Lakeside Mall
Sterling Heights, Michigan - Oct. 21, 1980
Yep, she's a Taubman. And talk about futuristic looking! The scene in this photo looks like a spaceport right out of a sci-fi film, or even the inside of a spaceship in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
But this beautiful 2-story mall is really impressive (and big!) in person, I can attest to that. It's an expensive mall to shop in, though, for the average person (like me). I can't afford to actually buy anything there, so I'd prolly just go to gawk at the mall. :)
Mall history: 1976 - present
Developer: A. Alfred Taubman
Current website: here
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
Previous entries: none
(Image courtesy and © Wayne State University)
posted by Keith @ 9/13/2006
40 Comments:
From looking at their lease plan, the elevator and fountain are still there today!
http://www.generalgrowth.com/Properties/downloadinfo.asp?smuid=745
The Florsheim is Kay Jewlwers
Musicland is Victoria's Secret
Heh, I wish malls in my town looked like that again!
Beam me up, Scottie!!!
I was just there this past June! It's a beautiful mall with some really cool public art including a wonderful sculpture by Bruce Beasley. I especially like the pyramid lights on the ends of the seating areas. (You can see a few of them in this pic.) They have put up a temporary stage over the fountains so I couldn't get a pic of them. It's unfortunate since with no planters and trees in the central court, it looks a bit barren.
Anyone stopping by this mall definitely has to go to Olga's for lunch. Olga's closed it's restaurants in California so it's a real treat to visit them in Michigan. :)
OMG... It's Stoneridge Mall all over again.
This one, though, has triangles as a theme. I've seen the circle theme at Hilltop Mall in Richmond (of course, Taubman). One thing I liked about Taubman, they had large open spaces. Now that Mills took over Stoneridge, they crammed in those carts with agressive salespeople on every square inch of floor.
Scott
Despite all the "kiosks" at Stoneridge, I have to say that Mills has done a great job taking care of the place. They seem to appreciate the clean, modern design and it really makes the place look upscale.
Two things that I take issue with is that they filled-in the huge seating area in the center court and the unique mushroom-shaped lights in the planters have now been removed. Unfortunately, Stoneridge never had very large seating pits by the other department stores.
Other than the stage built over the fountains it seems that Lakeside has been kept in pristine condition and they have generous seating areas with large artworks and plantings.
I visited Lakeside during an early '90s whirlwind tour of Detroit-area Taubman malls. In classic Taubman fashion, Lakeside's original logo was formed through repetition of the first letter of the mall's name. Four rounded L's formed a rounded square, as I recall. I have it around somewhere, although it's packed away and not easily found. I need to find my big box of of old mall directories and other mall memorabilia.
It would be cool so see some of those old mall logos again. I remember when they were really popular.
OMG... someone else collects mall directories? I, too, have an extensive collection.
The center court seating area at Stoneridge was filled in permanently a decade ago. It's terribly ugly and just for seasonable shows. It also caused the fountain to be turned off, since it flowed to the center of the seating area. I think they plain got tired of building platforms for the shows, then tearing them up to return the area to seating. Either way, we have a scar while waiting for Santa's Village to open. I have a pictures of the seating area with the fountain. I'll have to post it on my blog.
I was disappointed to learn the neat lights were gone from the seating pits. If I recall, they had a blue line in them?
I must admit, the mall is showing signs of its age. The seating pits have torn vinyl, stained or torn carpet, and some of the underseat lights are burnt out. The Mall sold out to Discover card advertising, which is EVERYWHERE, and now they've apparently rolled back their store standards by allowing a furniture store with a temporary sign that they would have never considered in the past. I'm just noticing a lot of negative changes since Mills took over.
Scott
Taubman malls were incredibly repetitive, but I loved them still.
Oh, wow, when I first saw this, I was almost convinced it was Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, VA, where I spent much of my childhood. The Fair Oaks of today actually looks not unlike that. You mention that it's a Taubman-built center, but what I want to know is, how many centers did they build that look just like mine?!
Lakeside Mall has always been the root of many childhood memories for me. My family moved into the area when it opened in '76 and I've always lived very close to it (currently about a mile away). My family and I like to reminisce about all of the stores and restaurants which have come and gone in the mall over the years. Anyone remember "Captain Chip's Potato Ship"? Seeing the photo taken in 1980 was a real treat and brought back lots of memories. I'd love to find more archival photos of Lakeside, and any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
I have also always lived near Lakeside Mall and think of it as "my" mall. I even worked there for many years in my younger days. I don't think I noticed anyone mention that this mall actually has a dual center coart. Just off to the left in this photo there's another large open area. It used to have carpeted steps down into a pit and a stage. For many years, the childrens play area was put there, but now they've filled it all in and put in kiosks. blech! Kevin, I was wondering if you remember the name of the candy store that used to be upstairs near Sears at the start of the "arm" that used to go to the ice skating rink. They had a small soda fountain counter and had the best doughnut "holes" I've ever had. It would be the start of the food court now. Thanks!
Terry, since I read your post I have been racking my brain trying to remember the name of the candy store you mentioned. I remember the store being exactly where you described it, but can't come up with the name! I also remember the "pit" area in the secondary court. My brother and I used to play endlessly on those stairs. Many years later they installed big plastic play equipment in the shape of waffles, bacon, and eggs for the kids to climb on. Like you said, now it's all filled in with a bunch of cell phone kiosks, and I agree..."Blech!" In the picture, right behind the elevator on the upper level you can see the beginning of the "B. Dalton Bookseller" sign. I can recall standing in line as a kid waiting to "meet Darth Vader" and get his autograph there. To this day I still stand at that very railing and look down into the court below. Only this time I'm waiting for my wife to finish shopping in Victoria's Secret where the old Musicland used to be. It's great to see that there are others out here who remember and share memories of Lakeside's past.
I wanted to post a follow-up. Terry, I just remembered that there was a candy store at Lakeside called "Yummy Land". Could this be the name of the store that was upstairs by Sears? It sure would be great to connect with a collector out here who has some old Lakeside directories.
Yummy Land was indeed the store near Sears. I remember it very well. It had a lime green color theme.
In later years, the ice rink was closed and a "water park" of sorts called Hydrotube went in. It was great.
Does anyone have old picstures of the Christmas displays? I remember the original one that was a futuristic meets victorian age castle. Very cool.
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Love this post, love the comments! Lakeside Mall was "my" mall, too. I was about six when it opened and it feels like I spent every weekend there.
I took ice skating lessons there every week for a long time. (Hmmm. Will have to dig up those old slides.) I remember when the water park went in; that was a little surreal. There was a haircut place near there, and across the way there was a t-shirt shop where you could get photos of bands put on baseball jerseys.
Wasn't there a seating pit by either Crowley's (sp) or Penney's? Is that the same pit that's now covered in cell phones? I remember sitting in there and suddenly getting bullied a bit by a bunch of teens, circa 1983.
Other than that, nothing but good memories. Saw "A Hard Day's Night" in re-release and some weird Molly Ringwald sci-fi 3D movie at the theatre. Used to ride the elevator up and down with my friends. (It was always much busier than what's in this pic, though!) Bought Garfield books at either B Dalton or another bookstore that was, I think, downstairs? Olga's was yum-yum-yummy and so was Magic Pan. Sigh!
I haven't been make to Michigan since 1985, but when I do go, Lakeside is on the list. I hope I still recognize it. Thanks for the memories.
i live in sterling heights, go to the mall all the time... it use to have a water slide which then turned into a arcade called tiltz, or something like that...
BTW the mall isn't that expensive, they have the same stores every other mall has, i dont understand what you ment...
It truly is a shame that Lakeside Mall has eroded into what it is today (and the surrounding area for that matter). For those of us with such deep rooted memories of childhood innocence growing up around here, we now weep with sadness at what has happened to our once beloved sanctuary. Alas, don't read any further if you choose not to hear and face the cold, hard truth of what has become of our treasured land. First, the Chaldeans and Albanians infiltrated our sacred soil, bringing forth a filth and wretchedness that began the decline of everything that was right and safe. This then opened up the floodgates to the Negroids. The downturn in the housing market was all they needed to infest our once secure neighborhoods with the parasitic film which taints our daily lives today. The hopes and dreams we once held dear in our haven have been shattered. I challenge anyone who has rich memories of laying peacefully on the carpeted stairs in the stage area, gazing peacefully upwards into the skylights of the roof of Lakeside Mall in the 80's to say anything different. It's a damn shame when the only thing you can do now is move your family further north to escape the scum that has invaded and completely destroyed your way of life.
We had a Captain Shipps Potato Chips in Muskegon Michigan Mall too back in the 70's. The extensive wooden iterior looked like a real ship. There was a lot of detail in that place. I would like to find some pictures of it. They had a fun idea that you dont see anymore.
Growing up in Clinton Township, Lakeside was 'my mall' as well. I fondly remember the indoor ice skating rink, which then turned into a two story water slide park, then split into 2 levels with restaurants on top and stores on bottom. It was so much fun back in the day to go there and 'hang out' on the weekend. Does anyone remember the sticker store on the lower level by J.C. Penney's? I used to spend all my allowance in there to collect stickers! Also Silverman's clothing.. remember that? In the mid-80's coming out with 'surfer clothing' like O.P.? awesome!
I worked at Captain chips, sorry the chips were lays! Finally I can tell the truth
It is definitely cookie-cutter, which is kind of stylish architecturally for that era (in its own way). That mall, when it was built, was nothing but an island onto itself in nothing but farmland. It eventually spawned a ton of residential development and a giant trade area along the M-59 corridor in the northern suburbs of Detroit which exists to this day. Taubman had great vision to see the potential of that site. Sadly, with the development at Partridge Creek and internet shoppers, it will slowly become the "other mall" and die a slow death. Still, an incredibly successful retail project...
It's mind boggling to think that once upon a time, Lakeside sported THREE record stores simultaneously! Harmony House, Musicland and Record Town.
@Joe - Yes, and eventually "Tape World" that existed upstairs while Harmony House faded into the strip mall across the street on Schoenherr. Those where the days before digital took over. Perusing the bins was a favorite pleasure of mine.
The sticker store was "Happyland." They also had a lot of the older Sanrio stuff, too (not just Hello Kitty, but My Melody, Tuxedo Sam, Little Twin Stars, etc.)
Someone mentioned "Captain Chips Potato Ship" and that was my first job EVER at the one at Lakeside Mall in 1979. I was 14 and I was a little overwhelmed but worked there the whole summer!! That was a fabulous mall and I have not been there in possibly 20 years or more but loved it as a teen!!
Lakeside was my mall as well. I grew up in Sterling Heights and then Shelby Township.
I worked at K B Toys and then Musicland in the late 80's. It was awesome.
Loved Yummy Land, Tilt and my family always split up and met in the sears tool department or at the candy bulk counter at Sears.
It was called, "Candly Land". I skated there competitively for years and years. I miss it the way it once was!
There was a store for a short period of time that sold stickers when that was a thing called Happy Land. It was in the area of Sears lower level. Lakeside was my mall and I got my first job at Crowleys then worked at Bachrach and Hudsons. Now the mall is dumpy.
It was Yummy Land
I have been looking for about two Months for some pictures of the Arcade mentioned above- Tiltz - I grew up there and I would absolutely love to see some pictures if anybody has anything that would be great. I just stumbled across this forum I was reading through and I just wondered if anybody would have some inside pics of that place. I would be thrilled if one of you did. It was a huge part of my childhood because my brother worked there and he was also my babysitter so basically I got babysat in an arcade for a couple years :-). I loved that arcade and spent a lot of time in there. I was probably 7 at that time and I am 38 now. I can't believe it's been that long- but seeing some of these shows like stranger things and throwback 80s pop culture it always comes to mind. I looked through a lot of old pictures when my grandma passed away and didn't see anything in there. It would have been a long shot anyways. Throughout the web I haven't seen any pics yet just wanted to see it :-) . You can help out please feel free to share ! I'll check back every so often. Thanks!
Jesus! I detect a little racism here
Yea... that seems like problem of their own. The area around the mall is still lovely and thriving.
Nice to hear that people still remember the ice rink at lakeside... AND the dinner style donut shop too (across the hall?) I remember the pit area with the stair seating also. For me, the movie theaters were about the ultimate. I was about 13 then, & can still remember being memorized at the huge king kong movie cut out. I can also remember waiting in the line to see Star Wars there too. We lived not that close, and took us about a half hour to get there, but it was a drive my family took all the time.
I have a memory when I was a little kid on the water slide.
I remember I was going down the slide on my stomach, face first. Not sure if I was suppose to be on a mat, or if it was even an option. My memory is going down the slide and my hip bones going over every section that the slide was seamed together. I remember being back home, looking at how scraped up (almost bleeding) and bruised my hip bones were.
Does anyone else have any memories of the water slide? Were we suppose to go down on mats? I was probably that idiot kid that thought I knew better LOL!!
The Hydrotube. No...no mats. Bathing suits. No waiver. JUST GO. lol
I worked at Captain Chips. And our famous chips were Lays. LOL
YUMMYLAND
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