Maine’s Auburn Mall is Making a Comeback: Here’s Why Everyone’s Talking About It

If you grew up in the Lewiston/Auburn area in the '90s, you know the Auburn Mall  wasn't just a place to shop, it was the place to be. 

Before the super smartphones and social media, our entertainment was grabbing a group of friends and walking lap after lap after lap through the Auburn Mall, hoping to run into everyone we knew.  

We'd spend way too long in Spencer's laughing at the inappropriate joke gifts, stop into Bath & Body Works to buy entirely too much Vanilla Fields body spray, and, of course, no trip was complete without Papa Gino's. Unless you were heading to the movies, the mall was the destination. 

For years, it honestly felt like those days were gone for good. Empty storefronts kept appearing, and it seemed like the Auburn Mall was slowly fading into another forgotten piece of Maine nostalgia. 

But... did you hear? 

The Auburn Mall is coming back, baby! 

According to News Center Maine, a couple of Facebook posts telling everyone there's open space led to it's boost.

Here's the tea on how it happened.. 

Believe it or not, it all started with a couple of Facebook posts. A longtime Auburn Mall tenant Jeff Mitchell, who owns Family Time Dine and Play and Fluff Me, shared available storefronts and rental prices on the mall's Facebook page.

The posts reached more than 325,000 people, creating a wave of interest from business owners. In just a matter of weeks, the mall reportedly went from about 40% empty to nearly 90% full, with new businesses moving in and giving the Auburn Mall a fresh new lease on life. 

Read More: Maine Ranked 5th Funniest State In America, Study Says

Will it ever be exactly like the mall we remember? Probably not, and that's okay. 

Every generation deserves a place to go and make memories like we did. 

Seeing the Auburn Mall get this new lease on life is something I never thought I'd say, but I'm genuinely excited to see what's next.

Here's hoping this old girl keeps flying for years to come.