East Lake Center/ Wal Mart/ Sam's Club/ Service Merchandise NO East

This stretch of I-10 in between Read Blvd. and Bundy Rd. has seen better days. Once this area was full of retail and entertainment options, but now only a couple of businesses remain. The first photo is the former Service Merchandise that is now a church; the site of the Lake Forest Plaza Mall is to the left or east of this building. The Plaza Mall will have a huge article soon that goes over the early history of the mall similar to the Belle Promenade and Kenilworth articles from earlier this year, stay tuned.

This was the Eastlake shopping center anchored by Delchamps, Eastlake 8 cinemas, and several other retailers including Children's Palace and a small Sears after the Plaza Sears closed. There were also a few restaurants in the front such as Texas Roadhouse.

This Furinture Mart is the only piece of this shopping center left standing and in business. This was once a Delchamp's that was unfortunately closed overnight without any warning to the employees.  

The next few pictures are the now empty lots that the shopping center, former Wal mart, and Sam's Club were on before Hurricane Katrina. Everything was demolished, but nothing has been rebuilt. If anyone from Wal mart is reading this article, please come back to New Orleans East!