California shopping excursion (Riverside Plaza)
Riverside, California - 1960's
I'm not sure exactly which mall or shopping center this would be. All I have to go on is that the photo was taken in a shopping center in Riverside. I haven't had a chance to look into it further.
Charming shot, though, wherever it was taken! You can see a Harris' on the right and a Woolworth's on the left, with Mom, Dad, and Daughter, walking the promenade hand-in-hand, in fine '60s nuclear family fashion.
Update: Thanks Kayla, and Christopher Boese, for identifying the photo as the Riverside Plaza! I appreciate the help.
posted by Keith @ 9/09/2005
85 Comments:
I bought my prom dress at Harris Co.--40 years ago!
A picture of this same Harris store in 1999. I haven't been back to Riverside Plaza since, and I'm not surprised that it was torn down, since it was mostly empty then.
We had a mall like that here in Connecticut called th Connecticut Post Mall. It was an open air mall with an open coridore down the middle with acess to the stores. You could reach the stores from the parking lot too.
With the hard winters we have here in Connectict the obvious thing to do was to put a roof on the place.
Westfield got involved at some point.. Alexander's left and JC Penny Arived. Today it is the stupidest looking mishmash of add-ons and build overs.
I never go there... It gives me a headache just to drive by it.
Thankls for havien this site!
I remember when this shopping center looked like this... I lived about 3 blocks away. Also in this center was a Grants Department store. Where I used to buy 45's for I think about 40 cents each. The Woolworth had a soda fountain inside. Other stores were ThomMcAnn and Kinney Shoe stores.
I love the picture. I wanted to post a picture of how it looks now, but I don't know how to post it to the site.
This is remarkably similar to the mall I went to growing up, called Stonewood Center in Downey (also in Southern California). It had a Broadway and JC Penney on either end, a Woolworths, and many other stores. I was there just about every weekend with my mom & aunts. It was also used in an episode of The Wonder Years. It was enclosed in the late 80s, and now is just a rather generic, nothing-special mall. But I have so many fond memories of being there as a child...and there was also a Farrel's Ice Cream shop!
Wow, I love this pic. I grew up in this little plaza, bicyling through it on Sundays when all the stores closed for the day.(Anybody remember those days?) Both of my uncles had ladies' fashion stores there, and my grandmother had a gift shop down at the other end of this picture by the Rexall Drug store. I spent a lot of time at Woolworth's and WT Grant's and O.K. Hopkins record department. Anyone around remember Mayfair Market, Builder's Emporium, The Dunes restaurant, and Engleman's Mens Wear? Geez, stop me. I could go on for days about this place.
You could bicycle from here to the Brockton Arcade and Doug Gillette's record store to get your 45's. Anyone got a shot of the Brockton Arcade in the 50's or 60's?
I'm late to this string, but to answer bubba g, I have very vivid memories of the plaza in the era you recall. My Dad was the manager of the C.H. Baker shoe store, just in front of the Harris Co. in this photo, from 1960-1966. Like bubba, I remember Mayfair, Builder's Emporium and the Dunes (my Dad was good friends with Ross Browning, owner of the Dunes), along with the Rexall Drug Store and the Copper Penny coffee shop (across from Harris's towards the drug store on a little aisle between the central 'plaza' and the parking lot along Central Ave.). Needless to say I have very fond memories of this place, particularly during the Christmas season when Harris's had these incredible animated window displays with elves, raindeer, Santa and all sorts of Christmas elements. We used to go down on a Saturday night (when the stores were closed in those days) just to look at the beautiful displays in Harris's windows.
Anyway, thanks for bringing back fond memories.
Wow, that's great. I had no idea there would be someone out there that knew of the "old" Riverside Plaza.
I remember the Brownings. I was in Marilyn's class at Poly. And I remember having a LOT of cheeseburgers at Copper Penny. They used to bring over all the sugar bowls for me to build forts with the wrapped sugar cubes. Consequently they would sit us in the back room quite often. Everybody would just shake their heads. You know how kids can be.
I used to love Xmas at the Plaza, but I liked it particularly downtown with those great big foil overhangs on Main St before the mall went in, and carolers going from store to store (in my eyes, it WAS Norman Rockwell...but without the snow). My uncles opened their first stores down there, and I remember Xmas was just so festive there (in a 50s sort of way).
I'm getting carried away, but this is a blog, isn't it?
Makes me wish I knew a place like this in my hometown.
The Riverside Plaza, now in its 3rd incarnation, is once again an open-air plaza. The following link includes a photo gallery from demolition to rebirth.
I've seen this post card before in a whole book on Riverside History through postcards. Ironically, I bought the book in the new Riverside Plaza at Borders Bookstore. I love what they have done with the new plaza....it was empty and desolate for years, but I miss it in the hey days. I'm glad to see other people remember it. Especially the christmas displays in Harris' window. It was the hightlight for kids living in Riverside County back then. Does anyone remember the Sages store that was a block away? It's now Alin Paper company. Also, as an adult I spent a lot of time at Carlos OBriens for night life.
Thanks for this. I grew up about three blocks away from the RivPlaz, and would often ride my three-speed over to the Woolworths (at left in this photo) to look at the turtles and parakeets.
As another commenter said, there was also a WT Grant in the Plaza - loved to get cherry freezes there in the summer, and many of my school clothes came from Montgomery Ward when it took over from Grant's.
A dirty old man tried to pick up 5-year-old me in the liquor department of Mayfair (where I was perusing the comics racks). Got out of that one!
A couple of blocks away was Sage's, another sorta department store that had a bell tower and carillon bells, as well as a fabulous-fifties iteration of Baskin-Robbins (back when it was called 31 Flavors). In high school, a number of my friends worked there, which meant free ice cream and motorcycle rides around the parking lot after 31 Flavors closed for the night.
I'm long gone from Riverside, but on a recent trip back I went to the latest version of the Plaza - it's now open-air again but not very pedestrian-friendly. Harris (now Gottschalks) is the only remaining original building...they have a really ugly multiplex now, and a bunch of generic "fancy" chain restaurants with names like Chipotle. The only good thing about the new Plaza is a Trader Joe's, but I still have my memories of riding that three-speed around the two-story parking garages at the Plaza.
Anyone who is nostolgic from this post card should check out Bill's website of things that aren't there anymore.
http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/loyaltubist/Main.html
This was a mall that everyone's life was changed, it was America ina dirrerent time& space, made richer with memories. I grew up with the man who built the Harris Co. Christmas window displays - his name was Don Nabours, c: 1920 - 1974, San Pedro, CA was his studioo. He was a Disney artist in 1930 who worked for Walt Disney for $3.00 per day. By 1950 the Harris Co. family met him and commissioned him to do the San Bernardino Harris Co. and were so impressed they commisisoned him for all their stores by 1956. I still have his figures in my garage fromt Harris.
OMG Anonymous! You are so lucky to have been able to keep those figures from the Harris' Xmas window. You've got a wonderful piece of SoCal history there.
Hey "Anonymous". You are not Gary by chance? I grew up in Riverside and refurbished, cleaned, and set-up the Harris' Christmas display window in Riverside for several years when I was only 13 years old thru age 18. I met Don's ex-wife after his passing away (I was 10 years old). She gave me all his drawings of all the different Christmas display scenes he created. I met a guy named Gary a few years later who was sort of Don's apprentice. I wish I would have stayed in touch with him. Do you have any photos of the old displays at Harris'? It would be great to talk to you!
My Dad Harold Heers built the Riverside Plaza and at one time my brother Harold Heers Jr. remodeled it and owned it. It reminds me of a time when life was very innocent.Dad is still building and is going to be 92 in March. I am doing a biography DVD on his life now and if you have any old photos or memories I would sure appreciate them.
just email jill@heers.com
Yes, it's the old Riverside Plaza. What brought me to the site, was, I was trying to find Ross Browning's son, Ross Jr. We went to school in the same class at Notre Dame, but I've lost touch with him. I noticed that one of the posts was written by someone who was in Marilyn's class at Poly, (maybe they know something). I am pretty sure that both the parents are at Olivewood by now. We used to love going to the Dunes Restaurant, and before that, the White Sands....There was (I think), the original Marie Callenders' across the street on Merrill, and we had an optometrist named Dr. Carl Click somewhere near the White Sands. Also, GKC was a really upscale (chic) women's store near Thom McAn shoes. I also seem to remember buying cub scout uniforms at Harris'. Does anybody remember Delia's Grinders over by Sage's on Magnolia? I could add a lot more, but it's 4:05 in the a.m., and I'm knackered.... DCGW..If anyone knows anything about the Brownings, I'd like to hear from you. My tel# is 650 559-0774 in Los Altos, CA. Thanks!
I found this site the other day, and it is fantastic. It is too bad the plaza has been destroyed. The vintage pic shows those fantastic lighted signs that hang perpendicular to the walkway so you can see what store you are approaching. While these were once common they don't do such curtious things anymore.
I'm in the design field and find vintage design inspiring. keep the pictures comming.
DCGW, I had forgotten the old name of the Dunes as being the White Sands then. But I'm afraid I don't remember much about Ross Jr. Marilyn was in my class at Poly but we were mostly just acquaintances so I can't offer any more credible information.
GKC was my Uncle Glenn's store and Kristy's was my Uncle Richard's store, both of them descendants of the old Mode O'Day company which was started up by my grandfather Christensen from Utah and my great uncles Malouf who emigrated from Lebanon. I remember the Plaza very well as I just lived on the "other side of the tracks" off Elizabeth and Lawson. I spent a great deal of time there just hanging out cruising on my bike (especially on Sundays when no one was there and all the stores were closed). Now that's a blast from the past!
I do have a question though. Wasn't Delia's over by Brockton Arcade on Nelson and Magnolia across from Palm School? I also believe that the Marie Callender's was originally Sir George's smorgasbord wasn't it? That whole side of Merrill used to be an empty lot from Riverside to Magnolia. We used to board the Santa Claus train there at Christmas time. It would take us on a ride to Yucaipa (the North Pole obviously) or something like that and Santa would come through the cars loaded with kids and hand out candy canes. Then came the drive-thru dairy and one of Earl "Madman" Muntz's first audio stores.
OMG, I must stop! This is killing my brain!
QUESTION, Did Harris have an in-store department store ? If so, what was the name of it ? This site is so wonderful. I wish we had more downtown department stores...etc. today !
Thank you,
Ryan James
FYI for all of you D'Elia's buffs:
There were a few of em actually. The original location (which is still there actually...remodeled though) is on the corner of University Ave/Kansas. There were three others through the years as well. Arlington/Van Buren, Magnolia/Nelson, and another on Van Buren out in the Woodcrest Area.
They have a website now
http://www.deliasgrinders.com
Hello Riversiders. I live in Bowling Green, Kentucky now and it reminds me of Riverside when I was a kid.
Yes, I also went to the Plaza. took the city bus. My Mom worked at the White Sands and then the Dunes for nearly 30 years. I also had a job there when I was 15. Remember Orange Julius? Copper Penny, I think I learned the do math counting our pennys for a cherry coke and burger. what a good life. Do you remember Taco Tia?
Taco Tia closed in Riverside - they tore it and the Cactus down on Van Buren for to widen the road.
We're down to 1 D'Elias, run by the same family.
The original Marie Callendar's was torn down and replaced with a nicer one.
Remember Cheney's Music Store? And Tuxie's - which is still there (I think).
My mother loved shopping at Christie's.
Oh, and the Dunes was at Riverside Plaza, but White Sandas was on the other side of the railroad tracks.
And who could ever forget Sage's Strawberry pies?
Pachappa School was across the street from Builder's Emporium. I lived on Tipperary Way and kenw every household on the street. I often wonder what happened to the students at Pachappa School 1957 - 1964. They were al wonderful people I dearly loved.
Reflecting, I happened upon this and it brings back memories.
How many comments there are about the Brownings, The Dunes and Marilyn & Ross Jr. St. Catherine's will never be the same without the Brownings nor Pete Lanzi and so many others. I can taste the best grinders at Delia's. How many times have I tried to explain the grinder to other shops?
Marilyn is married to her Poly High classmate and they entertain in Las Vegas.
Lisa Powell
I moved to Riverside in 1983 and love the history of the city. Iwas watching the 1964 film by William Castle "Strait Jacket" with Joan Crowford and noticed in one sceen they drove past the Mission Inn and went shopping and in the background (thanks for DVD slow motion), I noticed Woolworth's, Gallenkamp Shoes, Grants, Irene's Beauty Salon, and had to find out where this was I was unable to find any infornation where the movie was filmed. But this photw was the street that was in the movie. I have loved this classic movie and was excited that it was filed in Riverside, CA and I believe the farm dairy seen was shot in either Corona or Norco, CA.
Hope to see other photos of 1950's and 1960's riveride posted here.
That is me, with my mother and father!!!! I was shocked to come across this picture. I am 44 years old now, and I look to be around 4 in the picture. 1967! I still live in Riverside across from the Plaza!!
Hi Everyone....You folks have a great blog about the Plaza. I lived in Riverside off and on over the years..Pretty much grew up in Riverside. These days I spend about 1/3 of my time Riverside and about 2/3 in Newport Beach. I'm an Architect. I'm very familiar with the Plaza and other places in Riverside. I have some other blog articles pertaining to Riverside if Your interested. I also have an internet radio Station:
http://www.live365.com/stations/john9222?1199369317
I have very fond memories of the old Harris Co. Campus Deb club of the early 60's. We used to meet at the DeAnza theater for a fashion show and a live band, often the BEACH BOYS before they were well known, and usually a "star" like Paul Petersen of the Donna Reed Show. We'd return to the Riverside Plaza for autographs after the show. Great times.
super bummed taco tia and the cactus closed.used to go there from arlington h.s. for the wednesday special all the time.
Wow - I'm very glad to have run across this post and so many people that remember the old Riverside plaza. My dad was promotional manager for the plaza (and Sage's) during throughout the 60s so my sisters and I had the run of the place.
A few other stores that haven't been mentioned yet include:
The Karmelkorn store - which as I recall was located right next to:
The toy store in the corner next to Mayfair (anyone remember the name?)
John Robert Powers - a modeling agency which was across from Woolworth's as I remember.
Since my dad was in promotions, I remember all the cool things that happened at the mall. For instance, around 1966, the plaza together with a local radio station (I forget the call letters) sponsored a parade and the big attraction was the Batmobile. Funny thing was, it had some sort of mechanical problem and finally had to be towed through the streets.
One of the biggest thrills I remember was having lunch with the cast of Giligan's Island at The Dunes when they were out for some public appearance.
Does anyone have other pictures of plaza (particularly The Dunes) - or know somewhere they might be posted?
Much obliged!
hey marko my brother use to work for your dad at ch baker,his name is richad leger
Harris Gottschalks sadly isn't there anymore, went out of business and is now a large-format "FOREVER 21" 3-level store, luckily i went there during the last days it was open and sneaked some pictures of the inside, remarkable store, i love it when stores have 3 or more levels!
There was a Bob's Big Boy in the 60's. Hot Fudge Sundaes there. Also "The Copper Penny" In the same building but can't remember if it was before of after Bobs B.B. I think before. The White Sands on Elizabeth where we danced the nights away was purchased by Judge Rich and Sons years ago who run it now as a Law School. Judge Rich was the much feared Judge at Juvenile Court in Riverside. I never ended up there but heard he was really tough on teenage offenders. Probably saved a lot of them. Stater Bros had a great store on Elizbeth and Magnolia. Unfortunately the building was owned by The Good Will and they took over from Staters quite a few years ago. Now we have Ralphs across the street. Nice store but much more expensive. Denny's was in the Brockton Arcade across from Gillettes Records. We had cokes there after dates or at Tuxies or B&B Drive or Kings Drive In (all on Magnolia Ave. All well cruised. Anyone remember a tiny Motel and Toms Grinder next to the RR Tracks at Merril and Magnolia Ave. We were not to go there. Lol. There are several hundred thousand more people here now. 2-15-2010
Geeze Dawn Heers kinda modest aren't you , you and your husband HWHeers jr. owned this mall at one time.
I'm a student at ucr and I'm writing a paper about the Riverside plaza. If anyone could direct me to more old pictures or published information about the plaza I would greatly appreciate it:)
My Dad and his brothers built the Plaza and he's still building in Ky.He's 95 and still drives
They sold it to a church that never paid them until many years of court later (peanuts)Years later my brother bought it for a short time and sole it for about a million profit, he was lucky that way.I like to remember riverside in those days
before my Dad built it they used to have a circus and pit(I mean backhoe dug)barbecue there, so good, and when he built it they stopped, I never forgave him
Thanks for the memories!
I spent way too much time sitting on the planter area in the photo. Riding Honda 50s around the parking lot. I had completely forgotten about Sages. Sages toys was across the street in a separate building. Can't for the life of me remember the name of the toy store by the Mayfair. I had a couple good friends (brothers) that lived on Riverside Ave just off Jurupa.
Again thanks for the memories. It used to be a great place to hang out!
I was just thrilled to see this. I went to Harris co. for most of my clothes in Jr. High and high school. There was also a hair salon and restaurant on the top floor. Does anyone remember the name of the restaurant? Harris had everything. The Christmas displays in the windows were amazing. I wish I could go back if only just a moment. Thank you for this post card...
Karmel Korn, O.K. Hopkins, Mayfair Market, Builders Emporium, The Joke Shop, Orange Julius, Woolworths, Harris', The Dunes, Don Cree LTD, Copper Penny, Kinneys, Thom McCann, Grants, Englemans...All in the original Riverside Plaza. Gilettes Records was located in the Brockton arcade (about a half of mile west of the Plaza.
Loved KarmelKorn and Orange Julius. I remember when Orange Julius introduced Strawberry Julius. I was very confused.
I think the joke shop was actually called The Joke Shop. It was run by a grouchy old codger who seemed to make a living selling hand buzzers and fake snapping gum.
Does anyone else remember the Little Professor Book Shop?
I remember the Little Professor book shop. It was owned and run by Mel Blanc's brother (looked just like him only he had a blind eye...) On another note, Forever 21 as a replacement for Harris Co is RIDICULOUS! Gottschalk couldn't hold a candle to it, either...
I worked at the Dunes back in 1974...what wonderful times ..
The joke shop near the Little Professor book store was called Fun n Stuff! And yes, the old goat that owned the place was mean to all kids and just stare at you but you had to buy stuff because he had the coolest things! Later in 1985, I started working for Harris" until 1991,then I started at Nordstrom in the newly rehabbed Tyler mall. It was a down hill slide from that point on for the Plaza.
When I was 12, about 50 years ago. I remember riding my bike to the plaza to see the Beach Boys play I think it was the opening of a new store, It was in the moring about 10 or 11:00 they loaded and unloaded ther own equipment and there dad was there does anyone else remember this??
Nike Lunar Glide Womens Grey Blue Green
Nike Lunar Elite Womens Grey Blue
Nike Lunar Elite Womens Grey Orange
Nike Lunar Glide Womens Grey Orange
Nike Lunar Glide Womens Grey Pink
Nike Lunar Eclipse Womens grey blue
Nike Lunar Glide Womens Grey blue
Nike Free 3.0 mens Blue White
I worked at the Dunes back in 1974/75 as a bussboy...my mother bartended there as well..I do miss those days...
I will never forget the glazed donuts Mayfair Market sold. I can still smell them. I grew up in Riv also. My folks bought there in 1961 when my pop got stationed at March AFB.
nice post love reading it
Looking for old pictures of the Copper Penny that was in the Riverside Plaza.. Any suggestions? My mom worked there for about 5 years when we first moved to Riverside back in 1964.. I remember they would always close off the back dinning area for my mom to have Birthday partys for my sister and I.
I love this picture. We lived closer to the Tyler Mall 60'-70's. Does anyone remember that old rail car cafe? Or ordering a "ZOO" at ferrells icecream parlor? Or going to see Herbie the Love Bug at the Fox? Or Scrooge at the DeAnza? That was a time when Juu Juu Bee's were tooth killers. Paul Cooper, Gary Fredborg, Jamie DeCosta, Sherry Suchi, Doug Ogel, Mary Pat Vaughn, Karla Schilling, Lori Duke, Jim Evans. I miss the people and place so much it hurts
I worked at Allmans Music Center 1969 to 1975. I used to play the organ outside is the middle of the mall on Saturdays. What a fun time in my life. Mr and Mrs are no longer with us, Carl lives in Chicago and see him from time to time. Thanks for the memory
Wow you guys. I am 62 and remember this shot of the Riverside Plaza well. I watched the Beach Boys before they were famous in White Levis and Pendelton shirts at Harris and Co. I went to open air dances on this mall as a 13 year old Teenie Bopper. Hey what can I say the Riverside Plaza was awesome. I had blisters on my feet from walking barefoot there in the hot sun. Love it! Patty Martin Portland Oregon.m
https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/469774_473477816001266_1432080515_o.jpg
I remember going in there to the back of the store where records were with my aunt when I was about 9. They had these little sound booths where you could put on headphones and the clerk would put on a record so you could preview it.
Blue raspberry slushes at the Karmel Korn. The smell was heavenly when the tumbler was mixing in the front window.
Sage's was awesome. Way before it's time. They had everything there. I still have a doll I bought there with my saved up 50 cents a week allowance (46 years later). Got my first taste of peanut butter and Bacon on toast at their cafe.
The old lady clerks at the toy store use to stand at the end of the aisles to stare at us like we were going to shoplift something.
I'm 25 and have grown up in love with Riverside. It's been through some hard times and faced the ugly monster known as progress, but still retains many of the bits and pieces of it's wonderful history. Luckily my mother raised me to see beauty and love history, so I've always seen Riverside through a kind of romantic historical lens. Harris is now a Forever 21, but if you go back to the elevators you'll see there is still the original elevator panel and call box. The Fox theater has been restored. The orange tree is still lush at the Arlington/California intersection. The Mission Inn of course has been preserved. You can see some of the original buildings at Sherman Indian High School, which still has dorms available, the boat house at Fairmount Park. Did you know Fairmount Park was designed by the same man who designed Central Park in New York? And there's more. Lot's more if you look. Maybe it's strange to be nostalgic for something I never knew, but standing in these places, knowing that I'm brushing across time, seeing through another persons eyes, that's what makes me love this place and what makes me hopeful for it's rebirth. Thank you all for sharing your stories here :)
I recall when Harris opened and they had an ESCALATOR! WHAT!? I rode that thing just to ride it! I also recall the Santa Claus Christmas train, which actually went to the crest of Cajon Pass, not Yucaipa (that would have been Southern Pacific). Anyone recall OK Hopkins, the record store? You could go into litle booths and listen to records to decide if you liked them. The clerk would play them for you. Yikes, I'm old!
Thank you everyone for the wonderful memories of the Riverside Plaza. Like a lot of you, I was born and raised in Riverside. I too have wonderful memories of shopping at the Plaze. My grandmother worked at Moran's Drapery Store. I think it was next to Orange Julius and thank you to the person who also remembered Sages Toy Store. I recently asked my parents if they remembered it, and they didn't so it was good to hear someone mention it. Wonderful stories and memories. Wish we could go back !!
I remember the Riverside Plaza but remember the Tyler Mall even better as I grew up directly across the street from the old Farrel's Ice Cream Parler. Our house was located exactly where today's McDonald's stands. I remember hearing the ground shake when a train would go down the middle of Magnolia Ave. to drop off lumber at Windship's. I watched the watermelon field across from my house transform into the Tyler Mall. I also worked on the construction of the then $40million dollar mall with the Broadway and May Co. Stores as anchor tenants. I saw all of the development in that part of Arlington from the 1950's until when I left in 1966.
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Wow, what crystal clear memories! Forget about high school reunions-one needs to be organized for you bloggers to attend!! Heers Bros. ahead of their time in 1950s when Plaza was built w/ mostly locally-owned stores who took a big risk! Where is Harold today? Brothers? Don Basket remembered...he organized an Easter bonnet parade! GKC taught me fashion. Those were the days...great days. Interesting there are so many shared good memories. The times really were great!!!
Does anyone remember Party Time by Grant's? Owner Don Jeffries' son, Mike Jeffries, is CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch.
Bubba G - are you Evie's (Evelyn's) son? Great fashion family. I remember when GKC featured Rudi Geingreich's(sp?)famous topless swimsuit! Scandalous for 60s Riverside. Hilarious that we all incorrectly spell karmelkorn because that's how the little store spelled it! Very interesting that we all view our experiences through the same lens. Happy Days. Fortunate are we all to have grown up with idyllic circumstances and experiences,
Anyone remember Gallenkamp's, Leeds, Paul Allen, Florsheim (lots of shoe stores), House of Fabrics, Lerner's, Morrow's Nut House then Party Time, Pace, Green & Christensen Jewelers, Plaza Toyland, Riverside Travel, Motherhood Maternity, Bill's Shoe Repair, Plaza Barbershop, Plaza Stationers, Mardon Jewelers, a bakery then Samples 'n' Stuff, the junior store at GKC with Marty...56stores I remember the ads saying so we've missed some!
Don't forget Richard's (?), the credit jeweler who had a window display cram-packed with all kinds of rings, watches, necklaces etc. with cards showing how much the weekly payment would be. . .like 99cents or something cheap!!!
As a manager at the Kay-Bee Toy Store in the early '80's (I know, I know, a bit late for the time frame...) we had a basement in our store that connected, through a dark, spooky boiler room, to what was apparently a storage room for what used to be known as Harris & Frank, which was later shortened to Harris'.
I loved this "mall"!! Wish they never would have enclosed it in the 80's...
I loved this "mall"!! Wish they never would have enclosed it in the 80's...
That is definitely the Riverside Plaza in the 60's. I worked at the KarmelKorn shop owned by Max and Jean Miller at the opposite end of the mall from the Harris' in the photo. Many fond memories. Thanks
I was a teenager in Riverside between 1960 and 1964. Went to Chemawa Jr. High and then on to Ramona, before moving to Long Beach in 1964. My neighbor and I often rode our bikes to the Riverside Plaza, just to hang out, go to the record store and ride the elevator inside the Harris Department Store. We often stopped at the Brockton Arcade where there was a pretty cool hobby shop. When my family first moved to Riverside from New Jersey, my father took me to the Forman and Clark menswear store in Riverside Plaza to get some new school clothes, and then on to Thom McCan's shoe store for my first pair of penny loafers.
Right across Magnolia from Sage's was Bill's Hobby Shop, another great place to hang out and watch the model railroad that Bill was building in the center of the store.
My friend and I also would ride our bikes to the Java Lanes for an afternoon of air comditioned comfort and few lines of bowling. When he got his car at age 16, our venues expanded to Corona(pre mall), March Air Force Base the downtown movie theaters.
Does anyone remember what the restaurant was before it was Carlos o Briens?
The bakery near Mayfair Market that opened with The Plaza was named Zegedy Bakery. My brother worked there for three or four years before his senior year at Poly in 1959. The original night club at the plaza which many years later became Carols O'Briens was The Dunes. It had a downstairs multi-purpose room where we at the combination Notre Dame/St. Francis High Schools held our 1962 Prom. Bill Buerger
Fun memories. I'm not a fan of how it has been transformed. I remember a couple of stores not previously mentioned. See's Candy across from Harris Co and Mardon Jewelers where our wedding rings were made in 1972.
Old Riversiders, there's a fun facebook group called We Grew up in Riverside In the 50s and 60s. If that's you, look into joining us. Someone was looking for Ross Browning. You can find him there. Also, whoever said they were in Marilyn Browning's class at Poly, l was 2 years behind you. I also grew up quite close to the Plaza and have many happy memories of being there.
Born in Riverside Community Hospital in 1950, delivered by the same doctor who delivered my dad. Went to the old Presbyterian church next to the hospital. Lived in Riverside until I graduated Poly High in 68. Went to college instead of the war. So very many memories growing up there. The Plaza for sure, since my family had a store there (GKC). The good - an article in Life magazine. The bad - fears from the days of the Watts riots. First kiss at the top of Pachappa hill. Selling avocados from our wagons for a nickel. Running wild in the Heers bamboo jungle. Riding cousin Steve's Honda 90 in the SA River. Hunting dove in the orange groves along Victoria (yeah it was legal then). Setting off firecrackers in the Madison Elementary School halls at night. We were suburban Tom Sawyers, out for adventure. Regrets - sure. But couldn't have gotten here without having been there.
That GKC is my older brother. I too loved the Heers' bamboo hiding places.
I still have photo booth pictures of my sister and me that were taken for
25cents at The Plaza. Before we moved to Pachappa Hill, we lived on the
same street as the Heers family. I graduated from Poly High in 1969
and eventually got my PhD in English and American Literature at UCI.
Been teaching at Duke for thirty+ years, about to retire. Love living in
North Carolina, though there was so much to remember with joy about
the older, smaller Riverside--adventures galore. Driving the
stoplight-free Victoria Avenue. Ditching school
to go to the beach--which we could get to then in about
45 minutes. Sages's, Delia's, and of course my parents
store, which had a perfect attic. My dad was able to visit me after a divorce that
left me needing a little house near campus and
a new last name. He went to the courthouse with me when I changed my
last name to Malouf (mentioned above by BubbaG).
Hello everyone,
I have enjoyed reading all of these posts. I am the granddaughter of the artist Paul Darrow. He was from Pasadena and but established himself in Claremont by attending and later teaching at the Claremont Colleges. I have been going through some of his early catalogs. I stumbled upon this image of the interior shot of GKC Shop in Riverside from a faculty catalog from Los Angeles County Art Institute. When I looked up the name of the shop I came upon this blog. I thought it might be a nice contribution to such a great blog.
Best,
Mahlea
Photo here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AUcRukWmtLaiSia27
Just picked up a yearbook at a yard sale, 1929 Central High School in Oklahoma City, OK. Looks like he did cartoons in high school and they were good!
Yup same 😄🤙👍
Yes. I certainly have all those memories too! Still live in Riverside and the plaza is a subject of conversation
Nope! Even this is gone now!
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