Sunday, March 22, 2009

East Town Mall: Past, Present, & Future (Part One)

Hello everyone! Long time, no update. I would like to begin with this blog on East Town Mall, a tiny shopping center in Green Bay, Wisconsin located on 2350 East Mason Street that opened in 1982, and is recently undergoing a big renovation. East Town Mall's original anchors included Prange Way and Kohl's. Original tenants included DEB, Thom McAn, id, Braun's, Little Professor Book Center, Radio Shack, Scanlan Jewelers, Master Cuts, Claire's Accessories, Regis Hairstylists, GNC, Hallmark Gold Crown, and Payless ShoeSource as well as few others, including some restaurants, clothing boutiques, record stores, and stores from other categories. East Town Mall's popularity has waxed and waned over the years, since Green Bay had a few other shopping malls, such as Port Plaza, Bay Park Square, and Green Bay Plaza, as well as countless strip malls and big box stores like Wal*Mart, Kmart, and the regional favorite, ShopKo.

Here's a list of tenants that have been located at East Town Mall in the past 20 years:
Department Stores
  • Prange Way
  • Kohl's
Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Jewelry
  • Payless Shoes
  • Thom McAn
  • Scanlan Jewelers
  • Claire's
  • id
  • DEB
  • Casual Corner
  • Braun's
  • Fashion Bug
  • Christopher & Banks
Toys, Hobbies, & Gifts
  • Toy Works
  • Teddy's Imaginary Friends
  • Hallmark
  • Hobby Lobby
  • Consign It!
  • Magical Moments
  • Wirlwind Wonders
  • Turquoise Leathers & Treasures
  • Schroeder's FTD Flowers
  • Spirit Halloween Superstore
Entertainment
  • Budget Cinema
  • Radio Shack
  • Little Professor Book Center
  • Dave's Book Center
  • Video Game Kingdom
  • National Record Mart
Furniture
  • Inside Home Furnishings
Office Supplies
  • Office Max
Health & Beauty
  • Glamour Nails
  • Regis
  • GNC
  • Bath & Body Works
  • Master Cuts
Pet Supplies
  • PetCo
Dollar Store
  • Dollar Tree
Restaurants & Food Specialty
  • Schlotzsky's Deli
  • Great Lakes Sandwich Co.
Services & Professional
  • Beneficial
  • Community Resources
  • Mall Office
If you have some stores that were located at East Town Mall to add to this list, please reply. I do remember a pizza place and an ice cream shop, but do not recall the names of them.

12 comments:

  1. The ice cream parlor was called Mothers, whom also had locations at Mid Cities Mall and Northland Mall, in Manitowoc and Appleton, respectively. They were a charter tenant to the mall. Not sure what sort of pizza chain may have located there.

    An old business directory (1992) I have also lists Hurrah! (another clothing store), Kindy Optical, Valley Camera, and The Athlete's Foot as tenants. Kindy is original to the mall as well, as may be the Athlete's Foot.

    I've done this in the past, albeit it takes time. If you hit up the local library up there in Green Bay, find phone books and business directories from the 1980s (Especially 1981-late 1980s) to really find out what was original in East Town. That's what I did to find out what was all in Manitowoc's Edgelake Plaza, as well as West Bend's two malls so long ago.

    While the mall is small by today's standards in shopping centers, the mall at the time of opening, was considered a 'regional mall', having only 15-20 less shops than Bay Park Square, which originally started with under 60 shops with anchors ShopKo and Wards. Kohl's did not join that mall's roster until a year or two after opening.

    I have pics that I took in 2002, both interior and exterior of East Town. If you'd like for me to contribute them, let me know. Can't wait to hear how the renovation plans are going too, as it will be some time before I get up to the Green Bay area again.

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  2. I do remember a pizza chain being at East Town, it was located where Great Lakes Sandwich is located today. If anyone remembers the name, please respond. Thanks for commenting on this, Matt. I did not know that the ice cream shop was called Mothers, as I was too young to remember. I was only in kindergarten when my family went to the mall back in 1993. I remember my mom buying me a Hot Wheels car at Prange Way, as well as attending a Halloween event at the later that year. I have pics I took currently of the mall, with the newly remodeled interior. I'd be more than glad have you contribute. In the mean time, check out my pictures at my Flickr page. Look me up their under "Sponge1987". I do recall a TV commercial for East Town Mall with a jingle that went "Come and get it at East Town Mall!" that aired back in the early '90s.

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  3. I too, remember that advertisement you mentioned.

    I shall get those images to you at some point soon. They're on a CD-R I have buried amongst a ton of others. They're of the mall's appearance pre-renovation, from early 2002, prior to when they painted the walls that off-yellow shade soon after. Not the highest quality, since digital cameras were just starting to come out at that time, but they're good considering that fact.

    Mothers was regional.

    I'm surprised East Town didn't have Diamond Daves. That Tex-mex-slash-bar located in many-a-small-mall around here. They did have locations in Port Plaza and Bay Park originally. The Regis salon here is a relocation from another part of the mall, probably where Office Max chewed former inline and common space, though I could be wrong. Also most Fashion Bug stores in these malls started as Fashion Bug PLUS, which now most have been converted to Lane Bryant, or simply shut down. Not too many full-line Fashion Bug stores anymore....East Town is one of the few remaining.

    Keep on the good work, and welcome back after that hiatus. I shall check out the images you posted.

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  4. Just thought I'd say you did a good job with the images. It looks as though they removed the planters from the Center Court, opening it up more. I don't recall those tables being in there.

    A bit odd how they would also keep the old Kohl's sign inside.....just moving it from the facade above Hobby Lobby's entrance and installing it at the other end of the mall. Makes sense though, since it is sort of a pointer that Kohl's is just to the left and down the hallway.

    I'll get those pics eventually. I do have a Flickr account, though I have yet to log in and add images. I'll get around to that soon. I await Part 2, should there be one.

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  5. East Town Mall's original anchors included Prange Way and Kohl's.



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  6. Hey does anyone know the name of the bath tub refurbishing business that advertises (via a kiosk maybe) at East Towne Mall??

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  7. Where I can find that mall? I want to buy Dress Shirt their.

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  8. Emensuits give discount for all their suits products such as fashion suits,man suit,slacks,tuxedo and many more you can check also at emensuits.com

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