Old Businesses at Magic Valley Mall that Need to Make a Comeback
It’s inherently human to not appreciate what you have until it’s gone. We tend to long for what we don’t have, and we don’t realize how much we miss something until it goes away. Magic Valley Mall opened in Twin Falls, Idaho in 1986, and while it still stands today, there are some shops that have come and gone along the way. No disrespect intended to the current tenants at the mall, but there are a handful of stores that we would love to see make a comeback. See if you remember some of these and leave a comment on what former Magic Valley Mall stores you’d like to see resurrected.
Reel Theater
Twin Falls has a nice theater, no doubt. Recent improvements, like the ability to pick your seat online, is a vast improvement over having to get to a premiere an hour before showtime to get a decent seat. Magic Valley Cinema recently offered $3-Dollar seating on National Cinema Day, which reminded me that it was awesome when Twin Falls had a theater that played discounted movies. While short-lived, Twin Falls had a Reel Theater at the mall that played discounted movies in the 90’s, before Interstate Amusements quickly bought it out, and years later, Cinema West. It would be great to see a discount theater make a return.
Little Red Hen
I’m not into art and nick-knacks myself, but I can’t help but think fondly of Little Red Hen. The Little Red Hen was an art and gift shop that had a little something for everyone. They often featured art by Thomas Kinkaid and if you were a fan of figurines, The Little Red Hen was where you used to shop.
TCBY
Before the days of build-your-own yogurt shops like Orange Leaf and Kiwi Loco, TCBY was the place to go for froyo. While you weren’t allowed to help yourself, the people behind the counter were happy to custom-make your treat with toppings of your choice. You can still spot TCBY in Mountain Home and the Boise area. Their business model has evolved to resemble other ‘help yourself’ establishments.
Mrs. Powell’s
There wasn’t a week that went by that someone in my family wasn’t sent to Mrs. Powell’s in the food court at Magic Valley Mall to snag a bunch of cinnamon rolls for Sunday breakfast. And does anyone else remember the cinnamon roll wreaths they used to make a Christmas? I’d pay good money to have one again.
The Bon Marche
If you’ve ever shopped in Hobby Lobby, you’d be standing in the same location that used to be occupied by The Bon Marche, which was bought out by Macy’s in 2003. Dodging the ladies trying to spray cologne in your face as you made your way through the store was half the fun of shopping there.
KB Toys
If you wanted Legos, board games, or video games, KB Toys in Magic Valley mall was an excellent place to start. I bought my first NES console and more games than I could count at KB Toys.
Shopko
Shopko may very well have been one of the longest-standing stores at Magic Valley mall, with the exception of maybe JC Penny. If you didn’t shop there for anything else, there’s a good chance you went there to buy candy that you would later sneak into the movies.
Music Land
Before streaming and downloading, music came on tapes and records. While current technology negates the need for a return, I wonder if current generations will ever appreciate the work it took splicing together a mixtape.
Radio Shack
I totally miss Radio Shack. Radio Shack was one of the only stores geared towards the electronics DIYer. Need to bridge two VHS players together so you could make ‘backup copies’ of your VHS movies? There was a patch cable for that, and Radio Shack had it.
Did you remember any of these shops at the Magic Valley Mall that have come and gone? Are there others that you can think of that weren't mentioned? We'd love to see them in the comments.