All Entries Tagged With: "shopping malls"
Time Capsule: a fun hodgepodge for summertime
Ever notice the Chinese restaurant next to the Ferguson Farmers Market? Well, this is what it looked like as King's Pharmacy, one of the first pharmacies in St. Louis to have drive-thru service.
What happened to the time capsule? That’s what a reader asked me recently. She was talking about one of my most neglected NOCO categories, Time Capsule, which I admit has been a bit ignored. I usually like to focus on North County today, to keep reminding people that we still have a great community up here, but I was cleaning out my files this week and found some goodies that I just had to share.
I actually have a pretty large collection of paper (and digital) items related to North County’s history – maps, postcards, old shopping center directories, etc – so you can expect to see quite a few “capsules” opened in the coming months. Here’s a preview to get us started, just an odd mix of images from all over NoCo….
The old Woolworth's at River Roads Mall in Jennings, which opened in the 1950s and closed in 1991. Remember the lower level?
An early view of Lambert Airport, sans Highway 70
A swinging airport hotel, the Parkway House, in what has to be the 60s
Formerly located at 3570 N. Lindbergh, the Parkway House is described on the back of this postcard as such: “St. Louis’ most unique host. In the main building, each unit is a 3-room suite including living room, bedroom, kitchenette with executive bar, deluxe bath and private terrace. Heated swimming pool. Home of the famous Corinthian Room. Illustrated are two of the new, plush Sir Richard suites complete with sunken living room, executive bar and luxurious ultra-modern decor with king and queen beds.”
Here’s the kind of action you might have seen in the “famous Corinthian Room,” well before the Parkway House became a divey motel/apartment complex like it is today.
Don Cunningham Quartet at Parkway House, St. Louis, September 1965. Photo credit: Picasa/Richard A Oberle
An architectural drawing of the proposed new church building at St. Ann's in Normandy. I'm guessing the steeple didn't make the cut.
Finally, here’s a vintage matchbook made right here in Ferguson, commemorating a place I miss every single time I drive down Florissant Road. Can you imagine how awesome it would be if there was still a bowling alley in downtown Ferguson?!
Ahh, a girl can dream….
Used furniture store opens at Jamestown Mall
Growing up next door to Jamestown Mall, I’ve always been intrigued by the cavernous Stix, Baer & Fuller building, which has been vacant since Dillard’s closed its doors there in 2006. In recent years that entire wing of the mall was even closed off, making it unlikely that any new businesses would be moving in. So what I found today was a nice surprise….
I happened to be driving by Jamestown and noticed a new sign. As it turns out, a company named Central States Liquidation has moved into the old Dillard’s. And boy, do they have an interesting mix of inventory…
The owner, Frank Marsala, buys out large lots of used furniture, primarily from upscale hotels like Hilton and Sheraton. He also picks up odd bits here and there, so you’ll find restaurant equipment, artwork, mirrors, lamps, retail display cabinets, office furniture, televisions, “wine lockers” and even five-foot chandeliers in his sprawling new store. So far, Marsala is just using the main floor at Dillard’s but he says he has so much inventory that the basement is quickly filling up too.
In business for four years, Central States used to operate out of semi trucks and sell their goods on craigslist and eBay. Today, the company still advertises online but they’re hoping to draw a larger customer base now that they have a permanent storefront.
Marsala says he gets new goodies at least twice a week, sourced from all over the country. And I have to say, most of his stuff is in very nice shape. This is not a roomful of broken, stained junk, like a lot of hotel/motel liquidators have, but rather an eclectic showcase of quality items with great potential. You never know what you’ll find.
Here’s a neat item I saw today, a dramatic four-poster bed. I would totally paint it black…
And then, of course, there’s this: a rare view of one of Jamestown Mall’s fantastic concrete sculptures. Unless you visit Central States and peek through the glass doors to the mall, this modern beauty is no longer visible to the public….
Central States Liquidation is located at #400 Jamestown Mall, 63034. Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm.
New talent blooms at St. Louis Mills recording studio
Street Dreamz is a professional recording studio and young artist development center at St. Louis Mills that focuses on teaching leadership skills and inspiring the ambitions of local youth through music.
FROM THE NEWS WIRE:
When former Def Jam recording artist and local Hip-Hop star Koran Bolden’s first child was born, he made a difficult decision to put his own musical dreams on the back burner to be the father he never had. After leaving the spotlight of MTV, BET and the hip-hop world, he went back to working minimum wage jobs just to get by, putting his focus on his family and his faith. It was this focus that inspired him to start a new kind of recording studio – aimed at local youth and designed not only to help develop their musical talent, but to inspire them to be leaders and positive members of their community.
The cornerstone of Street Dreamz Recording Studio and Artist Development Center is its strict “No Profanity” policy, which teaches young music industry hopefuls that they can write and make quality rap, hip-hop, pop or rock records that don’t pander to the often negative and foul-mouthed lyrics that much of today’s music contains. “We strive to develop young artists into men and women of integrity as well as successful musicians. We help steer them in a new and more positive direction without putting pressure on them,” says Bolden.
Whether they are serious about pursuing a career in music or just want to learn some new skills, kids of all ages are welcome at Street Dreamz, where they can make a music video, record a song or demo CD, have a fun and interesting birthday party or learn the ins and outs of the recording industry from people who have been there. The best part is, parents can feel safe dropping their kids off in a nurturing and learning environment.
In addition to their in-studio work, Bolden and his staff, including wife LaPortcia and best friend and fellow musician Rob Jackson are role models in the community, working with city officials, public schools and their church to instill leadership, values and messages of encouragement in youth throughout the St. Louis area through speaking engagements and partnerships with local school districts.
Bolden was recently tapped by St. Louis city officials to participate in the local workgroup for STRYVE, a national initiative led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which takes a public health approach to preventing youth violence before it starts. Along with local officials and organizations such as the NAACP and the Urban League, Bolden, who lost his own brother to violence, will use his influence and connection with local youth to help make a difference in ending the cycle of violence in our city.
Unlike any other recording studio in St. Louis, Street Dreamz uses real experience in the music industry to help take young, talented musicians to the next level. “We teach them to never give up on their dreams,” says Bolden. “With the right attitude, anything is possible.”
Street Dreamz is located at St. Louis Mills, 5555 St. Louis Mills Blvd., 63042, next to the Sears Appliance Outlet. For more info, visit the Street Dreamz website or call (314) 558-4355.
Jamestown Penney’s closing: sad ending or fresh start?
Open since 1999, the JC Penney Outlet Store at Jamestown Mall will likely be shuttered by 2012. Photo: flickr/DanH63
Faced with sagging profits in an uncertain retail landscape, JC Penney announced last week that it will be closing a handful of stores and ceasing catalog operations. On the chopping block locally: its catalog outlet store at Jamestown Mall in unincorporated North County.
Of course, some will use this as a “nail in the coffin” opportunity, citing the long string of changes and closures that have left Jamestown Mall a shadow of its former self. They’ll declare Jamestown dead…again. And you know what? A part of me is perfectly ok with that.
As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up right next door to Jamestown Mall, within walking distance. My first job was there. I spent countless weekends hanging out there. Literally, there is no stage of my grade school and high school years that did not involve this place in some way. But even then I wondered, why the hell is there a shopping mall in the middle of nowhere?
In 1973, when Jamestown Mall was built and North County was experiencing a population boom, I’m sure the developers thought it made perfect sense, especially after MoDOT started kicking around the idea of making 367 a legitimate highway. Back then, I suspect they noticed “executive homes” going up along Old Jamestown and saw new subdivisions and Catholic parishes blossoming with young families, and they figured a big modern shopping mall was a great fit. And for 25 years or so, I guess it was.
But today, malls nationwide are in decline. Big-box stores, online shopping, over-development and changing consumer tastes have led to the demise of many indoor shopping malls across the country, leaving some, like Jamestown, to limp along half vacant with lesser-known retailers, while others, like Northwest Plaza, simply run out of gas.
In many ways, Jamestown Mall was almost destined to fail at some point. Its remote location, in an area better known for natural wonders than great shopping, has always made it a tough sell. But now that Penney’s is closing (within the next year) and Macy’s will likely follow, perhaps the time has finally come to put some new ideas into action. Ideas like this…
Back in 2009, the St. Louis County Economic Council teamed with experts from the Urban Land Institute to start developing new possibilities for the Jamestown Mall site, and what emerged was the outline for a revitalized “town center.” Nine months later, in July 2010, a Florida-based urban design firm took the process one step further, coming up with a general plan that was presented to area residents during a “design charrette” in September. (Wish I could’ve been there, but I didn’t learn about it until afterward.)
You can download the firm’s presentation here.
Essentially, it explains that the market area surrounding Jamestown Mall is already over-saturated with retailers, and that its population simply cannot support a regional mall of that size. On a positive note, the presentation also topples a prevailing stereotype about North County, revealing that the median household income around Jamestown Mall is EQUIVALENT TO that in Chesterfield, Wildwood and St. Charles County. (Take that, naysayers!)
Considering this data, as well as input from citizens, the design firm proposed eventually demolishing most of the mall (save Macy’s and Penney’s) and replacing it with a mixed-use, village-style development featuring shops, restaurants, housing and offices. Think New Town St. Charles. Or Seaside, Florida, without the sea.
Rumor has it that Jamestown Mall is also being considered for a massive flea market. Not sure how I feel about that. Another possibility is senior housing, which I think is a dreadful, depressing idea. Some seniors, yes. But the whole property??
And speaking of the property, Jamestown Mall happens to have five different owners (including Macy’s and JC Penney), which makes redevelopment that much more of a challenge. Add in the sour economy and the remaining mall tenants and there’s no telling when any of these projects might actually get some traction. But with this latest news from JC Penney…well, who knows?
To stay up on the latest progress at Jamestown Mall, check out this page from the St. Louis County Economic Council or follow SLCEC on Facebook.
