NORTH SHORE SHOPPING MART, one of the first post-war, suburban-style shopping centers in Greater New York City, was completed in May 1951. Located in Long Island's Town of North Hempstead, it was a small strip center of around 216,500 leasable square feet.

Sol G. Atlas, developer of the SHOPPING MART, also built the region's -and state's- first mall-type venue. CROSS COUNTY CENTER was located in the Westchester County suburb of Yonkers (not on Long Island) and was dedicated in April 1954. By late 1958, the complex, which incorporated retail, office and medical components, encompassed over 906,000 leasable square feet.

The NORTH SHORE SHOPPING MART and CROSS COUNTY complexes were followed by five shopping malls built on "The Island." Original names are used...

*ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER [August 1956]

*GREEN ACRES CENTER, [October 1956]

*MID-ISLAND SHOPPING PLAZA, [October 1956]

*WALT WHITMAN CENTER [November 1962]

*SOUTH SHORE MALL [August 1963]

The first controlled-access highway in Greater New York City was a 4.6 mile section of the Brooklyn-Queens Connecting Roadway (later known as Brooklyn-Queens Expressway). This thoroughfare extended between Queens Boulevard (in Sunnyside, Queens) and Kingsland and Meeker Avenues (in Greenpoint, Brooklyn). It opened to traffic in August 1939. 

In addition to being New York City and State's first shopping mall, CROSS COUNTY CENTER was also the first "freeway friendly" mall in Greater New York City. A section of the New York State Thruway, running along the west side of the shopping hub, opened to traffic in September 1956.

 

 

A map shows locations of post-war shopping hubs in Westchester County and in the Long Island counties of Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk. The inaugural section of New York's IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit) subway is also depicted in red.
-Click on image for a larger view-

New York City's labyrinthine subway was originally built as three independently owned and operated  systems. The IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit) was the city's first underground transit line. It was a privately-funded venture. The IRT began revenue service in October 1904, with 9.1 route miles and twenty-eight stations. 

 

 

A map of the original IRT system appeared in the October 27, 1904 issue of The (New York) Evening Post.

 

The city's second rail rapid transit system, originally known as the BRT (Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company ), pre-dated the IRT system. Like the IRT, the BRT was a privately-owned system. Established in January 1896, it was formed out of several previously-existing streetcar and elevated routes. The first BRT subway station opened in June 1908. In 1923, the BRT was re-incorporated as the BMT (Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation).

 

A third Big Apple-based subway network was originally known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System or Independent Subway System. Built by New York City, it was dedicated in September 1932. The city's three separate subway systems merged in June 1940. At this time, the third network was renamed IND (Independent System).  Although the three systems were now -technically- one, they would continue to be known and promoted by their original names; IRT, BMT or IND. In 1967, the entire network was renamed as the New York City Subway. 

 

In the here and now, the New York City Subway operates over 248 route miles and serves 423 stations. Only one suburban-type shopping mall is subway-adjacent. QUEENS CENTER is 257 yards northeast of the Woodhaven Boulevard-Queens Mall station.

Long Island's North Shore Shopping Mart

In a high-definition view from 1951, we see the 3-level John Wanamaker Great Neck. This structure would house three different department stores over the next 28 years.
Photo from Library of Congress / https://www.shorpy.com / Shorpy, The American Historical Photo Archive  

Here, we see the West Wing of the complex, which housed tenants such as F.W. Woolworth and Grand Union.
Photo from Library Of Congress

In this high-definition image, we see West Wing stores, John Wanamaker and a North Wing. This extends into the background. At its far end is a Pennsylvania Drugs store. A suite of leased office space occupies an upper level.
Photo from Library of Congress / https://www.shorpy.com / Shorpy, The American Historical Photo Archive 

A physical layout of the original strip complex. It covered approximately 216,500 leasable square feet. 

In a SHOPPING MART aerial view from the early 1950s, Pennsylvania Drugs occupies the ground floor of the 2-story structure on the far left. John Wanamaker Great Neck operates in the large structure at the center of the center. A Grand Union grocery store is seen on the far right.

Photo from the Grand Union Company Annual Report 1951 

We now embark on a tour of the John Wanamaker Great Neck store, as it existed in May of 1951. At the West Entrance is the Gifts Department.
Photo from Library of Congress

A sweeping view of the John Wanamaker Great Neck main sales floor.
Photos from Library of Congress

Here we see the Cotton Dresses racks.
Photo from Library of Congress

And the John Wanamaker Great Neck Men's Department.
Photo from Library of Congress

The store's perfume counter, also known as the Toiletries Department.
Photo from Library of Congress

Here we see the selection of Ladies' Sportswear.
Photo from Library of Congress

We now ascend the grand stairway to the Upper Floor...
Photo from Library of Congress

In this snapshot, we see the Ladies' Shoes Department.
Photo from Library of Congress

In a detail view is the famous Wanamaker Eagle. Every John Wanamaker store had one.
Photo from Library of Congress

This Wanamaker's also carried a selection of Boy's Wear.
Photo from Library of Congress

Now we move on to the Toys Department.
Photo from Library of Congress

Descending back to the main sales floor, we go down the staircase seen here. It takes us to the basement level.
Photo from Library of Congress

On display in the Furniture Department is a sofa and dinette with dish cabinet. One might wonder how much these classic Mid-Century Modern furnishings would now be worth.
Photo from Library of Congress  

Here we see a more traditional sofa, with coffee and end tables.
Photo from Library of Congress

In this view, we see an Ultra-Modern bedroom suite.
Photo from Library of Congress

This model room is furnished with an Early American-style canopy bed and chest of drawers.
Photo from Library of Congress  

Here, we see more Early American bedroom furnishings.
Photo from Library of Congress 

A view of the John Wanamaker Great Neck Housewares Department.
Photo from Library of Congress

We end our time-traveling tour at the Rug Department.
Photo from Library of Congress

A full-page newspaper ad announces the grand opening of Stern's Great Neck, which replaced the 4-year-old John Wanamaker Great Neck store in September 1955.
Advert from the Allied Stores Corporation 

The Long Island Railroad's Great Neck Station was -and is- located across South Middle Neck Road from the shopping hub.
Photo from Wikipedia / Adam Moss 

The SHOPPING MART was in decline by the mid-1980s. It was renovated and re-tenanted in the mid-1990s and renamed THE GARDENS AT GREAT NECK PLAZA. The snapshot above -and the two that follow- show the shopping hub in the early 2000s. 

Photo from Nassau County, New York

Moving toward the center of the center, we see the previous John Wanamaker Great Neck store. It housed the Waldbaum's supermarket seen here for over 14 years. 

Photo from http//www.showcase.com

In this snapshot, we see the West Wing of the PLAZA. A Rite Aid pharmacy appears on the right. Over the years, this space has housed a Grand Union grocery and Pathmark Drugs.

Photo from Nassau County, New York

Since the 1990s renovation, the official name of the shopping strip has morphed from THE GARDENS AT GREAT NECK PLAZA to simply THE GARDENS AT GREAT NECK. At the time of a circa-2020 site plan, the center anchor space is occupied by a Best Market grocery store. There were a total of seventeen tenant spaces.

THE GARDENS AT GREAT NECK TENANTS 2020:

Astoria Federal Savings & Loan / Best Market / Chase Bank (outparcel) / Chipotle Mexican Grill / Dream Wellness-Dreamnastics / European Wax Center / Fine Wines & Liquors / GoHealth Urgent Care / Great Neck Library Station Branch (Second Floor) / Matsuya Japanese Restaurant / MCS Mortgage Bankers (Second Floor) / Planet Fitness (basement) / Rite Aid Drugs / Starbucks Coffee / Sterling National Bank / Sunny Nail Spa / TD Bank / Voro Real Estate (Second Floor) / Wells Fargo Bank / Wild Ginger restaurant

A 2010s view of the North Wing. The Astoria bank (seen in the early 2000s photos) is still in operation. 

Photo from www.kabro.com / Kabro Associates

The entrance of the Best Market grocery is seen on the right side of this image. The store closed for good in early 2021.

Photo from www.kabro.com / Kabro Associates

Our final GARDENS AT GREAT NECK snapshot shows the West Wing. Nameplates for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Cheeburger Cheeburger and Wild Ginger (an Asian Fusion restaurant) appear on the left. 

Photo from www.kabro.com / Kabro Associates

NORTH SHORE SHOPPING MART

South Middle Neck and Great Neck Roads

Nassau County (Town of North Hempstead), New York

Greater New York City's first suburban-style shopping center was constructed on a 7-acre parcel, located 13.4 miles east of Times Square. The site, once part of the Grace Estate, was in Nassau County's Town of North Hempstead / Village of Great Neck Plaza. Ground was broken for the NORTH SHORE SHOPPING MART in June 1950. The open-air strip complex was developed by New York City's Sol G. Atlas and designed by Lathrop Douglass. It encompassed approximately 216,500 leasable square feet.

NORTH SHORE SHOPPING MART was anchored by a 3-level (60,000 square foot), Philadelphia-based John Wanamaker, which was the chain's first suburban New York City location. This store opened for business on May 16, 1951 and featured a huge, 2-story show window and two elevators; quite impressive features at the time.

SHOPPING MART stores included Millers apparel, Pennsylvania Drugs, Miles Shoes, The Corsetorium, North Shore Hardware, Godell's of Great Neck home furnishings, a (10,500 square foot) Grand Union supermarket and 2-level (15,600 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10. Free parking was provided for 500 autos. 

Wanamaker's Great Neck was short-lived. The store was shuttered on May 3, 1955. Its ground level was expanded into vacant store space on both sides. The 3-level (71,000 square foot) Stern's Great Neck was dedicated on September 2, 1955. This was the chain's first suburban branch. The store morphed into a New York City-based Gertz on April 1, 1961, which shut down in January 1980.

By the early 1990s, the strip center was 85-percent vacant. It was acquired by Woodbury, New York's Kabro Associates in August 1993. The exterior was completely refurbished, new stores were signed and the complex re-named THE GARDENS AT GREAT NECK PLAZA. 

The old John Wanamaker was expanded into adjacent space once again. A 1-level (43,000 square foot) Iselin, New Jersey-based Foodtown Superstore opened in April 1994. Existing tenants included Pathmark Drug (in the old Grand Union space), Astoria Federal Savings & Loan and the Great Neck Library Station Branch. Newly-signed tenants included Kay-Bee Toys, Dreyfuss Financial Center and the (26,000 square foot) New York Health & Racket Club.

Foodtown was rebranded as an Edward's Super Food in 1995. This morphed into a Montvale, New Jersey-based Waldbaum's on March 3, 2001. This store was shuttered on November 22, 2015 and re-opened, as a Bethpage, New York-based Best Market, on February 10, 2016. Best Market pulled up stakes in February 2021. Meanwhile, The New York Health & Racket Club had closed in September 2013 and re-opened, as a Planet Fitness gym, on June 17, 2014.

Sources:

The New York Daily News

The Nassau Daily Review-Star (Freeport, New York)

"Great Neck Plaza Walking Tour" / Long Island Traditions / Nancy Solomon

https://lrv.nassaucountyny.gov / Nassau County, New York 

https://theislandnow.com

https://www.kabro.com / Kabro Associates

https://greatneckrecord.com

"Great Neck Plaza" article on Wikipedia

BLACK & WHITE PHOTOS:

From the Gottscho-Schleisner Collection / Repository: United States Library Of Congress Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C. / Taken by Gottscho-Schleisner, Inc., 1952 / Photographs are in the public domain: no known restrictions on publication / www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html

New York City's Roosevelt Field Center

CROSS COUNTY CENTER, the first mall-type shopping center in Greater New York City, opened in April 1954. The region's second mall was built in Nassau County's Town of Hempstead.  

Graphic from Webb & Knapp-R.H. Macy & Company

In its original state, ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER had just one anchor department store. Macy's Roosevelt Field was a gigantic 4-level facility. The store -and mall- welcomed first shoppers in August 1956. 

Drawing from R.H. Macy & Company

 

The Food Fair supermarket at ROOSEVELT FIELD opened its doors in October 1956. 

Drawing from Food Fair Stores, Incorporated

The shiny new ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER featured two supermarkets; the aforementioned Food Fair and Grand Union. Food Fair closed for good in 1958, with Grand Union relocating into its vacant building.  

Graphic 1 from Food Fair Stores, Incorporated

Graphic 2 from the Grand Union Company

Long Island, New York's big kahuna shopping mall is seen in a late 1950s aerial. Macy's Roosevelt Field is the white structure on the left. On the north end of the mall, land is being cleared for the construction of a second anchor department store.

Photo from http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com 

Gimbels Roosevelt Field rang up its first sale in August 1962. The store encompassed 3 levels and 240,300 square feet. It was the fifth branch of the Gimbels-New York division, following stores at Yonkers, Valley Stream, Bay Shore and Paramus, New Jersey.

A circa-'63 ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER plan. The nation's first shopping mall ice rink had opened here in 1958. With the addition of a new Gimbels, the 50 million dollar facility encompassed an astounding (for the time) 1,261,200 leasable square feet, making it one of the largest malls in the USA. Its vast parking area could accommodate 11,000 autos at one time.

A circa-1965 view of the main mall concourse. The nameplate of Gimbels Roosevelt Field looms in the distance.
Photo from http://pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com

Above, we see the mall's Horn & Hardart Retail Shop, which sold pre-packaged take-out foods. The company was also known for its chain of self-service "Automat" restaurants.

Photo from http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com  

Howard Clothes, a Brooklyn-based men's & boys clothier, operated a store in the original shopping complex.
Photo from  http://pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com

A Macy's ad from August 1968 beckons one and all to come see "the world's largest enclosed shopping center." The complex had just emerged from a 1.5 million dollar roofing renovation.
Advert from R.H. Macy & Company

 

Have a field day at Roosevelt Field! A circa-1976 plan shows several recent modifications. As mentioned, the complex was enclosed and climate-controlled in 1967-'68. In 1971 and '72, two anchor department stores joined the retail roster; Alexander's and J.C. Penney. Two parking garages were also built. Le Petit Mall, a Tudor-motif mall-within-a-mall, opened for business in 1974.

A ROOSEVELT FIELD logo montage features trademarks of stores in operation at the mall during the late 1970s.

Gimbels Roosevelt Field was shuttered in August 1986. Stern's assumed the vacant store and opened for business in February 1987.
Photo from http://www.occulude06.tripod.com

Aside from one anchor nameplate change, ROOSEVELT FIELD remained virtually unchanged through the 1980s. The mall shifted into a major expansion mode in 1991, with a first phase completed in April 1993. A partial Upper Level has been built on top of the northern half of the structure. One of the new features upstairs is a zeppelin-motif Food Court. 

Alexander's at ROOSEVELT FIELD closed in February 1991. The building was remodeled and re-opened, as an "A & S" (Abraham & Straus), in October 1992. This store lasted only 3 years. The Bloomingdale's seen here moved in in November 1995.
Photo from http://www.occulude06.tripod.com