IronTiger

Yeah, my opinions (or the truth) are that they actually didn't believe they were real, there was just a gang named the Smurfs which made everything the more ridiculous. If you choke a smurf, what color does it turn?

It's bad forum etiquette to twist someone's quote, even if it possibly was veiled racism. The actual quote was "I think it's an understatement to say that it went into decline until the late 90's. I went in there in the late '90s and was consistently startled by the swarthiness of the clientele. It is so much nicer now. I think the hoodlums migrated to the Edwards Cinema plex at Silber and I 10.".

Was it Hickory Farms, the label now which was once a whole retail store? There used to be lots of 'em in malls back in the day.

No, Burdett & Son's was another tenant alongside Academy. Other tenants included Joe's Used Books, a furniture liquidators, Kolache Rolf's (I think they stuck around for a while), and Jason's Deli...they were more on the Charming Charlie side of the plaza (where CC is today) but they later moved to the other side of the building. What about the Shell in the middle of the parking lot? Remember that?

Well, I'm talking about a strictly economic standpoint. As for Mervyn's, they're going to file for Chapter 11 soon.

Apparently there was once a Sears here that moved to Post Oak Mall. Where was the Sears?

Isn't it also embarrassing that Texas has no more Lord & Taylors, very few Mervyn's, AND no Bloomingdale's?

I think that the area where Taco Casa is, at the corner of Wellborn and Rock Prairie, used to be Sonic. I'm pretty sure it was A&W before that. Am I right?

Oh, cool! See, there's this site that has photographs/memories/histories of malls, over at a site called Labelscar. There's one for Almeda Mall obviously, but also San Jacinto Mall, Mall of the Mainland, and the dreadfully exciting Galleria!!!

Excuse me, but this is the BCS thread with BCS restaurants. I believe you wanted to go to here!

Well, I actually posted an "expose" in a nutshell on my blog here, to demonstrate the great changes... Man, you guys seem like you're having a blast discussing Houston restaurants! I had done a similar, unrelated thread that didn't do very well.

I was only told to not take pictures at the Apple store.

Well, I just finished a "report" on the Galleria with LOTS of pictures! Click here... Be sure to leave a comment!

Apparently not. According to aerial photos, only Wards was razed. Was it multiple stories?

Saks Fifth Avenue! OK, next question: When I was in Houston last, I tried to snap a picture of the former Foley's HQ. Is that it, next to the Mega Millions sign? (apology for the terrible photo)

Awesome! I live in College Station, so there might be one there someday! I went to Florida recently and there was a S n' S literally right behind my grandfather's home! Unfortunately, I was in Florida for a funeral, so...

Well, for one thing, you must start with the mall's layout. It was a giant "M" (more like an upside-down W) with two corridors running down the legs of the "M" and four anchors on the legs (top and bottom). The center of the "M" had a large fountain. That was the first level. The basement corridors were the same but lacked the court, so they were basically two dumbbell-shaped corridors linked by a massive parking garage. The second level, located only in the court area, had offices. In the mid-80s, the court was changed, to add a food court in the basement (but removing the fountain). The mall was also built on a landfill in the high Colorado plateau, leading to ground shifting and cracks. It was closed for almost three months. Even with a massive renovation, at $36 million dollars which added: Skylights Parquet flooring Holes cut in first floor concourses to allow light in basement corridors A food court in the basement Removal of fountain A new anchor store (ultimately Foley's before closing) The mall was way too uninviting for anyone, as it was said in the papers. The stores left at an alarming rate, the current structure was deemed unfit for new development, and in 1998 the whole thing was knocked down for the new city center. Photos: http://flickr.com/photos/28235843@N00/sets...57600567062196/

Regarding architecture, I think the late Cinderella City Mall is a good example. At 1.3 million square feet, the mall, located in Denver, Colorado was America's largest in 1968. Unfortunately, the mall quickly became outmoded. It had a very unusual floorplan (see Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella City ), structural problems, and if a corridor looks like this following a major mid-80s renovation: I'd say the architecture was to blame!

Do tell.

Yeah, Galleria III is creepy. Part of the problem is, you're forced to go to Saks, so many people forget about it. The traffic level compared to Gallerias I, II, and IV is way higher than Galleria III.

Well, yeah, today. Back 10-15 years ago, well...not so much.

OK. Thanks. What I've got so far is Sears opened in 1962, Montgomery Ward opened later (196?), Foley's opened later (196? or 197?), and Lord & Taylor opened in 1977, Frost Brothers opened somewhere (I have never figured out where, but apparently they closed in the late '80s), then Mervyn's came into the former Lord & Taylor after they bolted, Wards closed, then in the remodel, Foley's was torn down, and a new Foley's, Dillard's, Lord & Taylor opened, and Target opened (former Wards). Then Lord & Taylor left (again) and became JCPenney. Then Mervyn's closed and was razed for...a Cold Stone? Still, I haven't figured out what the ice rink used to be, or the food court, or the former remodels...

Hmm...interesting. What I was really hoping for is perhaps photos or old mall directory or accurate descriptions of the old decor. Thanks, though!

Oh! That "cake and pie" place was Royder's, or at least, Royder's was the last owner of the place before NailSpa. Old Country Buffet, too, near Kroger was like a more-crappy version of Golden Corral.

Wouldn't that be where Jack in the Box is now?