NOTE: This post has been updated and is now complete.
As promised, here's a little post on the Bradford Mall's history (that I am aware of) and some future plans as well. Just like most other malls were meant to be, this mall was McKean county's shopping detestation in its heyday. Its original anchors were JCPenney and Woolworths. Other notable tenants included JO-ANN and CVS, as well as a bank. KB Toys possibly had a store here at one time, but I couldn't find any evidence suggesting it was other than talking with my parents/older friends.
As time moved on, JCPenney would end up closing first. What is odd in this situation is that they didn't really have any competition unless you count local clothing stores. They moved to a JCPenney catalog center on Kendall Ave (now Enterprise uses the space) before ultimately leaving Bradford forever. I can only assume that the nearby city of Olean, NY (about 15 miles away from Bradford across the state line) received its JCPenney location because of this one closing. Bradford did suffer from a major loss in population. Rather ironically, JCPenney has moved three times total if they did indeed replace the Bradford store with Olean.
Eventually Jamesway moved into the old JCPenney's space until the chain was bought out by Ames. The space did become Ames until it closed when the chain went bankrupt. Now about a quarter of the space is being used by Tractor Supply while Carolina Furniture uses the back half of the store as a warehouse for furniture assembly. According to the local newspaper, Carolina Furniture is interested in opening a showroom in the remaining quarter of the store. If this indeed does occur, then the former Ames would be completely filled.
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| Former JCPenney, Jamesway and Ames. Now used by Tractor Supply and Carolina Furniture. |
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| Former Ames interior. Note how clean it is. This is a good suggestion that Carolina furniture may open a showroom here. |
Let's take a look at the mall itself. The mall is a classic T shape. I have limited pictures of the mall since it is closed to the public. However, you can still see remains of it through Big Lots, Label Shopper and obviously the former entrance.
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| Mall entrance. Verizon is one of the newest tenants here. |
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| Former mall corridor as viewed from Big Lots' former mall entrance. |
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| Here's a look at the former mall entrance for Big Lots. |
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| Looking at Big Lots from Label Shopper. |
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| Looking at Label Shopper (former CVS) from Big Lots. |
Now for the future of the mall. As already stated, things are actually looking pretty decent for this mall with ?Dunham's opening and the furniture store looking to open as well. Although the back portion of the mall isn't being used, the side facing East Main Street is. Everything with the exception of one or two storefronts is now filled. Here's a look at the more plaza like Bradford Mall:
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| Dollar Tree actually opened after the mall went dead. It opened around the same time that Walmart across the street did. I found it interesting that Dollar Tree didn't open in the plaza on the hill by Walmart like a lot of the other former mall stores did and instead built their new location in the dead mall. |
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| Formerly Woolworths |
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| Label Shopper was a former CVS |
It is worth noting that I didn't really take a picture of the health services center that is the newest thing to occupy a space. The reason I did this is because it isn't retail. Taco Bell and Sheetz have both announced plans to open on or near the Bradford Mall property in the near future. I'll be sure to take pictures of both once they are open and operational, possibly a picture or two during their construction.
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| Former JCPenney Auto & Firestone Auto. Currently being used as a beer distributor and ice cream parlor. Rumor would suggest that Sheetz may tear this down and build a store here. |
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Future Taco Bell in the parking lot of the Bradford Mall. The current owners also want to add a road to the stoplight for Walmart as seen in this picture allowing for better traffic access.
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Flickr or Blogger? Because both can be uncooperative at times. In fact, very often!
ReplyDeleteThat is weird about the Dollar Tree... they opened in the plaza beside Walmart here in Hernando. I suppose a lot of Walmarts have new plazas with Dollar Trees nearby!
Flickr was the one being buggy yesterday. I really haven't had too many problems with Blogger.
DeleteSee, that's what I mean. Dollar Tree tends to open in new plazas not old ones!
Hi just ran across your story as I was trying to remember when it was built, i was a kid at the time but thinking 68-72. T As someone who hung out there when my mom went shopping here is more history.
ReplyDeleteThere was Radio Shack, a Hallmark store of some kind, Two banks Northwest Savings and Bradford bank I believe, A dry cleaner by the main entrance and I think a Jewelry store. On the other side of Woolworth was Loblaws grocery store which was built maybe mid 70's? Oh and down in the corner by JC Penney was the game room where played a lot of pinball. And at some point the Sears catalog store because Sears had a small store in Olean.
Also I think JCP may have been in Bradford and Olean for awhile as the population was able to support them, but my memory is a bit foggy there.
Thanks for sharing that information. I've heard from multiple people that 'it was the place to hang out in its heyday.' What I didn't realize that the two JCPenney stores may have coexisted for a time.
ReplyDeleteI remember a toy store next to Woolworths when I was a kid and a Sbarro pizza on the left corner inside the main entrance that later became another restaurant.
ReplyDeleteThere was also a hair salon on the left corner as you come out of jamesway into the mall.
ReplyDeleteVery cool! Thanks for sharing the information. I would also like to pass along that the mall has been reopened to the public.
DeleteI remember the Jamesway opening. I think I remember Loblaws becoming Bells Supermarket, and at the end of the plaza was KMart. I also remember a soft pretzel place, Bavarian Pretzels. We lived in Limestone, NY, so Bradford and Olean malls were kind of equidistant, but this was before 417 finished, so in winter, it was easier to get to Bradford.
ReplyDeleteCool you were able to visit both in their heyday.
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