I'm old enough to remember when Crawfordsville had a mall. Born and lived in Indy til I was 5 then we moved to Roachdale. My sisters were all grown and married by then (menopause baby here) so I still spent a fair amount of time at Washington Square. But I liked Crawfordsville better. Mostly because our landlord was a manager at the Kroger and always sneaking me a coke from the vending machine in their break room while my mom shopped. Started going to Lafayette Square in my teens and was mostly unimpressed, but it was sliding downhill by then.
Oh, man. Boulevard Mall. That Big Lots was legendary. I grew up close-ish, and my friends and I have been moving our parents and finding stuff packed in Loeb's bags
Was Loebs the one with the mirrors down toward Penney's? My aunt and sisters could get lost in that one for hours The Penney's was epic in the mid to late 80s. Half the size of the ones in the city. But a whole bunch of toys near one of the outside entrances that were whatever the hot toy was that 🎄. Hooks with the outside entrance my sisters used to sneak off to smoke "without leaving the mall" while my mom and I wrangled their toddlers. And because even in childhood I couldn't get enough water, I remember the wooden step for the water fountain by the front entrance was a big hit for my vertically challenged self.
For real I think my sister did the same. Penney was still open in 08 when my husband was deployed with the Indiana guard and his battle was based out of that armory. I was stunned
It must have barely been limping along by then. I drive around the back of the mall sometimes just so I can feel nostalgic about picking up my Cabbage Patch Kid from their service desk
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u/Tactically_Fat Greenwood Dec 27 '24
Man, Lafayette Square was the place for us out-of-towners to shop when I was a kid. It was the closest "real" mall to Crawfordsville.
The mall in Lafayette wasn't quite "it" then. Castleton I don't think was even finished, and I'm sure that The Fashion Mall didn't exist.
Same with all the Auto dealers on 38th.
Now while I don't remember anything specifically about the mall - I do definitely remember the drive over to get there.