The opening of Asia Village has already made the mall more lively, but the mayor said spurring redevelopment of the wider area is “beast” of a project.
By Sarah Ritter
The Minnesota Star Tribune
Blaine residents said they’re noticing something at Northtown Mall that they haven’t seen in years: a full parking lot.
The Asia Village, a two-story hub for Asian cuisine, retail and entertainment, this past week had its soft opening at Northtown — and customers have flooded in. Late Thursday afternoon, a swarm of shoppers browsed viral beauty brands, took selfies while holding bubble tea, and snacked on Vietnamese pho and Korean fried chicken.
“We’ve been selling out every night,” said Tina Zhao as she sold milk pudding buns and other warm baked goods from Minnesota’s first location of the Taiwanese chain 85°C Bakery Cafe.
Blaine officials hope the buzz is signaling a revitalization of the stagnant Northtown Mall and the struggling commercial areas around it. Leaders have pushed for a modernization of the mall, hoping to open it up as part of a walkable, entertainment district with housing and attractions. But city staff say that long-term vision hasn’t aligned with the mall owner’s plans.
Northtown owner Felix Reznick, with 4th Dimension Properties, said he’s working to breathe new life into the mall and adjacent properties. In addition to bringing in Asia Village, he said early plans are in the works for another food center called Halal Square.
Reznick also lopped off some parking around the mall to sell as developable lots. But he said he’s hamstrung because he doesn’t own other properties in the city’s plan, much of which he said is financially prohibitive.
“I frankly don’t have the ability to do what it is they want me to do. I’m not a developer. I don’t build housing,” Reznick said. “I’m trying to revive the mall. And I think I’m making a big difference here.”
Blaine Mayor Tim Sanders said the opening of Asia Village is the “first really big domino to fall that will show people that Northtown is worth investing in.”
But he added that turning the area around is a “beast” of a project.
“We can have a vision for it, but the market dictates what can happen, and at the end of the day, the mall area has to be successful,” Sanders said. “That’s really important from a land use perspective and a property tax perspective.”
Patrons show off their orders at Ramyeon Bar at Asia Village. (Anthony Soufflé/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
A Changing Northtown
Northtown Mall, at County Road 10 and University Avenue, opened in 1972 as the Twin Cities’ third-largest shopping center, and the first that wasn’t owned by the Dayton Corp.
Situated on the edges of Coon Rapids, Spring Lake Park and Fridley, the mall — with a waterfall-like fountain and aquarium — was a draw for shoppers across the region. In its early days, the mall housed a replica ship that was originally built for the 1953 movie “Titanic,” according to the Blaine Historical Society.
At the time, Northtown felt like it was “in the sticks,” Council Member Tom Newland said, but the area has since rapidly developed.
Blaine has boomed in population and become much more diverse.
Sanders said during his college years, the mall housed big, national chains. But it’s floundered over the past couple of decades along with other malls, including Burnsville Center, that have been unable to keep up with changing consumer habits and compete with shopping centers that have more amenities.
The mall has changed hands many times, but Reznick took over ownership in 2023. In recent years, Northtown has lost some anchor tenants, including Hobby Lobby and a Best Buy outlet. While Asia Village on Thursday was full of activity, the rest of the mall was quieter, with several empty stores.
Blaine officials say the strip malls and stores surrounding the mall are facing similar challenges. The city has considered narrowing County Road 10 to make the area more walkable and improve access to the mall and commercial areas, plus add amenities such as outdoor gathering spaces.
Blaine Community Development Director Sheila Sellman said the city has softened some development requirements. But another hurdle is the high cost of either redeveloping stores or knocking them down.
Sellman said city staff envision fewer big-box stores and more dense, mixed-use development. She said the city has about 3 acres for sale, and the mall owner is selling seven lots that are no longer needed for parking.
The city has received calls showing interest in building a car wash or dispensary in the area, she said, but hasn’t gotten any formal applications.
Patrons peruse the buns for sale at 85ºC Bakery Cafe during the soft open of the new Asia Village Thursday at the Northtown Mall in Blaine. (Anthony Lonetree/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Adding Blaine to the foodie scene
Michael Bui, co-owner of Asia Village in the mall’s former Becker Furniture outlet, said the food hub’s soft opening demolished his expectations. He said an hour after opening on the first day, the place was slammed.
“It’s night and day, the traffic we are seeing at the mall now,” said Bui, who partnered with owners of Asia Mall in Eden Prairie on the project.
The 125,000-square-foot Asia Village has a grocery store, playground, food vendors and a sit-down restaurant where customers will eat Korean barbecue while being served by a robot. The grand opening is June 13.
Mayor Sanders said he thinks Asia Village will help position Blaine as part of the growing foodie scene in the Twin Cities. National Geographic recently named Minneapolis one of the top 15 global destinations for food.
Reznick, the mall owner, said he hopes the planned Halal Square could bring similar excitement, and said he is talking with some other new tenants about coming to Northtown. He hopes to attract more retail stores, entertainment and possibly a gym.
“I think with this addition, we’re really changing the face of this area, of Blaine and the mall,” Reznick said. “Just give it a little bit of time, and you’ll see it’ll be easier to fill the mall.”
Pho Mai Express Vietnamese Cuisine launches a soft open on the first day of the new Asia Villag at the Northtown Mall in Blaine. (Anthony Soufflé/The Minnesota Star Tribune)