Saying goodbye to a Chesterfield icon.
When my dad was transferred to St. Louis in 1978 we moved to the Green Trails neighborhood in Chesterfield. I vividly recall our house hunt with two really fun realtors and thinking what an exciting job that would be when I grow up! (Look at me now…living in Chesterfield…living my life as a realtor!) But, I digress! We quickly discovered the recently opened Chesterfield Mall (1976). At that time, stores were not open on Sunday, but we frequented the mall during the week and on Saturdays. My mom and I would walk from one end to the other, often grabbing a bite to eat at Mr. Dunderbak's German deli or a snack at Orange Julius. I also remember shopping for back to school clothes and shoes way before you could order online!
Fast forward to when I had kiddos and my mom and I would take them to ride the carousel in the center of the mall, grab dinner at Pasta House and stop to pet the kittens and puppies at Pass Pets. And the play area was always a must stop. Fast forward (again) to when they were teenagers, we’d drop off on Friday nights and allow them time to wander with friends or catch a movie. The line to pick up was always long with kids hanging on to their freedom as long as possible.
Even as the Mall began to decline, a dear friend opened an event space called Gather in the old Ann Taylor store. Over the couple of years it was open, many a graduation and bridal shower were celebrated. By this time, my mom had passed away, but being in that space reminded me of fun times shopping with her at Ann Taylor. A little piece of her lingered as I donated her beloved dining set that sat beautifully in the old shoe section. With very few spaces filled, Gather too went by the wayside of some many others before.
At one time Chesterfield Mall was THE ONLY place to shop in Chesterfield. It was the hub of our community way before “the valley” came to be or the outdoor outlet malls came into favor. While the new, reimagined mixed use development will certainly bring new life to this spot in Chesterfield, it’s sad to say a final goodbye to the space where so much of my life happened. Farewell and thank you for the memories I will hold dear.
