For today's post I thought that I would share perhaps my favorite image of Old Towne. Here we see an antique car with driver, and one of the Singing Security Guards. They seem to be having a great time together, and are enjoying their employment at the mall. I love the shops and second story windows in this shot. I don't remember the car ever being at the mall, but I wasn't born yet when the mall first opened. I wonder how long the car was actually there. For a mall, they had a lot of vehicles parked in the walkways. I guess malls today still have them, but they're usually contests that people have to enter to win said car. Then the people who entered get put on mailing lists. But the Old Towne Mall has their car for atmosphere. Those where the days.
A close up of the car. I'm not an antique car enthusiast, so does anyone out there know what kind of car this is? It reminds me of something from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or the Great Race.
A close up of the driver and the guard. Old towne recreated a time when women couldn't vote, but it looks like they were allowed to drive though. I know this is a posed shot, but she'll have to drive through the ropes if she's going to go anywhere.
Here's a shot of a sign from one of the stores. I think those are mushrooms on the right, another popular fungus from the seventies.
Anyone who has to buy cheep bulk items for parties or classrooms knows of the Oriental Trading Company. I assume this is the same company as the catalog people.
Remember the good old days when you could buy a gun at the mall, or bring your own gun to the mall and sell it. Ahhhh. . . Good times. I think this is Al's Gun Room, but a lot of the sign is blocked by the light post. Maybe it was Sal's Gun Room. Anyway, I hope anyone looking for Old Towne pictures enjoyed today's post.All Old Towne Posts are located here.
Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California
2 comments:
Oriental Trading Company, was owned by Laura and Ken Mung. It was imported decor from China. They were friends with my husbands grandparents. We still have merchandise from the store from when it closed. They are not affiliated in any way with the Oriental Trading Company Catalog.
Funny how they renamed it Promenade when there is less walking area than before. You hardly want to "promenade" down a narrow sidewalk to get to the next store, while dodging traffic in the parking lot. Most people drive to the closest spot to their destination and then leave afterward.
Old Town invited browsing in a casual way. I miss Paul Freiller's shop and all the other cool shops.
Architecture is a lost art, for sure.
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