With Christmas Season approaching, the time has come to pay another visit to the mall. And what better way to do so than in the past, thanks to some vintage images?
As often happens with many of these images found online, no locations or dates were provided on most. However, I’m sure the comments section will start to provide clues on where these malls and shopping centers were located.
Picture 5 is the Humbertown Shopping Centre in Etobicoke (Toronto). Taken in 1961 by the vehicle mix and black license plates.
Loblaws store on the left. They still gave out food stamps at the time, shown by the sign in their window. Being on the Kingsway, a more upper income area, not sure how that may have helped their sales at that location.
The “50’s, Pontiac” is beautiful.
We had a “Loblaws”, briefly in our wstrn PA, town.
Think it was gone by “1968”.
Nice red VW Type 3 notchback in that photo. Were they officially sold in Canada? When I first visited my sister after she moved to Canada in 1974 I remember her telling my how to pronounce Etobicoke. And telling me about the owner of Loblaw’s, Bob Loblaw (say that quickly a few times).
The Type 3 notchback appears in Canadian VW literature until 1971.
Plenty of Typ III Notchbacks were direct imported from Canada .
One of VWoA’s greater mistakes, not importing them to the U.S.A. .
-Nate
And a rare notchback
Bike racks in 1961 strike me as odd.
Maybe this was the tail end of the time when a range of people occasionally rode bikes, or maybe it was expected that kids would ride their bikes to a local shopping centre?
But I wouldn’t be surprised if they disappeared for a few decades not too long after this photo.
In the second photo–the B&W taken in the late 50’s I’m guessing, has a rather rare `57 Studebaker Scotsman sedan coming towards the camera. The Sears itself is a rather plain Jane design for a stand-alone store. Nothing fancier in the parking lot that a `57 Olds 88 up by the entrance.
It makes a nice contrast to the Mays store with the Imperial, Continental and Cadillac forming an exclusive club!
Not a Scotsman, but a base-trim Champion. The extravagant hood trim and single spear of side trim are the tells.
Means one could turn off/on the heater from inside the car. ((if it had a heater))
So noted, JP. At any rate, the Stude is what I consider typical of a Sears shopper. Nothing fancy; just a basic A to B piece of transportation.
Thanks for this great post from The Ghost of Christmas 🎄 PAST ! Still hard to believe that commercial giants like SEARS, MONTGOMERY WARD, KRESKE, et.al. like so many of the cars are NOW but a memory. Mine include annual Christmas shopping via Nash AMBASSADOR, DeSoto, and Chryslers to MARSHALL FIELDS State St. Store to view the windows and tree 🎄, shop, visit Santa, and have a delicious lunch in the Walnut Room. 👻 Looking 👉 to the Future, I see 👀 many more Ghosts! Am I dreaming? Will EBENEZER turn over a new leaf? Will we indeed have many more Merry Christmas experiences? The clock is ticking toward a New Year 🍾 🥂! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 and a Happy New Year!
Some nice CC’s here, but what really strikes me about these photos is the steady disappearance of American malls. Once a valued status symbol for suburban communities, there hasn’t been a regional mall built in the United States since 2006. Typical was Landover Mall, built in suburban Washington DC in 1972. The largest mall in the country when it was built, it featured lavish fountains, movie theaters and five anchor department stores. By 2000 it was done, a vacant derelict done in by changing demographics and economic factors.
If you are ever in Pennsylvania or surrounding states, stop in at a Boscov’s store.
Boscov’s is a throwback traditional department store, and they seem to be thriving.
How traditional?
They still have a Candy Department.
Sears, Wards, Kresge, Grants…what a blast from the past. These days I guess we’re down to Walmart, Target and Amazon…..
I worked for Sears parttime for 16 years starting in high school, through college, through establishing my career in education, and up until I became an administrator. I worked hard for them and they treated me well, but you could see the writing on the wall for their demise starting in the late ’70s when they tried to beat back the K-Mart threat but took their eye off the embryonic Walmart baby.
As George Harrison so succinctly said, all things must pass….
That first Sears shot is in Berwyn-Cermak, IL. Looks like this is it today, a Office Depot. Yet Office Depot has their troubles.
Used to shop this Sears all the time back in the 70’s and 80’s for tires, batteries, and tools. Auto Service long closed now and Craftsman a shadow of it’s former self. Yet the store is still open as seen here this morning as the south anchor of Sun Valley Mall Concord CA. Mid-anchor Macy’s also open. North anchor, JCPenny, is now closed in the last few months. Always used that Penny’s for socks, underwear, and shirts.
That is one of nine Sears still open as of this fall. But don’t count on it staying open much longer.
The lede photo is a trip! Imperial, Lincoln and Cadillac bracketed by two Chevrolets.
My thoughts exactly. Loved the Imperial in particular.
Great photos.
Yes, nice Imperial. Given the preponderance of white cars, I assume this is somewhere in the south, like Florida.
The Imp, Connie and Caddy parked in the correct pecking order as well, with the Cadillac at the top. No question, you could distinguish the top U.S. luxury cars very easily in that period!
Picture #3 appears to be the Middlesex Plaza Shopping Center in New Jersey.
Then-and-now comparison below. Google StreetView link here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tqFuFVvMivNtA7VP8
The first one is Topanga Plaza in Woodland Hills, CA if I’m not mistaken; I entered through those doors many a time in the ’80s…By that time the parking lot was much fuller with Toyotas and Nissans along with Jaguars and Audis though.
Yes, it is Topanga Plaza in Canoga Park. I should know since we moved to Canoga Park in 1966 and the store opened in 1964. That was the first mall my mother went to in June 1966.
Topanga Plaza was a major shopping destination (before Beverly Center, Westside Pavillion, et al, opened) even for Westsiders back in the day – I would have passed you guys going through those doors many a time.
Love the luxury car trio, especially the Imperial Crown Coupe. So distinct from each other, unlike today when I mistake car makes all the time.
For those of us who grew up in full size rwd V8 cars in the ’50s to mid ’60s and love them still, it’s truly a case of “you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone”. SO nostalgic to see these. Of course we won’t mention the “put up a parking lot” part lol.
HC Prange was headquartered in my hometown of Sheboygan, WI. I have no idea where that store is located as most of their stores were downtown locations and multi story buildings. It was a great classic department store in the truest sense. Thanks for all these windows into our history
T/y; Wondered about that one. Planned on looking up the name later this eve.
Nobody has caught the 64-66 Stude Wagonair to the far right in front of the building in the top photo. In addition to the 75 Champion in the following shot.
Thanx JP ! .
I spotted it but wasn’t quite sure…..
-Nate
I look at these pictures now and all I can think of is George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead…
Ok.
I believe the small red car in the fourth photo is in fact a very rare BMW 700 rather than a VW type 3.
And I believe you’re right! I had zoomed in to confirm the Type 3 wasn’t a fastback or Variant wagon, and I thought the C pillar and trunk looked a bit off but figured it was an artifact of the digitizing. Good catch.
Believe 2nd photo is sears on Belmont St in Brockton MA.
My first recollection of the 1960 Cadillac was a tired, ugly car in an amusement park parking lot circa 1977. I was never sure if there was anything attractive about the ‘60 Caddy on its best day, and the one out front of Prange just reinforces for me the 1960 Cadillac as probably the worst styled Cadillac of all time. From its awful wheel covers to its bloated body, it does nothing for me.
I saw that first picture and immediately thought, that looks familiar, looks like Topanga Plaza! I didn’t know I had a clue I knew what a May Co dept store at TP would even have looked like, but apparently I did. I was there a few times with my Mom in the 60s, not long after it opened, but it’s not like I ever bought anything from the May Co. But somehow something stuck.
Oh yeah, this is about cars. Must have been an upmarket mall, mostly large cars. Of course most cars were in those days, but California led the way with imports, especially VW Bugs, and smaller cars. Of course my Mom’s car back then would have been a ’63 Ford Galaxie, by all means, no small car, but not particularly upmarket. Interesting look back, thanks.
Apart from the big three luxury brands in the top pic, my eye is drawn to the four VW Beetles in a sea of Detroit metal. The invasion was underway. My best guess about the year is 1965 based on the Impala and what could be a super-square Mercury with breezeway rear window.
More great photos.
#1 May Co. in California. Left to right a V8 powered ’60 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan, ’62 Imperial Crown Coupe, ’64 Lincoln Continental sedan backing out, ’62 Cadillac Sixty-Two Coupe or Coupe deVille, V8 powered ’56 Chevrolet Two-Ten or Bel Air Sport Coupe, ’60 Ford Falcon 4 door wagon, white VW Type 1, ’64 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Town Sedan, ’61 or ’62 Dodge Lancer wagon, ’62 Chevy II Nova 400 Sport Coupe, ’61 or ’62 Buick Special 4 door sedan, ’65 Impala Sport Coupe, ’64 or ’65 Studebaker Daytona Wagonaire on the end. In the right lower corner is the tail of a ’65 Pontiac Le Mans or GTO.
#2 Sears, Roebuck & Co. in Cermack Plaza in Berwyn, IL. Left to right back row a ’51 or ’52 Buick, unsure of forties car, ’57 Oldsmobile 88 2 door. Next row a ’57 Studebaker Champion Custom Club Sedan heading out, a ’50 Pontiac Chieftain De Luxe 4 door sedan, ’53 Packard Mayfair, ’53 Plymouth, ’47 or ’48 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan, ’55 Buick Roadmaster 4 door sedan, ’56 Oldsmobile 88 or Super 88 Holiday Coupe. Row closest to camera a ’57 Ford Fairlane Club Hardtop, ’52-’54 Ford Mainline Ranch Wagon, ’56 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan.
#3 In New Jersey. Left to right the right rear corner of a black ’54 Plymouth, ’58 Chevrolet Brookwood wagon, ’53 Plymouth Cranbrook 4 door sedan, two tone ’56 Chevrolet Two-Ten. I see three pickup roofs sticking up, unusual in city parking lots in those days.
#4 Montgomery Ward at the Thomas Mall? Left to right the tail of a ’54 Cadillac, nose of a ’55 Pontiac. Across the way a green ’60 Corvair 4 door, the nose of a ’63 Dodge, ’61 Comet 4 door sedan, ’58 Continental Mark III 4 door, ’56 Pontiac Star Chief 4 door sedan.
#5 Toronto. In the foreground a ’61 Chevrolet Biscayne 4 door sedan. Turning in the second row a ’58 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Catalina Coupe, two ’60 Pontiac Laurentian 4 door sedans with a ’60 Corvair 700 4 door in between. Third row a ’59 Buick, ’60 Meteor Country Sedan, red BMW, ’59 Ford Custom 300.
#6 Discount Center. Left to right black over red ’55 Plymouth Plaza or Savoy 4 door sedan, ’57 Chevrolet Bel Air 2 door sedan, ’55 Buick Super 2 door Riviera, ’61 Ford Galaxie Town Sedan, white ’58 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Sedan, and the left rear corner of a green ’57 Chevrolet wagon.
#7 Walgreens in Colorado? A first gen Ford Econoline left side background. Right side front to back a ’53 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe with a Colorado license plate, ’63 Pontiac 4 door hardtop, ’65 or ’66 Mustang, ’63 Chevrolet C series Custom Cab.
#8 H. C. Prange Co. somewhere in the upper midwest. In the foreground left a green ’69 Ford Galaxie 500 2 door hardtop, right side a redish ’69 or ’70 Ford full size. Left row a white ’66 Chevrolet Caprice Custom Coupe and a gold ’68 Impala Sport Coupe. Center row ’60 Cadillac Sixty-Two Coupe with a bit of rust, black over white ’67 Ford LTD 4 door hardtop, gold ’66 Mercury full size, blue ’62 Ford Galaxie 500 4 door sedan, white over black ’67 Buick Electra 225 Sport Coupe, a dark ’68 or ’69 Buick Special Deluxe wagon, and on the end a dark blue ’67 Ford Fairlane or Fairlane 500 wagon. Right row a ’64 Impala wagon and a C2 Corvette Roadster with some custom stripes. Back row from the left a blue ’64 Buick Electra 225 6-Window Pillarless Sedan, gold ’67 Camaro, maroon first gen Corvair Monza sedan and a Mercedes-Benz W114.
#9 Sears. Left side ’68-’72 Chevy II/Nova Coupe and a white ’67 Impala Sport Coupe. First row right to left a ’74 or ’75 Mustang II Hardtop, ’66 Buick Skylark Sport Coupe with quarter panel damage, ’71 Ford Galaxie 500 4 door sedan, ’72 or ’73 Ford Pinto 3 door Runabout, ’71-’73 Chevrolet Vega Hatchback Coupe, ’74 Ford Maverick 4 door sedan, ’71 or ’72 Ford Country Squire, ’72 Oldsmobile Cutlass or Cutlass S coupe, ’72-’80 Dodge D series Adventurer SE long bed pickup, ’72 or ’73 Ford Torino or Gran Torino, ’70 or ’71 AMC Hornet. In front of the ’66 Skylark is a ’68 Chevrolet Bel Air 2 door sedan, behind it is a white VW Type 1, and down from it is a dark first gen Ford Econoline.
Thanks for the parking lot memories.
Someone had a lot of time on their hands…
Thanks tbm! I enjoy the mental exercise.
That could have been the Prange’s that was at Sheboygan’s only Mall, replacing their long time flagship store downtown on 8th Str. Sadly I was long gone from Sheboygan by them. 🙁 DFO
Pranges was never at the Mall, they stayed downtown until their demise. Only Sears and Penney’s were at the mall. Sadly they’re all gone now
Aside from the cool cars, what struck was Then vs. Now, the lack of pickup trucks. Then, they were still work vehicles for tradesmen and farmers/ranchers.
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
The last photo is Eastland Mall in Columbus OH.
Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got ’till it’s gone…
Not many imports, even up to the early ’70s.