Vintage photos of lost Shopping Malls of the '50s, '60s & '70s
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Chris-Town Mall
Phoenix, Arizona - 1963
"Court of fountains - High, wide and handsome, with graceful slipper-arch stairways and multi-colored cieling panels. The magnificent waterfall fountain is a principal conversation piece among Chris-town's shoppers. "
Alas, the mall today is a mere shadow of its former self...the name is now Phoenix Spectrum Mall, the center court pictured here is now quite bland, and the Penney's is now a Costco. While it is kind of cool that Costco's main entrance opens up onto the mall, with its hot dog stand similar to a "sidewalk cafe," the noise of the shopping carts removes any sense of retail romance.
Chris-Town was THE place to go in the late 60's. There was always an Italian man with a tiny monkey dressed in red who would take pennies offered from the hands of children (like me) and then tip his hat. Huge bird cages graced the mall with loads of exotic birds. And a place I never got to go (but always wanted to) was The Janitors Closet, a bar whose entrance was in the middle of the walkway and was a set of stairs that led to the bar downstairs. Great place then, scary nasty place now.
Bryan: Glad you liked the shot! Thanks for the comment.
Miles: Great memories there, thanks for sharing 'em! Little obscure things like that monkey man, are the stories I love hearing about! Things like that gave malls and shopping centers their unique characters back in the day.
I grew up about a mile away from Chris-Town Mall, and let me tell you, it was the place for us junior high kids to hang out in the mid-seventies. I have many great memories of that mall, from the late 60's to the late 80's. I'm now in my forties and still live in Phoenix, so I was saddened when I heard that they were changing the name to "Spectrum Mall". Although everyone that I know who has lived here since the eighties or before, still calls it "Chris-Town". BTW, I recently stumbled across a website that is entirely devoted to Chris-Town Mall: http://www.barbarastew-art.com/christown.html It tells the complete history of the mall and includes lots of great photos from it's heyday. Definitely worth checking out....
I sure miss Chris-Town...Pizza D'Amore (still my favorite pizza, and the last one in Phoenix, at PV Mall, closed about a year ago), Pon's Chinese Food with their famous "Egg Roll on a Stick," the Red Baron Arcade...It'll always be a place of fond memories.
I just moved back to Phx after a 20+ year stint in California, and the first place I wanted to eat was Pizza D'Amore in the Christown Mall. What a dissapointment to have it gone. I grew up on with Christown Mall and Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. What is this world coming too?
Does anyone rememeber the bar/resturant at Tower Plaza that had the truck sticking out of the front of it? Maybe something with "club" in it? Love the Chris Town, not so nice today.
I remember the organ-grinder with his monkey. Does anyone remember the name of a delicatessen that was located in the mall? My mother used to buy rye bread there and they would slice it for her with a machine they had there. I remember rows of (white?)fish laying eyeless behind the glass of the counter as well as hot dogs (or some such) turning in a case toward the front of the store.
The name of the deli was "Miracle Mile Deli". In the late 80's I worked at the Hickory Farms there when I was in collage and spent many an evening or afternoon being dragged around by my parents there in the 70's.
Does anyone remember the Sand Sculptures they had there? It was also one of the only malls that had a car show once a month. I grew up hanging out there and Metro Center.
Hmm, I can add a comment here. I still miss the update. I had posted an idea to share adding content, and now with photo sharing sites around in abundance, there can be a continuing legacy of old shopping mall info on the internet. Keith, you had a great site, it can still continue.
So many great memories of this mall back in the late 80's all the way through the late 90's. Always loved the sand sculptures they used to have throughout the mall.. the old Orange Julies stand and the theater inside the mall that you'd have to take a escalator up to. As dumb as skipping school now seems, it was one of the few malls that wouldn't kick me and my friends out of during school hours back in '96-'98. We'd take the city bus up there and just hang out there all day walking around, eating at the old food court and checking out movies. Such good times. The mall sucks now. Once Walmart moved in the place went WAY down hill and is barely recognizable at this point.
One of the guys that made pizza at Pizza D amore still works at the Pizza Place at PV Mall - he's there all the time - ask him and maybe share the receipe
Our family lived in Maryvale in the 1960's and 1970s. It was a real treat to visit Chris Town for any reason. I remember the early days when they had a massive bird collection, there were always a few "escapee" birds flying around the rafters. In the early 1980's, I got a job with Kinney Shoes. My favorite place in the mall was a place called Mama's Subs.
Seeing something like that makes you think retail architects and designers just don't give a flip anymore.
ReplyDeleteAlas, the mall today is a mere shadow of its former self...the name is now Phoenix Spectrum Mall, the center court pictured here is now quite bland, and the Penney's is now a Costco. While it is kind of cool that Costco's main entrance opens up onto the mall, with its hot dog stand similar to a "sidewalk cafe," the noise of the shopping carts removes any sense of retail romance.
ReplyDeleteI remember Chris-Town from my childood. Wow, what a fond memory seeing the picture. -Bryan
ReplyDeleteChris-Town was THE place to go in the late 60's. There was always an Italian man with a tiny monkey dressed in red who would take pennies offered from the hands of children (like me) and then tip his hat. Huge bird cages graced the mall with loads of exotic birds. And a place I never got to go (but always wanted to) was The Janitors Closet, a bar whose entrance was in the middle of the walkway and was a set of stairs that led to the bar downstairs. Great place then, scary nasty place now.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly don't make 'em like that anymore.
Miles
Chris: I totally agree!
ReplyDeleteMitch: Well said.
Bryan: Glad you liked the shot! Thanks for the comment.
Miles: Great memories there, thanks for sharing 'em! Little obscure things like that monkey man, are the stories I love hearing about! Things like that gave malls and shopping centers their unique characters back in the day.
I grew up about a mile away from Chris-Town Mall, and let me tell you, it was the place for us junior high kids to hang out in the mid-seventies.
ReplyDeleteI have many great memories of that mall, from the late 60's to the late 80's.
I'm now in my forties and still live in Phoenix, so I was saddened when I heard that they were changing the name to "Spectrum Mall".
Although everyone that I know who has lived here since the eighties or before, still calls it "Chris-Town".
BTW, I recently stumbled across a website that is entirely devoted to Chris-Town Mall:
http://www.barbarastew-art.com/christown.html
It tells the complete history of the mall and includes lots of great photos from it's heyday.
Definitely worth checking out....
Paul
pdmc@cox.net
I sure miss Chris-Town...Pizza D'Amore (still my favorite pizza, and the last one in Phoenix, at PV Mall, closed about a year ago), Pon's Chinese Food with their famous "Egg Roll on a Stick," the Red Baron Arcade...It'll always be a place of fond memories.
ReplyDeleteYou can also access the Chris-Town site by simply going to www.chris-town.com
ReplyDeleteJohn
I just moved back to Phx after a 20+ year stint in California, and the first place I wanted to eat was Pizza D'Amore in the Christown Mall. What a dissapointment to have it gone. I grew up on with Christown Mall and Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. What is this world coming too?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone rememeber the bar/resturant at Tower Plaza that had the truck sticking out of the front of it? Maybe something with "club" in it? Love the Chris Town, not so nice today.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - the restaurant at tower plaza with the chevy truck - Acapulco Beach Club or something very close to that...
ReplyDeleteOops. Acapulco BAY Beach Club...
ReplyDeleteI remember the organ-grinder with his monkey. Does anyone remember the name of a delicatessen that was located in the mall? My mother used to buy rye bread there and they would slice it for her with a machine they had there. I remember rows of (white?)fish laying eyeless behind the glass of the counter as well as hot dogs (or some such) turning in a case toward the front of the store.
ReplyDeleteThe name of the deli was "Miracle Mile Deli". In the late 80's I worked at the Hickory Farms there
ReplyDeletewhen I was in collage and spent many an evening or afternoon being dragged around by my parents there in the 70's.
Does anyone remember the Sand Sculptures they had there? It was also one of the only malls that had a car show once a month. I grew up hanging out there and Metro Center.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I can add a comment here. I still miss the update. I had posted an idea to share adding content, and now with photo sharing sites around in abundance, there can be a continuing legacy of old shopping mall info on the internet. Keith, you had a great site, it can still continue.
ReplyDeleteChris-town mall.....
ReplyDeleteThe monkey wigged out on my little brother, thank god he did not have teeth but sure was funny
I think pizz d'amour is still at paradise valley mall...I remember it was 25 cents a slice!
ReplyDeleteSadly, Pizza D'Amour is not at PV Mall anymore. Does anyone know why it closed and if the owners opened up something else?
ReplyDeleteSo many great memories of this mall back in the late 80's all the way through the late 90's. Always loved the sand sculptures they used to have throughout the mall.. the old Orange Julies stand and the theater inside the mall that you'd have to take a escalator up to.
ReplyDeleteAs dumb as skipping school now seems, it was one of the few malls that wouldn't kick me and my friends out of during school hours back in '96-'98. We'd take the city bus up there and just hang out there all day walking around, eating at the old food court and checking out movies. Such good times. The mall sucks now. Once Walmart moved in the place went WAY down hill and is barely recognizable at this point.
One of the guys that made pizza at Pizza D amore still works at the Pizza Place at PV Mall - he's there all the time - ask him and maybe share the receipe
ReplyDeleteOur family lived in Maryvale in the 1960's and 1970s. It was a real treat to visit Chris Town for any reason. I remember the early days when they had a massive bird collection, there were always a few "escapee" birds flying around the rafters. In the early 1980's, I got a job with Kinney Shoes. My favorite place in the mall was a place called Mama's Subs.
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember the monkeys name? One of the best memories in my life.
ReplyDelete