Throwback photos show what shopping at the Disney Store was like in its heyday

• The Disney Store was a staple of shopping malls after its first location opened in 1987.

• Throwback photos of the store show mountains of stuffed animals, giant crowds, and holiday sales.

• The images also show how the store changed approximately 10 years before most locations shuttered.

Years after Disneyland and Disney World became the ultimate vacation destinations, the Disney Store became the shopping-mall equivalent of the beloved theme parks.

According to the official Disney fan club D23, the first Disney Store opened at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California, on March 28, 1987.

It was the first store to sell Disney merchandise outside of the theme parks and Orlando Airport, D23 says, and employees were trained to hold the friendly, magical standards set by those at Disney World and Disneyland.

Throwback photos of the retailer show the Disney Store in its heyday, years before most locations — aside from outlet stores and a mega location in New York City — went out of business in 2021.

The Disney Store was a staple of shopping malls between 1987 and 2021.

Today, most Disney Stores have been shuttered. Only a larger shop in New York City; the World of Disney in Orlando, Florida; and 21 Disney outlets filled with discounted theme-park merchandise remain across the country.

Some stores had cartoon-inspired exteriors, while others were more upscale. But every entrance featured an intricate Disney design.

Mosaic and tile floors depicting classic Disney characters greeted shoppers as they entered.

Inside the stores, statues of Disney characters could be found in every corner and even hanging from the ceiling.

But what fans will remember most are the mountains of stuffed animals and massive TV screens that played Disney movie scenes.

Disney often used these round displays to promote merchandise from new movies. In 1996, that was the live-action version of “101 Dalmatians.”

If you wanted a sweet treat while shopping, there were multiple kinds of Mickey Mouse lollipops available.

It was normal to see crowds of shoppers gather outside Disney Stores on Black Friday to score major deals.

And the stores would always be decked out for the holidays with themed music and festive character displays.

Sales were a big part of the Disney Store business. Many happened after holidays like Christmas, but there were also year-round discounts.

During those sales, shoppers would stock up on Disney clothes, toys, and other merchandise.

Princess dolls, costumes, and action-figure sets were other big draws when discounted.

On occasion, you could find Disney Channel stars at Disney Stores for promotional appearances and meet-and-greets.

Around 2010, most Disney Stores were renovated with new decor and shopping features, including activity areas for children with coloring stations and big TVs.

The updated store designs also included walk-through castles, light-up wall displays, and most notably, the removal of character statues.

The modern design remained until the Disney Store as most fans knew it closed in 2021.

Read more: I shopped at one of the last Disney stores in the country, and it was full of discounted theme-park merch

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