Old Austin Malls and Shopping Centers - Page 12

ahealy · #**221** Posted **Feb 3, 2021, 3:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

That's the 80s bleeding into the 90s pre-grunge.

Truly one of the best eras. Early 90's for the win

and LOL at Weiner's. Maybe it's a Handy Andy.

Mopacs · #**222** Posted **Feb 3, 2021, 5:17 AM**

The Weiner's chain has been defunct for 20 years now. This was the location I spent my childhood at (more often hiding inside those circular clothing racks instead of shopping):

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4324...7i16384!8i8192

It was located in NW Austin at 183 and Spicewood Springs. I don't think this shopping center has been remodeled in over 40 years. Interesting tenant mix these days.

ahealy · #**223** Posted **Feb 3, 2021, 3:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopacs

The Weiner's chain has been defunct for 20 years now. This was the location I spent my childhood at (more often hiding inside those circular clothing racks instead of shopping):

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4324...7i16384!8i8192

It was located in NW Austin at 183 and Spicewood Springs. I don't think this shopping center has been remodeled in over 40 years. Interesting tenant mix these days.

Hiding in the circular overstuffed clothing racks was the coziest place in the world...glad I wasn't the only one lol.

mtb_jeremy · #**224** Posted **Feb 3, 2021, 3:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopacs

It was located in NW Austin at 183 and Spicewood Springs. I don't think this shopping center has been remodeled in over 40 years. Interesting tenant mix these days.

I have heard the owner of the shopping center is putting the squeeze on the tenants and doubling their rents. Reported by one of the restaurant owners. Sadly, I expect a number of the businesses won't survive, especially with how the previous year has gone. My guess would be the strip center gets at least a facelift in the near future.

drummer · #**225** Posted **Feb 3, 2021, 5:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtb_jeremy

I have heard the owner of the shopping center is putting the squeeze on the tenants and doubling their rents. Reported by one of the restaurant owners. Sadly, I expect a number of the businesses won't survive, especially with how the previous year has gone. My guess would be the strip center gets at least a facelift in the near future.

Is this the shop with Asia Market, Asia Cafe, and the like? I hope those stick around. Asia Cafe is one of the more authentic Chinese restaurants in the area - and there are only a few that I would call authentic. Super good.

MallRat2020 · #**226** Posted **Feb 9, 2021, 7:49 PM**

I found a handful of pics in the ol' photo albums circa 1981. These were for my sister's birthday party at Scampi's Organ Palace here in Austin.

If memory serves correctly, I think they played those crazy silent movies / cartoons on the big screen and the organ player provided the soundtrack and some wacky sound effects as well. This is a place I have fuzzy memories of but I remember the place looked like an actual palace inside and out.

MallRat2020 · #**227** Posted **Mar 10, 2021, 7:58 PM**

I found another pic of Highland Mall. Here's one of me that a friend in Yearbook class took for a project in 1988. This was either in Musicland or Hastings, I don't remember.

Here's a recent pic of some Texas Longhorns collectors mugs. My grandmother originally purchased these at Scarbroughs downstairs in Highland Mall in 1984. I still have the actual box and price tags on them.

I'm digging through to see if I can find more.

KevinFromTexas · #**228** Posted **Mar 10, 2021, 8:26 PM**

Whoa, that cassette case wall and packaging shot takes me back.

MallRat2020 · #**229** Posted **Mar 10, 2021, 8:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Whoa, that cassette case wall and packaging shot takes me back.

Those cassette walls were certainly one-of-a-kind, huh? I remember buying a tape once and the clerk couldn't find the key to unlock the security plastic from the tape, so she let me take the whole thing home. I took me about 45 minutes to saw through the plastic using stuff from my dad's toolbox!

The Musicland was downstairs by Foley's, and the Hastings was upstairs by the escalators, across from the old Map store. I used to buy Astronomy books in the Map store, calendars, etc.

Remember when the music stores also had tons of posters? They had those large almost door-like frames that you could flip through like a huge book on its side. All the rock stars, movie stars, etc. Sometimes there were movie posters in there. Occasionally NFL or NBA sports stars too.

I miss it.

KevinFromTexas · #**230** Posted **Mar 10, 2021, 9:39 PM**

Yep. I had an E.T. the Extraterrestrial poster up on my wall. The one of the ship seen through the forest from the beginning of the movie.

I also really miss picking out movies. Even just Blockbuster, but I remember back further than that when they weren't even here yet. We had Highland Appliance in South Austin around Menchaca & Redd Street in the 80s. That place now is a bingo hall. They sold...appliances, but they also had tvs, vcrs, and movies. All of the great movies from the 80s, that's where we rented them. You could buy, too, of course, but they were onto the renting idea before others were.

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MallRat2020 · #**231** Posted **Mar 11, 2021, 8:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

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Oh wow, I remember that now! 50 watts per channel!

That's a great blast from the past...

Mopacs · #**232** Posted **Mar 12, 2021, 3:27 AM**

This is probably a repost but worth posting again. This is an old newspaper scan showing the proposed Market Place shopping center at Lamar and 6th. Only the Office Max section was ultimately built. The Whole Foods store and HQs currently occupies this block. Article is from 1998.

KevinFromTexas · #**233** Posted **Mar 12, 2021, 3:59 AM**

I remember looking at that little tower in that rendering back then and grumbling under my breath about why it couldn't be taller and grander.

Looking at it again now it reminds me of a McDonald's playscape. lol

Mopacs · #**234** Posted **Mar 12, 2021, 5:46 AM**

A friend of ours took this photo back in 1988 or 89. This is at the Northfork Plaza shopping center on US 183 in far NW Austin, just north of 620. Most of the buildings in the center are still standing today, now known as the "Hub at Research & 45". Original anchors included a Safeway, Eckerd's drugstore and smaller shops like the Video Station (if anyone remembers).

Same perspective today:

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4725...7i16384!8i8192

H2O · #**235** Posted **Mar 12, 2021, 12:44 PM**

Wow! I barely noticed all the ugly electrical poles in the 2nd pic. It might actually be an improvement.

Sigaven · #**236** Posted **Mar 12, 2021, 5:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopacs

This is probably a repost but worth posting again. This is an old newspaper scan showing the proposed Market Place shopping center at Lamar and 6th. Only the Office Max section was ultimately built. The Whole Foods store and HQs currently occupies this block. Article is from 1998.

I shudder at the thought at having an entire shopping village downtown with the same ugly design as the office max.

paul78701 · #**237** Posted **Mar 12, 2021, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

I shudder at the thought at having an entire shopping village downtown with the same ugly design as the office max.

That Office Max site is sure to be redeveloped in the not too distant future. It's only partially covered by a CVC.

StoOgE · #**238** Posted **Mar 12, 2021, 6:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopacs

This is probably a repost but worth posting again. This is an old newspaper scan showing the proposed Market Place shopping center at Lamar and 6th. Only the Office Max section was ultimately built. The Whole Foods store and HQs currently occupies this block. Article is from 1998.

Between this and the mega-mall downtown proposed on Congress in the 80s we are extremely lucky our downtown is what it is today. Austin was small fry enough that we largely skirted the 80s and 90s obsession with "reclaiming" downtowns by making them giant malls.

I don't know if anyone has been to downtown Indianapolis. Their downtown mall basically destroyed half of their city center, and they were "lucky" that theirs didn't tear up the street grid the way these two proposals would have.

MallRat2020 · #**239** Posted **Mar 12, 2021, 9:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopacs

A friend of ours took this photo back in 1988 or 89. This is at the Northfork Plaza shopping center on US 183 in far NW Austin, just north of 620. Most of the buildings in the center are still standing today, now known as the "Hub at Research & 45". Original anchors included a Safeway, Eckerd's drugstore and smaller shops like the Video Station (if anyone remembers).

Awesome! Please post more if you have them, those are great.

Mopacs · #**240** Posted **Mar 13, 2021, 2:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

I shudder at the thought at having an entire shopping village downtown with the same ugly design as the office max.

The front of the complex bears some resemblance to Horton Plaza in San Diego. Perhaps not a coincidence. If the current state of Horton Plaza is any indication, it's probably a good thing our center was never built.

https://esotericsurvey.blogspot.com/...jon-jerde.html

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