I do not know the exact date it opened, but I know it was there in the early 1970s. The Times West Virginian called it the oldest mall in West Virginia, but an exact date in the article is not listed.

 

The mall in question is the former Middletown Mall, which is now being converted into Middletown Commons. For those that remember the Mall or who happen to be about or slightly below my age, you may remember the Middletown Mall was a big deal.

 

Rather, it was a BIG DEAL.

 

It was back in the time that you really did not go shopping in this area in too many places other than downtown Clarksburg or to Hill’s Plaza and a visit to Heck’s Department Store. I probably went there a little bit more than most even though our family’s means of transportation on the reliability scale at the time was pretty low.

 

My father worked there. He was just starting his career at Parsons-Souders, which would eventually become Stone & Thomas. It was where he spent the majority of his life working.

 

Parsons-Souders is long gone. So, too, is Stone & Thomas and even the Middletown Mall itself. That, however, has not stopped me from thinking fondly about the Marion County destination that was apparently the first of its kind in the Mountain State.

 

To be honest, my memories have kicked up another notch ever since becoming a member of the Facebook group “Middletown Mall Memories.” Although not a lot of photos of old stores that have gone into the garbage bin of history, there is plenty of talk about old stores that were there (several of the photos here have been borrowed from that page).

 

Outside of Parsons-Souders, which is what it was called when my father worked there, my favorite store screamed 1980s. Anyone remember Chess King?

 

If you wanted to look like a teen from a mall or school scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, this was the place to go. This store defined the 1980s and I honestly do not think I could afford anything there – much of it that included chains and metal pieces attached to it.

 

There were other places as well and I am certain I am going to get some of this wrong. I particularly loved Gee Bee Department store that was named for the Glosser Brothers and not an awkward tribute to the disco legends of similar name.

 

That was what would be considered an anchor store. I believe W.T. Grant, or Grant’s, had a store there as well in those early days. There was also a Bon-Ton and a Brook’s Department Store. One of those stores, and I can’t remember which one – and maybe it is another – used to make hot caramel popcorn. It was a go-to upon departure for good behavior.

 

As for smaller stores, there were plenty. I recall The Clothes Horse, Thread’s Ahead, several arcades of various names, Workingman’s Store, Maunz, Camelot Music, Radio Shack, Thom McAn Shoes, and I think it was McCrory’s. If McCrory’s was there, I remember buying unopened mid-1980s baseball cards that were a nickel a pack. I still have them – unopened – to this day.

 

Some of those names sound familiar as they were either in downtown Clarksburg or were part of other shopping plazas, including the Meadowbrook Mall, at the same time or in the years that followed.

 

However, nothing would be complete in talking about the Middletown Mall without mentioning restaurants. And two of my favorites are long since gone.

 

Anyone remember Scotto’s Pizza? Understand, at that time, a Smitty’s Pizza was a once every two to three-month deal and we actually ate Chef Boyardee so my youthful judgement may be clouded, but I remember the pizza as a big deal.

 

If pizza was not able to be acquired, the general “I’m hungry” plea to the parent for food came around the Hot Sam’s Pretzels. There may have been others before them, but to this guy there were the original.

 

One thing that did catch me off guard on the Middletown Mall Memories Facebook page was a picture of a menu from Lum’s Restaurant. I was certain the only Lum’s that ever existed was on old Bridgeport Hill, in an area just slightly across the roadway from the former Compton Bowling Lanes.

 

As for sweet treats, there was the iconic Orange Julius. At that time, it was a stand-alone business before it became part of Dairy Queen. For whatever reason, this was the treat I begged for more than any other and was the gold standard of sweets. Ironically, although I still love them, I have probably only gotten no more than five of them since they became available locally at Dairy Queen.

 

There was also an ice cream place – Sweet Williams. Look back, this ice cream shop offered scoops as opposed to soft serve. It was another in the regular begging order routine my brother, sister, and I perfected on trips north on Interstate 79.

 

There was also a chocolate place, if I remember correctly, that was right outside Gee Bees. If anyone recalls that place, and maybe I missed it in the comments of the Facebook page, let me know. I remember the smell and watching people making the chocolate back when you did not go on a vacation every three months and go to places where there are a dozen stores doing exactly that.

 

There was also a grocery store, which I believe was detached from the main building. We would occasionally shop there and based on a photo from the page it was a Thorofare.

 

Bottom line is I loved Middletown Mall. And I have to admit I quit going there when Meadowbrook Mall opened and if we went to another mall for whatever reason, it was usually in Morgantown.

 

The good news is that even though it is no longer called Middletown Mall, the new Middletown Commons is making announcement after announcement of new businesses going into the former site of the mall. There are millions of dollars being invested and that is a positive for the entire region.

 

While I have already visited a few places open in the still being built Commons, they do not have for sale what I always get for free anytime I head off the exit 132 of Interstate 79. And that is plenty of memories.

 

Editor's Note: All photos, with the exception of the Chess King photo, were taken from the Middletown Mall Memories page. You can find them on Facebook under the same name.