Greater Utica Magazine Cover – September 2018 – Riverside Mall Utica NY – A Historic Look at Utica’s Premier Shopping Destination

The September 2018 cover of Greater Utica Magazine explores the history of Riverside Mall in Utica NY, once one of the region’s most popular shopping and social destinations. Opened in August 1974 in North Utica, Riverside Mall in Utica NY quickly became a central hub for retail, entertainment, and community life in the Mohawk Valley.

Featuring major anchor stores like Montgomery Ward, Howlands, and J.M. Fields, Riverside Mall in Utica NY attracted shoppers from across the region. The mall also offered a three-screen movie theater, a variety of specialty shops, and hosted local events, making it more than just a shopping center—it was a gathering place for generations.

As economic trends shifted and retail patterns changed, Riverside Mall in Utica NY experienced decline and eventually closed in 1998. Today, it remains a nostalgic symbol of a vibrant era in Utica’s commercial history.