East Thomas Road and North 44th Street
Phoenix, Arizona
New York City's Winston-Muss Corporation developed Phoenix's THOMAS MALL. The fully-enclosed complex was built on a 55.7-acre plot, located 8.9 miles northeast of the Arizona State Capitol, in a section of the city known as Arcadia.
Comprised of a single retail level, THOMAS MALL was designed by New York City's Copeland, Novak & Israel firm and incorporated 670,000 leasable square feet. It was anchored by a 1-level (104,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward and 2-level (200,000 square foot), Phoenix-based Diamond's.
These stores were launched as part of a mall-wide dedication held on September 23, 1963. The grand opening ceremony featured a flag raising by the Luke Air Force Base Honor Guard. In attendance were Wesley Bolin (Arizona Secretary of State), Sam Mardian (Mayor of Phoenix), David Muss (of Winston-Muss Corporation) and several other dignitaries and department store officials.
In its original state, THOMAS MALL featured some of the most stunning Mid-Century Modern architecture and decor imaginable. Along its 1,140-foot shopping concourse were nine reflecting pools, fountains and water channels. Several sculptures had been created by Herbert A. Feurlicht and Bogdon Grom.
The Diamond's department store was especially noteworthy for its design. A mid-level "floating Tea Room" extended from the northeast side of the building. This restaurant and cocktail lounge stood inside a rectangular reflecting pool and was dramatically lighted during evening hours.
Charter THOMAS MALL tenants included Kody's Fashion Apparel, Recordland, Upton's Candies, National Shirt Shops an S & H Green Stamps Redemption Center, Piccadilly Cafeteria and (30,000 square foot) Goodman's Market grocery store. A (31,000 square foot) J.G. McCrory 5 & 10 held its grand opening on November 21, 1963.
Goodman's Market morphed into a Lucky Stores operation in October 1964. The Century's Thomas Mall Theatre, a twin-screen venue, opened for business on March 16, 1967. The cinema was added to the southeast corner of the center and would constitute its only expansion.
Retail hubs in the THOMAS MALL trade area included PARK CENTRAL SHOPPING CITY (1957) {5 miles northeast, in Phoenix}, CHRIS-TOWN CENTER (1961) {6.7 miles northwest, in Phoenix}, SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE (1961) {3.5 miles northeast, in Scottsdale}, BILTMORE FASHION PARK (1963) {3 miles northwest, in Phoenix} and TOWER PLAZA (1959) {.6 mile west, in Phoenix}.
By the mid-1980s, Phoenix had become the Desert Southwest's premier sprawlopolis, with fifteen major malls dotting its periphery. THOMAS MALL, among the smaller and more dated of these, could not compete. Its Diamond's was rebranded by Dillard's in September 1986 and closed for good in May 1988.
The owner of THOMAS MALL, Vienna, Virginia-based Gosnell Properties, attempted to redevelop the center into CAMELHEAD, a grocery-anchored facility. However, an economic downturn in the late 1980s caused this plan to collapse. Gosnall defaulted on their mall loan, with the lender (Bank One Arizona) acquiring the property.
A joint venture of Scottsdale's Brown Group and Phoenix's Opus Southwest Corporation bought THOMAS MALL in September 1993. By this time, Montgomery Ward was the only operational store. A power center redevelopment was envisaged, which was to include a newly-built Montgomery Ward.
The original Wards store was shuttered on January 31, 1994. The abandoned shopping hub was bulldozed in the spring, with only the freestanding Wards Auto Center left standing. Construction of the 625,000 square foot ARCADIA CROSSING commenced in May of 1994.
A newly-built (72,700 square foot) Montgomery Ward Specialty Store welcomed its first shoppers in November 1994. A 1-level (118,000 square foot) Target held its grand opening on March 12, 1995, accompanied by a (68,800 square foot) Smith's Food & Drug. Target was one of three stores that were snatched from the ailing TOWER PLAZA OUTLET MART (a 1983 reinvention of TOWER PLAZA). Office Max and Ross Dress For Less had also defected from TOWER PLAZA.
These stores were joined by a 1-level (121,600 square foot) Price Club. Peripheral ARCADIA CROSSING stores included I.H.O.P. (International House of Pancakes), Applebee's and the 32-year-old Montgomery Ward Auto Center.
Price Club morphed into a Costco Warehouse in 1997. Smith's Food & Drug was rebranded as a Fry's Food & Drug in 1999. The Montgomery Ward Specialty Store and Auto Center went dark on March 25, 2001. The vacant buildings were acquired by Sears, who opened an Outlet Store on November 17, 2001.
Sears Outlet shuttered their ARCADIA CROSSING operation in March 2014, with a 50,000 square foot section being reconfigured as a Conn's Home Plus. This store welcomed its first patrons on August 28, 2015.
Sources:
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona)
Mitch Glaser's mall memories
Maricopa County, Arizona tax assessor website
http://www.movietheatre.org
www.cinematreasures.org
