Valley Mall Plaza really doesn’t have much of a history to write about. Unverifiable internet posts say its origin was a small supermarket that was bought by Value City in the late 1970s and operated as Valley Fair. It seems to be fondly remembered, but for whatever reason it was remodeled and reopened in 2017 as Vally Mall Plaza. It’s also referred to as Valley Mall Outlet, and this combination of terms makes it very hard for me to not call it Valley Plaza Mall Outlet, Valley Outlet Plaza Mall, Valley Mall Plaza Mall Outlet, etc.

Rainbow and Value City moved in early on, and were still in operation when I went there. Unfortunately, however, only one or two of the other storefronts appeared to be inhabited. One of them was a hair salon that has closed since my visit.

It’s not because Valley Mall Plaza isn’t clean or well-maintained: the building is in nearly mint condition, and aside from the fishbowl-style plots for stores and the busy floor designs, it seems like it would be a perfect spot for retail. Perhaps the signs in the parking lot, which ominously warn visitors that the mall management isn’t responsible for items stolen from cars, is deterring guests. One can’t post a place like this and not take a minute to reflect on the wild herringbone floor patterns, which give this place the aura of being what I imagine a migraine that willed itself into being as an outlet plaza mall or mall outlet plaza would look like. They’re both cool and somewhat distressing at the same time.

It would be easy to joke about this place, but it is a shame that it never managed to attract more tenants and that the ones who did give it a try there couldn’t stay afloat. It’s an eerie, liminal experience going there now. It feels like you should run into people, or stores, or something – but instead you’re confronted by more long hallways with zigzag floors whichever way you turn. The upper floor, home of the former food court, is now blocked off by caution tape, as are the hallways on the west side of the building. I’d love to see this place become an incubator for local businesses, but I’m not sure what it would take for that to happen. It’s a boldly designed mall in an area that could use a boost.