West Edmonton Mall jester from 90s resurfaces in 2022, reigniting memories of vintage Bourbon Street

One of West Edmonton Mall's jesters that either amused or haunted shoppers of the 1990s has resurfaced not far from its original home.

The last time the Mardi Gras-themed decor would have been seen publicly is roughly 2011, when it was auctioned off to pave the way for a renovation and rebranding of the mall's restaurant district as BRBN St.

About five years later, Marlene Alexander came across two of the pieces at a garage sale. One was an emerald-eyed jester with auburn hair.

"The green eyes are just very compelling. They draw you in. He's a very handsome fellow, with his little moustache," Alexander told CTV News Edmonton.

So she and her husband bought him for a "few hundred" dollars, hung him in their northwest Edmonton garage, and began calling him The Jester.

"It took four of us to hang him here."

A RELIC FROM 'KITSCHY' BOURBON STREET ERA

The Jester and dozens of other pieces of the same style were created for the mall's second iteration of Bourbon Street, originally fashioned after the bar strip at the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter.

"When it first opened in 1985, it was themed like a Louisiana street," recalled Matthew Dutczak, a self-titled West Edmonton Mall enthusiast and historian who produces a YouTube channel about the mall's evolution.

"It was kitschy," Dutczak admitted of the 1980s version, though he loved it.

"There were statutes. There was a lit-up night sky. There were street lamps. All of the restaurants had facades of buildings and there were statues of people up on the balconies shouting down and playing music. It was really, I guess, a festive atmosphere."

In the mid-90s, Bourbon Street was updated, partially to be made more family friendly.

"Galaxyland was unveiled to us from Fantasyland. The mini golf course was rethemed. And Bourbon Street was rethemed, as well. It was still Louisiana themed, but it was a lot more jesters and celebratory and masks and decorations. And very bright feeling," Dutczak explained.

Alexander saw The Jester when it adorned Bourbon Street, but didn't consider it at the time as appealing decor for her own home.

"At Westmount there was a car up, half hanging out of the wall. Didn't want that," she said.

"But when I saw [The Jester] in a sale, had to have it."

'HE'S KIND OF WATCHING'

A vintage retailer uncovering The Jester at a recent garage sale of Alexander's was what catapulted The Jester back into Edmonton's public consciousness.

"These things we take for granted," Dutczak said. "All of a sudden they're gone and you're like, 'At the time, I thought maybe that was a little cheesy, but now, I miss it.'"

The Jester has been fondly received, like Dutzcak's YouTube channel, for nostalgic reasons, he believes.

"It hits home with so many people. These are the things that we've seen as children, as teenagers, as young adults growing up in Edmonton."

Alexander at times has tried selling The Jester, but seems happy to have been unable to do so yet.

"It's part of Edmonton's history," she told CTV News Edmonton.

Besides, she feels comforted by The Jester's watchful eyes.

"If he's here, he's kind of watching, as well," Alexander said.

"We had a break in and I think he scared them. If they turned on a light it would be very frightening."

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Dave Mitchell and Galen McDougall