Tulsa's Utica Square

The Sooner State's first post-war shopping center was built in the southeastern environs of Tulsa. At the time, the site was on the outer fringes of the metropolis. Now, its location is considered to be within the city's Midtown area.

Graphic from Utica Square, Incorporated

A Mid-Century Modern storefront in the original complex. Over the years, the center would also incorporate elements of Georgian, Country French, New Orleans Traditional and Williamsburg design.
Photo courtesy of Beryl Ford Collection, Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society

This snapshot was taken inside Dorothy's Bridal Salon.
Photo courtesy of Beryl Ford Collection, Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society

Field's ladies' wear at UTICA SQUARE was in Building # 1, which also housed a Humpty Dumpty supermarket and Walgreen Drug.
Photo courtesy of Beryl Ford Collection, Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society

An exterior view of the Building # 1 store block includes Clark-Darland Hardware and Walgreen Drug. In the background are buildings comprising the St. John Medical Center.
Photo courtesy of Beryl Ford Collection, Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society

A greenspace, known as The Gardens, was -and is- at the center of the shopping complex. Over the years, UTICA SQARE has become renowned for its meticulously-maintained landscaping.

Photo courtesy of Beryl Ford Collection, Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society

"T-Town's" first post war shopping center was built in its southeastern hinterlands. The first phase of UTICA SQUARE (in black) was completed in May 1952. Subsequent building phases are depicted in shades of gray. In 1952, the cluster mall had covered approximately 319,000 leasable square feet and housed forty-two stores and services. Free parking was provided for 1,200 autos. 

Tulsa's Vandevers chain opened its second branch at UTICA SQUARE in February 1957 (the first had been in Bartelsville). The UTICA SQUARE store was adjacent to the Medical Center building.
Photo courtesy of Beryl Ford Collection, Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society

The Utica Square Medical Center opened in 1954 and was a state-of-the-art facility in its day. The complex was built on a pad southeast of the shopping center proper. It was expanded into a 100,000 square foot facility in 1964.
Photo courtesy of Beryl Ford Collection, Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society

Our second UTICA SQUARE site plan is dated 10 years after the first. By 1965, a second freestanding department store (Vandever's) had been added. The Utica Bowl building burned down in 1963. It was replaced by Miss Jackson's and new inline stores. 

UTICA SQUARE TENANTS 1965:

T G & Y 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / SAFEWAY supermarket / HUMPTY DUMPTY supermarket / RENBERG'S / VANDEVER'S / Akin's Special Foods / Allied Paint Store / Baker's Flowers / Barnes-Manley / Beauty Manor / Bentworth, Limited / Cele Stekoll / Chandler's Shoes / Charm, Incorporated / Christian Science Reading Room / Clarke's Good Clothes / Dale Carter's / Dales's Orange / Danner's Cafeteria / Eva's Maternity Shop / Field's ladies' wear / Hazel Cox Casuals / Hicks Brunson Opticians / Home Federal / House of Monogram / Irene Herbert's / Jenkin's Music Company / Leone's / Malcom M. McCune, Architect / Marge McNearey's / Marilou's Pastry Shop / Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio / Messer Jewelers / Miljan / Miss Jackson's ladies wear / Norton-Majors / Pants Parlour / Patman's (outparcel) / Petticoat Lane / Petty's Fine Foods / Phillips Petroleum Offices / Powers 1800 restaurant / Reisinger's Jewelers / Russell Stover Candies (outparcel) / S.G. Holmes & Sons / Sid Lazarus Shoes / Skilly's Studio of Dancing / Stauffer System Contour Chairs / Stewart's / Terrell's Shoe Service / The Kennel Shop / The Mail Box / The Patio Shop / The Sportsman / US Post Office / Utica Square Barber Shop / Utica Square Book & Record Shop / Utica Square Liquors / Utica Square Medical Center / Utica Square National Bank (outparcel) / Utica Square Salon of Beauty / Walgreen Drug (with Walgreen Grill) / Wolferman's Grocery

Miss Jackson's opened at UTICA SQUARE in August 1965. The store replaced the Utica Bowl (bowling alley) that had burned in 1963. Miss Jackson's, an exclusive ladies emporium, was founded in Tulsa in 1910, by Miss Nellie Shields Jackson. Her UTICA SQUARE store was in business for over 50 years.
Photo from https://www.flickr.com / Daniel Jeffries

Saks' store at UTICA SQUARE was dedicated in September 1986. It was situated south of the core shopping complex. Houston's Foley's also expressed interest in building a UTICA SQUARE store, but were turned down by its owners.

Photo from http://www.uticasquare.com

In 1987, a new anchor department store arrived. There was also a Dillard's in the complex. This store had moved into the old Vandever's (which had been rebranded by John A. Brown in 1970).

The same shopping center in the year 2011. Dillard's pulled up stakes in early 2002, with its space being carved into smaller inline stores. At the same time, the Medical Center was imploded and replaced by two trendy sit-down restaurants. 

Over the past several years, the once middle-market UTICA SQUARE has become very upscale. No longer are there businesses such as grocery stores, a 5 & 10 or bowling alley. Toward this end, leases of the less trendy stores have not renewed. Case in point, Russell Stover Candies. It opened -along with the SQUARE- in 1952 and was shuttered in May 2017.
Photo from Midtown Real Estate 

One of the many feature's of today's UTICA SQUARE is a series of Street Clocks that are placed throughout the complex. The first was installed in 1974.

Photo from www.uticasquare.com

In the 2020s, the shopping center's "elegant outdoor setting" compliments toney stores such as L'Occitane En Provence, Grand Vin Bottle Shop, Restoration Hardware and Williams-Sonoma. UTICA SQUARE achieved its 70th anniversary in May 2022.

Photo from Tulsa County, Oklahoma

UTICA SQUARE
East 21st Street South and South Utica Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma
 

One of the first suburban shopping centers on the Great Plains, Tulsa's UTICA SQUARE was built on 25.6 acres, lying 1.2 miles southeast of the downtown district. The cluster complex was developed by Tom Nix and Dale Carter, of Tulsa, and designed by the McCune & McCune firm.

UTICA SQUARE was formally dedicated on May 22, 1952. An invocation was delivered by Reverend Guy Tetirick. Jack Cheairs, Junior (President of the Utica Square Merchants Association) served as Master of Ceremonies. A speech was given by C.M. Warren (Mayor of Tulsa). Developer Don Nix presented a symbolic set of keys to Mr. Cheairs and a ceremonial ribbon was cut by Mrs. C.M. Warren. The three-day dedication included music by Honey Hudgens & Her Orchestra. 

In its original state, UTICA SQUARE incorporated four store blocks and encompassed approximately 319,000 leasable square feet. There were forty-two charter stores and services. These included Walgreen Drug, House of Monogram, Clark-Darland Hardware, Trippet's Shoes, Field's ladies' wear, Dorothy's Bridal Salon, a T G & Y 5 & 10 and Safeway and Humpty Dumpty supermarkets. Upper Level space in Building "A" housed offices for Phillips Petroleum.

The first phase of the Utica Square Medical Center was completed in 1954. The initial 3-level structure encompassed 60,000 square feet. It was expanded with an 8-story office tower in 1964. Tulsa-based Vandevers opened a 2-level (50,000 square foot) location at UTICA SQUARE on February 1, 1957. Another Tulsa mercantile, Miss Jackson's, moved from the center city into a 2-level (33,000 square foot) UTICA SQUARE store on August 29, 1965. Meanwhile, in June 1964, Tulsa's Helmerich & Payne, a petroleum company, had acquired the shopping complex.

Tulsa's suburban expansion toward the southeast brought new shopping options. SOUTHLAND CENTER and SOUTHROADS MALL {2.9 miles southeast, in Tulsa}, opened in 1965 and 1967, respectively. These were followed by WOODLAND HILLS MALL {5.5 miles southeast, also in Tulsa} in 1976.

Vandever's was sold to Oklahoma City-based John A. Brown in 1970, with the UTICA SQUARE store being rebranded. In August 1984, Dillard's acquired the John. A. Brown enterprise. The UTICA SQUARE Brown's received a Dillard's brand in September of the same year. Houston-based Sakowitz operated a (10,000 square foot) boutique-type store in the complex, which was in business between September 1984 and August 1985. A 2-level (65,000 square foot) Saks Fifth Avenue made its debut on September 12, 1986.

By the dawn of the 21st century, nearly all of the original tenants at UTICA SQUARE had closed. The list of stores had shifted substantially upscale. In addition to Saks, there was now Pavilion, Ann Taylor, White House Black Market, Restoration Hardware and Talbots. 

Dillard's, shuttered in January 2002, was replaced by Pottery Barn Kids and American Eagle Outfitters. The Medical Center structure was vacated and imploded in March 2002. Two freestanding restaurants, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and P. F. Chang's China Bistro, were built on its space. Miss Jackson's went dark in January 2016. The building, and the adjacent Petty's Fine Foods, were demolished in April of the same year.

In the 2020s, Tulsa's original suburban shopping hub encompassed around 400,000 leasable square feet and housed fifty-eight stores and services. The complex had established several annual events, including Summer's Fifth Night (in May), Art In The Square (in October) and Lights On! (in November and December).

Sources:

The New York Times

The Wall Street Journal
The Tulsa Daily World

"Dual Anchor Shopping Centers 1952-1965" / Richard Longstreth
https://www.uticasquare.com

https://www.oklahoman.com
http://www.hpinc.com / Helmerich & Payne Properties
https://assessor.tulsacounty.org / Tulsa County
http://www.missjacksons.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Comment post by Daniel Brunson

Tulsa's Woodland Hills Mall

Tulsa's Uncommon Marketplace. The graphic symbol used to promote the shopping facility during its early years. When fully realized in 1982, it  housed over 160 stores and services.
Original graphic from Tulsa Associates / Reproduction created by -and for- the Mall Hall of Fame

Dillard's anchored the original "T-Town" center, along with John A. Brown and Sears. The mall was a joint venture of Sears' Homart Development Company and the Dayton Hudson Corporation.

Our first WOODLAND HILLS layout dates to 1978. The Phase I complex is a tri-anchor, bi-level structure that encompassed approximately 730,000 leasable square feet and contains over 100 stores and services. Its four parking lots have tree-related names, i.e.; Maple, Acorn, Pinecone and Redbud.

A vintage view of the WOODLAND HILLS MALL Center Court.
Photo from Dayton Hudson Corporation Annual Report 1975

Here, we see the east end of the Phase I complex. At the time, the shopping concourse ended at entrance doors off in the distance. The mall would be extended to a newly-built fourth anchor store as part of a Phase II expansion.
Photo from www.greatmericaparks.com / Steven Wilson

Phase II was completed in August 1982. This eastward expansion (in medium gray) adds the 10-bay The Pantry food court and a Dallas-based Sanger-Harris department store. The shopping hub now spans approximately 1,061,600 leasable square feet. Free parking is provided for 5,800 autos.

The "T-Town" shopping hub was given an interior face lift in 1995, when its Dillard's store was also enlarged. At the time of a 2009 site plan, the mall encompasses around 1,209,400 leasable square feet and contains 165 stores and services. It retains its status as largest mall in Oklahoma; a title held since the completion of its 1981-'82 addition.

WOODLAND HILLS MALL TENANTS 2009:

DILARD'S / J.C. PENNEY (with Styling Salon and Portrait Studio) / MACY'S / SEARS (with Portrait Studio and attached Auto Center) / Abercrombie children's wear / Abercrombie & Fitch apparel / Aerie by American Eagle Outfitters / Aeropostale apparel / Aldo Shoes / American Eagle Outfitters / Ann Taylor Loft ladies' wear / Apple Store / Arty Crafty / As seen on TV / A T & T / Auntie Anne's Pretzels / Aveda Lifestyle Store / BabyGap / Bakers shoes / Banana Republic apparel / Bath & Body Works cosmetics / Brighton Collectibles / Brookstone electronics / Build-A-Bear Workshop / Caché ladies' wear / Camille's Sidewalk Cafe (kiosk) / Can You Imagine / Candy Castle / Charlotte Russe ladies' wear / Chico's ladies' wear / Christopher & Banks ladies' wear / Claire's Boutique accessories / CNS Jewelry & Watch Repair / Coach accessories / Coldwater Creek ladies' wear / Dairy Queen - Orange Julius / Dippin' Dots ice cream / Dr. Martin, Optometrist / Eddie Bauer apparel / Elegant Nails / Eskimo Joe's / Express ladies' wear / Express Men / Fast Fix Jewelry & Watch Repair (kiosk) / Finish Line / Foot Locker / Footaction USA / Forever 21 young ladies' wear / Fossil ladies' wear / Fred Meyer Jewelers / Frederick's of Hollywood / Game Stop / Gloria Jean's Coffee Bean / GNC / Godiva Chocolatier / Gold Mine jewelry / Gordon's Jewelers / Gymboree children's wear / Helzberg Diamonds / Hollister & Company / Hot Topic apparel / IBC Bank / J. Crew apparel / James Avery Craftsman / Journeys Shoes / Journeys Kidz / Justice / Kay Jewelers / Kids Fan - Attic / Kirlin's Hallmark / Lady Foot Locker / LensCrafters / Les Parfum Specialties / Lids hats / Limited Too children's wear / Mrs. Field's Cookies / Mobilelife - A T & T (kiosk) / Motherhood Maternity / New York & Company ladies' wear / Nine West ladies' wear / Oakley / Origins / PacSun apparel / PayLess ShoeSource / Prairie's Edge Art Gallery / Precision Time / ProActiv Solution / Radio Shack / Reeds Jewelers / Regis Hair Stylists / Samuel's Jewelers / Select Comfort / Sephora cosmetics / Sew It! Alterations / Shoes City / Spencer Gifts / Sports Fan - Attic / Starbucks Coffee (kiosk) / Steve Madden ladies' wear / Stride Rite shoes / Sunglass Hut / Sunglass Hut Sport / Swarovski Crystal / T-Mobile / Talbots ladies' wear / Talbots Petites ladies' wear / Talbots Woman ladies' wear / The Body Shop cosmetics / The Buckle shoes / The Cage / The Cheesecake Factory (outparcel) / The Children's Place children's wear / The Disney Store / The Gap apparel -Gap Kids / The Icing by Claire's accessories / The Limited ladies' wear / The Noerr Programs / The Picture People / The Walking Company shoes / Things Remembered / Tops & Bottoms ladies' wear / Trade Secret / US Cellular / Vanity O / Victoria's Secret / Victoria's Secret Beauty / Wet Seal ladies' wear / White House Black Market ladies' wear / Whitewalls / Yankee Candle Company / Zales Jewelers / Zumiez apparel

FOOD COURT:

Auntie Anne's Pretzels / Big Easy Cajun / Chick-fil-A / Chinese Gourmet Express / Fruit Fondue / It's Greek To Me / Leena's Mediterranean Grill / Neighborhood News / Nestle-Cinnabon / Nori Japan / Papa's Chicken / Smokey Island Hot Dogs / Sonic hamburgers / Subway / Villa Pizza

WOODLAND HILLS was given a second face lift between 2012 and 2013. Above and below are renderings showing the mall's new look.
Drawing from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group

The food court at WOODLAND HILLS MALL opened -as The Pantry- in 1982. The facility was rebuilt in 2012-2013 and renamed Terrace Cafes.

Drawing from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group

The WOODLAND HILLS Sears pulled up stakes in late 2018. North Dakota's Scheels All Sports chain renovated the building and opened for business in late 2024.

Drawing from https://www.scheels.com / Scheels Sports

WOODLAND HILLS MALL
East 71st Street South and South Memorial Drive
Tulsa, Oklahoma

At the time of its grand opening in 1952, Tulsa's UTICA SQUARE was considered to be on the outskirts of the city. Throughout the 1950s, and '60s, the metropolitan area expanded toward the southeast. In 1965, SOUTHLAND CENTER, the region's first bona fide shopping mall, was dedicated. This was followed by SOUTHROADS MALL (1967), which was located across the street from SOUTHLAND.

By December 1974, a new shopping hub was under construction on a remote 81-acre plot. This was located 10 miles southeast of the city center. WOODLAND HILLS MALL was a joint venture of Chicago's Homart Development and Minneapolis' Dayton Hudson Corporation. The fully-enclosed, bi-level shopping complex was designed by Joseph R. Coleman, of Tulsa's Coleman-Ervin & Associates, Charles Kober & Associates, of Los Angeles and RYA Architects, of Dallas.

A 2-level (156,100 square foot) Sears became the first operational store on July 15, 1976. A mall-wide dedication was held on August 4th. The grand opening was attended by Robert LaFortune (Mayor of Tulsa), Robert Crabb (president of the Dayton Hudson Corporation), William Toombs (president of Homart Development) and Annelise Ilscenko, "Miss World-USA 1975." Music was provided by the Hale 100 Marching Band.

WOODLAND HILLS MALL was also anchored by a 2-level (126,300 square foot) John A. Brown and 2-level (182,700 square foot) Dillard's. The latter opened for business on October 7, 1976. Charter inline stores included Casual Corner, Athlete's Foot, Gifts III, Naturalizer Shoes, Musicland, B. Dalton Bookseller, Florsheim Shoes, and a Piccadilly Cafeteria. 

 

The freestanding General Cinema Corporation Woodland Hills Cinema I-II-III showed first features on December 16, 1977. 3 years later, the theater was expanded into a 6-plex venue. The Woodland Hills Cinema 6 held its grand opening on December 18, 1981 and would be in operation until 2001.

Meanwhile, a Phase II mall expansion was started in February 1980. The eastward addition, which enlarged the mall site to 152 acres, opened for business on March 3, 1982. New inline stores included Renberg's, Hickory Farms of Ohio, Kay Jewelers, Lerner Shops, She Sports and Richman Brothers. 

 

Dallas-based Sanger-Harris inaugurated a 2-level (152,800 square foot) store on August 11, 1982. The complex now encompassed approximately 1,016,000 leasable square feet, with a retail roster of 163 stores and services. It was now the Sooner State's largest shopping mall.

Major shopping centers in the WOODLAND HILLS trade area included the aforementioned SOUTHLAND CENTER {3.2 miles northwest, in Tulsa}, which was renovated into the TULSA PROMENADE in 1984. EASTLAND MALL {5.6 miles northeast, in Tulsa} was dedicated in 1984. It was eventually repurposed as EASTGATE METROPLEX, a collection of office suites.  KENSINGTON GALLERIA {4.2 miles west, in Tulsa} was also dedicated in 1984. It foundered and reemerged, as the KENSINGTON BUSINESS CENTER, in 1991.

Meanwhile, Homart Development had established full ownership of WOODLAND HILLS MALL in 1979. They sold the facility to an entity known as the RREEF Funds Management Team in 1985. The first anchor store rebranding took place soon after this transaction. Dillard's had acquired the John A. Brown chain in September 1984, but already had a location at the mall. They shuttered the John A. Brown unit, which re-opened -as a J.C. Penney- on June 5, 1985. In January 1987, Sanger-Harris was rebranded as a Houston-based Foley's.

By the early 1990s, WOODLAND HILLS was firmly established as the preeminent shopping mall in Tulsa. To cement its position, an interior face lift was done between January and November 1995. During this 8 million dollar project, 1970s-vintage chrome and wood finishes were replaced with Post Modern surfaces. 

New skylights, ceilings, flooring, escalators, landscaping and lighting were installed, along with a Center Court water feature. Mall entrances were rebuilt. Moreover, the existing Dillard's was expanded with a third level. The store now encompassed 243,600 square feet. Post-renovation, WOODLAND HILLS MALL spanned approximately 1,076,900 leasable square feet, with a tenant list of 165 stores and services.

The holdings of RREEF were sold to RoProperty Investment Management, a subsidiary of Holland's Rodamco, in 1999. In March 2002, a deal was finalized whereby three major real estate investment trusts would divide Rodamco's United States portfolio. Westfield Holdings, the Simon Property Group and Rouse Company participated in the buy-out. Simon's share, consisting of thirteen properties, included WOODLAND HILLS MALL.

The mall's Foley's store was rebranded as a Macy's on September 9, 2006. Between October 2012 and August 2013, a second mall face lift was done. This was the first major upgrade since the mid-1990s. New lighting was installed and entrances rebuilt. The Food Court was also refurbished and renamed Terrace Cafes. 

Sears was shuttered in December 2018. The vacant building was temporarily leased by Overstock Furniture & Mattress. In November 2022, Fargo-based Scheels All Sports announced plans to renovate the abandoned Sears. The new Scheels Tulsa would feature a 65-foot-high ferris wheel, saltwater aquarium, restaurant, coffee shop and sports simulator. The store welcomed first customers on October 19, 2024.

Sources:

The Tulsa Daily World

https://www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
http://www.greatamericaparks.com / Steven Wilson webmaster
http://www.losttulsa.com / Tom Baddeley webmaster
https://www.cinematreasures.org
https://www.cinematour.com

https://www.fox23.com / KOKI-TV

https://www.scheels.com

"Woodland Hills Mall" article on Wikipedia

Oklahoma City's Penn Square

Signage that promoted the Sooner State's first shopping mall. The original complex was a curious combination of Olde English and ultra-modern design.
Graphic from Penn Square, Incorporated 

Here we see some of the mall's more ultra-modern elements. The octagonal canopies were placed at two main mall entries and in the Central Square court area.
Photo from http://www.digital.library.okstate.edu

A vintage view of the main shopping concourse, with a Montgomery Ward entrance off in the distance. On the left would be Rothschild's, a junior department store. John A. Brown (a.k.a. "Browns") is on the right.
Photo from View Gram by Baxtone

Browns was the original mall's second anchor store. The mercantile operated at PENN SQUARE for nearly 25 years.
Photo from the Oklahoma Historical Society

The City of Shops, as it was configured in 1960. The 12 million dollar complex was comprised of a single retail level (three department stores, and a bank, had upper floors). The open-air complex spanned approximately 582,000 leasable square feet. There were forty-six stores and services and free parking for 4,200 autos.

PENN SQUARE TENANTS 1960:

JOHN A. BROWN (with Beauty Salon and Apple Blossom Room Restaurant) / MONTGOMERY WARD (with Beauty Salon, Snack Bar, Garden Center and freestanding Auto Center) / S.S. KRESGE 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / HUMPTY DUMPTY supermarket / Al Rosenthal's ladies' wear / Andes Candies / Baker's Qualicraft Shoes / British Import Shoppe / Brown's Pastry Shop / Campbell's Hobby House / Claire Hats / Cunningham Book Store / Cutchall's men's wear / Fabric Fair / Fayssoux's Gifts / Franklin Beauty Salon / Hale's Toyland / Hill's Opticians / Junior Miss Shop / Kabet's Gifts / Kinney Shoes / Larsen Music Company / Lerner Shops / Margaret's ladies' wear / May Brothers men's wear / Natalie's tall ladies' wear / Paris Shoe Repair / Parks men's wear / Party Line party supplies / Penn Square Barber Shop / Penn Square Liquor Shop / Penn Square Pet Shop / Penn Square National Bank / Peyton-Marcus ladies' wear / Pipkin Photo Service / Rosenfield's Jewelers / Rothschld's apparel / Sir's London Shop men's wear / Stork Shop maternity wear / Streets ladies' wear / Town Hall community auditorium / Valgene Restaurant (with Coffee Shop & Cafeteria) / Van Dyke Portraits / Viola Marsh Shop ladies' wear / Vogue Cleaners / Young Ages children's wear