Arnot Mall; Horseheads (Elmira), New York
Elmira’s Arnot Mall was perhaps my favorite of the malls I visited on my recent jaunt through upstate New York. The long, twisty center had several distinctly different areas built in separate eras, including some rather irregularly-shaped courts, surprise corridors, and even a few oddly-justified anchor frontages.
The Arnot Mall is located just west of Elmira, New York in the town of Horseheads, along NY-17 (future I-86) in the central portion of New York State’s “Southern Tier” region. Chris, one of our readers, graciously offered some history on the Arnot Mall: The mall opened in 1967 as “The Mall” and originally included Iszard’s, a local department store chain with stores in Downtown Elmira and Downtown Ithaca, along with JCPenney and 40 small stores. MallsofAmerica has an excellent vintage photo of the mall in its original state, complete with the classic JCPenney logo. In 1980, the mall underwent a very significant expansion that more than doubled the center’s size, added a new wing that was longer than the original mall, a second level food court, and Sears, Bradlees, and Hess as new anchors while renaming the center as the “Arnot Mall.” There was also an indoor mini golf course! The new Arnot Mall held 120 stores spread across 1,050,000 square feet.
Iszard’s eventually became McCurdy’s, who were ultimately bought out by The Bon Ton. The Bon Ton also bought out Hess in 1994, but the mall today has only one Bon Ton: the former Hess became a Kaufmann’s and ultimately a Macy’s. Take a look at the mall directory:
I got the clear sense that the western portion of the mall, the strange “T” wing with JCPenney and the Bon Ton, was much older than the remainder of the mall (this section also held a strangely-oriented Olympia Sports with an external entrance–possibly a former Woolworth or McCrory’s?). The remainder of the mall represents the 1980 expansion. Bradlees left in early 2001, and their space today is occupied by Burlington Coat Factory.
Arnot Mall seems to do relatively well (despite some vacancies, mostly on the Sears wing) by virtue of being the only major enclosed shopping center for miles around, but I enjoyed it for its architecture. The mall’s large, airy center court features a second level food court and movie theatre, along with a Friendly’s restaurant whose dining room overlooks directly into the mall’s first level. The center court includes a stately old-fashioned clock (like the ones that used to be so common in classic malls) set on the side of a fountain, and the planters and conversation pits set in front of anchor stores only add to the ambiance. In addition, the strange orientation of Olympia Sports against the mall (Look at the floorplan and note how, when walking down the main corridor, it ends at Olympia Sports. Their dramatic interior facade makes them look like an anchor store; a truly unusual design element).
It was a cool little mall. I’m glad I went out of my way for it.
I’ve organized the photos below into three groups so they make the most sense. The first group is of the mall’s exterior, moving from the 1980 expansion backward towards the original 1967 portion:
The next group is of the interior of the 1980 expansion:
And the last group is of the original, 1967 portion of the mall that spanned between JCPenney and Iszard’s:
Steven Swain
November 10th, 2006 at 5:41 am
I like this mall. It’s no show-stopper, but you won’t see it on every corner either.
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XISMZERO
November 10th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
I wanted to drive 5 hours here to see the ancient Toys R Us located around the mall. Supposedly, it’s older than the only other old-style store in Clay (NY) and even has the throwback 1980’s brown road pilon. Maybe one day…
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Chris Whittaker
November 10th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
It was one of the first malls I ever went to, that and the Oakdale Mall, which I’m sure will be shown here soon. I have fond memories of that mini-golf course (now the enterance of the movie theater complex) and the food court, since it was such a big thing when the expansion happened. The Olympia Sports location was a McCrory’s (Now you mentioned it here, the memory of it kicked in) and after its demise became a Klein’s All Sports for several years until the growth of the Dick’s chain put all the Klein’s out of business.
Another thing that happened here was that in the late 80’s/early 90’s there was a fire that caused a fair amount of damage to the mall near the Sear’s area.
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dan fife
November 11th, 2006 at 5:11 am
I went to this mall on spring break (I drove there alone from plymouth nh) and sam goody’s was closing and burlington coat wasn’t yet opened. the mall had a 2 level cinema and an upper level food court. the mall was dingy in some areas. Toys r us across the street looks old and I asked a clerk when it opened and he said he was told 1988 or 1989.
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Bobby
November 12th, 2006 at 12:24 am
I noticed the Famous Labels store. Can someone please tell me why I can’t find an official website or anything on Famous Labels? I’ve seen their stores in many malls.
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Mark
November 13th, 2006 at 12:10 am
Nice shopping mall, unfortunately it looks kind of vacant,and dark.
Looks like some of the lightbulbs are burnt out in some pics,can’t they at least keep the mall in a some type of decent condition?
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XISMZERO
January 5th, 2007 at 3:06 am
Vacant and dark it is; in some regions of it (especially in the Bon-Ton/JCPenney original wing). I visited this mall recently and I must say; it’s still a gem. It’s a really nice, cozy mall that time hasn’t toyed with like many malls we grew up in. I especially liked the upper level food court and cinema overlooking the clock center court – I do however think it should’ve been more decorated to promote a more stay-and-relax setting.
I’ve got about 100+ pictures of the mall inside and out; I didn’t seem to have any issues with security (not sure if they cared) when I brought along my subcompact camera. I also came around here taking interior shots at night on a Wednesday when the mall was practically dead. Luckilly, this mall has barely any cameras and lots of blind corners to forecast and or dodge security.
What really keeps this place lively is the area around it and the fact that you’ll be driving many miles to find a competing mall. I’ll tell ya, if developers come out here and build something greater, this mall could be in very big trouble and I’d hate to see that happen.
Oh yeah, and here’s that really old Toys R Us across the street I was talking about before…
http://www.amesfanclub.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=46&page=36 (scroll towards the bottom).
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Chris Whittaker
January 5th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Catch is, there’s not much within 30 miles in any direction, plus Chemung County (where the mall is located) has been declining in population for years. The one thing that was helping that location was the building of Consumer Square (across 17/I 86) from the mall, but now many of those stores are located in other places in the area, particularly in Ithaca (30 miles northwest of this mall).
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jess
May 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 pm
I want to visit this mall but before i do i wanna know what stores are in it and if its worth my time?!?! can someone help?
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Bobby
May 24th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
http://www.arnotmall.com/Info/MallSpecs.asp – Mall directory.
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XISMZERO
May 24th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Here’s a full gallery of shots taken when I visited Arnot Mall in January 2007. I actually went up this region just for the Toys “R” Us across the street. All pictures were taken on dates claimed (all interior ones taken at night, some after closure).
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/xismzero/album/576460762386310218
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kyle
June 10th, 2007 at 11:51 am
so i read about this website a couple of weeks ago in boston’s weekly dig, and decided to check out the website and see if you’d reviewed my hometown mall, and you had! i grew up in horseheads, and i even worked in the waldenbooks there when i was in highschool! for being placed in such a poor, rural area, this is still one of my favorite malls. i even remember the fire from the early 90s that someone commented about eariler. i was on my way to the mall with my parents who wanted to buy me new shoes, and i remember we got to the parking lot and saw the smoke and fire trucks at bradlees, so we went home. i was a little kid, so i remember being really pissed that i didn’t get my new shoes that day.
also, the toys r us across the street is really excellent. huge and very retro looking.
it actually makes me feel really old to be able to say that i remember izards and miss it. although the one in downtown elmira was way better than the one in the mall. once izards in elmira closed, its been impossible for elmira to get any businesses to stay in the area. it might be an interesting case study to check out the history of businesses in downtown elmira, and how much they florished throughout the 40s, 50s and 60s, and then how the flood in 72 made everyone leave the area, and bringing about the eventual closing of izards in the early 90s and the complete desertion of downtown elmira.
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courtney
October 28th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
In your mall you have a store called the sunglasses hut. Well let me just tell you that you have an amazing employee by the name of jen huffner. Man is she hott!!! Tener Management did a great job hiring!! Keep up the good work.
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naisioxerloro
November 28th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Hi.
Good design, who make it?
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Reece
December 6th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
As a former of Corning up the road in Corning (!) I used to spend a fair amountof time in the Arnott Mall, wiling away jet lag out of hours or waiting till it was ok to meet with my girlfriend Karen who lives in Painted Post. Nice variety of shops ( stores – I’m British) and my Mum used to love me bringing back those Fanny Farmer chocolates – the miniature ones. Great memories of it all and I spent a lot of time and money there.
The only shop that seemed out of place was that pet shop…
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jenny sheets
December 19th, 2007 at 5:46 am
Dec. 18, 2007, there was a church performing at Macy’s entrance.
The sound quality was so poor, nothing could be understood.
I was embarrassed for them and then to find out that it was the sound equipment that you provided & made them use.
What a disgrace to the name of Arnot Mall.
You discriminated against them, what do you do to other?
You have no pride in quality that you offer to the public that shop in your stores.
I am utterly disgusted with the way you treated a memeber of our society.
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Breanna Brown
December 19th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Uh… I live in Horseheads. Our mall sucks. Like.. it’s dirty. It’s Small. And it’s where all the local teenagers hang out to smoke. I dont understand why it would be such a “great” mall.
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Jonah Norason
December 19th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Err..Jenny? This is NOT sponsored by ANY malls listed here. It’s just a website…
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Barbara Jean LaDieu
January 2nd, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Arnot Mall is my favorite mall.I grew up up there and Live in Florida now and I miss my favorite mall.I have never found another mall I like quite as much as I did that one.I loved the way the elevator took you upstairs to eat seperate from all the rest of the mall and the glass elevator they had back then..(don’t know if they still have it).I see now they have alot classier stores then they did back then. We don’t have Macys or Burlington Coat Factory here.I miss Rosenbaughms that was there when my husband and I were in the area yet..will never forget discovering Estee Lauder Youth Dew there when we were teens..Still visit there when I get home.So many memories of that mall and the kids being afraid of the glass elevator and all the memories of shopping with family who still live there in Elmira and Corning area…Oh the good ole days!!!!!
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Mark
March 25th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I miss Bradlees, there was something so seemingly innocent, and nostalgic about that store when it was in business that I just can’t put a finger on, heck it’s probably the same reason they went out of business,heh.
BTW, IMO Burlington Coat Factory is downright boring, I deeply dislike that store. yuck.
Although it seems from that photo it looks like they kept the Bradlees ceiling.hehe.
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nicole
June 20th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
this mall is great! i’ve been there before, and its not dingy at all…its very nice.
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reommosubpabs
December 18th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Hi
As a fresh http://www.labelscar.com user i just wanted to say hello to everyone else who uses this forum
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