This is a classic photograph of Tanglewood Mall in Roanoke, Va. when it was still a dominat shopping center. This photo was taken just after the 1985 renovation in the JCPenney court and it shows the new tile floors, planters, staircase and glass railings, and the relocation of one the old center court escalators. It also shows three of the retail fixtures of Tanglewood's glory days: World Bazaar, Wrangler Wranch, and the French Quarter mini-mall on the upper level. World Bazaar and Wrangler Wranch were gone a couple of years after this picture was taken, both victims of changing tastes and bad financial mangement. The French Quarter would live into the early '90s, only to be replaced by Goody's Family Clothing in 1995.
Today, the tile has been replaced, the escalator has been reunited with its twin from center court (which at the time of the photo was located in the former Woolco court) and Tanglewood looks remarkably similar to that photgraph even after the last renovation. It also tends to be almost as empty these days as that photograph.
>>both victims of changing tastes and bad financial mangement. <<
ReplyDeleteYeah, didn't stores like Wrangler Wranch come and go with the Rhinestone Cowboy (Urban Cowboy?) trend of the early 1980's?
They were definately at their peek when "Urban Cowboy" made Western seem hip, but this being Roanoke, the trend held on for several years afterward. Wrangler Wranch didn't really crash and burn until about 1988, believe it or not.
ReplyDeleteI do love an old mall photo...I remember when "theme" areas for smaller shops like the "French Quarter" at Tanglewood were popular. In Phoenix, there were similar "mini-malls" at Metrocenter and Westridge Mall...can't quite remember what the "themes" were, they're both long gone.
ReplyDeleteYou should tell the story of Tanglewood...its rise and fall...in a future post.
Oh, you already told the story over at deadmalls.com.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's my 'hometown' mall, more or less.
ReplyDeleteThe old version of the French Quarter used to be really dramatic, like some kind of stage set. Another mall in town, Crossroads, had a similar mini-mall area, but it wasn't nearly as well though out as French Quarter was.
The version you see above was a lot brighter, and sadly, a little generic. I think that's part of why Tanglewood killed it. It really wasn't as special, and the stores didn't stick around for long to boot.
Man... I wish I had some photos from the French Quarter. I spent a lot of time there in the late 70s/early 80s. So many cool places up there.
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