Indiana's first shopping mall incorporated 370,000
leasable square feet and was anchored by Indy-
based Wasson's and a dry goods only J.C. Penney.
The complex was roofed in the mid-1970s,
as a reaction to the newly-opened WASHINGTON
SQUARE, also on Indy's east side. By the early
'80s, the older center had re-emerged as EAST-
GATE CONSUMER MALL, a price-oriented,
outlet mall prototype.
1 comments:
Hi Den, - First of all, you have a great blog! I'm the guy who wrote and photographed the original Eastgate story for deadmalls.com. Please allow me to offer a few things you might update in your own graphics.
The entrance "A" photo is the north side of the mall. The Sam's Subway photo at deadmalls is facing north not east. What you have listed as Sam's in your graphic, was actually a Morrison's womens store. So looking at the north "A" entrance photo, Sam's (and the lower level office space) is directly to the left of the stairs and entrance "A".
There were no steps between the Sam's/Morrison's block and the Woolworth's block on the east end. That side was all street level facing Shortridge Road. I recall that there was a Norge Laundry on the southeast corner of the Sam's block, opening only onto the east parking lot - but not running the entire south length of that block.
In the Sears/Penney block, there was a Roselyn Bakery next to the Sears store. And an L. Fish furniture store next to Roselyn - taking the remainder of the north end of that block.
The bank in the Standard food block didn't take the entire north length of that block. It accounted for no more than a third of that end. The other two thirds - and opening onto the mall - was Hudson's Men's store.
Tavel Optical moved in the late 70s. The photo of Tavel is their second location. Tavel was originally in the Standard block with a Hook's Drug store next door - and across from Sears.
Looking at the photo of the western frontage, you see Wassons on the far left. To the right of Wasson's, you have what would be the photo with entrance "F" and the Tailor shop. To the right of the "F" stairs, was a barber shop. You see a couple of trees and then several large picture windows. Those windows were the location of the Murphy's dime store.
I was mistaken when I wrote the captions for the deadmall photos. The store under the entrance "E" sign, was a beauty shop, not a laundry.
There was also an outlot Sear's Auto location in the southeast parking lot, near the corner of Shortridge and Washington.
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