'I loved this place': Shoppers share memories of Burnaby's old Brentwood mall on closing day
Shoppers who frequented Burnaby’s old Brentwood Town Centre are sharing memories of the mall after it closed for good on Monday.
Shape Properties, the developer of The Amazing Brentwood, also announced the official closing date of the old mall (which it refers to as the Interior Centre) on its Instagram page.
Brentwood Town Centre first opened to the public in 1961. Initial flagship tenants included T.Eaton Co., Loblaw Groceteria, and Zellers.
Now, Shape Properties is eyeing it as the future site of at least two more towers, as well as “green spaces, walkable boulevards, and pedestrian street front shops, creating a new retail experience at the centre of The Amazing Brentwood Masterplan.”
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However, this amendment to the current master plan is still under review with the City of Burnaby.
The developer noted that the Interior Centre’s closure was “anticipation for [the amendment’s] approval.”
Many mallgoers appeared saddened by the news of Brentwood Town Centre’s closure and posted online about the good times they had there.
“Lots of memories of the place. Zellers, Sears, EB Games, American Eagle, iHop, Roasty Jack, Edo, that pet store, and that grocery store that I could not name. The arcade that I somewhat remember from the early 90s,” one person wrote in the Vancouver subreddit.
“I remember when Collectors Den was there and I got a picture + autograph from Trevor Linden as a 4th grader. Good memories,” said another Redditor.
“Used to go to this mall with my parents when I was younger on an almost weekly basis,” added another. “Getting my grade 7 graduation dress from Mariposa. Testing out pens at Wilson’s Stationery and running to the pet store to stare at the super cute puppies, pointing at which ones we want to bring home with my siblings. Oh, the carefree days at Brentwood!”
“Going to miss this mall (though it’s been a while). My grandmother used to take us there often to go to Zellers. And the pet store was a favourite side trip,” shared one mallgoer.
“I remember the fountain at the bottom of the elevator, the plastic golden retriever near the escalators for donations to the blind, and the ‘special’ green tiles on the floor. I spent a lot of teenage paycheques at EB Games and HMV video on games and VHSes.”
The old indoor Brentwood Mall at The Amazing Brentwood. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
One person said they loved the mall because it “treated holidays as something special.”
“Also had the best food court of any mall, anywhere, ever! Sorry to see it go, the new mall does not float my boat, although it’s nice to have a few more movie theatre screens around,” they noted.
Another reminisced that the old Brentwood used to have the “greatest mall Santa of all time.”
“The Brentwood Mall Santa is THE REAL SANTA,” they said.
The old indoor Brentwood Mall at The Amazing Brentwood. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
One of the old mall’s last remaining tenants was London Drugs, which also announced its plans to relocate to the new outdoor plaza area in 2025.
What are your favourite memories of Brentwood Town Centre? Let us know in the comments.
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