I was 13 when the first shopping center was built in Portland. It was a completely new concept and drew large crowds, including my family. Until then, there were two ways to purchase clothing and household goods. We could order them from the Sears or Montgomery Wards catalogs, or we could go DOWNTOWN. All the major stores were downtown, along with smaller shops such as jewelers. Shopping took most of a Saturday, tromping from store to store. Stores would deliver your packages so you didn’t have to haul them around with you.
The Lloyd Center opened across the river from downtown Portland. It had rows of stores in a large grid with open walkways. You parked in a large lot and then strolled the traffic free lanes. They advertised that “it never rains at the Lloyd Center” because the walks were covered. This was a direct jab at the downtown merchants who had to deal with Portland’s rainy climate with only awnings to protect shoppers.
The Lloyd Center has gone through many iterations since 1960. It has been enclosed, then opened up again. But now it is one of many “shopping malls,” a term that still makes me cringe when I hear it. While most of those are enclosed, they seem to be losing out to a “new” concept called “lifestyle malls.” These turn out to be strips of stores outdoors with music playing out of speakers disguised as planters.
And then, in some kind of ultimate irony, people are back ordering things, though now it is from on-line sites instead of paper catalogs. And many small towns are revitalizing Main Streets to the excitement of young people who are discovering the delight of DOWNTOWN.
Saved By Words 
The feel and touch while buying is important
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I agree completely.
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Thank you, that’s the essence of buying
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We don’t call them downtown here, they are big malls and they are sprouting everywhere.
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Was there ever a downtown in Manila?
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None I think, it is either a city or just a town.
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Thanks.
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Very interesring! I did not know that once the common thing was to order in cataloges wow how our culture goes in circles
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I just realized that before I wrote that post.
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I was just talking about the Sears & Roebuck catalog with a neighbor over the weekend. I kind of miss them (there were never crashes when trying to look at the pages), but I will miss checking the quality of merchandise in person if malls and strip malls ever completely disappear.
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We used to play paper dolls with the Sears catalogs. I think small stores will return. People seem to be interested in personal interaction again.
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I never thought to play paper dolls. What a great idea! I sure hope that small stores return.
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They seem to be the rage in places like Portland, Oregon.
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I think in so many ways what we do now and see it as modern stems from the old way they were previously done. Ordering is same regardless of how it’s done.
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Exactly.
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I enjoy you anecdotes about the past very much, Elizabeth. You should compile them into a book form.
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I hadn’t thought of that. It is a good idea. I can see that they are interesting to people, more than I expected.
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Your book should be with you soonest. I already sent it off.
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Thanks. I look forward to it.
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