A couple of obscure Grand Rapids malls

[Trixie]

I remember spending a lot of time there for a few years in it's heyday as a kid. I remember it being quite full and had lots of activities. We rode our bike there a lot...it was a fun, safe place to hang out as a young kid, we knew all the store owners and I even remember winning some kind of blocks and marble stacking contest at the toy store. I posted all the tenants I could remember earlier...I can still visualize almost the whole thing. I know the restaurant was Jody's like the one in Rockford.

You're right - Jodys.

Re: Chess King - gotta be old to remember that! It was cool back then, really!

[TenPoundHammer]

I just realized that we overlooked a mall here - Rogers Plaza! Anyone know anything about that one? I'm surprised there's anything left, considering the anchors are AJ Wright, Big Lots, Office Max and MC Sports. I believe that Rogers Plaza was originally a strip mall, comprising Monkey Wards, TurnStyle, Kroger, Kresge, and Cunningham's.

P. S., what was the drugstore in Kentwood Village Mall? My first guess is Cunningham's, they were in all the malls in the 1960's.

[GR8scott]

Roger's plaza has recently modified the exterior added a family fare (which I hate because they ended weekend cruise-ins) and a few other stores with exterior access, a new 5/3 bank and plans for a stake and shake and more restraunts maybe a starbucks in the parking lot along 28th

To classify the area malls, There at some point were 9

I would say regional;

-woodland

-Rivertown crossings

solid community malls;

-centerpoint

-Rogers plaza

-Breton village

and failures;

-Kentwood village

-Grandvillage

-North Kent (which I remember an Imperial sports in there too)

-you could also argue that city center was a failed mall

[TenPoundHammer]

-you could also argue that city center was a failed mall

What was City Center? Wasn't that located in the old Herpolsheimer's building - that thing that later became Mackie's World (arguably another failed mall)?

I wish someone had some old directories from North Kent. Check your closets and drawers, people!

[MJLO]

city center was, what becam mackies world, and now the police headquarters.

Id say North Kent was a failed mall, But back as late as even the mid 90's It was still a utilized mall. After Woodland and Eastbrook, there was North Kent. I think the rise of Rivertown Crossings really sealed it's fate. North Kent was by far larger than, Kentwood Village, that Grandville one and Rogers Plaza. So I don't think it was quite the same, It had much more of a Mall feel to it, more so than Rogers Plaza or Breton Village.

[GR1]

I used to go to North Kent Mall all the time! I remember getting my ears pierced there.

[fluffy]

It was City Centre. Not City Center. I liked to ride the train in the basement. They had a great food court too. I also liked to watch the parades from the skywalk from City Centre to the parking ramp.

[6th Gen local]

Answers to the first post in this thread.

Grand village malls Witmark store was remodeled and added on to creating the Visser Family YMCA.

Kentwood village mall at one point had a Kroger store at the West end of it.

Local Drug store discussions would be incomplete without mention of Muir Drugs and Remes Drugs. Neither of them were in the kentwood village mall though.

/former Muir Drug manager

[Nitro]

I liked to ride the train in the basement. They had a great food court too.

I rode that goofy looking thing when it was still Herpolsheimers. The toy department used to be in the basement and you would ride over the toy department looking down at all of the stuff.

I remember shopping there one christmas as a very little boy. That is my only memory of Herpolsheimers.

[GR1]

I rode that goofy looking thing when it was still Herpolsheimers. The toy department used to be in the basement and you would ride over the toy department looking down at all of the stuff.

I remember shopping there one christmas as a very little boy. That is my only memory of Herpolsheimers.

Ahhh...yes the train, good times. What ever happened to that thing? I thought that someone bought it, anyone know?

[mgreven]

Re: Chess King - gotta be old to remember that! It was cool back then, really!

GREAT...I remember it! Talk about jogging my memory, though. Are you trying to say I'm old, then?

[snoogit]

Not to show my lack of age, but what was the Chess King?

[TenPoundHammer]

Not to show my lack of age, but what was the Chess King?

Chess King was a clothing chain, that's all I know really.

[GRDadof3]

Chess King was a clothing chain, that's all I know really.

Chess King was sort of urban men's clothing, like Merry Go Round. I'm too old to know what would be comparable today.

[Trixie]

GREAT...I remember it! Talk about jogging my memory, though. Are you trying to say I'm old, then?

No older than me! I remember buying a "keyboard" scarf there for my boyfriend at the time (who played in a band at the Bavarian). The store had the usual 70's wierd rayon shirts and pants that were in style, as well as skinny ties, rock t-shirts, and black and white checked tennis shoes.

Wow. Good times, that.

[snoogit]

Chess King was sort of urban men's clothing, like Merry Go Round. I'm too old to know what would be comparable today.

I don't think there really is such a store anymore. Most "Urban" clothiers cater to both men and women.

I can see it now though, checker board designs, and flipped out collars with yellow scarves

[bostonsquaremom]

I am looking for information on Grand Village Mall in Grandville, as well as Kentwood Village Mall on 44th in Kentwood.

I know that Grand Village had a Witmark's showroom and a Rite Aid at one point, and the whole building is now a huge church. I don't know anything about Kentwood Village Mall, except that some sort of health center now occupies it. I remember driving by it now and then when my dad lived in Kentwood. Someone once told me that Kentwood Village looked like it had a former Kroger and another anchor store that was never built.

If anyone could share info on these malls, I would appreciate it.

I went to Calvin Christian High School in the 80's, and I remember GV mall stores like Whale of a Tale (juniors and women's preppy clothing), Grand Village Apparel, Village Bridal (shopped for a wedding dress here in 1993), Lori's Hallmark, JD and Me (more young women's clothing), Gittleman's (women's clothing), Vandenberg Jewelers, Stuyvesant's (a women's dress shop where my mom would occasionally buy dresses). There was a Red Wing Shoes and maybe a Mullers Shoes too. I think Pooh's Corner may have been in there, and I think there also may have been a Ladies Designer Outlet. There was a candle shop but I don't remember the name. Lenger Travel was there. I used to go to the Premier Fitness there on summer breaks from college. Of course there was the Dutch Deli too.

I cannot believe I remember all of this.

[snoogit]

The only thing I remember of these malls is that I went trick or treating in them a long time ago

[robb1957]

D&W's officially outta there. I drove there this morning to pick up some groceries, only to find an official "Closed" sign on the door, and another sign recommending the Family Fare on Northland.

At least there'll be plenty of parking to get plate tags at the Sec. of State's office

As I posted in the death of Plainfield thread. Plainfield is most certainly not dead. Remeber that available land for development on corridors such as Alpine etc. is becoming limited. There are also lots of rooftops to that need services. Plainfiled is going through a recycling phase that will eventually bear fruit. Family Fare is rumored to be negotiating for a new store to revitalize Northtown Center. This will bring a new energy to that quadrant. If meijer and Walmart competitors did not control much of the large tracts, Wal MArt woulfd have built on Plainfield. Meijer is very very selective on who can use the old bldg on the north end. The theater is sold to a car dealer and will come alive again. There is nothing wrong with the motor mile concept, it brings people in from all over town and they eat, drink, and shop. I will stop my rant, but the negativity is hard to ignore. I see alot of opportunity along Plainfield. There, I feel better.

[civitas]

Here's a bit of GR trivia, the mall in Harvey, Illinois that was used for the great chase scenes in the Blues Brothers was a twin of the Eastbrook Mall at 28th & the East Beltline (now Centerpointe Mall). They were both designed by Steenwick & Thrall of Grand Rapids.

[TenPoundHammer]

Here's a bit of GR trivia, the mall in Harvey, Illinois that was used for the great chase scenes in the Blues Brothers was a twin of the Eastbrook Mall at 28th & the East Beltline (now Centerpointe Mall). They were both designed by Steenwick & Thrall of Grand Rapids.

Ah yes, Dixie Square Mall. The deadest of the dead. While Eastbrook/Centerpointe and DSM do have similar layouts, that's where the similarity ends. If I remember correctly, the original anchors at Eastbrook were Wurzburg's, Woolco, and Steketee's. (I believe that the Wurzburg's space is now Klingman's Furniture.)

Eastbrook has played "Anchor Bingo" over the years. TJ Maxx and Witmarks were later added. (Witmarks is now the skate park, and I think TJ Maxx may have moved at one point) Woolco closed in 1982 and was later split between Burlington Coat Factory, MC Sports (now Golf Galaxy) and Chuck E. Cheese's. A Hills was added behind the Coat Factory in the late 80's; this store is now a small Menard's. Steketee's was ripped out and replaced with a Nordstrom Rack. Burlington Coat moved out, and was split between Linens & Things and a few other stores. Most recently, DSW Shoe Warehouse, Dunham's Sports, Steve & Barry's, and Old Navy were added.

In closing, I wonder why Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks are in Centerpointe instead of Woodland?

[dbrok]

Here's a bit of GR trivia, the mall in Harvey, Illinois that was used for the great chase scenes in the Blues Brothers was a twin of the Eastbrook Mall at 28th & the East Beltline (now Centerpointe Mall). They were both designed by Steenwick & Thrall of Grand Rapids.

Also, some of the downtown scenes and cutaways were actually filmed in Milwaukee. You can see what was then the First Wisconsin building, now the US Bank Building:

oops,

[civitas]

Who can remember all the "hip" stores at NKM in the 70's???

Maryanne

Jean Nicole

Chess King

Just Pants

Just Jeans

Orange Julius

Spencer Gifts

Wards

KMart

Baker Shoes

There was some video arcade there, too I think.

Plainfield has sort of gone downhill.

Anyone remember Turnstyle? How about Robert Hall? The Turnstyle building turned into the Meijer offices, and now Frontline Church has purchased it.

Trixie

I was dragged to Robert Hall on 28th Street once a year before school started.

Does anyone remember Atlantic Mills? What is it today?

[mejane]

I go back even further: I used to buy beads at Far Corners and worked at

The Pants Place, Eastbrook Mall, mid-70's! Groovy.

[Nitro]

Here's a bit of GR trivia, the mall in Harvey, Illinois that was used for the great chase scenes in the Blues Brothers was a twin of the Eastbrook Mall at 28th & the East Beltline (now Centerpointe Mall). They were both designed by Steenwick & Thrall of Grand Rapids.

Oh wow, I thought I knew everything about the Blues Brothers but that one is new to me. Never heard to Steenwick and Thrall before.

New Oldsmobiles are in early this year.....................