Grand Teton Mall remains a popular place to shop and do business after 40 years of operation

IDAHO FALLS – When Justin Martin thinks astir nan Grand Teton Mall celebrating 4 decades of business, it makes him “feel really old.”

The 44-year-old Rigby autochthonal has fond memories of going to nan promenade arsenic a kid. He is now nan mall’s spot guidance subordinate and he’s excited to observe its 40th day during a weeklong arena starting July 29. There will beryllium displays successful nan Center Court pinch photos and aged news reports astir nan mall’s beginnings.

There will besides beryllium a assortment of activities, including performances from section singers and dancers, and a drafting for prizes donated by businesses successful nan mall.

“We’ve sewage each nan stores progressive to participate. We’re excited to still beryllium present for nan community,” Martin tells EastIdahoNews.com.

Jensen Jewelers, 1 of nan mall’s original tenants still successful operation, will beryllium giving distant nan expansive prize that week — a $4,000 1-carat diamond.

Prize drawings will hap regular and group tin participate for free. They do not person to beryllium coming to win.

“If I didn’t activity astatine nan mall, I’d beryllium going to motion up for that. There’s a ton of cool prizes that will beryllium fixed away,” says Jensen Jewelers Area Supervisor Mike Burrell.

The Grand Teton Mall connected nan time of its expansive opening, Aug. 1, 1984. | Courtesy Justin Martin

The beginnings of nan Grand Teton Mall

The Grand Teton Mall opened for nan first clip connected Aug. 1, 1984. The Idaho Falls Chamber and members of nan organization celebrated nan juncture pinch a ribbon-cutting.

At astir 582,200-square-feet, it was 1 of nan first large-scale commercialized endeavors successful Idaho Falls. Martin says nan Skidmore Family and Park Enterprises were instrumental successful its building successful what was past an quiet field.

The quiet batch disconnected 17th Street earlier nan Grand Teton Mall was built. | Courtesy Justin Martin

A batch of commercialized improvement has occurred since past and nan Grand Teton Mall is now much than 644,000-square-feet. The building that houses Alturas Preparatory Academy and Old Navy are caller additions that weren’t portion of nan original project.

‘The champion spot successful town’ for a jeweler to do business

Jensen Jewelers, on pinch JC Penney and ZCMI, were among nan Grand Teton Mall’s first tenants. ZCMI has since been replaced by Dillard’s, but nan jewelry shop and JC Penney are still around.

Burrell, who has managed Jensen Jewelers for 25 years, says nan business operated successful nan Country Club Mall for years earlier moving to its Grand Teton Mall location. Built decades earlier successful nan portion wherever Fred Meyer is located, Country Club was nan city’s first mall. It was respective years aft nan Grand Teton Mall opened that Country Club closed.

“John Jensen (who ran nan jewelry shop astatine nan time) knew nan Country Club was fading out,” Burrell explains. “He wanted to get a location arsenic soon arsenic this opened truthful he could beryllium successful nan champion spot successful town.”

Jensen Jewelers wrong nan Grand Teton Mall successful Idaho Falls. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Though location are galore Jensen Jewelers stores successful eastbound Idaho, nan promenade location remains 1 of nan astir popular. It’s outlasted different jewelers who person occupied promenade abstraction done nan years, which Burrell credits to nan business’s “ma and pa approach.”

“We really return attraction of group and it keeps them coming back,” he says.

‘People emotion going’ to nan Grand Teton Mall

While nan number of malls closing crossed nan state has accrued successful caller years, Martin says nan Grand Teton Mall successful Idaho Falls is still going strong.

Several caller tenants person signed leases, he says, which intends much stores are coming soon.

And it’s go a destination for customers locally and retired of state.

“It conscionable seems to support accelerating. People emotion going there,” says Burrell.

Though location are respective reasons for its longevity, Burrell cites a awesome renewal task years agone arsenic a cardinal constituent of its endurance and continued entreaty for nan modern shopper.

“(Mall management) reinvented (the building) to (make it) look for illustration a newer mall. I deliberation that was a existent cardinal to keeping it relevant,” says Burrell. “It was acheronian brownish connected nan extracurricular and had acheronian tiles and railroad ties connected nan ceiling. Crews tore each tile out, sheet-rocked and painted it a modern color.”

A look wrong nan Grand Teton Mall conscionable earlier it opened connected July 16. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

The early of nan Grand Teton Mall

Martin says nan nutrient court, which has since been replaced by Barnes & Noble and Starbucks, is an amenity galore would for illustration to spot make a comeback.

He isn’t judge whether that’s going to happen, but he is looking into it.

“I’ve been moving to spot what we tin do to support that,” Martin says. “No promises.”

Meanwhile, Martin believes nan cardinal to occurrence going guardant is organization involvement. Hosting much events is 1 of his biggest priorities. He remembers going trick-or-treating astatine nan promenade connected Halloween and he’s partnering pinch metropolis officials to make that hap this year.

He appreciates nan community’s support complete nan past 40 years and is looking guardant to celebrating pinch nan organization later this month.

“So far, we’ve sewage complete $7,000 worthy of prizes and gifts to springiness distant from nan stores. It’s going to beryllium fun,” he says.

The Grand Teton Mall successful 1984. | Courtesy Justin Martin