While driving around this past Saturday, I decided to head north on Pearl Avenue from Route 254 to see if the
Schwebel's Bakery Outlet Thrift Store was still there. (It was.) After that, I decided to keep on going and see what was happening with the old
Oakwood Shopping Center (or Oakwood Plaza, if you prefer).
I was a little surprised to see how little of it was still there. There's the
Family Dollar store and... nothing else!
Here's a
link to an interesting blog entitled
Lorain County Photographer's Blog. The blogger shot some great photos in the same area back in January 2009, including a nice panoramic view of the whole shopping center. There was a lot more of the shopping center then than there is now.
Pearl the Squirrel (the longtime mascot of Oakwood Shopping Center since it opened in November 1958) would
not be amused.
(Regular readers of this blog know that when they see Pearl the Squirrel paying a visit to this blog, that means that I'm plugging my other website! I haven't added any new content lately, but if you've never visited
Oakie's Treehouse before, now is a good time!)
Of course, Oakwood Shopping Center was the long-time home of the Oakwood (later Lorain) Twin Cinema, which itself was the home of the imfamous Dollar Nights in the 80's. The bunch of us would get nice and toasted, go to see whatever bad horror / comedy / action-adventure flick was showing, then rate the film on how much of a buck it was worth. As I recall, the worst rating was for THE ELIMINATORS; we decided the theater owed each of us thirty-five cents!
ReplyDeleteBesides the Twin Cinema, there was a Meyer-Goldberg grocery store, a Gray's drug store, and a lot of little shops that I don't remember. My mother used to shop at Meyer-Goldberg's all the time. I used to live in South Lorain and Oakwood Plaza was a happening place back then. Nothing to see now.
ReplyDeleteJohn Kovacs
There used to be a club, called the Blue Island...a lot of local talent played there in the late 70's.
ReplyDeleteI know when Oakwood center opened, there was Fisher Foods(Fazios) at one end and Goldbergs at the other. In the middle was Gray Drugs. The two departments stores,Woolworths at one end and WT Grants at the Gpldbergs end were the first also, I would just love to remember the other little shops in between. I do remember Lawsons,Dianas, and a beauty shop, but I know there was alot more. I also remember the round display case in the middle, in the parking lot. I also remember when Ghooulardi came for some kind of promotional event, and it was a mad house, the parking lot was full of people. I also remember when this big semi came with the "Petrified Man" in it. It was part of the carnival, I think. What great memories, I bought my first Beatle albumn at Woolworths,"Meet The Beatles", and I never opened it. I still have it, wonder if it's worth anything now, maybe I should check that out!!! When Woolworths closed, that's when the Cinemas came in, I still think they had the best popcorn ever! If anyone remembers anything else from the first days of Oakwood center, please comment, or drop me an email, at anniep0719@hotmail.com.
ReplyDeleteThere was Fashion Barn for clothes I am not sure when it came to Oakwood
ReplyDeleteThere was also Cloth Mart, Maryann's Bridal ... And a small business type place... Can't remember the name...
ReplyDeleteThere was also Cloth Mart, Maryann's Bridal ... And a small business type place... Can't remember the name...
ReplyDeletei used to buy my comic books at gray drugstore....lol
ReplyDeleteThere used to be a restaurant out there what was the name of it
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember in the 60s Fisher Grocery at Oakwood shopping
ReplyDeleteRobbery.....bag of cash recovered by women when parking car in lot few days later
My neighbor was on Lorain PD and was first on scene I believe he shot one of the robber's
There was a little place that made fresh tacos and fresh single serve pizza in the Oakwood shopping center
ReplyDeleteMy Dad on Fridays would take me ....We got to know the owner....Such great memories
Also behind the shopping center the park use to have a type of summer camp arts and crafts we attended