hit 100% occupancy when Talbots opened. But something bad must’ve been going on behind the scenes because the mall filed for bankruptcy a few months later.

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What followed was a mass exodus of retailers and possible foreclosure. By January of 1992, there were only 16 left. Six would leave between January and October of that year, with Bazaar planning to leave at the conclusion of the year. The mall was spared from foreclosure thanks to a trustee auction, but the new owners were desperately trying to sell it for nearly two years after taking on nearly $7 million of the mall’s debt.

By 1994, Talbots was the only actual retailer left. Key Loan Center was using the former Bazaar location as office space. A few other businesses were also leasing parts of the mall as office spaces. TCBY, Panda Chinese Restaurant and Ducks American Grill and Bar were trying to stick it out, too.

From Ghost Mall to Thriving School

By the time “ghost mall” videos were trending online, SAGE had already swept in and given the mall a second life. That means you won’t find Parkcenter Mall on YouTube, but you can still find it in Boise’s collective memory.

The Stores We’ll Always Remember

Here’s a look at some of the tenants that once called it home. How many do you remember?

Author’s Note: I included what I could find, if anything, about the businesses.

• Elaine Crawford: A distinctive women’s apparel shop that moved to Parkcenter Mall from the old 8th Street Marketplace in BoDo.
• Added Touch: A ladies accessory shop
• The Jersey Room: Souvenir sportswear
• DK Brown: “Gifts and cards for the creative mind”
• TCBY: Frozen Yogurt shop that survived well into the early 2010s
• Bedizen: Women’s clothing store based out of Bend that sold unique and exciting apparel, shoes and accessories
• Molenaar Jewelry: Jewelry store
• The Cookie Shoppe: Based out of California
• Kandor: Home and kitchen store that left the mall for Downtown Boise in 1991 at the conclusion of their lease
• Optic One: Also left Parkcenter Mall in 1991 due to an expiring lease and lack of foot traffic
• Coyte and Mr. Twain: Beloved bookstore that relocated from the mall to the Albertsons Market Place on 17th Street
• Greenwood’s: Winter apparel store that left the mall in 1993 for State Street. It was one of the last three retail shops standing.
• Zac’s Grill: Was owned by the same owner as Vista Deli Express
• Attractions: An exclusive hair and nail salon
• Ducks American Grill and Bar: One of the last tenants at Parkcenter Mall, was founded by “two of the most well known, distinctive restaurateurs from Denver and Sun Valley”
• Chicken Lipps: Children’s fun clothing and educational toy store
• The Woodduck Company: Gifts, clothing and accessories for outdoor people
• Dragonfly: Imported clothing shop that relocated to Downtown Boise
• Scandia Down: Bedding shop and the second to last retail shop at Parkcenter Mall, eventually relocated to Idaho Street
• Alexis: Women’s career attire shop
• Bittner’s: Candy and gift shop
• Mowbray’s LTD: Fine attire for men
• Yen Ching: Boise Chinese restaurant’s second location, the original is still on 9th Street
• Panda: Chinese restaurant and one of the final tenants at Parkcenter Mall
• Stewart Gallery
• J. Michael’s