Above is the full-page ad that appeared in the Journal on Sept. 19, 1971.
Stores at the Mall at that time included: Andre Duval Beauty Salon; Arnold Palmer Cleaners; Baker’s Shoes; Barricini Candy; Bentley Ties; Blvd. Juvenile Shoes; Clarence Faflik Shoes; Cleveland Fabric Shop; Clowntown; Diamond’s Men Shop; Fanny Farmer Candy; Fisher-Fazio; Foxmoor Casuals; Goodyear Tire & Rubber; Gray Drugs; Midway Opticians; Harvest House Cafeteria; The Higbee Co.; Hobby Center; Hough Bakery; Household Finance; Lane Bryant; Lorain County Savings & Trust; Louis Cohn Mens Wear; Melody Manor; Memory Lane Card Shop; McDonald & Co.; Michael-Angela Hair Fashions; Midway Barber Shop; Midway Cinema; Nobil Shoes; O’Henry’s Pub; Parklane Hosiery; Paul Harris; JCPenney; Petries; Puppy Palace; Record World; Regal Shoes; Richman Brothers; Rose Jewelers; Sam Kleins; Schwede Appliance & TV; Sears, Roebuck and Co.; Seven Seas Gift Shop; Sidewalk Cafe; Singer Sewing Center; Spencer Gifts; Ted Jacobs; Tweed Shop; Union Savings Associates; Walden Book Co.; Winkelman’s; and Woolworths.
In case you were wondering (like me), Clowntown was a photography studio that specialized in children. For some reason, I don’t think this place would succeed today.
Some of the businesses listed were not in the main portion of the Mall. For example, O’Henry’s Pub and Household Finance were in the strip of stores anchored by Goodyear Tire & Rubber (at the north end) and Fisher-Fazio (at the south end). In later years, AAA was a longtime tenant before it flew the coop to Avon.
I remember when I was little that they used to have a train ride running from one end of the mall to the other.And Harvest House food was good.Especially their carved roast beef.And I remember every Friday our family would get some snacks at Woolworths to get ready for The Big Chuck and Hoolihan Show later on that night.I would always get a Fun Dip sour candy pack.And I still eat them to this day.Good times.
ReplyDeleteMy three favorite stops at the mall then were the Hobby Center, Spencer Gifts, and Waldenbooks.Later, no visit to the mall was complete without a stop at Aladdin's Castle.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that hardly anybody has commented on this post Dan.This could be one of the reasons that the mall is pretty much dead.Nobody has any memories of the mall because they didn't shop there.I used to shop there.I loved going to the Sears toy area.I remember when Atari hit the stores and Sears had their version of it for sale alongside the Atari version.Sears version was called Tele-Games.But they were the same consoles.Anyway,kids would be lined up to try out the consoles as Sears had displays where you could play them.And now all Sears stores are pretty much gone too.Anyway,those were the days.
ReplyDeleteMay company gave me my first credit card - I maxed it out a week later.
ReplyDeleteI have many pleasant memories of shopping at Midway Mall back in the 60s and 70s. I remember Mom taking us there to buy shoes as it was convenient to have two or three different stores under one roof.
ReplyDeleteDowntown Lorain was beginning to fade by then, with many of its stores opening outlets at the Mall, such as Ted Jacobs and Sam Kleins. It was also convenient that Hough Bakeries had a branch at the Mall; Mom would pick up a kuchen for Sunday morning.
There was always some kind of show (such as the annual Camping or Boat Shows) to draw customers. The annual Lorain County Regional National Scholastic Art Exhibit was held there as well.
By the time I was driving in the mid-70s, Midway Mall was the perfect place to take a date to see a movie, as you could kill time before it started by walking around or just people watching. Or watching the dripping WonderFall!
In case you missed it back in 2017, be sure to read Michael Brown’s reminisces about Midway Mall, which I posted here:
https://danielebrady.blogspot.com/search?q=midway+mall+dripping
Like Alan, I liked going to Spencer Gifts – mainly to look at the posters and novelty cards & gifts – and Walden Books of course.
The Mall was great! So many memories!
ReplyDeleteMidway was a great place. During sidewalk sales it used to be so packed you literally couldn’t move it was so busy. Loved going into Woolworths as a kid and looking at the animals. After Christmas they used to reduce holiday decorations to 10cents each after New Years. I blame the malls failure on the owners. After Jacobs group sold it nothing was ever done to keep it going. It’s been owned by slumlords ever since. The could have torn down Dillards and made a new theater like SouthPark. The owners just raised the rates so all the chain stores left. That’s why McDonalds originally closed.
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