Things I remember....

[mr.jaynes]

Something I remember back in the 1980s was the Eastland Mall, and of the bustling activity there-I come back to town after Katrina, and I mean the place was almost desolate. Back then, there was always something happening there, and I recall that the Judds even stopped in. The place had a good buzz back then, that actor Martin Mull even did commercials for it. I'm surprised that then-teen idol Tiffany didn't come by and shoot a video there (she had a thing for performing in shopping malls). But in 2005, the place was a ghost town. What happened and has it recovered from that slump? I may check it out as I'm planning a trip back to Tulsa for a visit.

Here's one: does anyone here remember the Kensington Galleria on 71st and Lewis? It wasn't always hopping that I could see, but it wasn't always quiet either. They did seem to have the stores that people wanted (such as a Dillard's, for instance), and I would always sit in the little coffee shop situated on the lower level in the middle of the walkway, order a few cups and just relax and people-watch.

I remember Renberg's and Clarke's Good Clothes, and Vandever's-all at Southroad's. I remember the Annex Mall only steps away, and remmeber the movie theatre and the arcade there, as well as the Swenson's ice cream parlor there: my dad (a pilot) would always take me there for a banana split whenever he was back in town.

Good times, good times....

[TulsaTV]

Kensington Galleria was one of the locations for Weird Al's movie, "UHF". The "Wheel of Fish" scene was shot there.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaTV

Kensington Galleria was one of the locations for Weird Al's movie, "UHF". The "Wheel of Fish" scene was shot there.

Neat thing about Kensington was the only local mall that you could shop and still hear yourself think.

[dbacks fan]

One of my favorite resteraunt and bars was The Duke Of Kennsington at the Galleria. When My ex-wife and I were dating we would go there on Fridays for happy hour and play darts in the dart alley they had. They also had a guy that played acoustic guitar on Friday and Saturday nights that was really good.
I also remember going into Sakowitz shopping with my mother and thinking that everything in the store was overpriced. I think it closed and then became Dillards. There is an interesting site about dead malls, http://www.deadmalls.com/ they also have links to all kinds of stores that are no more.

[AMP]

All products of the great economy in the US.

Ever notice that two of the National Credit Reporting Agencies are located in enemy country - Texas.  No wonder their economy seems strong and Oklahoma's is sketchy at best.

With two Texas firms making decisions on who gets what scores, it is a wonder anyone in Oklahoma even has credit.

Wonder what the ratio of credit application from Texas residents versus Oklahoman's are approved?

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by dbacks fan

One of my favorite resteraunt and bars was The Duke Of Kennsington at the Galleria. When My ex-wife and I were dating we would go there on Fridays for happy hour and play darts in the dart alley they had. They also had a guy that played acoustic guitar on Friday and Saturday nights that was really good.
I also remember going into Sakowitz shopping with my mother and thinking that everything in the store was overpriced. I think it closed and then became Dillards. There is an interesting site about dead malls, http://www.deadmalls.com/ they also have links to all kinds of stores that are no more.

Even more fascinating was that there were occasions where there were actually more people working in the shops there, than there were people actually shopping there. Not that I'm deriding the Galleria or the people working there or even the stores there (indeed, it's a cherished memory), but there was this existentialism to it all.

[marc]

Eastland Mall was a nice place to visit in the 1980s and 1990s. It had a lot of stuff Woodland had but without all the traffic congestion to get there. I remember the big food court downstairs, and I used to go to the bookstore, I forget the name of it, it was toward the west end of the mall.

This was before the big chain superstores came to town, I guess the south Tulsa Barnes & Noble  opened around 1994? Tulsa is fortunate to have two Barnes & Nobles and two Borders today. I know it's trendy, urban and hip to eschew chain bookstores in favor of independent ones, but I admit I enjoy the chains.

And what are the best independent bookstores in Tulsa? I know Steve's Sundry is a great place to browse, as is Gardner's, although of course it deals only in used books.

[T Badd]

Fairly current update on Eastland Mall here.

I also remember the solitude and serenity of the Kensington Galleria. It was a great place to shop when you didn't feel like fighting the crowds of Woodland Hills. I don't think anyone was surprised when it closed.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by T Badd

Fairly current update on Eastland Mall here.

I also remember the solitude and serenity of the Kensington Galleria. It was a great place to shop when you didn't feel like fighting the crowds of Woodland Hills. I don't think anyone was surprised when it closed.

While it was typically upscale, there was a B. Dalton's and an I Scream! and that little sidewalk cafe/coffee shop on the lower level. Seems that even BJ Furniture got in on the act by displaying their wares in the walkways, though they didn't have a store there (and that's another topic for another time). As for the cafe, I remember that I'd go in and have a few cups of coffee and just vege out for a bit. I do know that I was always their only customer, that there were more people working at the cafe than actually came in, and that their crew was all female.

[Noodlez]

What ever became of the great raft race down the river? I miss that fun times back then.

[Rowdy]

quote:Originally posted by Noodlez

What ever became of the great raft race down the river? I miss that fun times back then.

Yeah, there's actually water in it now!
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