Big Town Mall: Mesquite (Dallas), Texas on DeadMalls.com

BIG TOWN MALL: MESQUITE (DALLAS), TX

This mall was torn down summer 2006.

David Avery's Commentary:

Posted October 18, 2005 (user submitted Janury 22, 2004)

Today it sits as a shell of its former self. The first enclosed mall in Texas and in the Southwest is almost completely vacant. And sadly enough, there is little or no information about this mall -- left for dead over the three decades that the megalith Town East Mall has been open.

Big Town Mall is situated at the intersection of US Highway 80 and Big Town Boulevard in Mesquite, a suburb of Dallas, Texas, one of the most overmalled cities in the country. The mall sits almost on the city limits of Mesquite and Dallas.

During construction of the mall, which opened in 1959, locals tell me that there was a vote between the cities of Dallas and Mesquite to see which city would get the mall. Mesquite won.

Since there is little or no documentation left anywhere concerning this mall and its death, what follows is based on my own investigation and stories from the local residents.

When the mall first opened, it was anchored by Neiman Marcus and JCPenney, then known as "Penneys". Neimans, an affluent retailer, soon realized that the demographics of this Dallas suburb made it not the right place for its first branch store. They closed the Big Town location and Sanger Brothers took over the spot.

Over the years, Sanger Brothers (which became Sanger-Harris in 1961) and Penneys were joined by another anchor -- in the late sixties or early seventies, Montgomery Ward built a new store.

Then, Town East Mall was built just a few miles away. The mall, anchored by E.M. Kahn, Sears, and Sanger-Harris, opened in 1971.

Big Town continued to hold its own until the late eighties, when the death of the mall began. Federated Department Stores merged Sanger-Harris into their Houston-based Foley's in 1987, a move about which many dedicated Dallas residents are still very angry. Then, to make matters worse, Federated sold the company the next year to May Company, bringing the quality of service and merchandise down several levels.

Foley's closed the store in 1988 or 1989, and the decline of the mall soon followed. I'll have more on this mall as I can get the information.

Photos:

Big Town Mall photos courtesy of Keith Black

Jim Pike’s Commentary:

User submitted in 2022

Neiman-Marcus was never at Big Town. It opened with Sangers and Montgomery Ward as anchors and added JC Penney a few months later. Neimans was never there. I've researched it way too deeply and know it absolutely was never there. Some magazine article mentioned it once erroneously, and I believe that's where the confusion started..

David S Hartley’s Commentary:

User submitted in 2021

I remember when Jerry Haynes "Mr. Peppermint" came to Big Town and was doing a photo shoot. I had just spilled ice cream all over my "Buster Brown" shirt! My maternal grandparents were with us from Red Cloud, Webster county, NE. My grandmother, Gladys Opal (Young) Niles thought nothing of it. She marched me into Woolworth's and brought me a brand new shirt ! David S.

Yusuf Estes’ Commentary:

User submitted in 2019

BIG TOWN MALL in 1962, 3 years after it was built - I do remember itl very well, because we painted the inside of the 12 legged water tower on the east side of the Big Town shopping center. I wandered into the mall and purchased a Japanese Happi Coat, grew my beard (came in RED), started smoking a pipe (for 2 weeks and then went back to being "normal" again).

Mark Harris’ Commentary:

User submitted in 2018

Volk's had a location there at the beginning as well as James K. Wilson.

Sam Mcguire Worley’s Commentary:

User submitted in 2018

It had a Rexall drug, an A&P grocery, and the General Cinema where I was taken for my first movie. There was a dime store as well, but I don't remember the name of the franchise.

CHRIS GREEN’s Commentary:

User submitted Jan 2010

I have some photos of the Big Town Mall property taken around 2003 or so, that I can share with you.

At least one interior photo and several exteriors.

Laura Hamann’s Commentary:

User submitted Aug 2006

Here's the Yahoo photos of arial demolition of Big Town Mall, taken just this month.

pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/phpilot/album?.dir=/b603re2&.src=ph&.tok=phpUdYFBZdbApysc

Robert Brooks’s Commentary:

User submitted Jul 2006

Your existing page:

The mall is coming down. Dallas Morning News article with pictures here:

Discussion of the mall and proposed redevelopment projects is at this local forum:

The mall's last tenants were refugees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Thanks for the excellent site!

Laura Hamann’s Commentary:

User submitted Jun 2006

The 1986 movie "True Stories" with David Byrne (from the Talking Heads) included a sequence about a local mall, the exterior of which was Big Town in Dallas, TX, and the camera did a great job of panning along the west side of the mall from north to south. You can see Sanger-Harris first then JCPenney, the Home Front, and Montgomery Ward in the distance.

Here's some more info. I found regarding Big Town:

I grew up in Mesquite in the late 60's and 70's when Big Town was in its prime. Town East was just beginning and was not very full. I have many wonderful memories of Big Town. You asked for Sangers info, so I will share some that I remember: Sangers had three levels, the main floor was all of the clothes and perfume, the bottom floor consisted of electronics. I purchased a nifty Casio Scientfic calculator in the late 70's there. Furniture and Management Offices were on the top floor . They later moved electronics to the top floor. I believe china was on the lower floor at that time.
Outside of Sangers to the right was Pennys. My mom bought me a mood ring in '74 or '75. I thought I was cool. To the left of Sangers was a western store before it was Horse and Rider. Olan Mills Studios was in this hall along with the Cathay house closer to Sangers, and a barber shop/beauty salon next to the Cathay House. There was a great toy store at one time in this same area next to Olan Mills. I remember a game room of sorts before there were video games. My favorite game was the ball-bearing baseball game or the driving game. The Driving Game was simulated car with the windshield being a tv screen that showed you driving along the road and the driver was required to miss the objects that were displayed in your path. I still remember the flashing of the pedestrians face as part of the game to miss while driving. I remember the wonderful smell of cotton-candy that you could buy at the arcade. Zales Jewelry and Diaches Jewelry was in the mall. Along with Margos La Mode, N
ational Shirt, I remember a Music Store upstairs by the mall offices, my wife says it was Hastings, she bought her Stryper record there. There was a fabric store like ClothWorld or Hancocks Fabric. I remember eating at the Woolworth counter. The undulating walkways over by the arcade and Diaches Jewelry. Wyatts Cafeteria on the outside where Mesquite Policeman Limmer shot & killed a man that had taken people hostage in the Wyatts before becoming CHief of Police at DFW airport. A shoe repair business between Wyatts and the Western store. In the 80's there was a indoor minature golf for a short while next to the Wyatts location and a Pets store in the middle of the mall. I rememeber standing in line outside of the Cinema building with a line that completly surrounded the building to see Elvis in "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" I was seven in 1970. I remember Woolco as a great store with a wide selection of products. My $2.00 track shoes taht I wore to school came from Woolco.
The first video game I ever saw was Pong in the lobby. I drove by this weekend, they knocked holes in some of the walls, the upper floor of Sangers and Montgomery Wards. I hate to see it go. I always hoped someone would come in and remodel the mall.
Thanks for allowing me to rant and remember.

Photos:

C D Gatlin’s Commentary:

User submitted May 2006

I started first grade in 1959, when Big Town was built. My mom would drop my brother, sister and me off at the Cartoon Alley. It was a little dark room with a projector operated by a teenager. We would watch cartoons and the Three Stooges while being "babysat" as mom shopped. In those days, when children misbehaved, they were barred from coming back. So, it was a safe place to be.
I wish I could remember the name of the big five and dime store there.....bought many 45s and lots of lipstick while growing up. I loved buying school clothes at Monkey Wards and Lerner's.
I went to see Santa Clause there at Christmas. There was a very nice "Santa Town" each year.
I moved out of Dallas in 1985, and it is sad to hear that Big Town is dead.
Anyone else have growing up memories of Big Town?

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