Comments on: Phoenix Spectrum Mall (formerly Chris-Town Mall); Phoenix, Arizona http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall News and Views of Malls, Shopping Centers, and Retail Chains Past and Present Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:22:31 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Col. Mustard http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-125569 Col. Mustard Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:05:32 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-125569 The comments here are great! I'm a native Phoenician who worked at Christown in the 80's when I was in high school. While it's true that Metro stole some of Christown's thunder, it was still a mall to be reckoned with back then. If you wanted to shop, but didn't want the crowds then Christown was the place to do it. My mother worked at Christown in the 60's and 70's (we actually worked at the same place). She saw Bobby Kennedy from the roof above the main entrance when he visited Phoenix. You had to tell someone you were going up to the roof when you did as there was a self-latching door up there. If you didn't put the stick that was up there in to block it, you were stuck. We used to watch Santa arrive every year and I got to see Wallace and Ladmo a few times. Noteable stores and restaurants: Kresge's, Guggy's, Farrell's, Pizza Di'Amore, Bill's Sight and Sound, Walgreens, The Gold Mine, Miller's Outpost, Miracle Mile Deli (best Pastrami in AZ), Walden's Bookstore, B. Dalton Book Seller, Bob Fox, The Purple Cow, Musicland, Woolworth (had a coffee counter/grill), Janitor's Closet (downstairs bar in front of The Broadway with room for about 20 max, but a local fav nonetheless) The comments here are great! I’m a native Phoenician who worked at Christown in the 80’s when I was in high school. While it’s true that Metro stole some of Christown’s thunder, it was still a mall to be reckoned with back then. If you wanted to shop, but didn’t want the crowds then Christown was the place to do it.

My mother worked at Christown in the 60’s and 70’s (we actually worked at the same place). She saw Bobby Kennedy from the roof above the main entrance when he visited Phoenix. You had to tell someone you were going up to the roof when you did as there was a self-latching door up there. If you didn’t put the stick that was up there in to block it, you were stuck. We used to watch Santa arrive every year and I got to see Wallace and Ladmo a few times.

Noteable stores and restaurants: Kresge’s, Guggy’s, Farrell’s, Pizza Di’Amore, Bill’s Sight and Sound, Walgreens, The Gold Mine, Miller’s Outpost, Miracle Mile Deli (best Pastrami in AZ), Walden’s Bookstore, B. Dalton Book Seller, Bob Fox, The Purple Cow, Musicland, Woolworth (had a coffee counter/grill), Janitor’s Closet (downstairs bar in front of The Broadway with room for about 20 max, but a local fav nonetheless)

]]> By: Robert Andrews http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-107593 Robert Andrews Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:50:07 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-107593 Christown might have received a shot in the arm with the new Phoenix Light Rail. The mall used to be on the northern edge of town. It was not expected until the 70s that Phoenix would ever expand much past Bethany Home Road (so named for a tuberculosis sanitarium). Now, in the center of the city, it is the north-western terminus for the Phoenix Light rail, a park and ride, and a bus terminal. Christown might have received a shot in the arm with the new Phoenix Light Rail. The mall used to be on the northern edge of town. It was not expected until the 70s that Phoenix would ever expand much past Bethany Home Road (so named for a tuberculosis sanitarium). Now, in the center of the city, it is the north-western terminus for the Phoenix Light rail, a park and ride, and a bus terminal.

]]> By: Brian http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-92276 Brian Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:25:52 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-92276 this is back to Christown now..so all the locals never stopped calling it christown, so the developers changed the name back to "Christown Spectrum Mall"...there was one really nice shot with the chandellier in front of the Dillards, its awful how they just got rid of all that for sterile box stores. this is back to Christown now..so all the locals never stopped calling it christown, so the developers changed the name back to “Christown Spectrum Mall”…there was one really nice shot with the chandellier in front of the Dillards, its awful how they just got rid of all that for sterile box stores.

]]> By: Bobby http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-76461 Bobby Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:10:59 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-76461 No problem. Also keep in mind that Wal-Mart as a mall anchor is VERY common in Canada. Every other Canadian mall seems to have a discounter and a grocer. No problem. Also keep in mind that Wal-Mart as a mall anchor is VERY common in Canada. Every other Canadian mall seems to have a discounter and a grocer.

]]> By: Robert http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-76456 Robert Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:37:31 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-76456 Thank you for all the information. Thank you for all the information.

]]> By: Bobby http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-75703 Bobby Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:03:16 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-75703 There're plenty of enclosed malls anchored by Wal-Mart/Wal-Mart Supercenter. Here are all the ones I know of that currently have Wally World. In most cases, the Wal-Mart was formerly something else; a lot of the California ones are two- or -three-level stores in former May Co., Broadway or Macy's locations, while others are leftovers from other retailers such as Ames/Hills, Caldor, etc. CALIFORNIA *Buena Park Downtown, Buena Park *Westfield Parkway, El Cajon *Grossmont Center, La Mesa (also has a Target!) *Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Los Angeles *Village at Orange, Orange *Panorama Mall, Panorama City *Hilltop Mall, Richmond MARYLAND *Country Club Mall, Cumberland (supercenter, site of former Kmart) MASSACHUSETTS *New Harbor Mall, Fall River (mall's other anchor is a Kmart) *Hanover Mall, Hanover *Swansea Mall, Swansea MINNESOTA *Brookdale Center, Brooklyn Center (future Supercenter, may not attach to mall) MISSOURI *Branson Mall, Branson NEW JERSEY *Ledgewood Mall, Ledgewood NEW YORK *Westfield Sunrise, Massapequa OHIO *Parmatown Mall, Parma *Fort Steuben Mall, Steubenville (Supercenter, no mall access) PENNSYLVANIA *West Manchester Mall, York (Supercenter, no mall access) RHODE ISLAND *Rhode Island Mall, Warwick (no mall access) SOUTH CAROLINA *Rock Hill Galleria, Rock Hill (Supercenter, not sure if it has mall access or not) VERMONT *Berlin Mall, Berlin WEST VIRGINIA *Martinsburg Mall, Martinsburg (Supercenter, no mall access) WISCONSIN *Pine Tree Mall, Marinette Also, Ashtabula Mall in Ashtabula, Ohio had a Kmart Supercenter anchor, the only mall based super Kmart I'm aware of. There’re plenty of enclosed malls anchored by Wal-Mart/Wal-Mart Supercenter. Here are all the ones I know of that currently have Wally World. In most cases, the Wal-Mart was formerly something else; a lot of the California ones are two- or -three-level stores in former May Co., Broadway or Macy’s locations, while others are leftovers from other retailers such as Ames/Hills, Caldor, etc.

CALIFORNIA
*Buena Park Downtown, Buena Park
*Westfield Parkway, El Cajon
*Grossmont Center, La Mesa (also has a Target!)
*Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Los Angeles
*Village at Orange, Orange
*Panorama Mall, Panorama City
*Hilltop Mall, Richmond

MARYLAND
*Country Club Mall, Cumberland (supercenter, site of former Kmart)

MASSACHUSETTS
*New Harbor Mall, Fall River (mall’s other anchor is a Kmart)
*Hanover Mall, Hanover
*Swansea Mall, Swansea

MINNESOTA
*Brookdale Center, Brooklyn Center (future Supercenter, may not attach to mall)

MISSOURI
*Branson Mall, Branson

NEW JERSEY
*Ledgewood Mall, Ledgewood

NEW YORK
*Westfield Sunrise, Massapequa

OHIO
*Parmatown Mall, Parma
*Fort Steuben Mall, Steubenville (Supercenter, no mall access)

PENNSYLVANIA
*West Manchester Mall, York (Supercenter, no mall access)

RHODE ISLAND
*Rhode Island Mall, Warwick (no mall access)

SOUTH CAROLINA
*Rock Hill Galleria, Rock Hill (Supercenter, not sure if it has mall access or not)

VERMONT
*Berlin Mall, Berlin

WEST VIRGINIA
*Martinsburg Mall, Martinsburg (Supercenter, no mall access)

WISCONSIN
*Pine Tree Mall, Marinette

Also, Ashtabula Mall in Ashtabula, Ohio had a Kmart Supercenter anchor, the only mall based super Kmart I’m aware of.

]]> By: Ashley http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-75696 Ashley Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:34:24 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-75696 Robert, there is a mall in Panarama City, California that has a walmart as it's anchor. In Lake Havasu City, AZ there is a wlmart at their mall, but I think it's a outdoor mall. Robert, there is a mall in Panarama City, California that has a walmart as it’s anchor. In Lake Havasu City, AZ there is a wlmart at their mall, but I think it’s a outdoor mall.

]]> By: Robert http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-70227 Robert Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:12:50 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-70227 This is the only enclosed mall in the US that I found which has a Walmart Supercenter as an anchor. Are there other ones? Hypermarkets are very rarely anchors of enclosed malls in the US, however in other countries, they are extremely common anchors. In Italy, for example, just about every mall appears to have a hypermarket. This is the only enclosed mall in the US that I found which has a Walmart Supercenter as an anchor. Are there other ones? Hypermarkets are very rarely anchors of enclosed malls in the US, however in other countries, they are extremely common anchors. In Italy, for example, just about every mall appears to have a hypermarket.

]]> By: Melanie http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-66519 Melanie Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:30:47 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-66519 My friends and I used to go visit 'ol Chris pretty often when we were young. We loved going to visit Chris, and his horse, Bronco. I was sad when they stopped calling it Chris Town, and I'm very glad that they've put his name back! My friends and I used to go visit ‘ol Chris pretty often when we were young. We loved going to visit Chris, and his horse, Bronco. I was sad when they stopped calling it Chris Town, and I’m very glad that they’ve put his name back!

]]> By: Susan Lance http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-62977 Susan Lance Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:00:51 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/arizona/spectrum-mall#comment-62977 I'm sooo glad the mall is going back to the original name "Chris Town". It was truely named after the old (then) Swedish farmer, Chris! He used to go around barefooted back in the 40's when farming all that land from Camelback Rd to 2nd Ave all the way to 19th Ave and Bethaney. I used to live at 44 W. Colter and Chris would let us pick all the lettuce we wanted. Good 'ol Chris. Here's to Chris Town! I’m sooo glad the mall is going back to the original name “Chris Town”. It was truely named after the old (then) Swedish farmer, Chris! He used to go around barefooted back in the 40’s when farming all that land from Camelback Rd to 2nd Ave all the way to 19th Ave and Bethaney. I used to live at 44 W. Colter and Chris would let us pick all the lettuce we wanted. Good ‘ol Chris. Here’s to Chris Town!

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