The opening of the Northland Mall - Detroit (1954)

4/12/2022 07:08:00 PM

There's a lot to talk about the current situation of US shopping malls. While there is a large number of them that struggle, there are still many that prosper. Why the decline? Well in my opinion as an economist, I say that there are a couple of reasons, the main ones being the lack of security, malls that are literally across the street from each other and that results into cannibalization and corporate greed. Once the malls were not just a shopping destination. They were community centers with large green areas, artworks, they had large entertainment and gathering places and also used to host all kind of events. Now the mall owners almost entirely removed the entertainment part and replaced it with more shops. So people don't have a reason to stay longer in the mall. They come in, they buy, they leave.

But enough with the present, let's go back in time in March 22, 1954 when one of the greatest american malls opened its gates - Northland Mall, Detroit.

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below are excerpts from LIFE Magazine, August 30, 1954:

Construction of this gorgeous mid-century modern style shopping center started in Southfield, a suburb of Detroit in 1952, with the shopping center opening on March 22, 1954. A lovely complex with big box department stores linked to shopping galleries through lovely open-air spaces decorated with modern art structures. In the image below we can see a giraffe family that dominates a magnolia planted plaza.

This $25 million project was designed by Victor Gruen Associates, was a combination of modern efficiency - packages from its supermarket arrive on conveyor belts at shopper's cars - fine architecture and pure joy. Courts and malls full of flowers, fanciful sculptures and music gave the center the air of a bazaar.

Northland had 1 1/4 miles of store fronts, but the stores were laid out and connected by colonnades so that shoppers had no long hikes, even from the parking areas which accommodate over 7,500 cars.

Peacock has many-colored, copper and enamel spots fluttering in its tail. This is on a terrace in front of Northland;s bank, biggest jewelry store and a building which houses seven high-style apparel shops, together with gift, flower and music shops.

Fish mobile swims in fountain, its nickel-plated segments twisting when water jets play. This is one of malls where shoppers may just sit and enjoy Northland's architecture, art, flowers and music, that plays all the time.

Parking lot next to Hudson's basement is uncogested even on a busy Saturday night. Five bus lines serve the center's main entrance from ramp above. Shoppers can collect purchases made in store at package pickup beside the stairs, at center.

Tortoise of beaten copper rears its head over shoppers between the J.L. Hudson department store branch - the Hudson Co. built the whole center - and a dimestore. Scuptor feels tortoise is realistic though shoppers often mistake it for a dinosaur.