London's Malls

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Last night I happened to be dragged (wife) to Whiteoaks Mall. This place is showing signs of being in trouble. At least 20 vacant fronts. At least 10 cellphone joints, and it seemed as though every second store also sold cellphones/packages as part of the merchandise mix. Craptastic stores like those repleting the Westmount Mall's second floor before it was converted to offices. — on a stick, with corn.

That's a change from last time I was in that mall (which was over a year ago), I recall the mall being pretty much full. Then again, there's a lot more competition along Wellington Road between Exeter and Southdale Roads than there used to be. Several former hotel sites were redeveloped into more shopping areas.

It was only six years ago that mall expanded. Perhaps the expansion was a bad idea.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Asian lanterns decorated the mall...perhaps it is now asian-owned? I would love a small asian mall in London. Our own Pacific Mall.

Complete with the not-so-genuine copies of movies that are still in theaters and the HK cinema/Korean dramas/Japanese anime DVDs that all feature hilariously incomprehensible subtitles? Sign me up if that's the case.

[MolsonExport]

^

My wife buys that — by the cartload. esp. the Korean drama with nonsensical subtitles.

[ssiguy]

A mall that I can't even remember going to was Northland..........is it still going?

Also for you old Londoners, does anyone remember the London Mews?

[MolsonExport]

Northland is back, with a (smallish) Walmart. Which does not connect to the mall inside, thus leaving the interior deader than downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Last time I visited, the place had a polish grocery store, some pathetic junk dollar store, maybe a lotto booth, hair salon? Also a No Frills.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

A mall that I can't even remember going to was Northland..........is it still going?

Also for you old Londoners, does anyone remember the London Mews?

Somewhere in this thread Snark wrote a pretty detailed account of the London Mews.

[MolsonExport]

Well, darn tootin' ain't that the cat's meow!'

(mews is a silly name for a mall, yes, I am aware of the history behind the term).

Actually, I am fascinated by dead malls, and long-forgotten (former) urban ruins. I am going to look back over this thread to read up on the mews.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Snark

Oops. I just dated myself. Westown Plaza mall was renamed Cherryhill Village mall some time ago. I'll always think of it as Westown due to the fact that it was called that when I got groceries there when I lived in the original big apartment complex at Proutfoot back in the mid-eighties. I think it was an A&P grocery store there back then.

As for the Superstore mall, anything on the south side of the 401 has never received any substantial through traffic other than folks commuting to St.Thomas. The freeway represents a psychological barrier for anyone north of the freeway (which is pretty much everyone). In terms of a sustainable substantial commercial development, it is a "bridge too far" now and when it was built in the mid 60's. To demonstrate that, a really unique thing about the development is that when "Treasure Island" (the original name of the complex) was built, there wasn't even municipal servicing available - as the location had only been annexed from Westminster township a few years earlier and was far from developed areas, so the development required its own private water tower to provide adequate water supply and pressure for the development. Today, that water tower is used to hang the giant golden arches sign for the McD's restaurant there. Oddly enough, if the owners can wait it out, the land in addition to the arches will become gold in 20 or 25 years when residential development starts south of the 401. The location will be priceless.

Another truly unique gem that no one can checkout anymore is the Mews. This mall sat on what is now a parking lot at King and Clarence (less than a hectare (!)). On the exterior it was undeniably hideous: dark brown brick and dark brown corrugated siding. No windows or even external features of any kind. In a different location, one might have mistaken it for a small electrical generation facility or thereabouts. The thing went up 3 stories above ground and 2 below. Inside however was truly unique: essentially 3 hexagon-shaped corridors each about 40 or so metres in "diameter" stacked on top of each other and connected by escalators. At the top of that was a multiplex. It was a marvel of functional architecture to get this all squeezed in such a tight space. The stores and corridors were all relatively small by today's standards, and that coupled with the fact that everywhere (including the corridors) were carpeted, entirely artificially lit, and the vertical arrangement gave the whole place a totally non-mall feel. It was more of an institutional feel - like a campus or research agency buried deep underground. Sort of a shopping version of the Cheyenne Mountain command center. Still, it was cool at the time and in its day was quite popular. Lastly, there was a kick-— higher-end Japanese restaurant in the basement level - Suisha Gardens. The chefs would come out to your table like some sort of samurai and prepare and stir fry your meal right in front of your table - with all of the accompanying showmanship - much like they do at the Japanese restaurant at Epcot in Disney nowadays. It was a hot place to eat in its day.

Alas, it fell victim to the downtown decline as well, and for a while became a bargain outlet called "Smuggler's Alley", and eventually that died as well. After that it was torn down, because at least the taxes for the land could be paid with parking lot revenue. In today's world such a facility has no place and would never be sustainable, but it was a product of the times - and an appropriate one at that. Now, it is a prime location for a major signature high-rise development if there ever was one.

Fascinating. Reposted for history lovers. London Mews sounds very much like a similar (considerably larger) former shopping experience in downtown montreal called "Les Terraces" (1976-1987). It was located where the current Eaton Centre is now in dt Montreal (yes, mtl has an Eaton Centre! http://www.centreeatondemontreal.com/en/). A maze on many levels: http://rememberingmontreal.blogspot.ca/2011/02/les-terraces-or-les-terrasses.html

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Fascinating. Reposted for history lovers. London Mews sounds very much like a similar (considerably larger) former shopping experience in downtown montreal called "Les Terraces" (1976-1987). It was located where the current Eaton Centre is now in dt Montreal (yes, mtl has an Eaton Centre! http://www.centreeatondemontreal.com/en/). A maze on many levels: http://rememberingmontreal.blogspot.ca/2011/02/les-terraces-or-les-terrasses.html

My limited memory of the London Mews was when the Famous Players 6-screen movie theatre was the only tenant left in the mall (circa 1995). All of the mall's entrances were sealed off except for the one on Dundas Street. The inside of the mall had no windows and to me had the feeling of a giant military bunker.

I remember watching the place being demolished in the summer of 1999. The theatre had closed at least two years earlier.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^

My wife buys that — by the cartload. esp. the Korean drama with nonsensical subtitles.

In the days before broadband, Pacific Mall was the place to go for piracy. Though a lot of my friends bought stuff like Lord of the Rings or Jackie Chan movies, my Japanese friend was the Pirate King, with a library of about 40 anime DVDs that he bought at $5-$10 a piece (and a modded PS2 with an equal number of pirated games). Sometimes they were actually quite good, but other times, it was clear the subtitles had been [poorly] translated from Japanese to Chinese, and then once again into English. My favourite was his copy of Akira, which used Chinese names and grammar. He could understand the audio, I couldn't, and the subtitles may as well have been in Polish. Watched about 20 minutes and didn't have a damn clue what was going on.

I assume it's the same with you and your Korean wife? She knows what they're saying, but you're just completely lost?

[MolsonExport]

^well, she's Canadian-born, and her Korean is broken. But in spirit she identifies with the dialogue and understands just enough to be in thrall. A bit like me and Quebecois culture, on account of my Montreal background (my family is from the anglo minority)

[ssiguy]

The thing with the London Mews is that it was actually quite busy.

The theatres were a big draw especially after the demise of the Century & Capitol theatres. It had the unique advantage of being the go-between Simpson's and Eaton's/Wellington Square. No one walked down King between the two but rather along Dundas to the Mews and then over to WS. It wasn't really the nicest place but it was well positioned which kept pedestrian traffic quite high.

When Simpson/The Bay went under and Eaton's too, the draw of the Mews was nil and it's demise was inevitable. I'm kinda surprised that many of you remember it.

Just as a side note, I didn't even know they changed the name of Westown Plaza Mall. Also you mentioned A&P there but I'm not sure if you are right. I thought it's main grocery store was Miracle Mart?

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

The theatres were a big draw especially after the demise of the Century & Capitol theatres. It had the unique advantage of being the go-between Simpson's and Eaton's/Wellington Square. No one walked down King between the two but rather along Dundas to the Mews and then over to WS. It wasn't really the nicest place but it was well positioned which kept pedestrian traffic quite high.

Capitol was still in operation for years after the Mews closed. I think the Capitol finally bit the dust around 2001 or 2002.

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Just as a side note, I didn't even know they changed the name of Westown Plaza Mall. Also you mentioned A&P there but I'm not sure if you are right. I thought it's main grocery store was Miracle Mart?

The Miracle Mart chain in Ontario was bought by A&P in 1989, and they rebranded the stores as A&P around 1994. This included the Westown Plaza/Cherryhill Village store, which was A&P from about 1994 until 2009 when it became Metro.

[ssiguy]

I was thinking about Miracle Mart in the 70s & 80s when I lived in London.

I thought the Capitol and Century closed down in the early 90s?

[MolsonExport]

Ah, Miracle Whip (I mean, mart): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_Mart_(Canada)

It appears that one location was indeed Westown/Cherry Ill.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Ah, Miracle Whip (I mean, mart): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_Mart_(Canada)

It appears that one location was indeed Westown/Cherry Ill.

They also used to be at Oxbury Mall, and in the plaza at Commissioners @ Wonderland. Both stores are now Food Basics stores.

I liked the aisle signs at Miracle Mart. The one on Commissioners had Sesame Street shampoo on one of the signs.

[ssiguy]

Oxbury..........that's a name I haven't hears in a long time. Can't think of where it was.Oxford & Highbury?

Everytime I would hear that name I always would think of London's last-call hellhole, the infamous Oxbox.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Oxbury..........that's a name I haven't hears in a long time. Can't think of where it was.Oxford & Highbury?

Yep. It's a forgettable mall, except for the Seniors' Craft Store.

[MolsonExport]

Oxbox. Wow, sounds like the type of place where they serve fresh road kill, washed down with vile brew like Bud lite lime.

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Oxbox. Wow, sounds like the type of place where they serve fresh road kill, washed down with vile brew like Bud lite lime.

At the Oxbox, that menu would have been reserved for the higher end clientele.

I'm curious...is St.Thomas' Elgin Mall still around?