A circa-1959 view of the Marshall Field & Company anchor store.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Milwaukee's Mayfair Center
A circa-1959 view of the Marshall Field & Company anchor store.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
A circa-1959 view of the Marshall Field & Company anchor store.
Photo from Malls Of America Blogspot
The north concourse in the open-air MAYFAIR.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot
The south concourse and Gimbels-Milwaukee anchor store.
Photo from www.dshistory.com
MAYFAIR was enclosed in 1973. The Ice Chalet skating rink -and an
area called The Bazaar- were built in the old Center Court. In 1986,
these was bulldozed and replaced with the multilevel Atrium seen
here.
Photo from www.hunzinger.com (Hunzinger Construction)
Photo from www.hunzinger.com (Hunzinger Construction)
The new Atrium featured a Food Court on its upper level.
Photo from www.hunzinger.com (Hunzinger Construction)
Photo from www.hunzinger.com (Hunzinger Construction)
In 1999-2000, MAYFAIR MALL was given its third makeover. The
Food Court was expanded and the entire mallway was double-decked.
Photo from www.ggp.com (General Growth Properties)
Food Court was expanded and the entire mallway was double-decked.
Photo from www.ggp.com (General Growth Properties)
The mall's South Concourse -with its newly-added second level- in 2001.
Photo from http://www.hunzinger.com/ (Hunzinger Construction)
MAYFAIR CENTER
North Mayfair Road and West North Avenue
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Milwaukee's first regional retail complex, SOUTHGATE SHOPPING CENTER, opened in 1951. This was followed by BAYSHORE SHOPPING CENTER in 1954. Both complexes started out as strip centers, which were later renovated into enclosed shopping malls.
The metro area's first bona fide shopping mall, CAPITOL COURT, came along in 1956. It was followed by the region's second mall-type shopping venue, which was built in 1958. The center, tentatively known as WESTGATE, had had its name changed to MAYFAIR SHOPPING CENTER by the time of its official dedication in 1959.
The open-air complex was designed by Milwaukee-based Grassold-Johnson and Associates, Chicago-based Perkins and Will and Los Angeles-based Welton Becket and Associates.
It was developed by Milwaukee malting maven Kurtis Froedtert, Marshall Field and Company and Chicago's Philip Klutznick [January 2008 Archive]. The center occupied an 86 acre tract, located 9.6 miles northwest of center city Milwaukee.
The north end of the shopping venue was anchored by a 3-level (288,500 square foot), Chicago-based Marshall Field's, which opened in January 1959. A 2-level (210,700 square foot) Gimbels-Milwaukee, the third store in the chain, anchored the mall's south end. Towering over the expansive Center Court was a 6-story office building.
Inline stores at the original MAYFAIR CENTER included S.S. Kresge, Lerner Shops, Larry Lynde's Toys, Fanny Farmer Candies, Brooks Brothers apparel and a supermarket.
The third of Milwaukee's malls, BROOKFIELD SQUARE, opened as the region's first enclosed center, in 1967. This was followed by SOUTHRIDGE MALL in 1970, and NORTHRIDGE MALL in 1973.
The single-level MAYFAIR was enclosed and climate-controlled in 1973. At this time, a 2-level "Bazaar" was built at the center of the center, featuring an indoor Ice Chalet, McDonald's and retailers such as Hot Sam Pretzels, Merle Harmon's Sporting Goods and Soap Opera.
Moreover, the north and south concourses were fitted with artificial streams; these running the length of each and seperating the east and west store blocks.
A second mall makeover was completed in 1986. The circa-'70s Bazaar and Ice Chalet were gutted and replaced by a 160,000 square foot Atrium, with a Food Court on its second level. The artificial streams, in the North and South Wings, were filled-in and floored.
1986 was also the year in which the Gimbels chain was divested, with the MAYFAIR MALL location becoming a Milwaukee-based Boston Store.
In June 1998, Chicago-based General Growth Properties acquired the mall. The next year, a third renovation got underway.
During this project, the second level (in the Atrium area) was extended for the entire length of the mall. 170,000 square feet of retail area was created out of existing mall space.
Moreover, the Atrium and Food Court were doubled in size. Three new restaurants, and a Talbot's family apparel store, were built onto the mall's west side. Lastly, an 18-screen multiplex cinema was constructed on the mall's northeast corner, which was dedicated in May 1999.
The latest renovation / expansion at MAYFAIR MALL consisted of the addition of a 34,000 square foot Crate and Barrel, built in front of the main mall entrance. This store opened in 2005.
In 2009, the 1,110,000 square foot shopping venue features over one hundred and eighty stores and services, is billed as the premier upscale mall in Milwaukee and is the largest mixed-use shopping center in Wisconsin.
Sources:
www.retro.com (Milwaukee Memories) "In 1951, Southgate Changed Shopping" / by John Gurda / Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel / December 5, 1999
"Mayfair Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.ggp.com (General Growth Properties)
Malls Of America blogspot / Keith Milford, webmaster
www.hunzinger.com (Hunzinger Construction)
Two "Anonymous" posts
Posts by "Panda"
North Mayfair Road and West North Avenue
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Milwaukee's first regional retail complex, SOUTHGATE SHOPPING CENTER, opened in 1951. This was followed by BAYSHORE SHOPPING CENTER in 1954. Both complexes started out as strip centers, which were later renovated into enclosed shopping malls.
The metro area's first bona fide shopping mall, CAPITOL COURT, came along in 1956. It was followed by the region's second mall-type shopping venue, which was built in 1958. The center, tentatively known as WESTGATE, had had its name changed to MAYFAIR SHOPPING CENTER by the time of its official dedication in 1959.
The open-air complex was designed by Milwaukee-based Grassold-Johnson and Associates, Chicago-based Perkins and Will and Los Angeles-based Welton Becket and Associates.
It was developed by Milwaukee malting maven Kurtis Froedtert, Marshall Field and Company and Chicago's Philip Klutznick [January 2008 Archive]. The center occupied an 86 acre tract, located 9.6 miles northwest of center city Milwaukee.
The north end of the shopping venue was anchored by a 3-level (288,500 square foot), Chicago-based Marshall Field's, which opened in January 1959. A 2-level (210,700 square foot) Gimbels-Milwaukee, the third store in the chain, anchored the mall's south end. Towering over the expansive Center Court was a 6-story office building.
Inline stores at the original MAYFAIR CENTER included S.S. Kresge, Lerner Shops, Larry Lynde's Toys, Fanny Farmer Candies, Brooks Brothers apparel and a supermarket.
The third of Milwaukee's malls, BROOKFIELD SQUARE, opened as the region's first enclosed center, in 1967. This was followed by SOUTHRIDGE MALL in 1970, and NORTHRIDGE MALL in 1973.
The single-level MAYFAIR was enclosed and climate-controlled in 1973. At this time, a 2-level "Bazaar" was built at the center of the center, featuring an indoor Ice Chalet, McDonald's and retailers such as Hot Sam Pretzels, Merle Harmon's Sporting Goods and Soap Opera.
Moreover, the north and south concourses were fitted with artificial streams; these running the length of each and seperating the east and west store blocks.
A second mall makeover was completed in 1986. The circa-'70s Bazaar and Ice Chalet were gutted and replaced by a 160,000 square foot Atrium, with a Food Court on its second level. The artificial streams, in the North and South Wings, were filled-in and floored.
1986 was also the year in which the Gimbels chain was divested, with the MAYFAIR MALL location becoming a Milwaukee-based Boston Store.
In June 1998, Chicago-based General Growth Properties acquired the mall. The next year, a third renovation got underway.
During this project, the second level (in the Atrium area) was extended for the entire length of the mall. 170,000 square feet of retail area was created out of existing mall space.
Moreover, the Atrium and Food Court were doubled in size. Three new restaurants, and a Talbot's family apparel store, were built onto the mall's west side. Lastly, an 18-screen multiplex cinema was constructed on the mall's northeast corner, which was dedicated in May 1999.
The latest renovation / expansion at MAYFAIR MALL consisted of the addition of a 34,000 square foot Crate and Barrel, built in front of the main mall entrance. This store opened in 2005.
In 2009, the 1,110,000 square foot shopping venue features over one hundred and eighty stores and services, is billed as the premier upscale mall in Milwaukee and is the largest mixed-use shopping center in Wisconsin.
Sources:
www.retro.com (Milwaukee Memories) "In 1951, Southgate Changed Shopping" / by John Gurda / Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel / December 5, 1999
"Mayfair Mall" article on Wikipedia
www.ggp.com (General Growth Properties)
Malls Of America blogspot / Keith Milford, webmaster
www.hunzinger.com (Hunzinger Construction)
Two "Anonymous" posts
Posts by "Panda"
The same mall...only 10 years later. The two original anchors
-Goldwater's and Diamond's- had been enlarged in 1959-'60.
Later in the decade, a "New Look" Penney's was added, along
with 27,000 square feet of store space and a bi-level parking
garage. The venue, now going as PARK CENTRAL CENTER,
housed 705,700 leasable square feet.
A present-day layout of the center, whose moniker has been
shortened to simply PARK CENTRAL. The '80s and '90s were
rough years for the venue. It was remade into an office complex
in 1995. As we hear so often, it's location, location, location! Had
this mall not been in a very desirable - central city- locale, it's
almost certain that it would never have been successfully rehabed
...and would have had a destiny date with the wrecking ball.
A mallway in today's PARK CENTRAL complex.
Photo from www.parkcentralphx.com
The previous Penney's, now offices for United Healthcare.
Photo from www.parkcentralphx.com
The main entry into the mallway and what was the Goldwater's anchor
store.
Photo from www.parkcentralphx.com
With the beginning of revenue service on Phoenix's new Valley Metro
light rail system, PARK CENTRAL became rail transit-accessible. Here
we see the Osborn / Central Station, which is adjacent to the mall.
Photo from Wikipedia / "IxnayOnTheTimmay"
PARK CENTRAL SHOPPING CITY
North Central Avenue and East Catalina Drive
Phoenix, Arizona
The first mall-type shopping center in the Grand Canyon State was situated on a 46 acre tract, formerly a dairy farm, located 2 miles north of the State Capitol.
Developed by Phoenix's Ralph and A.J. Burgbacher, PARK CENTRAL SHOPPING CITY was originally a 312,000 square foot, open-air mall. It opened in stages, beginning in early 1957.
The single level complex was anchored by a 2-level (65,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Goldwater's and a 2-level (89,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Diamond's. The store directory included Coffee Dan's Cafe, Walgreen Drug, a J.J. Newberry 5 and 10 and Old Woman in a Shoe children's nursery.
A first wave of expansion took place in 1959. Goldwater's was enlarged to 105,000 square feet. Diamond's built a third level, increasing the size of their store to 200,000 square feet. With these enlargements, PARK CENTRAL SHOPPING CITY incorporated 463,000 leasable square feet.
Regional retail rivals of PARK CENTRAL were MARYVALE SHOPPING CITY (1960) [September 2007 archive], CHRIS-TOWN MALL (1961) [December 2006 archive], SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE (1961) [October 2007 archive], SEARS-RHODES / COLONNADE MALL (1961) [September 2007 archive], THOMAS MALL (1963) [September 2007 archive] and BILTMORE FASHION PARK (1963).
A second expansion phase was undertaken in the mid-1960s. A 2-level parking deck was built at the northeast corner of the retail hub. Moreover, a 2-level (215,000 square foot) J.C. Penney was added, along with 27,000 square feet of new store space.
When the construction dust settled, the mall, now known as PARK CENTRAL CENTER, encompassed 705,700 leasable square feet.
The 1970s brought larger, fully-enclosed shopping centers to the outskirts of the rapidly expanding desert metropolis. These included METROCENTER MALL (1973) [August 2007 archive], PARADISE VALLEY MALL (1979) and DESERT SKY MALL (1981).
PARK CENTRAL CENTER, still an open-air venue, could not effectively compete with so many newer, more trendy shopping centers. By the 1980s, the mall was in decline.
Diamond's was rebranded as Dillard's in 1984, eventually being reduced to a Clearance Center. Goldwater's became a Los Angeles-based J.W. Robinson in 1989 and closed in 1990. The store space was used as an Office Depot for some years, but this location was eventually shuttered, as well.
J.C. Penney and Walgreen Drug held on until the summer of 1990. With their closing, the outlook for PARK CENTRAL CENTER looked especially bleak.
The owner of the mall, Phoenix-based Noble Park Central, embarked upon a reinvention of the complex in 1995, renovating and remarketing most of its vacant leasable area as office spaces.
New tenants included Catholic Healthcare West, Banner Healthcare Systems and United Healthcare. These businesses were joined by retailers and restaurants such as Fusilli's, The Good Egg, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Jamba Juice and Starbuck's Coffee.
Also in the new tenant mix were holdovers from the original retail mall, such as Otto Schmeider's Jewelers (a tenant since 1965) and Green Woodpecker Gifts (in the mall since 1974).
The new-style, mixed-use complex, known as simply PARK CENTRAL, was sold to Phoenix-based Mall SPE Limited Liability Company in November 2000.
The PARK CENTRAL site is adjacent to the initial segment of Phoenix's Valley Metro Light Rail starter line, which inaugurated revenue service December 27, 2008.
Sources:
Mitch Glaser's PARK CENTRAL memories
"Park Central Mall" article on Wikipedia
Maricopa County, Arizona tax assessor website
www.parkcentralphx.com
Phoenix Business Journal
www.valleymetro.org
North Central Avenue and East Catalina Drive
Phoenix, Arizona
The first mall-type shopping center in the Grand Canyon State was situated on a 46 acre tract, formerly a dairy farm, located 2 miles north of the State Capitol.
Developed by Phoenix's Ralph and A.J. Burgbacher, PARK CENTRAL SHOPPING CITY was originally a 312,000 square foot, open-air mall. It opened in stages, beginning in early 1957.
The single level complex was anchored by a 2-level (65,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Goldwater's and a 2-level (89,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Diamond's. The store directory included Coffee Dan's Cafe, Walgreen Drug, a J.J. Newberry 5 and 10 and Old Woman in a Shoe children's nursery.
A first wave of expansion took place in 1959. Goldwater's was enlarged to 105,000 square feet. Diamond's built a third level, increasing the size of their store to 200,000 square feet. With these enlargements, PARK CENTRAL SHOPPING CITY incorporated 463,000 leasable square feet.
Regional retail rivals of PARK CENTRAL were MARYVALE SHOPPING CITY (1960) [September 2007 archive], CHRIS-TOWN MALL (1961) [December 2006 archive], SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE (1961) [October 2007 archive], SEARS-RHODES / COLONNADE MALL (1961) [September 2007 archive], THOMAS MALL (1963) [September 2007 archive] and BILTMORE FASHION PARK (1963).
A second expansion phase was undertaken in the mid-1960s. A 2-level parking deck was built at the northeast corner of the retail hub. Moreover, a 2-level (215,000 square foot) J.C. Penney was added, along with 27,000 square feet of new store space.
When the construction dust settled, the mall, now known as PARK CENTRAL CENTER, encompassed 705,700 leasable square feet.
The 1970s brought larger, fully-enclosed shopping centers to the outskirts of the rapidly expanding desert metropolis. These included METROCENTER MALL (1973) [August 2007 archive], PARADISE VALLEY MALL (1979) and DESERT SKY MALL (1981).
PARK CENTRAL CENTER, still an open-air venue, could not effectively compete with so many newer, more trendy shopping centers. By the 1980s, the mall was in decline.
Diamond's was rebranded as Dillard's in 1984, eventually being reduced to a Clearance Center. Goldwater's became a Los Angeles-based J.W. Robinson in 1989 and closed in 1990. The store space was used as an Office Depot for some years, but this location was eventually shuttered, as well.
J.C. Penney and Walgreen Drug held on until the summer of 1990. With their closing, the outlook for PARK CENTRAL CENTER looked especially bleak.
The owner of the mall, Phoenix-based Noble Park Central, embarked upon a reinvention of the complex in 1995, renovating and remarketing most of its vacant leasable area as office spaces.
New tenants included Catholic Healthcare West, Banner Healthcare Systems and United Healthcare. These businesses were joined by retailers and restaurants such as Fusilli's, The Good Egg, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Jamba Juice and Starbuck's Coffee.
Also in the new tenant mix were holdovers from the original retail mall, such as Otto Schmeider's Jewelers (a tenant since 1965) and Green Woodpecker Gifts (in the mall since 1974).
The new-style, mixed-use complex, known as simply PARK CENTRAL, was sold to Phoenix-based Mall SPE Limited Liability Company in November 2000.
The PARK CENTRAL site is adjacent to the initial segment of Phoenix's Valley Metro Light Rail starter line, which inaugurated revenue service December 27, 2008.
Sources:
Mitch Glaser's PARK CENTRAL memories
"Park Central Mall" article on Wikipedia
Maricopa County, Arizona tax assessor website
www.parkcentralphx.com
Phoenix Business Journal
www.valleymetro.org
A circa-'74 site plan of the Lower Level of Phoenix's
super-sized shopopolis. At the time, it was America's
third-largest mall...and the first to feature five anchor
department stores. One of these, Tacoma-based
Rhodes, was short-lived. It was rebranded by Honolulu's
Liberty House soon after it opened.
The original METROCENTER, with its dated, early '70s decor. It's
late period Mid-Mod...but apparently isn't quite old enough to have
its own particular name or classification.
Photos from Malls Of America Blogspot
A site plan of the mall from around 1989. The Diamond's
and Liberty House stores had become a Dillard's "Double
Header" in 1986. However, a retail retrenchment took place
in 1997...with the Men's Store closing. Operations of the
Arkansas-based chain were consolidated into the old
Diamond's, which had opened -as a singular Dillard's- in
1984.
Today's METROCENTER. Vacant anchors on the west and
south ends present problems that probably won't be solved
anytime in the near future. With "mall" being a dirty word
in the present-day retail scene, the 1.3 million square foot
center -a cutting edge complex in 1973- is now simply too
big for its own good.
THE LARGEST ENCLOSED SHOPPING
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1973:
1. WOODFIELD MALL, Schaumburg, IL
2. ROOSEVELT FIELD MALL, Town of Hempstead, NY
3. METROCENTER MALL, Phoenix, AZ
4. CINDERELLA CITY MALL, Englewood, CO
AND
4. YORKTOWN CENTER, Lombard, IL
5. SUNVALLEY MALL, Concord & Pleasant Hill, CA
METROCENTER
West Peoria and North 35th Avenues
Phoenix, Arizona
Plans for the first megamall in Arizona were announced in November 1970. Construction on the METROCENTER project, a joint venture between Phoenix-based Westcor and Chicago-based Homart Development Company (a Sears subsidiary), got underway in June 1972.
The 1,391,000 square foot complex was the first 2-level, 5-anchor mall in the United States. It was situated on a 107 acre tract, 13 miles northwest of the Phoenix Central Business District and had its grand opening on October 1, 1973.
Anchors of the original -100 million dollar- shopping center were a 3-level (156,000 square foot), Tacoma-based) Rhodes, 2-level (180,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Diamond's, 2-level (106,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Goldwater's, 2-level (156,000 square foot), Los Angeles-based The Broadway and a 2-level (241,200 square foot) Sears.
The mall also featured See's Candies, Lerner Shops, Rozenweigs Jewelers, Toys By Roy, Butterfield Station, Judy's ladies' apparel, Waldenbooks, Guggy's Coffee Shop, Florsheim Shoes and a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. A small "Hippie" concourse, referred to as "The Alley", was on the Upper Level of the mall, near Sears.
Competing malls in the vacinity of METROCENTER included CHRIS-TOWN MALL (1961) [December 2006 archive], SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE (1961) [October 2007 archive], BILTMORE FASHION PARK (1963), PARADISE VALLEY MALL (1979) and DESERT SKY MALL (1981).
At the southwest corner of METROCENTER -on the Lower Level- was an ice rink which had the full-sized body of an airliner suspended above. Inside the plane was the AeroLounge, where patrons could look down upon the skaters below as they sipped on a martini. Over the years, this cocktail lounge was known by a succession of different names...some of these being MetroPort and Round The Corner.
The ice rink and aviation themed cocktail lounge were removed during an early 1990s renovation. The lower level space became Metro Midway, a large video arcade with amusement rides. The level above was, by then, a Food Court.
General Cinemas had opened the Metrocenter Cinemas I-II-III in 1980. The 3-plex was located south of the Food Court, on the mall's Upper Level. It was acquired by Harkins Theatres in 1993, who expanded it into a 12-screen venue around 1998.
This expansion took the first level space of the former ice rink / Metro Midway arcade. The open area between it and the Food Court above was sealed off, with additional seating provided for the Food Court.
The first of many anchor store rebrandings at METROCENTER took place only one year after the opening of the mall. The Rhodes retail chain was acquired by Honolulu-based Liberty House. In 1978. the store was placed under the San Antonio-based Joske's nameplate. It became a Dillard's Men's store in 1986 and a J.C. Penney in 1997. Penney's pulled out of the mall in late 2007.
Diamond's stores were absorbed by Dillard's in 1984. Goldwater's went defunct in 1989, with the METROCENTER location being rebranded as a Los Angeles-based Robinson's. This, in turn, became a Robinsons-May in 1993 and Macy's in 2006.
The Broadway -which had come under the newly-formed (Phoenix-based) Broadway Southwest division in 1979- was "Macy-ated" in 1996 and shuttered in 2005. It remains vacant to this day. The METROCENTER Sears is the only anchor that has retained its original nameplate over the years.
In January 2004, the mall was purchased -in a joint venture- by Phoenix-based Westcor and Boston-based AEW Capital Management. Westcor, one of the mall's original developers, became a subsidiary of the Santa Monica-based Macerich Company in 2002.
A major overhaul of METROCENTER was completed late in 2005, which included facelifts of its interior and exterior, a refashioned Food Court, installation of a family lounge and rocket ship-themed children's play area and new, full-service Community Room.
Changing demographics in the surrounding area, and the opening of new lifestyle centers, such as ARROWHEAD TOWN CENTER in Glendale, in 1993, have had a negative impact on METROCENTER.
At present, the megamall has two vacant anchor stores (The Broadway and J.C. Penney). There are, however, three in operation (Sears, Dillard's and Macy's) as well as one hundred and fifty-four inline stores.
Sources:
Mitch Glaser' METROCENTER memories
John Bueker's METROCENTER memories
Comment post by Jonah Norason
"Metrocenter" article on Wikipedia
Comment post by "Anonymous"
http://www.metrocentermall.com/
http://www.cinematreasures.com/
MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1973:
1. WOODFIELD MALL, Schaumburg, IL
2. ROOSEVELT FIELD MALL, Town of Hempstead, NY
3. METROCENTER MALL, Phoenix, AZ
4. CINDERELLA CITY MALL, Englewood, CO
AND
4. YORKTOWN CENTER, Lombard, IL
5. SUNVALLEY MALL, Concord & Pleasant Hill, CA
METROCENTER
West Peoria and North 35th Avenues
Phoenix, Arizona
Plans for the first megamall in Arizona were announced in November 1970. Construction on the METROCENTER project, a joint venture between Phoenix-based Westcor and Chicago-based Homart Development Company (a Sears subsidiary), got underway in June 1972.
The 1,391,000 square foot complex was the first 2-level, 5-anchor mall in the United States. It was situated on a 107 acre tract, 13 miles northwest of the Phoenix Central Business District and had its grand opening on October 1, 1973.
Anchors of the original -100 million dollar- shopping center were a 3-level (156,000 square foot), Tacoma-based) Rhodes, 2-level (180,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Diamond's, 2-level (106,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Goldwater's, 2-level (156,000 square foot), Los Angeles-based The Broadway and a 2-level (241,200 square foot) Sears.
The mall also featured See's Candies, Lerner Shops, Rozenweigs Jewelers, Toys By Roy, Butterfield Station, Judy's ladies' apparel, Waldenbooks, Guggy's Coffee Shop, Florsheim Shoes and a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. A small "Hippie" concourse, referred to as "The Alley", was on the Upper Level of the mall, near Sears.
Competing malls in the vacinity of METROCENTER included CHRIS-TOWN MALL (1961) [December 2006 archive], SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE (1961) [October 2007 archive], BILTMORE FASHION PARK (1963), PARADISE VALLEY MALL (1979) and DESERT SKY MALL (1981).
At the southwest corner of METROCENTER -on the Lower Level- was an ice rink which had the full-sized body of an airliner suspended above. Inside the plane was the AeroLounge, where patrons could look down upon the skaters below as they sipped on a martini. Over the years, this cocktail lounge was known by a succession of different names...some of these being MetroPort and Round The Corner.
The ice rink and aviation themed cocktail lounge were removed during an early 1990s renovation. The lower level space became Metro Midway, a large video arcade with amusement rides. The level above was, by then, a Food Court.
General Cinemas had opened the Metrocenter Cinemas I-II-III in 1980. The 3-plex was located south of the Food Court, on the mall's Upper Level. It was acquired by Harkins Theatres in 1993, who expanded it into a 12-screen venue around 1998.
This expansion took the first level space of the former ice rink / Metro Midway arcade. The open area between it and the Food Court above was sealed off, with additional seating provided for the Food Court.
The first of many anchor store rebrandings at METROCENTER took place only one year after the opening of the mall. The Rhodes retail chain was acquired by Honolulu-based Liberty House. In 1978. the store was placed under the San Antonio-based Joske's nameplate. It became a Dillard's Men's store in 1986 and a J.C. Penney in 1997. Penney's pulled out of the mall in late 2007.
Diamond's stores were absorbed by Dillard's in 1984. Goldwater's went defunct in 1989, with the METROCENTER location being rebranded as a Los Angeles-based Robinson's. This, in turn, became a Robinsons-May in 1993 and Macy's in 2006.
The Broadway -which had come under the newly-formed (Phoenix-based) Broadway Southwest division in 1979- was "Macy-ated" in 1996 and shuttered in 2005. It remains vacant to this day. The METROCENTER Sears is the only anchor that has retained its original nameplate over the years.
In January 2004, the mall was purchased -in a joint venture- by Phoenix-based Westcor and Boston-based AEW Capital Management. Westcor, one of the mall's original developers, became a subsidiary of the Santa Monica-based Macerich Company in 2002.
A major overhaul of METROCENTER was completed late in 2005, which included facelifts of its interior and exterior, a refashioned Food Court, installation of a family lounge and rocket ship-themed children's play area and new, full-service Community Room.
Changing demographics in the surrounding area, and the opening of new lifestyle centers, such as ARROWHEAD TOWN CENTER in Glendale, in 1993, have had a negative impact on METROCENTER.
At present, the megamall has two vacant anchor stores (The Broadway and J.C. Penney). There are, however, three in operation (Sears, Dillard's and Macy's) as well as one hundred and fifty-four inline stores.
Sources:
Mitch Glaser' METROCENTER memories
John Bueker's METROCENTER memories
Comment post by Jonah Norason
"Metrocenter" article on Wikipedia
Comment post by "Anonymous"
http://www.metrocentermall.com/
http://www.cinematreasures.com/
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