In late 1967, the 1950s strip center has just been rebuilt with an enclosed shopping concourse and renamed TOWER PLAZA MALL. The recent renovation added the Ice Palace skating rink. Moreover, J.C. Penney has been enlarged to four times its original size. With these improvements, the shopping complex spans approximately 590,000 leasable square feet and contains fifty stores.

 TOWER PLAZA MALL STORES 1967:

 J.C. PENNEY (with Coffee Shop and Beauty Salon [freestanding Auto Center opened February 1968] / J.J. NEWBERRY 5 & 10 (with Tower Room Cafeteria, Fountain and Snack Bar) / F.W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / EL RANCHO MARKET grocery store / Alan's Beauty Shop / Bakers Shoes / Candles of Phoenix / Eichenaur Nutrition Center / Fanny Farmer Candies / Fireside Chalet cocktail lounge / Gallenkamp Shoes / Globe Discount City (outparcel) / Guggy's coffee shop / His Majesty Men's Shop / House of Fabrics / House of Sewing / Ice Palace / Joe Porter's / KPAZ-TV Studio (outparcel) / Kwick Key Shop / La Casa de Cards / Lawson's Jewelers / Manny's Tailor & Cleaners / Maxine's Sample Dresses / McCoy's Shoe Tree / Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio / O'Bert Jewelry / Phoenix Hockey Club / Pomeroy's Men's Shop / Radio Shack / Standard Optical / Thom McAn Shoes / Three Sister's ladies' wear / Tower Plaza Barber Shop / Tower Records / TV Leo / Valley National Bank / Walgreen Drug (with Walgreen Grill) / Western Auto  

IN CAROUSEL FOOD CARNIVAL:
Barbeque Shack / Carousel Grill / Carousel Kiosk / Chef's Cart / Chicken Box & Seafood / China Town / Coney Island / Corner Bakery / Hamburger-Breakfast / Ice Cream Parlor / Italian Village / Mexican Fiesta / The Blade Snack Bar / The Dill Pickle delicatessen


The Ice Palace, at "Arizona's most exciting mall," opened for business in the fall of 1967. The fully-enclosed, Olympic-size facility cost 400 thousand dollars to construct.
Photo from Raquel Vital


Overlooking the Ice Palace was the Carousel Food Carnival, a prototype food court. The facility encompassed thirteen international restaurants and snack bars.
Graphic from New Horizons Food Services, Incorporated


In a vintage view, we see the new enclosed concourse at TOWER PLAZA MALL. Vendor spaces in the Carousel Food Carnival are seen on the right.
Photo from Phoenix Public Library Collection / Petley Studios, Incorporated 


In this snapshot, we another vantage point of the shopping concourse and additional Food Carnival stalls. The Corner Bakery occupies space at the intersection.
Photo from Phoenix Public Library Collection / Petley Studios, Incorporated 


Adjacent to the Carousel Food Carnival was the Fireside Chalet cocktail lounge.
Photo from http://vintage-phoenix.blogspot.com


By 1976, TOWER PLAZA MALL featured fifty-nine stores and services. These included Guggy's Family Restaurant, House of Fabrics, McCoy's Shoe Tree, Orange Julius and a Capin's department store.
Graphic from Tower Plaza Investments, Limited


The mall fell on hard times in the late '70s. It was renovated, repositioned and renamed. The new and improved TOWER PLAZA OUTLET MART made its debut in August 1984. Alas, this "value-oriented" incarnation was not an astounding success. In fact, the mall was on the skids -and virtually vacant- by 1995.