EASTWOOD MALL ::: Pictures

	IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME -- March 8, 1960: Making the "Air Conditioned Sidewalks" a reality. (collection of Alvin Hudson)
IF YOU BUILD IT... continued -- (also 03/08/1960) The exterior of the mall beginning to take shape. This is the view as seen from Montclair Road; the rise in the middle will be the entranceway for Newberry's. (Alvin Hudson collection)
	Panoramic Delight! -- (ca. 1960) This is a frontal view of Eastwood Mall as seen from Crestwood Blvd / US-78. Starting on the left, we have Lerner Shops, followed by the Holland House Restaurant-Lounge, and then a sign for Kinney Shoes. (this, and all panoramic shots courtesy of Alvin Hudson) Want more? Click here to download a FULL panoramic shot of Eastwood -- you can zoom in a little closer on details not easily rendered on this webpage.
	More panorama -- Here's the front entrance to J.C. Penney. This is a few years away from the "blue hump P" logo I fondly remember from early childhood. (If my Dad, who spent his entire working life employed by Sears, happens to see this webpage ... you didn't read that previous sentence. :-))
	Even more... -- The sign on the left reads "Friend Sisters" (whatever that means -- wonder if it's related to the dress shop known as "Three Sisters"?) ... followed by the outside entrance to Liggett Rexall Drug, one of the entrances to the mall, a sign for Aladdin Cleaners, and part of Western Auto.
	.....and finally! -- Aladdin Cleaners is on left, Western Auto's famous red letters are visible here, and on the corner is the Kroger. Visible behind the mall is a ferris wheel, either Funtown or part of a parking lot carnival.
In back -- (1960) Newberry's entrance is visible on the left, and the S. S. Kresge variety store is on the right. If you look at the mall from this angle today, Parisian would be where Newberry's is ... and Kresge would straddle the present location of Books-A-Million, the southeast mall entrance, and Fred's. (collection of Alvin Hudson)
	A rarity -- (1960) Here we see the ORIGINAL west entrance to Eastwood Mall, before the Mall Theater was built in 1964, and the extension completed in 1965. A blue neon sign for KROGER is visible on the left, and on the right is the entrance for Hill's Food Store. Hill's would later evolve into Winn-Dixie -- Look very closely at the image bottom left ... a familiar WD checkmark icon is visible on the banner just inside the window, between the S&H Green Stamp logos. (Alvin Hudson)
Another rarity -- (1960) The east entrance of the mall. This would be visible until 1966, when Pizitz built its store at this end, giving Eastwood its first anchor. Just visible on the left is a sign for S. S. Kresge ... and on the right is a script logo for Lerner Shops. (Alvin Hudson)
	Well, isn't this just Ducky! -- (October 31, 1964) Clarence "Ducky" Nash -- the famous voice of Donald Duck -- is making an appearance at Eastwood. This would be near center court, as a reflection of the backlit Bell Shoes sign can be seen here. And the paper snowflakes in the window make me wonder, despite what we seemed to think otherwise, if merchants didn't break out the Christmas decorations too danged early even back then! (picture courtesy of Tim Hollis)
The 'Wood, the 'Berry and the 'Cuz! -- (ca. mid '60s) There's the Newberry's sign in all its glory. And why are all the people crowded here? If you had to ask that question, you obviously don't know 1960s Birmingham. This is "Cousin" Cliff Holman, who was the most famous of all the 'kiddie show' hosts. He was seen on then WAPI-TV channel 13 from 1953 until 1969. We don't know the event captured here, but suffice to say it was one of many, MANY Eastwood Mall appearances the Good Cousin made back in the day. (courtesy of Tim Hollis)
	Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette! -- Speaking of Newberry's, these ashtrays graced the tables at the store's lunch counter once upon a time. This is one area where progress has been a huge plus: I do NOT like breathing in cigarette fumes while I'm trying to eat! In the '60s, "smoking" and "non-smoking" sections did not exist; all tables had ashtrays. (courtesy of Tim Hollis)
You're probably thinking "Open 'till 9 PM? Big hairy deal!" -- (1961) A small 'blurb' advertisement in The Birmingham News .... believe it or not, Eastwood Mall was NOT open until 9:00 p.m. every night of the week! Here were the hours for Eastwood Mall in the early 1960s: Monday, Thursday, Friday: 9 A.M. - 9 P.M. Tuesday, Wednesday: 9 A.M. - 6:30 P.M. (!!!) Saturday: 9 A.M. - 7 P.M. (!!!) Sunday: CLOSED (except grocery and drug stores) Prior to the late '70s, blue laws were a fact of life across the South, meaning just about every store was required to be closed on Sundays. Only grocery stores and drug stores were allowed to be open. And even so ... could you today imagine a shopping mall closing at 6:30 on Saturday nights??
	There's no better place to buy yet another @#$% tie for Dad than at Eastwood Mall! -- (1965 or 1966) This is probably my favorite vintage advert for Eastwood I've seen thus far. Bette Lee is making an appearance, a "movie party" is going on at the Mall Theater, and our favorite cousin, Cliff Holman, is on hand at Funtown. And don't you just love that 'generic' happy family image?? This ad makes me ache to go back in time! (coutesy of Tim Hollis)
What? Haven't you ever heard of Santa Claus visiting a shopping mall? Yeah, I know its a far-fetched concept, but.... -- (November 23, 1967) Santa making his grand entrance to the Magic City at Eastwood Mall via helicopter was a tradition in the 1960s. Here is a close-up of Eastwood Mall's amenities as of '67. Take note, too, that Birmingham -- NOT ATLANTA!! -- boasted the South's largest shopping mall! The expansions gave Eastwood another 27 stores. A 70-store mall wasn't anything to sneeze at in the '60s. (courtesy of Tim Hollis)
	Eastwood Mall is for the birds -- (1960s) Okay, good people, how many SHOPPING MALLS boasted their own series of picture postcards?? Well, Eastwood Mall had several, three of which are featured on this page. On this one, the famous birdcage is visible. This was a BIG sucker -- at least eight feet tall. Visible here is Liggett Rexall (check out that lunch counter!!) and Newberry's. (courtesy of Josh Brasseale) Could you imagine a present-day shopping mall printing up post cards? "Hi, Madge - Having a great time, wish I could find the Bath & Body Works"
"Dear Gertrude: I think we'll stay in Birmingham another couple of days. Dallas can wait. Bet THEY don't have anything like this!" -- Another postcard, this of some fountain-like thing. Of particular interest is the description on the back of the card (above).
	Make a wish... -- I'VE got one. And it involves finding a DeLorean, a quirky professor and a flux capacitor! This postcard captures the soul of Eastwood. Here, in full living colour, is her fountain. What a beauty, especially those lights. Gawd, those lights! (courtesy of Tom Frieling)