The Northside Mall

Today, 115 E. 4^th St. is home of the Northside Mall. Despite the name, the Northside Mall is not a shopping center filled with retail locations and food courts; rather, the building boasts a variety of attorney offices, counseling practices, offices of the Missouri Department of Corrections, and a hearing aid center. What was once many smaller business buildings, including bakeries, the post office, and bath house, has been turned into a larger, central location for businesses that serve the Maryville community. 

Although it is unclear when this building was first constructed, Sanborn maps provide evidence that businesses have existed on this block of 4th St. since 1886. What is now one large "mall" used to be four smaller businesses. In 1886, this space hosted two vacant lots, a restaurant & bakery, and the post office/bookstore. Throughout the subsequent years, these buildings were home to a racket store, various confectionery's and bakeries, and a hand laundry & bath house. The most recent Sanborn map from 1909 reveals that this space was home to a confectionery, bakery, the post office, and a general store.

While not much is known about the specificities of the businesses in the buildings of 4th St, historic editions of The Maryville Daily Forum provide insight on the general store shown in the 1909 Sanborn map. According to one newspaper clipping, "The Country Store" opened in September 1908. Other clippings, which can be found in the "photos" section of this entry, detail the promotions and advertisements found in the newspaper.

The Northside Mall, as it's known today, opened in 1981. In 2024, it is home to twelve businesses of various areas of specialization, including: Anderson, Sundell, and Skinner; Arnold Insurance; PPS Counseling, SATOP; J. Patrick McLaughlin, Attorney; Probation & Parole; Beltone Hearing Aid Center; Taryn Henry, Attorney; Private Probation Services; MO Highway Patrol Drivers Examination; Tina M. Deiter, Attorney; & Sutherland Probation & Counseling Services.

What is seemingly an ordinary building contains a rich history of Maryville and a glimpse into what life was like at the turn of the 20th century. Regardless of the shift in business types, one thing remains: the prominence and importance of local business in small town Missouri.

Arnold Insurance Services, https://www.arnoldinsuranceservices.com/.

Michael J. Steiner and Brent Trout, Images of America: Maryville (Lanham, MD: Arcadia Publishing, 2013).

"New General Store Announcement," The Maryville Daily Forum Page 2, Thu, Sep 03, 1908.

Sanborn Maps: Maryville, MO, https://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138882.

"The Big Sale," The Maryville Daily Forum Page 3, Sat, Nov 28, 1908.

"The Country Store," The Maryville Daily Forum Page 3, Tue, Dec 01, 1908.