tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post115929190650891762..comments2024-03-24T16:06:34.633-07:00Comments on BIGMallrat - Shopping Malls in the San Francisco Bay Area and Beyond: The Story of Southland Mall HaywardScott Parsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10967375949115515071noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-42221284778820446192024-03-06T14:03:19.222-08:002024-03-06T14:03:19.222-08:00I took skating lessons at Southland Mall. Miss it ...I took skating lessons at Southland Mall. Miss it so much!🤣 Nowadays, all skating arenas in California are not in a mall. Southland was my home ice arena. Although I had competitions at hilltop Mall in Richmond and sun valley Mall in Concord. The weird thing is I just started skating again after 30 years off the ice. I now have to travel to Fremont , Dublin or Oakland Ice center. Oh how I miss the mall Ice arenas ⛸️<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-14792176055640641112024-01-15T04:29:34.721-08:002024-01-15T04:29:34.721-08:00Do you remember the unique ice cream scoop at Thri...Do you remember the unique ice cream scoop at Thrifty’s? Instead of a ball-shaped scoop of ice cream, the metal scooper produced a cylindrical-shaped scoop. That way you would get a tall, perfectly stacked tower of ice cream. I always ordered a triple stack. It’s the first place I tried pistachio nut ice creamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-41106045397524528852023-07-05T20:56:49.995-07:002023-07-05T20:56:49.995-07:00The only music store I remember was Sherman Clay. ...The only music store I remember was Sherman Clay. My Dad bought me a drum set there and later when I switched from drums to steel guitar I traded the drums in on an amplifier there. It was in the wing going from Penny's to (later) Liberty House on the left side as you walked from Penny's to Liberty House.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-51070389611675466322023-06-29T22:41:30.816-07:002023-06-29T22:41:30.816-07:00Sherman and Clay. I took guitar lessons in the bac...Sherman and Clay. I took guitar lessons in the back.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-71922470175081739002023-01-22T14:20:13.222-08:002023-01-22T14:20:13.222-08:00I remember the young woman who worked at the t shi...I remember the young woman who worked at the t shirt shop had really long fingernails (like 12 inches). It astounded me she could press those shirts with those long nails.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-90827761168112028692022-12-28T01:24:16.156-08:002022-12-28T01:24:16.156-08:00I used to work there as a security guard around 20...I used to work there as a security guard around 2005ish. It is very cool to see what the “underground “ mall looks like. Maybe you can ask a security guard there now if they have pictures. I am sure they still have access to it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-16648366684141120472022-12-28T01:19:29.215-08:002022-12-28T01:19:29.215-08:00Kb toys? Kb toys? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-77462764284437787882021-12-29T19:55:28.320-08:002021-12-29T19:55:28.320-08:00I remember the t shirt shop below Lemans speedway ...I remember the t shirt shop below Lemans speedway arcade downstairs. You could pick a shirt style and design prints on the wall and they would press your t shirt. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07461693901477061258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-17446102611952976082021-08-07T18:38:34.402-07:002021-08-07T18:38:34.402-07:00Oh, LeMans Speedway.
Oh, LeMans Speedway.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08545972875925526345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-32928247832887604962021-03-10T15:06:04.593-08:002021-03-10T15:06:04.593-08:00I worked at Bumbleberry making Strawberry pies...m...I worked at Bumbleberry making Strawberry pies...my only duty, my sister was a waitress there. I don't remember Tummy Treat and wasn't Farrells at Bayfair mall?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-8309459576211388182020-10-03T17:10:02.843-07:002020-10-03T17:10:02.843-07:00Me and my friends would go swimming at the Vagabon...Me and my friends would go swimming at the Vagabond in the summer. Sometimes the desk clerk would kick us out, other times we'd swim for hours. <br /><br />And then we'd go around back to the old style coke machine that had actual bottles in it. The bottle caps would be facing out so we'd pop the caps off with a crescent wrench and then drink the soda out of it with a straw.<br /><br />Good times!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03557584468602070269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-37729735695327697472020-10-03T16:55:57.627-07:002020-10-03T16:55:57.627-07:00LeMans Speedway!LeMans Speedway!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03557584468602070269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-41985514826831130842020-08-12T15:33:30.142-07:002020-08-12T15:33:30.142-07:00I worked at Leman's Speedway at Southland Mall...I worked at Leman's Speedway at Southland Mall in 1980 and 1981. I was 22 when they hired me. I worked there by myself every weeknight from 4pm until they closed. I think it was 10 o'clock.I remember I had to wear an ugly red vest with LeMan's Speedway on the back. They had a bumper car setup in the back of the arcade but it was never operational when I worked there. <br />Even though it was generally pretty loud in the arcade, I enjoyed working there and I enjoyed the mall. There was so much to do there I usually showed up for work two hours early. I had my hair cut and styled there.I bought record albums at the record store. I used to get those delicious chocolate chip cookies at Otis Spunkmeyer's. Does anybody remember a hot dog restaurant there? You didn't have to go into the actual mall to eat there. They were connected to the mall but they had they own outside entrance. They had the best hot dogs and I used to eat there just about every day. You'd get a big hot dog, fries and a soda for $1.99. I had TWO jobs back in those days. My situation could have been so much worse but I enjoyed those days. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00370807116567604952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-22335948377956177842019-09-16T23:45:59.393-07:002019-09-16T23:45:59.393-07:00There was a Bar and Luncheon Restaurant downstairs...There was a Bar and Luncheon Restaurant downstairs called "The Courtyard". My parents, Jim and Vicki Gallagher opened it in the early 60's. My mother designed it after the courtyard in the home she grew up in in the New Orleans French Quarter. She even built a large tree on the inside with authentic Louisiana tree moss hanging from the branches. The Courtyard was a family place and I spent a lot of time there and all through Southland growing up. My father got his hair cut at "The Hogs breath. My mother bought his shoes at Florsheim shoes his tools at Sears and our clothes at JC Penny's. We visited Santa and the Easter Bunny at Southland Mall. I really can't think of anything we needed that we couldn't get at Southland. Times were much simpler then and there was no "Online" shopping so folks still "Went Shopping". Anyway Southland was a great part of growing up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-31774291396958116822017-09-01T09:55:59.561-07:002017-09-01T09:55:59.561-07:00Did anyone mention the Southland theatre I think o...Did anyone mention the Southland theatre I think one summer me and my brother and a couple of friends saw American graffiti like 14 times . We would pay once and stay there all day and watch the same damn movie til we had to be home .lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-29557289856373555932017-03-12T08:58:51.022-07:002017-03-12T08:58:51.022-07:00The ice rink had three round observation windows i...The ice rink had three round observation windows in the mall. I have a newspaper clip of me a two other girls looking through them at the rink. I wasn't aware of the shot until my Mom noticed my distinct coat in the photo. It was fun to take a break from shopping and watch what was going on with the skaters. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-69425366278903047562017-03-12T08:34:32.542-07:002017-03-12T08:34:32.542-07:00Thanks for the memories ! I had a lot of good time...Thanks for the memories ! I had a lot of good times there.Haywarditehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04102918282434297370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-77593218906436280822016-11-28T22:44:06.105-08:002016-11-28T22:44:06.105-08:00Don't really have much to say but did work at ...Don't really have much to say but did work at Penney's in I think 1965. Worked in the candle and luggage dept. Actually still have a picture of me standing in front of all the colorful candles. have carried it in my wallet all these years. Just reading some of the comments takes me way back.I remember later in years when I worked at Mervyns we use go to Lord Byrons and get their awesome Pizza Burgers. wish I could find one of those again !! Anyway thanks for all the memories !!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-40554659274787592092016-11-26T18:07:28.143-08:002016-11-26T18:07:28.143-08:00The former gas station building is now a Firestone...The former gas station building is now a Firestone store/repai shop. The gas pumps are gone, but the raised islands on which they sat are still there. The bumper car racetrack downstairs with the arcade was LeMans Speedway. My two younger brothers worked as skate guards and played hockey at the Ice Arena.Russ Leavitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08997398082482114683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-42200276552497963482016-06-07T19:09:27.701-07:002016-06-07T19:09:27.701-07:00The arcade was called Lamaze Speedway. I'm no...The arcade was called Lamaze Speedway. I'm not sure how it was spelled. My dad moonlighted there working security. It was named after the bumper cars in the back of the arcade. I was an elf at Santa Land one year and helped take pictures of the kids. I still keep in touch with one of the Santa's I met way back in 1976. On break I would walk up the stairs and get a slice of cheese pizza at Woolworths. I can't explain to my kids how wonderful that mall was...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01363960398775345018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-39743632908569378102016-03-10T09:19:06.829-08:002016-03-10T09:19:06.829-08:00Actually the food court did not replace the Ice ri...Actually the food court did not replace the Ice rink the Ice rink was down at the other end across from where Catherines clothing is and it was removed to build Macy's and all the stores to the right of Macy's as you go into Macy'sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-24297923187616158892015-04-01T11:09:51.198-07:002015-04-01T11:09:51.198-07:00The bar downstairs was named The Courtyard. My dad...The bar downstairs was named The Courtyard. My dad was best friends with the owner Jimmy Gallagher. We used to go there on Saturdays and have a sandwich 'cooked' from a tabletop oven :-). Great memories. I was an aspiring 12yr old musician and always gravitated to the 'sound stage' where the jazz band was set up. Bought a Fender Deluxe amp and DuoSonic for $100 from an old jazz guy...wish I still had it! Met big Ben Davidson there one Saturday as well. They were HUGE Raider fans!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-38632165076013872252015-01-26T09:07:27.516-08:002015-01-26T09:07:27.516-08:00There was a water feature just as you described ag...There was a water feature just as you described against the JC Penney store. It was regrettably removed. I believe an ATM sits in its former location.Scott Parsonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10967375949115515071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-18160858777565707682015-01-25T23:36:34.646-08:002015-01-25T23:36:34.646-08:00Does anyone remember if this mall had water featur...Does anyone remember if this mall had water features - specifically water running under the floor in places with little bridges? I was so young that I barely remember, but I swear this mall had something like that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322750.post-3276603711530417372015-01-13T22:09:56.852-08:002015-01-13T22:09:56.852-08:00Have reminisced more than a few times over the las...Have reminisced more than a few times over the last 40+ years. Magical mall was had travelling there on my banana seat bike with basket in front and streamers flying from handlebars alongside my mom on her lady Schwinn. Woolworth's for knitting yarn and Barbie clothes. LeMans for bumper cars. Nut House for pistaschios. Stride Rite for school shoes. Santa's lap for photo and free take away wrapped gift! Pet store to buy fishband feel sad about glass enclosed puppies. Wicks N Sticks for candles shaped like food. Olga's kitchen for Greek salad. Farrell's for Sundaes and smiles. JCP for shirt with Sean Cassidy's face on it...had to have a friend get it! Giant bird cage to the ceiling with birds usually seen outside in trees...plenty of water bowls scattered around floor area. World's Fare with Hof Brau always the winner over all other cuisine choices. Large plastic trays with silverware and plastic cups. @ 15 bucks for mom, dad and me to eat periodically in the evening under quite dim lighting. Skating rink..loved it but not as much as Valley Vista roller rink on Mission...wood floors, church friends and Foreigner's Waiting 4 A Girl Like You. Oh...hair salon near LeMans was First Lady Beauty Salon where my mom got perms now and then..cute. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com