Salem Mall opens with Rikes and Sears
In 1963, Rike’s opened its new store on farmland along Salem Avenue, a signal that suburban Dayton was ready for something larger.
Three years later, construction finished on the rest of Salem Mall, enclosing polished terrazzo floors beneath long bands of skylight.
Opening day brought crowds into air-conditioned concourses lined with tropical plants and the sound of water from indoor fountains…