In a column, the writer argues that the Christmas season begins earlier and earlier every year

In a column, the writer argues that the Christmas season begins earlier and earlier every year

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Christmas Before Thanksgiving in Bismarck

In a column, the writer argues that the Christmas season begins earlier and earlier every year. It is not even Thanksgiving yet, and neighbors have already put up holiday decorations. Making small talk with a hairdresser, the columnist heard that she planned to go Christmas shopping right after her shift. The season, the writer concludes, begins earlier every year. The hairdresser spoke excitedly yesterday.

From Kirkwood Plaza to a $40 Million Sale

That wave of holiday nostalgia led the columnist to look back at Kirkwood Plaza, the shopping center that would become Kirkwood Mall, inviting readers to revisit vintage snapshots from the property’s past. The snapshots evoke the ghosts of Christmas past.

Kirkwood Mall opened in 1970 under the name Kirkwood Plaza. The Wachter family, a familiar name in Bismarck, developed and built the center, and later sold it for $40 million. Today the property is the second-largest mall in North Dakota, with more than 850,000 square feet of retail space. It is a shopping paradise.

Anchor Stores That Came and Went

Over the decades the mall has cycled through several anchor stores, including Montgomery Ward, Herberger’s, Dayton’s, and Marshall Field’s — a turnover that mirrors the broader shifts in American department-store retail.

Recollecting Mall’s Past Through Photos

The columnist sat down with Kirkwood Mall General Manager Jennifer Wilson to review the history of Kirkwood Plaza and its transition into Kirkwood Mall. Wilson shared old photographs of the property from the 1980s and 1990s, images that show storefronts long gone but a few that remain today. Most are long gone, and Wilson was kind enough to share them.

The writer also recalls that boxer Virgil Hill fought at the mall. The writer asks readers if they remember the bout. Growing up in Grand Forks, every trip to Bismarck meant a stop at Kirkwood — a mall the columnist says was better than the one back home and still draws heavier traffic today. To be honest, it still is today. The writer was always amazed at the traffic compared to the hometown mall. As holiday shoppers head to the mall this season, the column closes by encouraging readers to enjoy the memories the halls stir up. Enjoy the déjà vu.

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