tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post5476432558167605822..comments2024-03-04T01:47:18.750-05:00Comments on Lemurian Congress: Memory Spill: Westmount PlaceAdam Thorntonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05634565262440008573noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-10982172487658609832007-05-11T11:59:00.000-04:002007-05-11T11:59:00.000-04:00Those were fantastic times, full of fun and wonder...Those were fantastic times, full of fun and wonder. I think fondly on them often! Muffy is a fantastic person, one that I'm thankful to count as the best of friends.<BR/><BR/>The people in W.H. Smith were generally great, and I think they were both amused and enamored with the two young 'uns that would digest all of the reading material they could get their hands on. While cover art on books can be nice to look at, we wound up with so many more books than we'd ever be able to afford through the turning of a blind eye to the coverless books slated for disposal heading out the door instead of to the garbage.<BR/><BR/>Possibly as a result of our imaginations, whether at the mall or elsewhere, it seemed that all places were a source of wonderment and adventure. From the tunnels unseen underbelly that allowed the mall to run efficiently, to the rather grubby billiards hall, the arcade, back rooms of various stores which could be full of intrigue, and "regular staffers" who welcomed us into their worlds.<BR/><BR/>I vaguely recall Mr. Big Tall, and countless hours spent at the computers there...console games were nifty and all (what with Intellivision using speech synthesis and having nifty controllers, as well as the...Vectrex? -- a first exposure to a vector graphics home unit).<BR/><BR/>Videos became a regular hangout once computers entered into the mix. The proprietor, Barry I think was his name, was warm, intelligent, and seemingly both tolerant and amazed at the type of questions and programming efforts which ensued.<BR/><BR/>Hanging out in Bents, one of our regular customers sort of pushed me over the edge on the technology front -- a university student at the time, he had built a computer from scratch in a briefcase which he shared with me, showing me how to input a program using 8 dip switches and a pushbutton for entry, along with a few other controls and a crude display. Opening up the briefcase to a scene of wires, circuit boards, components and all was like opening Pandora's Box.<BR/><BR/>Dairy Queen was more or less a food group unto itself, what with how often we were there.<BR/><BR/>In the late 80's my parents sold Bent's in order to move to the west coast, after which it ran for a while, changed locations within the mall, and, I believe, eventually closed.<BR/><BR/>Sadly it's the plight of many small businesses to falter or fail under the burden of the high overhead of a mall location. The mall is like a small-town tourist destination for retailers -- some are regular longstanding citizens, but many come for a visit of varying duration, and then "move on"<BR/><BR/>Zacks was a fun hangout for us, but more likely for the people there than the clothing racks, although they had their moments, too ;)<BR/><BR/>Smitty's had a downstairs which housed...a pub/bar of sorts. I was snuck down there for the occasional lunch in order to receive an education in Foosball. I do remember Sauders -- it was one of the more costly clothing retailers to be found there. There was a little cafe across from Bents for years, serving up food, cafeteria-style. The quality wasn't the best, but the prices were fine. They too eventually closed. <BR/><BR/>I seem to recall an office supply store further around the corner, past the arcade (right near that entrance). Stationery shouldn't be anywhere near that amusing. Again, I blame overactive imagination ("Hrmm...you could use this staple remover to..."). With all these sorts of things in mind, it's little wonder that I was a huge fan of MacGyver.<BR/><BR/>There was barely a square inch of that place that we didn't cover, side by side. Exploring, getting into trouble, trying to stay out of trouble...all the good stuff.Sum of Primeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236205937277714063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-13436802607132653352007-04-06T21:04:00.000-04:002007-04-06T21:04:00.000-04:00Did the hospital at least have neat nooks and cran...Did the hospital at least have neat nooks and crannies? Did you form a relationship with the staff?<BR/><BR/>There actually WAS a feral mall child...I THINK his name was Umberto and he always smelled vaguely fecal.Adam Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634565262440008573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-75500880851362569692007-04-06T13:11:00.000-04:002007-04-06T13:11:00.000-04:00Muffy, Feral Mall Child! What fascinating memories...Muffy, Feral Mall Child! What fascinating memories...<BR/><BR/>For similar reasons I spent a lot of time in the hospital, for a summer or two. My mum didn't work there though - she was on dialysis three days a week. <BR/><BR/>It wasn't nearly as interesting. :DEli McIlveenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01788862908104582523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-36370153363336714992007-04-05T09:56:00.000-04:002007-04-05T09:56:00.000-04:00And yet, people still insist on buying houses with...And yet, people still insist on buying houses with large suburban lots & driveways way the hell outside the city core. Conestoga Mall & Fairview Park Mall are still doing well, while malls within our urban centres are dying or dead. The workers of SunLife Financial who have taken over Westmount Mall haven't batted an eyelash, I'm sure. The "grey cubical beehive" esthetic has infiltrated most corporate cultures, particularly the Insurance & Financial industry. Hard to believe people choose to live like this, choose to spend 1.5-2 hours a day in transit.VanillaJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16362795443692420358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-88530700004105459032007-04-04T17:15:00.000-04:002007-04-04T17:15:00.000-04:00someone has to fill those empty monsters now that ...someone has to fill those empty monsters now that "malls" have become urban sprawls on the edge of town. As the city grows bigger, Fairview and Conestoga malls may become offices too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-18771386180784031932007-04-04T09:03:00.000-04:002007-04-04T09:03:00.000-04:00I thought so! Yes, now it's just Mutual Life or so...I thought so! Yes, now it's just Mutual Life or something.<BR/><BR/>I wonder what it's like to work in a cubicle inside a former mall (see also the King Center & Market Square)Adam Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634565262440008573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-69134191341674925782007-04-03T18:34:00.000-04:002007-04-03T18:34:00.000-04:00Both Eatons and Sears occupied the land once but t...Both Eatons and Sears occupied the land once but that was many moons agoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-75718457019208744082007-04-03T13:14:00.000-04:002007-04-03T13:14:00.000-04:00Like the mall, I myself have dark, awkward, unvisi...Like the mall, I myself have dark, awkward, unvisited corners.<BR/><BR/>Yes, it was strange, because it had a huge enclosed L-Shaped hall (the "real" mall), then two arms that stretched out (the "strip mall"), one of which ended in a decrepit covered area which is still there.<BR/><BR/>Even cooler were the underground portions, and the forbidding doors leading up into the office space (which stretched above one of the strip mall arms).<BR/><BR/>I don't remember Saunders (I wasn't a Catholic schoolgirl), but I do remember Bonnie Togs being there, and A&M Records, and Smitty's (where I used to eat piggies in a blanket).<BR/><BR/>I bought "The Wall" and Styx's "Mr. Roboto" at the A&M. And they sold Smurf books and figurines for some reason.Adam Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634565262440008573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-70575179149283948772007-04-03T09:54:00.000-04:002007-04-03T09:54:00.000-04:00Thanks for that. I remember Westmount Mall had a s...Thanks for that. I remember Westmount Mall had a store named "Saunders", which sold all the school uniforms in town. When I went to be fitted for my school uniform (nice Catholic girl, I was), it was the first time I noticed that there were clothing lines WAY outside my typical price bracket. Like, my uniform tights cost $12 in the mid-eighties. They sold other clothes, not particularly stylish from a teenager's perspective, but expensive. If you can remember Bargain Harold's, then you know where I usually shopped as a kid.<BR/><BR/>Westmount Mall was oddly laid out in a hybrid of strip mall and regular mall. It had dark, awkward, unvisited corners that may explain some of the excitement it held for you then, but also why ultimately people preferred to shop elsewhere.<BR/><BR/>B-t-w, it sounds like you were once a charming little Muffy. I should have liked to known you then.VanillaJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16362795443692420358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-41276892025972010862007-04-01T20:20:00.000-04:002007-04-01T20:20:00.000-04:00Ummm--that word is what "Memory Spill" is--and tha...Ummm--that word is what "Memory Spill" is--and thanks for a very good example of it too.<BR/><BR/>"Memory Spill" and pieces like it will have to suffice until the Complete Chronicles of Muffy are published--by which time I should be on my 1275th viewing of "Viva Las Vegas" in the Tartarean Theater.Eric Littlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02556454801310628473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-19219544520373438542007-04-01T20:11:00.000-04:002007-04-01T20:11:00.000-04:00wowwowAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-78135274205406041312007-04-01T18:11:00.000-04:002007-04-01T18:11:00.000-04:00I can't write a biography until lots of people hav...I can't write a biography until lots of people have died! So I'm waiting on the Bird Flu.Adam Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634565262440008573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-32499931486857548542007-04-01T18:10:00.000-04:002007-04-01T18:10:00.000-04:00I agonized over whether it was Sears or Eaton's, b...I agonized over whether it was Sears or Eaton's, but I think it was both at different times. Though I can't be sure. My suspicion is that it was Sears in the '80s, and then Eaton's in the '90s, but I wouldn't swear to it!<BR/><BR/>By all means, share your Westmount Place knowledge.Adam Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634565262440008573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-35120597341819512802007-04-01T17:33:00.000-04:002007-04-01T17:33:00.000-04:00You mention the Sears department store, but I'm pr...You mention the Sears department store, but I'm pretty sure Sears was never in that mall. It was an Eaton's if I am not mistaken.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32999748.post-46053625490472848622007-04-01T17:14:00.000-04:002007-04-01T17:14:00.000-04:00One word: the same word.;)One word: the same word.<BR/><BR/>;)Eric Littlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02556454801310628473noreply@blogger.com