Thursday, December 01, 2005

The Mall

Pontiac, Michigan - 1967

Fantastic photo of a fountain inside The Mall (I believe this is just off the main entrance). Get a load of those incredibly funky trees, and that cool sun sculpture hanging over the scene! Nice. You can also see a "Hudson's Budget Store" anchoring the far end of the mall.

11 comments:

  1. Really great work you've done Keith !
    Thank you very much.

    Starr Julian.

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  2. Once again there's that weird yellowish lighing. I don't think it's always the film because I've been in too many malls (even today) where it's that strange, yellowish dream-like cast. Do they install the lighting to purposely BE this way?

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  3. i grew up shopping at yhe mall! one night after closing the large beam scene behind the gold sun came crashing down

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  4. Is this the mall that's now called Summit Place, or did Pontiac have a second mall?

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  5. That's Summit Place alright. I never knew it as "The Mall," but the Pontiac Mall. I did love those big splashy signs outside, gorgeous typeface!

    Spent way way too much time at Summit Place as a teenager-- sad to see it in the state it's in now. Eventually they are supposed to be semi-demolishing it and renovating the rest to face outdoors.

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  6. Actually, two generations of mallrats hung out there-- my mom and her friends used to walk up there, hang out and get bored and inevitably dunk one another into the fountains, leading to a lively evasion of whatever mall security existed in the early '70s.

    Another reason why I'm gonna miss this mall. :)

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  7. Thanks so much for posting the picture of the fountain. I remember going to the mall as a small child. I can almost hear the sound of the water. You could hear that fountain from far away as if it were calling my siblings and I to run to it. It was the first thing we would do when we got to the mall. Although the water wasn’t that deep, it sure seemed deep to my 5-year-old eyes. The coins in the bottom of the fountain looked as if they were far out of my reach. No matter how often we asked, Mom wouldn't give us money to throw into the fountain. It seems funny now- imagining myself scooping up coins one moment and then the next moment begging mom for a penny to throw in. No matter what time of year it was, those trees reminded me of Christmas. Years later I was disappointed when they drained the fountains. I remember that ugly sun dangling overhead. The only store I remember is the Kresgees. The letters above the store seemed bigger and brighter than any other sign in the mall. If I'm not mistaken, at one point they sold Icees and soft pretzels.

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  8. geez, terrible. i went there too as a kid. grew up in the airport road / m59 area.....have lots of fond memories of the pontiac mall or the mall....going to kresges and getting their subs.....shopping hudsons basement....going to monkey wards with mom to pick up catalog orders....wow....such a shame......thanx for the great pix!!!

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  9. One memorable and chilling thing about the Pontiac Mall was leaving through the main doors, you had a panoramic view of the State Hospital with it's gothic architecture, slate roofs and many, many brick buildings. It had been a self sustaining operation with it's own crops and hog farms.

    So... You'd go to see Santa, then set your eyes on the "Pontiac Hospital for the Insane". Even a five year old could appreciate this weird juxtaposition!

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  10. Mr goose, I can vividly remember the smells & sounds of the Pontiac mall back in the day, the Miami bake shop located next to Kresgee's was a favorite, chocolate eclairs filled with custard, many well known stores such as Hughes & Hatchers, Cunningham drugs,Wards on the north, & Hudson to the south,Fingers arts supply,and a goofy card shop, I cannot remember the name, thanks so much for the great pics Kieth......

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