The Enduring Appeal of Indoor Shopping: Exploring the Oxford Valley Mall and Its Treasures

The 1,336,364 square-foot Oxford Valley Mall opened in 1973 and is currently the tenth-largest mall in Pennsylvania. It is clean and well-kept, and more stores are opened than closed, which is a good sign in any indoor shopping center these days. Though there are wings of the mall with more vacancies that once led to the now-demolished Boscov’s and Wannamaker’s, JCPenney and Macy’s currently remain open. A 600-unit luxury apartment building is currently being built on the property, and may serve to draw tenants and shoppers, so the outlook for this mall is less glum than some of the others I’ve visited recently.

Original tenants included Bamberger’s (later Macy’s), Gimbels (later a Sterns, then a Sears), a Woolworth (now the food court), and a Wannamakers (later a Hecht’s, then Strawbridge’s, then Boscov’s). The mall was renovated in 1990, with a spiral ramp removed in favor of an elevator, and all of the interior fountains were removed. The majority share in the mall is owned by Simon Property Group, and the mall still hosts special events like photos with the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. In addition to mall staples like Forever 21 or Aeropostale, the Oxford Valley Mall boasts some unique places that make it worth the visit: there’s an Arthur Murray dance studio, the Game Box Arcade, and – my personal favorite – Andy’s Brick Shop, a must-see location for any Lego enthusiast.

Enclosed malls have been struggling for years, and 2023-2024 have been particularly rough, with many anchors shuttered and many malls being closed and demolished. While it can be argued that anything one could want can be purchased online, there is still something magical about browsing stores in the real world, and finding unique community shops that don’t exist anywhere else. In the years ahead, I predict that finding indoor shopping malls will become more of a challenge, and only places that can adapt to retain both retailers and shoppers will survive. Visiting a mall is swiftly becoming a ‘retro’ experience, and one that should be enjoyed while the opportunity lasts. For an incredibly popular institution that once dominated the American retail and social scene, surprisingly few malls are left.