Jason Eden's Commentary

This mall was located a mile or so northwest of the corner of Appleton Avenue and Lily Road in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Menomonee Falls was originally a small, rural village but in the 1950s evolved into a suburb of Milwaukee.

The Village Mall was a small (perhaps 20 stores at its height), single story, retail facility. It was an enclosed mall with a Kinney shoes, jewelry store, card shop, Sentry Food Store, and other assorted establishments. The Sentry was the only "anchor" to speak of, making the Village Mall somewhat unique. It used to have carpeting, benches, and plants. I remember it having a very quiet, low-key atmosphere. Gradually, the dark decor (which seemed quite 1970s to me) grew out of fashion. One by one, retailers left, including a nearby Denny's restaraunt and the Sentry food store. The mall was razed in the mid 1990s to make room for a strip mall. The Sentry was replaced by a new Kohl's and the Kohl's eventually became a Pick n' Save food mart. The new development seems to be prospering but lacks any charm.

I remember visiting Santa at the Village Mall as a kid and being dragged there by my mother as she perused the jewelry and gift shops (there was no toy store, as far as I can recall). In its later days, a Godfather's pizza, bar, and radio control car track were the mall's only stores. If anyone else remembers the Village Mall, I'd love to read more about it.