August 19th, 1959. Sixty years ago, the downtown Kalamazoo Mall was officially dedicated, or more precisely, this officially closed parts of Burdick Street in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo, which was replaced with an urban pedestrian mall.
So whether you're running in to Central City Tap for a gift card, squaring away your kid's teachers at Pop City Popcorn, or stocking up on stocking-stuffers at Rocket Fizz, you can park close to the Kalamazoo Mall businesses without shelling out a shilling.
Kalamazoo is known as Mall City, and what better way to celebrate the first pedestrian mall in the country than by taking part in Kalamazoo's annual Downtown Sidewalk Sale?
The Kalamazoo Mall is truly one of a kind. Outdoor malls are all the rage now, with many opening up in our own state. But Kalamazoo's Mall was the first of its kind to open in 1959
I like to meet for dinner by 6:00, so I'm full and happy before the dinner rush starts, and then I fancy a stroll on the mall, seeing what wares and trinkets are in the window. But that's it; I can't go beyond the window, because most of the stores are closed by 7:00pm. Even stopping for a simple cup of tea after dinner is out of the question at that hour.
This city, formally known as Bronson has had a very rich history since first being inhabited by European fur traders in the late 18th and 19 centuries. We've come a long way as a city and a community, and there are so many things about our city that are unique and special.