The Mall
The
Mall
Huntsville, Alabama
The Mall was a classic.
I first saw it in 1990. There was an easily noticable Toys R Us and Books-a-Million on the University Drive side. As we
drove away, I noticed around the corner next to the Books-A-Million was a long line of empty glass storefronts stretching
parallel to Memorial Parkway. I figured it was just an abandoned strip mall, as the entire area seemed kind of tired.
Then I looked more closely and noticed that there were three large glass entrances with tall, bent, thin boomerang shaped
columns topped by globe lights.
This was an indoor shopping mall.
The Mall opened in the mid to late sixties as Huntsville's first enclosed shopping mall. At nearly 500,000 square feet,
it was a monster in the still growing town. It was barbell shaped with Lovemann's anchoring the south, JCPenney
anchoring the north and about 60 shops in between.
I never saw the mall in its heyday. It survived as a viable retail option for nearly twenty years until 1984 when
CBL opened the 1.1 million square foot Madison Square a few miles to the west down University Drive. JCPenney left.
Loveman's was taken over by Proffit's but I'm not sure what exactly happened to them. It seemed that the entire
University at the Parkway strip was in trouble.
By 1990 the mall was nearly empty. The Toys R Us and Books-a-Million occupied the Loveman's space while the Penny's
space sat empty, the 1970's logo label-scar still visible above the small doors. The Huntsville branch of Calhoun
Community College occupied a large part of the mall near Toys R Us's and Book-a-Million's entrances, still open to the
mall. They were joined by a few small b level stores. In the mid-nineties, a 50 Off Store (where they doubled the
price of everything before taking half off) opened and closed. The old Penny's was used for flea markets and trade
shows. Still, the mall was deader than dead.
Why do I say it was a classic? From the sign outside that suggested "Meet your friends at
our beautiful fountain" to the fountain itself, the mall was well preserved. It was a little musty
inside, but the mall was in relatively great shape. It's floors were brown tile, standard
for the sixties, under high ceilings of copper vertical slats. The halls were very wide with
old store signs still lining them. I remember the red barn of the Hickory Farms store
clearly.
The mall had something else that I haven't seen in any mall. The stores lining Memorial
Parkway all had two entrances- one to the mall commons and one directly to the parking lot.
In the late nineties, the mall was demolished for a new power center called The Fountain.
In a roundabout near the center of the new complex sits The Mall's old fountain sculpture.
Only the old Loveman's anchor was spared, as Toys R Us and Books-a-Million have always done
well at that location. A few old peripheral buildings still stand, as well as a few of The
Mall's distinctive parking lamps. Everything else is completely gone.
It was harder to see this one go than Parkway City. A mall that was a living museum of
1970's architecture, design and retail was replaced by a collection of big boxes. But, to
tell you the truth, I visit The Fountain's Costo, Staples and Home Depot more than I ever
visited The Mall. In fact, this relatively depressed part of Huntsville really needed the
old mall to go.
Links
-Information and a great photo of The Mall's Alabama Theater at Huntsville Theater Information.
-Image of The Mall from TerraServerUSA.com.
-Image of The Fountain from TerraServerUSA.com.
-Website for Madison Square Mall.
Questions, corrections, clarifications or additional info? Contact me at spaldingcm@hotmail.com.
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;)
The Mall opened in the mid to late sixties as Huntsville's first enclosed shopping mall. At nearly 500,000 square feet,
it was a monster in the still growing town. It was barbell shaped with Lovemann's anchoring the south, JCPenney
anchoring the north and about 60 shops in between.
;)
;)
;)
By 1990 the mall was nearly empty. The Toys R Us and Books-a-Million occupied the Loveman's space while the Penny's
space sat empty, the 1970's logo label-scar still visible above the small doors. The Huntsville branch of Calhoun
Community College occupied a large part of the mall near Toys R Us's and Book-a-Million's entrances, still open to the
mall. They were joined by a few small b level stores. In the mid-nineties, a 50 Off Store (where they doubled the
price of everything before taking half off) opened and closed. The old Penny's was used for flea markets and trade
shows. Still, the mall was deader than dead.
;)
Why do I say it was a classic? From the sign outside that suggested "Meet your friends at
our beautiful fountain" to the fountain itself, the mall was well preserved. It was a little musty
inside, but the mall was in relatively great shape. It's floors were brown tile, standard
for the sixties, under high ceilings of copper vertical slats. The halls were very wide with
old store signs still lining them. I remember the red barn of the Hickory Farms store
clearly.
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)