Albuquerque, New Mexico - 1960's
Hey gang! I apologize for disappearing for a bit of late (long story), but hey, let's get right back into it, shall we? Got lots of stuff to start catching up on. :)
This beautiful vintage aerial postcard of the Winrock Center mall is just the ticket to get those retro shopping mall juices flowing again, don't you think? Stunning. I'd like to be in a helicopter in this scene, and land that bird right down there on the mall's rooftop when it's closed (yes, ala DAWN OF THE DEAD, hehe), and drop down into it and have the place all to myself! One-stop-shopping...everything you need right at your fingertips!
Their old website address seems to be dead, so I'll update this entry later with a new one, assuming they have one and I can find it.
Great to see you back at it again. You and the great pix were missed. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I missed you guys, too!! :) Nice to be getting back in the groove here.
ReplyDeleteYeah, welcome back Keith! :)
ReplyDeleteNice aerial to get the ball rolling again, showing the classic 'straight' design many malls took on in the day. No winding corridors, no 'maze' one had to go through to get from end to end...just one long wide concourse.
Like you, i'd just love to have the place all to myself for one night.
Good to have you back Mr. Milford!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're back Keith! I've really missed my daily "mall crawl!"
ReplyDeletewhat they all said
ReplyDeleteThanks for the welcomes and the great comments, everyone! Makes coming back here all the more pleasant. :)
ReplyDeleteYou guys rock!
Matt: Good point on the modern "maze" observation. So true!
Hey!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see you back. I find your blog very interesting. I like the pictures.
ReplyDeleteA belated welcome back.
ReplyDeleteWell, I am from Guadalajara Mexico and i took a 3 months vacations in ABQ. The winrock mall is a really nice place with a beatiful bookstore (Borders). I had the opportunity to visited a lot of times.
ReplyDeleteDo you know when the will provide more information on the redevelopment plans for Winrock? Right next door they are nearing completion of the ABQ Uptown Lifestyle Center. This is going to put a wrench in Winrock's plans as they have already landed several new retailers to the Albuquerque Market. Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Chico's, White House Black Market, Sunset Canyon (Desinger Denim store), Sharper Image, Apple, BCBG Max Azaria, Coldwater Creek, Jos A. Bank, J. Jill, Soma, Bravo Cucina Italiano, Marcello's Steaks, Elephant Bar, and many more upscale retailers yet to be announced. Bottom line is all this development is great for the Albuquerque MSA which just surpassed 800,000. And with over 8,000 new homes last year and the redevelopment of Downtown I only expect things to get better.
ReplyDeleteThere has to be hope for Winrock Center becuase if they were to just pull out completely some other commerical developer would just pull right in. That is definatley a hot spot for retail development being located near the exit of the Interstate 40.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see this picture of Winrock Center. My father is a CPA, who used to do the Cutty Sark audit every summer (headquarters outside Albuquerque) and we always stayed in the White Winrock Hotel. This place was so special because the hotel was attached to a shopping mall, which was unheard of at that time! Does anyone remember Diamond Jim's Restaurant that was in Winrock Center? Great memories of a wonderful place for this Texas girl born in 1954!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what the website address is / was for Winrock? I am from ABQ but left in 1988. I was planning a trip back there for my highschool renunion, and was looking for places to re-visit.
ReplyDeletethanks
Sadly the Uptown shows put the final nail in Winrock's coffin. The mall is all but dead now. Currently the only stores still active are Bed, Bath and Beyond and Dillard's.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side it has been reborn as a location to film movies...look for Winrock in Observe and Report a film due out sometime in 2009.
Sorry to say but Winrock is dead. There are a few anchors that are hanging on like Bed Bath and Beyond and Dillards but all the stores on the inside are gone. It is at the moment being used as a movie set for "Observe and Report."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1197628
it is amazing to find a blogging site on Malls in America. I just visited the Winrock Mall with the new developer and have seen the plans. They are spectecular!!! The developer expects to open the renewed mall by 2012 or so.
ReplyDeleteI'm very sad to see this mall die. I worked there for awhile in the late 90's. It was a nice place, with a "small town" feel. Makes me sad..........
ReplyDeleteHello all
ReplyDeleteI grew up a couple of miles from Winrock, some of my best times were spent there. I can still remember when Santa flew in on a helicopter in the early 60's. Does any body remember when ther was a slide on the NE corner of Winrock?
I had the opportunity to visit
ReplyDeleteAlbuquerque in the summer of 1963
to attend the National Science Fair. I stayed with a nice family
on Rhode Island, NE and they took
me to Winrock Center. Being from
Kentucky -- going to a mall was a
real treat! I've often wondered
whatever came of this great mall!
(Winrock) Diamond Jim's featured a "girl in a red velvet swing," if memory serves; believe this place was similar in interior design to the Barbary Coast in LV, now Bill's Gambling Hall.
ReplyDeleteI remember
ReplyDeletediamond Jims. I went to the University of NM in 1961. I lived on campus in Onate Hall. (There should be a squigly over the 'n')
Wow, memories. I went to Monroe Junior High in the late 60's and fondly remember Winrock. Oh, the trouble we got into there. My grandmom use to work in a jewerly store back then.
ReplyDeleteYes, "Diamond Jims" just off to to the left upon entry... circa 1971... And where a girl had her friend come up and "ask me" to her table! Quite a bit different from Leo's LeRoq or even the still ongoing Caravan East.
ReplyDelete@Dosmijos
ReplyDeleteIt was the Astro Slide, just to the East of the Fox Movie Theater which had a huge curved screen - Cinerama? Also grew up close by, had to cross the overpass to get to Monroe Jr High. Tons of fun at Winrock after school and on the weekends! Beach Boys albums at Record Rendevous!
Great Picture of Winrock! No website yet but you can find us at Winrock Town Center on facebook. We are open for business and construction is on schedule.
ReplyDelete