Galvez Mall

[Dan H]

I remember that the new Mall of the Mainland built in 1991 across the causeway in Texas City became the place to be seen and to shop also contributed to the demise of the Galvez Mall during its last years. The Mall of the Mainland was new, and the old Galvez Mall was deteriorating, and it was only a short drive and a much shorter drive than going all the way to the Baybrook Mall on I45 in Friendswood.  

[k5jri radio]

Interesting posting with photograph about the Mall of the Mainland located at Texas City TX, approximately 16 miles across the causeway from Galveston Island. In addition to being 23 years newer (opened in 1991) than the Galvez Mall (opened in 1968), the Mall of the Mainland had twice the enclosed area (800,000 sq.ft.) than the Galvez Mall (400,000 sq.ft.). When Sears left the Galvez Mall (circa late 1991 or early 1992) and relocated to the Mall of the Mainland, the resultant loss of "foot traffic" in the Galvez Mall may have been a factor prompting another anchor store, Eibands, to vacate the Galvez Mall at the end of the summer in 1992. In March 1996, Beall's, the last remaining anchor store, closed its Galvez Mall store location.

Although it may be coincidental, the last owners of the Galvez Mall renamed it, The Island, giving it a geographical identification similar to the Mall of the Mainland. More research is needed to determine if the Galvez Mall renaming was deliberate or coincidental.

Over time the Mall of the Mainland declined to approximately 65 percent occupancy (circa 2002) due in part to competition from Baybrook Mall in Houston (Friendswood mailing address, but within Houston city limits), approximately 10 miles north. The Mall of the Mainland had several changes in ownership until developer Jerome Karam bought the property in 2015. That same year he sold part of the property (the building formerly occupied by Dillard's) to First Baptist Church of Texas City and renamed the remainder of the property, Shops on the Mainland. After another renaming In 2020, the property is now named Mainland City Centre.

Edited July 14, 2022 by k5jri radio
more complete information

[k5jri radio]

The comments about the Mall of the Mainland (Texas City, TX) during the early to mid 1990's being a place to "be seen and to shop" underscore the social aspects inherent in enclosed shopping malls and similar retail venues.

Edited July 6, 2022 by k5jri radio
clarification

[k5jri radio]

According to another Galvez Mall posting, prior to the opening of the Eibands department store in one of the anchor locations at the Galvez Mall, there was a Globe department store in the same location. Per online sources, Globe stores operated in Texas and other states in the southwest as a big box retail unit of Walgreens for much of its existence (1960-1999). The posting's author stated his recollection of shopping at the Globe store in Galvez Mall coincided with the time The Warriors movie was creating a lot of controversy. The Warriors was released on February 9, 1979 and grossed $22.5 million (approximately $91 million in 2022 dollars) against a $4 million production budget (approximately $16.5 million in 2022 dollars). The Warriors movie is currently available for streaming on ROKO, VUDU, and possibly other services. Also, The Warriors movie is available on  DVD & Blu-Ray disc formats from Amazon.com.

Edited July 8, 2022 by k5jri radio
more complete information

[coastiestevie]

Hello! Does anyone know specific details about Galvez Mall? Such as the opening date, closing date, etc?

[BigJoeTX]

Resurrecting a screename I haven’t logged into in 15 years here… I beg to differ on the decline of Mall of the Mainland being because of Baybrook, Baybrook was always the better mall to go to (and it was built in 1978 I believe).  I was born and raised in Galveston and we frequently drove right past Galvez and Mall of the Mainland to go to Baybrook.  It’s a testament to Baybrook’s strength as a mall, that even these days, in a era where malls are have become a bygone relic, Baybrook is bigger and stronger than ever, having added an outdoor mall area too.  
 

I would describe Mall of the Mainland as a blip, it was never “the place” to be, it really only had about 5-10 year heyday if you could call it that.  As a Galvestonian the main reason to go to Mall of the Mainland was the movie theater (or sheer laziness if you were shopping and didn’t want to drive 12 more mins to Baybrook), which after the closure of the Broadway Theater and Galvez Mall theaters became the closest theater.  This even fell off after the megaplexes came into fashion in the late 90s.  Suddenly, rather than bother with the dinky old 12 screen at Mall of the Mainland you’d drive 20-30 miles to go to the AMC 30 at the beltway or Cinemark in Webster.  Then they built the small theater in Galveston which was good enough and left pretty much no reason to go to Mall of the Mainland at all.  

[player1videogames]

I worked at Aladdins castle in Galvez Mall in 1992 and loved this little mall. I saw so many free movies because I would give free games to the guys that worked at the theater. Loved Kay Bee Toys. They had a great selection of Nes games back then. Wished you had pics of that area. Eibands had great hamburgers too believe it or not. 

[august948]

3 hours ago, player1videogames said:

I worked at Aladdins castle in Galvez Mall in 1992 and loved this little mall. I saw so many free movies because I would give free games to the guys that worked at the theater. Loved Kay Bee Toys. They had a great selection of Nes games back then. Wished you had pics of that area. Eibands had great hamburgers too believe it or not. 

Aladdin's castle...now that brings back some memories.

[k5jri radio]

As far a I know, none of the postings pertaining to Mall of the Mainland, state that Baybrook Mall was the main causal factor for the decline of the Mall of the Mainland. The language in my own posting, "due in part to competition from the Baybrook Mall," clearly allows for the existence of other causal factors for the decline of the Mall of the Mainland.

The statement about the Mall of the Mainland being "a place to be seen and to shop" is the opinion of one Galveston resident at the time explaining why he and others he knew (at the time) went there. Likewise, the contrasting statement about the Mall of the Mainland as "never the 'place to be be'" is the opinion of another Galveston resident at the time explaining why he and others he knew (at the time) went elsewhere.

Causal relationships allow for reasonable inferences to be made, but the only way to establish actual cause and effect is a controlled experimental model. For example, if it were possible to create an alternate reality in which Baybrook Mall was never built, but all other variables were identified and left unchanged, then what happened to the Mall of the Mainland in this alternate reality would be likely to prove or disprove a causal relationship between the two malls (but only within this alternate reality).  

Edited September 23, 2022 by k5jri radio
grammar

[Dan H]

K5jri radio; I posted that video showing photos of Galveston and the Galvez Mall under my YouTube Channel;

(31) Sky Bar Wisdom - YouTube

Thanks for the plug;

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Dan H

[Ross]

5 hours ago, Dan H said:

K5jri radio; I posted that video showing photos of Galveston and the Galvez Mall under my YouTube Channel;

(31) Sky Bar Wisdom - YouTube

Thanks for the plug;

 

Great video, although I can't believe you didn't censor the pornography on the Flagship Hotel🤣🤣🤣

The old railroad causeway is still there, but the drawbridge was replaced.

The SS Galveston Hotel was awesome. It must have disappeared before I ever went by the location.

Those cars on the beach would be gone from rust fairly quickly if they weren't washed well

Galvez Mall looked pretty good for a city the size of Galveston

I am still annoyed they demolished the cotton compress machine that was there for a century. It should have stayed as a hiistorical item

[Amlaham]

Wow.....everyone was so pretty, skinny, and fit 😅

[brucesw]

Awesome video.  Thanks.  I had a silly grin on my face all the way through.  I remember the SS Galveston, Jack Tar, most of the others (but not all).  Never went in the mall - fancier than I would have expected and the exterior in a couple of shots was in a lot better shape than I think I ever saw it.  Would love to see another video of other parts of the island that most of us from this area would be familiar with, not just along the seawall.

[Dan H]

On 10/27/2022 at 8:13 PM, brucesw said:

Awesome video.  Thanks.  I had a silly grin on my face all the way through.  I remember the SS Galveston, Jack Tar, most of the others (but not all).  Never went in the mall - fancier than I would have expected and the exterior in a couple of shots was in a lot better shape than I think I ever saw it.  Would love to see another video of other parts of the island that most of us from this area would be familiar with, not just along the seawall.

Brucesw; I'm working on gathering pictures of the interior of Galveston (61st street, Ave S, West End, Broadway, 45th St, Downtown, Parks, etc) in the 70s time frame in order to make another YouTube video. Thanks

Edited October 29, 2022 by Dan H

[Dan H]

What was the name of the diner on 45th and P (now Johnny Mitchell Boys & Girls Club) that many students at Ball High used to go eat lunch at in the 70s/80s?

[k5jri radio]

Having a diner within walking distance must have been really convenient for the Ball High students who preferred not to eat at the school cafeteria and could afford to pay somewhat more for their lunch.      

[Dan H]

K5jri Radiol; Sure was. Most of the time money was short though, so we just went to the donut shop down the street located at 2001 45th street and then went to a lounge/bar across the street located at 1924 45th street and played pool or to the 7-11 located at 1902 45th street.  Good times. 

[k5jri radio]

Dan H;  On Saturdays when I have free time, one of my favorite activities is playing pinball and console games at Anastasia Island's Arcade Museum located in St. Augustine Beach, FL, about 33 miles from my house. Usually, I pack food and drinks in a cooler, but when I don't, there's a modern, well maintained 7-11 store across the street from the pinball museum with a good selection of packaged sandwiches, drinks, etc., along with self-service gasoline pumps. Similar convenience store brands commonly seen around this part of FL are: Circle K, Gate, and WaWa. Likely you are more familiar with Circle K than with Gate or WaWa.

Edited February 6, 2023 by k5jri radio
name correction

[Dan H]

K5jri Radio; Yes I am familiar with Circle K as there are a few on Galveston Island along with 7-11 as well. They disappeared for some years in Galveston but now they are expanding around Texas in a big way again. 

[pilotca86]

What a great thread.  Just returned from a Galveston visit two days ago.  

[k5jri radio]

Mall of the Mainland addendum: Previous comments about this shopping mall located in Texas City TX were mostly from the point of view of Galveston County and Harris County residents who were familiar with where this mall was located and how to get there. From what I've read on various postings, The Mall of the Mainland was not visible to motorists driving on I-45 (Gulf Freeway) between Houston and Galveston. Most tourists (myself included) who traveled on I-45 between Houston and Galveston would have been unaware of its existence unless they had prior knowledge of the mall's location, what exit to take to get there, and how to get back to I-45. Keep in mind this was during a time before the era of smart-phones and other electronic aids.

 

 

 

 

   

[editor]

On 7/2/2023 at 6:17 PM, k5jri radio said:

Mall of the Mainland addendum: Previous comments about this shopping mall located in Texas City TX were mostly from the point of view of Galveston County and Harris County residents who were familiar with where this mall was located and how to get there. From what I've read on various postings, The Mall of the Mainland was not visible to motorists driving on I-45 (Gulf Freeway) between Houston and Galveston. Most tourists (myself included) who traveled on I-45 between Houston and Galveston would have been unaware of its existence unless they had prior knowledge of the mall's location, what exit to take to get there, and how to get back to I-45. Keep in mind this was during a time before the era of smart-phones and other electronic aids.

 

 

 

 

   

I don't think that's right. I knew about the Mall of the Mainland in 1999 just from driving by. It had a big sign facing I-45. 
 

The reason nobody stopped was because it was set far back from tree freeway and there was no obvious exit for access, especially at 70MPH. 

[k5jri radio]

My previous posting about Mall of the Mainland stated (incorrectly) that it was not visible from I-45. As was pointed out by editor, based on his 1999 observations, [1] there was a "big sign facing I-45" that advertised the Mall of the Mainland and [2] Although the mall itself was visible from I-45, "it was set far back from the freeway with no obvious exit for access, especially at 70MPH" (posted speed limit). As noted previously, Mall of the Mainland opened in 1991. 

 

   

[Okie Sam]

Was 'Galvez Plaza' separate from the mall? I remember it vaguely from the early 80s.

[k5jri radio]

Don't recall a retail center in Galveston, Texas named "Galvez Plaza". After the Galvez Mall was demolished circa 2000, Home Depot and Target opened stores on the original site which became anchor stores for the present-day Galvez Shopping Center. In common usage, the terms "shopping mall" and "shopping center" tend to overlap.

[k5jri radio]

Starting from Galveston near the site where the Galvez Mall once occupied, online references show the Mainland City Centre in Texas City (formerly known as the Mail of the Mainland) is 18.4 miles (approximately 25 minutes) away. Starting from the same place in Galveston, The Baybrook Mall in Houston is 31.1 miles (approximately 39 minutes) away.

According to online references, the Mainland City Centre has approximately 800,000 square feet of retail floor space, compared to the Baybrook Mall with approximately 1,500,000 square feet of retail floor space. It follows that the larger mall will likely offer a better selection of competitively priced products for sale.   

[k5jri radio]

For those who want to combine shopping with educational/entertainment activities, the Baybrook Mall is only 10 minutes (5.5 miles) from the NASA Johnson Space Center. 

[k5jri radio]

"The Life and Death of the American Mall" by Matthew Christopher (January 10, 2024) offers insights about the demise of enclosed shopping malls: "The loss of larger anchor stores (and the inability to replace them with comparable stores) created "dead ends, darkened store fronts, and vacant corridors created eerie, lifeless pockets-- and a death spiral. Fewer tenants, fewer shoppers, decreased income, more unkempt areas. Where an outdoor strip mall could simply tear down an under performing area and build something else, (enclosed) malls were static islands surrounded by seas of asphalt.When online shopping grew, it stabbed a victim that was already bleeding out. In the 1980s, there were roughly 2500 malls in the United States. Today, there are approximately 700--a number most analysts expect to continue to decline."    

[k5jri radio]

It's likely that most HAIF members and guests know that [1] the Galvez Mall was an enclosed shopping mall located at the intersection of Broadway and 61st streets from circa 1968 until its demolition circa 2000 and [2] it has since been replaced by two large stores, Home Depot and Target, as well as several smaller stores. All the stores in the present facility have their own entrances and exits leading directly to and from the outdoors. Some online maps identify this area as the Galvez Shopping Center, following a common, but not necessarily universal convention of referring to enclosed shopping areas with indoor interconnection as malls and enclosed shopping areas with outdoor interconnection only as shopping centers.