Comments on: Mall 205; Portland, Oregon

By: Hank Stevens

Hank Stevens — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:25:57 +0000

I don’t remember the waterslide at Mall 205, but definitely the one at Eastport Plaza. Wasn’t it on the wing that attached to GI Joes?

I was in charge of opening the Musicland/Sam Goody at Mall 205 back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. I remember thinking the mall was pretty cool to have it’s own liquor store and the bar/pub that was right across from it. Also, a nice cigar store was there during the cigar craze of the 90’s

I was at the Target recently having moved back to Portland after 20 years and was surprised to see the inside of the mall still exists, but there’s basically nothing there anymore except the one locally owned fast food joint.

Also, someone asked about a movie theather and there was one there in the 80’s, but it did not connect to the mall. It was on the outside and faced North if I remember correctly.

By: Erin

Erin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:57:43 +0000

Oh and they have just opened the new MAX train line that stops at Mall 205 making getting there easier. The MAX runs from Clackamas Town Center to Mall 205 to Gateway (another mall) to Lloyd Center then Downtown. You can access all the malls on one line.

By: Erin

Erin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:52:24 +0000

Mall 205 used to have an emporium and Payless Drugstore purchased by Riteaid in 1998 (?). The now Home Depot sits where those two stores used to be. Yes, Home Depot opens to the mall- but ALL of the smaller stores in the mall have closed. I believe there is a sandwich place and then 24 hour fitness, a GNC store, a Photo shots place, A bike place, a nail place, The shoe store, a clothing store and Target. There is also a Bed Bath and Beyond and Pizza Schmizza. There are no more food courts all of those places are empty. There are a few other empty stores. They need to fill those holes. I remember Mall 205 growing up- we hung out there- now the only people who hang out there are the seniors who use the mall as a place to walk. LOL. Bring more shops to mall 205 and it could generate ALOT more business.

By: ECD

ECD — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:50:37 +0000

@Matt,

The tower was at Eastport. It was torn down when the waterslide closed. I worked at GI Joe’s for 12 years, I saw it come down. I also saw Mall 205 go up and it never had a waterslide. Been here since 1970.

By: ECD

ECD — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:46:53 +0000

@Michael,

BAZAAR was on 82nd & Division, it was a general merchandise retailer like K-mart. Next to it was a grocery called ‘MR. C’s’. Then it became Builder’s Square, a Home Depot type store and the grocery became an Albertson’s which had moved up the street from Eastport Plaza, on 82nd & Holgate. Then Albertson’s moved out into a new store built next to GI Joe’s at Eastport after the mall was demo’d and Builder’s Square closed down. It sat empty several years until Portland Community College converted it into the ‘SOUTHEAST CENTER’ and it is a community college campus now.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:53:14 +0000

There was DEFINITELY a waterslide in Mall 205 at some point. I never did see it, since I was born in ‘85, and that was around the time they were in the mall. I distinctly remember the tower though, it was in the middle of the east-to-west walkway, and directly down from the north entrance as well. Right in the middle.

I remember the jewelry shop and candy shop on the corners as you turned into the walkway. There was a pretzel cart at the tower…I loved those pretzels.

Recently I started drawing a map of the mall and stores I remembered, like Scamp’s, B. Dalton, Game Trader, Regis, Perfect Look, the Aladdin’s Castle arcade….those last four places moved spots a couple of times each, too. I miss the old days of that mall, going for an A&W hot dog, fries, and float….playing in the arcade…..going through KB Toys and Ward’s. I wish I could go back.

By: Toph

Toph — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:09:02 +0000

The Hydrotube was right outside of the GI Joes at Eastport Plaza, not at Mall 205. There was also one at Jantzen Beach and Washington Square. I only know this because I found a twenty dollar bill and my childhood best friend and I spent an entire Saturday in the Hydrotube. Seriously from Open to close. I remember that you’d come splashing out into the pool inside the mall. There were glass walls into the mall and there were always a ton of shoppers watching the tubers. Of course, Ben and I were probably some of the reasons they got shut down. We would stop ourselves just around the first turn and wait for the other to catch up. Then we’d fly down and try to do tricks splashing into the pool…Good Times!

By: Erin

Erin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:24:25 +0000

I’ve grown up in the SE Portland area. I remember Mall 205 before it “went under”. To my knowledge, there was never a waterslide there. However, there was a water park of sorts at Eastport Plaza, a mall that used to exist about 10 minutes south of Mall 205. Eastport Plaza was torn down years ago for a Wal-Mart and cinema. But I definitely remember thinking that the coolest thing at the old Eastport Plaza mall was the waterslide. It was an indoor mall as well, however it died off…much like Mall 205 is now. Makes me sad.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:04:57 +0000

Hi, It’s really interesting to hear about these old places. I lived in Vancouver and when I was a child my parents used to shop at a store called “Bazaar” on 82nd Ave I believe. This would have been the late 60’s and early 70’s. Does anyone else have a recollection of this store. I’d like to find out more information on it. I also remember Jafco and it seemed like there were several of them. Any input would be greatly appreciated !

By: Delmar

Delmar — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 04:45:29 +0000

Actually our son worked at Montgomery Wards, not White Front.