Up to 1940, the Burlington business district didn’t extend much farther north than Maria and Brant streets.
In 1941, there were 65 stores in town; by 1956, that number had increased to 104 due to the growing population. Brant Plaza, Slessor Motors (now Acura on Brant) and St. John’s Church were built on land on which Bell Orchards had once produced the finest apples.
Still, at that time, most Burlington residents travelled to downtown Hamilton for any department store shopping. From the 1960s on, however, shopping districts sprouted up in all directions with the spread of Burlington to the east and north. Plazas sprang up to compete with downtown.
The plan for a huge indoor mall on Guelph Line was strongly opposed by some who hated to see fine farmland and the Fisher orchards overrun with concrete, and by others who feared the detriment to downtown shopping. Another launched a petition in favour of the project.
Eventually it was built, and Burlington Mall opened October 16, 1968.
When Burlington Mall opened, residents could shop at Simpson-Sears and Robinson’s and buy groceries at the Dominion store across from the Cinemas. I remember watching the Saturday afternoon matinee movies, and smelling the aroma of fresh-baked bread from Dominion.
The original anchors of the mall were Robinson’s and Simpson-Sears (later Sears). Many will remember the Fishers Court Restaurant in Robinson’s. With expansions, Eaton’s was added in the mid-'70s and later a separate building was added across the parking lot that housed K-Mart and Dominion (now Canadian Tire).
Many stores came and went over the years: D’Allairds, Bonita and Maher Shoes, Jack Fraser, Marks and Spencer, Black’s Camera, Merle Norman, Elks, Kiddie Kobbler, A&A Records, Melody Lane, the Hearth Restaurant, Tropicana Pets (with Carlos the macaw), Bowrings, BiWay, and we can’t forget The It Store, to name just a few.
Sears relocated to Mapleview Mall and Robinson’s became Zellers. After Sears relocated, the store was converted to Hudson’s Bay. Eaton’s closed, and the area was converted to the Food Court, Old Navy and several other shops. Zellers was dissolved and that area of the mall was divided into multiple shops, including Denninger’s, East Side Marios and Indigo Books. The mall was renamed the Burlington Centre.
Earlier this year came the news that the one remaining department store at the mall, Hudson’s Bay, will close in 2024. Future plans for that area are not yet known.
