Many a Clevelander loves and remembers the old Parmatown Shopping Center (currently known as The Shoppes at Parma), originally anchored by the illustrious Higbee’s Department Store and May Company.
With news that the shopping center’s re-landscaping is but a few scant days away, take a jaunt down memory lane to a time when mall porpoises were considered the norm, and your day’s biggest delight came in the form of a giant popcorn ball.
What are your favorite memories from the old shopping center?
All photos are courtesy of the ever-wonderful Cleveland Memory Project.
This article appears in Jan 22-28, 2014.
May Company but at least you did not say THE Higbee like the Vegas casino owners.
My husband proposed to me there in the food court by the piano in 1993
Who cares. No easy way to get there
End of story.
Rosenblum’s, Lerner’s, J.P.Snodgrass, Merry Go Round, the live monkey at the shoe store on the strip, the twin baby goats being born on my 8th birthday at the petting farm in the lot across from Ridgewood Pool, Pizza King’s jukebox, Children’s Palace, bought my first comb at the drugstore inside the mall, had my hair styled for prom by Mr. Cook at May Company salon, my 8th grade powder blue graduation formal from Higbee’s, prairie tops and long plaid skirts from Petrie’s, that crazy shop on the strip that sold bizarre pipes and incense, Pick -n -Pay where Houlihan’s is, Leader’s Drug Store where Antonio’s is, the tiny musty record shop by the ice cream store on the strip – got my kindergarten shots upstairs from there in 1970, Lemon Tree, the Talking Christmas Tree, the Zodiac Room balcony restaurant – loved sitting near the railing, the chocolate frosty’s and hot pretzels in May Company’s basement, selling hosiery over the phone to May Co.’s female charge customers, giving shoppers free gifts out in the mall for applying for Penney’s charge (got a quarter for every one of ’em), Roy Rogers wooden booths and its predecessor The Tastey Shop cafeteria buffet – loved the desserts, Docktor’s Pets, Mothercare -bought my flowergirl’s dress there, Lane Bryant tall girls department, Susie’s Casuals – got our matching cheerleading socks there, ears pierced at the kiosk outside Kresge’s, Kresge’s food counter/restaurant, modeling in a fashion show, buying the only dress that fit me right off the clearance rack at the bridal shop & attending the Miss Parma Queen’s Ball in the food court (won first runner up $500!!!), Doug Dieken mc’ing the high school cheerleading contest in the strip lot – Padua took first – oh, yeah!!!, meeting my now hubby after work for drinks at Houlihans for our first date & took my girlfriend along :), having the Antonio’s special small salad and coffee every Tuesday night for two years with my co -worker Tracy, pulling my little sons in a wagon for trick -or -treating, and a few years later strolling my daughter to Disney World (her name for the Disney Store at age two/three) – she’s now almost 16. Sooooo many happy memories there! Thank you, Parmatown! Farewell!
Cutting school at valley forge, having breakfast as soon as the food court opened, looking at the knives at the oriental store, catching a movie then playing the football game at the arcade till school was out 🙂 those were the days!!!
JaniceWonderWoman …you are spot on! we probably grew up together at Renwood! My first pair of pierced earrings came from May Co…. Diamonds and Emeralds. I lived on Holburn and my older Bro wore platforms from J.P Snodgrass…
When I was a kid my Grandma would take me to “Children’s Palace” and then we would go inside the mall to “Dr. Pets” and look at puppies. Miss my Grandma and those days at the mall.
Movie, arcade, and Roy Rogers restaurant!
Hot sam pretzels man or great steak and fries or mortal combat at Aladdin arcade
At least the property can get a Westgate-like makeover. Even in this Computer World, there is a need to actually walk outside the home to do a bit of shopping….at some point in time.
Moved to Parma in 2012 and every time I went into the mall there was never no one there, hopefully they make a good change and make Parma a place to go to shop after everything is said and done and in hopes of property values too go up as well.. change for the better?
My first job was at Parmatown Mall at a clothing store.
troy, some people care because they grew up in parma and had a lot of fond memories at that mall. shut it.
My friend and I used to take our 6 kids and tell them that the Kiddie train wasn’t working!!
My first real job was in the mall at bank and love kresges where food court is now So many memories growing up at that mall
Working at t mobile and verizon greeting every customer aka harassing. Lol those were the days. This mall has been dead for 5 years. please make it the place to be once again here in good ol parma.
the pretty girls
Record Revolution….Recordtown….so sad to see it go….managed the Recordtown store for years. That was back in the 80s…….still working in the music industry to this day. It was a humble but great start to a 25+ year career! Who knew? :O)
I used to go to parma town all the time when I was young. Late 60s early 70s. I would go with my mom and she always took me to the dime store for lunch. When I was a teen I loved shopping at Petries and was amazed by Merry go round clothes!! That was a great place back then!!!!!
Parmatown was IT! I remember eating at the food court for less than $5.. Going to a movie with almost the whole 8th grade class … Getting our parents/grandparents to drop off and pick up … Character Corner was the shop to go if you got an “A” on tests at school.. That’s where all the cool Scratch N Sniff stickers were at! Roy Rogers had the best French fries! I remember looking up at the dining room at Higbees and thinking .. One day I’ll eat up there with the rich old people! Can’t forget “Spencer’s” when were were too young to be in there looking at all the stuff we weren’t suppose to be. They had the best ethnic food festivals inside the mall every year. Antonio’s pizza was the place to eat after all the football games … I could go on and on with the memories… Always had quarters for those silver lined pay phones in the middle of the malls to call friends who weren’t at the mall to get them up there… I will miss you forever parma town you will always be in my heart!
Waiting outside at May Co. for the gate to open so we could run to the 2nd floor to get concert tickets! Jordache jeans from Merry Go Round, shoes from The Wild Pair, sitting on the edge of the chairs in the food court to avoid the waffle marks on your thighs in the summer, movies, the smell of the iron on tshirt store, going to Houilhans for lunch with my sister (the buffet in there started my love of antiques), just being young and full of possibilities!
I can’t remember the name of the store (i moved away pretty young) but it was my childhood version of what heaven would be…the sticker store on the corner, they had the stickers hanging from the ceiling.
Taking the bus from the W 25th/Denison area with a pen in my pocket hoping to score a preppy/parma girl’s number (cellphones were to exspensive then lol)…. All I would have is $5 bucks in my pocket, $2.50 RTA roundtrip and another $2.50 for whatever food I could afford or id play few games in Aladinns Castle. I was 14 and spent my first pay check ever at Parmatown. I took the bus and bought a display model Casio keyboard from Radio Shack (I had big dreams of teaching myself how to play the piano.. SMH). I carried that damn thing on the bus and over to W 32nd and Marvin. My friends and I would walk around for hours… we once celebrated “Edward Norton Day” at the Dunkn Donuts that was there. I think I walked around that mall with 3-4 different gfs back in the day lol. Whenever I could afford Sakio Japan’s Chicken Teryiaki I felt like a King! I hope something good comes from the new plan for this place.
Going to see Santa Clause and then visit with the talking Christmas tree then off to the movies and sitting in the velvet seats!!!! OOOOHHHH and loved shopping at Mary Go Round! Miss those days!!!!!!
Why would anyone dislike any of these comments?? Well one for sure I dislike, but these are peoples fond memories. I have some of my own from there and even the stories my dad would tell me from his childhood about that place. For a lot of people its the end of an era. Malls are not the wonderous places they used to be, but to many this place will always have the wonderous memories.
Remember the old video place near the food court where u could make your own music video in the early nineties?! Once upon a time that was a great mall 🙂
Ah, Parmatown. Once a great place, and now reduced to what it is now. Driving past Parmatown is just like driving past the old Randal Park Mall….depressing.
I miss the old Roy Rogers and the fountains when I was little…my parents had to drag me away from them! As teenagers we’d all stuff ourselves in my car and go to walk the mall. I miss the old Parmatown. I will always cherish those memories. And for those that don’t have a sentimental bone in their bodies…I feel sorry for you. Why do you feel the need to rain on everyone else’s parade!
5 finger discounts at Kauffmans….
Kelly Thornton said it perfectly. I did not grow up in Parma but I always loved this mall and had memories here. I met my biological father for one of the first times as a teen at Parma town. Very interesting memory I will always remember
Memories from childhood, ok here goes:
-Throwing pennies into the fountain with the three jets that shot up into the air.
-seeing The Empire Strikes Back with my dad.
-seeing Short Circuit with Ryan Dunn from Jackass (childhood friend).
-birthday parties at Aladdin’s Castle, when most of the games were still one token.
-buying my first metal album (And Justice For All) at Camelot Music, on cassette.
-buying metal band shirts from the store that sold the swords and chinese stars, Eastern Arts?
-trips to Childrens Palace for Entertech Squirt guns, Lego sets, transformers and Nintendo games.
-breakfast with Santa in the Zodiac room, which I’m pretty sure was in one of the big department stores at Parmatown.
-eating dinner at The Ground Round