Please post any feedback below. Be sure to include the name of the particular mall (or mobile home) write-up that you are commenting on.
Thank you,
Vintage mobile homes and the Trailerite culture of the 1940s, '50s and early '60s
Vintage mobile homes and the Trailerite culture of the 1940s, '50s and early '60s
Aaron Olden asked:
ReplyDeleteCan you make a drawing of the Davison's in Northlake Mall?
Hazel Jordan asked:
ReplyDeleteWho is the author of the Rosedale Mall article?
Hazel and Aaron,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting. A rendering of Davison's Northlake would be great.
"The Curator" (or myself) wrote the Rosedale Center article (and all other copy). Do you have a question about the article?
Greg said:
ReplyDeleteI found some very interesting info on the original Oxnard (Ca) Esplanade Mall(1968-2001) on this site. I was wondering if there are any available interior/exterior photos. The blog stated that there was a Mann Theatre there, which I remember as a kid, but it said that it went out of operation in the early 90's. It did become a "cheapy" theatre afterwards through the mid to late 90's. I remember seeing From Dusk Till Dawn and Anaconda there circa '96/'97.
Thanks for the interesting histories and details on your site! Let me know if you come across any pre-2000 photos of either the Oxnard Esplanade or the Pacific View Mall(Ventura Center).
Greg,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting. The cinema -at THE ESPLANADE- was in operation latter than I had thought. Thanks for pointing this out.
Greg,
ReplyDeleteI just revised THE ESPLANADE article. It now includes a full history of the Mann 1-2-3 Theatres.
Aaron Olden said:
ReplyDeleteYou should make an article on The Florida Mall in The Shopping Mall Museum. Has a lot to the plans.
4/26/17
Aaron, thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteRobert said:
ReplyDeleteDear Curator,
How can I contact TheBubster6? I would like to inquire about using some photos of the Richland Mall in an upcoming book. Many thanks!
Robert Jeschonek
Robert,
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to go about contacting the fellow who published the RICHLAND MALL photos. There used to be a website devoted to the Johnstown shopping mall....but I can't find it now. I'm sorry.
Anthony Lawrence has left a new comment on your post "Post A Comment:":
ReplyDeleteHello-
An update for the Plymouth Meeting Mall post:
The food court has been pushed back to its original location. The 1998 food court has been closed and replaced with a LEGOLAND.
Thanks!
-Anthony
Anthony,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting the info. Cheers.
I was very happy to find your site. In my youth, the first complete mall store I built was Record Town in the Pyramid Mall in Plattsburgh, NY in 1975 ... 40 plus years ago. I then built several more there before the mall was completed and it was quite an education. Record Town was the first of a chain with several names that turned into over 300 stores. With so many site views I hope you can expand and monetize it. Malls are a major social development and currently becoming dinosaurs as the Amazon-type retailers capture the market. Thaks for your work.
ReplyDeleteAnon, thanks much for posting. I've considered monetizing these three sites (Mall Hall of Fame, Shopping Mall Museum and Portable Levittown) but (so far) have decided against it.
ReplyDeleteJoe said:
ReplyDeleteWhile it may not have been re-branded as such on the outside, I shopped at the Boca Jefferson Ward during the mid 70's. The price tag logo had already been changed. My first purchase was a suitcase, which I still have. Since I had a Monkey's card at the time, made it quite convenient. Was my store of first choice whenever visiting in Pompano Beach. Bought my wife's first "real" present there in 1977, opal pendant with a diamond chip.
Joe,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting the "Boca Mall Memories". I never shopped at a Jefferson Ward, but did shop at a standard Montgomery Ward many, many times. I got my first bike at Wards (it was 22 $$).
Edwin said:
ReplyDeleteSadly the Maine Mall's Bon-Ton will be closing after only 4 YEARS in business...
(I can't believe that The Bon-Ton will close by the end of August, all 50 employees will soon need to find new jobs, hopefully they will find new jobs soon...).
Edwin,
ReplyDeleteI regret hearing that the Maine Mall Bon Ton has not been successful. I guess this means that Bon Ton's New England expansion has not panned out. Thanks much for posting the info.
It looks like Sears in The Rhode Island Mall/Midland Mall (in Warwick, RI) will be closing...
ReplyDeleteHopefully this link works:
http://warwickonline.com/stories/ris-only-sears-deemed-unprofitable-closing-sept-17,125533
Edwin,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting the info. I'll add it to the MIDLAND MALL article.
CJ said:
ReplyDeleteAs much as I hate advertising, I have a retail blog of my own and I am trying to bring traffic to it. I'd really like it if you linked me on the side with the other retail blogs on Mall Hall of Fame or Shopping Mall Museum. Y'all inspired me to make a retail blog of my own and I'd love it if you did so. If you can't do so, I understand. Link is www.skymallblog.blogspot.com
CJ,
ReplyDeleteI have added a link to SkYMall to the "External Links" menu of the Mall Hall of Fame and "Mall & Retail Related Links" menu on the Shopping Mall Museum. I hope that this will direct traffic your way.
It looks like you have been working for quite a while on the SkyMall site. There is a LOT of material there. I am impressed.
I am also a bit envious that you have visited Southdale Center. It might be blatantly obvious...but I have never been to America's "Mother of all Malls". In fact, I've only been to a paltry few of the malls that I have "documented for posterity".
At least I WAS at Aventura Mall a time or two...where I saw one of the Bee Gees perusing VHS tapes at a SunCoast Video store (yep, this was back in the pre-dvd ----or BluRay--- era, lol).
So, I hope that these links to your site will bring you some traffic. Thanks much for posting.
CJ said:
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for adding me with the links. I've already seen a spike in traffic ever since you did so. Those are some vintage stories - oh how much I would give to visit a mall stuck in time (architecturally and stores). Apparently SunCoast still exists - though a shell of its self.
Southdale was a beautiful mall, and I'd hope you will make it there someday. It's still going strong after sixty years and plenty of hoobaloo. One of my favorite malls in terms of design, not bland at all.
It's only been two months since I started SkyMall, but how much passion can drive someone. I'm enjoying it, and I hope to keep working hard for months (and years) to come. Thanks for paying a visit.
My Bee Gees sighting -at Miami's Aventura Mall- took place around 1994. However, my vintage "mall" stories can go all the way back to late 1969 (I went to Dayton Mall -south of Dayton, Ohio- then). This was the first time that I ever went to a mall.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the grand ole 5 & Dime stores, that mall had one then called McCrory's (aka J.G. McCrory). It had the standard "lunch counter" (that I never once ate at) and -if I recall correctly- the candy department was right near the main entrance to the store (apparently, something of a standard 5 & 10 feature).
5 & 10s were a truly world unto themselves...there simply is not any thing like them nowadays. Where else could one buy a grilled cheese sandwich, "cherry coke", (live) baby turtle, Mattel Thingmaker, pair of swimming trunks and that new "In the Year 2525" 45...lol?
BTW, I believe that my favorite mall -past or present- is Atlanta's Lenox Square (circa-1959). Unfortunately, I never saw it when it was "open-air" (it was enclosed in 1972-'73). I did, at least, go there (in 1986) when the Food Court area was still with its original -1980- decor and the Rich's store was STILL Rich's.
We moved to Albuquerque, NM in 1970 and I grew up with all the changes to our malls. It was where you went to socialize and be seen. Thank you for recording all the changes. BTW I recently discovered that Winrock Mall was named after the developer Winthrop Rockafeller. I always wondered where the name came from. Thanks!! Julie
ReplyDeleteJulie....so sorry about the delay in posting your comment about WINROCK. I've been out of town. Thanks much for posting.
ReplyDeleteIn your Kirkwood Mall (Bismarck, ND) article, you have Herberger's as an original anchor at the southern end of the mall. Although other articles online also say this (including Wikipedia), I believe that this is incorrect.
ReplyDeleteI have a proposed site plan for the mall from 1968 which shows that the original southern anchor was Herbst--a small department store chain in North Dakota originating in Fargo. A history of the chain online confirms that they had a location in Bismarck, which I presume was at the mall.
Furthermore, the Herberger's lease was not signed until 1977, which makes it impossible for them to have been there when the mall opened in 1971. Their site plan even shows them in their current location and as part of the expansion, not in the original anchor location.
The last Herbst store, their Fargo flagship, went out of business in 1982, which explains why their Bismarck store disappeared around the time of the Kirkwood expansion in 1980.
Thank you for the information in your article, btw. I had especially been curious about where the name of the mall came from.
Keri,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your input. I have just tried to research this Herbst or Herberger's question over the internet...and not turned up anything to confirm either one as a 1971 anchor of Kirkwood Plaza.
The Bon Ton Stores' (Herberger's parent company) annual reports lists Herberger's as opening at Kirkwood in 1971. However, I have found that in most (if not all) cases, a retail chain that has bought out another will date their store opening all the way back to that of the original store (that they rebranded).
So.....I have revised the Kirkwood article to show Herbst (not Herberger's) as the original south anchor store.
Thanks again,
The Curator
Your information made me even more curious, so I dug a little deeper and found a Herberger's document that does reference an "Old Lease" that dates back to 1969. It implies that Herberger's was the original Tenant, but it's possible that someone was just lazy with their legal recitals and didn't mention that they inherited the store from someone else (I've seen that before).
ReplyDeleteIt's also possible that Herbst was originally planned, but fell through before opening. Planning was going on at least as early as 1968, but the mall didn't open until 3 years later, so time enough to get, then lose, proposed tenants.
The mystery deepens!
Keri,
DeleteI found some more info.....Herberger's was -after all- an original 1971 anchor at Kirkwood Plaza. The store opened its doors March 23, 1971. This detail was found at https://www.bismarckcafe.com .
Also, I found a March 1986 article from a Minnesota newspaper that listed Herberger's stores, as of 1986. There was a Gateway Mall {Bismarck} store listed, which the article said opened "in 1983". This is revealing, because this store was originally an AW Lucas, that had opened in 1979.
Also, a Holiday Village Mall {Great Falls, Montana} Herberger's was listed. The article said it opened "in 1976". However, this store had originally opened, as a Hested's 5 & 10, in 1962.
This article also said that a Herberger's in Bismarck's Kirkwood Plaza opened "in 1971". So, the store opening dates Herberger's lists indicate when said stores opened as a Herberger's.
When my husband got drafted ; I was 17 and we had to move to Killeen Texas and the place we moved in was a dump ! And I needed some household things and we went to Gibsons; I bought a few pairs of plastic curtains ; It was all we could afford ; thank God we had this store. Soldiers didn't get good pay then !
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting. I went to just one Gibson's store...which was in Tennessee. This was in the early '70s.
Rick said:
ReplyDeleteRECORD BAR rocked the malls, especially #20 Eastgate Mall-Chattanooga. Special management was the key, (thanks Susan and even "awesomer.") The trip described in metromall is pretty much how things worked for the mall rat generation.
Rick,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting. I bought many an LP at the EASTGATE Record Bar.
Sandra Knight said, on January 4, 2018 at 3:20 PM
ReplyDeleteI worked for the Globe Stores as Secretary to the president, Mr. Clayton Burkstrand. Yes it was owned by Walgreens and I along with my boss traveled to many of the stores for business purposes. I was hired at the Gulfgate location but then we moved off the Katy Freeway at the Walgreen location. Then when it was sold, I was so sad to lose my job, it was really a fun place to work with the greatest of employees. My other favorite store, Foleys and Weiners were also sold. What great stores they were also. Now we see Sears, K-Mart, Macy's, Penneys and others also going down. So sad. Over my 75 years I have seen so much but still have the good memories.
Sandra,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting. I also am saddened by all of the retail chains going out of business. At least we do have all of the memories. I guess these are what my three websites are all about. Thanks again for posting.
Darius Wilder has left a new comment on your post "Post A Comment:":
ReplyDeleteThe Target store at the Eastland Center in Harper Woods, MI is slated to close next month.
Darius Wilder has left a new comment on your post "Post A Comment:":
ReplyDeleteThe Target store at the Eastland Center in Harper Woods, MI is slated to close next month.
Darius,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting the info.
On April 21, 2018 at 8:17 AM Dale said:
ReplyDeleteIn your post about "Globe Discount City," you said it was sometimes incorrectly referred to as "Globe Shopping City." It WAS Globe Shopping City. I remember the jingle.
Dale,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for pointing this out. I've re-researched Globe discount stores as much as is possible and have come to the conclusion that stores in the same states (and at the same time) were promoted in print ads and TV commercials as either Globe Shopping City or Globe Discount City.
Yes, this doesn't make a whole lot of sense...but I have found newspaper ads with logos for both "Globe Shopping City" or "Globe Discount City".
In both cases, the logos have the exact same "Mister Sun" graphic and "Everything Under The Sun Priced Lower" slogan (see the newly-revised section about "Globe" stores at the end of the "A History of the Discount Mart" article).
I think that, by the late '70s, the stores were just being promoted as "Globe".
Thanks again.
On April 22, 2018 at 11:10 AM, john doe left a new comment:
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have photos of the Susan Ives store in ParmaTown Mall?
Anonymous said, on April 24, 2018, at 1:27 PM:
ReplyDeleteI will be curating a very small postcard-only exhibit at a frame store in Millburn,New Jersey from May 11-25 2018. It will only feature about 24 cards -all mall postcards. There will also be some text regarding opening dates and some closing dates for the malls. And a brief post-war history as well. Opening reception is May 11 from 6-8 pm.
DewN Nitek said, on May 3, 2018 at 10:11 PM
ReplyDeleteThe former Belk/McRae's building at Springdale Plaza/Mall in Mobile AL is currently being redeveloped to house three new junior anchors. Regional footwear chain Shoe Station is departing an outparcel at Bel Air Mall for 20K square feet on the ground level. Joining it will be Cost Plus World Market and Mobile Festival Centre tenant Bed Bath & Beyond.
Aaron Olden said, on May 3, 2018 at 1:59 PM
ReplyDeleteI actually like your Cin-Day Mall article, do you think you can add more fake mall ideas like that? Just to balance out all the real world ideals that we are losing?
Jim H. said, on May 18, 2018 at 10:28 AM
ReplyDeleteHello,
Does anyone have photos of the Susan Ives stores from the early 1960's to the early 1970's? Thank you.
Jim Harrigan
Also at Springdale Plaza in Mobile, AL, the former Best Buy space will be occupied by Burlington Coat Factory.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2018/05/31/michigan-sears-store-closings/661237002/
ReplyDeleteThe Sears stores at the Fairlane Town Center (Dearborn, Michigan) and Genesee Valley Center (Flint Township, Michigan) are closing in September.
The Sears stores at Fairlane Town Center and Genesee Valley Center in Michigan will be closing this fall.
ReplyDeleteYour Tampa Bay area section is missing the Tri-City Plaza mall.
ReplyDeleteNathan Victor Steinberg of Navist Theaters opened the Ridgeway Theater in Stamford, CT in 1951.
ReplyDeleteThe state-of-the-art, air conditioned, 900 seat theater - one of the first shopping center theaters in the U.S., was equipped with Stereo Sound, posh, rocking-chair seating, had Calder Mobiles, a Modern Art lounge with a Matron serving coffee and was awarded the most modern theater of its time in 1951.
As Stamford was the only first-run films City between New York and New Haven, the Theater serviced all of Westchester County, NY and Southern Connecticut.
Renowned theater architect,John McNamara, designed the space. Mr. McNamara practiced more than a decade in the office of Thomas W. Lamb, one of the nation's most respected and prolific early 20th C.theater architects.
Note correction below > Harry Brandt Theaters merged with Navist Theaters in Stamford during 1955 after Mr. Steinberg's premature death in 1953,
re:
Ridgeway Shopping Center - Stamford, CT
"Construction commenced on a second phase in February 1950. This southern block of stores included a
6-story Professional Building, 3-level (72,000 square foot) Sears and single-screen cinema. Originally known as the Navist Theaters(Harry Brandt -INCORRECT) Ridgeway Theatre, it showed its first feature, John Wayne in Flying Leathernecks, on August 31, 1951."
Hello! This is a very informational website. Thank you for maintaining it. It is appealing.
ReplyDeletePlease make a correction, however, to the article on the Topanga Mall in Canoga Park, California. The Sears building has not been torn down yet. I am a local resident, academic, neighborhood council member, and activist. I can assure you that construction on Westfield's new complex of luxury theaters and restaurants has not begun. Please correct this error. Also, Westfield was sold this year to the French company Unibail-Rodamco. The company name is now Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield.
Sincerely,
Gina Thornburg
Hello,
ReplyDeletePlease make this correction to the article on the Topanga Mall in Canoga Park: The Sears building has not yet been torn down. Construction has not yet begun on Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield's new complex of restaurants, theaters, and a food hall.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Gina
Sears will be closing their stores at the Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, Michigan and Genesee Valley Center in Flint Township, Michigan in September 2018.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the hotels surrounding Fairlane have changed ownership and names: the Hyatt is now the Edward Hotel & Convention Center and the Ritz Carlton is now The Henry.
Darius,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for keeping me updated and for posting the info.
Also, to you, "Dewn Nitek", "Slush Puppie", "Navist Theatres" and Gina K. Thornburg...
I regret this long-delayed posting and answering of your comments. My mail server has -once again- messed up and stopped sending me notices when comments are made. I have corrected the problem and am now working on rectifications to the various articles (on the MALL HALL OF FAME) that you all posted comments about.
As always, thanks very much for your input and information.
Per your Dayton Mall article: Rike's...Macy's didn't have 3 levels until a January 1994 renovation. Elder-Beerman is still open, scheduled to close by the end of August 2018. "Sears is the only original tenant left". Well...Rike's is still there, just rebranded. JCP has moved, but is still there. Sears is closing in November 2018. JCP/McAlpin's/E-B expanded its 2nd floor from a loft to a full floor when McAlpin's took over.
ReplyDeleteChas,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting. As I remember, Rike's did have just 2 levels back when the mall was new. The original Penneys had an upper level, but it must not have been a full level (until McAlpin's). With Sears closing...none of the mall's original stores must be left.
Summit Place Mall in Waterford Township, Michigan has an appointment with the wrecking ball.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2018/09/10/ari-el-enterprises-inc-buys-summit-place-mall-demolition/1259051002/
Darius,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting the update.
On 8/25/18 / Anonymous said:
ReplyDeleteHello Admin, I'm a frequent visitor of St. Louis & South County mall (Have been my entire life!), and I recently realised that there's an odd staircase which is blocked off by moveable potted plants near #18 and Macy's on your 2006 map, near a hall which leads to the upper parking lot. In person, I can see it forks off to the left/west while looking down it while standing by the right side of it (In other words, it goes towards Macy's), and it's blocked off to the north and south by an immediate wall surrounding said staircase. I know it's a stupid question, but my ADHD and interest in architecture just won't let me be and I've been pondering this for a good month now- do you know the purpose of the staircase, or where it leads? I'm thinking it may have had something to do with the lower level parking lot, if I understand you correctly and it was underground like one of Crestwood's parking lots was. Thanks for your help in advance!
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteSorry about the delay in responding.
It appears that the stairway was part of a lower level entrance (from an old rear -or south- parking area)...although I can't confirm this. I have not been able to find any 1960s or 1970s SOUTH COUNTY store maps (to see for sure what this stairway was for).
Thanks much for posting.
ReplyDeleteAaron Olden said, on September 22, 2018 at 10:13 PM
I actually think that adding a A. Alfred Taubman Malls to the special features bar would be a good idea. Since he has enough malls in the blog already, as well as having the same significance as James Rouse with his company.
For examples of how this would work, I made a list of malls that A. Alfred Taubman and his company developed and opened. I hope you like my suggestion.
-Arborland Consumer Mall (Mall Hall of Fame)
-Bellevue Center (The Shopping Mall Museum)
-Beverly Center (The Shopping Mall Museum)
-Biltmore Fashion Park (The Shopping Mall Museum)
-Briarwood (Mall Hall of Fame)
-Cherry Creek Shopping Center (Mall Hall of Fame) - Already a part of the blog.
-City Creek Center (Mall Hall of Fame) - Already a part of the blog.
-Hilltop Mall (Mall Hall of Fame)
-Lakeside Mall (Mall Hall of Fame)
-Mall at Green Hills (Mall Hall of Fame)
-The Mall at Short Hills (Mall Hall of Fame)
-Queens Center (Mall Hall of Fame) - Already a part of the blog.
-Stamford Town Center (The Shopping Mall Museum)
-Southland Mall (Mall Hall of Fame) - Already a part of the blog.
-Sunvalley Shopping Center (Mall Hall of Fame) - Already a part of the blog.
-Twelve Oaks Mall (Mall Hall of Fame) - Already a part of the blog.
-Westfarms (Mall Hall of Fame) - Already a part of the blog.
-Woodfield Mall (Mall Hall of Fame) - Already a part of the blog.
Aaron,
ReplyDeleteI've actually thought about adding a Taubman tribute section to go along with those for James Rouse, Victor Gruen, John Graham Jr. and Edward DeBartolo.
It could also -possibly- be added to the Mall Makers section.
I'll have to look further into it. Thanks much for the suggestion.
Skylar said on September 24, at 1:16 PM:
ReplyDeleteHello I am a big fan of your site and wanted you to know that I admire your articles about mall history and the stores that we're/are in them I wanted to tell you about my local mall Monmouth Mall, redevelopment has picked up again this time it will be called "The Heights at Monmouth" Lord & Taylor is closing in January 2019, and it was reported in the local newspaper that Boscov's might take that space as there current building is supposed to be demolished in the new plan. You can find the new site plans on Eatontown's website type in Heights at Monmouth in google and you should find them there.
Thank You.
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for the Monmouth Mall update. I'll try to update the Mall Hall of Fame article tomorrow.
I just posted the "new & improved" MONMOUTH MALL / THE HEIGHTS AT MONMOUTH article. I hope that you like the updated info and drawings. Thanks again for the word up about the impending mall redevelopment.
ReplyDeleteVERY interesting website! Well documented, well written! Answered a lot of questions I have had about the origin of the shopping mall, I never knew malls were extant prior to 1920!
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting. I'm pleased that you like the MHoF site.
ReplyDelete"GrandPa" asked, on October 10, 2018:
ReplyDeleteWho recalls Loft chocolate stores on the East coast? Any pictures?
GrandPa
GrandPa,
ReplyDeleteThere is a photo of a Loft Candies store in the MID-ISLAND PLAZA mall article ("First Malls-Long Island" link, SPECIAL FEATURES menu).
Thanks much for posting.
Skylar said
ReplyDeleteHI Again I thought I would give you an update on Palisades Center. JCPenney closed on July 31, 2017 as part of the 140 store closures that year I don,t believe a replacement has been found.
Skylar, thanks much for the info. I'll add it to the Palisades Center article.
DeleteAndy Conte said, on November 11, 2018 at 6:26 AM
ReplyDeleteDear Curator, Greetings from Canada. My name is Andy and I'm currently doing research on Parole Plaza, which I found on MHoF, for a film project. Would it be possible to email you more about the project, my research on Parole Plaza mall, and how MHoF might participate? Hope to hear from you!
Andy,
DeleteDo tell more about the Parole Plaza film project. It sounds interesting
ReplyDeleteNed Hastings said, on Tuesday, November 27, 5:28 PM
Hi, I LOVE this blog and refer to it often. However, I want to point out a small error in your current map of the original layout of Lenox Square in Atlanta, as it was in 1959. You place the movie theater in a courtyard area between the Davison's and the Colonial Store. In actuality, the theater was below the Colonial store. the grade and elevation were such that the corner of the mall where the courtyard was allowed for a lower level of shops. And in fact, that courtyard featured some rather large planters and a free-standing Delta Air Lines ticket office. If you look at the design, around the edges of the Colonial store you can see steps. This was how one walked down a level to the entrance to the theater, which faced away from the Mall itself. I hope this helps. I can even provide photos too
Ned,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting and providing information about the original Lenox Square. I must admit that putting together a site like the Mall Hall of Fame, and attempting to portray things as accurately as possible, is often difficult. It helps to get input -and details- from those who visit the website.
The Lenox Square original layout you speak of is something of a composite plan. It covers the years between 1959 and 1963 (the cinema opened in that year).
It was difficult, but I attempted to create a drawing that would -not only- cover a 4-year period, but also portray the 3 different levels of the original mall ("Market", "Plaza" and "Mall") in one drawing. I regret that this may be confusing.
I used three different shades to depict the different levels. An insert drawing, done in dark gray, shows the lowest ("Market") level. This is where the cinema, bowling alley, public auditorium and indoor golf driving range were located.
Above this floor was the Plaza Level, which is drawn in medium gray. On this level were the Colonial supermarket, outdoor plaza, Ground Floor of Davison's, and lower level of the S.S. Kresge 5 & 10.
Above the Plaza Level was the Mall Level, which is drawn in black. Here, you would find entrances to the Second Floor of Davison's, Ground Floor of Rich's, and all the shops that were along the main shopping concourse.
So, in the "1959-1963" drawing, the movie theater was shown to be underneath the open Plaza Level court area. I regret that I was unable to make this more clear, and that the multi-level drawing can be rather confusing.
Anyway, I had included the circular Delta Airlines kiosk you speak of on a "1973" Lenox Square layout drawing. I didn't think that the kiosk was on the Plaza Court at first. However, after reading your post and rechecking an old photo, I now believe that the kiosk was there as far back as 1959. I added the kiosk to the "1959-1963" Lenox Square layout.
Again, thanks so much for posting. And have a happy holiday season.
Michelle McElroy said on 12/2/2018
ReplyDeleteHi. I'm working on a series of paintings of closed retail stores. I was wondering if I could base a painting on this digital drawing you posted on the South Portland Mall? This one: https://tinyurl.com/portlandJM .
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteYou're referring to the Jordan Marsh rendering in THE MAINE MALL (South Portland, Maine) article?
It's fine with me if you use it as source material for a painting.
Thanks much for posting, and have a joyous holiday season.
Lenny Axelrod said, on 12/9/2018;
ReplyDeleteYou should make articles about Edison Mall and Town Center at Boca Raton since they have both changed a lot over the years just like many of the other malls featured on mall hall of fame! Please have a wonderful Christmas season!
Lenny,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for the suggestions. I'll keep them in mind. Do have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year.
Skylar said, on 12/10/2018:
ReplyDeleteHello. I just saw this morning from an article in the Sun Sentinel that Sears at Pompano Citi Centre is closing on December 16. This closure was not previously announced.
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the info. I'll add it to the POMPANO FASHION SQUARE article. And have a joyous holiday season.
Skylar said, On December 18, 2018 at 8:50 AM
ReplyDeleteHi Again.
It appears that the Panama City mall will not be reopening from Hurricane Micheal. Sears is closing there in January, Dillard's has reopened and plans to stay however, so is Bed Bath & Beyond JCPenney has not announced anything yet. I think the goal is to eventually convert it into an open air center in the future.
The mall's post storm closing is similar to two New Orleans malls that closed following Katrina. New Orleans Centre and Lake Forest all three of these malls however were on a downturn before the storms.
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting the info. Have a happy holiday season.
"Unknown" said:
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about some details of of the beginnings of Aurora Village. I grew up in Mountlake Terrace, WA (age 4 1956 to finally leaving home in 1973), and have long thought there had been a chance for it to happened in the Terrace rather than across the county line. I've not yet found any support for this but wonder if you might be able to help.
Unknown,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry...but I don't have any information on the subject.
ReplyDeleteD Brewer asked, on Thursday, January 10, at 8:25 PM
Hello,
What year did S.S Kresge close at Parmatown Mall?
I could not find exact details, but it appears that Kresge's PARMATOWN store was in operation until 1985.
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting.
Danielle Buehner said, on January 12, 2019:
ReplyDeleteInteresting concepts for mobile homes of the 1960s on 1960-1962 models.
Danielle,
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for posting.
Anonymous asked, on 18 January, 2019:
ReplyDeleteDear Sir,
I am a UK-based researcher trying to find out the make of a vintage trailer I have seen online. Are you able to assist in anyway? Or advise where else I might make enquiries? The image is at the top of the web page listed below. I do hope you can help, Kind Regards
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI compared the static caravan/trailer photo with several vintage brochures I have. I didn't find any models just like it.
However, I would guess that the trailer was built between 1958 and 1961.
I hope that this has been helpful.
Thanks for posting.
Terry K. said, on Mon, Feb 18, 6:16 PM:
ReplyDeleteI like the Mall Hall of Fame page on the Conestoga Mall in Nebraska. One minor change on the maps: the bank in the outlet was originally the First National Bank of Grand Island. It was purchased by Norwest Bank in 1984; Norwest merged with Wells Fargo in 1998.
Terry,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for pointing this out. The CONESTOGA MALL site plans have been revised.
This mall is kind of a mystery to me. I've always wondered if the original Miller & Paine store comprised only the 2-story portion at first (and was expanded with the 1-level section later on).....
Apparently, both the 2 and 1 story sections were built at the same time.
Thanks again for posting.
David Meehan said on Wednesday February 20, 2019:
ReplyDeleteHi!
This website is amazing. One minor correction for the King of Prussia Mall site. The Continental Arcade was actually a "tunnel" (really a low roofed corridor) between the Enclosed Mall and the Open Mall running between the first floor of Penney's and Korvette's. It consisted of a few small art and card shops.
I have some old maps showing this, just cannot figure out how to post them.
Cheers!
David,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting. I greatly appreciate any assistance in making certain that details on the MHoF are as accurate as possible.
So, I take it that the "Continental Arcade" was a part of KOPP at the same time as the "Piccadilly Arcade"? As I understand it, the 2-level, enclosed concourse running between Korvettes and Wanamaker's was known as the "Piccadilly Arcade" (this was also the concourse that the Gimbels and Penneys mall entrances would have been on).
Was the Continental Arcade a basement area or was it on the Ground Level?
Again, thanks much for posting. You might consider posting scans of the historic KOPP store maps on Flickr or some website like that.
David Meehan said, on February 28, 2019
ReplyDeleteI believe the original name of the area was Piccadilly Arcade, but at some point (very early on in the mall's history) it changed to the Continental Arcade. So it was the same area.
It was on the ground floor. The entrance from within the "enclosed mall" was opposite Gimbels. The other end originally opened outdoors, but when the entire plaza was enclosed it just opened to the one level section of the plaza.
Hope this helps!
Dave
Dave,
ReplyDeleteYour info helped a LOT. I think I now have it figured out. The 2-level Enclosed Mall between Gimbels and Wanamakers was NEVER called Piccadilly Arcade. This was just the small concourse between Penneys and Korvettes and it's name was changed to Continental Arcade.
I have spent over a week revising KOPP site plans and rewriting stuff. I've just now finished reposting the "new & improved" KING OF PRUSSIA PLAZA article.
http://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.com/search/label/Philadelphia%27s%20King%20of%20Prussia%20Plaza
Thanks again for your assistance in rebuilding the KOPP article.
Usaid asked on March 6, 2019:
ReplyDeleteIs there is any Amanah Mall in Dubai ? i just found a link on Google, but it sees it in Pakistan. Any idea about this mall?
Usaid,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. I don't have any information on this mall.
David White posted on March 14, 2019:
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the great information on this site. I have long been searching for any photos of the interior of the South Shore Plaza in Braintree, MA before it was renovated in the mid-90s, or of the Village Mall in Canton, MA before it was bulldozed around the same time. I'd be very grateful if anyone could help.
David,
ReplyDeleteI've searched far & wide for vintage photos of South Shore Plaza and have only found one (it is the first image seen in the SSP article).
I'll keep looking. If I find anything interesting, I'll probably add it to the SSP article.
"Unknown" posted on 3/14/2019:
ReplyDeleteI'm looking for a hi-res version of the 1973 West Town Mall plan. thank you, Scott.
Scott,
ReplyDeleteI only have a lower resolution WEST TOWN plan at present. Thanks for posting.
"Anonymous" posted on on 4/4/2019:
ReplyDeleteHello, I was wondering what tools you used to map out each of the shopping centers featured.
Anon,
ReplyDeleteI use a variety of tools....mainly Google Earth. The plans are drawn using Microsoft Paint. Thanks for posting.
Skylar posted on 4/5/2019:
ReplyDeleteHello Again. Sears stores at Park City Center and Volusia Mall closed in March. JCPenney at Northgate in Seattle will close May 3.
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the info.
ReplyDeleteSkylar said on
Wed, Apr 24, 2:49 PM
Hello. Several updates for you at my hometown Monmouth Mall a new site plan is on Brookfield's website Boscov's and the adjacent parking deck are staying put while the enclosed mall past JCPenney is being demolished. Nothing except stairs and a park are going into that area. The old L&T store looks to be converted to a non retail use most likely entertainment The rest of the mall is staying the same. Apartments are being built behind Boscov's and what i assume is still JCPenney You can find this site plan on Brookfield Properties website. Also at Oakbrook Center in IL Sears is closing on April 28th. Sorry for long message.
Skylar, Thanks much for the MONMOUTH MALL update.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteSkylar left two comments:
Hello Again.
At Seattle's Northgate Mall Macy's is closing in July 2019. Dillard's at Southern Park Mall in Ohio has also closed.
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting the info. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteRyan has left a new comment:
TWO Questions: At Irving Mall, do you have any info upon when Macy's closed their third floor (now being used for city offices which is not a waste of space at least) and also when did Dillard's' (now a Clearance Center) first/ground floor became closed off? They also boarded up the doors leading to the first floor of the store which actually makes it even more creepy. I visited Irving Mall in April 2019.
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. I do not have the info you requested. Thanks much for posting, though.
Anonymous posted on Mon, May 20, 12:54 PM
ReplyDeleteHey, I was wondering if you could cover Vista Ridge Mall [now Music City Mall Lewisville] in Lewisville, Texas. It's odd reinvention, c-mall status and interesting architecture really make it unorthodox to me. It has a really interesting atrium with many c-class tenants and I was hoping it could be preserved online due to it's uncertain future.
Sears closed at the mall last September, with New York and Company leaving with it in October and Dillards took an opportunity to slowly leave the mall by downgrading it's store to a clearance store recently.
While i'm sure that the mall can be re-tenanted and positioned for success much like the Music City Mall in Odessa [owned by the same person] it's very likely that it's previous status as a regional mall will fade away due to it's growing vacancy rate and the struggling state of retail stores in America.
Vista Ridge Mall has around 4 large strip malls in it's vicinity with 2 of them preforming well. The other two are sad and empty; with the most notorious example being Lakepointe Towne Crossing, with staggering vacancies abounding. The complex is currently struggling with the main strip mall, containing Ross and Target being the most vacant.
I hope you check out this mall as it is pretty strange for a regional mall.
Anon.
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting the info about Vista Ridge-Music City Mall. I cannot promise that I will do up an article...but I will look into it.
Thanks again.
Skylar said....
ReplyDeleteMacy's is also closing at Seattle Northgate in July. Macy's also closed at Glendale Shopping Center in Indianapolis in March.
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for posting the info. I regret to have to add that it looks as if NORTHGATE, America's -and the world's- very first suburban shopping mall, may soon be redeveloped in the name of "progress".
Logan said:
ReplyDeleteA photo album is of the long gone Sher-Den mall in Sherman, Texas. It was demolished 14 years ago, but considering how rapid it's decline was and how 70's it's interior and exterior design is, i'd love to see you cover it. While there is not much information regarding it online. The scant information that IS provided is interesting enough to share to your readers.
Logan,
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who lived near SHER-DEN MALL and went there many times. If I am not mistaken, he also worked at Wards for a time.
If I can find any historical newspaper coverage of SHER-DEN, I may add it to the site.
Thanks much for posting.
Logan,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for the info and links about SHER-DEN MALL, posted from June 7 to 19th. I've added them to my file.
Skylar said on June 10, 2019
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear from you. More bad news from Northgate Nordstrom is closing August 9th. It looks like Northgate will be altered signifigantly at least not a mall anymore. I can confirm from asking Nordstrom on Facebook that they are not returning The mall i can assume will be demolshed. NHL is going to build a major facility at the site. I will try to get more info to share.
Aaron Olden said, on June 13, 2019
ReplyDeleteJust asking since you have some of the malls I've seen on his Wikipedia page, have you ever thought of adding Richard E. Jacobs to articles like Northland Center, Eastland Center, and Westland Center? All of these malls are in the Ohio section, and were built and/or managed by Richard E. Jacobs Group.
Aaron,
ReplyDeleteActually, the Richard E. Jacobs Group is mentioned as the developer of these malls. In keeping with the times that they were constructed, I used the name of what eventually became today's R. Jacobs Group. In the 1960s, it was known as "Visconsi Mead Jacobs".
Thanks much for posting.
"Skylar" said, on 7/5/19:
ReplyDeleteNordstrom will close at Stonestown Galleria on September 13, 2019. Also, American Dream Meadowlands is to open on October 25th. Lord & Taylor will not be there however. Barneys New York will open in the spot originally slated for L&T. More details about center will be released soon.
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for keeping me up-to-date. The AMERICAN DREAM article (on the Shopping Mall Museum) has been updated.
Skylar said, on Saturday July 20:
ReplyDeleteHello. I spoke with Northgate Mall Seattle and was directed to their Facebook page where a list of stores staying open at least for now is linked too. The Food Court and the North end of mall by Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy will still have some stores. Notably California Pizza Kitchen is leaving as well as Forever 21. I believe the interior closures will occur at the end of july early august. The entire center part of mall where Nordstrom and Macys are will be demolished starting soon i believe. as well as wing leading toward Food Court. I will be watching Northgate closely in the coming weeks but i think by the fall Northgate will be much different. The entire Food Court and all its tenants. Most exterior entrance business are staying to like Lenscrafters and bright now dental.
Dave said on 8/21/2019:
ReplyDeleteI was looking at your article on the west acres mall and wanted to say you did a great job - there are a couple of corrections / additions though:
1) at some point in the early / mid 70's a competing mall opened in north Fargo - Northport Center. It did not have the anchors that West Acres did and soon fell out of favor (it was also hard to get to, no big anchor, etc..) and by 1984 was up for sale - American Life and Casualty was rumored to be buying it for their corporate HQ, but that plan was axed and they built a new building in South Fargo.
2. A second competitor also opened near West Acres in the 80's the VF factory outlet mall. This mall was intended to be an outlet space but had no "national" names - stores came and went with great frequency - and the average vacancy rate was around 50% - the only consistent tenant was the Rockin 50's nightclub. That mall lasted until the early 90's.
3. Holiday Mall - Moorhead. This mall opened in the late 60's early 70's - it was on the moorhead side of the river and had two things going for it - 1) no sales tax on clothing and 2) no restrictions on Sunday sales (nd had blue laws until 2019) What it had going against it was location (in south Moorhead) and a generally unfriendly business tax environment compared to Fargo. It also was fighting against the Moorhead city Government, which instead of investing in a single mall on the edge of the city, decided to invest in two - three malls - brookdale, holiday mall and moorhead center mall. Of course the majority of the money went to the Moorhead center mall which was a disaster out of the gate. It was close to the river (2 blocks) and during the spring flooded regularly - most of the west parking garage / lot was under water for the months of april and may every year. The east lot was filled with city employees and gov't vehicles and did not have a direct access to the stores (you had to walk through the gov't center to get to the stores.) Add that to the hard feelings that were caused by the city throwing their weight into a downtown mall that no one wanted, and in the process destroying 3-4 blocks of historic buildings - no one was thrilled.
The Holiday Mall hung around in various incarnations until the mid 90's when it was finally demolished and a new "holiday mall" rose in it's place - as a strip mall opposed to an enclosed center. The final nail in holiday mall's coffin came when best buy which had wanted the "sunday sales" was lured to West Acres - and determined that the FM area could not support two Best Buy locations.
Dave,
ReplyDeleteThanks much for providing the additional info on Fargo-Moorhead retail. I have added details to the WEST ACRES article.
Kelly said, on 8/22/2019
ReplyDeleteIn the Poplar Plaza Memphis article, the end building that was a Lowenstein's was a place, much like Spin Street, called Turtle Music. I would say that was sometime in the late 90's to early 2000's. Spin Street took over from them.
I will say I can't believe the Dillards there closed in 92- I remember it very distinctly and I would have been only 6 when it closed. It smelled and was widely considered the worst Dillards, particularly since it was much smaller than the others.
In the old theatre where the Bookstar was, the projection room was still accessible and was used as offices while the bookstore was there. Supposedly, this was where Elvis liked to hang out and watch movies after he became famous and couldn't be in the crowd any longer. The original 50's bathrooms decked out with pink pleather banquettes and seating were still there although they were fading fast- I'm nearly positive that they were removed in the renovation when it became the sushi restaurant. The original ticket booth was also intact up to the renovation, but may also have been removed at that time.
The screen was still in place on the far back wall as well as the ramps common to theatres. THe screen and the ramps were removed when the sushi restaurant took over, but not sure about the projection room.
The area that's now the Goulds on the corner was the Barnes & Noble cafe.
Also on the far side of the complex, facing Highland Avenue was a restaurant called El Porton. There was also a hat shop over there, but I can't remember the name.
David said, on 8-24-2019
ReplyDeleteHi! I drew my version of the Omni International Mall in Miami. I’d like to know if I could offer my accurate layout of the mall. Circa 1989.
David,
ReplyDeleteI'd surely love to see it. Could you post it on the internet and send me the URL possibly?
ReplyDelete"Unknown" said on Fri, Oct 25, 3:40 PM
Please see additional information regarding Ruth Shellhorn, the landscape architect, thanks to Atomic Ranch.
https://www.atomic-ranch.com/home-decor/landscape-maven-ruth/?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-theatomicranch&utm_content=later-3578156&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram
(Ruth designed the landscaping at BULLOCK'S FASHION SQUARE malls around Los Angeles)
"Anonymous" said, on November 2, 2019:
ReplyDeleteCan you please cover the Greenville mall in Greenville, South Carolina;
It failed to catch on and was nearly closed in the early 90's only to rebound greatly thanks to a 1995 renovation, expansion and upscaling. It would be expanded with tenants like Parisian and Tablots; But as short as 9 years later, the mall would have no anchors to sustain it; with the mall itself being redeveloped into a power center from 2009 to 2013. It's a sad case because upwards of 65 million dollars was spent on that renovation and expansion; and many considered it a step up from the average Haywood Mall.
Anon,
ReplyDeleteLet me think about it.
Unknown said on 11/7/2019:
ReplyDeleteCan you make a drawing of the Nanuet Mall?