Deptford, New Jersey - 1970s(?)
Hmm... Sort of strange looking fountains in Deptford Mall, aren't they? Still, cool little array, though! I really like how they have the fountain basins tiered like that. You can barely see a larger one just out of camera range in the foreground underneath the smaller two. Nice. Wonder how they looked at night (and are they still there?).
Mall history: 1975 - present
Current website: here
Current aerial view
Resource articles: 1, 2
Previous entries: none
I was there about six years ago and all I can remember about the place is being impressed with the large food court!
ReplyDeleteSadly they are no longer there This was my mall when I was I kid and these fountains transfixed. they lit up blue, yellow and red. There were adjacent minor pools, cascades and jets arounds the round basins as well. the mobile in the top of the picture was of the universe and absolutely incredible. Originally design by Kravco, this mall was revamped in 1991 and has little of the original charm. They did install a new fountain, but nowhere near as spectacular
ReplyDeleteVery cool pic of the Deptford Mall fountains...many malls in NJ today do not have as elaborate fountains the way they used to...I'd love to see more pics of NJ malls, especially mall fountains...if you can come across them, the fountains at the former Seaview Square Mall, Quakerbridge Mall, Cherry Hill Mall, Willowbrook Mall and Garden State Plaza used to be pretty elaborate (the latter two, along with Rockaway Townsquare also had unique interiors prior to their respective renovations).
ReplyDeleteI believe they covered up the fountains and used these as platforms during the holidays, you can see a chained-off "ramp" to the right. I think I remember seeing the Easter Bunny and Santa set up in this area.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been in the mall in years, but I always thought is was the most boring in the area. At least compared to Cherry Hill Mall (Used to have a mini amusement park...seriously!), Echelon Mall (Lots of twists and turns to keep things interesting...all but dead now) & Moorestown Mall (Used to have ducks swimming down a stream in the center of the main corridor!).
So neat to see a pic of the Deptford Mall, these are rare to see. My mom and I used to drive an hour in the 80's to get to this mall, now I live right around the corner. I don't remember the fountains being there in the 80's; it is currently a large open space used for the Easter Bunny and Santa. The mall was recently "renovated" with new flooring and carpeting and new tables/chairs in the food court. It's much more updated looking, as opposed to the teal and purple theme it was sporting. It's far from being a dead mall, with new higher end stores coming in such as Sephora and Coach, and few vacancies. The entire Deptford area is being built up, traffic is awful! Thanks again for the pic!
ReplyDeleteSpecific to the fountains, they are completely gone. The center court is 100% flat tile. No resemblance of any fountains. I found this site and pic cause I commented to my wife how elaborate the Santa display uses to be. It was a multiple level castle most years... I think some times it was Disney themed... And it would fit onto the fountain pods (as another poster commented).
ReplyDeleteRegarding the mall... As someone else posted, this is far from a dead mall. It recently sold and grabbed a very high price because the per sq ft sales numbers are in up in the higher brackets. There are several malls to the north, but south there are affluent communities and for them this is the closest (and only) mall.
I've watched the Deptford Mall from
ReplyDeletethe time it openned till now. The
fountains where the best mall
attractions.The Deptford Mall rings converted to three seperate
platforms for hoidays and special
attractions. I remember them, one
year, bringing aircraft into the
center court for display. The
fountain was removed and later
replaced with a smaller fountain.
The mall also had a seperate fountain in front of Wanamakers
which had an eagle perched inside.
Sadly, there are no more fountains.The only negative thing
about the fountains is when they
where on you couldn't hear yourself think. Today there is
a customer service desk in the place where the smaller fountain was. Unlike Cherry Hill and Moorestown malls Deptford was the first two story mall in south jersey.
Very cool! I still go to Deptford Mall pretty regularly. I am 30 now, and I remember being there as a kid seeing Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and riding the old carousel. Anyone else remember the carousel? It was located where the present-day food court is.
ReplyDeleteThe name was La Dolce Vita Italian restaurant in back and up front was pizza. This was a great place
ReplyDeletehow about the pet store and the Deptford tavern roy rogers
ReplyDeleteLoved the Deptford mall was there every friday night back in the day. It was the place to be. You had to hang out in the arcade and play pinball. We would call you a mall rat if you were always there.
ReplyDeleteHow can we all forget the Farrell's Ice Cream place near the Arcade, where Ruby Tuesday is today?!
ReplyDeleteIt was a destination restaurant!
Farrell's was the coolest place as a kid!!! And didn't Deptford have some sort of cafeteria style restaurant ? Or was that a different south jersey mall?
DeleteDoes anyone remember the German themed hot dog place? I think it was called Spicemeister's?
ReplyDeleteLoved that place. Took my wife there 30 years ago when we were dating.
DeleteYes, it was awesome I still miss it. I worked in the mall and went there, Roy Rodgers, and La. Dolce Vita for dinner on my break! All gone now :( Only place to get roast beef is Arby’s now and it’s not the same,
DeleteDoes anyone have photos of Deptford Mall in the 1970's when they had the Sesame St Christmas theme?
ReplyDeleteLa Dolce Vita... I was a hostess in the restaurant during high school. I will never forget a little kid yelling "Look Mommy, Mickey Mouse" as a mouse ran across the restaurant into the kitchen!!!!
ReplyDeleteLa Dolce Vita... I was a hostess in the restaurant during high school. I will never forget a little kid yelling "Look Mommy, Mickey Mouse" as a mouse ran across the restaurant into the kitchen!!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember that pizza parlour omg the nostalgia!!!!
ReplyDeleteI forgot about those fountains until I saw them in the picture above. The memories it brought back! I grew up in Blackwood and went to the mall since I was little. Now I bring my daughter. I remember the pizza place, Farrells, the Orange Bowl (best cheese pretzels ever), the toy store, I worked in the pet store when I was a young adult.... does anyone remember one of the Department stores having a Christmas shop just for kids to buy presents for their families?
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ReplyDeleteI remember in the early 80’s they put wood covers on the fountains and seeing the Mahoney Brothers doing 3 Beatles concert sets throughout a Saturday - they dressed and sounded like them! 1st show was early afternoon they did early Beatles, later afternoon Sgt. Pepper, and later evening Abbey Road period. Great memories in my teenage years!
ReplyDeleteDeptford Mall was a mega haven in the 80s, when I was a teenager. Let me throw some names at you:
ReplyDeleteBagel Builders
Farrell’s
Arcade
Roy Rogers
Bristow’s
Sam Goody
Spencer Gifts
DO I NEED TO GO ON?!?!
If you don’t remember or appreciate these things, you’re a friggin loser. I was the king of the mall back then. Show respect.
Hi. My husband and I were the owners of the Orange Bowl from Aug 7, 1975 til 1987, when they opened the food court. We had to move to the food court as Flamers Charbroiled Hamburgers. We have wonderful memories of our years in the Orange Bowl and Deptford Mall. Someone above asked about the orange drink. Actually it was Ojoy-frozen vanilla soft ice cream with orange juice. We are still close friends with one of our managers who was 16 when she started and now in her 50’s! Does anyone remember when the Mummers went march through the mall? Everyone came running out of the stores. And when the actors from one of the tv soap operas came to speak at Center court. In those days, Deptford Mall was the Center of activity for the area. Days before computers, socialmedia, etc. I think times were better.
ReplyDeleteMalls have no character anymore. Sad I wish they would come back to their old glory!
ReplyDelete