Wow the past two months since I started this site have been busy, and I anticipate that the next few will be slower due to my upcoming busy schedule.
I began this blog to help tell the stories of malls, stores, and shopping centers. When these developments fail many people lose their jobs and a piece of their lives in the process. Malls of the past have millions of stories from the customers and employees that make these places unique. What fascinates me the most about these failing developments is the way consumers for the most part always want newer and bigger stores. Then the malls fall victim to the developments and some communities are stuck with abandoned properties that must be demolished on the taxpayers tab. Very few malls are reused for other purposes and as the slow economy continues to keep people from spending; malls will continue to lose business. My goal is to gather as many stories of these failing properties on my blog as possible, so these malls and their memories will not be forgotten.
Help me through my down time by submitting new, original articles. Full credit will be given to the authors of any submitted articles. Pictures are not necessary but appreciated. Thanks for reading my blog and thanks for the continued comments to help make my site better.
Check out my recent updates on
Greenspoint Mall (New photos)
Pasadena Town Square (New photos)
San Jacinto Mall (New photos)
Highland Mall (New photos and story)
Sharpstown Mall (New photos)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
San Jacinto Mall Update May 22
San Jacinto Mall the update.
Exterior shots and a directory shot.
The old Service Merchandise entrance has been covered up by a black tarp. I put my camera in a hole in the tarp to snap a picture of the inside of this store and the old sign blocked my view. What a find, an old hours sign to the Service Merchandise.
Here are some interior shots of the mall taken at dusk on May 22, 2009
Notice the paint is messed up on some ceilings. I am not sure if the mall started to strip the old paint to paint over these sections or if the paint is falling off due to neglect. The peeling paint is only in the old Mervyn's and the small section that is left in the old Ward's corridor.
Exterior shots and a directory shot.
The old Service Merchandise entrance has been covered up by a black tarp. I put my camera in a hole in the tarp to snap a picture of the inside of this store and the old sign blocked my view. What a find, an old hours sign to the Service Merchandise.
Here are some interior shots of the mall taken at dusk on May 22, 2009
Notice the paint is messed up on some ceilings. I am not sure if the mall started to strip the old paint to paint over these sections or if the paint is falling off due to neglect. The peeling paint is only in the old Mervyn's and the small section that is left in the old Ward's corridor.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sharpstown Mall Update 05/26
Here are some exterior shots and the mall directories. Since my phone camera is not good I posted two directory photos to see the whole directory. The directories have not been updated for a very long time as indicated by Macy's and several closed food court restaurants being on the list still. (Update the directory photos have been removed and replaced by a better quality image on a more recent post).
Here are some interior shots from today.
Here are some interior shots from today.
Highland Mall Update 05/25/09
Happy Memorial day! Pray for our troops!
Scenes from inside of the mall; my family is in some of the shots. More stores have closed since our last visit and the mall was having an open house event to try to get spaces leased. At the two Dillard's stores the merchandise is starting to get thinner.
The former JCPenney and labelscar; look closely on one photo and you will see the old signs from the JCPenney package pickup and optometrist.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Supplement to Northcross Mall Video
Welcome to the remains of Northcross Mall.
Old School Arby's sign on Burnet Rd. down from the mall.
This is all that remains of the Northcross Mall. The mall has been cut in half and demolished. Only the half facing Burnet Rd. still stands with a small corridor inside. The rest has been remodeled and is unrecognizable.
Old School Arby's sign on Burnet Rd. down from the mall.
This is all that remains of the Northcross Mall. The mall has been cut in half and demolished. Only the half facing Burnet Rd. still stands with a small corridor inside. The rest has been remodeled and is unrecognizable.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
San Jacinto Mall Baytown Texas
Welcome to San Jacinto Mall
(This is my self written post that was originally posted on the now closed Mall History Site). Post updated with new information.
During the 1980s this mall had a Service Merchandise, Mervyn's, JCPenney, Sears, Beall's, Palais Royal, Foley's, Montgomery Ward, Walgreen's, Casa Ole, Piccadilly, a large food court, and a second story play area with carousel in the center court.
This mall was designed with several corridors and is very large especially for the city of Baytown that had 45,000 residents in the 1980s. The ceilings are tall with skylights and the old tiles and wood frames are still intact in the mall. The mall has not been truly remodeled since its opening.
Service Merchandise, Bealls, and Montgomery Ward all closed in the beginning of 2001. Mervyn's closed in 2006 with the rest of the stores in the Houston area. During the mall's history it has had trouble keeping stores due to its large size and small nearby population. In recent years Wal-mart, Best Buy, Target, Lowe's, and Conn's Electronics which are all located in the center of the city have opened up or expanded their locations taking away mall traffic. Kohl's built a new store directly across the street from the mall in 2008.
The south corridor is empty where the Wards and Bealls used to be. The southwest corridor where the Foley's and Palais Royal is only has a few stores left out of 15 abandoned. The north corridor where the Mervyn's and Service Merchandise closed has two out of the 20 spaces filled. The east corridor with Sears and Marshalls has seen some losses, but is about 75% full. The JCPenney and center food court have stayed nearly full at about 90% capacity. A cinema operates in the mall and is very successful. Casa Ole and the food court still makes money. There are two arcades in the center court as well. The second story playground and the carousel is still open and staffed. Only Sears, JCPenney, Palais Royal, Marshall's, and Macy's are open. Foley's became Macy's when they took over the May company in 2006. Only about 60 stores still operate in a mall built for 175+ but there is hope. The Montgomery Ward corridor is now closed off and scheduled to be demolished and rebuilt as the commons of San Jacinto. Unfortunately the redevelopment sign has been up for years without any work started.
There are also videos on the you tube site of this mall in the 1990's that are worth looking at.
Mervyn's, closed in 2006 (Check out the labelscar).
Service Merchandise, closed in 2001 (Check out the labelscar).
Sears
JCPenney
The now closed entrance near the old Montgomery Ward's
Bealls, closed in 2001
Montgomery Ward's, closed in 2001
Foley's (now Macy's)
Interior photos from late 2006
(This is my self written post that was originally posted on the now closed Mall History Site). Post updated with new information.
During the 1980s this mall had a Service Merchandise, Mervyn's, JCPenney, Sears, Beall's, Palais Royal, Foley's, Montgomery Ward, Walgreen's, Casa Ole, Piccadilly, a large food court, and a second story play area with carousel in the center court.
This mall was designed with several corridors and is very large especially for the city of Baytown that had 45,000 residents in the 1980s. The ceilings are tall with skylights and the old tiles and wood frames are still intact in the mall. The mall has not been truly remodeled since its opening.
Service Merchandise, Bealls, and Montgomery Ward all closed in the beginning of 2001. Mervyn's closed in 2006 with the rest of the stores in the Houston area. During the mall's history it has had trouble keeping stores due to its large size and small nearby population. In recent years Wal-mart, Best Buy, Target, Lowe's, and Conn's Electronics which are all located in the center of the city have opened up or expanded their locations taking away mall traffic. Kohl's built a new store directly across the street from the mall in 2008.
The south corridor is empty where the Wards and Bealls used to be. The southwest corridor where the Foley's and Palais Royal is only has a few stores left out of 15 abandoned. The north corridor where the Mervyn's and Service Merchandise closed has two out of the 20 spaces filled. The east corridor with Sears and Marshalls has seen some losses, but is about 75% full. The JCPenney and center food court have stayed nearly full at about 90% capacity. A cinema operates in the mall and is very successful. Casa Ole and the food court still makes money. There are two arcades in the center court as well. The second story playground and the carousel is still open and staffed. Only Sears, JCPenney, Palais Royal, Marshall's, and Macy's are open. Foley's became Macy's when they took over the May company in 2006. Only about 60 stores still operate in a mall built for 175+ but there is hope. The Montgomery Ward corridor is now closed off and scheduled to be demolished and rebuilt as the commons of San Jacinto. Unfortunately the redevelopment sign has been up for years without any work started.
There are also videos on the you tube site of this mall in the 1990's that are worth looking at.
Mervyn's, closed in 2006 (Check out the labelscar).
Service Merchandise, closed in 2001 (Check out the labelscar).
Sears
JCPenney
The now closed entrance near the old Montgomery Ward's
Bealls, closed in 2001
Montgomery Ward's, closed in 2001
Foley's (now Macy's)
Interior photos from late 2006
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