William (Bill) Schlossman's vision of a retail center was realized on August 2, 1972, when he and a team of local partners opened West Acres Shopping Center.
The plan for West Acres began in 1967 when Bill wanted to build a retail center in downtown Fargo. When that idea was rejected by the city, he purchased a wheat field at the crossing of I-29 and 13th Avenue South in Fargo.
Bill and his partners faced many obstacles, including obtaining financing, securing tenants, and completing off-site improvements such as sewer, water, and roads. In fact, 13th Avenue South, which connected West Acres to Fargo, was not paved until two years after the Mall opened! West Acres opened with 52 stores in approximately 230,000 square feet, plus two department stores (note that at the time, Fargo was more than a mile away from the Mall).
Nearly 40 years – and minor and major renovations – later, West Acres is home to more than 120 stores that encompass approximately 950,000 square feet. West Acres truly is the shopping destination of the upper Midwest.