West Acres / History

Mall History

William (Bill) Schlossman’s vision of a retail center was realized on August 2, 1972, when he and a team of local partners opened West Acres Shopping Center.

William (Bill) Schlossman, 1972, In front of West Acres



West Acres as it looked in the spring of 1972

Schlossman’s original 1967 vision of a retail center was in downtown Fargo. When that site was turned down by the city, Schlossman purchased the land at the crossings of I-29 and I-94. The land was a wheat field, and the partners faced obstacles that included obtaining financing, securing tenants, and completing off-site improvements such as sewer, water, and roads. 13th Avenue, the main access to the mall, was not even paved until two years after the mall opened.

• August 2, 1972: West Acres Shopping Center opened with 52 retailers, including Sears and deLendrecie’s.
  
  
• 1973: Dayton’s opened their first store outside Minnesota at West Acres.
  
  
• 1979: JCPenney opened, along with an expansion of the mall.
  
  
• 1998: Herberger’s purchased the deLendrecie’s store.
  
  
• 2000: Construction of a 750 seat food court and a complete mall renovation was begun.
  
  
• 2001: Dayton's becomes Marshall Field's.
  
  
• 2001: Food Court opens.
  
  
• 2006: Marshall Field's becomes Macy's.