Can you scan the photo and download it onto this site for all to see - I think people would appreciate seeing the photo.
I have an old emporium gift certificate for one dollar. It was the "change" after a purchase made from a christmas or birthday gift certificate. I would imagine it's about 20-25 years old.
"As one of the dignitaries held the scissors over the ribbbon about to cut it, the crowd stormed in before the ribbon could be cut! By the time they set up the ribbon again for the photographers, there were already 100+ customers in the store"
Ok that is too funny! That was my dad who was trying to cut the ribbon at the opening. I have the original IJ photo of him and all these bratty little kids trying to squeeze their way into the store before the ribbon was cut! I also have the big scissors tthat he used!!
__________________
Carol B
Anonymous
Date:
RE: "The Big E" (the Emporium) - Northgate Mall Opens 1964
Great thread! Wow cant believe how much Northgate One has changed. Has the buiding been completely rebuilt? When did Purity convert to Safeway? Also a scan would be real neat of the plans for Northgate. Great find!
The Emporium had quite a comical opening. According to an article in the Marin IJ, while dignitaries were giving a speech just prior to the ribbon cutting, a red-haired lady in a dress turned to her friend and said "I wish they'd get this overwith!" As one of the dignitaries held the scissors over the ribbbon about to cut it, the crowd stormed in before the ribbon could be cut! By the time they set up the ribbon again for the photographers, there were already 100+ customers in the store. In the toy department, children climbed shelves five feet high to get to toy cars, bending them in the process. By late morning, the entire parking lot was full of cars. The article alluded to what was then a small warehouse third floor that would later be expanded, which it was, and escalators to the top floor were added, making it a retail floor. Does anybody know when the third floor was opened to the public?
I remember candy bins with in glass stacked bins. My mother let us get swedish fish and chocolate covered raisins (HUGE treats). For some reason my biggest memory of Emporium is the candy in the paper bags and the smell and the thrill of the escalators.
__________________
Anonymous
Date:
RE:The Big E (the Emporium) - Northgate Mall Opens 1964
I found an original copy of the Marin IJ dated June 25, 1964. It was the grand opening of Northgate Mall. I am trying to figure out how to scan something this big so I don't have to fold it all up ten times and jam it in the scanner. I saved this because my father was the first manager of The Emporium that opened on June 26, 1964 and this was the announcement in the IJ with all the pictures of the Emporium and the specials that every store was going to have on sale. Anyway stores listed for Northgate One (where Safeway is now):
Purity Market (4 canalopes for 88 cents!) Hunt's Quality Donuts Northgate Toys and Hobbies (Chatty Cathy Stroller Set for $3.99!) Lin Fa Restaurant (Take Out chinese dinner for two only $3.00!) Northgate Drugs (Sea-n-Ski or Coppertone lotion - 97 cents) Kountry Kitchen Deli Lee's Cards Children's Shoe World Northgate Barber Shop The Bourbon Shop Crocker-Citizen's Bank
Then there were big ads in that same issue of the paper from other businesses welcoming The Big E, from:
Chapman's Shoes in San Rafael Bravermans Fine Furniture on Greenfield in San Anselmo Franchini's Chateau "Saluting our new neighbor!" I barely remember Franchini's! The address says "1/2 mile north on Highway 101 at Lucas Valley Road"
OK I just found more stuff. An original set of architect plans for the entire Northgate shopping center from The Draper Company that bought the land and developed the center. Doesn't seem like THAT long ago but The Draper Company's phone number in S.F. is listed as: YU 1-6500 (that's 981-6500!)
Purity was where Safeway is now. Then going left, Northgate Drugs, Savings and Loan, Bourbon Shop, Kountry Kitchen, Cleaners, Lee's Cards, Hunt's Donuts...etc. Hunt's Donuts was where Starbucks is. Lin Fa Chinese is where Kinkos is. Crocker Citizen's Bank is where Big 5 is.
__________________
Anonymous
Date:
RE: "The Big E" (the Emporium) - Northgate Mall Opens 1964
when the mall was new and the roos/atkins store opened, i was a cute little girl that showed horses. somehow i was asked to show up in my full western regalia and cut the ribbon for the grand opening. radio was big and the opening was broadcast. there was a huge pair of wooden scissors for show. that store was where applebee's is now.
oh, I remember Foxmoors and the rock poster shop! Also, the Chrismas fantasy land that Emporium used to do, with Santa. I think they enclosed the mall in the early '80's.
There was a little restaurant called Zanzes that had marble countertops and tables. Great tuna sandwiches, the waitresses were nice ladies.Payless drugstore (not shoestore!) was near the outside fountain. Sommer and Kaufman was the wonderful shoe store on the other corner. The Grape Festival was held there in the summertime.
Yes, I think the restaurant was called "Bumbleberry's" - they had the best pie! There was a clothing store called "Little Daisy" there for years, and there was an outdoor fountain in the middle of the mall. There was a Singer store that sold both sewing machines and fabric (back in the days when we knew how to sew).
There was also Leed's shoes, Foxmoor clothing and a store that sold posters and rock memorabilia. I also remember when Sears opened, Winnie the Pooh for President in the 70's. There was also a cafeteria in Sears. There was also a restaurant Bumble Bee's that had pies you could buy(where the movie theather is).
__________________
Anonymous
Date:
"The Big E" (the Emporium) - Northgate Mall Opens 1964
How about the opening of Northgate Mall in 1964 when it had really good stores and had an open ceiling? It was a pretty cool place. The Emporium (now Macy's - quite a disappointment), Roos Brothers, Modern Eve....I can't remember them all but it was such a great Mall back then. Far from it now. Remember at Christmas time then would put these big (sort of tacky now) plastic bell shaped coverings on the big hanging light globes at the front of the Emporium? And they had tons of nicely decorated trees inside the store but they wouldn't think of putting them up before Thanksgiving! I remembered that they magically appeared the day after Thanksgiving. I worked many summer breaks and Christmas vacations at "The Big E". That's when teenagers actually worked...instead of going to fancy and expensive Spring vacations or breaks.
