A couple of obscure Grand Rapids malls

[Trixie]

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.

I worked at Just Jeans at Woodland, 1980

[TenPoundHammer]

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

Where was the Robert Hall store at specifically?

[Trixie]

Where was the Robert Hall store at specifically?

I don't know where the one on 28th St was (or if there was one), but the one on Plainfield was on South Plainfield just before it dumped into Beltine/M44 - there's a mortgage company in the building now.

[civitas]

Where was the Robert Hall store at specifically?

I think it was in the strip center on the north side of 28th Street west of Clyde Park and east of Rogers Department Store.

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

Does anyone remember Atlantic Mills? What is it today?

I'll have to answer my own quiz. Atlantic Mills is now the DeltaPlex.

[Nitro]

I'll have to answer my own quiz. Atlantic Mills is now the DeltaPlex.

Sorry I didn't understand your quiz. I thought you were asking what Atlantic Mills the store changed into.

I did know that the Stadium Arena was Atlantic Mills. I'm not sure because I was living out of state at the time but didn't they tear Stadium Arena completely down? I thought DeltaPlex was a total new construction.

[GR1]

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.

Rogers Plaza...I had the pleasure of visiting this mall today during a trip to the Secretary of State office. The mall is more empty than ever. To make up for this they have huge pictures off the stores that are open covering the empty store fronts. Sadly, there are more pictures than stores. Bargain books was empty as well as the Dutch Deli...I didn't venture far enough to see what else had closed, walking from the entrance to the SOS office was all I could take.

[grrwymg]

Rogers Plaza...I had the pleasure of visiting this mall today during a trip to the Secretary of State office. The mall is more empty than ever. To make up for this they have huge pictures off the stores that are open covering the empty store fronts. Sadly, there are more pictures than stores. Bargain books was empty as well as the Dutch Deli...I didn't venture far enough to see what else had closed, walking from the entrance to the SOS office was all I could take.

Yeah - RP has seen better days. I was there a few months ago for "A taste of Wyoming" - busiest I've ever seen it. Too bad everyone was eating, and not shopping.

The Family Fare in that lot seems to be doing well. I've only been in there a handful of times - as the D&W (now Family Fare) on Burlingame is about 12 seconds closer

Anyone hear any news on the old Rogers Dept. store building? Last I heard a college was possibly interested in it for a remote campus.

[GR1]

The Family Fare in that lot seems to be doing well. I've only been in there a handful of times - as the D&W (now Family Fare) on Burlingame is about 12 seconds closer

While I was driving down 28th street I wondered why these two Family Fare stores were so close together, I thought it was odd.

[GR8scott]

please tell me they didn'tt change all the D&W over to family fare

[Thrillhouse]

I remember Grand Village Mall having collectors shows a couple Saturdays a month such as baseball cards, coins, etc.

[grrwymg]

please tell me they didn'tt change all the D&W over to family fare

Not all - but most.

The 2 that I see on a regular basis have ... Burlingame near 28th and Breton near 44th.

[destijl]

Where was the Robert Hall store at specifically?

I think I remember the Chinatown Restaurant in front of the old K-mart east of Buchanan taking its place.

[TenPoundHammer]

I'd really like it if someone in the GR area would get some pictures of Rogers Plaza. I'm trying to make a directory of the place, and it would be nice to know where all the stores are. I have a map from Storetrax that's about four years old, so it helps some but not a lot. It appears that Fashion Bug, Hallmark, Fox/Fred Meyer Jewelers, and GNC have all closed up recently.

[bostonsquaremom]

Not all - but most.

The 2 that I see on a regular basis have ... Burlingame near 28th and Breton near 44th.

They changed the East Fulton store to a Family Fare too. It's half a block away from my work, but I haven't been in there yet.

[grrwymg]

I'd really like it if someone in the GR area would get some pictures of Rogers Plaza. I'm trying to make a directory of the place, and it would be nice to know where all the stores are. I have a map from Storetrax that's about four years old, so it helps some but not a lot. It appears that Fashion Bug, Hallmark, Fox/Fred Meyer Jewelers, and GNC have all closed up recently.

TPH - I'll try to get out on Saturday to get some pics of Rogers Plaza for you. (Weather pending)

[civitas]

Rogers Plaza...I had the pleasure of visiting this mall today during a trip to the Secretary of State office. The mall is more empty than ever. To make up for this they have huge pictures off the stores that are open covering the empty store fronts. Sadly, there are more pictures than stores. Bargain books was empty as well as the Dutch Deli...I didn't venture far enough to see what else had closed, walking from the entrance to the SOS office was all I could take.

I have a few Roger's Plaza details...

I believe that it opened in the early 1960's (1962?).

A couple of years later the first McDonalds in the area was built at 28th & Michael (opposite corner) with 15 cent hamburgers.

For many years Mrs. Rogers, whose family built the plaza, was the librarian at Wyoming Park High School.

In the mid-60's the stores would close at 9:00 PM on Friday nights. After the band set up the mall was reopened for live music (mostly local bands) and a high-school dance.

Finally, the Rexall drug store would sell Playboys to one guy in my class who looked older than he was. He made 50 cents a magazine reselling them at school (of course I never bought one).

[TenPoundHammer]

I have a few Roger's Plaza details...

I believe that it opened in the early 1960's (1962?).

Storetrax.com says 1960, renovated in 2002. I would imagine that prior renovations had also been done - aerial photos seem to suggest that it started out as a strip mall and was later enclosed.