Garland Shopping Center (Dallas, Denton, Commerce: sales, real estate, rental)

[Jay Watson]

Does anybody remember the Garland Shopping Center at Miller and S. Garland Ave.The shopping Center opened in late 1952 and was the first in the city. The center once had a Skillerns drugstore as well as a JC penny back in the 50s and 60s when this was the place to shop. The Adams Safe & Lock was one of the only places you could get keys made in the city. Whats going to happen here ? Hopefully they will preserve the 50s sign and architecture of the building.

[ETex2]

At one time I think there were plans to re-develop the entire site, but I think like many others, they have been put on indefinite hold, or maybe even cancelled. I know the center well, my girlfriend worked at that Skillerns at the soda fountain and snack bar in the late 1960's. Her family also had a wig shop in the center. The office building housing the locksmith and Caldwell-Fuller real estate was torn down several years ago, along with the funky coffee shop and restaurant on the corner. The two main buildings are still standing, but there aren't many tenants left.

[Jay Watson]

ETex2;

The Diner you mentioned on the corner of Garland and Miller was a Lobelos BBQ. I have also heard that it was at one time a Willies Westerant,and Carters Cafe.You are right, I remember the buildings near the Garland Ave side of the center being razed in early 2007 when their were plans to redevelop the center. The owner does not want to work on the property according to councilman Lathan and Willis so their is nothing the city can do. I hope they renovate as opposed to tearing the whole thing down.

In case your wandering; My user name "JAY WATSON'' is referring to the reporter from the early 60s who reported on the JFK assassination for WFAA in November of '63.
Not sure if you remember him!

[Jay Watson]

Here are some pictures of the Garland Shopping Center. The first two were both taken in 1956. The first picture shows the shopping center itself in the mid 50s, you can see it was packed and vibrant. Look at all the classic 1950s vehicles! The second is a view of the Skillerns drugstore window and two citizens hard at work painting the sign for the upcoming Labor Day parade. The next five were taken after the previously mentioned demolition of the buildings on the Garland Ave. side of the shopping center in march of 2007. The small building pictured was were the Locksmith was before they moved to the building facing Garland Ave. Apparently you could walk up and purchase what you needed through the window. The next three pictures were taken just a few months ago. The first is of the Garland Shopping Center sign, the next one is a view of the main building that is still standing taken from the North end of the center. The last one shows the now empty Two Wheel World Motorcycle shop. Its a pretty big contrast from the 1956 photos! The very last one (Source; Google Earth, I'm not sure when it was taken) is of the Carters Cafe formerly located in one of the now demolished buildings along Garland Ave. Enjoy the pictures.

Thanks,
JH

[ETex2]

Cool photos. I had forgotten that there was a Wyatt's grocery store there. I think they were bought out by Kroger back in the '60's (?).

[hstfan82]

It's needs to be either redeveloped, keeping at least the sign, or be torn down. However, the whole place is pretty symbolic of the area around it.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by hstfan82

It's needs to be either redeveloped, keeping at least the sign, or be torn down. However, the whole place is pretty symbolic of the area around it.

It is being redeveloped. It has all pretty much been torn down. The city has been in talks w/ a developer for awhile now. They are keeping the sign.

FYI, the areas back behind it as far as the residential are actually very nice and well kept older ranch homes on large treed lots. It is a very nice area and not rundown at all. It is just that the businesses on that stretch of road have not kept w/ the times and were allowed to become a little neglected. The city has finally realized that and that is why they are wanting the shopping center redeveloped and they had everyone vacate it and tore down all of the old crumbling ones.

[hstfan82]

Nothing has been done about it in the 2 years I've lived here.

[MaryS80]

As someone else said the little diner was torn down a few years ago. I was pretty disapointed it was a neat old building and I always wanted to photograph it. The shopping center is still there, though sadly it is completely vacant and will probably be torn down. The last tenant Aarons Rental moved out a while back.

Vandals and copper thieves have taken a toll on the building as well as the natural cycle of decay. There was an article about it either in the DMN or Garland News at one point. The roof/ceiling is rotted and about to cave in from water damage in the spot that used to be a bank.

Aarons had been in the old sears site for about 10 -15 years. Two Wheel World relocated, I believe both the thrift stores that had been there for years closed. There had been an Eckards drug store when i lived in the area in the 1990s, it has also since closed.

There was another set of smaller buildings across from the main center and closer to the diner that were also razed several years ago.

[Jay Watson]

This article is from 2007 announcing that the Shopping Center would be redeveloped. If you are just now reading this you can see that this was three years ago and nothing has happened yet except taking away the best Locksmith in the city. If they were planning on waiting this long to develop it they should have left Adams Safe & Lock, it has served Garland for over thirty years. MaryS80; I have seen the other article you mentioned about the condition of the building, unfortunately it looks like they won't let you read it online unless you pay for it! Otherwise I would have posted it here as well. Here is my article;

'50s-era Shopping Center Aiming For 21st Century

Garland Shopping Center, the Korean War-era landmark that was the city's first modern shopping center, is getting a face-lift.

The work began Friday with the razing of vacant buildings along the east side of the property, which is on Garland Avenue at Miller Road.

"It was built in the early '50s," said City Council member Jackie Feagin. "A lot of us called it 'Skillern's Shopping Center' because it had a Skillern's drugstore."

The center was also home to a J.C. Penney, a bank, a cafeteria, a dress shop and jewelry and furniture stores.

When Garland Avenue was widened in the mid-1960s, the center lost a significant amount of parking on that side, Mr. Feagin said.

The center currently houses Aaron's Sales & Lease, a Salvation Army thrift store and a dollar store. A motorcycle shop recently moved out.

Paul Mayer, president of the Garland Chamber of Commerce, said the center would be redeveloped by a Denton-based company that specializes in small shopping centers.

Although details are still being worked out, Mr. Mayer said, initial plans call for the buildings along Garland Avenue to be demolished and buildings on the west side of the center to be renovated. One result would be more parking.

Ultimately, developers hope to have a bank, restaurants and shops in the refurbished center.

- The Dallas Morning News