Mall Odyssey

[Uncle John]

Chesterfield Mall documentary:

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-lou ... ican-mall-

[edwin drood]

Chesterfield Mall documentary:

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-lou ... ican-mall-

It's astounding that in about 25 years The Mall has gone from a central element in American society to nearly dead.

[3dender]

I'm gonna make my teenager watch this to show him exactly where his old man spent a huge chunk of his middle school years. Still chuckle about those collect calls home to pick me up:

"Hello, you are receiving a collect call from 'mom-its-me-pick-me-up-at-Dillards-please-thank-you', please press 1 if you will accept the charges, or hang up if not."

[George Zipp]

I worked at that mall in my late teens and early 20s during breaks from school. Somehow I had a connection to some stupid electronic store that sold TVs and VCRs. My memories are that Top Gun played on a non stop endless all day never freaking stopped loop bc of the "cool graphics and loud planes." I was on a commission and I legit did not care what I was doing. The mall itself was this weird little society of mall employees many of whom gathered at Calicos (I think it was a Calicos but it could have been a Houlihans) frequently to get blasted and to hook up. The glory days of mall life.

I do have a funny story about how that job came to an abrupt end. The manager of the store was a dooshnozzle. Asked me to take the garbage out. The stores at the mall had to compact all of their trash, couldn't just put it in a bin. So I took what I thought was the garbage to the compactor and compacted. Except what I took was 7 boxes of Camcorders that were going back to Sony or whatever for fixes. "Were" being the operative word because instead they got compacted. And I got fired. dumb[ash] put the boxes where the trash that was supposed to go out usually went. I was young, didn't care, was probably high. I blame him.

[DJ Davis]

I worked at that mall in my late teens and early 20s during breaks from school. Somehow I had a connection to some stupid electronic store that sold TVs and VCRs. My memories are that Top Gun played on a non stop endless all day never freaking stopped loop bc of the "cool graphics and loud planes." I was on a commission and I legit did not care what I was doing. The mall itself was this weird little society of mall employees many of whom gathered at Calicos (I think it was a Calicos but it could have been a Houlihans) frequently to get blasted and to hook up. The glory days of mall life.

I do have a funny story about how that job came to an abrupt end. The manager of the store was a dooshnozzle. Asked me to take the garbage out. The stores at the mall had to compact all of their trash, couldn't just put it in a bin. So I took what I thought was the garbage to the compactor and compacted. Except what I took was 7 boxes of Camcorders that were going back to Sony or whatever for fixes. "Were" being the operative word because instead they got compacted. And I got fired. dumb[ash] put the boxes where the trash that was supposed to go out usually went. I was young, didn't care, was probably high. I blame him.

Was that store on the bottom level? I don’t remember the name of it, but I remember an electronics store that always had one of those RGB big screen TVs right in the front. It had the three colors being projected from the front bottom up to the screen.

There was a Calicos on the bottom level on the Dillard’s side. That was in the mid 80s. Then later in the 90s it became Aladdin‘s Castle arcade. I spent a lot of time there playing Mortal Kombat. Also made friends with the guys who worked there, and we’d go eat at Diamond Dave’s Taco Company across the way. We made friends with the people who work there too, used to smoke weed in the bathroom and cigarettes out in the restaurant when you could still do that.

There was also a Houlihan’s, but that was later on … I’d say in the 2000s or 2010s. That was on the top level more near Sears. In fact, that same space used to be the little arcade back in the 80s, across from Walgreens.

I spent so much of my youth at that mall, it’s sad to see it go.

[George Zipp]

I worked at that mall in my late teens and early 20s during breaks from school. Somehow I had a connection to some stupid electronic store that sold TVs and VCRs. My memories are that Top Gun played on a non stop endless all day never freaking stopped loop bc of the "cool graphics and loud planes." I was on a commission and I legit did not care what I was doing. The mall itself was this weird little society of mall employees many of whom gathered at Calicos (I think it was a Calicos but it could have been a Houlihans) frequently to get blasted and to hook up. The glory days of mall life.

I do have a funny story about how that job came to an abrupt end. The manager of the store was a dooshnozzle. Asked me to take the garbage out. The stores at the mall had to compact all of their trash, couldn't just put it in a bin. So I took what I thought was the garbage to the compactor and compacted. Except what I took was 7 boxes of Camcorders that were going back to Sony or whatever for fixes. "Were" being the operative word because instead they got compacted. And I got fired. dumb[ash] put the boxes where the trash that was supposed to go out usually went. I was young, didn't care, was probably high. I blame him.

Was that store on the bottom level? I don’t remember the name of it, but I remember an electronics store that always had one of those RGB big screen TVs right in the front. It had the three colors being projected from the front bottom up to the screen.

There was a Calicos on the bottom level on the Dillard’s side. That was in the mid 80s. Then later in the 90s it became Aladdin‘s Castle arcade. I spent a lot of time there playing Mortal Kombat. Also made friends with the guys who worked there, and we’d go eat at Diamond Dave’s Taco Company across the way. We made friends with the people who work there too, used to smoke weed in the bathroom and cigarettes out in the restaurant when you could still do that.

There was also a Houlihan’s, but that was later on … I’d say in the 2000s or 2010s. That was on the top level more near Sears. In fact, that same space used to be the little arcade back in the 80s, across from Walgreens.

I spent so much of my youth at that mall, it’s sad to see it go.

Yeah, it was downstairs for sure. Directly across from Zales and if I left the electronics store facing out, turn left, then down to the end and another left and that is where Calicos was located. This is all very, very fuzzy memory but it seems right. The store was for sure downstairs.

[3dender]

I don't remember Calico's, I think it was before my time.

But I do remember Orange Julius and in the parking lot near the Chesterfield 4 there was both a Casa Gallardo and a Chinese restaurant. Best fried ice cream I've ever had... and the Chinese restaurant is the only one I've ever seen sizzling rice soup... still get cravings for both.

[George Zipp]

I don't remember Calico's, I think it was before my time.

But I do remember Orange Julius and in the parking lot near the Chesterfield 4 there was both a Casa Gallardo and a Chinese restaurant. Best fried ice cream I've ever had... and the Chinese restaurant is the only one I've ever seen sizzling rice soup... still get cravings for both.

Funny. You remember the food and my mind goes to the weed and women. Obviously you were going there to eat and I was stuck for about a year in retail hell where the only small comfort was, well, weed and women.

[3dender]

I don't remember Calico's, I think it was before my time.

But I do remember Orange Julius and in the parking lot near the Chesterfield 4 there was both a Casa Gallardo and a Chinese restaurant. Best fried ice cream I've ever had... and the Chinese restaurant is the only one I've ever seen sizzling rice soup... still get cravings for both.

Funny. You remember the food and my mind goes to the weed and women. Obviously you were going there to eat and I was stuck for about a year in retail hell where the only small comfort was, well, weed and women.

Yeah I was younger than you with those memories, just a kid really. And by high school they had already added the Food Court and the NRM Music (where I worked for a little). I don't think I went back but once or twice after I graduated HS.

My most vivid memory was watching a middle school friend get invited to the back corridors by a high schooler we knew who worked at Steak Escape, where he promptly punched my friend in the face for spreading dirty rumors about him

[DJ Davis]

Ha, most of my memories are food related too. Also toys, video games, and music.

Camelot music was my go-to tape and CD store. You had Babbages for Nintendo games, and also I frequented KB and Kaycee toys (I believe) as a kid for G.I. Joe’s, Garbage Pail Kids and all that stuff.

You had Hardee’s on the top level by Dillards. That was a huge space for the mall. Another place we would go to smoke cigarettes in their cool little metal ashtrays.

There was the Pasta House down on the other side, which may have been its first location? Not sure about that. Also, early to mid 80s there was a Chick-fil-A on that same side not far from the Pasta House.

In my final nostalgia moment, I’ll mention Pass Pets. They used to have a small location upstairs, but then expanded to a bigger location down by Sears. There’s nothing like going to look at the puppies after a good meal.

[3dender]

Ha, most of my memories are food related too. Also toys, video games, and music.

Camelot music was my go-to tape and CD store. You had Babbages for Nintendo games, and also I frequented KB and Kaycee toys (I believe) as a kid for G.I. Joe’s, Garbage Pail Kids and all that stuff.

You had Hardee’s on the top level by Dillards. That was a huge space for the mall. Another place we would go to smoke cigarettes in their cool little metal ashtrays.

There was the Pasta House down on the other side, which may have been its first location? Not sure about that. Also, early to mid 80s there was a Chick-fil-A on that same side not far from the Pasta House.

In my final nostalgia moment, I’ll mention Pass Pets. They used to have a small location upstairs, but then expanded to a bigger location down by Sears. There’s nothing like going to look at the puppies after a good meal.

Pasta House was a family staple... we went there at least a quarter of the time we ever went out.

My grandma was a terror to wait on too. Always ordered the salad. Always specified she wanted the lettuce cut more finely than they typically did. Always complained when it came out the same way it always comes out. Can't imagine how much Pasta House employee saliva and/or other fluids my family must have ingested over the years thanks to her.

[Wentzville]

As Orange Julius and Hardees were both mentioned, IIRC weren't they both across from eachother, directly by the entrance? I do remember the seating for the Hardees being about twice the size as a normal stand alone Hardees. Or it could be that when you are younger you just remember everything being bigger. For some reason I have memories of getting jelly donuts from that Hardees but I don't know if that is my imagination as I was only 6 or 7.

[DJ Davis]

As Orange Julius and Hardees were both mentioned, IIRC weren't they both across from eachother, directly by the entrance? I do remember the seating for the Hardees being about twice the size as a normal stand alone Hardees. Or it could be that when you are younger you just remember everything being bigger. For some reason I have memories of getting jelly donuts from that Hardees but I don't know if that is my imagination as I was only 6 or 7.

Yes, they were. Then later on, way later, there was an Orange Julius/DQ combo stand in the middle of the mall. But back in the 80s/90s Hardees and Orange Julius were right across from each other in that little corridor near Dillards. And I also remember Hardee’s being huge for a fast food restaurant in the mall. I’m pretty sure it took up the entire side of that entrance hallway. Back when mall rents were high and always talked about, I can only imagine what they were paying each month.

3dender, speaking of grandmas, I remember my grandma tore her pants in one of the booths at Hardee’s. There was a nail sticking out, or something like that. They complained ferociously, like grandparents do, (I was embarrassed) and I think they got them to pay for her pants!

Pasta House was also our go-to spot. My standout memory … a server was walking by with a tray held high, and a bowl of spaghetti fell off onto a diner’s head. From what I recall, the manager didn’t even pick up table’s tab. They might’ve just offered to pay for his meal. But it was a mess, all over his head, his suit. I guess it wasn’t piping hot or anything. He didn’t seem hurt. We were eavesdropping in on the whole conversation.

Good times

[Wentzville]

As somebody who was born in the late 70's, before I could drive I would normally go to Chesterfield Mall because that is where my mom and grandma liked to go. It's also funny reading the other stories on here about your grandmothers and Pasta House. My grandma would always wear white pants when we went to the mall and without fail would spill something on them from Pasta House. In the 90's I would mostly frequent Mid Rivers Mall once I had my license. I can remember the Tilt arcade they had there right off the foodcourt. What I wouldn't do to go back to that time and have a slice of Pizza from Sbaro's. As a young adult in the early 2000s I came to appreciate Crestwood Plaza as it didn't seem as crowded or have as many teenagers as the other malls.

I never did really go to the other Malls in the region like the Galleria, West County, Northwest Plaza, South County or Jamestown Mall. I did go to MidRivers earlier this year to take my son to get fitted for a prom Tuxedo. It was the first time I had been in that mall in probably 15 years and while it wasn't like it was in it's heyday, it still brought back great memories.