Bangor Mall Sale: Unnamed Local Buyer Plans Purchase

Speaking with someone who was in Portland recently, they remarked on how the Maine Mall is absolutely thriving, which depressed me, because the heyday of Bangor Mall is long gone, but it got me thinking about how it could be fixed.

The property was bought in 2019 by Namdar Realty Group at a big discount, reflecting its decline. Since then, Bangor Mall has dealt with a ton of ongoing maintenance problems, including leaks, potholes and other code issues that have drawn scrutiny from not the city, but people in the community, who have fond memories of what it once was.

Local officials have taken action over conditions at the site, even going so far as to condemn part of the property earlier this year.

However, big news has dropped that that mall is under contract to be sold to a local "mystery" buyer who hasn’t been publicly identified. The deal is still in progress, and it’s not yet clear what any incoming ownership would mean for the future of this once iconic spot.

If you are into the whole gossip end of things, one theory is that it will be purchased by "a family with deep roots in Bangor history"

From 1978, till now, the Bangor Mall has been a mainstay here in the area, and to say that it has fallen on hard times, would be the ultimate understatement, but it was an iconic location for many, many years.

It was inevitable when the rise of big box stores like Target and Walmart took over the world, leading to the online shopping phenomenon of Amazon all across the world, that the days of the local malls in America were numbered.

Once anchored by big names like Sears and Macy’s, the mall now has far fewer stores than it did at its peak.

There is a local Facebook page group called "You knew you grew up in Bangor, Maine when..." that brought this topic up with a post, and people had plenty to say, including this juicy potential tidbit.

"It is a Big Name who bought it. People will be very surprised. Some of the Stores will remain open while remodeling takes place. Just keep your eyes and ears open, everyone will know of these plans by Summer."

Rest assured, there are many more details to come, and for the first time in years, there just might be at light at the end of the tunnel, for the Bangor Mall.