By 1970, the nation's space program has caused 20th century technology to take a giant leap into the future. In the news were the problem-plagued Apollo 13 moon mission, reduction of the voting age to 18, debut of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and drug OD deaths of rock stars Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
"Love Story" image from Paramount Pictures Corporation
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" LP image from Sony Music Entertainment
(See media fair use rationale at the end of the article)
In a cabinet along one side of the store is a selection of Stereo 8-track tapes. This format was first marketed in 1965. It has replaced the earlier 4-track Stereo-Pak cartridge and become the purveyor of recorded music, tape-wise. Farther down the cabinet, we have a selection of "Quad 8" tapes. This is a brand new, 4 channel format. By the way, tapes always cost a dollar more than record albums.
Image 1 from the Warner Music Group / https://www.ecrater.com
Image 2 from the Radio Corporation of America / http://www.8-track-shack.com
Image 2 from the Radio Corporation of America / http://www.8-track-shack.com
A couple of stores down in PLAZA SQUARE mall is a popular young men's apparel retailer...rather notorious for trendy (and sometimes tacky) fashions.
Graphic from the Melville, Corporation
Speaking of tacky, the Nehru jacket burst on the scene and -in 1968- was THE THING. If you blinked twice, you might have missed them. They seemed to go out of style almost as quickly as they came in. If you look on the clearance rack here at Chess King, you might find one dirt cheap!
Our shopping mall visit now takes us to one of the largest stores in the PLAZA SQUARE complex, a McCrory 5 & 10. Variety stores such as this carry all matter of general merchandise. There are lots of nuts & candy, floor coverings, housewares, records, cheap stereos, live pets, toys, some shoes & clothing and various what-nots. The PLAZA SQUARE McCrory's also has a Luncheonette.
Image from Mattel, Incorporated
Cashing in on the space race and impending Apollo moon landings, Mattel brought out the first Major Matt Mason figure in 1966. In 1970, a boy can get fellow astronauts Sgt. Storm, Lt. Jeff Long and Doug Davis (a civilian). There are also as a Lunar Crawler vehicle, 3-level Moon Base and several aliens...including Callisto, who hails from Jupiter.
Image from Mattel, Incorporated
Another Mattel creation is the Thing Maker. With a bottle or two of PlastiGoop, one can cook up several varieties of Creepy Crawler rubber insects.
Image from Mattel, Incorporated
The latest thing, Thing Maker-wise, is called Incredible Edibles. Bottles of GoobleDeGoop are used to bake edible rubbery insects. These things are advertised in the McCrory's sale paper as being "frightfully delicious." Actually, their taste is more like plain frightful!
Advert from Mattel, Incorporated
The famed "mini" skirt of the 1960s is now slowly going out of style. Ladies' hemlines have gone limbo low during the past year, with the new "midi" skirt being THE THING in 1970. Guys are none too pleased with this new (and less than revealing) style.
Here's the lowest a gal can go...the "maxi" skirt. All of these styles, and more, are available at the PLAZA SQUARE Lerner Shop.
Among its many departments, the Anchor Department Store has its own upscale, sit-down restaurant, which is known as the Palm Court. This is a standard feature of the large -mall-based- department store of 1970.
The Anchor Department Store at PLAZA SQUARE also has a TV & electronics department. A Sylvania-brand color set is on sale this week for less than 500 dollars!
Advert from the General Telephone & Electronics Corporation
Moving to the next aisle, we have a Zenith Mediterranean Styled console stereo. It sells for $268.99. Mediterranean furniture and home decor are very much in vogue these days. By the way, an optional 8-track tape deck for the stereo is available for $79.99.
Advert from the Zenith Radio Corporation
Speaking of Zenith, just about anytime that you turn on a TV these days (any brand of TV, mind you), you see commercials telling about Chromacolor. It is touted as a "totally advanced color TV system, (the) first to fully-illuminate every color dot on a jet black background."
Graphic from the Zenith Radio Corporation
The Zenith Eakins model is one of the new Chromacolor sets currently on sale at the Anchor Department Store. With a TV such as this, one could be tuning into programs such as "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in," "The Carole Burnette Show," "To Rome With Love," "Room 222," "Love American Style," "The High Chaparral," "Ironside," and "The Mod Squad."
Graphic from the Zenith Radio Corporation
Moving right along in our PLAZA SQUARE shopping spree, we decide to grab a bite to eat at one of the fast food restaurants located along the mall. In fact, there's an Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips right across the from the Anchor Department Store.
Graphic from the National Fast Food Corporation-Fisher Foods, Incorporated
The Arthur Treacher's lunch special is just a dollar thirty.
The Arthur Treacher's lunch special is just a dollar thirty.
Graphic from the National Fast Food Corporation-Fisher Foods, Incorporated
Or, we could pick up a sandwich and "devilishly good drink" at the Orange Julius down the mall.
Or, we could pick up a sandwich and "devilishly good drink" at the Orange Julius down the mall.
Graphic from the International Industries Corporation
How about a snack for dessert? Karmelkorn is down on the Penneys Court.
How about a snack for dessert? Karmelkorn is down on the Penneys Court.
Graphic from the Franchised Growth Corporation
As the advertisement says....munch a bunch as you shop.
As the advertisement says....munch a bunch as you shop.
Graphic from the Franchised Growth Corporation
Taking an escalator to the upper level of the store, we come to the floor coverings department. Fashion Manor Carpeting is on sale this week.
Advert from the J.C. Penney Company
In the center of an aisle is a stand with various Penneys store circulars. This one advertises sale items at the Penneys Auto Center. The Auto Center is in a freestanding building, in the southwest corner of the mall's parking lot.
In the center of an aisle is a stand with various Penneys store circulars. This one advertises sale items at the Penneys Auto Center. The Auto Center is in a freestanding building, in the southwest corner of the mall's parking lot.
Advert from the J.C. Penney Company
The next stop on our Penneys shopping trip takes us to TV & electronics. We check out a "Spanish Mediterranean" Penncrest console stereo, which includes a Garrard record changer and 3-speed reel-to-reel tape deck.
Advert from the J.C. Penney Company
Back on the ground floor of the store, we enter the appliance department. We see several models of Penncrest-brand stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers.
Back on the ground floor of the store, we enter the appliance department. We see several models of Penncrest-brand stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers.
Advert from the J.C. Penney Company
Upon exiting Penney's, we head into the adjacent Spencer Gifts store. We recall reading in the newspaper about how the chain has grown by leaps and bounds since opening its first store, at a New Jersey mall, back in 1963. A Spencer store, such as the one in PLAZA SQUARE, carries a wide variety of merchandise, such as T-shirts, music paraphernalia, gag gifts, strobe lights, light boxes, room decor, jewelry and incense.
Graphic from the Music Corporation of America
Graphic from Wikipedia / "Pumbaa"
These Soma puzzles came out last year. Seven pieces made out of unit cubes must be assembled into a 3×3×3 cube. According to Parker Brothers, the manufacturer, there are precisely 1,105,920 possible solutions.
Photo from Parker Brothers
Can anyone say Psychedelic? Spencer Gifts stores are known far and wide for their groovy selection of "blacklight" posters and ultraviolet ("black") lights.
Poster 1 from http://www.posters2prints.com/love-black-light-poster-pr-16213.html
Poster 2 from http://sunshinedaydream.biz
Poster 3 from http://www.visualtransformation.com
Poster 4 from http://www.thefind.com
In addition to strobe lights, light boxes and blacklights, the store also carries the latest lava lamps.
Photo from Wikipedia / "NovemberChild"
Thom McAn Shoes, named after a Scottish golfer, operates some 1,400 shoe stores in 1970. In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a shopping mall without one. The PLAZA SQUARE location is down the mall, along the Montgomery Ward Court.
Graphic from the Melville Corporation
As the ad states, "Something ugly...but also rugged, earthy and just a bit feminine. Exactly the way a girl wants to look these days.."
As the ad states, "Something ugly...but also rugged, earthy and just a bit feminine. Exactly the way a girl wants to look these days.."
Graphic from the Melville Corporation
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)