Watch MOA’s Original 1992 Commercial as It Turns 34
Before social media, viral videos, and smartphones, there was one Minnesota attraction everyone seemed to be talking about. As the Mall of America celebrates its 34th birthday, here's a look back at one of its original TV commercials that offers a fun reminder of just how different and yet eerily familiar the early '90s really were.
Where were you in '92? That's right, it’s been 34 years since the Mall of America (MOA) first opened its doors in Bloomington, and a lot has changed since then. From its early days as the new kid on the retail block to becoming one of the most-visited tourist attractions in the country, it's pretty clear MOA has been a Minnesota icon from the very start.
How Mall of America Changed Minnesota Forever
The MOA (which, of course, wasn't called that back then) first opened its doors in Bloomington on August 11, 1992, on the site of what used to be home to both the Vikings and Twins-- the old Metropolitan Stadium. The Vikings played their final game at that stadium in December 1981, while demolition to clear the way for MOA started four years later, in 1985.
SEE ALSO: Largest Ariat Store in U.S. Set to Open at MOA
Crews broke ground to start construction on the gigantic shopping center waaay back in 1989, so it was big news in Minnesota when MOA (again, we didn't call it that back then) opened that late summer in 1992. I was in college at UW-Eau Claire at the time, and remember seeing the coverage of the opening on various Twin Cities TV stations.
Why Mall of America Was Such a Big Deal in 1992
The Mall of America was, of course, the largest shopping mall in terms of total area and the largest in terms of total store vendors in the United States when it opened 34 years ago. MOA says when it opened its doors for the first time on August 11, 1992, 330 stores opened for business, and more than 10,000 employees started their first day of work.
Today, 34 years later, MOA is still known as a shopping mecca, of course, but it's also more than that:
MOA hosts more than 300 events a year, ranging from concerts to celebrity appearances and fashion shows. Each year, 32 million people from around the world visit the mall, generating nearly $2 billion each year in economic impact for the state.
MOA posted a cool fly-through video of what the mega mall looked like back in 2021 on its X page. It's a cool trip through what MOA looked like when it was just approaching its 30th anniversary.
Watch the Vintage 1990s Mall of America Commercial
So, yeah, things have changed a WEE bit since the mega mall first opened. Heck, a few years ago, the Mall of America was listed as a reason NOT to visit Minnesota (though, of course, a LOT of people still do.) But back then, as the vintage 90's vibe in this commercial shows, it was THE place to be. Remember the slogan? "There's a place for FUN in your life, Mall of America!"
Of course, while MOA is still with us 34, not ALL chains that were once popular are still around. How many of THESE brands that went out of business do YOU remember? Keep scrolling to check it out!
