tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post8333058751838221245..comments2024-03-21T01:17:34.038-05:00Comments on Pleasant Family Shopping: Bring Back the San Fernando Penney's!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788722183424550052noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-29829398343008927492013-06-25T13:39:13.749-05:002013-06-25T13:39:13.749-05:00What street was Penney's on in Pacific Beach?What street was Penney's on in Pacific Beach?Gregory in San Diegohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08039192010969935039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-34448834690932806032012-10-16T10:53:19.815-05:002012-10-16T10:53:19.815-05:00The mall was a mistake--arguably, Harvey was alrea...The mall was a mistake--arguably, Harvey was already in decline before groundbreaking. Pseudo3Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17848368606946150471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-79048803460508912302012-10-15T18:34:50.362-05:002012-10-15T18:34:50.362-05:00I should have looked more closely at the pictures ...I should have looked more closely at the pictures before I commented above. In picture #2, the floor design is identical to the store I had mentioned, the basement floor pattern was the same but the color was reversed. Lighting fixtures were identical as well. I would have loved to see what that store looked like inside prior to closing, I'm sure a lot of that stuff has been remodeled away as our local store's stuff was back in the 60's and 70's.D. Truettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-71077512340943552202012-10-15T18:29:44.923-05:002012-10-15T18:29:44.923-05:00The photos remind me a lot of the long since close...The photos remind me a lot of the long since closed JC Penney store that I grew up with in Pacific Beach, San Diego CA. It was a small store, but it had a full basement and a mezzanine, it served the community well until it closed in the 1980's. I can imagine that the writing was on the wall when they opened the huge one about 10 miles away in Fashion Valley Mall in 1970. After Penney's closed, the old space was immediately leased by Walker Scott's, a local chain and they did business there for quite a few years. Before the dawn of malls, Penney's stores were much more modest local stores, I am not sure the mega mall stores were such a great idea. D. Truettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-12646738626660377292012-10-05T13:14:45.336-05:002012-10-05T13:14:45.336-05:00Great article as always. I rarely chime in on blog...Great article as always. I rarely chime in on blogs, but in this case I had to point out that in the grand opening photo you have posted, is none other than a 1953 Buick Skylark, which is an exremely rare and desirable car today. 1,069 were built and all had a sticker price of well over $5,000! Beautiful car.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-28590394925949335282012-10-03T22:04:07.332-05:002012-10-03T22:04:07.332-05:00I have to wonder how Dixie Square Mall would look ...I have to wonder how Dixie Square Mall would look today if it never closed. It's horrible and appalling how that place was left to rot, but amazing how it was preserved like an ancient ruin. And few people realize this, but the Turn-Style there actually closed long before the rest of the mall. Most of the stores shut down in 1978 or 1979, but the Turn-Style closed in January 1974, despite being a "new" addition to the mall... built in 1970, in a slightly more modern period than the rest of the mall was built, which was in 1966. Seems strange to me that Sears didn't have a store there, since 99% of malls in the USA do. The only malls that don't seem to be more "upscale", and Harvey, Illinois of course is not a nice city at all. It puzzles me that the mall was ever built in the first place, considering how industrial that area was. As for the lack of Sears, which started in Chicago after all, I figure that maybe they weren't as interested in trying mall stores because their name was already known in the area. I don't think JCPenney really had a clear identity until the "Penneys" name/logo area which spawned the Dixie Square branch. It really is an anomaly to see a mall close, and even more disturbing how this one became an eyesore. I'm used to seeing shopping centers with "basic" stores like supermarkets failing, but malls are huge and so much more expensive to build. Also, urban decay was pretty much accepted as a fact of life by most Americans starting in the 50's, but most people are only used to seeing ancient city buildings in ruin. A postwar mall in ruin is a real oddball.<br /><br />Perhaps if Dixie Square were still open, the Penneys would have eventually gotten the JCPenney logo (as it did for The Blues Brothers film scene) in the 80's? And maybe the mall could have gotten an arcade or a cinema? If the neighborhood around it were safer but still poor, it would have at least been nice if the mall had stayed open, but maybe the JCPenney anchor would have closed and ended up maybe as a store such as TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Ross, etc.Trent Pettitnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-72918493655288698192012-09-30T17:40:06.781-05:002012-09-30T17:40:06.781-05:00It's difficult to know why anachronistic store...It's difficult to know why anachronistic stores like this hold-on. Sears still has urban neighborhood stores in LA and Chicago but virtually nowhere else. I've wondered what kind of economics have kept those stores going, esp. when the neighborhoods have not fared well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-33159805653277443992012-09-28T22:27:45.177-05:002012-09-28T22:27:45.177-05:00IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON!! STOP SPENDING TIME ON J.C ...IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON!! STOP SPENDING TIME ON J.C WHOM? AND TRY TO BRING TO OUR BEAUTIFUL SAN FERNADO COMUNNITY A NEW STORE, WHOM IS WILLING TO ESTABLISH IT BUSINESS IN SAN FERNANDO AND TO OUR CITY COUNCIL REMEBER THIS WORLDS OF WISDOM!! ASK NOT WHAT THE CITY BUSSINESS CAN DO FOR OUR CITY!! ASK WHAT THE CITY CAN DO FOR YOUR BUSSINESS.<br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-90896625547524480052012-09-28T14:12:39.739-05:002012-09-28T14:12:39.739-05:00A shame. I wonder why -- after all those years (an...A shame. I wonder why -- after all those years (and with the kind of competition it had 50 years ago) they suddenly decided this one wasn't profitable enough to support? It seems to me it doesn't have all that much competition out there now.Donnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14264449201706478489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-48582696709938278772012-09-27T20:40:32.458-05:002012-09-27T20:40:32.458-05:00Three cheers for your stand on this Penney's! ...Three cheers for your stand on this Penney's! The closest I have been to this store is the Bay Area, but I am all for historical preservation, especially when the object of the effort is a venerable concern like Penney's! I wonder if Penney's expected the backlash against their decision, and weighed that likelihood as they chose the route that they did.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08794382516478990237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-65800265554378833362012-09-27T10:07:20.143-05:002012-09-27T10:07:20.143-05:00Sad indeed. I'm with you in feeling the reopen...Sad indeed. I'm with you in feeling the reopening of this store would generate some much needed good PR for the beleaguered chain. Grand job as always.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17885115024090878192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-68956943312372624122012-09-27T01:00:04.247-05:002012-09-27T01:00:04.247-05:00Why don't they just attract another soft goods...Why don't they just attract another soft goods retailer that can serve the community just as well,or better, than JCP"T.V. Barnum"https://www.blogger.com/profile/00475339068236956242noreply@blogger.com