Comments on: Crossroads Center; Waterloo, Iowa

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:16:05 +0000

@kris2433,
You have a super memory and it really took me back reading your post. I got my ears pierced there too when I was in kindergarten. I loved eating at Bridgeman’s and remember all the other stores you mentioned. I grew up in Waterloo and my mom and I were always going out to the mall to shop the sales. I’ve been shopping at Crossroads since 1975. Thanks for the post.

By: Jill

Jill — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:12:51 +0000

@kris2433,
YOu have a great memory! I think the earring place was called two plus two. I got my ears pierced for the first time that same year, I was 7. My sister worked at Bridgemans when she was in high school. Reading your post brought me right back there again

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:34:50 +0000

I went to high school in Waterloo (graduated in 1987), and back in the mid-80s you went shopping at Crossroads Mall. It was the place to be, and my friends and I used to scrape together as many quarters as possibly and ride our bikes out there to play in the arcade, which was I believe on the lower level entrance just to the left of where Dillard’s is now.

My friends and I played a lot of pen-and-paper role-playing games in high school, one of which was a superhero RPG where you played yourself, but as a superhero. Our superbattles would pretty much inevitably wind up taking place at the mall, which we wrecked about every weekend.

By: Jonah Norason

Jonah Norason — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:20:45 +0000

This mall is really misleading…it looks like its a super-regional mall from California…but it’s just a regional mall in Iowa.

By: Phil

Phil — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:32:37 +0000

To clarify.
I live in Waterloo. Old Navy is in Rex’s old spot. Cold stone was added and covered Subway’s window, so subway moved to center court. The Younkers in space that was the second floor of JC Penny’s. JC Penny’s offices still exist on that second floor. Gordmans was the 1/2 price store, and yes it was part of Sears territory at one time. Bishops has closed. Gordmans has two entrances, one exterior and one into the mall. Dillards and its wing was an add on in the late 90’s which is why its design is in contrast to the rest of the mall.

By: Nathan Bush

Nathan Bush — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:23:51 +0000

I have visited this mall several times in the past and as far as I know, the Gordman’s is still there.

This mall did seem small, but the occupancy rate was high…and there are vital stores in that mall. CVS Pharmacy (Formerly Osco Drug)(I don’t know HOW malls have successful pharmacies in this day and age) and the original Bishop’s is still intact. I went to eat there once and I wasn’t as impressed as I used to be when I was a kid. When I was younger we always went to the Des Moines locations (Merle Hay Road…where I think Kohl’s might of been maybe…don’t know where it was but I know for a fact that there was one in that mall; and Southridge Mall in Des Moines (Where the now-closed Spaghetti’s restaurant…formerly Garfield’s after Bishop’s) stands.) Also, This mall has a LOT to offer if you think about it such as an arcade, a Scheel’s All Sports, Maurice’s, Buckle, Bath & Body Works, Claire’s, big name anchors like JC Penney, Younkers, Sears, and Dillard’s (with Junior Anchor Old Navy and Gordman’s…which I believe do NOT have mall entrances.) But this mall has tons of exterior businesses such as Bed, Bath & Beyond, Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart Supercenter, Hy-Vee, Olive Garden, Menards, Red Lobster, Toys R Us, Starbucks, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, Super Target, and many many many more!

So give this mall a chance as it won’t be dying anytime soon!

By: kris2433

kris2433 — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:58:31 +0000

PS = For the guy who said riding your bike in the mall? Prior to the remodel they used to have completely smooth flat tiles. Think of roller skating in there. My dad used to be very involved in the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon which was held there, and my brother and I would get to stay up all night helping and got to skate in there for many years. TOO much fun!!

By: kris2433

kris2433 — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:57:00 +0000

Lots of great memories. I grew up in Waterloo in the 70’s & 80’s. Where Dillards is now, used to open to the parking lot. For years there was a Strawberry Starship waterbed store, before that it was a restaurant/bar called Sutter’s Mill. Down another passageway where KJ’s hair salon is now, there used to be a really great arcade and a t-shirt shop called The Mark-It where you could get t-shirts customized with iron-ons and your name. There was the Orange Julius on the corner next to JC Penney, it’s now a sort of Build-A-Bear knock off. I do remember the Woodworth’s store on the main level as well is Coach House Gifts. In the 80’s we had a Benetton store, which at the time was quite a coup because otherwise you had to go to Cedar Rapids or Des Moines. Back when there were escalators, there was a little earring shop under one of them, can’t remember the name but I had my ears pierced there for the first time in 1978. There is a bookstore and Hallmark that have been the same thing through all these years, even with all the changes. I believe Scheel’s has been there the whole time too. Used to be a KarmelKorn shop which was always a favorite! Down by the current Sears on the upper level, there was a girls’ clothing store called The Closet, they always had the “coolest” clothes. In the corner where the arcade is now, there was a Bridgeman’s ice cream store. They had the BEST food! There was a little girls’ clothing store called Diane’s. Palace Clothiers was cool, they had a big metal knight out front. The current Gordman’s store was indeed originally part of Sears. Where The Buckle is now, used to be called The Britchery. It’s pretty much always been a teen clothing store. In the upper hallway entrance to Dillards, it used to be a women’s high end clothing store called Arnold’s. Down the way towards the old JC Penney (which used to be 1st & 2nd floor) was another women’s clothing store called Seiferts. There were lots of great stores there in the 80’s, at least we all thought they were great. Anyway thanks for the memories everyone.

By: Randi Fuller

Randi Fuller — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:55:29 +0000

Gordmans used to be the 1/2 Price Store. I am sure of it. It has been Gordmans for many moons now though, in fact it became a Gordmans before I remember any other Gordmans in NE Iowa. I almost wonder if it was just a name change or change in company ownership because the 1/2 price store was very similar to the earlier Gordmans (before it started to carry bigger name brands) As far as being built as an after thought, I don’t know, it has been there since I was a small child. Granted I’m only 23.

Old Navy and the ice cream shop have only been added on in the last 10 years as an after thought.

By: That One Dude

That One Dude — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 06:06:36 +0000

Oh and couple of more memories. I use to put a Dixie cup full of water on the top spire/globe of Santa’s Workshop… use your imagination on that one please. Oh and take it from me, its a freaking blast to ride your bike in the mall, back when it had with the food courts in the center. I wonder what would happen if I did that one today… mmmmm, I think I need to plan a vacation to Iowa and I better bring some bail money.