This mall is a done deal. The entire inside is closing and the few open shops have been told to vacate by September 30 including foot locker. Carrs grocery is leaving. Planet fitness and Burlington will remain open. I am giving this mall 5 stars because of the childhood memories it gives me. I worked there in high school at the chocolate chippery. They sold cookies before Mrs. Fields ever came along. This was the hangout spot in the 70s-90s. Not much there now. I do like the Burlington. This mall will be missed. read more

See all

Tragic. That is the only word I can think of when describing a place like the Northway Mall. This aging rundown mall was one of the premier shopping destinations during its hey-day in the 1980's. Businesses like Musicland, Chubby Chuckles (the better version of Chuck E. Cheese in my opinion as a kid), Safeway (before it merged with Carrs), and the original Orange Julius among others drew large crowds on the weekends. Now this place has the look of a post-apocalyptic zombie film with its dark, dimly lit corridors, empty storefronts, and drugged-out deadbeats off the street wandering aimlessly in the halls or sitting on the benches with blank stares. Actual shoppers are a rare sight in the hallways unless you go to larger stores like Carrs or the Burlington Coat Factory. There are some bright spots in the mall like Planet Fitness (which is a lot larger than the midtown location), Excalibur Sports behind the gym which is a great place to buy pro sports items like jerseys, flags, as well as tickets to sporting events anywhere in the country, and Hood Wings down the hallway which has a good selection of chicken wings on their menu if the craving hits. However, I can't shake the feeling that all these businesses are on borrowed time if the property owners won't make any effort to improve the mall and renovate it to attract new businesses and ultimately improve this part of town in the long run. Shoppers and diners are better off visiting the newer shopping center across the Glenn Highway next to Bass Pro Shops for a better leisure destination in the area. read more

Try to avoid this place if possible. It is run down and depressing. We were staying with family on the east side of Anchorage and ended up at this place more times than I would like to admit. Burlington coat factory is located here which was the reason for our last visit, employees there were really rude. We didn't bump into any mall staff, if there are any. And most of the other shops in the mall were closed up or had no customers. The supermarket and Starbucks in the supermarket were why we ended up here numerous times. There were a handful of shady characters either in the mall or in the lot here and at the adjoining Carr's supermarket, be aware of your surroundings when you are in this area. Be safe, put down your phone and keep your eyes open! read more

I avoid this place like the plague. The last time I went was for an event some of my friends were attending over the summer. I figured if my car got broken into or something I could at least catch a ride home with a friend. Thankfully everything appeared in tact despite me being there for much longer than desired (a few hours). That time was probably the most visitors they've had in that building at once in years. This mall is barely even a mall. It's dimly lit and there's no music or any sound when you walk around. I don't know how the businesses in this mall survive with how dead it is most of the time. The building either needs to be demolished or seriously revamped to be anything good. There's pretty much no reason to stop here unless you're going to Planet Fitness, Burlington's, or Carrs. Even then you're better off going to another location in town. Especially Carrs, because this location is pretty sketchy. Not quite on the same level as the Carrs on Gamble, but a close second. You're much better off going to Tikahtnu Commons or the 5th Avenue mall a few miles away to do any shopping. On the bright side, this mall would make a great haunted house location for Halloween since the dreary atmosphere is already there, and you could probably throw together a last-minute costume with some things from the clothing shops and the dollar store. read more

I'm bumping up Northway Mall to 2 stars for following: 1. The discount (dollar) store has moved an expanded 2. They now have a Burlington Coat Factory that is FANTASTIC 3. New Fro-Yo joint at the main entrance. read more

This place is a sad shell of its former self. I distinctly remember the days of enjoying an Orange Julius for the first time while my mom towed us around to shop for clothes. And what 90s kid could forget the utopia that was Discovery Zone? So many childhood memories were forged in those colorful mazes and germ-infested ball pits. Now, all that anchors this place is a Carrs-Safeway, Planet Fitness and a Burlington. A few interesting shops do stand out, such as Ian's Game Paradise and Excalibur Sports, if you can get past their obnoxious and bizarre commercials. I had the opportunity to trek down these once-lively halls only to get the impression that this place was crying out to be torn down. Malls all across America have suffered over the past couple decades, and while some have managed to claw their way out of antiquity, this place--sadly--has not. read more

Ahhh... the Mall that time forgot.... or perhaps turned its back on to slowly fade away into dust. This place Sucks! Notice how I capitalized "Sucks" Every year this mall gets sketchier and less desirable. It wont be long before it reaches the pinnacle of sadness and joins the likes of The gamble carrs or the 4th ave market place. EXAMPLE: I stopped by there two nights ago on my way home to get a frozen pizza from Carrs grocery. While on my way to the front door, 6 squad cars roared in as some little punk who had done.... who knows what.... was making them look like amateurs as he dodged in and out and around them. The whole place was a zoo. The best part is, as they tore off to the other side of the parking lot... the guy hiding around the corner behind me says to his wife in a very serious and distressed voice " I thought they were coming for me for sure this time," got to love this neighborhood! What does all this have to do with this mall in particular you might be asking yourself? Visit it sometime and you'll understand. read more

When I first moved to Alaska, my all-too-gullible self believed a friend who warned me about this place. "You know those concrete half-walls in front of the entrances?" he asked, his eyes big and full of this Alaskan knowledge that I had yet to acquire. "Y-yeah," I answered timidly. "Those aren't for decoration. They're for people to duck behind during a shoot-out." "..are you serious??" While he wasn't (entirely), he probably wasn't too far from the truth when it came to describing the less-than-welcoming atmosphere that Northway Mall advertises. The sole reason I *ever* go there is to accompany my boyfriend who reluctantly makes the infrequent pilgrimage to the hobby store. Even so, he always mutters under his breath, "I hate this place, I hate this place" as he locks his car, then locks again it, while casting a suspicious glance across the parking lot where vehicles have ignored the painted lines and made their own spots. "This place just needs to burn down." (Note to hypercritical readers: no one in their right mind would commit arson a la Office Space, but no one would shed a tear if NM met its end.) Behind the tinted glass doors (of which are cloudy and unclean, which makes me wonder if the tinting was intentional or just from a serious lack of Windexing over the years), the acrid scent hits you in the face. Part chemical, part organic, together it just reeks of the mall's death rattle as it desperately clings onto the last glimmers of life that should have expired long ago. There's no cheery Muzak over the intercom; just the dull, generic noises of a cash register occasionally dinging, a soda slurping, or some raucous music playing from a tinny boombox from the urban clothing store in the corner. The floors are cleaner than expected, because there's little foot traffic to warrant any heavy cleaning. Empty kiosks stand vigilant between wig shops and pull tab parlors, their signs with lettering so old and outdated, you'd assume that they haven't been occupied since the late eighties. There's a very unsettling feeling in the air; one that feels somewhat desperate and broken. You could probably picture what NM was like in its heyday, and there are some occupants who refuse to let that image go. Sadly, it will never recover, and I salute those who are able to hang on as long as they have been. The sad little yogurt stand with its hand-written signs is no match for the ever-popular SoYo and Yogurt Lounge; the food stands never seem busy since no one comes to NM just for the food; the few specialty stores that offer some needed or hard-to-find goods remain probably only due to low rent and the cost to relocate to a pricier stripmall wouldn't be worth it. Planet Fitness made a heroic attempt to anchor the mall, but only so much can be done before surrendering to the inevitable. There is little of value that is worth your time, money, and possible safety. While it may be unfair to render such harsh judgment over the entire mall, places have their reputations for a reason. No defibrillator powerful enough will be able to jumpstart the sad, dilapidation that is NM. Channel your money into other local businesses, and weep not when this mall finally becomes showcased on deadmalls.com read more

I still think this place is sketch but really there is nothing wrong with the mall. There are a lot of shops and even an elks lodge. It's always empty and dismal though. I kinda feel bad for it. read more

A visit on the weekends resembles the Zombie Apocalypse. I used to go to the Barber shop that has since closed on Saturday mornings. There were hoards of what appeared to be homeless people awaiting the opening of the Oaken keg. I am not sure why Joanne's Fabrics closed their entrance to the mall. I remember this mall from when I was a kid. It used to be full of stores. Chubby Chuckles and space station lured kids to the mall. There was a big Sporting good store, Space Station Arcade, Lamont's, Pay'n Save, and Jon Anthony's hair salon. Foot locker is still standing... The Northway mall has hung in there. The mall appears to be on a upswing. The Burlington Coat Factory is a great addition as well as the Pizza place housed in the former Red Robin. Planet Fitness helps fill up the parking lot. Current management has done a good job bringing in more anchor tenants. The boat show is always cool. read more

There are literally no good stores in this mall. It is also very dark and empty and just flat out creepy, no wonder my parents never took me there as a kid. I went to visit after going to Joanns fabric located next door, and it's just the creepiest mall ever. The only people in there are homeless people and it's just so unflattering with no where to shop. I tried to go into a gift shop and got kicked out for being under 21, like what are you guys selling in a giftshop that is for people over 21. Better off going anywhere else don't waste your time read more

I moved to Alaska 1984 and so enjoyed shopping at Northway Mall. I am deeply saddened to see it come to an end.

Ugh- I am just sad that this place has such a bad rating. Here's the deal, Northway Mall isn't located in the best part of town. It's in a low-income, high-crime area. It doesn't have the best array of visitors (a lot of homeless and 'hoodrat' types) and it's struggling to stay in business. With that being said, this place still has a lot to offer- if you can suck up your fear of 'ghetto areas' and make the best of this place. A lot of the shops have closed down, and I'm guessing that's from a sincere decrease in visitors over the last 20 to 30 years. Back in the day this was 'the mall' in Anchorage. Now it's 'the mall to avoid'. But- I go here, at least once a week, because contrary to all of the 1 star reviews, I see a lot of potential in this place. People act as though it's extremely run down, but that's not true. It's actually very well-maintained and very clean. They have a 'mall walking' program that you can sign up for. If you enjoy mall walking, it's a great thing to get involved in. You can earn prizes based on how much you walk. If you'd rather go to a gym, there's a Planet Fitness located within the mall. It's rarely busy during the day and the crowd ranges from experienced gym rats to chubby newbies trying to get fit. No matter your skill level, you'll fit in here. It's also open 24/7, so if you have an odd work schedule or want to work out at 2:00 AM, you can stop by. The rest of the mall is open for normal hours. There are a select few shops and some basic kiosks with things like cell-phone covers. The shops include a cell-phone repair place, shoe store, formal wear shop, women's fashion boutique, vapor store, hair supplies store (mostly with products for African-ethnicity hair), wig shop, video games store, and a Burlington Coat Factory. I love the little women's boutique (although I can't remember the name) and have gotten some knock-off Ugg boots for $5.00 there. I've also gotten a few cute lingerie items and some adorable leggings. There's a fun candy shop with a ton of yummy items and also a yogurt place. I've never tried the yogurt place, but I love the candy shop. There's also a Dollar Store where you can get everything from house items to beauty items- mostly for under $10.00. The employees at the Dollar Store are very kind and have always been very nice to me. On the other hand, they tend to get shop-lifted from often, so they do keep a close eye on any customers they don't know. Employees at other stores vary in attitude. Some are nice, some are rude. But that's to be expected everywhere. Mall security is very kind and will help you out finding your way around at a moment's notice. They also keep a close eye and help out all of the store owners with shop-lifting, which I think is great. The mall staff themselves are also great. They host a lot of community activities including cook-offs, holiday festivities, and little community meet-ups. They're definitely trying to bring their mall back to life, but it's hard to do when the place has such a bad reputation in Anchorage. I say, give this place a chance. A lot of the stores may be closed down, but the ones left standing are worth supporting. It may not be what it used to be, but it's still worth supporting. I love this mall, and I'd love to see it grow back into a great shopping area. It can only do that though, if people start seeing what I see in it- a lot of potential, and a place worth visiting just to visit sometimes. read more

Northway Mall is a shell of what it must've once been in its heyday. The mall's anchor used to be Gottchalk's, but nothing's moved into its place. The mall has a couple stores like Foot locker and Orange Julius, but there's no reason to go there since 5th Avenue Mall is down the street. Red Robin used to be located next to the mall, but they boarded up and moved across the highway to Tikahtnu Commons to feed the movie theater patrons. It's depressing that the city lets areas like this become rundown. read more

Ok, let me first say that I went here during the day, on a Weds., during the Farmer's Market. Maybe that made a difference. Second, while I found this mall to be sad and dying, it was NOT scary. Scary was the old original Gulfgate Mall in Houston in the early '90's. Now THAT was a scary mall! I walked the whole mall, and the pickings were pretty slim, but despite some stores definitely catering to the "slum" image, (Hood Wings, really?), I had a good time. I found some great bargains at Burlington Coat Factory, and the Dollar Store (think it is Dollar & More) had some good stuff too. Wish Anchorage had a Dollar Tree to give them a REAL dollar store, but I enjoy these independent discount stores a lot! You never know WHAT you are going to find! If you are from a large municipality in the lower 48 and have experienced a true ghetto or barrio and are comfortable with such offerings, this mall will not even be a blip on your radar. You have nothing to fear. Go, and take advantage of some bargains! read more

Northway mall's fright night Manor was a rip off. Didn't have everything they said they had and was mostly pitch black with recorded sounds. I could have done that at home for my kids and I spent 75 $ to take them. read more

I visited Payless shoes at the northwest mall in Anchorage Alaska . I needed to sit to try on shoes. I saw a seat and was pulling it. The manager was walking behind me. I really thought she was going to help me, but she didn't. When I rolled the seat over onto its side, she smiled with a smirk on her face. My daughter was in another aisle. I went over to her and shared what happened. The manager (female ) walked down the aisle where we were and I told her she was unprofessional and need training. She smiled again and walked toward the front of the store. I'm a 65 year old woman. She was rude and very unprofessional . read more

I have never been the type of person to complain about public places and have never written a review before in my life but this place inspired me (and not in a good way)The only reason I gave this place even 1 star is because it didn't give me the option for 0! Total waste of time, energy, gas, ect. Not only do you get an uncomfortable feeling just from the atmosphere walking in the front door! You can't find anything in most of the unorganized stores they offer. Burlington coat factory for example. RIDICULOUS! Is the only word I can come up with to describe it! Random things just thrown on shelves in different departments! Stuff all over the floor. I could go on and on but I won't. read more

The Mall has changed since the turn of the millennium. New anchors, new shops, some odd, some cozy, but it is indeed a stop and smell the roses type of place. You'll find all ages and cultures just going about their business so much so that it gives off a sense of security. read more

See all