THE GALLERIA
The Galleria is one of the biggest, coolest, and most awesome malls in America, and here are ten reasons.
Number one: no lifestyle center. Many malls these days decide to replace a vacant anchor (or section of parking lot) with an outdoor component that always features, more-or-less, European-style storefronts and a bland mix of stores (Coldwater Creek and more!) The Galleria does none of that. Even when Lord & Taylor closed, the space was divided into in-line retail space featuring restaurants and a Borders Books & Music. Cool!
Number two: Most malls removed theirs, but the Galleria still features their 1970 ice rink. Few malls kept their ice rink of the 1970s, you could count the number on your fingers. To my knowledge, there are only three...The Galleria, Lloyd Center, and Cupertino Square.
Number three: The "hidden mall". A small portion of the mall is severed from the rest of the mall by a Saks Fifth Avenue. The last time I ventured inside, it was a quiet place. The Fox Sports Grill does get a lunchtime crowd, but there are dead and dated storefronts, plus the second (original) Macy's. It was a Macy's when it was the actual R.H. Macy Co. building them!
Number four: The layout.
Mall Hall of Fame made a great map of the mall. I mean, is this cool, or what?
Number five: I made a Labelscar post on it.
Number six: It had cool stores in its day, and we'll explore those later.
Number seven: The skylights govern much of the mall. It looks very different during the night than during the day.
Number eight: It has a HUGE atrium with an elevator and parking, like eight stories off the ground!
Number nine: The nearby Dillard's is huge and imposing, screaming the stark white lines of the 1970s (and I prefer that to the "soft" look of today).
Number ten: It was the FIRST mall with "Galleria" in the name. Everywhere else, they're copiers, cheats!
