Comments on: American Mall; Lima, Ohio

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:07:07 +0000

Happened across this website by accident but wow, all the memories! I have more memories of being at this mall than the Lima Mall. I can remember the Wards store and the grocery that was located down there also. I was thinking it was an A&P but I could be wrong. It did have the conveyor to the outside. I always thought this was an interesting idea. I also remember the Wells store at the other end. One thing that sticks out is that they used to have the “pay” toilets in the public restroom. I think my first and only experience with those! The movie theater was probably where I first saw a movie and I can remember seeing one of the “Smokey and the Bandit” movies there. Although I can’t remember visiting it much, I do remember the Baskin and Robbins ice cream store. Too bad to see it all go!

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:46:02 +0000

Sad, but not surprised that the Anderson’s is finally baling out. I guess she’ll be 100% vacant now.

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:14:48 +0000

@Mark, Never heard of Bud’s, where was it located? I thought Bub’s on Spring St. ..later Chucks and last I saw Cimi’s had the best pizza in town.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:41:45 +0000

The Anderson’s is now in the process of liquidating their inventory and they’re closing the Lima store in the American Mall. The mall is now officially DEAD!

By: James

James — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:54:26 +0000

@Rich, the economic engine in Lima these days, as with many “post-industrial” cities, is the medical community. St. Rita and Lima Memorial Hospitals are the largest employers in Lima. They are larger medical facilities than one would expect for a City the size of Lima. The explanation for these seemingly disproportionately large medical facilities is similar to the explanation for the out-sized retail facilities in Lima. Lima is the only city of any size in west central Ohio and acts as a medical services magnet for the rural and small town folk.

The hospital for the criminally insane closed a few years ago, after a long slow down-sizing. But that’s old news. The refinery- dating back to the 19th century- keeps smokin’ away…

By: Rich

Rich — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:08:38 +0000

@Mark, I went to college up the road and still never heard about anything other than the hospital for the criminally insane and the refineries.

By: Rich

Rich — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:07:45 +0000

@James, Findlay used to have a Macys. It had been a branch of Toledo-based LaSalle’s (which Macy had owned since the 20’s). Te conversion to Macy’s didn’t take (it was a more fashion-oriented approach) and all of the former LaSalle’s closed in the 80s. They also were in Bowling Green and Sandusky.

By: James

James — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:19:12 +0000

@Mark, it is true that Lima in more recent years has faced more retail competition from some of the small towns in Northwest Ohio as Wal-Mart and other big box retailers have discovered Wapakoneta, Van Wert and other burgs. And, I believe Findlay has a Sears and a Penneys. The thing that may be keeping Lima a retail star in the area is the Lima Mall. It has more of the specialty retailers that you won’t find in those small towns and, perhaps most importantly, the Lima Mall has a Macy’s [formerly Lazarus]. Not gonna find a Macy’s in Wapak, or even Findlay.

Macy’s may seem as common as Wal-Marts in Chicagoland (where I now live), and people in Chicago are still sore about losing their Marsahll Fields to the Macy’s name, but I have to believe the big city lure of a Macy’s department store must make a difference in northwest Ohio. Even if you work at a dead end job and live in a trailer in Beaverdam and never actually buy anything at Macy’s, the rural folks likely attach some status to shopping at the “mall with the Macy’s”.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:05:05 +0000

@Jennifer,
Not sure who these people are that are telling you that The Anderson’s own their part but they need to get their facts straight. They don’t and never have!
They have leased the store from the Cafaro company since day one. Now thanks to the lousy business that Cafaro is they are now leaving and 138 jobs were lost (including mine).
And with the soon to open Eastown road there is nothing for that area until Super Wal-Mart blemishs the land there, and then the rest will also go down the tubes around there.
And also the issue of The Anderson buidling or buying a new store will never happen unless all of Lima starts to support them being there in some way or another. There is not room for two malls is not the issue people it is there is no room when there is Wal-Mart in town on both sides.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:00:11 +0000

@James,
Clems was best bakery, and Bud’s pizza was the best pizza bar none.