The original trademark of Milwaukee's very first shopping mall, circa-1956.
Graphic from Ed Schuster & Company
A rendering of the prospective CAPITOL COURT. The primary anchor, Milwaukee-based Schuster's, is seen near the center. A smaller T.A. Chapman appears in the upper left. A multistory medical office building (also in the upper left) was proposed but never built.
Drawing from Ed Schuster & Company
A 3-level Schuster's, the fourth store in the chain, fronted on the open Capitol Plaza. It was rebranded as Gimbels-Schusters in 1962 and Gimbels in 1969. The store closed in 1984.
Drawing from Ed Schuster & Company
Drawing from Ed Schuster & Company
A full-color view of the Capital Plaza court area.
Photo from the L.L. Cook Company
A rendering of the Golden Anchor Room restaurant at Schuster's CAPITOL COURT store.
Drawing from Historic Photo Collection / F.P. Zeidler Humanities Room / Milwaukee Public Library
A northward view of the shopping hub's Capitol Mall. A Woolworth's 5 & dime is seen on the left.
Drawing from Historic Photo Collection / F.P. Zeidler Humanities Room / Milwaukee Public Library
The south end of Capitol Mall, with the T.A. Chapman anchor store on the right.
Drawing from Historic Photo Collection / F.P. Zeidler Humanities Room / Milwaukee Public Library 
Milwaukee's first mall, as it was configured in 1962. The initial construction of CAPITOL COURT, done between 1953 and 1956, comprised the largest single building project the city had ever seen. The two store blocks shown in gray were added to the mall in 1959. At this time, there were parking provisions for 5,100 autos.
CAPITOL COURT TENANTS 1962:
A vintage advertisement promoting Candy Cane Lane, a holiday-themed redress of the shopping complex. The "Kooky Cooky House", seen in the lower left, was a yuletide tradition in the city for many years.
Advert from Ed Schuster & Company
By the mid-1970s, with two fully-enclosed malls in its midst, it was time for CAPITOL COURT to be roofed-in. This was done between March 1977 and August 1978. An updated logo was also commissioned.
Graphic from the Winmar Company
A provisional layout of CAPITOL COURT, this following its 7 million dollar makeover. The center court and concourse have been given a "gardenlike" enclosure, existing stores expanded and new tenants added to the directory. A Food Court has also been installed. The mall now housed around 850,000 leasable square feet.
We now zoom through time to the year 1996. By the mid-'90s, the shopping hub has been in a downward spiral for several years. An unsuccessful face lift was done early in the decade, followed by the demolition of two anchor department stores (by then vacant). A little over 650,000 square feet of mall has been left standing...at least for the time being.
A provisional layout of CAPITOL COURT, this following its 7 million dollar makeover. The center court and concourse have been given a "gardenlike" enclosure, existing stores expanded and new tenants added to the directory. A Food Court has also been installed. The mall now housed around 850,000 leasable square feet.
We now zoom through time to the year 1996. By the mid-'90s, the shopping hub has been in a downward spiral for several years. An unsuccessful face lift was done early in the decade, followed by the demolition of two anchor department stores (by then vacant). A little over 650,000 square feet of mall has been left standing...at least for the time being.
CAPITOL COURT
West Capitol Drive and North 60th Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Greater Milwaukee's first bona fide shopping mall was developed by Ed Schuster & Company, a local department store chain, and designed by Seattle's John Graham, Junior. The retail facility was built on a 57-acre site, located 7 miles northwest of the Central Business District. Ground was broken in September 1953.
Originally an open-air venue, CAPITOL COURT encompassed approximately 745,000 leasable square feet. The 20 million dollar complex was comprised of a ground level of retail and service basement. The lower level included a truck tunnel, additional sales floors for the larger stores and a small shopping concourse.
An official grand opening was held August 28, 1956. The primary anchor, a 3-level (260,000 square foot) Schuster's, began business along with with a 2-level (65,000 square foot), Milwaukee-based T.A. Chapman. There were initially fifteen stores and services.
A 2-level (50,000 square foot) J.C. Penney opened, as the 1,709th store in the chain, on October 11, 1956. By early 1957, the retail roster at CAPITOL COURT had been expanded to a total of fifty-one retailers. These included Bitker-Gerner ladies' wear, Badger Paints, Chandler's Shoes an F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 and two supermarkets; Krambo and Kohl's. A Kiddie Town mini amusement park was set up in the north parking area.
Construction commenced on a 60,000 square foot expansion in January 1959. It consisted of two-store blocks, built west of Schuster's. The addition, dedicated on September 25, 1959, brought seventeen new stores. The mall now encompassed approximately 805,000 leasable square feet and contained seventy-five stores and services.
Competitors of CAPITOL COURT included BAY SHORE CENTER (1954) {3.8 miles northeast, in Milwaukee}, as well as MAYFAIR CENTER (1958) {3.3 miles southwest, in Wauwatosa} and NORTHRIDGE MALL (1972) {5.9 miles northwest, also in Milwaukee}.
In April 1962, Gimbels-Milwaukee acquired the assets of Ed Schuster & Company. All Wisconsin Gimbels and Schuster's stores were rebranded as Gimbels-Schusters. In July 1969, the Schusters co-branding was dropped, with stores receiving Gimbels nameplates.
The RKO-Stanley-Warner Capitol Court Cinema made its debut on May 27, 1964. It was built, as a freestanding structure, in the mall's east parking area. The venue was twinned and re-opened, as the Capitol Court I & II, on November 4, 1977. It was shuttered in 1989.
By the late 1970s, CAPITOL COURT was owned by a joint venture headed by Seattle's Winmar Company. An enclosing renovation got underway in March 1977. The Capitol Plaza court area, fronting on Gimbels, was filled with a 45,000 square foot -twelve-tentant- structure. Exterior entries to stores were sealed. County Seat, Thom McAn Shoes, Florsheim Shoes, Playmakers and Casual Corner joined the retail roster.
The 7 million dollar remodeling wrapped up with a week-long grand opening celebration, which got underway on August 23, 1978. The official name of the shopping venue was changed to CAPITOL COURT MALL. The center now encompassed approximately 850,000 leasable square feet.
Unfortunately, the surrounding area was in decline. Shoppers were patronizing newer and larger malls. Soon, CAPITOL COURT was struggling. T.A. CHAPMAN closed in 1979, with its space becoming a Milwaukee-based Boston Store. Gimbels was shuttered in 1984. Target gutted and rebuilt the structure and opened the largest store in the Dairy State on October 13, 1985.
The next anchor change occurred after J.C. Penney closed their CAPITOL COURT location, in July 1986. This space was taken by Dunham's Sporting Goods. In July 1987, the Boston Store vacated the mall. The building was renovated as a new format "Sears Limited" store, which was dedicated November 15, 1989.
Sears lasted a little more than 2 years. It was shuttered in January 1992. Target pulled out of CAPITOL COURT MALL on January 31, 1996. Dunham's Sporting Goods called it quits in 1997 and Kohl's Foods (a charter tenant) closed in 1998.
The mall was left anchor-less and abandoned. Its owner, now known as Winmar Pacific, had attempted to revitalize the center twice during the 1990s. The first remodeling, done between October 1992 and July 1993, added new ceilings, floors and lighting. Mall entrances were also rebuilt. The second renovation commenced in August 1996. The vacant Target was demolished along with the old Chapman's. New retail space was constructed and new tenants courted.
However, by the dawn of the 21st century, the 44-year-old shopping mall was on its last legs. The property, which was over 70-percent vacant, was sold in February 2001. The new owner was a joint venture of Milwaukee-based Boulder Venture and the Los Angeles-based Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund.
Demolition began in the spring of 2001, with three outparcel buildings being incorporated into a new retail complex known as MIDTOWN CENTER. The venue, which would initially encompass 275,000 leasable square feet, was implemented in two phases.
The first was anchored by a 1-level (161,000 square foot) Wal-Mart SuperCenter. This store welcomed its first patrons on August 14, 2002. Inline stores included Foot Locker, One Price Clothing, PayLess ShoeSource and a 1-level (55,000 square foot) Pick 'n Save supermarket. A 1-level (134,300 square foot) Lowe's Home Improvement Center joined the fold in February 2005.
A second construction phase was announced in May 2006 and completed in the following year. Office Depot and Anna's Linens stores were added. MIDTOWN CENTER now encompassed 408,500 leasable square feet and contained forty-three tenant spaces.
The center encountered its first major hurdle on September 22, 2009, when its Lowe's store was shuttered. A plan to subdivide the vacant building into smaller big box stores was proposed but never carried out. WalMart abandoned their 13-year-old MIDTOWN store on January 28, 2016.
Over the years, MIDTOWN CENTER has changed hands twice. Its first sale, to Oakbrook, Illinois-based Inland Western Retail Real Estate, closed in February 2005. Inland sold the complex to New York City's DLC Management Corporation in April 2014.
Sources:
The Milwaukee Journal
Gary Nosacek's mall memories
"Retro Milwaukee" website / Dave's mall memories
Memories of Milwaukee's Capital Court Shopping Center " / J. Watter, Writer.com
Milwaukee Business Journal, October 22, 2004
http://www.builder.com
http://www.preservenet.cornell.edu
http://www.cinematreasures.org
West Capitol Drive and North 60th Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Greater Milwaukee's first bona fide shopping mall was developed by Ed Schuster & Company, a local department store chain, and designed by Seattle's John Graham, Junior. The retail facility was built on a 57-acre site, located 7 miles northwest of the Central Business District. Ground was broken in September 1953.
Originally an open-air venue, CAPITOL COURT encompassed approximately 745,000 leasable square feet. The 20 million dollar complex was comprised of a ground level of retail and service basement. The lower level included a truck tunnel, additional sales floors for the larger stores and a small shopping concourse.
An official grand opening was held August 28, 1956. The primary anchor, a 3-level (260,000 square foot) Schuster's, began business along with with a 2-level (65,000 square foot), Milwaukee-based T.A. Chapman. There were initially fifteen stores and services.
A 2-level (50,000 square foot) J.C. Penney opened, as the 1,709th store in the chain, on October 11, 1956. By early 1957, the retail roster at CAPITOL COURT had been expanded to a total of fifty-one retailers. These included Bitker-Gerner ladies' wear, Badger Paints, Chandler's Shoes an F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 and two supermarkets; Krambo and Kohl's. A Kiddie Town mini amusement park was set up in the north parking area.
Construction commenced on a 60,000 square foot expansion in January 1959. It consisted of two-store blocks, built west of Schuster's. The addition, dedicated on September 25, 1959, brought seventeen new stores. The mall now encompassed approximately 805,000 leasable square feet and contained seventy-five stores and services.
Competitors of CAPITOL COURT included BAY SHORE CENTER (1954) {3.8 miles northeast, in Milwaukee}, as well as MAYFAIR CENTER (1958) {3.3 miles southwest, in Wauwatosa} and NORTHRIDGE MALL (1972) {5.9 miles northwest, also in Milwaukee}.
In April 1962, Gimbels-Milwaukee acquired the assets of Ed Schuster & Company. All Wisconsin Gimbels and Schuster's stores were rebranded as Gimbels-Schusters. In July 1969, the Schusters co-branding was dropped, with stores receiving Gimbels nameplates.
The RKO-Stanley-Warner Capitol Court Cinema made its debut on May 27, 1964. It was built, as a freestanding structure, in the mall's east parking area. The venue was twinned and re-opened, as the Capitol Court I & II, on November 4, 1977. It was shuttered in 1989.
By the late 1970s, CAPITOL COURT was owned by a joint venture headed by Seattle's Winmar Company. An enclosing renovation got underway in March 1977. The Capitol Plaza court area, fronting on Gimbels, was filled with a 45,000 square foot -twelve-tentant- structure. Exterior entries to stores were sealed. County Seat, Thom McAn Shoes, Florsheim Shoes, Playmakers and Casual Corner joined the retail roster.
The 7 million dollar remodeling wrapped up with a week-long grand opening celebration, which got underway on August 23, 1978. The official name of the shopping venue was changed to CAPITOL COURT MALL. The center now encompassed approximately 850,000 leasable square feet.
Unfortunately, the surrounding area was in decline. Shoppers were patronizing newer and larger malls. Soon, CAPITOL COURT was struggling. T.A. CHAPMAN closed in 1979, with its space becoming a Milwaukee-based Boston Store. Gimbels was shuttered in 1984. Target gutted and rebuilt the structure and opened the largest store in the Dairy State on October 13, 1985.
The next anchor change occurred after J.C. Penney closed their CAPITOL COURT location, in July 1986. This space was taken by Dunham's Sporting Goods. In July 1987, the Boston Store vacated the mall. The building was renovated as a new format "Sears Limited" store, which was dedicated November 15, 1989.
Sears lasted a little more than 2 years. It was shuttered in January 1992. Target pulled out of CAPITOL COURT MALL on January 31, 1996. Dunham's Sporting Goods called it quits in 1997 and Kohl's Foods (a charter tenant) closed in 1998.
The mall was left anchor-less and abandoned. Its owner, now known as Winmar Pacific, had attempted to revitalize the center twice during the 1990s. The first remodeling, done between October 1992 and July 1993, added new ceilings, floors and lighting. Mall entrances were also rebuilt. The second renovation commenced in August 1996. The vacant Target was demolished along with the old Chapman's. New retail space was constructed and new tenants courted.
However, by the dawn of the 21st century, the 44-year-old shopping mall was on its last legs. The property, which was over 70-percent vacant, was sold in February 2001. The new owner was a joint venture of Milwaukee-based Boulder Venture and the Los Angeles-based Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund.
Demolition began in the spring of 2001, with three outparcel buildings being incorporated into a new retail complex known as MIDTOWN CENTER. The venue, which would initially encompass 275,000 leasable square feet, was implemented in two phases.
The first was anchored by a 1-level (161,000 square foot) Wal-Mart SuperCenter. This store welcomed its first patrons on August 14, 2002. Inline stores included Foot Locker, One Price Clothing, PayLess ShoeSource and a 1-level (55,000 square foot) Pick 'n Save supermarket. A 1-level (134,300 square foot) Lowe's Home Improvement Center joined the fold in February 2005.
A second construction phase was announced in May 2006 and completed in the following year. Office Depot and Anna's Linens stores were added. MIDTOWN CENTER now encompassed 408,500 leasable square feet and contained forty-three tenant spaces.
The center encountered its first major hurdle on September 22, 2009, when its Lowe's store was shuttered. A plan to subdivide the vacant building into smaller big box stores was proposed but never carried out. WalMart abandoned their 13-year-old MIDTOWN store on January 28, 2016.
Over the years, MIDTOWN CENTER has changed hands twice. Its first sale, to Oakbrook, Illinois-based Inland Western Retail Real Estate, closed in February 2005. Inland sold the complex to New York City's DLC Management Corporation in April 2014.
Sources:
The Milwaukee Journal
Gary Nosacek's mall memories
"Retro Milwaukee" website / Dave's mall memories
Memories of Milwaukee's Capital Court Shopping Center " / J. Watter, Writer.com
Milwaukee Business Journal, October 22, 2004
http://www.builder.com
http://www.preservenet.cornell.edu
http://www.cinematreasures.org
FAIR USE OF CAPITOL COURT IMAGES:
The renderings from the Milwaukee Public Library illustrate a key moment in the mall's history that is described in the article. The images are of lower resolution than the originals (copies made would be of inferior quality). The images are not replaceable with free-use or public-domain images. The use of the images does not limit the copyright owners' rights to distribute the images in any way. The images are being used for non-profit, informational purposes only and their use is not believed to detract from the original images in any way.
North Fulton County's first enclosed shopping mall was built on a parcel which, at the time, was outside the city limits of Roswell. Originally promoted as ROSWELL CROSSING, its original stores opened between October 1974 and April 1976.
Graphic from ShopKo Corporation
A southward aerial view from November 1974 includes the newly-opened ROSWELL CROSSING. The dark-roofed structure is the mall's Richway anchor store and its adjacent supermarket. Beneath the light roof, an enclosed mall occupies a second level. The first would remain unfinished, and open to the elements, for nearly 5 years.
Photo from the Roswell Historical Society
Graphics from Rich's Annual Report 1968
An early '60s aerial view of APACHE PLAZA. On the lower left is a National Food Stores supermarket. In its original state, the shopping hub housed approximately 600,000 leasable square feet, with a tenant list of sixty stores and services.
Photo from http://www.apacheplaza.com
The APACHE PLAZA "Monkey Wards," as it was originally configured. The Wards Auto Center is contained within the building, and is visible in this drawing. The one-level store was expanded, with 2 levels and a freestanding Auto Center, in 1963.
Photo from Montgomery Ward & Company Annual Report 1961
APACHE PLAZA TENANTS 1963:
J.C. PENNEY / MONTGOMERY WARD (with freestanding Auto Center and snack bar) / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with luncheonette) / G.C. MURPHY (with luncheonette) / NATIONAL FOOD STORE (with delicatessen) / Apache Barber Shop / Apache Beauty Shop / Apache Color Center / Apache Jewelers / Apache Medical Center (outparcel) / Apache Mobil Service (outparcel) / Apache Sports & Health Club (outparcel) / Apache Studio Of Loughridge Bengtson, Incorporated / Ben Franklin Federal Savings & Loan Association / Benson Opticians / Bishop's Apache Ranch / Bonne's Shoes / Bowl-O-Mat of Minneapolis (lower level) / Braun Photo / Buttrey's ladies' wear / Captain's Cove Cafeteria / Caresse Hosiery / Carolyn's Fashions / Cobbler's Nook Shoe Repair (lower level) / Community Center auditorium (lower level) / Dotty Dunn Hats / Fanny Farmer Candies / Farmer's Mutual Insurance Company (lower level) / Farnham's Stationery / Flagg Brothers Shoes / Flowers By Louiselle / Gambles / Harold, Incorporated / Insurance Mart (lower level) / Jack & Jill Shops children's wear / Jerry's Bake Shop / Jolly's Toy & Hobby / Katherine's, Incorporated Costume Jewelry / Key Rexall / Kiddyland (lower level) / Kinney Shoes / Lancer Stores / Minnesota Piano & Organ (lower level) / Plaza Cocktail Lounge / Plaza Liquor Store / Plaza Soda Bar / Record Lane / US Post Office & Information Center / Shirley's Maternity Fashions / Singer Sewing Center / Taft Marine / The Gift Gallery / Three Sisters ladies' wear / Waldorf Cleaners & Shirt Launderers / Willie's Wash Coin Laundry / Young-Quinlan Rothschild
Juneau's Nugget Mall
The capital city's first mall-type shopping center opened its doors in late 1974. It was expanded during the late 1980s and renovated, as seen here, in 1997-1998.
Photo from https://www.nuggetmalljuneau.com
Our first NUGGET MALL site plan dates to 1975. At this time, the complex spanned approximately 128,500 leasable square feet. Free parking was provided for 700 autos.
The capital city's first mall-type shopping center opened its doors in late 1974. It was expanded during the late 1980s and renovated, as seen here, in 1997-1998.
Photo from https://www.nuggetmalljuneau.com
Our first NUGGET MALL site plan dates to 1975. At this time, the complex spanned approximately 128,500 leasable square feet. Free parking was provided for 700 autos.
The original logo for Brewtown's second mall-type shopping center. The complex celebrated its 60th anniversary in October 2018.
Graphic from Froedtert Mayfair, Incorporated
A vintage aerial view shows the original retail facility. It operated as an open-air mall for 15 years.
Photo from the L.L. Cook Company
By 1976, the North Fulton shopping hub was being promoted as ROSWELL MALL. A 4-plex theatrical venue, the Roswell Mall Cinema Centre, made its debut in December 1979. The theater, the first of several to operate in the mall, was located on its upper level.
Graphic from the Interstate Theatres Corporation
A new owner renovated the facility in the late '70s. An unfinished lower level was completed and aforementioned 4-plex movie house installed. A second anchor -Kmart- was dedicated in November 1979. With its completion, ROSWELL MALL covered around 400,000 leasable square feet. There was free parking for 2,600 autos. Note: the exact location of the Cinema Centre, on the mall's Upper Level, may (or may not) be accurate.
ROSWELL MALL TENANTS 1980:
RICHWAY (with snack bar and attached Auto Center) / RICHWAY FOODS supermarket / KMART (with snack bar and Garden Center) / Aileen's Wigs / Bakers Shoes / Cardin Classics / Carver Cutlery / Cheese Crate / Dan's Tan / Eileen's Hair Wear / Fashion Bug ladies' wear / Four Seasons restaurant / Friedman's Jewelry / Go Together Home Furnishings / Hair, Etcetera / Home Drapery / J & F Tobacco / Jeans West / Mabie Hudson / Mama's Pizza / Manor / Michael Romeo / Morrison's Cafeteria / Olympic Karate / Peter Morris Spectacles / Radio Shack / Reed Drugs / Roswell Mall Cinema Centre (four screens) / Roswell Pet Shop / Small World / Sport About / Stuarts Ladies Ready-to-Wear / T-Shirts / The Happy Wok restaurant / Twilight Game Room / Violet Showcase / Waldenbooks
The 1979 remodeling brought modest success, but the upturn in commerce didn't last. By the early 1990s, the complex was on life support. It was sold to a Miami-Dade developer, who initiated a massive overhaul in early 1995. The project reconfigured mall space into an exterior-entranced power center format. New stores opened in the fall of 1997. As part of the demalling, the complex was renamed ROSWELL TOWN CENTER.
APACHE PLAZA
37th Avenue Northeast and Silver Lake Road
St. Anthony (Village), Minnesota
The nation's first regional-class, fully-enclosed shopping complex was SOUTHDALE CENTER (1956), which was developed in the southwestern environs of Minneapolis. The second enclosed center in the North Star State was built in the "North Twin Cities" area of Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Ground was broken for APACHE PLAZA on April 18, 1960. A traditional with-shovel ceremony was eschewed in favor of one more dynamic. Three local beauty queens detonated an explosion, which leveled a small hill. The shopping center was constructed on a 42-acre plot, previously a pig farm, that was located 5 miles north of the Minneapolis Central Business District, in St. Anthony Village.
APACHE PLAZA originally housed sixty stores and services, with four freestanding structures eventually built in its periphery. The complex was centered on a 3-story-high court area, which was 350 feet long and 150 feet wide. It was lit by multicolored clerestory windows beneath a ceiling of ten poured-concrete, hyperbolic paraboloid shells.
37th Avenue Northeast and Silver Lake Road
St. Anthony (Village), Minnesota
The nation's first regional-class, fully-enclosed shopping complex was SOUTHDALE CENTER (1956), which was developed in the southwestern environs of Minneapolis. The second enclosed center in the North Star State was built in the "North Twin Cities" area of Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Ground was broken for APACHE PLAZA on April 18, 1960. A traditional with-shovel ceremony was eschewed in favor of one more dynamic. Three local beauty queens detonated an explosion, which leveled a small hill. The shopping center was constructed on a 42-acre plot, previously a pig farm, that was located 5 miles north of the Minneapolis Central Business District, in St. Anthony Village.
The "eleven million dollar compact city" was developed by the Minneapolis-based Apache Corporation and designed by Willard L. Thorsen, of Thorsen & Thorshov, Incorporated. A formal dedication was held on October 19, 1961, with Governor Elmer L. Andersen (R) arriving via helicopter.
Also attending the grand opening celebration were the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul, officials of Apache Realty and several store managers. The festivities continued for three days and included prize giveaways, remote radio broadcasts, exciting special events and marching band concerts.
APACHE PLAZA originally housed sixty stores and services, with four freestanding structures eventually built in its periphery. The complex was centered on a 3-story-high court area, which was 350 feet long and 150 feet wide. It was lit by multicolored clerestory windows beneath a ceiling of ten poured-concrete, hyperbolic paraboloid shells.
Anchoring the mall were a 1-level (58,000 square foot) J.C. Penney and 1-level (32,600 square foot) Montgomery Ward. Charter tenants included a Young-Quinlan Rothschild junior department store, National Food Stores supermarket, F.W. Woolworth and (42,000 square foot) G.C. Murphy. The mall had a subterranean level which housed the Bowl-O-Mat, a Community Room, kiddie ride area, leased office spaces and retail stores.
Montgomery Ward enlarged their APACHE PLAZA store, with a partial second floor and eastern addition. A 4-bay Wards Auto Center, that was contained within the store, was replaced by a larger, freestanding unit. The new (140,000 square foot) Wards was officially dedicated on August 1, 1963.
The shopping center served as a catalyst for further development of the surrounding area. The (16,000 square foot) Apache Office Park opened for leasing in 1964. The 6-story (120,000 square foot) Apache Medical Center was completed in 1966. On January 31, 1969, the Herringer Company Chief Theatre showed its first feature.
Major shopping centers in the vicinity of APACHE PLAZA included HAR-MAR MALL (1961) {3.3 miles southeast, in Roseville}, BROOKDALE CENTER (1962) {4.6 miles northwest, in Brooklyn Center} and ROSEDALE CENTER (1969){2.7 miles southeast, also in Roseville}, which eventually became the primary rival of APACHE PLAZA.
The first anchor change at the mall occurred in the early '70s, when Young-Quinlan Rothschild vacated their space. The (34,000 square foot) store re-opened, under the Van Arsdell nameplate, on October 15, 1972. G.C. Murphy was shuttered in late 1978 and proceeded by True Value Hardware, which welcomed its first customers on November 3, 1979. Montgomery Ward, snatched by ROSEDALE CENTER, had closed in the previous July. The store was divided into smaller retail spaces, with the largest being occupied by Furniture Barn.
Van Arsdell's lasted for almost 9 years. Its morphed into Home Base Liquidators in 1981. In 1983, a face lift of the exterior of APACHE PLAZA commenced, which replaced much of its early '60s, "space age" architecture. The renovation was almost finished by April 26, 1984, when a tornado damaged the southern end of the mall. The exposed areas were further impaired by a severe snowstorm, which occurred soon after. The center was closed for 7 months, while 6 million dollars worth of repairs could be completed.
APACHE PLAZA re-opened on November 15, 1984. Stores and services operating in the newly-refurbished complex included Apache Plaza Bake Shop, European Flower Markets, County Seat men's wear, Connco Bootery, Minnesota Fabrics, The Mannequin ladies' wear and Excalibur men's wear.
Unfortunately, the mall was not able to compete with newer and more trendy shopping centers. The dedication of a St. Cloud, Minnesota-based Herberger's, on July 30, 1987, helped keep it viable for a time. However, in the early 1990s, the mall's owners defaulted on their loan.
The dire situation at APACHE PLAZA was exacerbated by the late 1993 shutterings of J.C. Penney and Woolworth's. With these store spaces empty, it was decided to tear down the northern fifth of the mall. A (76,000 square foot) Cub Foods was built as a "shadow anchor" and opened for business in April 1997. Unfortunately, the mall remained in a downward spiral.
A Bulldozer Bash, held in April 2004, commemorated the center's 43 years of service to the community. By May, the complex was a pile of rubble. Work soon commenced on an open-air power center, which was being developed by New Brighton, Minnesota-based Pratt-Ordway Properties and Bloomington, Minnesota-based Doran Companies. SILVER LAKE VILLAGE was anchored by the existing Cub Foods and a 1-level (144,000 square foot) Wal-Mart SuperCenter. This store welcomed its first shoppers on March 23, 2005.
Sources:
The Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
"A Look Back At Apache Plaza" / Star Tribune / Rick Nelson / May 13, 2004
www.apacheplaza.com (defunct website) / Jeff Anderson, webmaster
http://dorancompanies.com
www.labelscar.com
"Apache Plaza" article on Wikipedia
Shoppers stroll the Neiman-Marcus Garden Court on the mall's grand opening day, August 19, 1965.
Photo from www.northparkcenter.com
The NORTHPARK Penneys, which anchored the northeast corner of the complex. In 1965, it was -reputedly- the largest JCP operation in the Southwest. The store encompassed 2 levels, 250,000 square feet, and included an attached Auto Center.
Photo from www.northparkcenter.com
A site plan of the original center, which was the second interior mall in the Texas Metroplex. Back in the day, NORTHPARK was more of a mid-market merchandiser, with a Woolworth 5 & 10, SupeRx Drugs and outparcel Kroger supermarket. Of course, there were also the upscale "Titche's" and Neiman-Marcus department stores.
NORTHPARK CENTER TENANTS 1965:
TITCHE-GOETTINGER (with Granada Restaurant and freestanding Auto Center) / NEIMAN-MARCUS (with The Little Mermaid Restaurant) / J.C. PENNEY (with Coffee Shop, Beauty Salon and attached Auto Center) / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with luncheonette) / American Express Company / Black Forest Bakery / Bombay Shop / Bond Clothes / Butler Shoes / Canterbury Shop / Card Corner / Card Shop / Carriage Shop / Centennial Liquors Mall Store / Chandler's Shoes / Coiffure Continental / Colbert's / Commonwealth Club / Community Hall / Contour Chair / Cullem & Boren / Doubleday Book Shop / Dreyfuss & Son / El Fenix Restaurant / Florsheim Shoes / Freeman Shoes / Games Imported / Gittings N-M / Home Furniture / Hong Kong Fashions / Hot Shoppes Restaurant / House of Nine / I. Miller Salons / Jarman Shoes / John Bull Pub / Kinney Shoes / Leeds Ties / Lerner Shops / Linz Jewelers / London House Restaurant / Margo's LaMode / Marlowe Camera / Marriott Cafeteria / Vivian McNeil / Melody Shop / Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio / Milton's Clothing Cupboard / Mode O'Day Frock Shop / Murata Pearl / National Shirt Shops / Northpark Cinema I & II (outparcel) / Olan Mills Studio / Page Boy Maternity Shop / Pants Parlour / Parklane Hosiery / Paul's Shoes / Realife Vitamins / Red Cross Shoes / James F. Riggs Offices / Russell Stover Candies / Saybrook Fabrics / Seeburg Piano & Organ / Shaw's Jewelers / The Shoe Box / Singer Sewing Center / Stylish Stout Shop / SupeRx Drugs / The Swiss Colony / Texaco Service Stations (outparcel) / TSO (Texas State Optical) / Thom McAn Shoes / Toy World / WFAA studio-Dallas Morning News offices / Jas. K. Wilson / Woody's NorthPark Barbers / Zale's Jewelers / Zenith Cleaners & Launderers / Zinke's Shoe Repair
CONVENIENCE CENTER:
KROGER supermarket / Centennial Liquors Park Lane Store / NorthPark National Bank of Dallas
Crowds in the Fountain Court on grand opening day, 1965. By the way, the fountain looks exactly the same in the 21st century. Of course, the nameplate on the wall has been changed a couple of times.
Photo from www.northparkcenter.com
Presiding over the southeast corner of NORTHPARK CENTER was a very "Mid-Mod" Titche-Goettinger. The store encompassed 3 levels and 250,500 square feet. It was the Dallas-based chain's fifth branch.
Photo from the Allied Stores Corporation
An inside view of the NORTHPARK Titche's shows the store's elegant decor. The merchandise offered is every bit as opulent.
Photo from Allied Stores Corporation Annual Report 1965
In a second interior view, we see the Mediterranean-style Men's Department.
Photo from Allied Stores Corporation Annual Report 1965
Center Court in the original NORTHPARK.
Photo from Curteichcolor
Colberts was a Parisienne-inspired ladies ready-to-wear emporium. The posh NORTHPARK establishment also carried a full line of fur coats. The Texas-based retailer was in business at the mall until 1981.
Photo from http://www.northparkcenter.com / Shelby Foster
Lillie Rubin was a Florida-based ladies' wear chain. The NORTHPARK store opened in 1967 and closed for good in 1996.
Photo from http://www.northparkcenter.com / Shelby Foster
Zooming up to the 1990s, we see a trainset on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit. The DART light rail network extended service to the Park Lane station in January 1997. Although said station was not directly adjacent to NORTHPARK CENTER, the two were connected via a short shuttle bus ride...or -heaven forbid- a brisk walk.
Built on the site of an abandoned and demolished J.C. Penney, Houston's Foley's opened at NORTHPARK in October 2000. As one might surmise, the 250,000 square foot store now sports a Macy's nameplate.
Photo from Wikipedia /"02080"
In May 2004, construction commenced on a large-scale expansion of NORTHPARK CENTER. In a circa-2005 snapshot, we see the Foley's Court in the throes of construction. A second level of retail stores is being added.
Photo from Dallas County, Texas
In May 2004, construction commenced on a large-scale expansion of NORTHPARK CENTER. In a circa-2005 snapshot, we see the Foley's Court in the throes of construction. A second level of retail stores is being added.
Photo from Dallas County, Texas
The NORTHPARK CENTER Nordstrom, which anchors the mall's northwest corner. The store, which was the piece de resistance of the early 2000s expansion, welcomed its first customers in May 2006.
Photo from Wikipedia / "020808"
Barneys New York, another so-called "luxury retailer," has operated stores in two different locations at NORTHPARK CENTER. The first, encompassing 19,000 square feet, was in business between 1990 and 1997. The second, consisting of 88,000 square feet, is seen here. It operated between September 2006 and April 2013.
Photo from Wikipedia / "020808"
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