Mall mural offers nostalgic trip into the past

Published 5:30 am Saturday, March 22, 2025

EVERETT — Several dozen people shared their memories of the Everett Mall on a timeline mural that traced the history of the 51-year-old indoor mall that was once the premier place to go shopping in the city.

With many shuttered stores, and the mall almost empty of shoppers, the small group shared their mall history Thursday afternoon during a nostalgic look back at the once vibrant Everett Mall.

Mall owner Brixton Capital plans to demolish the mall, which opened in 1974, but has not announced a closing date. In its place, an outdoor shopping center called The Hub@Everett is supposed to open sometime in 2026.

Mall Marketing Manager Angelique Ashton created the mural, which covers an entire wall in the food court. Her wall art is interspersed with pictures of mall stores and news events over the last half century including the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the introduction of the 747 jetliner, made by Boeing in Everett.

Standing out in the mural were pictures of one-time mall anchors, not only large retailers like Macy’s and Sears, but also Frederick & Nelson, Mervyn’s Bon Marche, and White Front.

But for some people Thursday, they remembered the smaller establishments. Mark Royston, 63, once a mall regular, remembered mostly the fun of going to Mr. Bill’s, a hamburger restaurant that closed in 2005.

“They has music from the ’50s and ’60s, big hamburgers and a cocktail bar to the side of the restaurant,” he recalled.

Ashton said many mallgoers have told her that they have “fond memories” of Mr. Bills, but she could only find one picture, an exterior shot of the restaurant, to add to the mural.

David Barr, 56, worked in the mall back in 1986 and 1987 in two shops, Jokers Wild, a novelty shop and a T-shirt store. He was also a helper for Santa at the mall Christmas area.

“It bring back a lot of fond memories,” he said after writing on his mall employment history on the mural.

Didi Shafer, another mural signer, detailed her own mall work history on the mural. She owned the former Orange Julius stand that closed after the COVID-19 pandemic and was a manager at GameStop that closed in November. She was a barista briefly at a mall coffee shop.

She was also an Everett Mall regular.

“I raised my daughter, Teagan, here,” she recalled. “We shopped for her clothes. We were here every Halloween. It was a safe place for trick or treat. We visited Santa.

“I am really sad the mall is closing.”

Shafer said the Everett Mall was always a relaxing place, without the extreme hustle and bustle of the regional Alderwood mall in Lynnwood.

“It was a tight-knit family,” she said of the mall’s employees and regular customers.

Maureen McMahill, who runs an espresso stand, erected her own farewell sign by her business.

The chalkboard sign reads in part, “We Are Still Here. We’ll Soon Be Gone Cheers Our Name and Carry On.”

McMahill is thinking March 31 may be her last day, when it’s time to pay $450 for the renewal of her Snohomish County Health Permit.

She said it may not be worth it to continue, given the small amount of business these days.

McMahill said she is down to around $3,500 a month in sales.

When she opened in early 2021, even with a COVID-19 mask mandate still in effect, McMahill said was making $13,000 a month in sales.

She attributed the decline in sales to too many stores closing.

“It’s dead,” she said of the mall’s current business.

Ashton will be leaving next week to look for new job opportunities.

She has worked as marketing director for about a year, but her mall life goes back much longer.

Ashton worked as a clerk in Mervyn’s Department store as a teenager folding jeans. And her husband purchased her engagement ring at Sears.

“This mall is full of memories so why not give it a proper little goodbye,” she said of her mural.

The mall mural is only temporary, Ashton said. She said it will be demolished as part of the mall reconstruction.

“It will be coming down with everything else,” Ashton said.

Randy Diamond: 425-339-3097; randy.diamond@heraldnet.com