Holladay's COTTONWOOD MALL: (Canyon Rim: cabinet, cost, shop)

[miamommax4]

I am reminiscing of the Cottonwood Mall. It is interesting how we all remember different stores. In addition to yours, I would like to add some stores that no one has mentioned. Anyone remember the trick shop down by JC Pennys? It was on the corner that was the nail salon, most currently. I think there was a staircase that took you up to a weight loss business. It was not the bright corner it was recently. It was on the dark side! On the other end of the mall, near ZCMI was Parry's Office Supply. Near that was the vitamin or nutrition store. It had pink interior with pink bar stools. You could belly up to the juice bar and have a carrot or other juice in a snowcone-like paper cup. As you walked by, you could smell vitamins. I have to mention the courtesy trolley again. I knew my friends and I had to behave or risk being banned from riding it. I also bought many clothes from Nobby. I wish I had documented the history of the mall better. It is a shame we are scrambling to rebuild it in our minds. Thanks for the memories.

[drsevrin]

Originally Posted by miamommax4

I am reminiscing of the Cottonwood Mall. It is interesting how we all remember different stores. In addition to yours, I would like to add some stores that no one has mentioned. Anyone remember the trick shop down by JC Pennys? It was on the corner that was the nail salon, most currently. I think there was a staircase that took you up to a weight loss business. It was not the bright corner it was recently. It was on the dark side! On the other end of the mall, near ZCMI was Parry's Office Supply. Near that was the vitamin or nutrition store. It had pink interior with pink bar stools. You could belly up to the juice bar and have a carrot or other juice in a snowcone-like paper cup. As you walked by, you could smell vitamins. I have to mention the courtesy trolley again. I knew my friends and I had to behave or risk being banned from riding it. I also bought many clothes from Nobby. I wish I had documented the history of the mall better. It is a shame we are scrambling to rebuild it in our minds. Thanks for the memories.

Thanks for the post. Interesting that you mentioned Parry's Office Supply - they were one of the last early mall tenants to finally vacate prior to the demolition. Their most recent location was in the entry hall nearest JC Penney's, a location that many years past was home to Hammonds' Hobby's and prior to that, if memory serves, Zenik's Sporting Goods (circa 1975 or so). The aforementioned Polk Directories are wonderful tools for recreating these kinds of memories. They will list each store present in the mall during the year of interest (the directories are published annually and will often list a suite no.).

I passed by the mall last week and noticed they appear to be cutting off the demolition at the end of Macy's furniture dept., in other words an extra 75 ft. or so into the mall. This may be temporary, but I'm still intrigued by what arrangement GG Properties has with Macy's, who own their structure. The Macy's furniture dept., for those who don't recall, extended on the 2nd level into the mall interior, above other stores. It's still open.

I have to say, they're wasting no time at all in the demolition and construction process. I will always miss the old mall, at which I have endless memories. For some reason this mall always gave me a sense of grounding and comfort. It was the closest thing Holladay had to a town square. My family had a Saturday ritual of visiting the mall, from before I can recall, probably 1968 or so, until I moved away, around 1989. As stupid as it may seem, those memories will be with me always. I have a fair number of photos of the place, for anyone interested.

[drsevrin]

Check this topic for a collection of Cottonwood Mall photos from 2005-2007:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/salt-...ml#post4488770

[jamescpotter]

Greetings to all, I am writing a book during the mid 1960's that features a popular landmark: Fernwoods Ice Cream Parlor located on the corner of 13th S and 17th E. It was attached to the Variety Store and katty corner from the Emigration Market. I'm sure the store is no longer there but wondering if there are any photos available of this wonderful neighborhhod landmark that I and countless other kids frequented. Fernwoods was a popular hangout that specialized in all kinds of treats (Pigs Dinner, The Bonanza Split, Pigsville USA -ultra decadent!) most notably the 10 cent cherry coke that my brother Don, our buddy Nic, and I quaffed on numerous occassions. Should there be a photo of this kid establishment, I hope someone would share it with me. I can be reached at jim.potter@verizon.net

Many thanks! - Jim Potter, Salem VA

[mcombermichael]

I moved across the street from the mall in the early 60's when it was fairly new and amazing. I spent all my allowance in the basement at Hammonds slot car track. They had three tracks and it was packed on the weekends with all kinds of people who would rent time on the tracks. i recieved my allowance from my dad in 2$ bills and would pay for my track time with $2 bills. I became known and greeted as the 2$ bill kid everytime I walked thru the door. The mall was so cool from the singing Christmas tree and Santa landing by helicopter by ZCMI and HotShoppes restaurant. My aunt had a wig shop in the mall at one time I think named Shirleys wigs. My mom was a customer of LaRies and Makeoffs. We ate at the restaurant in Penneys alot and had our 68 Merc Cougar stolen at the bowling alley while eating one of those great cheese burgers and greasy fries. My mom never took her keys out of the car back then, nor did we ever lock our door or wear seat belts. We also tubed the scarry Cottonwoodcreek in front of the mall in spring runoff, crazy that we did not die. It was super fast and deep then. It was sad to see it torn down. I too buried my mom in the cemetry behind the mall so she could be by one of her favorite places. I will probaly be buried there as well as my cousin Chris and both of my grandparents. Its like home over there.

[drsevrin]

Now that General Growth Properties teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, the once proud, legendary, and at one time I'm sure, profitable, Cottonwood Mall is little more than a pile of dirt, sitting idle, amid the sounds of winter's cold west wind . . . or is that the cruel sucking sound of evaporating Holladay tax $$$?? What a shame - should've left the old girl alone, dammit.

[cannelure]

Yeah, tell me about it. I had a hard enough time accepting that they were demolishing the building to replace it with something else... and now, apparently, it's not even going to be replaced with anything. Way to go, GGP. *rolls eyes*

Originally Posted by drsevrin

Now that General Growth Properties teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, the once proud, legendary, and at one time I'm sure, profitable, Cottonwood Mall is little more than a pile of dirt, sitting idle, amid the sounds of winter's cold west wind . . . or is that the cruel sucking sound of evaporating Holladay tax $$$?? What a shame - should've left the old girl alone, dammit.

[cottonwood2420]

They should have just left it the way it was. There was no need to demolish a perfectly nice shopping center with a 1980s North Shore vibe, and build a 21st century monstrosity with no sense of character whatsoever.

[Lmejh]

Originally Posted by cottonwood2420

They should have just left it the way it was. There was no need to demolish a perfectly nice shopping center with a 1980s North Shore vibe, and build a 21st century monstrosity with no sense of character whatsoever.

This is one thing I actually agree with you on. I loved going to Cottonwood not just because of its proximity but because of a nice 70s or 80s vibe. I don't know, something about Cottonwood made it a nice place to go. Now, it's demolished and who knows what will go in its place. Goodness, I hope something is done about this economy

[maxhatter]

Like others who have posted here, when I was a growing up, if you mentioned "the mall," you meant Cottonwood. When I was 12 ('76), my friends and I would ride our bikes from the Canyon Rim Park area to the mall on Saturdays, hang out for a couple of hours, and then take the trek back. The shop that was the coolest for us back then was the arcade on the 2nd floor. The only "true" video game (by today's standards) was Pong, and other than that there was foosball, air-hockey, skeeball, pinball, a little bb shooting gallery (like a mini pinball machine - with an enclosed gun that fired at metal figures in a western town) that cost a dime, and a bombing game - which at first glance would look like a video-game, but the screen was actually a window into the cabinet which looked down on a rotating "landscape" with a light inside that lit up as your "bombs" dropped. We would often spend all of our time right there - typical young "delinquents".
Whenever someone mentions the mall, I still think of Cottonwood.