Here are the 1977 images of Fashion Island that I mentioned on Wednesday. The first image (top) shows The Broadway, and the central courtyard with its acrobat sculptures. The black and white photo shows the cool Modern display wall of a store called Apropos. And the third image shows the rather unique playground that once stood in the middle of the shopping center. .
Except for a couple stores and the koi pond, most of the old Fashion Island is gone. When I was a kid, I'd visit Carl's Toys and the playground and snag a paper pirate hat from the Jolly Roger restaurant. And I'd wait (not so) patiently while Dad picked out a jacket at Silverwoods or while Mom shopped at The Broadway.
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We'd usually have lunch in Robinson's cafeteria-style lunch room, which had a view of the ocean and excellent tostadas. The exterior of the old Robinson's building (now Macy's) still features the largest windchimes in the world - an enormous hanging bronze sculpture by artist Tom Van Sant.
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Thanks for bearing with me as I drifted out of the realm of history and into the realm of nostagia. The two sometimes overlap.
6 comments:
I used to work in fashion island and it has been remodelled. if you look closely at some details in the robinsons or bloomingdales stores you can feel like your in 1967
Wonderful post...
And you're right---Nostalgia and history will often mingle.
Thanks for all the good info.
I remember there was a Bullocks Wilshire here too. I used to always get confused as a very young kid being shuttled to many malls... there was Fashion Island in Newport, Fashion Square in La Habra and Fashion Valley in Sherman Oaks. It took me awhile to realize they were different places.
Hey, thanks for posting these IMPRTANT archival pics! Great to have these as these pre-1980s Fashion Isle pics are hard to come by [except maybe in Orange County.]
I've been born and raised iN Southern California, from eatsern Los Angeles County, and this is a great thing to find. BTW 1977, the date of the photos, is the last time I went to the :original" center, and "Anonymous" is right about the archetecture of Robinsons or Bloomie's! Finally,
A happy not eon that playground, iut's the basis for many a park's playgrounds, with soft "ground", the "Vegas Slot Machine" looking apparatus [y'know..the one with the "Spinning wheel and rollers", looking like a big, uh, slot mahcine or toaster.:)
WOW - thank you so so much for posting photo of the playground! I am so incredibly excited! I've been trying to research these for years. Do you have anymore images? I'd love to see the front side with the small spinning discs. This was really a unique space and an even more unique playground. I have so many great memories of old school Newport Beach and Corona Del Mar. I could go on and on. Post more pics!
Thanks!
We ate a Bob Burns w/my parents, shopped at Buffum's, Rosnson's & The Broadway. we ran around the iron butterflies (how appropriate for the time,right?) Later when I got out of high school I worked in Robinson's & ate my lunch at El Roberto & The Sweet Life. I remember the chic very Bohemian Laiz Adzer. I miss those unique high end, non corporate mass produced stores. Hopefully the economy will inpsire us again to be creative & very customer service oriented.
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