MOA Galleria - Universal Mall Vintage Decor
Warren, Michigan - circa 1980s
Since precious little vintage Universal Mall material has surfaced online (or in my inbox) yet, I'm reduced to recreating my own for this relatively obscure little cult mall I grew up with in Warren, MI. And that's what the above graphic is. It's my own Photoshop rendition of the forest-themed wall mural (or wallpaper) that hung in certain areas of Universal Mall's funky interior back in the early to mid '80s, and possibly before.
This design is based on my 1986 Universal Mall Boat Show video, where you can see quick glimpses of the mall's mural art in the background of certain shots. Obviously it was there in early 1986 (the time of the video), but my own youthful memories of this decor element go further back than that. How far back it actually does date in the mall I'm not sure, but it's possible it goes back to the late '70s at least (not that anyone on Earth really cares besides me). Either way, I just dug the design and thought I'd try to recreate it and document it here on the blog--for posterity's sake if nothing else.More Universal Mall: 1, 2
Labels: '80s, 1986, Decor, galleria, Michigan, Universal Mall, Warren
posted by Keith @ 6/18/2007
8 Comments:
Keith, not to fear, you are NOT the only person in the world who digs that design! That makes a groovy wallpaper on my comp. Great job!!!
I love Universal Mall too, you are definitely not the only person who cares! Have you heard about the plans to close it down?
That wallpapaer looks A LOT like the walpaper in an apertment I used to live in. The landlord inherited a custom wallcovering business from his father, and used his father's 60's designs to decorate the apartment.
He also designed some of the sets in the movie That Thing You Do, directed by Tom Hanks. It was set in the early '60's.
Now how can I design a whole apartment building with 60s wallpaper? My father owns an apartment. I should work extra hard to do some convincing for him that wallpaper is better than painting everytime someone new moves in. LOL!
I grew up in Warren (lived there from 1965-1980), close by to the mall. I recall a huge tiled wall mural that looked much like Universal Studios logo today with the. Does anyone else remember that?
There was a huge tile mosaic of a space scene on the entrance back in the 60s. That entrance was demolished when they expanded the mall to add the Mervyns (i think) wing.
Would like to see universal mall mosaic.
That mosaic was the best. Solar System. It seems to be an illusive photo.
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