Then & Now: The Empire Mall

Ever since it held its grand opening as the Sioux Empire Plaza on Sept. 24, 1975, The Empire Mall has seen ongoing changes as businesses opened and others closed.

Take Westmoor Music, for example. When it opened in August 1977, it was the second music store to occupy the same space in the JCPenney wing. The original plans for the mall show the space now occupied by Famous Footwear had been leased by Burl’s Music.

According to Darrell Schultz, longtime owner of Westmoor Music, Burl’s Music was opened by a Pierre resident who had underestimated how much income he would need to keep up with rent payments. Westmoor Music, which closed in late 2021 after almost 45 years, resided in several different locations in the mall. For 17 years, it operated near the front entrance, taking over the lease of a restaurant.

A special section printed by the Argus Leader on Sept. 23, 1975, reveals the names of the original stores. Some were locally owned, and others were part of chain stores.

According to the blog Mall Hall of Fame, Younkers and Herberger’s anchored the Sioux Empire Plaza in September 1975. It had 34 operational tenants at that time. The JCPenney store was dedicated in April 1976. The mall parking lot could accommodate 3,500 vehicles.

Two years after the mall opened, an expansion took place with the Minnesota-based Dayton’s chain as an anchor. The 1977 plans include Foxmoor, DG Pacs, So-Fro Fabrics, Waldenbooks, Starts Ladies Ready Wear, JayVee, Burke’s, Flowerama, Extra Touch, ToyFair, Michael’s Footnote, Eastwold Tobacco, Harold’s Photo, Osco Drug, Vanity Shop, Kinney Shoes, Susie’s Casuals, Maurices, Fanny Farmer, KarmelKorn, Hickory Farms, Radio Shack, First National Bank, JB’s Big Boy, Home Federal, Wiener King, Taco Bandito, Orange Julius, Baskin Robbins, Riddle’s Keepsake Jewelry, Scheel’s Hardware & Sporting Goods and A&W Restaurant.

Other stores included Young America, American Subs, Crazy Top Shop, Two Plus Two, LaVergne’s, The Art Store, The Record Shop, JCPenney, Cover to Cover, Burl’s Music, Osborn’s, Gallenkamps, Linda Lee’s Cards & Gifts, Herberger’s, The Golden Hanger/Together, Dakota Westerner, Michael’s, Wilson’s, Zales, Coach House, Jeans West, Baker Shoes, Candles & Things, Bostwick’s, Bostwick’s for Men, S&L Store, Athlete’s Foot, Gatsby’s, York Steak House, County Seat, Team Electronics, General Nutrition, Regis Beauty, The Bottom Half, The Womans Corner, The Living Room, Nina’s Boutique, Land of Oz, Horwitz Jewelry and Midcontinent Theatres.

When the addition was completed in 1978, the tenant list expanded to 79 stores.

A look at the advertisements from that early section reveal once-familiar names. Now, most of their sites have been taken by newer businesses.

Multiple Empire Mall retailers plan to close