Stand Up for Local Journalism.
What’s real matters. We’re committed to providing you with the truth. If you value journalism like ours that strengthens democracy and holds our leaders accountable, please make a contribution today.
In the hearts of many East Valley residents, Fiesta Mall was never second-rate. While the now-demolished Mesa retail landmark may not been as large or had the cultural cachet or iconic status of Metrocenter or Paradise Valley Mall, it was a favorite shopping destination and gathering spot for generations of suburbanites.
Just ask Kenneth Walsh, a former Mesa resident who frequented Fiesta Mall as a teenager in the ’80s, both as a patron and an employee of its shops. The two-story mall, which first opened in 1979, offered a haven of sorts before becoming a regular hangout…