And to wrap up this set, here's a look under the wide front canopy. The tiled benches around the columns are another thing that seems quite similar to what malls from this era were doing, and I wonder if there were originally planters in the top area around the column!
Anyway, that's a wrap for 2023! I'll see you all back here in a couple weeks when 2024 begins. I hope everyone has a good time over christmas and New Year's, wherever you are!
Whoa, a RadioShack franchise store! It is neat to see one of those here in 2023! We do have those in Texas, but they are only in small towns outside of Houston, not in Houston itself.
ReplyDeleteThose little FotoMat-like huts are quite strange! I wonder what was in all of those originally. One might have been for a FotoMat-like operation, but I don't know what was operating out of the other ones. I can't say I've seen multiple huts like that together like that. The closest thing I can think of is the entryway to the Astrodome area Fiesta Mart which kind of has huts like that in the front facade columns: https://maps.app.goo.gl/uVwy2vYZGC37E8889
The benches are pretty neat too. There are a lot of interesting things going on here!
Happy Holidays! We'll see you in 2024. Like I said a couple of days ago, hopefully 2024 isn't the year that Safeway gets Krogerized! I'm sure that'll be the big story in 2024...especially in your area.
Seems like Radio Shack's current incarnation tends to stick to small towns -- Salinas counts as one, relatively speaking at least, and that's where they tend to be in the Seattle area too.
DeleteI wouldn't be surprised if these were originally occupied by businesses similar to what the ones here today are, since they seem a bit old-fashioned themselves! It's not that common to see alteration shops, in particular, any longer. I wonder if they have some sort of associated "back room" space within the main building, since I'm not sure how you run a sewing shop or a gift shop or a florist out of a space that looks like it's about 20 square feet!
I thought the same thing as Anonymous in Houston when I saw those little kiosks - they look just like old Fotomats. With the way indoor malls embraced the use of kiosks in the mall corridors, I'm surprised more outdoor malls didn't try something similar to this. It's also nice to see all the little kiosks have remained occupied all these years later too.
ReplyDeleteAnd have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Thanks!
DeleteHappy holidays!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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