mycroft

I just wanted to pop in back on the original topic and put in a warning about anyone who might get it in their heads to explore the area in question.  Just a few hundred feet north towards W. Bellfort is a large indigent encampment (visible on google maps).  The folks there are not particularly interested in having visitors and rumors say that some parts of the area may have traps.

There's nothing down there at the ditch that's worth even an uncomfortable encounter.

Yay, my hometown!  Strawberry Mall was indeed a thing, though it was never exceptionally large.  I know that it was certainly not doing much in the way of business by the early 1980's when I was first old enough to notice it.  That section of town was on the long downward slide after being settled post-WW2 by the 80's.

The picture that DJRage posted was almost certainly the Pasadena Foley's, which pre-existed the mall by a great many years and was heavily refurbished after Hurricane Alicia.

I remember watching bit of the reconstruction of that building from the bayou-facing patio of the Magnolia Brewery basement - which was a goth club at the time called 'The Morgue'.  That whole stretch of Milam and Franklin is fascinating.  Between the multiple stories of the Magnolia Building, the redevelopment of 110 Milam, and the Donnellan Crypt, there's plenty for a Houstonia buff to get into there.

The east end still has at least a few of these stores.  I know of one on Canal, and one on Harrisburg at Forest Hill.  I think I know of a third on Griggs.  Just as described, large convenience store selection with produce and a meat counter.