Wisconsin's Valley Fair Center

"The first weather-protected shopping center in the nation", so

proclaimed the Appleton Post-Crescent, on March 9, 1955.

Article From the Appleton Post-Crescent

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Exterior shot of the West Wing and its Krambo Foods

supermarket.

Photo from the Appleton Post-Crescent

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A 1950s nuclear family enjoys a fully-enclosed shopping spree

at the newly-completed VALLEY FAIR CENTER.

Photo from the Appleton Post-Crescent

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An eastward view of the mallway, with W.T. Grant off in the

distance.

Photo from the Appleton Post-Crescent

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The Center Court area and Main Entrance.

Photo from the Appleton Post-Crescent

The community-class mall's original, 1955 footprint. There were thirty-
six retail spaces in the fully-leased complex.



The shuttering of Grant's in 1976 created a major vacancy. This was
filled when an expansion was done in 1978-1979. A new Kohl's and
Kohl's Foods were built on the east end of the existing structure, with
the Grant's space being expanded and refitted with twenty inline
stores. A tri-plex cinema was also added to the south side of the mall.
VALLEY FAIR CENTER now featured fifty-five stores and services.



An exterior view of the abandoned shopping center. This was taken the
year before the mall had its August 2007 destiny date with the wrecking
ball.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Royalbroil"


VALLEY FAIR CENTER
South Memorial Drive and West Calumet Street
Appleton, Wisconsin

Where was America's first fully-enclosed, climate-controlled shopping center? Most mid-20th century historians would cite SOUTHDALE CENTER [May and August 2008 archives], in Edina, Minnesota, as the nation's first interior mall. This complex opened for business October 8, 1956.

However, a little-known retail establishment in Wisconsin's "Fox Cities" area could actually qualify as the first. VALLEY FAIR opened March 10, 1955, well over a year before business began at Minnesota's SOUTHDALE.

This mid-sized center, technically a "neighborhood mall", was situated on a 42 acre site, located 1 mile south of Appleton, Wisconsin's downtown area.

The single-level complex was originally within the city limits of Menasha, but was eventually annexed into Appleton. It opened with eighteen stores. There were an additional eighteen spaces along the enclosed corridor and Center Court, which were leased over the following year.

The 1 million dollar shopping complex was designed by George Narovec and developed by Hoffman Shopping Centers, Incorporated. It had parking space for 1,500 hundred cars, and was anchored on the west end by a 1-level (20,000 square foot) Krambo Foods supermarket and a 1-level (20,000 square foot) W.T. Grant variety store on the east.

There were also a Walgreen Drug, F.W. Woolworth 5 and 10, and hardware store, as well as several apparel shoppes, two shoe stores, a furniture outlet, bakery, dry cleaner, beauty salon and liquor store.

An addition was built on the mall's east end in 1978-1979. This incorporated the Grant's (shuttered in 1976) and included a 1-level (78,000 square foot), Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based Kohl's department store and 33,000 square foot Kohl's Foods supermarket.

Twenty new retail spaces were created in the old Grant's space. Moreover, a 3-screen cinema was built onto the south side of the mall. This was made into a 6-plex venue in the 1980s.

The first competition to VALLEY FAIR came when NORTHLAND, a strip shopping center in the area, was renovated into an enclosed mall in 1983.

The opening of the superregional FOX RIVER MALL, in 1984, resulted in an even greater loss of business -and tenants- for the 29 year-old complex. It was bought and sold several times over the next 15 years.

By the late 1990s, VALLEY FAIR was in serious trouble. The Kohl's anchor store had gone out of business. Likewise, several slots in the mall were sitting vacant. A plan to energize the aging center was undertaken in 2002.

A non-profit organization, known as Youth Futures, sought to reinvent VALLEY FAIR as a "youth mall". The old Kohl's stores were divided into an indoor skateboarding track and live band venue, and local "family-oriented" retailers were contracted to fill the remaining retail spaces within the 265,400 square foot mall.

Unfortunately, this initiative was unsuccessful. Youth Futures sold its interest in the complex to Wisconsin-based VF Partners in February 2006. VF Partners, a joint venture between Commercial Horizons, Rollie Winter Associates and Bomier Properties, demolished the mall in August 2007, leaving only the cinema and Kohl's stores standing.

The plan was to redevelop the site as a mixed-use office and retail complex, tentatively named VALLEY FAIR CENTER. Thus far, only one new structure has been built.

Sources:

Appleton Post Crescent / "18 Stores In Valley Fair's Biggest Preview Starting Thursday" / March 9, 1955
"Valley Fair" article on Wikipedia
"Kohl's" article on Wikipedia
http://www.commercialhorizons.com/
Appleton Post-Crescent / "Valley Fair Redevelopment Plan Announced, Good Portion Of The Building To Come Tumbling Down In July" / Maureen Wallenfang, staff writer / June 9, 2006

Birmingham, Alabama's Eastwood Mall

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"A masterpiece of shopping luxury never before seen in the Deep

South", so proclaimed the headlines commemorating the opening of

EASTWOOD MALL, in the summer of 1960.

A physical layout of the circa-'60 center. The complex encompassed

350,000 leasable square feet, with thirty-nine inline stores.

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An interior shot of the early EASTWOOD. In the foreground is

the bird aviary, something of a standard fixture in America's first

fully-enclosed shopping malls.

Photo provided by Josh Brasseale

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Center Court fountain, supplied with water by three artesian wells on

the property. The fixture provided mallgoers a respite as they cruised

the "air-conditioned sidewalks" of EASTWOOD MALL.

Photo provided by Tom Frieling

EASTWOOD'S original ultra-modern '60s design was typified by the

City Federal Savings And Loan.

Photo provided by Tommy Cosgrove

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The Eastwood Mall Theatre, which was the first addition to the original

retail hub. The single-screen venue opened on Christmas Day 1964.

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A March 1965 aerial of the Magic City shopopolis. The new mall-adjacent

cinema is at the lower left, with the Starlight Drive-seen in the upper

right.

Photo provided by Alvin Hudson

An advert announcing the grand opening of the EASTWOOD Pizitz,
which was held August 18, 1966. This was the first bona fide anchor
store at the mall.
Ad from www.dshistory.com

EASTWOOD MALL, as it was configured after the three 1960s

additions. The shopping center now encompassed over 650,000

leasable square feet and housed seventy stores under one roof. The

complex was promoted as the largest fully-enclosed shopping mall in

the South.

EASTWOOD circa-1981. Although the structure had not been physically
expanded since 1966, much interior store space had been reconfigured.
The supermarkets were gone, along with Pizitz and Penney's. The movie
house had been twinned in 1974. The mall directory now featured fifty-
four stores and services


EASTWOOD MALL TENANTS 1981:

PARISIAN / PARISIAN'S YOUNG WORLD / SERVICE MERCHANDISE / Goodyear Service Center / Baskin-Robbin's Ice Cream / Big Al's Machine Shop / Dick Reese's Piano & Organ Salon / Book World / Jefferson Home Furniture / Saxton's Candy (kiosk) / Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk / Star Hardware / Wrangler Wranch / City Federal Savings & Loan / Simmons' Personnel / Eastwood Portrait Artists / Eckerd Drug / Friend Sisters / Oz Records / Deb's Hallmark / Flowers III (kiosk) / Kinney Shoes / Mr. Gatti's / Lerner Shops / Aland's Shoes / Aland's apparel / Opus II / Sumo's Japanese Steakhouse / Storkland / Household Finance / Alabama Farm Bureau Insurance / The Leather Shack / The Fireplace / Good Housekeeping / Blach's Apparel / First Alabama Bank / Jones-Lawless / Terry Town / Wendy's / Lorch's Jewelry / J.J. Newberry / Optician's Incorporated (kiosk) / Singer Sewing Center / Eastwood Mall Beauty Shop / Eastwood Mall Style Shop / Eastwood Mall Coin-Op Laundry / Eastwood Mall Shoe Repair / Birmingham Coin & Stamp / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Cobb Travel Services / Olan Mills Photography / Chancey's Bakery / Yielding's apparel / Pasquale's Pizza / Burch & Tant - June Brides / Pioneer Cafeteria / Eastwood Mall Theatre (twin-screen)

The Space-Age (a.k.a. "Googie") bowling alley, which was located
in the southwest parking area, across from the Eastwood Mall
Theatre. The "dingbat" atop the sign was a local landmark for many
years.
Photo provided by Russell Wells



EASTWOOD MALL, following the 1989-1990 renovation. By now, all
of the charter anchor stores were gone, with most of their areas
sectioned into smaller retail spaces. The focal point of the new and
improved mall was the huge Food Court, which had been built in the
center of the complex.

The mall's imposing new Food Court entrance, built as part of the 1989-
1990 renovation.
Photo provided by Jon Anthony



The interior of the Food Court, taken in 2004, after the mall corridors
had been closed off.
Photo provided by Russell Wells



The Food Court video wall, composed of eighty-seven individual TV
screens...a very '90s shopping mall feature!
Photo provided by Russell Wells

EASTWOOD MALL
Crestwood Boulevard / US 78 and Oporto Madrid Boulevard
Birmingham, Alabama

The second enclosed shopping mall in the Southeast opened in Birmingham, Alabama on August 25, 1960. Alabama's "Magic City" was apparently more progressive than its larger urban rival, Atlanta, Georgia, which did not have an enclosed mall until four years later [see COLUMBIA MALL, June 2008 archive].

Moreover, by opening a climate-controlled shopping center as early as 1960, Birmingham also beat such mega-cities as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.; all of whom opened their first regional-class, interior malls between the years 1962 and 1967.

EASTWOOD MALL was situated on a 33 acre tract, 4 miles east of downtown Birmingham. This million dollar "merchandise city of the future" was envisaged by local developer Newman H. Waters. Upon its grand opening, there were forty-three inline stores and services in the mall proper and its outparcels.

Originally encompassing 350,000 leasable square feet, the complex was anchored by a 1-level (80,000 square foot), dry goods-only J.C. Penney. There were also S.S. Kresge and J.J. Newberry 5 and 10s, Kroger and Colonial supermarkets, a Rexall pharmacy and a liquor store.

EASTWOOD, and its two thousand five hundred space parking area, were situated on a single level, with a two hundred-seat auditorium on a second level, at the northeast corner of the mall.

The J.C. Penney and Newberry 5 and 10 had second levels, as well, which were not used as retail space. There was also a Googie-style bowling alley, mini-amusement park and go-kart track as outparcels of the main mall.

The first addition to EASTWOOD, an eight hundred-seat, single-screen movie theater, opened December 25, 1964. This was the first phase of a 100,000 square foot, west end addition that was completed in December 1965. It included a cafeteria, furniture store and Goodyear Tire and Appliance Center, as well as a second level, which housed leased office spaces.

As this western addition was nearing completion, a 200,000 square foot expansion onto the east end of the mall was underway. This featured a 2-level (100,000 square foot), Birmingham-based Pizitz, a second cafeteria, 2-level Blach's apparel and nine additional stores.

With the completion of this east end addition in 1966, EASTWOOD MALL encompassed over 650,000 square feet of retail area and housed seventy stores.

In 1969, an outparcel strip center was built to the east of the mall, which included a new K-Mart. On the inside of EASTWOOD, changes were in the making. A Birmingham-based, Parisian department store had set up shop, the Hill's Food supermarket at the mall's west end had become a Winn-Dixie and Barber's Cafeteria had reopened under the Pioneer nameplate.

1969 also saw the completion of Birmingham's second fully-enclosed shopping center, the WESTERN HILLS MALL.

Around the time of EASTWOOD MALL's tenth anniversary, a minor facelift was given to the interior of the shopping center. A suspended ceiling was installed in the main corridor, sealing off the original segmented, skylight windows, and its common area was carpeted.

The Kroger closed in 1971, with its space being used for an expanded furniture store at the northwest of the mall. The theater was also divided into a 2-screen multiplex in 1974.

During 1975 and 1976, respectively, two new enclosed shopping centers opened in the region; BROOKWOOD VILLAGE and CENTURY PLAZA. The later was built to the northwest of EASTWOOD, across Oporto Madrid and Crestwood Boulevards.

Soon after, the EASTWOOD J.C. Penney relocated into the new CENTURY PLAZA. Parisian filled its old space with "Young World", which sold children's attire.

In March 1980, Pizitz also vacated EASTWOOD, moving into the former Loveman's anchor spot at CENTURY PLAZA. Service Merchandise took over the old EASTWOOD Pizitz store in September of the same year.

The mall held on for the remainder of the 1980s, even though it faced a major new shopping mall competitor in the area. RIVERCHASE GALLERIA, a 1.2 million square foot, superregional center, opened to much fanfare on February 19, 1986.

Competition from the RIVERCHASE development prompted the owners of EASTWOOD to begin a major renovation of the shopping center in 1989. The middle section of the mall was demolished and a dazzling, 2-story Food Court installed in its place.

A 2-level (130,000 square foot) Parisian was also built -diagonally- into the existing structure. Likewise, the exterior of the remaining mall was renovated. The new-style, 750,000 square foot, EASTWOOD MALL was dedicated in 1990.

The ultimate demise of the enclosed shopping mall in America was given impetus in 1997, with the opening of Birmingham's SUMMIT. This very upscale, open-air shopping mecca was one of the nation's first lifestyle centers. It signalled a new era in retail and, in effect, was the beginning of the end for many 1960s and 1970s-era enclosed malls. By the late 1990s, EASTWOOD MALL was struggling for tenants.

By 2004, the mall was almost completely vacant. Its interior corridors were closed and only those stores having outside access were still open for business. The Parisian location was among the last to go. This store, which was only fourteen years old, closed in January 2005.

By mid-2006, EASTWOOD was being bulldozed. Within months, the nation's seventh enclosed, regional-class shopping mall, and all its outparcels, was a pile of rubble.

Construction began on the new EASTWOOD VILLAGE in November 2006. This 360,000 square foot, open-air power center was built by Birmingham-based MAP Development. It is anchored by a Wal-Mart Supercenter, which opened October 22, 2007.

Other inline tenants in the 50 million dollar shopping venue include Old Navy, Ross Dress For Less and a Ruby Tuesday restaurant.

Sources:

http://www.mywebpages.comcast.net/ / Eastwood Mall / Website created and maintained by Russell Wells
"Eastwood Mall" article on "DeadMalls.com"
"Eastwood Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.bplonline.org/resources/DigitalProject/EastwoodMall(Birmingham Public Library)
"50 Million Project Half Leased" / Birmingham News / June 29, 2006 / Michael Tomberlin, staff writer

Bradenton, Florida's Cortez Plaza



The Center Court and its reflecting pool at CORTEZ PLAZA.



Nighttime view of the reflecting pool and Belk-Lindsey anchor
store.



Another visually-interesting nightime shot of the mall's Center Court.

The mall corridor, in front of Belk-Lindsey.



The southwest end of the mall corridor. That's a Mary Jane Shoes
on the left and a Lerner Shops on the right.

Circa-1959 site plan of the PLAZA. The open-air center was one of
-if not the- earliest mall-type centers in the Tampa Bay region.
It was outpositioned by the newer (and larger) DESOTO SQUARE
MALL, which was dedicated in 1973.

CORTEZ PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER
Tamiami Trail / US 41 and Cortez Road
Bradenton, Florida

One of the earliest shopping malls in the Tampa Bay Area was located on a 26 acre tract, 2 miles south of downtown Bradenton. Known as CORTEZ PLAZA, the "mini-mall" was dedicated in 1959.

The open-air center, designed by New York City's Douglas Lathrop, was anchored by Tampa-based Belk-Lindsey and a Publix supermarket.

The PLAZA was overshadowed by the opening of the DESOTO SQUARE MALL in 1973. The new, regional shopping complex had over 600,000 leasable square feet and was built one quarter mile northeast of the older shopping center.

A minor renovation was done to CORTEZ PLAZA in 1978, but the 1950s-era mall was soon considered obsolete. It was torn down and replaced by a 289,000 square foot power center in 1988.

Also known as CORTEZ PLAZA, it was originally anchored by Montgomery Ward (eventually a Burlington Coat Factory) and a Publix supermarket.

The present day center also includes a PetsMart and Circuit City (now shuttered). It was acquired by Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty in February 2007.

Sources:

Malls Of America Blogspot / Keith Milford webmaster
"Belk" article on Wikipedia
http://www.nreionline.com/
http://www.inlandse.com/
www.simon.com (Desoto Square Mall)

Photos:

From the Gottscho-Schleisner Collection / Repository: United States Library Of Congress Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C. / Taken by Gottscho-Schleisner, Inc., November 1959 / Douglas Lathrop - Client / Photographs are in the public domain: no known restrictions on publication / www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html