MOA Galleria - '70s Fashion Shopping

Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Fall, 1972

Two very groovy, happenin' ladies check out the trendy '70s Fall fashions they intend to rock, as they shop at Haber's department store in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

See more Galleria here!

(Study images courtesy & © the State Library and Archives of Florida)

Columbia Mall (aka Avondale Mall)

Decatur, Georgia - November, 1972

Outside Georgia's first enclosed mall, Columbia Mall (renamed Avondale Mall in the mid-'80s), in November of 1972. This photo is courtesy of Judy Baxter, who was actually taking a picture of her new Plymouth Duster at the time. Glad she chose Columbia Mall's parking lot for her photo shoot! Some of the stores visible here are: Sears, Baskin-Robbins, Ryan's, Wigs, Thom McCann Shoes, John Couffiers, Walgreen's, Walgreen's Grill, and Davison's, as well as the main entrance.

Alas, this mall is now gone. Token demolition began earlier this year in February, and the razing was completed in earnest just a few months ago in March of 2007 (some of which can be viewed here), all to make way for a... any guesses? Yep, a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Many local residents protested the coming of that Wal-Mart in place of the abandoned Columbia/Avondale Mall (see their grassroots Stop The Avondale Mall WalMart page for proof of their retail unrest).

Note: The aerial link below is obviously a little outdated now, as it still shows the mall's structure (look for Belvedere Plaza Shopping Center just to the South).

Mall history: 1964 - 2001 (dead)
Current website: n/a
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
Resource links: 1, 2, 3, 4
Previous entries: 1

Retro Mall Video: Columbia Mall (aka Avondale Mall) Demolition

Decatur, Georgia - March, 2007

The last Sears wall at the abandoned Columbia/Avondale Mall is razed to make way for a new Wal-Mart Supercenter in its stead--much to the dismay of many local residents (which you can read about in another Columbia Mall entry). Such a sad sight for anyone who's a vintage mall lover.

Note: This video is only part one of four. For your viewing convenience, I put them all on one page in a playlist at YouTube, if you'd like to go watch the rest after this one. Click here for the playlist.

Stylish Tacoma Mall Interior, 1972

Tacoma, Washington - 1972

Inside Tacoma Mall in the early seventies. Below is the accompanying caption for this vintage reference photo (most shopping malls don't even bother to do such local, community-centric things like this anymore):

"Display of portraits of the officers and directors of the Greater Tacoma Chamber of Commerce surrounding pillars within the Tacoma Mall. Shoppers at the mall in 1972 were invited to meet the area's business leaders via their color portraits taken by the Richards Studio. A label identifying the individual was in the corner of each gold and wood framed picture."

Mall history: 1964 - present
Architect: John Graham
Current website: here
Current aerial view
Previous entries: 1, 2, 3, 4

(Study image courtesy Tacoma Public Library, Richards Studio Collection D160900-352C)

International Malls: Sears in San Juan

San Juan, Puerto Rico - 1972

Sears Shopping Center in the Hato Rey business district in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 1972. If I didn't know it, I'd assume this was a shopping center somewhere in the U.S., wouldn't you? Looks like maybe Florida or something. Either way it just goes to show that retail Swank is universal! ...Or was, at any rate.

And man, that classic old-style Sears script logo sure looks nice. Always reminds me of my childhood whenever I see it--similar to Montgomery Ward, JCPenney, and Kmart, to name a few more.

(photo courtesy & © University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries)

International Malls: Simpsons Court at Sherway Gardens

Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 1972

Welcome to the psychedelic '70s... Canadian style! Many thanks to Jason Cawood, for submitting this groovy photo of the Simpsons (now defunct) storefront in the Simpsons Court section of a shopping mall in Toronto (which exact one wasn't specified).

Yes, this blog is called, Malls of America, but heck, I like to add a little spice to the mix now and then--especially when it's this tasty! Besides, America, Canada, Zimbabwe, Mars...who cares? In the end, the mall's really the thing. I like looking at them wherever they're from. :)

Edit: This photo was taken in the Sherway Gardens shopping centre in Toronto. I've updated the title to reflect this.