Meadows Mall, Las Vegas, NV

 An extant asset

Having myself lived in several cities that doubled as popular tourist destinations such as Honolulu, San Francisco, Orlando, Virginia Beach and Seattle, I’ve always found it interesting to visit similar destinations’ offerings for their more permanent populations.  That, of course, includes their shopping malls.

1- Meadows Mall’s main entrance next to the former Sears.  2- The former Sears façade from the north.  3 & 4- The outside of Macy’s.  5- JCPenney’s exterior.  6- Curaçao’s external access on the bottom level of Dillard’s original store.

Meadows Mall was the first enclosed shopping center in the Las Vegas metropolitan area built specifically for the local residents.  Located to the west of downtown just off of interstate 11, the two level monolith isn’t flashy or full of flair like anything in proximity to the strip.  In fact, it’s just as suburban America as the subdivisions surrounding it.

1 to 4- Other common area access points for Meadows Mall.  5- At the northwestern entrance looking toward JCPenney.  6- The palm tree lined plaza at the southwestern mall doorways.

Meadows Mall could not have contrasted more sharply from my previous destination, Fashion Show Las Vegas on the Strip.  In fact, it even paled in comparison to the Boulevard Mall, which was my first stop of the day.  But I found the complex inviting enough as I made my way into the facility between the Macy’s anchor and the former Sears, which by then was hosting a Round One and a Spirit Halloween.

Meadows Mall lease plan ca. 2001.  View the full PDF version here.

Meadows Mall’s façade is adorned in the colors of the desert while the mall entrances and anchors are definitely reminiscent of what must have been a 2000s renovation.  The reflective glass panels above Macy’s doors as well as the slanted atrium topped porticos of JCPenney were certainly from another time, while Dillard’s presented their own standard edifice.

Meadows Mall’s interior.

The common areas were dressed in alternating stripes of amber and beige, reflecting the colors of Red Rock Canyon in the distance.  The mall entrances displayed an updated modern nameplate and logo, as well as plenty of palm trees in their surrounding plazas to block patrons from the relentless desert sun.

Inside, I was happy to see that the corridors hadn’t been completely white washed of all personality.  Off-white was the color of choice, although darker colored tile trim framed the common areas with silver lines running parallel to each other just below the mezzanine railings.  Over the court areas, vaulted ceilings were supported by steel girders bathed in sunlight filtered through translucent glass, lending the entire complex a sepia toned desert vibe.

1 to 5- Center Court and surrounding corridors.  6- The mall entrance for Dillard’s on top and Curaçao on the bottom.

First conceived of in 1973, Meadows Mall opened in 1978 as the second of Las Vegas’s indoor shopping malls.  Just a year later, the center’s developers, Dayton-Hudson Corporation and The Hahn Company, sold the facility with Center Companies acting as the new managers.  Diamond’s and The Broadway served as the original two anchors, with Sears and JCPenney debuting their stores not long after.

Meadows Mall lease plan ca. 2011.  View the full PDF version here.

The mall also featured a rather new concept for its time- a food court called Vianda Patio spotlighting a dozen different eating establishments.  These were joined by around 100 smaller retailers all housed within a complex of around 1,000,000 square feet, which included five businesses entering the Las Vegas market for the first time.

1 to 4- Looking toward JCPenney’s mall entry.  5 & 6- Macy’s at the Meadows Mall.

Dillard’s opened their outlet in 1984 upon the departure of Diamond’s department store.  Macy’s claimed their place in Meadows Mall when taking over what was formerly The Broadway.  By this time, the facility housed 128 inline stores and the food court had been expanded to fourteen vendor stalls.

Meadows Mall’s first renovation was carried out in 1995 with a smaller expansion happening just a couple of years later in 1997.  In 1998, General Growth Properties added the retail destination to their portfolio.  By then boasting a ninety-five percent occupancy, GGP embarked on another renovation, larger than the previous two combined, to modernize and upgrade the complex as well as its décor.

Meadows Mall’s interior.

A grand reopening was held in 2003 and Meadows Mall continued to welcome plenty of patrons as well as their dollars.  However, by the mid-2010s, Meadows Mall was starting to experience some struggles.  Dillard’s, which had expanded their footprint in 1995, closed off their lower level and rebranded their then single tier presence as a Dillard’s Clearance outlet.

Meadows Mall Mallmanac ca. 2024.  View the full PDF version here.

2016 brought a new junior anchor as Curaçao opened their first Las Vegas location in the former first story of Dillard’s.  The popular retailer, which targets a Hispanic clientele, welcomed 40,000 patrons upon its debut, adding a welcome bump to overall sales for Meadows Mall that had been lagging in recent years.

1 to 4- The center court of Meadows Mall.  5- The former Sears mall entrance.  6- Looking west from the court in front of Round 1.

Round One entertainment center opened in 2018 in Sears’ former first level after the Chicago based retailer had downsized their presence as well.  Unfortunately, soon after the long time tenant of Meadows Mall announced their complete withdrawal.  Their doors were shuttered in early 2020 and the location remains vacant except for seasonal or temporary tenants such as Spirit Halloween.

The Meadows Mall food court.

Today, Meadows Mall continues to carry on, though I do see it as the most vulnerable of the area’s four enclosed shopping centers.  The Galleria at Sunset serves a growing and prosperous patronage while Fashion Show’s location will certainly always provide success.  The Boulevard Mall has pivoted nicely to its newer demographic, so hopefully Meadows Mall will transition in some way to remain a viable competitor.

Meadows Mall official website