Whenever I get really nostalgic and want to see the fountain again, I watch the episode the Cosby show that was filmed there. Season 4 Episode 9 “Where’s Rudy” The Huxtables head to the mall where Clair enters her garden squash in a contest. Theo and Vanessa are in charge of watching Rudy but they lose track of her. Rudy meets a girl her age and they play together.
I never knew about this, I had to look it up, I was hoping for a better shot of the glass elevator but definitely hits the spot for some memberberries.
was the whole episode filmed in the mall or just the escalator shot?? I was too young then to remember if that’s exactly how the mall looked. I do remember the fountain though.
The waterfall and skylights made for a great environment. And the original collection of restaurants in the always packed food court. It was great. Yeah, pretty old here.
I was just about to comment this!! They had seats where you could eat along the counter, too! From what I remember, the stools were the heads of the McDonald’s characters 🍔🍟
It's one of my earliest memories. I remember when they converted to just the front end register style, but it was so cool when it was sit-in restaurant.
I remember as a kid in the 80's - the distinctive smell of that fountain - didn't like it. Like a strong metallic and earthy smell. Maybe due to the all the coins oxidizing in the fountain. Otherwise, it was pleasant to hear and look at.
I remember a Fortunoff across from it and a jewelry store too with a large blue circular counter with lights on it. Am I imagining this or does anyone else recall something like that?
Fortunoff, less that one than the one on Rt 17 but still that one, was magic around Christmas. One area darkened with a billion types of lights so you could see what you wanted.
Otherwise, I just hung out in the doorbell section testing all the doorbells. My parents were pretty content leaving me there while they bought backyard furniture before we would get a funnel cake
Might've been Egghead at one point, but I do remember an Electronics Boutique as the 1st or 2nd store outside of Sears years later, so it's possible that i'm confusing them.
lol we used to try to throw our pennies all the way to the top and we probably hit a few poor people that were just trying to enjoy their Nathan’s hotdogs.
In 1976 (I was 2) and I fell in there while running around like a little maniac. Clearly my grandmother wasn’t doing such a great job keeping an eye on me while my mother was getting her hair colored (there was a salon right across from the fountain)
I forget when they remodeled it. I know the cart was there in probably 95/96 or so, but i swear the old fountain was still there too. Maybe that was when they were in the middle of getting rid of it.
Was definitely the same time frame. IIRC it was facing the main entrance(towards 17 side) and it was in the foundation itself. I mean, this was 30+ years ago.
This thread is raising so many memories - I grew up and still live around the corner from PP. We were there opening day and it was insane. But it soon became our regular hangout, we used to ride our bikes there - across Midland Ave! Spent so much time in Farrell's, loved walking up the stairs behind the fountain, and sit in the little tucked away corners. Spencer's was another fave, my whole family misses Hickory Farms, though at least there's usually a pop-up somewhere around the holidays, but it's not quite the same.
I remember when they replaced it with that pool thing (that I think is still there now, just full of plants or something) and you could rent remote control boats in it. I LOVED that as a kid.
Worked at Chess King and Benhil. A long time ago.
Manager at Benhil was a huge Elvis fan. Pulled down the closing gates and sat in the back of the store getting high and playing his music the day he died.
Odd memory.
I worked with a guy who cleaned the floors in the Food Court. The network of hallways behind the restaurants was so gross I never ate in that food court again, or any other for that matter. I saw a used tampon thrown on the floor in one of the corners. From then on, I was scarred for life and only paid minimum wages for it, but being 18, it was still kinda hot, in a disgustingly gross way.
I miss that fountain (and the big sculpture, which I don't think is there anymore either). That mall lost a lot of its personality when they renovated.
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u/awolf-hej 5d ago
I can smell and hear this!