Big Town Mall

Big Town Mall was a shopping mall located in the Dallas suburb of Mesquite, Texas. Constructed in 1959, it was the first enclosed shopping mall in the Southwest. The last anchor tenant closed in 2001, and the mall was demolished in 2006.HistoryBig Town Mall, located at 800 Big Town Shopping Ctr., just off of U.S. 80 E. and Loop 12 in Mesquite, Texas, was constructed in 1959 and was the first enclosed, air-conditioned shopping mall in the Southwest. Some of the surrounding facilities included Bowlanes, A&R Course, Horse and Rider, an Exhibition hall, and a half price shoe store. At one time up to three major chain stores such as JC Penney (which J.C. Penney himself opened), Sanger-Harris, and Montgomery Ward were part of the complex. The attached Woolworths was also quite popular due to its sizable inventory and food court.This once-popular spot in Mesquite housed department stores, retail shops, an early form of arcade, and even a movie theater (which has since been demolished). Even after Town East Mall had long since become the new "hotspot" for local and national retailers, the mall stayed active for several years with privately owned shops targeting urban young. Montgomery Ward, the last remaining anchor store, was closed after going bankrupt in 2001, thus sealing the mall's eventual demise.