Montana's Oldest Mall Is Full Of Shops And Good Eats With Plans For A Major Makeover

Old shopping malls are like time capsules, reminders of a period not so long ago when shoppers showed up in person, examining coveted objects in glass cases and browsing racks of clothes. Every state has a few of these malls. In Montana, the oldest of them all is Great Falls' Holiday Village Mall, which opened back in 1960.

A little empty these days, Holiday Village Mall is probably not among America's top malls for an unforgettable shopping experience. According to the Montana Free Press, Holiday Village was Montana's biggest mall when it opened, but like other malls across the West, it has experienced a downturn over the years. With more businesses exiting than arriving, the site has seen a rash of vacancies. Shifting fortunes aside, Montana's oldest shopping hub is not without its charms. One of its anchor stores, the sportswear retailer Scheels, has been operating at Holiday Village since 2007 and continues to have an energetic presence. Besides offering services like bike repairs and selling sporting goods, apparel, and footwear, the store also provides entertainment via its Big Buck Hunter arcade and shooting gallery game.

Holiday Village also boasts some surprisingly authentic eats. At Little Athens, home-cooked dishes like souvlaki (meat skewers), pastitsio (Greek lasagna), and dourmathes (stuffed grape leaves) will have you feeling like you're dining in a charming historic village in Greece. Businesses like Little Athens, Scheels, and other consistent performers have some locals believing in the mall's long-term viability, despite weak economic signals in recent years. Headed by a few of these upbeat locals, informal public relations efforts are underway to help the mall stay vibrant in the ever-changing universe of human consumerism.

As local Mark Davis told the Montana Free Press, "I've always said that this mall would be absolutely golden if it was willing to work a little bit more with people that wanted to move in here." Davis, along with other volunteers, have been sharing vacancy information on local social media feeds and networking within the community to connect interested business owners with the mall's leasing agents. In addition, the mall has been hosting events like the Montana Solstice Arts and Crafts Show to attract more interest.

It may be too early to tell if the scheme is working, but so far, signs are promising. In 2025, the mall's property manager noted a jump in leasing inquiries, particularly following the craft show. New businesses have already arrived in Holiday Village, like the take-out eatery Asian Mix, which serves Thai, Chinese, Burmese, and Japanese dishes. The venue opened in 2025 to favorable reviews, with an overall rating of 4.7 stars across 63 Google reviews. One reviewer said, "Their curries are all phenomenal, the best pad Thai in town, everything is always very fresh and full of flavor. I've tried nearly everything from the Thai food section of their menu and I'm always impressed! So glad they're in GF!"

In April 2026, a post on Holiday Village's Facebook page announced "Suite 4 Is Leased," but it did not reveal the new store's name. As was probably intended, the post generated quite a buzz among users, who enthusiastically endorsed the news and debated the identity of the mystery store. One user wrote, "I LOVE to see new growth in our city and the mall!" Looking for more old malls out West? Check out Lakewood Center in Lakewood, California, a "shopping city" with dozens of outlets and great restaurants.