Mall Sign: Lakewood Shopping Center

Lakewood, California - circa 1950s

The very bold and distinctive looking entrance sign at the Lakewood Shopping Center (or just Lakewood Center) as seen in the 1950s. This photo find comes courtesy of Brian Neuroth. Thanks, Brian! This is a great sign design to study, where less (in this case anyway), is obviously more.

Mall history: 1952 - present
Current website: here
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
Previous entries: 1, 2, 3, 4

Retro Lakewood Shopping Center (aka Lakewood Center)

Lakewood, California - circa 1950s

Lakewood Shopping Center (now officially called Lakewood Center), just epitomizes retro cool and swank to me--the vintage version I mean. Oh it's still a pretty nice mall today, but it's not retro cool like this anymore! It's currently anchored by JCPenney, Macy's (formerly Robinsons-May), Mervyns, and Target.

The vintage postcard photo above was taken in much earlier, swankier days, of course, probably from right around 1952 when the shopping center first opened. There's a Columbia store visible on the left, among others, and the distinctive May Company anchor store in back with the big "M" logo. The card's short caption simply says: "The Attractive And Colorful Shopping Center, Lakewood, California."

Mall history: 1952 - present
Current website: here
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
Previous entries: 1, 2, 3