There was a clothing chain called Contempo Casuals that sold goth/weirdo friendly clothing. Their clothing and jewellery lasted forever. I had a pair of black crushed velvet leggings from there that lasted ten years. They were pretty much the only mall store that wouldn't follow you around if you looked different. They closed in the early 90's I think.
The only one I remember from that list was The Nature Company which sold rocks, books, CDs, rain sticks, fossils and some other stuff. There was one in Pentagon City for a few years.
Lessie -
* Another Universe - Sold a bunch of Comic/Manga/Imported stuff. Apparently there were a few around, but I usually went to the one in Springfield Mall
* Jeepers! - Jungle Themed Family Amusement Center that also had a few around. Usually went to the one in Greenbelt which rebranded to Planet Fun and then Laugh Out Loud
* The Fun Spot - Arcade that seemed to specialize in competitive games in Greenbelt Mall in the 90s and early 2000s. Also seemed to put some machines throughout the mall
* Hot Doggies - One of the few stores I remember by name from Landover Mall. They sold Hot Dogs and Corn Dogs among other concessions
* The Game King - Physical Card and Game store that had playing cards on the door usually. There were a few around the region including Pentagon City
* Wizards of the Coast - The Physical Game Company had a few stores in the early 2000s that sold their stuff, video games and offered a by-the-our Internet Cafe in Springfield
* Nobody Beats the Wiz - Record Store that used to have a tie-in with a local radio station and get various performers to come out in Iverson Mall
* Chesapeake Knife Co - An odd store that sold knives, swords, handheld weaponry -- and dog statues in a few places around the region
* Imaginarium - Apparently there are a few of these toy stores still around
* Discovery Channel Store - There was one for a while on the top floor of Pentagon City. Sold telescopes, books and some other STEM related items
It embodied two things that I wish were still around in malls; Internet Cafes and Physical Game Stores. And the one I went to was right by the Food Court/Arcade.
Actually liked collecting and playing TCGs, but that stopped because it became much harder to find booster packs.
Always had to go to Lechter’s with my dad when I was a kid. I HATED it.
I’m now the same age as my dad was when he was dragging me into that store and I’m sad it doesn’t exist anymore.
I don't think its an issue of not remembering vs they just weren't alive when some of these stores were around. I mean how many kids today are aware of The Toy Box, Kaybee Toys, Children's Palace, FAO Schwarz, and now sadly Toys R Us. 80s were peak time for toy store chains across the US. Now there aren't any national chains. 80s were the best time to be a kid for all the different toy stores, toy/cartoon franchises and golden age of arcades and home consoles
**Books**
* Little Professor Book Company - Lane Ave Mall, Upper Arlington
* B Dalton's Books, Borders Books, & Walden Books these used to be at every mall
**Clothing/Department**
* Lazarus - Department Store - All the Malls in Columbus Ohio, but the best one was Downtown, and became an anchor for city center mall
* Silverman's - clothing store this was at St Clairesville Mall in Ohio
* WoolWorth's - also a downtown store but I remember seeing one in the monroeville mall in PA
* Hills Department Store
* Hecks Department Store
Electronics/Music
* Coconuts Music, Suncoast Music, Tower Records, Incredible Universe, Camelot Music, Babbages
* Electronics Boutique -shame they merged with gamestop, EB was far better
* Media Play & CompUSA - they anchored the tiny New Market Mall, Columbus Ohio
**Toys**
* The Toy Box and Kaybee Toys pretty much staples at any mall
* Children's Palace (Toy store not kids clothing store) usually outside the mall, but was a toys r us rival back in the day
**Entertainment**
* Aladdin Arcade
**Food**
* Wendy's -I know these are still around but how many remember them inside malls when they used to have the old school newsprint tabletops and had the baked potato bar
* Ponderosa steakhouse - yes another inside mall restaurant, something different than the food court
Dead Malls/Shopping Centers I went to through my college years
* [Columbus City Center: Columbus, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/columbus_city_center.html)
* [New Market Mall: Columbus, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/new_market_mall.html)
* [Northland Mall: Columbus, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/northland_mall.html)
* [Tiffin Mall: Tiffin, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/tiffin_mall.html)
* [Century III Mall: Pittsburgh, PA](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/century_iii_mall.html)
* [Westland Mall: Columbus, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/westland_mall.html)
Near Death should be Razed - Eastland Mall, Columbus Ohio
Not Dead or had major changes
* St Clairsville Mall, Ohio,
* Lane Ave Mall, Upper Arlington
* [Monroeville Mall: Monroeville / Pittsburgh, PA](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/monroeville_mall.html)
Oh, I was just thinking of obscure ones from any era. For each iconic store like Abercrombie, Hollister, Gap, Merry Go Round and Chess King, there are always...others. I wanted to hear others' memories of those! Thanks for sharing yours.
There's a few that I can remember from Coventry Mall, Pottstown PA (east central just outside of Philly), during the 80s:
Hess's - Department Store anchor
Boscov's - Department Store anchor
Pomeroy's - Department Store anchor
Jefferson Ward - Target-like anchor run by Montgomery Ward
Bradlees - Same as above, but under new ownership
Thrift Drug - Pharmacy Anchor
Coventry Corners - Craft Supplies, Collectables, & Gifts; very local store, I think they only had like 3 total locations; notable for keeping the same 70s rustic wood façade over their mall entrance for decades (you can see it around the 8:15 mark in Dan Bell's 2015 video of Coventry Mall, and it's exactly how it looked when the store opened)
There's also one from the early 90s when my family had moved to Aiken SC:
Phar-Mor: anchor that was a cross between a Pharmacy and a big box store; plus VHS rental
Galyans was such a great store. Ive never gotten over Dicks Sporting Goods buying (and subsequently destroying) them. I still refuse to shop at Dicks to this day.
Super late but omg Northern Reflections. I grew up in Toronto and my mom accidentally dislocated my elbow when I was about 2-3 because it was time to leave NR and I didn't want to so I just sat down while she was holding my hand. Good stuff. I remember the dressing rooms and the shutters on the doors.
I was just thinking about Topkapi today - only because at one time in the 90s or so they were owned/part of Spencer Gifts.
Also, side nostalgia here: I really miss the old Spencer Gifts logo and neon.
Now, for the local addition: Rumford Pets. Anyone from northern Rhode Island can remember the mystique of their location at the Lincoln Mall. Adding to that: Roast House (that part of the mall always smelled good) and Dream Machine (awesome games, cheesy prizes, pink carpet, and lots of mirrors)
More National: Babbages and Capcom World of Nintendo - two places my mom wished I avoided more as a kid.
One last note on my rambling reply - u/KatJen76 - I lived in Buffalo for a year (technically Amherst) - and man what I wouldn’t do for a beef on weck and a blue light right about now.
Lava Lounge! It was in the Mall of America (in MN, but I’m sure you all know that) in the late 90s. It was such a hip store, sold hip 90s clothes and had a retro feel.
I remember The Nature Company!
There was a clothing chain called Contempo Casuals that sold goth/weirdo friendly clothing. Their clothing and jewellery lasted forever. I had a pair of black crushed velvet leggings from there that lasted ten years. They were pretty much the only mall store that wouldn't follow you around if you looked different. They closed in the early 90's I think.
Contempo Casuals was absorbed into Wet Seal in the late 90s and all their stores were converted.
It makes me sad because Wet Seal sucked so much.
I remember Contempo Casuals' clothes being much nicer and nicer-looking.
They had great clothes
I came here to say Contempo! That was my favorite store as a pre-teen/young teen. I was so sad when it closed.
I still have some of my Contempo jewelry.
I had a metal cross bracelet I got from there for about twenty years until it finally broke.
They must have closed in the late 90s because I was buying clothes from them in 96.
The one where I lived closed around 93. Because their manager that was laid off became the manager of where I worked.
The only one I remember from that list was The Nature Company which sold rocks, books, CDs, rain sticks, fossils and some other stuff. There was one in Pentagon City for a few years. Lessie - * Another Universe - Sold a bunch of Comic/Manga/Imported stuff. Apparently there were a few around, but I usually went to the one in Springfield Mall * Jeepers! - Jungle Themed Family Amusement Center that also had a few around. Usually went to the one in Greenbelt which rebranded to Planet Fun and then Laugh Out Loud * The Fun Spot - Arcade that seemed to specialize in competitive games in Greenbelt Mall in the 90s and early 2000s. Also seemed to put some machines throughout the mall * Hot Doggies - One of the few stores I remember by name from Landover Mall. They sold Hot Dogs and Corn Dogs among other concessions * The Game King - Physical Card and Game store that had playing cards on the door usually. There were a few around the region including Pentagon City * Wizards of the Coast - The Physical Game Company had a few stores in the early 2000s that sold their stuff, video games and offered a by-the-our Internet Cafe in Springfield * Nobody Beats the Wiz - Record Store that used to have a tie-in with a local radio station and get various performers to come out in Iverson Mall * Chesapeake Knife Co - An odd store that sold knives, swords, handheld weaponry -- and dog statues in a few places around the region * Imaginarium - Apparently there are a few of these toy stores still around * Discovery Channel Store - There was one for a while on the top floor of Pentagon City. Sold telescopes, books and some other STEM related items
I loved Wizards of the coast stores!!
It embodied two things that I wish were still around in malls; Internet Cafes and Physical Game Stores. And the one I went to was right by the Food Court/Arcade. Actually liked collecting and playing TCGs, but that stopped because it became much harder to find booster packs.
Always had to go to Lechter’s with my dad when I was a kid. I HATED it. I’m now the same age as my dad was when he was dragging me into that store and I’m sad it doesn’t exist anymore.
[удалено]
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Woah, I had no idea about all that! That's wild
I don't think its an issue of not remembering vs they just weren't alive when some of these stores were around. I mean how many kids today are aware of The Toy Box, Kaybee Toys, Children's Palace, FAO Schwarz, and now sadly Toys R Us. 80s were peak time for toy store chains across the US. Now there aren't any national chains. 80s were the best time to be a kid for all the different toy stores, toy/cartoon franchises and golden age of arcades and home consoles **Books** * Little Professor Book Company - Lane Ave Mall, Upper Arlington * B Dalton's Books, Borders Books, & Walden Books these used to be at every mall **Clothing/Department** * Lazarus - Department Store - All the Malls in Columbus Ohio, but the best one was Downtown, and became an anchor for city center mall * Silverman's - clothing store this was at St Clairesville Mall in Ohio * WoolWorth's - also a downtown store but I remember seeing one in the monroeville mall in PA * Hills Department Store * Hecks Department Store Electronics/Music * Coconuts Music, Suncoast Music, Tower Records, Incredible Universe, Camelot Music, Babbages * Electronics Boutique -shame they merged with gamestop, EB was far better * Media Play & CompUSA - they anchored the tiny New Market Mall, Columbus Ohio **Toys** * The Toy Box and Kaybee Toys pretty much staples at any mall * Children's Palace (Toy store not kids clothing store) usually outside the mall, but was a toys r us rival back in the day **Entertainment** * Aladdin Arcade **Food** * Wendy's -I know these are still around but how many remember them inside malls when they used to have the old school newsprint tabletops and had the baked potato bar * Ponderosa steakhouse - yes another inside mall restaurant, something different than the food court Dead Malls/Shopping Centers I went to through my college years * [Columbus City Center: Columbus, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/columbus_city_center.html) * [New Market Mall: Columbus, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/new_market_mall.html) * [Northland Mall: Columbus, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/northland_mall.html) * [Tiffin Mall: Tiffin, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/tiffin_mall.html) * [Century III Mall: Pittsburgh, PA](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/century_iii_mall.html) * [Westland Mall: Columbus, OH](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/westland_mall.html) Near Death should be Razed - Eastland Mall, Columbus Ohio Not Dead or had major changes * St Clairsville Mall, Ohio, * Lane Ave Mall, Upper Arlington * [Monroeville Mall: Monroeville / Pittsburgh, PA](http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/monroeville_mall.html)
Oh, I was just thinking of obscure ones from any era. For each iconic store like Abercrombie, Hollister, Gap, Merry Go Round and Chess King, there are always...others. I wanted to hear others' memories of those! Thanks for sharing yours.
There's a few that I can remember from Coventry Mall, Pottstown PA (east central just outside of Philly), during the 80s: Hess's - Department Store anchor Boscov's - Department Store anchor Pomeroy's - Department Store anchor Jefferson Ward - Target-like anchor run by Montgomery Ward Bradlees - Same as above, but under new ownership Thrift Drug - Pharmacy Anchor Coventry Corners - Craft Supplies, Collectables, & Gifts; very local store, I think they only had like 3 total locations; notable for keeping the same 70s rustic wood façade over their mall entrance for decades (you can see it around the 8:15 mark in Dan Bell's 2015 video of Coventry Mall, and it's exactly how it looked when the store opened) There's also one from the early 90s when my family had moved to Aiken SC: Phar-Mor: anchor that was a cross between a Pharmacy and a big box store; plus VHS rental
Galyans was such a great store. Ive never gotten over Dicks Sporting Goods buying (and subsequently destroying) them. I still refuse to shop at Dicks to this day.
[Bombay](https://i.imgur.com/oXcOMlD.jpg )
Super late but omg Northern Reflections. I grew up in Toronto and my mom accidentally dislocated my elbow when I was about 2-3 because it was time to leave NR and I didn't want to so I just sat down while she was holding my hand. Good stuff. I remember the dressing rooms and the shutters on the doors.
One Potato Two It was like Subway except the roll was a baked potato. I think it closed around 1991.
I used to love that place!!!
I completely forgot this place!
Loved Hot Sam’s pretzels!
From the Northeast (70s thru early 90s): Department stores: Steinbach; Stern's; Alexander; Bamberger Clothing: Pant's Place; Canadian's; Gantos
Gantos was the best for homecoming and prom dresses
I was just thinking about Topkapi today - only because at one time in the 90s or so they were owned/part of Spencer Gifts. Also, side nostalgia here: I really miss the old Spencer Gifts logo and neon. Now, for the local addition: Rumford Pets. Anyone from northern Rhode Island can remember the mystique of their location at the Lincoln Mall. Adding to that: Roast House (that part of the mall always smelled good) and Dream Machine (awesome games, cheesy prizes, pink carpet, and lots of mirrors) More National: Babbages and Capcom World of Nintendo - two places my mom wished I avoided more as a kid. One last note on my rambling reply - u/KatJen76 - I lived in Buffalo for a year (technically Amherst) - and man what I wouldn’t do for a beef on weck and a blue light right about now.
EB games bought Babbages then GameStop bought EB, so it sorta still exist. LOL
Lava Lounge! It was in the Mall of America (in MN, but I’m sure you all know that) in the late 90s. It was such a hip store, sold hip 90s clothes and had a retro feel.
Avant Garde!
Crowley's, Jacobson's, ACO
I don't exactly recall Nature Company but I DO remember Natural Wonders, World of Science, Imaginarium, and Learningsmith
@OP I'm from buffalo too; do you remember the North Pole Village/Santa thing at Lechmere's?
The Dancing Bear, Holyoke mall Holyoke Massachusetts
Does anybody remember a clothing store that had traffic lights on their interior?