Gerri von Frellick ["fray-lik"] arrived in Denver in 1952. Practically destitute and mired in debt, he went on to establish a mall-building empire. LAKESIDE CENTER was followed by Greater Dallas' BIG TOWN MALL, Amarillo's SUNSET CENTER, San Antonio's WONDERLAND SHOPPING CITY and Boulder's CROSSROADS CENTER. By the late '60s, two more Greater Denver malls had been completed; VILLA ITALIA and CINDERELLA CITY.
Photo from Denver Public Library

In its original state, LAKESIDE CENTER consisted of an open-air Center Court and two enclosed wings. The sole anchor, a branch of the Denver Dry Goods Company (a.k.a. "The Denver"), opened for business in July 1956. The shopping hub covered around 448,000 leasable square feet and eventually housed forty-six tenants. Free parking was provided for 4,500 autos.

LAKESIDE CENTER TENANTS 1956:

THE DENVER (with Beauty Salon, Columbine Room auditorium, Western Shop and Budget Fashion Shop) / F.W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / W.T. GRANT / KING SOOPERS supermarket / Baker's Qualicraft Shoes / Continental Oil Company / Empire Optical / Fashion Bar / Fontius Shoes / Fox's Young Fashions / Gigantic Cleaners / Household Finance Corporation / Ivan's Barber Shop / Kinney Shoes / Komac Paint / Lerner Shops ladies' wear / Luby's Cafeteria / Manfred's Shoe Repair / Maternity Modes / Mill End Shops / Morrow's Nut House / National Shirt Shops / Paul's Jewelry / Richman Brothers men's wear / Russell Stover Candies / Silver State Savings & Loan Association / Skaggs Drug Center / The Country Shop / The Korn Krib / Weiss Bakery / White Spot Restaurant / White's Stores 

A second anchor was added to the mall 2 years later. Dedicated in August 1958, the LAKESIDE Montgomery Ward was the chain's  first shopping mall-format store.
Photo from Montgomery Ward & Company Annual Report 1958

Zooming ahead 25 years, we have a plan of LAKESIDE MALL. There have been many modifications since 1958. The complex was expanded and fully enclosed in 1975-1976 (in gray). Target came in, as a third anchor, in 1983.