Old Towne Mall- Carousel Gift Shop

If it was the early 1970's and you found yourself in the Old Towne Mall looking for that perfect gift for your loved one, then the Carousel Gift Shop was just the place for you. This picture shows the plethora of items for sale here. They have all of the typical seventies gifts; owls, mushrooms, caricatured statues, pictures of bread and wine, and lots of pottery. Notice the excitement in the faces of the shoppers as they browse their wonderful selections.

This is another view of the store, located right at the cable car entrance on the north side of the mall.

Here you can see the cable car in the background. You can also see the amazing carpet in the store. I like the quick transition from brick street to deep red carpet.

This ad touts the Carousel Gift Shop as not only the largest Hallmark card and gift shop in the southland, but also as the most beautiful. Many of the stores' names were relevant to the theme of Old Towne, as the Old Towne Carousel was the centerpiece of the mall.

All Old Towne Posts are located here.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Old Towne Mall- Turn of the Century Advertisement

Here's an old advertisement from the long gone Turn of the Century Wax Museum located inside of the Old Towne Mall. Opening Thanksgiving time in 1973, the museum capitalized on the nostalgic aura of Old Towne. I'm not sure how successful the wax museum was, or for how long it lasted, but it did highlight the creativity and desire to create more than just a typical shopping experience. Pick up some macramé and on your way out stop by the wax museum and view a tableau of the suffragette movement. It helped make Old Towne an entertainment destination, not just another shopping mall.

All Old Towne Posts are located here.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Old Towne Mall- Clown With Crowd

Kids Have Fun

It's been a long time since I've posted anything, not to mention any Old Towne Mall pictures. This is a shot of a pantomimist entertaining not only children, but an entire crowd of people at the mall. This section of Old Towne was one of the most photographed. I've seen several pictures of this area in old advertisements. It's great to see these old stores. This picture was taken directly in front of June's Needlecrafts (You can see the bottom half of the sign at the top of the photo. Behind that, although out of shot is Su Casa, and behind Su Casa is Jug's Candies. Also recessed behind Jug's is the Tartan Shop, a store that specialized in coats of arms. the little red store that is behind the Jug's candies sign is Ol' Swedes Scandinavian imports (The largest wooden clog dealer in the west). That big yellow building is Music World, where you can find the newest cassettes and 8 track tapes. The big red barn across the way housed several shops including Eyes Art Gallery, and the Indian Trading Post. The yellow building behind the man with the camera is The Athlete's Foot shoe store.

Here's a closer view of the clown. I'm not quite sure what she's doing other than looking at the balloon that just got away. It's great to see how much enjoyment kids got from the live entertainment at Old Towne.

All Old Towne Posts are located here.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Old Towne Mall- Sign Then and Now

Here's a before and after shot of the famous Old Towne Mall. This photo shows roughly the same location of where the old sign stood. Not to complain, but the old sign sure was more interesting than the bland Torrance Promenade sign that stands there now.

Another view of the old sign, The entrance on the far right has changed only a little from how it was when this picture was taken. The glass window that goes up the wall is now still there as the front facade of Linens and Things. They added some more stucco, but compared to the rest of the mall, it's the closest to the original structure.

This photo has been slightly altered to match the previous picture better. Lets say some trees are here that block the view of the building, but they were removed from the photo. You can see the glass wall behind the facade. A little work, and some imagination, and the old entrance could be back to what it once was. The reason that they kept this one section so close to the original mall design, was because they tried to have that section as one last remaining area of the mall. The old Mann theater was where Linens and Things is now, and a food court with an arcade and Carousel remained for a short time after they closed Old Towne.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California Promenade

Old Towne Mall- Antique Car

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

Turn of the Century- Lon Chaney Sr

The Old Towne Mall could be a scary place, and no other section of the mall represented that fact than the Turn of the Century Wax Museum. Here, eerie images of past movie stars and historical figures stared blankly in space. This picture shows a wax figure of Lon Chaney Sr. from his 1923 motion picture The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This figure looks incredibly acurate, and Quasimodo never felt so creepy.

This close up shows the tortured soul as if he were waiting for the next female museum patron to walk by so he could snatch her up and take his victim up to the bell tower. Excellent detail abounds on a very realistic figure.

View more information on Lon Chaney here.

Tags: Turn of the Century Wax Museum Wax Figure Lon Chaney Hunchback

Old Towne Mall- Paul Freiler's Historical Models

Today's focus is back on The Old Towne Mall. This time around, I thought I'd post on Paul Freiler's Historical models, and an ad they had back when they were located inside Old Towne. This ad shows how much the shop fit in perfectly with Old Towne, as they sold mostly historical, as their name stated, models and toys. I remember going into this shop when I was a small kid, and marveling at the displays of the military aircraft and ships. My uncle used to have small soldiers that were the scale of the jeeps and tanks, and I loved seeing them at that store. He gave me a whole bag full of them, but I soon lost them all. If I only ever had money as a kid, I would have bought more of them at Paul Freiler's.

Eventually, Paul Freiler's moved out of Old Towne, and relocated just down the street near the corner of Hawthorne Blvd. and 182nd Street. (Close to the last 76 ball in Torrance). I forget which year they finally closed, but I think I was still in High School when they did. A buddy of mine worked there, but by then, it seemed like they focus more on role playing games than on Historical models, as half the store had lead figures, and painted monsters displayed. The other half was split between model cars and stuff with only a small section dedicated to Historical models. The location is now a mattress store I believe, and El Pollo Loco is directly on the corner. I still pass by the building and half expect to see the Paul Freiler's sign.

Read a webpage about miniatures that mentions Paul Freiler's here.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California Paul Freiler's Model Shop

Old Towne Mall- Clown With Family

Rest Stop in the Old Towne Mall

Here's another scene from the Old Towne mall. It shows a wonderfully surreal clown entertaining shoppers in what must have been a common sight in the early days of the mall. We also see other mall goers enjoying themselves, whether window shopping or taking a break on a bench. I guess their motto was correct when the proclaimed that "Old Town is a family affair." I don't recall ever seeing a clown at the mall when I was a kid, but by the time I was old enough to understand what was going on around me I think the mall stopped most of their usual street entertainment. It's a shame that so many attractions today focus solely on one demographic. Either kids are the main focus, or it's high end trendy fashion. Nothing seems to be made that kids can enjoy that doesn't bore parents. I suppose the joy of nostalgia and the optimism of youth don't mix as well as it used to.

A close up of the clown interacting with a boy whose head movement caused picture blur.

Sorry about the watermark on the main photo, but a couple of sites have been using my pictures without linking back here.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California Clown

Old Towne Mall- Singing Security Guard

This picture of the Old Towne Mall Singing Security Guard is probably the most accessible picture of the mall on the web. I held off posting it because most people who are interested in the mall have most likely already seen it. For those of you who have not, here is the singing security guard in all his happy 1970's glory. I like the banjo player and pianist in the background. One interesting feature of this photo is the carousel in the far background. It's not the double decker carousel that many of us remember in the mall. I have no verification, but I assume that the mall opened with this smaller carousel, then upgraded to the double decker shortly after.

As a bonus, here's an ad from "The Book Experience" discount bookstore in Old Towne. Anybody remember this place, because I don't. Although, I would love to believe that it was a small store with a wooden ladder on rollers so patrons could reach books on the top shelf. In reality it was probably just your standard bookstore. They did seem to offer many full featured services like 14K Gold imprinting, gift wrapping, and mailing service. I remember the B. Dalton (or was it Walden books) which came later, and was one of the last stores to remain at Old Towne.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Old Towne Mall- Market Place

An old fashioned Gazebo at the Market Place where diners are entertained. Food Shops with the aromas of Italian, Mexican, Oriental, European, and Western foods surround the plaza.

Here's a great picture of the food court at Old Towne Mall. Notice how busy it is. This looks like a scene from Disneyland, or Knott's Berry Farm, not your local mall. How many times have you seen costumed entertainers singing for patrons at a mall? The most I find today is a "deaf" person trying to sell me stickers for a dollar. Somehow that doesn't feel the same, and just makes me uncomfortable. The only restaurant here that I can make out the name of is "Old Towne Bakery." My personal memories of the food court don't have it looking like this. Does anyone have any information on the evolution of it? Maybe I just didn't pay that much attention when I was really young.

I thought I'd include a couple of photographs of some of the interesting patrons at the mall. This guy looks a little out of place, and would probably feel more comfortable in Old Chicago instead of Old Towne.

This guy looks more like a typical patron of the mall I suppose. Notice how this guy and the previous man are both looking at the camera.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Turn of the Century- Theodore Roosevelt

The Old Towne Mall, beginning in 1973, had a small wax museum featuring several scenes from history and entertainment. I posted this picture on my wax museum blog, but since Turn of the Century Wax Museum is part of Old Towne history, I though some people might want to see it here. Theodore Roosevelt was our 26th President, and served from 1901-1909. He assumed the presidency when Mckinley was assassinated. I like the big smile on the wax figure.

Tags: Turn of the Century Wax Museum Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Old Towne Mall- Artisan Way

Watch the Artisans at Work

Artisan Way was a C shaped loop off of the main Old Towne lane. Here, over 40 shops of handcrafted merchandise featured everything from Greg Quayle's metal sculptures, to macramé and pottery. Local artist Kris Wallace also sold nature paintings at his booth. It was very unusual to find a section in a mall that specialized in home made arts and crafts. It gave many young artists an outlet to express and display their artistic visions.

I don't know much about Artisan Way other than what I just wrote. How long did this section of the mall last? I can't remember ever seeing it when I was a kid in the 80's. In 1982 the mall allowed discount retailers in. Perhaps that was the end of Artisan Way. Maybe I just didn't care so much for "art" back then and never paid attention to that part of the mall.

Visit Greg Quayle's website and see his wonderful Fleas here. (you can see a picture of him at Old Towne in 1973 in the "Meet the artists" page)

Visit kris Wallace's website here.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Old Towne Mall- Singing Security Guard in Restaurant

Quaint Restaurants are Found Throughout the Mall

Old Towne was most noted for its famous double decker carousel, but by the look of this photograph, the restaurants should have been equally famous. Actually, I do not personally remember any eateries besides the food court. This picture shows people having fun and relaxing in one of the "quaint" restaurants. I like how the security guard is having a conversation with some of the customers. The security guards at malls today do not seem as jovial, and I doubt I would have as pleasant a conversion with one. I guess this answers my question as to what mall Santas do the rest of the year. One more item of note in this picture is if you look way in the corner to the right of the stove, you'll see someone under 40 years old. Just like Disneyland, Old Towne was meant to be a place for the old and young to have fun together. Leave the food court to the youth, grandma and Grandpa will take this restaurant.

Does anyone out there have any information on what restaurants were at Old Towne Mall? I don't have the name of this one. Even food court restaurant names are welcome.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Old Towne Mall- Cable Car

West's Slowest Cable Car

At the intersection of Old Towne Lane and Cable Car Way stood an old cable car where on could sit down and relax after a day of shopping at many of the unique stores inside the mall. This shot shows several children enjoying one of the many elements that made the mall so special to South Bay residents. You may have seen the cable car in the background of a previous Old Towne post. This picture shows car 45 from the Powell and Market line. I had nearly forgotten about the cable car until I received this image, then the memories came flooding in. Hopefully they were not false memories. Does anyone out there remember if the cable car lasted the entire life of the mall?

With a new wing of the Del Amo Fashion Center opening recently, it makes me sad to think that today's mall designers are so focused on hip, trendy, and EXPENSIVE stores and locations. They would much rather place a cart selling frivolous junk than a cool thematic element like this cable car. Anyway, I hope this view makes all of the people who visit my site for the Old Towne Mall pictures happy the way it does me.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Turn of the Century Wax Museum

Thirty-three years ago this week, the Turn of the Century Wax Museum opened inside the now defunct Old Towne Mall in Torrance California. It was Thanksgiving week 1973 when the museum opened, and it featured many scenes of old time entertainment and historical figures. This picture shows the Gibson Girl sitting at her window. Known for their hour glass shape and big hair, Gibson Girls idealized beauty during the turn of the century. I am not sure when the wax museum closed, but it happened before I ever went. Maybe before I was even born. Today, perhaps the most famous Gibson girl is the Ice Cream Parlor at Disneyland's Main Street USA.

View more information of Charles Dana Gibson here.

To view more wax figures, visit my other website here.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California Wax Museum Wax Figure Gibson Girl

Old Towne Mall-View 2

"Good old Days" in the Old Towne Mall

Since I noticed that so many visitors come here searching for my Old Towne Mall post, I thought I would share another view of the mall. You can see the Carousel gift shop on the left. What a wonderful place this mall was. Forget that the shops began as independent, local, and unique places, and that Children, Parents, and Grandparents could all enjoy Old Towne together. What made Old Towne so memorable was atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere! Check out "the west's slowest cable car" in the background (called so because it didn't move). I am not sure if it was a real car, or a replica, but it was supposed to be from the Powell and Market Streets line in San Francisco, and found its way to Torrance somehow. People could sit in it and just enjoy the ambiance of the late great Old Towne Mall!

Tags: Old Towne Mall Torrance California

Old Towne Mall

Without a doubt, my favorite place to go(Apart from Disneyland) as a kid was the Old Towne Mall. Similar to Old Chicago, Old Towne (The mall part came later) was designed to recreate a time long past. Built in the early 1970's (I don't know the actual date) it began as a place that shunned chain stores and focused on small family businesses. But when I started going there as a kid, in the 1980's, it had changed a bit. I remember a Federated electronics store, Movie theater, Waldenbooks (or maybe it was a B. Dalton), and arcade.

There were still plenty of small unique places though. I really liked a shop that sold plastic cartoon figurines, among other things. I spent so much time looking at the smurf figures there. I remember so many small details of the place, like seeing my first Rubik's cube keychain hanging in a store window, riding the double decker carousel, and going on the Fantasia dark ride. How many malls have a dark ride?! There was a model shop, paint your own ceramics shop, a juice place that had a large display of animatronic type figures milking cows and turning wheels and such, and many other places.

Old Towne, Torrance, California

By the time Old Towne was remodeled into a large strip mall in the early 90's, the place was basically dead. Many of the shops were gone and had temporary walls around them. They renamed the mall Torrance Promenade and the carousel was moved to the south side and stayed there in a new food court next to the now $3.00 second run theater. Eventually, that last part of the mall became a Linens N' Things. Recently they opened a Sam Ash music store and a radio spot announced their grand opening at the Old Towne Mall!

View all my Old Towne Mall posts here.

Tags: Old Towne Mall Signage Torrance California Mall