Sizzler was across the Parkway. Mom & I would spend all day Saturday window shopping at the Mall & finished the day with a trip to Sizzler's great salad bar & ground sirloin, baked potato, Texas toast meal. Felt so grown up. My sister & I got our ears pierced at the Mall, threw many coins in that fountain making wishes that didn't come true. And a movie theater next door where we waited in line to see Jaws. Good times...simpler times. Thanks for posting this film. Family all passed on but these memories still remain.
Huntsville resident here. Born in 1980 and lived here my whole life. I remember my grandparents taking me to this mall a few times when I was a kid (maybe 86-89 timeframe) and it was completely dead for the most part even then. Only a few stores remained. I think there was a shoe store my grandmother liked and kept shopping there. Parkway City Mall and Madison Square were in full effect and "The Mall" only had a few stores left. The only major store that was attached was the Toys R Us and later on, Books a Million. However, I do remember the fountain in the mall. It was very elaborate and pretty. I remember my granddad giving me pennies to throw in it to make a wish. By the time I was a teenager (1994-98 time period) I was really into the local punk music scene and they actually had shows at this mall. All the stores would be locked up for the night and the mall turned into just an empty hall. The local bands would set up at the north side of the mall and there would be 50-100 kids in there. I have absolutely no idea if this was sanctioned by the mall, or if they just found a place where the cops would never look to find them....but we'd all be in there late at night watching punk bands. If I had to guess, I'd say I attended about 10-12 shows there over the years. By the late 90s the punk scene died out and there weren't any shows anymore. I have fond memories of this place, albeit it was for a reason unrelated to shopping in the heyday of this mall. I remember being a young teenager and listening to horrible punk bands with my friends. Feeling free from my parents. Secretly having a beer in the parking lot. Talking to girls and just generally being a fun loving teenager without a care in the world. It was a good time. I miss it.
I’m same age as you - lifetime Huntsville area resident. A lot of my memories go back to even the early 80s. My Mom usually went to “Penney’s” and had fond memories of throwing pennies in the fountain (I thought that was why it was called the Penney’s mall lol)! My first ever Santa visit was in ‘83 when I was three years old. Remember that he was the first Santa I ever saw with glasses and I got scared of him 😂. We frequented the mall a lot until about ‘86 or so, when we started going to Madison Square more. They didn’t have a food court that could compete. Awesome memories - miss the mall still even today.
I just wanted to take the time to thank you for this video! It was 1994 and my friends were alive and we would spend afternoons there. I swear it was like traveling back in time. The people at Noah's Ark used to let me come in and pet and play with the cats and on Sunday we would listen to the old men pick bluegrass in the center of the mall. Again I can't thank you enough. I hope you don't mind but I am coping this video for my personal Huntsville history. Thank you again!
Being born in 1959 myself I can honestly say I had several friends and many people I knew from seeing all the time that lived in Florence, Huntsville, Decatur and Atlanta Georgia that died before they ever saw 30 ,40 or 50. Had one best friend die at 29 in 1989 and another one day one year later in 1990 from drowning at age 27. Death doesn't care how young you are when it takes you. Of course all my neighbors ( the parents ) of all the kids I grew up with are all gone now. None of the older folks are alive today they're all gone now. Now at 62 I've lived to witness the disappearance of an entire grown up population that once lived in my youth. We will all live to see death.
I was just a kid, but my family and I were in the mall minutes before the tornado hit it in 1974, I remember hearing the announcement asking everyone to leave and seeing green lightening as we were driving away. ...what I wouldn't do to see some footage of this mall in it's prime in the 70's.... thanks for sharing this
I never saw the mall, but my family went to Costco a lot and the fountain is still there, in between the Costco and Home Depot parking lots. My dad always told me it used to be in a mall. It’s great to get to see the inside, with the fountain actually running. It’s a familiar statue I’ve seen my whole life, but never seen run. Thank you for putting up this video :)
During Christmas when I was little, The Mall would display a really tall Christmas tree out front (during the 70’s). You could see it for a good distance up or down the Parkway. No telling how many lights were on it.
It's amazing that you had this and it's a great service to those in this area who have even the faintest of memories of this place, from a time before we were able to record and document everything so effortlessly. Thank you for uploading!
Okay, two things. 1) i liked thevridiculous sculpture in that fountain. 2) I had forgotten there was actually a sign that said "The Mall". Nice nostalgic vibe for me, it' was flattened many years ago. Best, lanef
@Alex I agree ! A lot of memories and I lived in Florence but was in Huntsville on weekends just about every week for at least 4 years. Had friends that lived in the apartments off Oster Lane or Road ??? Back in the late 1980's early 1990's. I sure miss the people places and that time in my life. Spent many hours at The Mall and The Madison Square Mall we'd usually hit both during the weekend. Now both are gone. Where the Hell do young people hang out now ? Do they hang out at all now ?
Gosh I wish we could go back to much simpler times especially in Huntsville. I remember renting out a 3bedroom 2bath apartment for under $600 bucks that was Southparkway by the way.
Thank you so much for posting this! It was my favorite place when I was a kid. This city should've kept places like this that meant so much to so many of us that grew up going here. They pretend to care so much about this city's history. Where's the Malls,Movie Theaters,food places,etc that made this city such joy during the 70's & 80's?
The Mall was barely hanging on during the late 1980 and early 1990's most every business that was there back then struggled to stay open. With newer malls being built every up until the mid 1980's most people that supported The Mall as customers back before mid 1980 had all died out or had gotten to old to shop much anymore. The people that supported The Mall after it opened with their money are all gone pretty much now. And the Internet helped kill so many stores from my youth like Sears and Kmart now long gone and replaced by internet sales delivered by UPS or the U.S.Postal Service. as our towns tax base was wiped out along with so many businesses. No a good things all the way around for us or America as a whole.
Remember as a kid my parents would drive from our home in Florence ,Alabama over to Huntsville ,Alabama to The Mall which alot of people called Loveman's or Luffman's Mall because it was the Big Anchor store you saw first driving on highway 72 to get their. Haven't thought about the water fountain in forever ! I and a friend or two we'd go to the old mall on weekends sometimes during the late 1980's early 1990's. looking for old records from singing groups that I couldn't fine in Florence, and I found several that I bought. So very sad it's now gone and the Madison Square Mall is no more. One of my best friends I'd stay with there in Huntsville would go to the club on Saturday night them on Sunday late morning we'd go the the food court located in the Madison Square Mall to eat look for clothes and record albums and CD's that I wanted and found. So many wonderful memories that I have from my childhood to the early 1990's I'll cherish forever. The internet has helped kill our once plentiful retail stores and now it helping to kill our once magnificent America. As far as I'm concerned that me back to a time before Amazon was just one of many retail book stores and there was an Amazon Book Store in the Madison Square Mall back in the day.
Online stores are making America bad? Not the police brutality, systemic racism, big pharma who treats for profits and doesn't heal, the appalling lack of healthcare/benefits/maternity/paternity leave for part time and full time workers, or ridiculous way taxpayers are being nickel and dimed for basic necessities? None of that,huh? Just online stores.....whew. Wake up, boomer.
Change is so sad,I miss all the Mall's..Madison Square was my favorite place...I almost cry when I go by there now..nothing there at least nothing I'm interested in...
We had the Southgate Mall in Muscle Shoals back when I was a kid living in Florence but The Mall in Huntsville was absolutely it during that time period. Not forgetting the most impressive Water Fountain. The Mall was the King in North Alabama for years. Remember going to the Piccadilly that was there in The Mall when I was 10 to 14 years old. The Southgate was really nice to have long before the Florence Square Mall opened around the time I graduated in 1978. Then that became the place to shop until the Internet Killed retail businesses along with small towns all over America. The Malls were still popular in they younger days when I was out and about much more than I am now.
THE Mall was but a shell of its former self by this point. Still a very interesting and nostalgic video to watch. I took classes at Calhoun there around this time.
I remember when books a million and planet fitness used to be Lovemans department store. The other end of the mall was JC PENNEY. That was a year mall back in the 70s.
This beautiful fountain has been put out to pasture. This sculpture is a part of Huntsville's history, and the city should buy it and put it downtown or even in the foyer of the art museum. It's just rusting away and has been abandoned by the current property owners. WE WANT OUR FOUNTAIN BACK.
@Julie Crane since the fountain pool is poured concrete that was part of the floor of the Old The Mall it would completely destroy the actual foundation pool which is in itself a landmark. Think it would be better left as is unless the owners want it removed. The sculpture and pumps could be moved easily enough but it would not be the same. Just leave it where it was originally built so people from that time can remember the old days. After we are all gone, that remember The Mall of the 1960's 70's and early 80's well we won't care what anyone does with it since we'll be dead as dirt.
Books A Million was located in the old Loveman's build during the late 1980's early 1990's. They also sold new marked down record albums too. Remember seeing at B-A-M's a few really neat albums that had the photos of the group pressed into the actual record. One of those rare albums I refer buying to this very day by the group Spandau Ballet that had the big hit "True " or " I Know This Much Is True. " Back in those days the glory of it's hey day was long over. There was a bar / club that was in one of the old stores in The Mall during the 1980's that had a decent business on weekends but everything else that was there was just hanging on until the end I guess. So glad to know the water fountain was left it was a beautiful work of art as ways enjoyed seeing it even to the last time I was ever there. Haven't been back since they tore down our old friend The Mall. To be honest I don't think I really want to see that it's not there anymore.
And yum to Piccadilly cafeteria. Still one at Pkwy City Mall? Loved that super salty hamburger steak they served. If still at Pkwy City.....im all in....very very soon.
My very last memory of and actual 5 and Dime store was the one that was in The Mall. I believe was called " Ben Franklin's 5 and 10¢ store " Somebody help me out here ?! LOL ! And it was still open in The Mall, in the late 1980 maybe earlier 1990's. Remember as a kid my parents taking me with them to The Mall in my Dad's 1970 Chevrolet Nova he bought brand new in 69 or 70 and he kept it until 1973 so I was at least 10 years old up to 14 years old when they last drove from Florence ,Alabama to Huntsville just about once a week because my sister ,her husband and their two kids lived in Madison County before entering Huntsville city limits but we'd go on into the city to check out The Mall too on our trips. Wasn't the Piccadilly Restaurant located in The Mall to start with back in 1969 though the first several years of the operation of The Mall ? And what about Loveman's or Luffman's ??? Department store that was the anchor store originally for The Mall ? I can remember people calling it Loveman's Mall by in the early 1970's as well. I feel in love as a kid with Huntsville as a kid and still love all my memories from those old Mall days to the early 1990's. Life work and illnesses got in my way so I haven't returned in over 25 years to that area.
Was a great place to go even after its hey day was over. Love to go there in the late 198O's to early 1990's. Could find good deals on music albums and I did not CDs but the ones played on a record player. Remember the last Ben Franklin 5 and Dime Store I ever knew about was still in The Mall too. Remember my parents and I going to The Mall in 1969 Thru 1973 when I was 10 to 14 years old it was a very impressive site to see. Remember that water fountain very well too. So glad to see it and the old place again.
Two part sof this mall exists anymore, books-a-million, toysrus (which is now planet fitness), a Home Depot, a new dollar tree. If you look on the back of the toys-r-us building, you can see where the original mall entrance to toysrus and books-a-million used to be.
I remember that fountain, would feel water droplets hit you when you got near it. This place was basically dead in the 80's when I was a kid, only books a million and toys-r-us being it's thing. Later a community college took over a good chunk of it with class rooms.
Yes. It was on the northwest corner of the intersection of University Drive and north Memorial Parkway. Books-a-Million (the only remaining section of the mall), Home Depot, and Costco sit on the property now. Before The Mall was built in 1966, that property was basically an open field and the site of the annual NE Alabama state fair.
Yes. Woolworth was on the east side of the mall, about 2/3 of the way between the main entrance and JC Penney. It had a lunch counter for many years. I liked their strawberry pie.
Was wondering last week if there r any hometown restaurants left in Huntsville. There was Bon-Air, Mullins, Zestos, Eunices Country Kitchen. Big Eds still around. Terrys pizza bought by star market. Almost as good as original but... what is still here but those 2 latter I mentioned....anyone know?
@Julie Crane , I remember eating at Bon- Air back in the early 1990's a few times. It was owned by a Black couple that cooked good Southern Soul Food. Eunices was talked about on Morin Folks T.V. Show by Grady Reeves channel 19 forever back in the day but I never went there. I think they called her Aunt Eunice and she was old back then. Grady Reeves retired in 2000 to 2001 somewhere around there. I'm sure she's now passed away by now. The Star Grocery Store / Market located at 5 Points and The old 5 Points Cafe or Restaurant I remember both. Ate at the 5 Points Cafe/Restaurant for the last time I think in 1997 or 1998. Was Zestos ,That place that sold soft serve ice cream ,milk shakes hot dog and hamburgers located in 5 Points ? They sold food that was sold at Dairy Queen ? If so I remember it too ! Don't know about Big Ed's or Terry's Pizza thou.
I only caught this place on the tail end of its run, when it was mostly dead. All I can really remember is there was a sandwich shop in there somewhere that made a killer meatball sub.
Man I was in elementary school in this same city in 1994...it was a big school...out in the country...used to pass by the NASA space museum on the way to school...my mother worked at this mall...
There was a club back in the mid 1980's on the backside of The Mall, but I can't remember the name of it. But it wasn't called The Velvet Underground , thou. Damn ! I can't remember for the life of me what it was called. Maybe, Avenue 54 ????
Thank you for posting this video. My mom used to take me here when I was younger and we would throw pennies in the fountain and make wishes. Great video. Check out Taylor's grand adventures for great travel videos and more
Chingar A 20, it was where the Home Depot behind Zaxbys is on the corner of the parkway and University. It was connected to Books-a-million and Toys r us.
I FIRST WENT TO THIS MALL IN 1991 WHEN I WAS A STUDENT FROM OUT-OF-TOWN AT ALABAMA A&M. A BUDDY OF MINE WOULD GO THERE TO BUY CRICKETS FOR HIS PET TARANTULA. SO I GUESS THERE WAS A PET STORE OF SOME KIND THERE ONCE UPON A TIME.
Too bad the people in the lower income housing kinda just took it over because they were closest to it. It slowly went out of business because of that.
@@juliecrane9647 come on you know how soccer mom's and old people can be? Plus I never said anything about white vs black. I meant just the poorer people loitering and just hanging out made the more well off people nervous.
@@VanquisherVIII I worked there. The decline wasn't because of the reasons you think. K-Mart killed the two anchor stores, and after that people had little incentive to come as there were better choices for the higher-end stores. It's just the evolution of retail, it happened everywhere.
I've lived in the Huntsville area most of my life (I'm 72 years old now) and I can't understand why anyone would want to make a video like this. I mean... who cares?
Sizzler was across the Parkway. Mom & I would spend all day Saturday window shopping at the Mall & finished the day with a trip to Sizzler's great salad bar & ground sirloin, baked potato, Texas toast meal. Felt so grown up. My sister & I got our ears pierced at the Mall, threw many coins in that fountain making wishes that didn't come true. And a movie theater next door where we waited in line to see Jaws. Good times...simpler times. Thanks for posting this film. Family all passed on but these memories still remain.
Huntsville resident here. Born in 1980 and lived here my whole life. I remember my grandparents taking me to this mall a few times when I was a kid (maybe 86-89 timeframe) and it was completely dead for the most part even then. Only a few stores remained. I think there was a shoe store my grandmother liked and kept shopping there.
Parkway City Mall and Madison Square were in full effect and "The Mall" only had a few stores left. The only major store that was attached was the Toys R Us and later on, Books a Million.
However, I do remember the fountain in the mall. It was very elaborate and pretty. I remember my granddad giving me pennies to throw in it to make a wish.
By the time I was a teenager (1994-98 time period) I was really into the local punk music scene and they actually had shows at this mall.
All the stores would be locked up for the night and the mall turned into just an empty hall. The local bands would set up at the north side of the mall and there would be 50-100 kids in there. I have absolutely no idea if this was sanctioned by the mall, or if they just found a place where the cops would never look to find them....but we'd all be in there late at night watching punk bands.
If I had to guess, I'd say I attended about 10-12 shows there over the years. By the late 90s the punk scene died out and there weren't any shows anymore.
I have fond memories of this place, albeit it was for a reason unrelated to shopping in the heyday of this mall. I remember being a young teenager and listening to horrible punk bands with my friends. Feeling free from my parents. Secretly having a beer in the parking lot. Talking to girls and just generally being a fun loving teenager without a care in the world.
It was a good time. I miss it.
I’m same age as you - lifetime Huntsville area resident. A lot of my memories go back to even the early 80s. My Mom usually went to “Penney’s” and had fond memories of throwing pennies in the fountain (I thought that was why it was called the Penney’s mall lol)! My first ever Santa visit was in ‘83 when I was three years old. Remember that he was the first Santa I ever saw with glasses and I got scared of him 😂. We frequented the mall a lot until about ‘86 or so, when we started going to Madison Square more. They didn’t have a food court that could compete. Awesome memories - miss the mall still even today.
I just wanted to take the time to thank you for this video! It was 1994 and my friends were alive and we would spend afternoons there. I swear it was like traveling back in time. The people at Noah's Ark used to let me come in and pet and play with the cats and on Sunday we would listen to the old men pick bluegrass in the center of the mall. Again I can't thank you enough. I hope you don't mind but I am coping this video for my personal Huntsville history. Thank you again!
Mark Daniel your friends were alive...that is depressing...what happened to them... If you dont mind me asking...?
@@RoNiminal They got married
Being born in 1959 myself I can honestly say I had several friends and many people I knew from seeing all the time that lived in Florence, Huntsville, Decatur and Atlanta Georgia that died before they ever saw 30 ,40 or 50. Had one best friend die at 29 in 1989 and another one day one year later in 1990 from drowning at age 27. Death doesn't care how young you are when it takes you. Of course all my neighbors ( the parents ) of all the kids I grew up with are all gone now. None of the older folks are alive today they're all gone now. Now at 62 I've lived to witness the disappearance of an entire grown up population that once lived in my youth. We will all live to see death.
I used to go into Noaks Ark in the 80's as a kid to look at the pets.
I can smell the fountain now! Thanks for taking me back down memory lane.
The smell was the first thing I thought of when I saw it in the video!
Same and same. Oh how chlorine and copper can make a lifelong impression 😂😂
@@AUgrown HAA! I know right?? lol
Thought the same thing!
I was just a kid, but my family and I were in the mall minutes before the tornado hit it in 1974, I remember hearing the announcement asking everyone to leave and seeing green lightening as we were driving away.
...what I wouldn't do to see some footage of this mall in it's prime in the 70's....
thanks for sharing this
Hold back in the day I remember being a kid and I'd be so excited when Mom and Dad is bring us to that mall 😁
I never saw the mall, but my family went to Costco a lot and the fountain is still there, in between the Costco and Home Depot parking lots. My dad always told me it used to be in a mall. It’s great to get to see the inside, with the fountain actually running. It’s a familiar statue I’ve seen my whole life, but never seen run. Thank you for putting up this video :)
During Christmas when I was little, The Mall would display a really tall Christmas tree out front (during the 70’s). You could see it for a good distance up or down the Parkway. No telling how many lights were on it.
It's amazing that you had this and it's a great service to those in this area who have even the faintest of memories of this place, from a time before we were able to record and document everything so effortlessly. Thank you for uploading!
That lemonade stand had the best lemonade I've ever had! I talk about it all the time. 🍋
Okay, two things. 1) i liked thevridiculous sculpture in that fountain. 2) I had forgotten there was actually a sign that said "The Mall". Nice nostalgic vibe for me, it' was flattened many years ago.
Best,
lanef
It was called the Loveman's Mall for years by those advertising their stores there and by the news media back in the 1970's and 1980's.
Thanks for saving this footage. Lots of memories there
@Alex I agree ! A lot of memories and I lived in Florence but was in Huntsville on weekends just about every week for at least 4 years. Had friends that lived in the apartments off Oster Lane or Road ??? Back in the late 1980's early 1990's. I sure miss the people places and that time in my life. Spent many hours at The Mall and The Madison Square Mall we'd usually hit both during the weekend. Now both are gone. Where the Hell do young people hang out now ? Do they hang out at all now ?
Wonderful!few people had insight to record videos like this and on top of that keep them till now
Thank you!
0:40 Ah so this is where the location of that image is from
Gosh I wish we could go back to much simpler times especially in Huntsville. I remember renting out a 3bedroom 2bath apartment for under $600 bucks that was Southparkway by the way.
Thank you so much for posting this! It was my favorite place when I was a kid. This city should've kept places like this that meant so much to so many of us that grew up going here. They pretend to care so much about this city's history. Where's the Malls,Movie Theaters,food places,etc that made this city such joy during the 70's & 80's?
The Mall was barely hanging on during the late 1980 and early 1990's most every business that was there back then struggled to stay open. With newer malls being built every up until the mid 1980's most people that supported The Mall as customers back before mid 1980 had all died out or had gotten to old to shop much anymore. The people that supported The Mall after it opened with their money are all gone pretty much now. And the Internet helped kill so many stores from my youth like Sears and Kmart now long gone and replaced by internet sales delivered by UPS or the U.S.Postal Service. as our towns tax base was wiped out along with so many businesses. No a good things all the way around for us or America as a whole.
Where's the Carnegie Library? oh yeah, they tore that down for a small parking garage.
As a teenager in the 1970s, this was the place to be. Who needed lunch when you could go into Hickory Farms and taste all the samples.
Remember as a kid my parents would drive from our home in Florence ,Alabama over to Huntsville ,Alabama to The Mall which alot of people called Loveman's or Luffman's Mall because it was the Big Anchor store you saw first driving on highway 72 to get their. Haven't thought about the water fountain in forever ! I and a friend or two we'd go to the old mall on weekends sometimes during the late 1980's early 1990's. looking for old records from singing groups that I couldn't fine in Florence, and I found several that I bought. So very sad it's now gone and the Madison Square Mall is no more. One of my best friends I'd stay with there in Huntsville would go to the club on Saturday night them on Sunday late morning we'd go the the food court located in the Madison Square Mall to eat look for clothes and record albums and CD's that I wanted and found. So many wonderful memories that I have from my childhood to the early 1990's I'll cherish forever. The internet has helped kill our once plentiful retail stores and now it helping to kill our once magnificent America. As far as I'm concerned that me back to a time before Amazon was just one of many retail book stores and there was an Amazon Book Store in the Madison Square Mall back in the day.
Online stores are making America bad? Not the police brutality, systemic racism, big pharma who treats for profits and doesn't heal, the appalling lack of healthcare/benefits/maternity/paternity leave for part time and full time workers, or ridiculous way taxpayers are being nickel and dimed for basic necessities? None of that,huh? Just online stores.....whew. Wake up, boomer.
Change is so sad,I miss all the Mall's..Madison Square was my favorite place...I almost cry when I go by there now..nothing there at least nothing I'm interested in...
Rita Brown it is sad driving by there. So different now for sure. I hung out there in high school, good times...
Right
Rita Brown yep Madison square mall was my favorite, finally demoed last year i think.
Agreed! It is so sad they tore it all down... It looks so strange without it. :(
Our Main Street during the early growth years. Miss that place!
It was the first enclosed mall I had ever been into. It was amazing in 1968.
We had the Southgate Mall in Muscle Shoals back when I was a kid living in Florence but The Mall in Huntsville was absolutely it during that time period. Not forgetting the most impressive Water Fountain. The Mall was the King in North Alabama for years. Remember going to the Piccadilly that was there in The Mall when I was 10 to 14 years old. The Southgate was really nice to have long before the Florence Square Mall opened around the time I graduated in 1978. Then that became the place to shop until the Internet Killed retail businesses along with small towns all over America. The Malls were still popular in they younger days when I was out and about much more than I am now.
This is the person you pointed and laughed at for standing around filming. This is the person you thank 30 years later...
Yes he had to foresight to record it
THE Mall was but a shell of its former self by this point. Still a very interesting and nostalgic video to watch. I took classes at Calhoun there around this time.
I remember when books a million and planet fitness used to be Lovemans department store. The other end of the mall was JC PENNEY. That was a year mall back in the 70s.
This beautiful fountain has been put out to pasture. This sculpture is a part of Huntsville's history, and the city should buy it and put it downtown or even in the foyer of the art museum. It's just rusting away and has been abandoned by the current property owners. WE WANT OUR FOUNTAIN BACK.
Wait, I haven't been over there in a while. Did they take the fountain down? It was a prominent part of the entrance for a very long time.
The fountain is still on the property in the round about by home depot
That fountain would b great placed in big spring park. Lets start a movement....a revolution lol
@Julie Crane since the fountain pool is poured concrete that was part of the floor of the Old The Mall it would completely destroy the actual foundation pool which is in itself a landmark. Think it would be better left as is unless the owners want it removed. The sculpture and pumps could be moved easily enough but it would not be the same. Just leave it where it was originally built so people from that time can remember the old days. After we are all gone, that remember The Mall of the 1960's 70's and early 80's well we won't care what anyone does with it since we'll be dead as dirt.
@@wingatemose1182 The fountain is currently not where it originally was in The Mall, it was moved after demolition to the roundabout.
I actually took classes there at about this time when Calhoun Community College had like a mini satellite campus there.
me too!
probably around 1990-1992
lovely video... Thanks a lot for this. ❤️
Books A Million was located in the old Loveman's build during the late 1980's early 1990's. They also sold new marked down record albums too. Remember seeing at B-A-M's a few really neat albums that had the photos of the group pressed into the actual record. One of those rare albums I refer buying to this very day by the group Spandau Ballet that had the big hit "True " or " I Know This Much Is True. " Back in those days the glory of it's hey day was long over. There was a bar / club that was in one of the old stores in The Mall during the 1980's that had a decent business on weekends but everything else that was there was just hanging on until the end I guess. So glad to know the water fountain was left it was a beautiful work of art as ways enjoyed seeing it even to the last time I was ever there. Haven't been back since they tore down our old friend The Mall. To be honest I don't think I really want to see that it's not there anymore.
The OGs❤️🫶 this video is beautiful
0:43 i remember being a kid and walking through that tunnel to go to toys r us. I also got my first pet from the pet store in there called noas aark
Met my friends there on Saturday's . In the early 70s it was "teen central" Meet me at the mall. Wallgreens lunch counter.
It was Walgreens!!! Debate here about it being Woolworths. U right tho. Woolworths was at heart of Dixie "mall". Where Sears was...i think ha
And yum to Piccadilly cafeteria. Still one at Pkwy City Mall? Loved that super salty hamburger steak they served. If still at Pkwy City.....im all in....very very soon.
My very last memory of and actual 5 and Dime store was the one that was in The Mall. I believe was called " Ben Franklin's 5 and 10¢ store " Somebody help me out here ?! LOL ! And it was still open in The Mall, in the late 1980 maybe earlier 1990's. Remember as a kid my parents taking me with them to The Mall in my Dad's 1970 Chevrolet Nova he bought brand new in 69 or 70 and he kept it until 1973 so I was at least 10 years old up to 14 years old when they last drove from Florence ,Alabama to Huntsville just about once a week because my sister ,her husband and their two kids lived in Madison County before entering Huntsville city limits but we'd go on into the city to check out The Mall too on our trips. Wasn't the Piccadilly Restaurant located in The Mall to start with back in 1969 though the first several years of the operation of The Mall ? And what about Loveman's or Luffman's ??? Department store that was the anchor store originally for The Mall ? I can remember people calling it Loveman's Mall by in the early 1970's as well. I feel in love as a kid with Huntsville as a kid and still love all my memories from those old Mall days to the early 1990's. Life work and illnesses got in my way so I haven't returned in over 25 years to that area.
Hung out there a lot in the 80's
Was a great place to go even after its hey day was over. Love to go there in the late 198O's to early 1990's. Could find good deals on music albums and I did not CDs but the ones played on a record player. Remember the last Ben Franklin 5 and Dime Store I ever knew about was still in The Mall too. Remember my parents and I going to The Mall in 1969 Thru 1973 when I was 10 to 14 years old it was a very impressive site to see. Remember that water fountain very well too. So glad to see it and the old place again.
Two part sof this mall exists anymore, books-a-million, toysrus (which is now planet fitness), a Home Depot, a new dollar tree. If you look on the back of the toys-r-us building, you can see where the original mall entrance to toysrus and books-a-million used to be.
The parkway place and bridge street are just a pain in the butt. It’s just easier to go online, the prices and variety are usually better.
Taylor Queensbury lol bridge street does suck
I remember that fountain, would feel water droplets hit you when you got near it. This place was basically dead in the 80's when I was a kid, only books a million and toys-r-us being it's thing. Later a community college took over a good chunk of it with class rooms.
You may have invinted the Genre of dead mall videos back in the 90s
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) comes to mind
Wait, was this near University Drive?
Yes. It was on the northwest corner of the intersection of University Drive and north Memorial Parkway. Books-a-Million (the only remaining section of the mall), Home Depot, and Costco sit on the property now. Before The Mall was built in 1966, that property was basically an open field and the site of the annual NE Alabama state fair.
was there at any time a Woolworth store?
Yes. Barely remember it because I was so little, but there was one.
Yes. Woolworth was on the east side of the mall, about 2/3 of the way between the main entrance and JC Penney. It had a lunch counter for many years. I liked their strawberry pie.
I thought Woolworth was at the heart of Huntsville mall .. where the media all is now?
Medical mall...
@@jsharp1701 Woolworths was closer to Lovemans. Yes great pie!
🤩🤩🤩🤩
Was wondering last week if there r any hometown restaurants left in Huntsville. There was Bon-Air, Mullins, Zestos, Eunices Country Kitchen. Big Eds still around. Terrys pizza bought by star market. Almost as good as original but... what is still here but those 2 latter I mentioned....anyone know?
@Julie Crane , I remember eating at Bon- Air back in the early 1990's a few times. It was owned by a Black couple that cooked good Southern Soul Food. Eunices was talked about on Morin Folks T.V. Show by Grady Reeves channel 19 forever back in the day but I never went there. I think they called her Aunt Eunice and she was old back then. Grady Reeves retired in 2000 to 2001 somewhere around there. I'm sure she's now passed away by now. The Star Grocery Store / Market located at 5 Points and The old 5 Points Cafe or Restaurant I remember both. Ate at the 5 Points Cafe/Restaurant for the last time I think in 1997 or 1998. Was Zestos ,That place that sold soft serve ice cream ,milk shakes hot dog and hamburgers located in 5 Points ? They sold food that was sold at Dairy Queen ? If so I remember it too ! Don't know about Big Ed's or Terry's Pizza thou.
Greenbriars out in the county. My 85 yr old parents still want to go there when we visit Huntsville.
Biggest memories of The Heart of Huntsville were the punk shows and metal shows in the 90s. Anybody remember the name of that pizza joint?
J Gregry's. Spelled just like that.
@@jsharp3165 yes! I miss that whole mall. Huntsville is very different now. Most of what I grew up with is gone.
I only caught this place on the tail end of its run, when it was mostly dead. All I can really remember is there was a sandwich shop in there somewhere that made a killer meatball sub.
This doesn't exist anymore its now 'The Fountain'
1035 Memorial Pkwy NW, Huntsville, AL 35801
Is this the old Parkway City mall?
No, this is where Home Depot and Costco is now
memories!
Man I was in elementary school in this same city in 1994...it was a big school...out in the country...used to pass by the NASA space museum on the way to school...my mother worked at this mall...
Getting "The Oldest View" vibes from this
We shopped there and at Parkway City in the 1980’s before Madison Square opened at took all the business away
im pretty sure it finely was demoed 2017
Brandy Sloan the sculpture? It's still there
Wow. This place was sad even back in 1994. Malls weren’t really dying yet.
Madison Square killed it. Now Madison Square is gone. I wonder how much time Parkway Place has yet.
So this is off of 72 and Hughes well the other side of 72 whatever that is called and I was where the home depot is now?
No, this was in Huntsville on the corner of University Drive and Memorial Parkway.
1035 Memorial Pkwy NW, Huntsville, AL 35801
Anyone else remember the club The Velvet Underground that was on the backside of the mall?
There was a club back in the mid 1980's on the backside of The Mall, but I can't remember the name of it. But it wasn't called The Velvet Underground , thou. Damn ! I can't remember for the life of me what it was called. Maybe, Avenue 54 ????
@@wingatemose1182 I think that I right. I know the owner.
@@wingatemose1182 Players Club
It was called The Velvet Underground for a time. A friend of mine and I went there a couple of times for drinks.
Players Club was there 89 ish, followed by a club called Stonehenge (gay, I think), then The Velvet Underground, and finally just The Underground.
Thank you for posting this video. My mom used to take me here when I was younger and we would throw pennies in the fountain and make wishes. Great video. Check out Taylor's grand adventures for great travel videos and more
Where is the location of this mall? I've lived in Huntsville for 19 years. I grew up in this city but never ever have seen this place or fountain
Chingar A 20, it was where the Home Depot behind Zaxbys is on the corner of the parkway and University. It was connected to Books-a-million and Toys r us.
@@wesleymcneese8554 damn now it's a bitchass planet fitness and dollar tree. Now I know where you talking about
Anyone else take Calhoun classes there?
Is this your footage? Can I use it for a dead malls documentary that I’m doing for my film class at high school? Thanks so much!
I wish you'd post that video. Hope you made it.
I FIRST WENT TO THIS MALL IN 1991 WHEN I WAS A STUDENT FROM OUT-OF-TOWN AT ALABAMA A&M. A BUDDY OF MINE WOULD GO THERE TO BUY CRICKETS FOR HIS PET TARANTULA. SO I GUESS THERE WAS A PET STORE OF SOME KIND THERE ONCE UPON A TIME.
There was so much asbestos in that building hahaha
I live here
Reynan !!!! U live at The Mall ????
@@juliecrane9647 yes
The toys r us is now a planet fatness
It's mid city now
No it's not, Midcity is where Madison Square Mall was.
Uhh i think she’s talking about the town like Huntsville AL
Technology sucks cell phone suck this world is a piece of shit with no morals makes me sick
Too bad the people in the lower income housing kinda just took it over because they were closest to it. It slowly went out of business because of that.
More like white ppls irrational fear of housing project kids. Only ppl ever did me harm didn't come from a project.
@@juliecrane9647 come on you know how soccer mom's and old people can be? Plus I never said anything about white vs black. I meant just the poorer people loitering and just hanging out made the more well off people nervous.
@@juliecrane9647 It's perfectly rational
@@VanquisherVIII I worked there. The decline wasn't because of the reasons you think. K-Mart killed the two anchor stores, and after that people had little incentive to come as there were better choices for the higher-end stores. It's just the evolution of retail, it happened everywhere.
I've lived in the Huntsville area most of my life (I'm 72 years old now) and I can't understand why anyone would want to make a video like this. I mean... who cares?
Brought back fond memories for me,and many other commenters as you can see.
why'd u watch it then ? Bc u a grumpy old fart and needed something new go Trump about ? I'm not so young anymore but ...c'mon
Grump not Trump lol but maybe my phone knows better than I
Being 72 says it all. Just like "there's an app for that", there's a video for that".