'It was billed as the South's first mall - whatever that was. Graham Beasley was 8 when his parents took the family for the grand opening of Charlottetown Mall in October 1959. They were speechless: There, under one roof, were a fountain, giant planters, rattan bird cages with exotic birds and shops.' - from a 2005 Charlotte Observer story
Wow! Wish I had photos of THAT. Charlottetown Mall which became Outlet Square before it was transformed into Midtown Square was torn down in 2006. The current mixed-use development is Metropolitan.
Did you go to the movies here, or eat at the little S&W 'Silver Grill'?
1964
"Beautiful Mall Addition: This is Charlotte's glittering new Cinema I and II Theatre building which houses the newest and most unusual movie palaces in Charlotte. Built last year at a cost of $1 million, it is North Carolina's first twin theater building. Cinema I has 1000 seats and Cinema II 500. The theatres can play the same picture or show different pictures as they do most of the time. Cinema I and II is on Independence Blvd. just across the street from Charlottetown Mall."
1979
(JUST ADDED) 1980 Silver Grill and S&W Cafeteria served their last meals in Charlottetown Mall.
1980 Silver Grill and S&W Cafeteria.
1982
(JUST ADDED) 1983 Big Star grocery store at Outlet Square.
1984 Outlet Square food court.
1995. Midtown Square and the old Charlottetown Cinemas property up for sale.
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2000. The old Shoney's in front of the vacant Midtown Cinemas,
sold to Home Depot as part of its project at Midtown Square.
2008. Trader Joe's announces they will open a store at Metropolitan.
sold to Home Depot as part of its project at Midtown Square.
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19 comments:
Sounds like the mall was intended not only for shopping but as an entertainment destination. How apropos a hotel is being planned for the site. Things don't really change do they?
The snack bar was part of the J and K cafeteria that was upstairs in the mall. This was a grill very much like the Eckerds Drug store had inside of its location in the mall. Long before we had fast food all over the place.
I grew up around Freedom Park and I have a picture in my mind of looking at a cow pasture before it became Charlottetown Mall. Yes, a lot has changed!
Could the bar have been the original Midtown Sundries? Wendy's seems to be the only business that survived the transformation.
Anonymous(es) - Tx re: J&K snack bar! I loved the snack bars at Eckerds. Also, the bar I recall might've been Midtown Sundries but I think it was attached to the mall, near where Burlington was.
I recall sing alot of classic movies there.. Diamonds are Forever in 68 Live and let die.. in 71 and Star wars in 77. Great LArge theater.
I have such fond memories of Charlottetown Mall from the 1960s and 1970s. My uncle was manager of one of the stores so my family visited the mall frequently. My most vivid memory is of the atrium with all the tropical plants, fountains and exotic birds. It was so beautiful! Shame it's all gone :(
I remember seeing Star Wars there in '77, and then "The Survivors" with Robin Williams and Walter Matthau there in 1983. Sad that it's gone. It was such a lovely place in its youth!
So glad we have happy memories of the theatre! I found a few more Charlottetown Cinema pix and will include them in a future post focusing on old local movie houses. Can't wait!
I worked at the Silver Grill in 1967/68 after school
There was a Bon Marche' department store there in the 1960's.
It was a S&W cafeteria.... There was a Tweed Shop, the grapevine gift shop, cafeteria was upstairs and Iveys was two levels also.
Anyone remember the wonderful Christmas animated displays designed and built by Jack Pentes? The mall was built by the Rouse Company from Baltimore and later Columbia, Md. on leased land owned by the Thompson Orphanage and opened Sept. '59. It was the third enclosed mall built in the country. Bill (William A.) White, former Davidson grad and writer from the Observer, was the first mall manager and leasing rep.
My fiancé and I enjoyed strolling about hand in hand as she viewed the papa gallo shoes in the Tweed Shop owned and operated by M/M Pete Ashcraft.
My mom, Ida Helms was promotion director for Charlottetown Mall. I remember most vividly the Christmas and Easter displays that drew thousands every year. A little nugget, the mall was the fourth indoor mall in the country.
Pappagallo had a store there. The cafeteria had "outside" dining upstairs.
Hoping someone can help: My mom (now in her 80s) loved to shop at a particular store in Charlottetown Mall - and now she can't remember the name, and it's driving her crazy. She says it was a two-word name, and she thinks it had 'Simon' in the name. Can anyone help?
My parents bought a house two blocks from the mall in the early 70s. While we were renovating the kitchen, my dad took me to the S&W Grill for breakfast every morning before going to Dilworth Elementary - such a treat! During the summers, my dad would give me a blank check and I would shop at the Big Star for that night's dinner, walking over and then walking home through the kudzu field (which is now the Election Commission office building & parking lot).
Anon 8/8: I found a 1989 Observer story about the mall that mentioned a women's shop called Franklin Simon. Is that it?
Original comment:
Hoping someone can help: My mom (now in her 80s) loved to shop at a particular store in Charlottetown Mall - and now she can't remember the name, and it's driving her crazy. She says it was a two-word name, and she thinks it had 'Simon' in the name. Can anyone help?
My parents bought a house two blocks from the mall in the early 70s. While we were renovating the kitchen, my dad took me to the S&W Grill for breakfast every morning before going to Dilworth Elementary - such a treat! During the summers, my dad would give me a blank check and I would shop at the Big Star for that night's dinner, walking over and then walking home through the kudzu field (which is now the Election Commission office building & parking lot).
Saw Monster Squad there as a kid, right before we moved out of Charlotte. Great memories of this place. Thanks for posting this.
Remember the Midtown Kempo Karate dojo? Next door to Med-Dent Staffing? My sons and I were students there for years. It was a great place to train. You would be hard pressed to find a better place in which to teach your kids. Thanks Midtown Mall for all of the wonderful memories! If you trained or possibly taught at "Midtown"... Please share your memories from,..."back in the day."
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