1968 Boulevard Mall

Developers Irwin Molasky and Merv Adelson saw potential where others did not. 

On what Molasky called “a great piece of property out in the boondocks,” they built the Boulevard Mall, an enclosed shopping center with more than a million square feet of retail space. With its signature glass dome and dramatic interior spaces, the Boulevard Mall was the first of its kind in the region, and the first of many such ventures for Molasky. To get shoppers there and save a few bucks, Molasky bladed the road himself. 

Molasky personally courted big-name retailers, who had scoffed at the Vegas market, including national chains Sears and Penneys, and California’s The Broadway.  As with Molasky’s other shopping centers, the Mall was about more than shopping. It became a cultural and artistic hub for the Valley’s diverse residents, and over the years has hosted a gala complete with a full orchestra, an exhibition on Black women’s historical contributions, and a Polynesian dance contest.