When it opened the anchor stores were J.M. Fields (went bankrupt & was taken over by Bradlees), the Boston Store, Flahs (those were the two in the middle of the mall-Boston Store was where Media Play was) and on the other end Montgomery Wards.
I am not sure Price Chopper was there to begin with either. I remember a new grocery store opening up and going in there with my Mom on our way to pick up a Lucas Pizza (near the Chopper entrance.) But that could have been soon after the mall opened.
Other stores in the place were a McDonalds,Golden Krust Bakery, a bank (Northeast Savings?), Mack Drugs (became CVS) Kaybee Toys (and its forerunner) Woolworths, Little Folks Shop, Walden Books, Linen Chest, Jade Gifts, So-Fro Fabrics, Midland Records, Spencer's, Schatz (office supply/stationary), Drome Sound and Crystal Mansion among others. Later came a Record Town (now FYE chain), Bradlees, and others.

When it opened it was a big as Colonie Center (or close to it at the time) and we no longer had to drive all the way over to Wolf Rd from Niskayuna (or go to downtown Schenectady) to shop. The next big mall to open in the Capital District after Mohawk Mall was Crossgates and that was around 15 years later.

God, I miss this mall. I have a couple dozen good photos circa 1998 to post, and more to come. Price Chopper was there since the beginning as I recall. THE BEST ARCADE EVER: The Dream Machine, next to Northeast Savings. before arcades got ruined with DDR etc... I used to bring my report card in for free games...

My father worked at the Montgomery Wards there actually.

He commented what killed the mall was the fact the property management really do any maintenance or remodeling since it was built and eventually, just gave up on the place.

And no, Mohawk Commons isn't owned by the same developer.