Gen-X Mallrats: Were These Your Favorite Stores in the ’80s?

Gen-Xers grew up in the malls around America. We’d get dropped off in the morning and traipse around the building till the stores began pulling down their metal gates. While we may not have had a lot of money to spend, we did have plenty of time on our hands and curiosity that led us to explore every nook and cranny of the American shopping mall. When we did have some cash in our pockets, we had our favorite mall stores at which we’d spend every last cent. Whether you were a fashionista who haunted the likes of The Limited or 5-7-9, or you were more of a music and gift shop type person who giggled at the naughty inventory at Spencer’s or fawned over the latest album release at Sam Goody, this one’s for you. Grab a Clearly Canadian or Mell0 Yello, and let’s take a walk down Memory Lane. THESE are the stores you’ll no-doubt remember from your youth. Ahhhh, the good old days.

Sam Goody

Music and movie fans spent many hours and dollars at this entertainment hub. While Sam Goody is a thing of the past, it’s legend lives on in Best Buy, which purchased the retailer in 2000.

FYE

If you didn’t find your favorite new release at Sam Goody, you likely made your way to FYE, which stood for “For Your Entertainment,” where you’d find the latest releases.

Thom McAn

When new shoes were in order, you may have made your way to Thom McAn, a long-time retailer that hit its height in the early 1980s, only to begin its decline into non-existence by 1996.

Kay-Bee Toys

Kids and kids at heart always enjoyed a quick spin through Kay-Bee Toys. While it wasn’t nearly as massive as its toystore rival Toys R Us, it did carry an impressive inventory that scratched the fun itch.

Wicks ‘N’ Sticks

There were plenty of scents to draw you in at Wicks ‘N’ Sticks, a candle and decor store that enjoyed its hey-day in the ’80s. It declared Chapter 11 in 2006, and the last location closed 10 years later in 2016.

Radio Shack

Whether you were looking to outfit your ride with the latest in audio equipment, or you simply wanted to fawn over such items, Radio Shack was the place to be. There you’d find electronic equipment and various odds and ends.

Orange Julius

Perhaps the shop with the most longevity on this list, Orange Julius has been serving up its namesake beverage since the 1920s. In 1987, Dairy Queen purchased the chain, and then in 1998, billionaire Warren Buffett acquired it all.

Spencer Gifts

You were always guaranteed some entertaining finds at Spencer Gifts. From the humorous to the downright naughty, this was the store you wouldn’t dare enter with your parents.

Charlotte Russe

Fashion-forward folks could always score the latest on-trend looks at Charlotte Russe, a retailer that is actually still around with 196 stores still in operation as of 2023.

B. Dalton Bookseller

For the latest bestseller or a fun find, mallrats would swing through B. Dalton Bookseller. It’s most direct mall bookstore competitor, Walden Books, was always not far. B. Dalton was acquired by bookseller giant Barnes & Noble in 1987.

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