Camcorder Video of Indian Mall from 1987 Shows a Bygone Era

JONESBORO, Ark. – A fun video showing Jonesboro from a bygone era was shared on Facebook over the weekend.

The video was shared to the Craighead County Historical Society’s Facebook group and quickly gained attention. The video was originally uploaded by Wesley Smith to YouTube on Dec. 4, 2023. It shows home video footage of the inside of Indian Mall from what is dated July, 1987 – almost 37 years ago.

The comments section was full of people reminiscing about the memories from what was once the commercial hub for the area.

“Like going back in time,” wrote Steve Watkins. “Now I want a burrito and Mexican cornbread from Wyatt’s!”

Indian Mall, once a bustling retail hub for all of Northeast Arkansas, holds a significant place in the region’s history. Opening its doors in 1968, Indian Mall was the second mall in the state, following Phoenix Village Mall in Fort Smith. The mall’s name was inspired by the then-mascot of Arkansas State University.

Initially, the mall featured a small collection of stores including Blass (later rebranded as Dillard’s), TG&Y, Sears, and a supermarket named Stimson’s. The mall expanded in 1976 with the addition of JCPenney. The 1980s saw further transformations: TG&Y closed, allowing Dillard’s to move its men’s wear and home goods to the space, and the supermarket was converted into a food court.

For decades, Indian Mall was the primary shopping destination in northeastern Arkansas, featuring a range of national chain stores including The Gap, Waldenbooks, Sam Goody, KB Toys, and Dollar Tree. However, by February 2008, the mall had closed off all stores except for Sears, losing most of its tenants to the new Mall at Turtle Creek. Ultimately, the mall was demolished in 2012 to make way for a new Kroger store, marking the end of an era for the once-thriving shopping destination.