SOUTH COUNTY CENTER was developed by May Department Stores, whose corporate headquarters was located in the Gateway City. The fully-enclosed complex covered approximately 506,000 leasable square feet and was officially dedicated in October 1963.
Graphic from May Department Stores Company
A Famous-Barr department store was the original mall's sole anchor. Designed by Raymond Loewy, the SOUTH COUNTY Famous-Barr was the retailer's first "rotunda store." Three more would be built at malls in Greater St. Louis; NORTHWEST PLAZA, WEST COUNTY CENTER and ST. CLAIR SQUARE {in Illinois}.
The first of four SOUTH COUNTY CENTER site plans dates to late 1963. At this time, there were thirty-eight operational stores and services, including a basement level National Foods supermarket. The primary feature of the mall was its east end Rain Curtain Fountain.
SOUTH COUNTY CENTER TENANTS 1963:
FAMOUS-BARR (with Carousel Room and Marionette Room restaurants, The Snack Bar, Beauty Salon, Basement Economy Store and freestanding Tire Center) / NATIONAL FOOD STORES supermarket / Baker's Qualicraft Shoes / Benson's Village Store / Bond Cleaners & Laundry / Bond Clothes / Crown Finance Corporation / Downs Men's Shops / Edith's Tot to Teens Shop / Flagg Brothers Shoes / H. Kline Women's Fashions / Household Finance Corporation / Lauer-Enloe Optometrists / Libson Shops ladies' wear / Ludwig Music House / Ludwig Music Studio / Mark Bradley Gifts / Martin's Shoes / Mavrakos Candy / Metro Ford (outpacel) / Newstead Beauty Shop / Pam's Children's Shoes / Pearl Paint / Pope's Cafeteria / Rainbow Drapery Shop / St. Louis Pastry Shop / Selle-Zale Jewelers / Shirley's Maternity Fashions / South County Barber Shop / South County Shoe Repair / South County State Bank / Tandy Crafts / Thom McAn Shoes / Tronic South / Wehmueller Jewelers / Werner-Hilton Men's Clothing / Wetherby-Kayser Shoes / Worth's Women's Fashion Shop
