Indiana's Oldest Mall Now a Ghost Town

The oldest mall in Indiana was once a popular hotspot in southern Indiana. Now, it's nearly empty.

Malls seem to be dying out all over the country. These shopping centers were once thriving. They were full of stores, dining, and people. Now, a lot of these malls have died out. Most of the stores have left, leaving the building looking like a ghost mall. That is most certainly the case for the oldest mall in Indiana.

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Business Insider recently found the oldest malls in each state. When it comes to the oldest mall in Indiana, it's one that we in the Evansville area are very familiar with. The oldest mall in Indiana is Washington Square Mall in Evansville. The mall opened in 1963. According to Business Insider:

When Washington Square Mall opened its doors for the first time in the early '60s, it was the <a href="https://www.courierpress.com/story/life/columnists/2017/05/29/history-lesson-washington-square-mall/102179132/" rel=" nofollow" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="40" data-uri="faab38b92813e03e2fa0de291b7134dc">first enclosed shopping center</a> in the state. In its 200,000 square feet, there were 30 stores, a grocery store, a pharmacy, and a bowling alley. These days, many of the storefronts are empty, and there are just a handful of remaining tenants, including a thrift store and a rescue mission.

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Back in the 60s and even into the early 80s, several stores occupied this mall. However, as the years went on, fewer and fewer stores remained. After the larger Eastland Mall opened in 1982, Washington Square struggled to retain stores. I'm sure all of us in the Evansville area have memories of going to Washington Square Mall. For me, I will always remember going to Hands On Discovery just to play around, shopping at Sears, and of course the cookies at Just Cookies.

Then & Now - Evansville's Washington Square Mall Through the Years

Evansville is home to a lot of unique buildings including the first enclosed retail shopping center in Indiana. Yes, our very own Washington Square Mall was the place to be when it opened in 1963. If you walk through the mall today, you would never guess how alive the shops were, even through the 1980s. Enjoy this walk down memory lane I've put together, and maybe someday there will be new life inside 5011 Washington Ave.

Of course, those stores are all long gone. Now, all that really remains inside the oldest mall in Indiana is KC's Timeout Lounge, Evansville Rescue Mission Thrift Store, and a handful of other small businesses and offices.

Best Friends Recreate 90's Throwback Memories with Retro Photoshoot at Evansville's Washington Square Mall

Simply Savvy Photography recreated everyone's favorite 90's mall memories in a retro photoshoot featuring Tay and Ashlyn. They brought the fun back to present-day Washington Square Mall.

Do you have any fond memories of the oldest mall in Indiana? If you're curious as to what the oldest mall is in the other states, you can check those out by clicking here.