Comments on: Machesney Park Mall; Machesney Park, Illinois

By: Peter Feliizolicity

Peter Feliizolicity — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:43:18 +0000

The mall of my youth.
Where I grew up (Kevin Smith style)
…so so sad
…yet so so crazily interesting. Time changes things for sure. I like to walk thru, recognize the destruction, get nostalgic, and have a good chuckle, for lack of a better term….

MPM for LIFE!!

By: Jacque Ruch

Jacque Ruch — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:44:38 +0000

I loved Machesney Mall too. I sat in English in 7th grade across the street at Franklin Middle School while they were building it. The days when my mom could drop us off there to hang out all day with no fear of abduction. The mall had amazing stores when it opened…Northern Reflections, Casual Corner, the Gap but it’s definitely in the past. I’m happy to see the Burlington Coat Factory open there. Even though I don’t usually shop that store, I plan to go just to support the redevelopment. Let’s hope there’s more right around the corner.

By: Jacque Ruch

Jacque Ruch — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:40:38 +0000

It was Id. It was my favorite, and it was owned by Pranges

By: Todd Houston

Todd Houston — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:04:47 +0000

I can recall my mom dropping us kids off at the mall circa 1981-1983. We would spend the day there and she would pick us up in the afternoon. My friend Erv worked at the ice cream place (forgot the name) maloney’s? and my girlfriend worked at YORK STEAKHOUSE. I recall one day my buddy was fishing for quarters in one of the fountains and my brother gave him a shuv! Right into the fountain! Another fond memory was me buying Doors and Led Zeppelin posters at Spencer’s gifts and sneaking a look at the 16 and up only sex gag gifts. In 1992 I bought a T-shirt that had the movie “singles” printed on it. I just recentley sold it on ebay for 10.00. 2003 was probably the last time I was there and I almost cried. The mall was just a ghost of what it had once been back in the hay days 79-89. I expected to see tumble weeds rolling down the once packed court yard. They weren’t even running the heat. Those were some of the best days ever 81-89 and oh…..how about Olga’s Kitchen? Yummmmmmmmmm!

By: Chad A. Hart

Chad A. Hart — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:29:37 +0000

A very important factor to this mall’s death was the lack of nearby restaraunts in Machesney Park. The East State and Perryville development in the late 90’s and early 2000’s forced consumers looking for the newest in casual dining and shopping away from “the Parks” and out to Rockford’s new East Side.

If you wanted an evening out you didn’t go to Machesney Park Mall – it was even out of your way, because even at good capacity, there were few dining options that were tied to the mall.

For many years the outlots of Machesney Park Mall sat empty. How would things have been had the village encouraged an Applebees-style businesses to use that space.

Perhaps the failed Rev’d Up should have opened in Machesney Park Mall. Renovating the old Logli-space was difficult, though I’m not sure the outcome would have been any differant.

By: Michael J

Michael J — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:10:10 +0000

I find it odd that in the thirty years I have been gone from the area that the once grass airfield turned into a huge mall that prospered and died in that space of time.

Whatever happened to the airplane hanging from the ceiling?

I moved away from North Park (now Machesney Park) when I graduated in ‘78. Rockford had an unemployment rate of 27 or 28 percent at the time, (highest in the nation) and I gave up looking for a job before I even started and moved West.

When I left, the spot was the recently closed Machesney Airport, which had been famous for being the oldest airport still in operation. An A&W root beer stand was near the airport. It was shaped like a huge orange root beer barrel, and still had the trays that hooked to the window.

My brother bought a gun at the mall from a sporting goods store that was clearancing them out after the owner’s son committed suicide with a gun. Years later, he went back to the mall, and on that day a man set himself on fire during the Christmas shopping.

Gosh, after just reminiscing about the “Santa Claus Incident” in the North Towne mall blurb, I just realized why people might have avoided holiday shopping at these “dead malls”;-)

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 31 May 2009 00:40:08 +0000

I drove be the mall today; there is what looks to be a Staples store (the lettering isn’t up yet but its the familiar red background) built into the mall adjacent to the JC Penney. I think what they did was remove the exterior wall of the mall (the corrugated brick or whatever it was) and replaced it with the new Staples wall. Its beige. Looking in where I could, it looks like the remainder of the rest of the mall is gutted.

By: Marie

Marie — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 03:33:25 +0000

I grew up in this area in the 70’s and 80’s. Before the mall was built I remember my dad taking us to see the fireworks on this land after the airport closed to make way for the mall. Machesney Park Mall: We had cheerleading competitions in this mall during Christmas break every year with all the squads from local junior high and high schools. During high school and while at home on college breaks I would work at this mall. Kohl’s was a huge, and very successful anchor. I am so sad viewing these current photos. Parts of the mall are so stale, generic and unrecognizable. In the early to late 80’s Machesney Park Mall was energetic and jam packed busy! During November thru mid January parking was next to impossible. Times change. I left the area long ago. As sad as this demise is of MPM, not surprising considering the location.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:19:15 +0000

According to WIFR (local CBS affiliate), there was a fire at one of the west entrances today (4/1/09) while a welder was working on the entrance. No injuries reported and the damage was nonexistent due to work to be completed. Word has it that there is going to be a Burlington Coat Factory at the location.

The story is also on the Rockford Register Star’s website: http://www.rrstar.com/machesneypark/x1525909343/No-one-hurt-in-Machesney-mall-fire

By: Todd

Todd — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 06:43:12 +0000

I grew up in Machesney Park and remember the mall well. I worked at the Kohls and World Bazaar and spent much of my free time going to the movies and the arcade. I hadn’t heard anything about the mall since I left the area in 1981. Looking at the pictures I am saddened as I have so many good memories from the mall. I am going to miss the Machesney Park Mall.