Cincinnati Shopping Centers of The 50's & 60's (Avon, Franklin: apartment complex, travel)

[slandman]

Bud,

It sure doesn't seem like 45 years. It seems like yesterday.

[PANTHERBUCK]

one other tidbit about swifton. It was formerly owned by none other than Donald Trump and was one of his first real estate purchases.

[NKM]

There was a smaller 'department store' near the Colony mall entrance, Franklin Simon, reportedly from New York, and an upscale women's store, Lillian's. Lillian's had a round leather banquette for the customers to be seated on while the clerks brought dresses out from the back to show them (there was more casual clothing displayed in the front of the store). There was a Gentry men's shop, on 2 floors. There were MD offices on the lower floor with the Gentry shop. There was a shoe store, Ludwig's, that carried childrens' shoes (& maybe conservative adult shoes) that had a machine that xrayed your feet in the shoes so the clerk could see if the fit was good. The Mabley and Carew store, which became Elder Beerman, was the one with the soundproof booths where you could listen to 33s and 45s before you purchased them. I don't remember for sure if the Mabley & Carew store started out as a Rollman's - possibly. There was an older-style (Lerner's?) shop with multiple glass showcase windows in front - some freestanding that you could walk among, next to a Baker's store, next to Mabley and Carew. There was a Casual Corner store. The Colony restaurant had a mall and a Reading Road side entrance - there may have been another section, opening on a side corridor that was more of a cocktail lounge. It was beautifully landscaped, and had a fountain. There was a travelling (carved?) miniature circus that appeared at Swifton annually. There was a camera store (Ritz?)near GC Murphy's. As someone else said, there was a Liberal market and an early Kroger, and a Walgreen's. I spent many years there - I'll keep thinking.

Originally Posted by Mid Century Mod

I am currently doing research for a blogspot that I have recently created (The MALL HALL OF FAME). This blog is an entirely non-commercial enterprise on my part, and is comprised of articles, images and artwork for America's Post War shopping centers. I hope to do several articles about Metro-Cincinnati's regional malls, as well as a few of the major shopping plazas. Currently, I have articles posted about TRI-COUNTY, KENWOOD PLAZA/TOWNE CENTRE and KENWOOD MALL/SYCAMORE PLAZA.

I was just wondering whether anyone on the forum would care to reminisce about any of these shopping centers..........or such malls as SWIFTON CENTER/JORDAN CROSSING, WESTERN WOODS or BEECHMONT. It is nearly (if not) impossible to find out very much about any of these shopping centers in their early days. I would be more than glad to credit anyone (in my finished article[s]) who can provide any pertinent info.

Namely, I would love to find out more about SWIFTON CENTER. It opened in 1956, and was Cincinnati's first (quote/unquote) "shopping mall". I am thinking that the Elder Beerman department store (at the south side of the mall during its SWIFTON COMMONS days) was originally a Mabley and Carew......but, so far, I have not been able to establish this as fact. Also, there -apparently- was a second department store in the original 1956 center. I have no idea what it was. There was also a supermarket in SWIFTON CENTER in those days. Could it possibly have been a Kroger?

Yup.....this is going WAY back in the city's history. Hopefully, these, and other, questions about Cincinnati's "classic mall era" shopping centers can be answered, so that these details can be recorded for posterity before so much time passes that no one can even remember them.

Thanks everyone for reading..........and -especially- thanks for any input that any of you Cincinnatians can provide.

"Mid Century Mod"
North Georgia

[FredNagash]

I miss when Swifton Shopping Center was safe enough to shop in. Crime has destroyed many areas of Cincinnati. I don't have time left to hope for or wish for a change. The change is the responsibility of those needing to change and they are not going to. Sad excuse for society.

[blockhead]

I grew in Cincinnati from 1952-1970. I used to love going to the Gentry Shop. Seems to me like it had two floors. I remember buying a gold safari suit with paisley lining there. The salesmen always treated you great.

[blockhead]

Ran into some interesting information in regard to the Gentry Shop last night. It was owned by Max Elkus, and was actually called Max's Gentry Shop. Ezzard Charles, the famous world champion boxer from Cincinnati, worked at this store. Charles also went to school at Woodward, across the street.

[gramags]

Did the Comisar's have the Pasquale's Pizaa franchise in Swifton Center?

[unctheel]

I lived in Bond Hill from 1954 to 1968. The department store was a Rollman's before becoming Mabley & Carew. My brother and I were there on opening day in 1956 (or whenever they opened Rollman's) and rode on the escalator, which was a real treat!! I also clearly remember the miniature circus that was an annual event. I think there may have been a Squires-Lawton men's store, but I definitely remember the Gentry Store. And G.C. Murphy's! Also, there were small rides at the end near Murphy's (a small ferris wheel and Allen Shepherd cages?) Pasquales had personal pizza's for 25 cents that burned the heck out of your tongue because they were served hot from the oven. Best pizza I ever had! There was a grocery store at the end near Murphy's, can't remember the name, think it started with a "L." The chain no longer exists. I walked through Swifton everyday on my way to Jr High School at Woodward. (Went to Walnut Hills for high school). I always got Red Ball keds (Jets?) from the shoe store at Swifton. That was always a treat.

Thanks for the memories! I've enjoyed these posts!

[blockhead]

Hey Unctheel

I went to Walnut Hills, too. graduated in 1970. Lived in Avondale. I spent a lot of time at that Pasquales. There was a pizza joint on reading road in Bond Hill I really enjoyed. I believe it was Capri Pizza and it was take out only. Also, ate a lot at Sugar n Spice (believe that was also in Bond Hill on Reading Road near Victory Parkway.

Do you happen to remember a night club on Reading Road in Bond Hill called "the Sign of the Drum"? It was owned by Barney Rapp, who gave Doris (von Kappelhoff) Day her start.

[unctheel]

Sorry, blockhead...that does not ring a bell. Remember the Jewish Synagogue and White Castle across the street on Reading Rd? Was it near there? Where did you go to elementary school?