The Salisbury Mall Archive

Interior Shots, September 2007

2007-11-29T16:31:00.000-05:00

Photos courtesy of Callie White. Many thanks for sharing these amazing shots.

More Interior Shots, Sept 2007

2007-11-29T16:06:00.000-05:00

Photos courtesy of Callie White. Many thanks for sharing these amazing shots.

October pics

2007-10-08T16:34:00.000-04:00

Thank you to Bobby Sapp for the first two photos.

Demolition Update

2007-09-30T11:50:00.000-04:00

I'm back from the old mall and the eastern wing is gone! The mall now exists as it did when it was first built in 1968. I had the great fortune today of speaking with the gentleman who is overseeing the demolition and he shared with my father and I a ton of information about the site and process of taking it apart. He told us that his is a first demolition he and his firm have done, which is pretty cool considering the scope of this job.

I noticed a few things today. Looking through the south entrance of the old Hecht Co. building, you can see directly into the mall and the bench and planters outside of the interior entrance are still there! Also, the risers around the center court fountain also appear to still be standing.

Hopefully by next weekend I will have a nice addition to my photo collection, but more on that later.

From the archive, part 4

2007-09-29T14:57:00.000-04:00

From the archive, part 3

2007-09-29T09:51:00.000-04:00

More from the archive - some old, some new

2007-09-28T07:14:00.000-04:00

More Pics

2007-09-23T12:53:00.000-04:00

Here are a few more pics from Bryan Gadow's collection.

Demolition Pics, Part 2

2007-09-23T10:07:00.001-04:00

Late Fall, 1990

2007-09-23T09:59:00.000-04:00

This picture is really cool for me. It was taken in October or November of 1990, during a stockcar show at the old Salisbury Mall. I have been searching high and low for photos all over Delaware and Maryland, and on on Labor Day, I found a box under my bed in my father's home and oddly enough I found this photo. Clearly, the quality isn't that great, but you can see the floor and the showcases that were to the left of the East Mall's center court, facing the entrance. I have this distinct memory of the floors and how clean and shiny they seemed for a mall that still had a pretty high amount of foot traffic. In emails with some people regarding memories from the mall, I often cite an evening there soon after the murder of the SSU student. I am almost positive that this is from that evening.

From my collection ...

2007-09-23T09:31:00.000-04:00

I was going through iPhoto today and I realized that I have a ton of shit that I haven't posted for whatever reason. Hope you enjoy. I have new pics and the a pic of my brother and I from 1991 in the east mall that I will post shortly.

*photos retrieved from Delmarvanow.com

Demolition Pics: September 3, 2007

2007-09-03T15:13:00.000-04:00

September Update

2007-09-02T14:21:00.000-04:00

The demolition of the Salisbury Mall is currently taking place. I will be traveling down tomorrow to get some photos before it's too late.

In the meantime, I want to share some fantastic photos sent to me from Bryan Gadow. He has offered a ton of information on the mall, not to mention this amazing photos from 1997.

I also found a photo this morning of my brother and I from 1991 in the East Mall during a stock car show. As soon as I scan, I will share.

Salisbury Mall sign, west parking lot.

East Mall entrance

Peebles

East Mall looking from Center Court facing Food Depot. The Connection can be seen on the left.

Center Court, West Mall facing the entrance.

New Mall Photos

2007-08-15T16:03:00.000-04:00

Check out Sbynews.com for more interior shots from the old Salisbury Mall.

I will be in Salisbury (FINALLY!) this weekend, so I will have some pretty decent updates, hopefully.

Update: Here are some of the photos from mid-August 2007

I'm back!

2007-08-02T06:27:00.000-04:00

The East Mall, late 70s

Center Court, late 60s/early 70s

Randoms

2007-02-13T20:56:00.000-05:00

Hmm, the archive got a mention on monoblogue.us, which is pretty cool:

http://monoblogue.us/?p=361

Also, check out Terry Cohen's website created to coincide with her bid for Salisbury City Council:

http://www.terrycohen.com

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking at length with Mr. Pete Cooper, a local celebrity-of-sorts from Salisbury. He actually read to me a chapter from his book "Engineer in War and Peace" which was fascinating. I have been able to obtain a copy and his lengthy discourse on the creation of the Downtown Plaza in '68 is very interesting. Apparently the plaza was designed around the time the old mall was to be opened, in an effort to compete -- old news, I know. What I didn't know, though, was the bricks that make up parts of the path were from the old train station.

I spent some time down in the plaza recently and it really is a great area. I remember going down there when I was younger, when Hess and Woolworth's were still open. There was a great vintage shop on a side street called 23 Skidoo; sadly it has since closed. It's sad to see all the work put into the design of Main Street hasn't really allowed for sustainability into the 21st century, but alas with commercial growth something is bound to be left behind.

I know Pete isn't pleased with the amount up upkeep (or lack there of) but it has survived the old mall, which is something, I guess. I hope at some point, though, the plaza experiences a renaissance -- it has so much potential.

Scenes from the Old Mall

2007-02-01T09:07:00.000-05:00

Hello

2007-02-01T08:43:00.000-05:00

Updates coming soon.

From the parking lot

2007-01-29T16:28:00.000-05:00

Recap/Mall Interiors

2007-01-24T15:19:00.000-05:00

Northeast entrance, east facing west, Hecht's interior straight ahead, to the right

West entrance, Sears interior entrance straight ahead, to the right

East Mall entrance corridor

West Mall, center court - west facing east

East Mall, center court

2003 Mall Auction, 2001 Peebles Closing

2007-01-24T14:44:00.000-05:00

*The following articles were retrieved from The Daily Times archives on January 23, 2007

Old Mall on Sale
By Daniel Valentine

Daily Times Staff Writer
SALISBURY -- An auction Thursday of the old Salisbury Mall failed to attract a single bidder for the city's former retail center.

Though the auctioneer dropped the asking price five times, no developers were willing to make the minimum $3.5 million starting bid for the 55-acre site.

"Is there any interest at all?" Real Estate Broker John Hanenfeld asked the crowd of about 15 developers from Salisbury and other areas.

The potential bidders stood quietly in the mall space once occupied by a Peebles store as auctioneers reduced their opening bid of $5 million to $3.5 million before calling off the sale.

"I don't think we're going to reduce it any more," Auctioneer Bill Bunch told the crowd after he made repeated calls for a bidder.

Hanenfeld said owners have received several private offers for the former retail center on Civic Avenue that they will review.

"It's going to be sold," Hanenfeld said.

The silence at the auction Thursday is the latest in the ongoing struggle owners have had with the old Salisbury Mall.

Built in 1967, the mall was the retail center of the city for two decades.

But when a new mall was built on north Route 13 and retail businesses flocked to the new commercial corridor in the 1990s, the shopping center fell on hard times. In recent years, several of the old mall's anchor stores moved out.

Today, the mall is mostly empty except for a few shops and a martial arts academy.

Owners have been trying to sell the mall for several years, along with a proposed residential development off Saint Albans Drive.

Real estate sources in Salisbury say owners had originally asked for $9 million for the property. Tax assessments place the mall's value at about $5 million.

Unable to find a dedicated buyer, owners put the site up for auction.

The pending sale had attracted interest from across the country. Several local developers also had eyed the property, hoping to use the site to build a hotel or commercial complex to complement the neighboring Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

Several officials in the area say the mall will require extensive work to redevelop, however. Carpets in the building are stained from leaks in the roof and the parking lot outside is cracked.

"It would cost ($3.5 million) just to plow it under," one official said Thursday.

But owners say the mall could become a lucrative investment. Two acres near the site bought for $600,000 in 1997 were sold again this year for $1.1 million.

At the auction, owners also were unable to sell 21 acres already approved for a residential development. The auctioneer lowered the original $3 million starting bid to $1.5 million with no takers.

Bunch, an auctioneer from Pennsylvania, said it is not uncommon for no bids to be made at a real estate auction.

"It isn't like selling antiques or art," he said after the sale. "But it helps get people interested in the property. People come out and see it. That usually leads to a sale."

The auction was attended by several residents who live near the site. Area residents say they are tired of seeing the large building lying dormant.

"It has to be developed," said Virginia Elliott, who watched the non-sale with her husband.
* Reach Daniel Valentine at 410-749-7171, Ext. 320, or dvalentine@smgpo.gannett.com.

Peebles closes doors in old mall
By Angie Basiouny
Daily Times Staff Writer
SALISBURY - Peebles, the last department store in the old Salisbury Mall, will close within two months because of lackluster sales, company officials announced Thursday.

"Every year, we evaluate our position in each of the markets we serve relative to sales and profitability," said Mike Moorman, chief executive officer of the Virginia-based company. "In our analysis of the Salisbury store, compared to other locations, we felt it best to reallocate those assets to better serve our customers overall."

He did not give further details about the store's financial health.

Peebles Inc. owns more than 120 stores in 15 states. The closing will not affect locations on Delmarva in Seaford, Rehoboth Beach, Onley, Milford, Chestertown, Elkton and Easton.

"We have been very pleased with the performance of these stores," Moorman said. "We are grateful for the customer support we have received in Salisbury and for the outstanding job our associates have done in the store."

The store's 20 full-time and part-time employees were notified Saturday and offered positions at other Peebles in the region, general manager Diana Parsons said.

She did not know how many employees accepted the offer.

"I haven't made up my mind yet, either," said Parsons, who has been with the company for four years. "To be honest with you, the morale right now is pretty good."

The closing brings focus on the future of the deteriorating mall, which has about a dozen remaining tenants, including Food Depot and a branch of Sojourner-Douglass College.

An exodus of stores began in 1990 when Hecht's and Sears relocated to the newly built Centre at Salisbury. Last July, a leaky roof sparked an electrical fire in a vacant wing of the 35-year-old building, and some areas were condemned.

Salisbury Mall Associates - the company that purchased the building and adjacent land for $4 million in 1997 - planned to convert the mall into a retail strip with a courtyard.

Though the project was approved three years ago, no construction has taken place.

Steve Smethurst, attorney for the company, said his clients still intend to renovate.

"The difficulty has been in order to get the financing, you've got to get anchor tenants," he said. "Big banks don't give big money without that."

Smethurst cited the nationwide economic slowdown as reason for the slow progress.

Major retailers from JCPenney to Kmart have announced closings and cutbacks in the last year. Montgomery Ward shut down its 250 stores, including one in The Centre, earlier this year.

Moreover, a retail boom at the town's northern end during the 1990s has saturated the market, Smethurst said.

"Right now, trying to recruit a nationally recognized department store to Salisbury is nigh to impossible," he said. "The Peebles closing is not desirable from the owners' standpoint. It's another loss in revenue."

Plans to build St. Alban's Commons - a $20 million mix of condominiums, apartments and townhouses across from the mall - also hit a snag.

Construction crews broke ground on the project in March, but heavy spring rains stopped the work. Smethurst said they will return to finish laying the infrastructure within 60 days.

The company has been negotiating to sell the land to developers who will build the homes. However, only Hebron Savings Bank has purchased a corner parcel.

"The direction in which the owners would like to go is still the same," Smethurst said of both projects. "They simply have to ride it out until conditions improve."

Peebles will begin a liquidation sale July 4.
*Reach Angie Basiouny at 410-749-7171, Ext. 320, or abasiouny@smgpo.gannett.com.

Salisbury Mall, circa 1976

2007-01-23T22:11:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Bob at LensArt for tracking down and printing this great shot of the old mall. I am fairly certain that dates to about 1976 as the sidewalk surrounding the East Mall appears to be freshly laid and only Hutzler's and the eastern corridor down to the mall office are built. This would mean the fourth anchor where Food Depot would go came later? In any event, it's a great photo.

The Mall Wars Move East

2007-01-09T09:58:00.001-05:00

The Mall Wars Move East
Glitzy Centre at Salisbury Opens on Md.'s Eastern Shore
Kara Swisher
Jul 26, 1990

No Gap. No Limited. No Victoria's Secret. It might be difficult to imagine for Washingtonians saturated with cookie-cutter malls, but that was the way it was here in this small city on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

That is, until yesterday, when the Centre at Salisbury had its grand opening. Multicolored balloons and kites festooned the $80 million mall and its more than 1 million square feet of retail space, as thousands of curious shoppers jammed Route 13, filled the huge parking lot and clogged the marbled promenades lined with jazzy-looking new stores.

The oohs-and-ahhs of the crowds were not surprising, considering that the Centre at Salisbury is the first new mall in the area in more than 20 years.

Only a few hours away, consumers in the Washington area have their fill of fashion and food courts. But people on the Delmarva Peninsula have seen little of the change that has exploded across the retail scene in the past few years. That meant many headed to the upscale malls of Washington, Annapolis, Baltimore and Dover, Del.

"This is just wonderful, really nice," said Claramae Hayman of Pocomoke, a half-hour drive away, as she perused the skylit courtyard near Hecht's. "I used to have to drive to Tysons Corner to get these kind of stores-it's a long time coming."
Not long enough, it seems, for the old Salisbury Mall, three miles away from the Centre. Built in 1968 and last renovated in 1974, the mall, with its low ceilings and unremarkable architecture, harks back to another era in retailing. Its merchants view the new center with trepidation-and anger, after the Centre stole away two of the old mall's anchors, Sears and Hecht's, and thus introduced another new retailing concept to the area: the mall war.

The hullabaloo of yesterday's grand opening, featuring Gov. William Donald Schaefer and Miss Maryland, Virginia Cha, was welcome to those who had wondered whether a largely rural and agricultural region could attract such a large-scale development.

"There was always that uncertainty of building out here, since many were not sure the area had the people to support the mall," said Salisbury Mayor Paul Martin. "I always told them the market is here, because there would be none like it on the Eastern Shore."

Mall officials hope to draw from a region of about 270,000 people from Dover south to Cape Charles, Va., though Salisbury's population totals only about 20,000. They also hope to capitalize on tourist-laden Ocean City, which is 30 minutes away.

Annual sales are projected at $425 million and the mall, owned by McLean-based Petrie, Dierman and Partners and Shopco Management Corp., is expected to create 2,000 new jobs here in Wicomico County. There will be three other anchor stores besides Hecht's and Sears: Boscov's, J.C. Penney and Montgomery Ward.

"All these stores will return Salisbury to the role of being the regional trade center, since it had been losing its dominance over the past few years as the magnet of retailing has lost its power to draw," said Robert Kiley of Salisbury-Wicomico Economic Development Inc., a private, nonprofit research group. "We have been building an economic base to support it, and retail comes where retail wants to go."

That prospect had some people worried about the effect on the Salisbury Mall, which replaced downtown Salisbury as the city's retailing center two decades ago.

"It has been a concern," said Robert Cook of the Greater Salisbury Committee, a private business group. "But many think it's time for things here to improve, and the older Salisbury Mall will only be hurt to the extent that it does not compete and catch up to the levels that the new mall brings to the area."

It plans to. Equitable Real Estate, a division of Equitable Life Assurance, which owns the Salisbury Mall, is set to spend millions on renovation in the next few months.

Peebles and Warehouse Food Store remain as anchors there, and marketing director Mary-Tim Ramsey said the Salisbury Mall is negotiating for new anchor tenants. Many speculate that Wal-Mart could be one of them.

"Business there will suffer for a short time," said John Hess, who has two Hess Apparel stores in the Salisbury Mall, one downtown and one in the new Centre. Hess, whose family has sold clothes in Salisbury since 1928, said he will wait and see how the old mall fares before he considers leaving it.

"It's just like chess," said Vickee Armstrong, marketing director at the Centre at Salisbury. "There is room for both malls and we are not taking shoppers from their mall, but keeping shoppers here in the area. We all can benefit."

Despite the attention given to the Centre, Ramsey is hopeful. "We are not going to fold, we are not going out of business," she said. "The new mall is just forcing us to reestablish where we belong in the community and make us stronger."

Shoppers, long denied stores they believe they deserve, are thrilled at the prospect.

"I am ready to spend in my own community," said Claramae Hayman, clutching a full shopping bag. "Tell that to Macy's and Nordstrom and the rest of them up north."

Body of unidentified homeless man discovered near old mall

2007-01-08T20:40:00.000-05:00

By Candice Evans
Staff Writer

SALISBURY — The body of a 52 year-old homeless man was discovered early Monday afternoon behind the old Salisbury mall and Twilley Centre on Civic Avenue.

A caretaker from the Twilley Centre discovered the body among thick shrubbery behind the shopping center, said Lt. Cheryl Rantz of the Salisbury Police Department.

An investigation indicated there was no foul play that contributed to the man’s death. Police speculate the homeless man had just wondered to that area.

“It looked like he died of natural causes,” Rantz said. “There was indication that he had received medical treatment recently.”

Police said the man has been identified. “I wouldn’t say it was a friend but the person had made contact with him before,” she said.

cevans@dmg.gannett.com
410-749-7171 Ext. 234

See continuing coverage in tomorrow's The Daily Times.

http://delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070108/NEWS01/70108016

Salisbury Mall, circa 1968-1969

2006-12-28T17:57:00.000-05:00

Sorry about the quality, but here is a screenshot of center court facing the corridor toward Hecht's. I know Russell Stover is on the right and the WBOC radio booth is in the center.

Thanks to Terry for providing this fascinating video. I need to have this transfered to .jpeg, but it will cost $70 to transfer 6 seconds, so be patient - I'll figure something out.

Salisbury Mall, circa 1999-2000

2006-12-28T17:40:00.000-05:00

I'm guessing this was made prior to December of 2001 when Peebles closed.

http://www.umes.edu/henson/Local%20Attractions.html

All Manor of Things 219-9022
Amusements
Camden Collection
The Connection 546-4625
Food Depot
General Nutrition 860-0716
Harmony Anne's
Illusion's Game Store 742-0172
Jones Country Crafts
King Gumball
The Keepsake 749-6663
Merle Norman 546-3500
Peebles Dept. Store 742-1234
Radio Shack 860-1050
Salisbury Fly Shop 543 8359
Wright Touch Too-860-8788

Bullfrogs and White Elephants

2006-12-26T18:36:00.000-05:00

**An interesting article from April 2000 (thanks, but no thanks to the fruit-loop loving gossip who fancies himself a blogger. in Salisbury. HA!)

Our Very Own White Elephant
By Mike Dunn
Metropolitan Magazine
April 2000

In homage to the recent quiz show mania sweeping America, I ask the following bizarre question: What do a bullfrog and a white elephant have in common?

Come again? A bullfrog – the same loud croaker considered a culinary delight by some – and a white elephant, the metaphorical pachyderm used to describe an eyesore, share some commonality? They do indeed, at least here in Salisbury.

Allow me to explain. I’ll start by telling you a bit about Salisbury’s white elephant. Some clues:
1. It really is white
2. You can’t miss it – it’s in the heart of town
3. There was a time when this city couldn’t live without it.

Know it now? Sure you do. Like Regis’ $100 question, this is an easy one. Our white elephant is the Old Salisbury Mall.
Now, unknown to all but a few of us, is the following tidbit. Before the mall was built, that Civic Avenue land one which it sits was just a field. In the middle of that field stood some trees. In the center of those trees was a pond. And in that pond, lived some bullfrogs.

I know this because as a Wyman Drive kid my father used to take me, my siblings, and any friends whose parents said it was ok, over to that pond. And once there, we’d watch in amazement as my dad, crude bullfrog hunting stick in hand, would spear those large frogs right out of the water. (Now I’m not a hunter, never have been. And I haven’t had frog’s legs in thirty years. But I remember this – those little legs tasted good!)

Thos amphibians said goodbye to us all in the late 60’s when earthmovers arrived at this home to clear a space for Salisbury’s first major step into modern suburbia – our very own indoor shopping mecca, the aforementioned mall.

I always loved that mall. Why wouldn’t I? It made for a great playground. Bad news or the bullfrogs was great news for my friends and me. The hills those earthmovers created made for some of the best tunnels and caves imaginable, and we played in them for what seemed like years.

And when the mall finally opened its doors in 1968, we simply took our fun and games to the inside. The mall, a great place to shop for most, was a great place to frolic for us. Two of our favorite activities were hide and seek (for some reason the Sears lingerie department was a popular hiding spot), and shopping cart races (for which we were once thrown out of the mall for thirty days).

The mall, our mall, was a success. It was thriving at it’s central Salisbury location. Traffic nightmares that had been predicted never surfaced, as vehicles seemed to flow relatively smoothly onto and out of Civic or Glen Avenues. And Rt. 50 and Beaglin Park Drive made the mall very accessible to in and out-of-towners.

The mall was such a big hit that in the mid 70’s it was expanded, nearly doubling its capacity. Two more anchor stores were added, and some of the local retailers, so confident of the mall’s future, anted up and built larger, bigger stores. This bigger mall thrived too, at least for another decade, or so. At least, that is, until the newer, more modern, more regional Centre at Salisbury came along in 1990. From that date forward, it’s been all downhill for my old stomping grounds.

So what now? What to do with an old mall shopping center that sits in a high visibility area, just wasting away? I don’t have the answer to that question. I don’t know who does. But it seems to me that something has to be done.

I know there is a plan for the old mall. We’ve all read about them in the paper, seem them on TV. There’s a new residential development set to be built. It’s going up in the part of the old field that still remains. And allegedly the company building that new tract is also close to finding some additional anchor stores to help breathe new life into those old white bricks. But I’ll believe it when I see it.

In the meantime what we’re stuck with is this; a dilapidated building with weed-infested parking lot. It’s ugly, plain and simple. And yet there it sits, an eyesore of the highest magnitude. Our very own white elephant. Somewhat ironic isn’t it that our worst looking attraction sits so close to perhaps our two nicest ones – the zoo and the civic center? You just know all of our out of town visitors must be impressed.

If it were up to me, I’d start all over again. I’d tear my old friend the mall down brick by brick. Then I’d bulldoze the parking lot and begin a renaissance. With what? How about a new strip center, say like The Festival in Annapolis? Or let’s say a new, modern movie multiplex? Or an outlet center? Anything. The land was once a vital tax base for this town. I’m convinced it can be again, if only someone would make it a priority.

Yes, I know. These are all expensive alternatives – and destroying the old mall is cost prohibitive. But I think that doing nothing is just as costly. It’s just a dream perhaps, but one day I hope our white elephant goes the way of the bullfrogs that lived there before it – and just disappears.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!

2006-12-21T20:27:00.000-05:00

Sadly, I have nothing new to report. I would like to say that I am receiving tons of information, but alas, I am not.

I did receive a great overhead shot of the mall from the direction of the Civic Center which dates around 1976-1977. As soon as I can scan it, I will post. Otherwise, be patient, I'm working slowly but surely. Chanukkah and work have taken up more time than I would like, but such is life.

Mazel Tov!

And finally, whenever I take my dog with me, we stop at Sonic on the way home. He can never decide what he wants.

The Beginning of the End?

2006-11-26T21:08:00.001-05:00

It's hard to tell what is going on around the old mall. The West front is boarded up from Sears down to the side entrance near Hecht's and then it's just the same old, same old. I went on Wed. while picking up bread for Thursday and got a nice, gloomy shot:

Tomorrow I will be adding a list of stores provided by a very helpful couple who have been more than generous with their time and memories.

More later.

Update: November 18, 2006

2006-11-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

Wow, it's been a while.

The delay in information stems from a number of problems including a number of run-ins with someone who was offering information who turned out to be an absolute lunatic. It freaked me out so much that I had to take a moment and step away for a moment to chill out. But I'm back on track, a bit more cautious, but still hell-bent on getting this done!

I will *hopefully* be able to spend next weekend filming and gathering the bits of photos from the area. I will also be setting up a photobucket account to log all of my pics by category.

In the meantime, here are a few more photos.

Update

2006-11-06T06:15:00.000-05:00

So I started piecing together footage I had collected thus far and in all honesty, I've exceeded even my own expectations. So... stay tuned.

Update, new video et al.

2006-10-31T07:22:00.000-05:00

A big thank you to a reader who has provided me with footage of the mall circa 1968. The footage is short, but what you will see is amazing. I will hopefully be able to post this, in both video form and in screen caps as soon as possible.

Artist and Muse?

2006-10-29T21:28:00.000-05:00

(or Dork and Dump?)

Interiors

2006-10-29T17:29:00.000-05:00

Center court looking in from the west entrance.

A better shot of the side entrance on the backside of Hecht's.
*NOTE: this picture was taken through a broken window, not from the interior.

This and That.

2006-10-26T16:23:00.000-04:00

There is a big piece to this Salisbury Mall puzzle, a piece that I have been questioning whether to cover or not: the post 2000 period; the rezonings, the condos, the protests, the transiants breaking into the mall, the trash spraypainting the walls and performing stunts in their cars across the parking lot. I don't want to touch any of it, BUT it is part of this story.

In any event, I found this:

I've only read about this group of citizens, but today I made contact so perhaps they will have something new to offer.

This is about the old Mall, though, so here are more pics from last weekend:

The Bigger Picture.

2006-10-24T18:19:00.000-04:00

I wonder, were the houses there before the mall? After driving around those blocks, I'm assuming most of those houses predate 1968... I could be wrong.

Film Update

2006-10-23T12:41:00.000-04:00

A fellow University of Delaware Alum has agreed to score the film. He manages a local band call "Three Legged Fox" who, within my senior year of college blew up into an incredible jam band within a matter of months.

I'm also looking forward to recieving footage shot in the West Mall in the late 60s. Hopefully I will be smart enough to be able to post it via youtube.com, or something.

Really Strange...

2006-10-22T10:41:00.000-04:00

I can't verify that this is true but, I just read an editorial on The Daily Times' Web site written by an L. Richard Lundy Jr.
Edit: Per my grandmother, he is my (step)grandfather's son.
Cycle of retail growth keeps shifting

When Route 50 was built through the downtown area (circa 1960), it was at the urging of local merchants hoping to siphon some retail sales off the beachbound traffic annually. Prior to Route 50, beachgoers came into town and threaded their way east via Main Street to Old Ocean City Road, right past the doorsteps of the downtown merchants. That golden opportunity wasn't about to be lost to a bypass around town.

Failing to realize their dreams after the road was built, some merchants, including Benjamin's and Hess Apparel, opened satellite stores in Ocean City, and after an addition was built, to the Salisbury Mall as well, still hoping to snag the coat tails of a market that was now speeding past their doorsteps. All of this ultimately failed in the face of larger retailers at both venues.

The demise of the Salisbury Mall came about when it became obvious that an extension of the Salisbury bypass from Route 13 north over to Route 50 west was necessary to relieve the annual downtown congestion. It is no coincidence that The Centre at Salisbury is situated such as it is, at the juncture of two major highways -- enjoying on the one hand, local business from Route 13, and hopefully beach traffic from the bypass on the other. The Centre was built at this location with that vision in mind.

If the mindset of "It's seen its day, why don't we tear it down and build something else" is applied to the Salisbury Mall, then in my opinion, apply it to the Downtown Plaza as well. Reportedly the Boulevard Theatre is facing the wrecking ball, and the Plaza Gateway has only recently been sold after a lengthy vacancy. Too much time and money has been diddled away on committees and studies in an attempt to revitalize this area. It's time for the wrecking ball to go to the river.

If there is fault in all of this, it is our own. In our incessant search for newer, better and "whatever is new and different," we have caused to be laid to waste much valuable property and material.

Certainly, anything that is currently marketed at The Centre could have also been sold at Civic Avenue, or downtown as well, with some renovation to both, of course.

The Salisbury Mall was barely 20 years old when it was upstaged by the venues on Route 13 north. In just a couple of years, The Centre will celebrate its 20th anniversary. In all of that time, I can't recall having seen it without a vacancy or two. Where and when, I wonder, will some outside developer perceive a need and another mall spring up out of our rapidly disappearing fertile fields?

And in 2015 or 2020, after having been rendered useless by time and the fickle mindset of those individuals that are "Born to Shop," will The Centre be facing the same demise as the Boulevard Theatre, to make way for another wave of apartment buildings?

And around and around it goes.

L. Richard Lundy Jr.

Delmar

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061022/OPINION03/610220347

*If I am correct, L. Richard Lundy Jr. is the son (or grandson?) of my grandfather (my mother's stepfather). Not only did he basically outline the scope of my film, but he also incorporated the idea of the circular nature of the fickle consumer, an idea I have been toying with for a while.

If this turns out to be true, perhaps this could be a sign?

80's Gems (literally), Murder! and Current Press

2006-10-22T01:32:00.000-04:00

First, I want to post these photos from the early-80s of two of the mall's jewelry stores, Barclay's and Castelberg's. I was kindly given these by a very helpful lady at the NABB Center at SU, so a huge thank you to her.

*NOTE* If the photos don't initially load, refresh your browser. Most of my photos are idiotically huge.

A while back, I was informed by someone who by now I consider a very solid source that there was a murder in the mall in the early to mid-70s. I couldn't, however, find any trace of this Â— until this evening.

Apparently, in 1972, a 17 year-old (?) was murdered by her husband (??) after he had shot her parents in their Fruitland home. She was shot while behind the counter of the bookstore where she worked which was in the West Mall.

This of course echoes the 1991 murder in the women's bathroom when a 17 year-old SU student from Pittsburgh was stabbed.

I intend on posting all of the articles, by the way. I just need to hijack someone's Lexus Nexus account first.

In the meantime, here are a few articles from the last few months:

Mall site could grow in size
By Laren Hughes Hall
Staff Writer

SALISBURY -- More commercial space within the old Salisbury Mall redevelopment project was approved Thursday.

The Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission will forward its favorable recommendation to the City Council. Thursday's approval was only for the inclusion of three commercial parcels and has no bearing on any other aspects of the project on the 80-acre site.

Salisbury Mall Associates on Thursday requested the inclusion of the existing Eckerd's, Hebron Savings Bank and an undeveloped parcel -- totaling 35,000 square feet of retail space -- into its proposed Planned Residential District.

Developers initially requested a Planned Development District, which is more dense than the PRD. The tentative approval of the PDD by city officials was the subject of a lawsuit filed by four local residents who felt the more dense PDD classification would stress city infrastructure.

"This is a very dangerous precedent," said Salisbury resident Dot Truitt, one of many residents in opposition to the inclusion of the three commercial parcels Thursday. "My concern is that this (development) could grow even larger. This is how you lose control."

The three parcels are part of the former PRD and do not meet the minimum size of 5 acres to retain that classification.

While some residents were concerned developers were seeking the parcels for their own benefit, Salisbury Mall Associates representative Michael Dzaman explained that wasn't the case.

"This is not intended to have a material impact on the development," Dzaman said. "We wanted to proceed with doing this step so we could create a new zone that would not be illegal for someone else."

Developers also requested that a 5-acre parking lot used by the Wicomico County Youth & Civic Center be excluded from the PRD. Although it will no longer be included in the project, Dzaman said the acreage will still be provided to them.

The developers have scheduled a public meeting for Oct. 26 to discuss their proposed plans prior to their next meeting with the City Council. Although demolition of the vacant mall was scheduled for January, Dzaman said that will likely be delayed until final approval is granted by the City Council. Measures will be taken, however, to ensure the property is safe, he said.

Last week, several Salisbury agencies reported to the vacant mall where they conducted a safety inspection and, aside from ordering the building secure from intruders, a report is expected to be given to developers early next week with a laundry list of needs to be addressed.

As density has been a concern for many residents, Dzaman said his associates are working to reduce the number of units from 811 to 700, per a request by the City Council.

"We favor the plan," said Michael Pretl, Salisbury resident and president of the Wicomico Environmental Trust. "It looks like the density is moving in the direction we want it to and we look forward to the next meeting."

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061020/NEWS01/610200303/1002

Reported by Elizabeth Harrington
Concerns Raised About Old Salisbury Mall Property

10/11/2006

SALISBURY- People who live near the old Salisbury Mall are taking concerns about the vacant building to city officials.

The residents say vandalism, trespassing and the building's structural safety are all big problems there.

On Thursday, city officials, along with police and fire personnel will inspect the mall and then the city will come up with a plan to keep this area secure. They say it is up to the owners of the mall property to enforce a plan that includes fences, barricades and boarding up doors.

The fire department has told the city that the building is not safe for firefighters. A group of concerned citizens are also worried about the graffiti and crime at the condemned building. People like Linda Kent say police have had to respond numerous times to the mall property in the past several years for reports of vandalism and other nuisance violations.

Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman said the city is taking these concerns seriously. She said her office has been in talks with the developers to come up with a new plan to redevelop the site before the end of the year. She said those plans will not be as large as originally planned

"[They will have to] lower the density to between six and 700 units," she said. She also noted that the property will have to be a true mix of residential and retail.

The developers will present their plans for this property at next Thursday's Salisbury-Wicomico County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=5524676&nav=MXEF

Old mall site to be secured
By Joseph Gidjunis
Staff Writer

SALISBURY -- The old Salisbury Mall site could start mimicking the latest military installation in order to properly secure the site from children, the homeless and criminals.

A complete list of recommendations is expected to be discussed with city officials Tuesday that include installing thick plywood over doors and windows; painting over windows, erecting a chain-link fence, possibly with razor wire, cleaning up shrubs and trash and installing concrete barriers in front of parking lot entrances.

City fire and planning officials compiled lists as they walked past the no trespassing signs, condemnation certificate and broken glass at the old Salisbury Mall for the first time in more than two years Thursday to conduct the first inspection of the site since the last tenant left in 2004.

To complete the 40-minute walk-through of the facility, property owners and emergency personnel had to wear protective dust masks to keep out dust, mold and perhaps asbestos. Firefighters said they could smell the musty, rotten odor as soon as the front doors were opened. The public was forbidden from the inspection.

"I think everyone that came here saw what they expected ... There is nothing in the building to save," said Jonathan Natelson, managing member of Chesapeake Realty Ventures LLC, which owns the property. "We're trying to keep it as secure as possible, and we'll step up our efforts."

Some of the problems that concern officials are the fire hazards, sections of roof that could cave in and broken glass and debris.

Salisbury Fire Chief David See and Salisbury Neighborhood Services & Code Compliance Director Tom Stevenson said the recommendations will be finalized by the city and given to the property owner. A final plan of action by the owner is expected, along with a timeline for completion.

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061013/NEWS01/610130311/1002

The Real Story Lies Within The Details...

2006-10-21T15:46:00.000-04:00

I've been documenting this old mall for a few months now and it wasn't until today that I noticed the minor details around the building. The cement has crumbled around where the curbs once were. A bus stop sign still lingers around the West Mall's entrance. The hours are still posted next to Sears. If you look through the side entrance above said sign, you can actually see into the side corridor leading to the back parking entrance.

I also took more time today taking photos, discovering different angles that I hadn't shot before. The mall sits low on the eastern side, something I didn't realized. The scale of the mall seems much larger from far away. The Hecht Co. building especially just seems so small up close. I took a photo from the front door but it didn't pick up anything beyond cob webs and a pillar.

On my way home, I ran into Susan from the SU Library which was totally cool. She helped me out big time when I first started my microfilm research.

I have set a goal to have this completed by Summer 2007. Hopefully I can document everything between now and then.

The Salisbury Mall, October 14, 2006

2006-10-19T22:23:00.000-04:00

The Salisbury Mall, early-70s

2006-10-19T22:07:00.000-04:00

How it all began.

2006-10-19T21:47:00.000-04:00

The Daily Times ran and ad asking for laborers to arrive at the mall site on Glen and Civic Avenues in July of 1967 for a mexican-style lunch and a quick ground-breaking. That was almost 40 years ago; imagine how much has changed.

I am 26 years old. I grew up in Milford, Delaware. A few months ago, while traveling (the long way) home to my father's home, I decided to take a detour through Salisbury and search out the old mall. I had last been there in 1999. It seemed empty, almost sad. Antique stores and a karate school lined the east wing. But there wasn't anything else. You can imagine my dismay when I discovered the mall once again on that August night, boarded up, shut down and basically left for dead.

So, I did my homework and I quickly discovered that if I didn't archive something about this building, it would fade into the "remember when..." segment of Sunday-evening dinners, and even that was questionable.

With that said, I am working toward a reasonable goal of creating— a documentary of sorts that will hopefully tell the final tale of this once-great Delmarva establishment.

Initially, I started out big. I called WBOC. Nothing. (It's not like they're just one of two TV stations ON THE SHORE) I called The Daily Times. No call back. I've haggled and begged and nothing really came of it. So, after taking the advice of a wise sage, I posted an ad on Craigslist.org. And it worked. Slowly, but surely, I've received email after email retelling memories, many of which matched mine. So if grassroots is how I need to do this, so be it. It's often better that way.

So, if you have a story to tell, contact me. If you information you want to offer, without your name being attached, contact me. I need photos, and memories. I need boring job descriptions and random dating disasters Â— just something that will last longer than dust that will fill the air over Glen and Civic when the Salisbury Mall meets its fate.

My email moore.cc@gmail.com

Welcome, friends, to The Salisbury Mall Archive.