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Classic Malls in Portland, OR Before 1980

Posted: 26 Feb 2007 01:18
by StoreLiker2006
I have a few pre-1980 shopping centers in Portland, OR that come to my mind:

Eastport Plaza (4000 S.E. 82nd Ave, Portland, OR): This mall had first opened October 27, 1960, and among its first anchors were J. C. Penney, Lipman's, J. K. Gill, Kinney Shoes and (J. J.) Newberry's. Then sometime in 1979, Lipman's left and was replaced by Mervyn's, and G.I. Joe's was added to the north end that summer. J. C. Penney left in 1988 (citing better sales at its newer Clackamas Town Center store, among other locations), and then Mervyn's left not too much longer afterward (the chain was to secure an anchor at the Clackamas Promenade mall, which opened on May 5, 1989). Albertson's and Wal-Mart were among the later anchors to Eastport. G.I. Joe's left Eastport in 2005, and Albertson's in 2006.

Lloyd Center (2201 Lloyd Center, Portland, OR): This mall opened on August 1, 1960. Among its original anchors were Meier & Frank (Macy's, as of 2006), J. C. Penney (Sears, as of 1999), Lipman's and Nordstrom. In 1979, Lipman's left and was replaced by a Frederick & Nelson's. It then was reverted back to Lipman's not long afterward, continuing as such for a second time until 1986, when Nordstrom moved out of its original anchor into this one. In 1989-90, a much-needed, major overhaul commenced. Obscure LC anchors included Woolworth's (which became a Marshall's sometime after 1997) and The Crescent (which became a Lamont's from 1988-96, its space currently divided between Ross and Barnes & Noble). Toys 'R' Us was the latest anchor to LC (possibly opened around 1995), but was closed in late 2004.

Mall 205 (9900 S.E. Washington St., Portland, OR): Perhaps this is one of the few malls in the whole U.S. to be named for the interstate it lies on (I-205, of course, which as a whole was officially completed by April 1983). Opened in 1970, the original anchoring stores were Montgomery Ward, Emporium (then Troutman's Emporium) and White Front (this may have been the only White Front store in all Portland, OR). Unfortunately, White Front's owners filed for bankruptcy in 1975 and WF eventually left M205. Undeterred, the then-current owners of M205 converted the vacant WF space into extra mall space. The mall anchors had some relocations by 1985 (PayLess Drug was among those to have an M205 anchor by this point), and was eventually majorly made over in 1990 (for its 20th anniversary). Both Wards and Emporium went broke in 2000 and thus closed their few remaining stores in 2001, with the replacement honors going to Target Stores and Home Depot respectively.

Jantzen Beach Super Center (1405 Jantzen Beach Center, Portland, OR): Opened on September 28, 1972 on the site of the defunct Jantzen Beach Amusement Park (1928-70), this mall's first wave anchors included Montgomery Ward (closed 2001, Target Stores took over this space), PayLess Drug (closed 1994, demolished 1995 for expansion), Liberty House (Frederick & Nelson from 1979-85, Crescent from 1985-88, and Lamont's from 1988-94; this space was finally demolished in 1995 for expansion) and K-Mart (closed 2003, now Burlington Coat Factory). In 1982, Nordstrom joined the JBSC anchors, but left in 1989.

Washington Square (9585 S.W. Washington Square Rd, Portland, OR): This mall opened February 21, 1974, and its first wave anchors were Meier & Frank (Macy's since 2006; was actually the very first store of the mall to open, on August 16, 1973), Sears (opened November 1973), Nordstrom and Liberty House (both summer 1974). Six years on, there came an expansion which added the anchors of J. C. Penney and Mervyn's (the latter of which is now Dick's Sporting Goods). WS also had Frederick & Nelson through 1990 (anyone know if this was a Phase 1 or Phase 2 anchor?), which Nordstrom then took over in 1995.

~Ben (StoreLiker2006)

Posted: 26 Feb 2007 22:06
by VibeGuy
You know, I have to wonder about that Portland chronology...

Lipman's was sold lock, stock and barrel by Dayton-Hudson to Marshall Fields, to be operated as Frederick & Nelson. All locations operated as F&N until the mid-80s, at which point *some* of them were moved to The Crescent brand which was then obsoleted when BATUS Retail got out of the department store business entirely in 1990. I *thought* that Portland and Salem stayed F&N until the end, but may have spent time as The Crescent.

I'm virtually certain that the F&N store at Washington Square was originally a Lipman's location; they certainly were an original anchor in any event. I can't say for sure whether Lamont's *bought* The Crescent from BATUS or whether they just moved in to a number of the locations.

In the case of Lloyd Center, I believe the same sequence applies - Lipman's never operated in the NW again after the sale by D-H.

Another center of note - Mall 205, on the eastside, which to my mind had a GI Joes, a Wards and, uniquely, a (Food Giant?) store, which was Payless Northwest's attempt at discount grocery retailing.

Eric

Posted: 26 Feb 2007 22:35
by tesg
Another Portland mall...Jantzen Beach Center opened in 1972 on the site of the old Jantzen Beach Amusement park. A 50-year old merry-go-round that was a fixture at the park (but had origins in California pre-dating the park by seven years) also became a fixture of the mall. The mall also had a mural of the old amusement park.

The refurbished merry-go-round is the centerpiece of the new Jantzen Beach SuperCenter, the new name of the "mall". Most of the mall structure has been demolished in favor of big box retail.

I always had a soft spot for that mall. No idea why.

About Washington Square...The F&N space was originally Lipman's, and was part of the original mall. But I have a problem there...I'm thinking back to my childhood here, but I could have sworn the entire L-shaped structure of the main mall (up until the 2005 expansion) was there all along, including JCPenney and the Mervyn's space (which one source I found claims was originally Liberty House).

The only "expansion" I know of was the addition of Washington Square Too, which isn't actually part of the mall. It's the strip mall space southeast of Sears.

When F&N went out of business, Nordstrom made plans to replace their existing store with a huge new store in the former F&N space. Meier & Frank pitched a fit, which led to THEIR expansion and remodel. Nordstrom's old space became the mall's first (and still only) two-level area, with a new food court on the upper level and shops on the lower.

Posted: 27 Feb 2007 00:05
by StoreLiker2006
VibeGuy wrote:You know, I have to wonder about that Portland chronology...
Another center of note - Mall 205, on the eastside, which to my mind had a GI Joes, a Wards and, uniquely, a (Food Giant?) store, which was Payless Northwest's attempt at discount grocery retailing.

Eric
Mall 205 never had a G.I. Joe's (to the best of my knowledge), but yes it did have a Wards.

Ben

Posted: 27 Feb 2007 03:32
by VibeGuy
I may need to spend some time with Oregonian microfilm - I'm digging to childhood, too, but I'm virtually certain that the short leg of the L was not original. The "internal facade" of the Meier & Frank store changed substantially with the expansion in the 90s, but I recall them adding a cookie counter (!) simultaneously with the JC Penney/Mervyn's expansion. I can't quite think that there was a Liberty House at Washington Square - that Mervyn's strikes me as purpose-built. Liberty House would have disappeared in the Northwest virtually simultaneously with the Lipman's purchase by Marshall Field and the near-instantaneous purchase of Marshall Field by BATUS.

Eric

Posted: 27 Oct 2007 18:45
by StoreLiker2006
Mall 205, which opened in 1970, had a Montgomery Ward (what were M205's other anchors?). It then added a Pay Less Drug Store (the chain known now as Rite-Aid) several years later.

Tenants I remember at M205 in its formative years were: Harry Ritchie's Jewelers, A&W Restaurant, Kay-Bee Toys, and Jean Machine.

Posted: 27 Oct 2007 19:31
by tkaye
StoreLiker2006 wrote:Mall 205, which opened in 1970, had a Montgomery Ward (what were M205's other anchors?). It then added a Pay Less Drug Store (the chain known now as Rite-Aid) several years later.
Mall 205 opened with a White Front in addition to Montgomery Ward.

Posted: 22 Nov 2007 01:54
by TenPoundHammer
tkaye wrote:
StoreLiker2006 wrote:Mall 205, which opened in 1970, had a Montgomery Ward (what were M205's other anchors?). It then added a Pay Less Drug Store (the chain known now as Rite-Aid) several years later.
Mall 205 opened with a White Front in addition to Montgomery Ward.
205 also had a Troutman's Emporium (now Home Depot). I think White Front was gone by the late 70s/early 80s.

Re: Classic Malls in Portland, OR

Posted: 14 Nov 2008 08:56
by StoreLiker2006
TenPoundHammer wrote:
tkaye wrote:
StoreLiker2006 wrote:Mall 205, which opened in 1970, had a Montgomery Ward (what were M205's other anchors?). It then added a Pay Less Drug Store (the chain known now as Rite-Aid) several years later.
Mall 205 opened with a White Front in addition to Montgomery Ward.
205 also had a Troutman's Emporium (now Home Depot). I think White Front was gone by the late 70s/early 80s.
White Front had left in 1976, its owners having filed for Chapter 11 in '75.

Re: Classic Malls in Portland, OR Before 1980

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 17:39
by bm10k
There Was A Pay 'n Save in Eastport in the late 60's
and at Lloyd Center as well

Re: Classic Malls in Portland, OR Before 1980

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 23:05
by StoreLiker2006
I must now follow-up on this subject:

At Eastport Plaza, there were three known restaurants outside of the mall, all of which I believe dated to 1979-1980, the period which the mall was updated: Burger King (3830 SE 82nd Ave.), Izzy's Pizza (3846 SE 82nd Ave.) and Taco Bell (3908 SE 82nd Ave.). However, I am not so sure if all three restaurants had opened in the 1979-1980 period.

Could anyone familiar with Eastport Plaza circa 1980 confirm this?

~Ben

Re: Classic Malls in Portland, OR Before 1980

Posted: 25 May 2010 15:00
by VibeGuy
StoreLiker2006 wrote:At Eastport Plaza, there were three known restaurants outside of the mall, all of which I believe dated to 1979-1980, the period which the mall was updated: Izzy's Pizza (3846 SE 82nd Ave.)
Izzy's wasn't in the Portland market yet - 79-80 would have been their first attempts at the Izzy's concept, in fact, in the Albany/Corvallis/Eugene end of the Valley. Portland itself didn't happen until at least 87ish, to my recollection. The building may date to that era, but it wasn't originally Izzy's.

E

Re: Classic Malls in Portland, OR Before 1980

Posted: 25 May 2010 22:12
by StoreLiker2006
VibeGuy wrote:
StoreLiker2006 wrote:At Eastport Plaza, there were three known restaurants outside of the mall, all of which I believe dated to 1979-1980, the period which the mall was updated: Izzy's Pizza (3846 SE 82nd Ave.)
Izzy's wasn't in the Portland market yet - 79-80 would have been their first attempts at the Izzy's concept, in fact, in the Albany/Corvallis/Eugene end of the Valley. Portland itself didn't happen until at least 87ish, to my recollection. The building may date to that era, but it wasn't originally Izzy's.

E
The Taco Bell (3908 SE 82nd Ave), according to the EP official website, opened in 1991. The Burger King (3830 SE 82nd Ave) is no doubt the oldest (it probably existed a few years before the mall's 1979 makeover; the BK probably was here around 1976) - and, it still lives! Izzy's showed up at EP in 1989, again from official EP data.

~Ben

Re: Classic Malls in Portland, OR Before 1980

Posted: 20 May 2011 05:43
by StoreLiker2006
The Meier & Frank at Lloyd Center still had the old '50s logo on the exterior as late as 1988-89, according to this photograph:
Image

~Ben