Lakeland, Florida - 1972
Nice photo of the very carpeted, if not a little drab looking (in this view anyway), interior of Lakeland Mall in the early '70s. A Jean Nicole store is visible on the left, and some human beings on the right.
I can't seem to find much info about this mall, so I'm not sure what year it originally opened, but according to this article it seems to have closed in '94. Anyone know if that's the case for sure (and what year she opened)?
Mall history: ? - 1994 (dead)
Current website: n/a
Previous entries: none
(image © & courtesy of State Library and Archives of Florida)
This was your run-of-the-mill look for most Florida malls in the early 70's. It looks very similar to the old Lakes6 mall in Lauderhill that also was ironically demolished in '94. Except it didn't have those hanging hourglass light fixtures.
ReplyDeleteI can see they erected this at the height of mall popularity. No thought or money put into a decent structure. For pete's sake, no skylights! It's a drop ceiling with florescent lights similar to an office. Now that I've finished ripping on it, it's a nice photo! ;)
ReplyDeleteScott
Scott, that's how many smaller Wisconsin malls that popped up in the 1970s were built as well, in the same way you describe. Low ceilings and fluorescent lighting. A few had normal flooring though, not carpeted floors.
ReplyDeleteBy smaller, I mean malls that had 2 anchors and around space for 30 shops, sometimes less than that. They only served the immediate city, not an entire county and its surrounding areas.
Also take note of another oddity you don't see anymore....wider storefronts needing more than one sign. It was mostly Marianne or Lerner in my state that had the habit of sticking two signs up on their storefront.
Yet, this Jean Nicole needs THREE of them.
This mall was anchored by a Montgomery Wards and Woolco. It also contained a movie theatre. When Woolco closed, it was replaced by a SAM's Club. In 1988, The Lakeland Square Mall opened and most shoppers left for the new mall. The SAM's Club stayed there until 1994, but the mall itself was basically dead. Then in 1998, First Baptist Church of Lakeland purchased the vacant 400,000 sq ft mall. The church is now known as First Baptist Church at the Mall.
ReplyDeleteDrab???!!! No way, not when Jean Nicole is in the photo. I have been dying to see a Jean Nicole storefront in a photo and so far this is the first one I have come across. I miss this tore so much.
ReplyDeleteMaybe those Jean Nicole people were getting a jump on those recent "Head-On" ads... you know, "Head-On, apply directly to the forehead. Head-On, apply directly to the forehead. Head-On, apply directly to the forehead."
ReplyDeleteI'm from Orlando but sometimes my mother and I would end up here and it was the most boring place on earth, I hated shopping anyway so going here wasn't pleasant. The name Lakeland puts me to sleep.
ReplyDeleteThat is a big Jean Nicole. I agree the three signs rather than one large one is a bit weird. My first job was at one as a stockboy...our in IL opened in 1978 and the signage was different then.
ReplyDeletethe head shop was jems & junk ...
ReplyDeletemood rings & black light posters ... those were the days !
There was also a SupeRX drug store in the mall a Ponderosa steakhouse out front...
ReplyDeleteI know that back in 1984 there was a Chuck E Cheese restaurant that was also located adjacent to the mall.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've gathered, 1994 was indeed the end for this failing mall in a declining area.
Sadly, I'm beginning to see these same signs popping up at the Lakeland Square Mall nowdays. It makes me wonder how many years left that place has in it!
Back in the 70's there was a store called "The Plum Tree" and two clothing store called "Britches South"and "Fox n' Hound". This was a small complex with limited offerings by todays standards. Previous postings are correct in their assesments.
ReplyDeleteIt was actually a pretty good mall for the times, we had a lot of fun shopping there. This brings a smile to my face!
ReplyDeleteThe Lakeland Mall opened circa 1964. The Major store on the West end was Montgomery Ward, what was the major on the East end?
ReplyDeleteWoolCo
DeleteWolco didn't exist in 1964. What was the original Major store on the East end of the mall?
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Lakeland and this was my hangout as a teenager. Sure, the shopping was way better over in Tampa -- and they had escalators! -- but for
ReplyDeleteLakeland in the early 80's, the mall was a safe place to see and be seen. My favorite stores were the tiny Hallmark across from the Jean Nicole, the pet shop down by the Jerry Lewis theater (which boasted two -- two! -- whole screens!), the sole bookstore (the "Paperback Booksmith"), and the video arcade -- my games of choice: "Star Wars" and "Frogger". There was no food court, but there was a small, walk-up Orange Julius and a Morrison's Cafeteria. Of course, there were obligatory jewelry stores, a Florshiem shoe store, and an appliance store. I think the anchor store other than Montgomery Wards was a TG&Y (?); I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Woolco since we had a Woolsworth across Memorial Boulevard at Sears Town. Probably the most unique feature of the old Lakeland Mall was the huge black-and-white photo-collage mural across from the movie theater; in it were dozens of celebrities from Hollywood's golden age: W.C. Fields, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Tom & Jerry, King Kong, etc. When Lakeland Square opened with its food court, shiny marble floors, potted palms, and skylights, the simple little mall couldn't compete. Progress. (It sure would be nice to record my high score on that old school "Frogger" game one more time...)
Anyone remember Foxmores
DeleteThere was a Woolco there but I think it replaced the Montgomery Wards. I only remember one anchor store and the movie theaters were in the back. It is now a Baptist Church. I loved going there!
ReplyDeleteI went there with my grandparents on numerous occasions and we would always eat at Morrison's Cafeteria. If I remember right I think there was a video arcade as well.
ReplyDeleteEast end of mall may have been a Zayre dept. store.
ReplyDeleteZayre was over by S Lake Parker Dr and Main St area
DeleteI was born an Lakeland. There was only one Anchor store, it was Montgomery Wards. Wool Co was added later. The mall ended with a drug store and a small sundry store front.
ReplyDeleteThe last comment was correct. I remember shopping for records in the Woolco bargain bins.
ReplyDeleteJems and Junk was amazing, at least to my middle schooler sensibilities!
remember the old toy king and Ponderosa out front?
ReplyDeleteI remember that toy store. The building still stands, I believe.
ReplyDeleteThe cinema is still there, used by the church. Maybe someone who has seen both versions can describe what's different now.
I used to visit this mall when my family used to visit from Canada on March break. Loved the toy shop as a kid and the Fox and Hound was a favorite for clothes shopping as a young teen. Great memories here.
ReplyDeleteRemember the really cool Josie's clothing store in the mall?
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Lakeland. My family still owns, what was “Lakeland Lincoln Mercury”. Eventually changed to “Jenkins Lincoln Mercury”. Now “Jenkins Lincoln” Main st. My first job was at “Captain Orange” in 1974. Then I worked at Josie’s in 1978 in the Lakeland Mall. I loved working there. Carlos Santana was preforming in 1978 and came to the Lakeland Mall before the concert at the Lakeland Civic Center. Carlos came into Josie’s and I walked with him through the mall. It was an awesome moment! Good memories growing up in Lakeland.
DeleteThere was also a josies boutique in this mall. Coolest bell bottoms, fringed purses and baby doll tops
ReplyDelete