New Horizon Mall is Strange!

(A BIGDoer.com Classic) When it gets icy-cold we’ll find things to do inside and if below minus twenty that might include a little mall walking. It’s important to keep fit somehow during an arctic blast, even if it means channelling our inner senior citizens. One freezing day in March of 2019, we found ourselves exploring something new to us and that’s the much talked about (at the time) New Horizon Mall in Balzac, just north of Calgary.

We can’t play outside on a day off like this and certainly can’t stay at home, so here we are.

Its infamy mainly comes from one thing…that it’s a literal ghost town. No one speaks of it’s magnificence, but rather just how empty it is and all that lost potential. There’s a mere handful of retailers operating, and hallway after hallway of vacant store fronts. There’s room for many more but the occupancy rate then was hovering at about twelve percent.

And of customers at New Horizon, there’s few. Most people seem to be here to take in the odd spectacle and not shop. It’s a place brand spanking new, clean, tidy and should be a hit, yet it shows almost no signs of life. Patterned after a similar Asian Mall in Ontario, with tiny stores rarely more than a few hundred square feet in size, this one appears to have stumbled out of the gate.

Build it and they’ll come? Not here it seems. Still, come explore it with us….it’s beautifully weird and wonderful.

This is how it was for us the day we dropped by, many years ago. Business has since improved…somewhat…or so recent media pieces would state (and you know how trustworthy they are). This is not an anti-New Horizon Mall piece and we actually enjoyed the visit. Here, it’s just a fanciful look at how it was for us that day and nothing more. We love exploring the outer limits and the mall delivered in that respect.

As you many have guessed by now, this is an older piece brought back from archives and reposted. Keep that year in mind for some of the context, but we have updated some points to reflect the current status.

1) Arrival @ 11:19:48am. Seems we’re the second car in the parking lot. Fact is there was more than just the two vehicles seen in our picture, but most folks choose the heated underground parkade to escape the bone-chilling temperatures. Still, we counted only some forty or so vehicles overall down there and some must belong to those who work here.

The lot we picked incidentally fronts on the busy Queen Elizabeth Highway and seems consistently empty (not just on our visit, but always) which must give the wrong impression to those passing by. Is the place even open and should we bother stopping?

2) 11:22:40am. Our first photo inside. There’s three stores in quick succession and beyond a big void. As far as the eye can see, there’s not a soul about. All that stark white, sterile and cold, but not as cold as outside! Perhaps it’s too hospital-like (minus that maze-like quality of most health centres) and not particularly inviting for some folks.

3) 11:23:20am. Another hallway and a whole lot of empty. You got to wonder the cost to heat and light the place. With help from Google Translate: Xīn shìyě gòuwù zhòng xīn hěn qíguài or 新视野购物中心很奇怪 (New Horizon Mall is Strange! In Chinese).

4) 11:30:50am. Lunch calls! Upstairs at the “food court” the first signs of people. Go to the light…

5) 11:33:00. Later we’ll be entertained and here a performer gets ready for a show.

6) 11:42:06am. Food from Matty’s Asian Fusion Grill and it’s the only dining option this day. They’ve got a monopoly! We’ve since heard more food outlets have since opened there and the current map shows maybe nine or ten. The eats we had are reason enough to go back and it was yummy stuff. In fact we did go back! Matty’s still shows on current mall maps, so they must being doing something right.

7) 12:04:52pm. Share Tea had an opening soon sign dated almost six months prior. The map at the New Horizon Mall’s website later showed that business did do that, but they appear gone now.

8) 12:12:12pm. Back to walking. We explore this hall and that, each looking much like the last. That we ran into the same people over and over tells us were not the only ones here to get some exercise. Security guards, looking bored out of their chicken, are quick to engage. Briefly comes a smile, some small talk and they’re gone. We suspect they have little to do but stroll about and daydream.

It’s not like there’s any trouble or crimes in progress to attend to. Oh look, someone’s talking loudly – roll out, release the hounds and get that guy!

9) 12:13:36pm. A sale! But no customers. A lone soul looks out over an empty parking lot and we imaging him pondering life and its hidden meanings. Why are we here? What’s it all about? Why isn’t that legging place open…that damn legging place? Why the heck am I not next door at Cross-Iron Mills where the action is? Bass Pro has a freakin’ sale on camo!

Cross Iron is a mega-shopping centre and just to the north. It’s always busy, yet oddly New Horizon doesn’t seem to benefit from any spill-over traffic from there.

10) 12:16:08pm. Smart Deals, eh? We rough counted and found some sixty or so places occupied (of some five hundred+). Given all the vacancies it’s disturbingly disproportionate. Interestingly some stores didn’t open the day of our visit…or maybe they never do. We heard from security during one of those chit-chats that some owners have simply up and walked away, never to return. And they spoke further of others who have taken on second jobs to underwrite their New Horizon businesses, resulting in sporadic hours for those ones. Now it all makes sense.

11) 12:16:58pm. We’ve been in the middle nowhere Saskatchewan, the hinterlands of British Columbia, on remote backroads nowhere close to civilization in Alberta, and never have we felt more alone than at New Horizon Mall. Might as well have been on Mars. There’s a million and half people within a short distance of here, yet there’s complete solitude.

12) 12:18:40pm. While these places looked open, there seemed no one about. Refer to what we said a few paragraphs above. Selection in some stores, as evidenced here at Il Forno, was often minimal, further exacerbating the customer problem. With so little on the shelves to buy, why stop? All the vendor stalls are like this and glass-sided.

13) 12:26:18pm. A calendar from June 2018 and that’s one month after the building opened. No signs of recent activity in this shop and it’s something we saw repeated a lot as we walked about. Seems a fair number of people leased store fronts, not in hopes of opening a business, but rather on speculation with plans to flip them for big $$ on the mall being a success. Now they’re left holding the bag and with a place no one wants.

With little demand many landlords have essentially abandoned their spaces and some reverted back to mall ownership. Others have them for sale at liquidation prices. There are “condo” type fees to pay regardless of whether you’re open or not.

14) 12:27:32pm. Far in back the busy QE2 and the vehicle count out front holds steady at two. With help from Google Translate: 뉴 호라이즌 몰은 이상해 (New Horizon Mall is Strange! In Korean).

15) 12:35:08pm. Practising for a show. And while there’s an audience of one here, later a fair number of folks would show up, but few of them hung around once it all ended.

16) 12:38:52pm. The Fame Zone is gone now and does not show on recent New Horizon Mall Maps. Seems there wasn’t enough of a market for leggings after all. Stores on the outer walls, as this one is, are the smallest running about 145 square feet (with a few ones a quarter sized bigger). People spotted! We have new friends! Goodness, we’re lonely…

17) 12:48:16pm. Fizz & Dazzle, a place for bath bombs. New Horizon Mall is strange!

18) 12:50:52pm. There’s this peculiar optimism at the leasing office…or maybe it’s a state of denial. There’s broad smiles all around, brochures and posters speaking of the money to be made, and the success you’ll have owning your own business. It’s all manner of things contradicting the reality we’re witness too.

This was in contrast shop with shop owners where smiles appeared forced and the entire vibe was one of nervousness or outright despair.

19) 12:56:26pm. Someone’s coming! A new buddy?! Ten bucks it a security guard, who incidentally were little concerned with us photographing things, even if the signs at the front suggest it’s prohibited. But we asked beforehand and they seemed indifferent to it all.

Not seen, an aggressive store owner hot on Connie’s tail intent on selling her something. We encountered a few vendors which were pushy and for the third and last time, we don’t need nail polish! Most, however, looked at us with pathetic lost puppy-dog eyes. Please, buy something from me…please…for the love of…think of the children. We’re being silly here, but it’s no doubt serious stuff for these people.

We honestly felt sorry for most of the store owners here and can’t help think it’ll not end well for many.

20) 1:01:30pm. Stepping outside, a break from the crowds and mayhem. The skies are blue, the snow white, and yes, the world has not ceased to be. There’s lots of traffic on the QEII…

21) 1:12:50pm. High key: a photography technique where the background is of extreme contrast (white) so as to bring out colours on the main subject. See how the pink pops? In back, a sign shows how they’ve set up the various halls as though streets.

22) 1:46:16pm. By days end we’d put on about ten kilometres and it’s walking that keeps us strong. So many empty stores on Second Avenue. Curious as to the layout, south to north it’s 2nd through 8th Avenue, skipping 4th. There’s also no 1st here. West to east it’s 76th Street through 98th Street with 84th and 94th skipped.

Professor Google tells us eights and nines are particularly lucky in Chinese Culture which somewhat helps explain this arrangement. Four is real no-no, hence its complete absence. We just learned something today, together. BTW, our website applies numerical values to all posts for keeping track of things and this one when originally published was #40463. Oppsie! Now it’s #68383.

23) 4:02:32pm. After a break from the picture taking, the show begins and a crowd comes out of nowhere. Here it’s a fashion show and a model totally owning it. That intensity. And the drums played.

24) 4:03:08pm. Those colours! If anything the sterile décor helps all this amazing clothing really stand out.

25) 4:11:58pm. Lots of people now, but when the show ended they’d quickly vanish. New Horizon would be quiet and empty again. But for a moment though, the place looked like it was happening and a certified go-to.

26) 4:26:58pm. The noise echoed up and down the building breaking the otherwise ever-present silence. Boom, boom, boom and it was as though a war zone with the big guns sending out barrage after barrage.

27) 4:46:22pm. Those that know us are familiar with our predilection for the colour yellow. Bright yellow that is and maybe one day we’ll explain why. Okay, how about now? We once bought a jacket on sale that was bright yellow – you’ve seen it no doubt. We did for the fit with extra-long sleeves – gorilla arms are hard to deal with – and in photos it sort of became our trademark. It was not an intentional outcome and just us being cheap-skates.

There’s some elegant ladies here, but the left most one stands out to us.

28) 4:50:52pm. How do we get people to pose? We tell them we’re pro-photographers shooting a piece for the Times or the Journal. Really, that’s all it takes! No that’s silly and we ask nice while telling them our intentions. Here’s a decked-out pair rockin’ some vivid costumes and looking good.

29) 5:06:14pm. And here, looking incredible too, more participants in the show. Smiles all around and looking happy.

30) 5:08:02pm. In winter the sun sets way too early in this part of the world and full on dark at 6pm is hard on the psyche.

31) 5:10:18pm. Just one vehicle in the front parking lot, our lonely little pathetic car. That BIGDoer-mobile has since been replaced and to be honest, we sort of miss it. It looks like a plain old econobox (and in spec was), but was beast in every way. It said Cruze on the plate, but we swear it should have read Jeep.

32) A glint of sun on the glass exterior. Beautiful. But it’s to be appreciated for but a moment and the freezing cold had us making a bee-line for the doors.

33) 5:11:42pm. Rolling thunder! They play fast and furious, the beat intense and the skill incredible. A picture does this drummer no justice. You had to see it, and hear it, in person. We watched enthralled for a long time and were a bit deaf in the end.

34) 5:51:16pm. The show’s over, the quiet returns and the halls are again empty. New Horizon is supposes to close at 8pm but after the show, we saw at least a couple stores shutting early.

35) 5:52:50pm. The store map. Welcome! Yellow (nice colour), are units that are occupied. And with one more lap done – that’s like the thirtieth one – and all possible photo angles exhausted, we decide the adventure is done. What an experience. With help from Google Translate: Trung tâm thương mại Horizon mới lạ (New Horizon Mall is Strange! In Vietnamese).

36) 5:54:02pm. Next order of business, warm up the beast. The last bit of light of day is pleasing and and we’re the only ones out here enjoying it. We’ll call this a magic moment – an adventure done and the final curtain with Mother Nature putting on a show just for us. In a parking lot of all things. Odd how these play out and we love the memories fondly.

37) Finale @ 5:55:16pm. With the car making all manner of odd noises warming up, account that bitter cold, a photo of the New Horizon Mall sign facing the QE2. There’s room for announcements, but those spaces are vacant. Why even bother I guess. Empty is the theme here. An advertising opportunity lost – tens of thousands of cars per day pass in sight of it. I bet most question whether if anything there is even open.

One last look back and we’re gone. Turning to each other, it comes in unison “New Horizon Mall is strange!” But so are we and that’s what we like.

Let’s browse some interesting Google, Yelp and Reddit reviews. There’s thousands and these are just a few we cherrypicked. Go…

“Brick and mortar wish.com” and “It’s basically a physical AliExpress.” It’s a sentiment often stated and the mall is usually compared to various online selling sites peddling cheaply made junky stuff. Temu type places.

“Sooooo dead. It’s just north of the city, and has no anchor. Zero destination draws, just a bunch of tiny, one of a kind places that nobody ever heard of.” To the point and pretty accurate we suppose.

“The place is weird AF” and “I’ve seen cemeteries with more life to them.” Ouch.

New Horizon is often compared to a Calgary Mall that similarly opened with much promise and fanfare, but that later fizzled out. “New Horizon is the new Eau Claire” and “Eau Clair Mall has entered the chat.”

“But all the stores in there are either cell phone cases, or shops that sell like 3 items, but no one is there to sell to you anyway. Some have signs that say, I’m in the mall somewhere, text me if you want to buy something.” We noted there’s a lot of stalls marked with signs like that, suggesting the owner is likely single-handedly manning two stores and bouncing between them as demand dictates.

More…“Feels like this mall isn’t meant to be taken very seriously at all…More than half the (occupied) shops are only open on the weekends. Employees are either on their phones, or are out and about while leaving “be back in 5 minutes” sticky notes on their stores.”

Still, there’s lots of good things to be said about the place in reviews and we can’t help think they missed an opportunity. By our own account there are (or were) some stand-out shops and services. It’s debatable if the close proximity of nearby Cross-Iron Mill Mall helps or hinders the situation.

We browsed the New Horizon Mall social media pages and they’re about as quiet as the place itself. It’s an odd little story.

Since our visit many more stores have moved in and in the latest stats, occupancy is something like seventy five percent. Still, there’s seemingly a general malaise about here and retailers have been vocal at times regarding how badly things having been going for their businesses. Reviews from shoppers often reflect a similar tone and of being underwhelmed and leaving empty handed.

More people visit, but it seems few are buying anything. Dead pools have predicted the demise of New Horizon Mall many times, but even then it seems to endure. They must all have deep pockets or are dangerously determined to make something of it no matter the sacrifice.

We’ve gone back to New Horizon Mall a few times since this visit, but not recently. So in 2021 and 2022. At that time there were clearly more tenants (nothing close to the recently stated 75%) but it still appeared dead as before. That odd twilight zone vibe persisted. Many stores were not open during these times (mid-afternoon one Saturday and a Friday evening) and some almost looked abandoned.

You know, we might have to go back and see the current status for ourselves. Who’s in for a coffee chat? I see there’s a place up there near Matty’s and we could wander about afterwards.

Know more…

New Horizon Mall Balzac Alberta.

They’re saying…

So glad you know so much (and) your posts and pictures are appreciated! Irene Storteboom. (We only think we know much).

Winter adventures…

Fish Creek Park Western Trails.
Edgemont Ravine (NW Calgary).
Grain Elevators at Carbon Alberta.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date of Adventure: March, 2019.
Location: Balzac, AB.
Article references and thanks: New Horizon Mall, Calgary Korean Woman’s Association, Calgary Korean Association, Korean Art Club, Calgary Traditional Chinese Fashion Show Association, Calgary Chinese Music Club and Shine Dance & Lady Club.

1) March 2019: this is going to be strange (and awesome).

2) Not a soul about and it would mostly be that way all day.

3) Empty is the theme and that’s obvious here.

4) Wait, we see people!

5) An entertainer getting ready for a show.

6) Good eats from the one and only vendor at the time.

7) Seating in the food court is limited!

8) Large gaps of nothing between stores.

9) A sale where no one came.

10) One of perhaps 60 shops, with space for over 500.

11) What it’s like to be utterly alone.

12) The lights are on…

13) From June 2018 but it never opened.

14) Vehicle count at two and holding.

15) An audience of one…

16) Kardashian famous?

17) Fizz & Dazzle.

18) An optimistic vibe at the leasing office.

19) The sound of footsteps and a familiar face – Connie.

20) Outside, relief from the the crowds and noise.

21) High-key heaven.

22) Walk up, walk down and it’s ten clicks behind us.

23) The show begins and out of nowhere, a crowd appears.

24) Bright costumes contrast with the sterile and stark decor.

25) When the show ends, they’ll all vanish.

26) The drums echoed up and down the halls.

27) Liking the yellow in particular.

28) We’re pro-photographers…don’t you know…

29) Happy to pose and they look fabulous.

30) Comes the setting sun.

31) Meanwhile in the parking lot.

32) Outside it’s numbingly cold.

33) Pound those skins and make some noise!

34) With the show over it’s a return to peace and quiet.

35) A map to guide the way and treasure awaits!

36) Yup, the BIGDoer-mobile is still there and looks cold!

37) All that’s left is a shot of the sign and we’re gone.