Des Plaines Mall

{{Infobox shopping mall | name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | logo = | logo_alt = | logo_width = | image = | image_alt = | image_width = | caption = | location = | coordinates = {{Coord|42.040074982202356|N|87.88764785787377|W|display=inline,title}} | address = 700 Pearson Street | opening_date = {{start date|1977|10|6}} | closing_date = {{end date|1996|10|31}} | previous_names = | developer = J.R. Gottlieb & Co. | manager = Richard Pace & Associates (1977-1986), David Friedman and William Fallmer (1986-?) | owner = | architect = Erickson and Stevens, Inc. | number_of_stores = | number_of_anchors = 1 (Spiegler's) | floor_area = 185,000 square feet | floors = 3 | parking = yes | publictransit = | website = | footnotes = | embedded = }} The '''Des Plaines Mall''' was a {{convert|185,000|sqfoot|m2}}<ref name='herald-1976-09-16'>{{cite news|date=1976-09-16 |work=The Herald|title=Superblock mall buoys merchants|at=sec. 3, p. 6}}</ref>{{efn|Various sources list 114,000, 140,000, 100,000 and 95,000}} shopping mall in downtown Des Plaines, Illinois. It was designed by J.R. Gottlieb & Co. The architect was Erickson and Stevens, Inc.<ref>{{cite news|date=1975-10-12|work=Chicago Tribune|title=Superblock nearing completion|at=sec. 12, p. 1}}</ref> Construction began June 1, 1976.<ref>{{cite news|date=1976-03-18 |work=Des Plaines Journal|title=Start shopping mall construction June 1|at=sec. 1, p. 1}}</ref> It opened October 6, 1977.<ref>{{cite news|date=1977-09-29 |work=Des Plaines Journal|title=New shopping mall is dream become reality|at=sec. 1, p. 1}}</ref>

Planning for the mall began in 1972,<ref>{{cite news|date=1973-03-07 |work=Daily Herald|title=Petition seeks zoning hearing on superblock |at=sec. 1, p. 3}}</ref> with the Des Plaines Mall Corporation formed in 1973.<ref>{{cite news|date=1972-09-04 |work=Daily Herald |title=advertisement for William L. Kunkel & Co. Realtors |at=sec. 3, p. 9}}</ref> The mall opened October 6, 1977. Its original tennants included Spiegler's, Radio Shack, Hallmark Cards and the Oui Boutique.<ref>{{cite news|date=1977-09-29 |work=The Des Plaines Suburban Times |title=New mall is dream become reality |at=sec. 1, p. 1}}</ref> It was built for about $12 million. Shoppers and employees parked at the nearby Behrel Parking Deck. The intent was to demolish buildings between the mall and the deck, most notably the abandoned Spiegler's store, and build a walkway between the two locations.<ref>{{cite news|date=1977-10-06 |work=The Des Plaines Suburban Times |title=Mall opens today |at=sec. 1, p. 1}}</ref>

In 1979 the mall added an area on the lower level called Olde Center Street, a turn-of-the-century theme arcade.<ref>{{cite news|date=1979-05-04 |work=The Des Plaines Suburban Times |title=DP Mall to feature 'Olde Center Street'|page=33}}</ref>

In 1995 the city took control of the mall with the intent of condemning it.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shuman|first=Mark|date=1995-12-13 |work=Chicago Tribune |title=Des Plaines is new owner of mall|at=sec. 2, p. 1}}</ref>

Its last day of business was October 31, 1996.<ref>{{cite news|last=Davis|first=Jon|date=1996-10-31 |work=Chicago Tribune|title=Des Plaines Mall's demise complete|at=sec. 1, p. 6}}</ref> Demolition began in June 1998.<ref>{{cite news|title=New era for 'City of Destiny'|last=Granderson|first=Kimbriell|work=Daily Herald|date=July 3, 1998|at=sec. 1, p. 6}}</ref>

==Spiegler's Department Store== Spieglers{{efn|'Department Store' and the apostrophe were eventually dropped.}} occupied 23,000 square feet of the mall.<ref name='herald-1976-09-16' /> It was founded in 1900<ref name='Spieglers'>{{cite book |last=Spiegler |first=Allan |author-link= |date=2019 |title=If a Store Could Talk |url= |location= |publisher=Elderberry Press |page=14 |isbn=9781934956755}}</ref> at 1467 Ellinwood.

With the mall in decline, the store closed June 28, 1992.<ref>{{cite news|date=1992-06-24|work=Des Plaines Journal|title=Closing Forever June 28th (advertisement)|page=11A}}</ref>

==Herbert H. Behrel Parking Plaza== The plaza was a 300-car<ref>{{cite news|date=1995-09-29 |work=Des Plaines Journal |title=Demolish Behrel Deck|page=1A}}</ref> parking deck on Ellinwood Street. The four story cement garage was blamed for the failure of the mall.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vinzant|first=Carol|date=1991-08-13 |work=Chicago Tribune |title=Des Plaines still on life support|at=sec. 2, p. 1}}</ref>

==Notable events== *Soap stars Richard Shoberg and Michael Storm appeared at the mall on November 8, 1980.<ref>{{cite news|date=1980-11-13 |work=The Des Plaines Suburban Times |title=Fans sigh approval for stars of TV's soap operas 'All My Children,' 'One Life to Live' at D.P. Mall |page=15}}</ref> *The Des Plaines Public Library held two book sales in the mall in 1996.<ref>{{cite news|date=1996-03-13 |work=Des Plaines Journal|title=At the Library|page=16B}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=1996-09-04|work=Des Plaines Journal|title=At the Library|page=12B}}</ref>

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://desplainesmemory.org/documents?search=mall&searchtypes=Metadata|Full%20text&applyState=true Des Plaines Memory], contains pictures of the mall

Category:1977 establishments in Illinois Category:1996 disestablishments in Illinois Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 1998 Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Illinois Category:Demolished shopping malls in the United States Category:Des Plaines, Illinois Category:Shopping malls established in 1977 Category:Shopping malls disestablished in 1996 Category:Shopping malls in Cook County, Illinois