The "New Boronia Mall Cafe" sign brought back a lot of childhood memories. I can't believe it's still there! I'll have to take my grandchildren there to give them a glimpse into my childhood. Thanks Philip.
omg vermont south shopping centre scared the shit outta me when my nana used to take me as a kid. i hated the grates what were running along the floor!!
I assumed that any retro soundtracks playing at these places were more from apathy to adapt, or laziness/cheapness from the centre operators, rather than an intention to stay true to the era of their founding. Thank you for helping me see the optimistic side 😁
The plaza is such an odd place! I think one of the very few places in Northcote where you can still get the feel that the area used to be rather lower income than it is now not so long ago - obviously you can still see the ghost signs of local businesses gone by on the high street but the plaza just has a certain "we don't have to make it nice, it's only Northcote" feel to it.
I lived in Boronia in the very late 70s/early 80s. I have many childhood memories of the mall. My family went there regularly. I visited it in person a few years ago, and was amazed how little it has changed. Hopefully, it will be preserved as is.
Boronia was a terrific shopping area back in the 70's-80's; up until recently, it was also still a very Anglo area, with the well known Boronia bogan culture still in evidence..
Wow boronia mall taking number 1 spot, it’s my childhood mall and it hasn’t changed one bit other than the logo changing throughout the years. My family knew the owners of the boronia mall cafe, as well as the security guard! Boronia Mall holds a special place in my heart
Dandenong Hub opened in November 1974 as a two level arcade with adjoining offices and car parking coinciding with the new Myer department store across the street. With the development of the Capital Centre in 1989 and later Dandenong Plaza in 1995 the Main Street lost its retail activity and The Hub went with it. Today the upper level retains its 1974 decor but downstairs had new false ceiling and floor about 20 years ago.
The Hub retains its ‘international food court’ which was built in the late 1980s in the former Treasureway store. Only thing is all the food outlets have closed down.
@@scana1979originally the Tteasurway space was a 2 story store called Alexander’s which was a menswear/boy wears store. Hence why the 2 level Treasurway had no escalators but that grand staircase.
Box Hill Central - above the train station where Maccas is. Very dated and tired looking. I remember as a kid when it was called Whitehorse Plaza I bought my first CD from a shop that sold DJ gear. I would race my brother up the four levels of escalators past the empty / barely operating shops.
I thought it was always called Box Hill Central, and the old mall where Coles now sits was Whitehorse Plaza, but happy to be corrected. We used to park in there when I went to Tafe in 2000, and it was 20c for 3hrs. So you park in the morning, attend classes, then run back at lunch to move your car out then back in for another 20c 😁
No way is Box Hill central outdated it was only renovated about 4 years ago. Before that is was outdated as Centro the previous owner wouldn't spend money on Box Hill central. However they did spend money on renovating the Box Hill plaza which was in desperate need of a renovation. When Gandells took over Box Hill Central and the Plaza the Plaza was renovated again and Box Hill central was renovated for the first time in its history. Interestingly Maccas is on Railway property and not on the shopping center property as some people might think. And the reason why is they tried to get into the food court but the tenants wouldn't let them in. LOL then we had the Maccas police stopping people taking Maccas food into the food court.
Wow! Saw an SSW (grocery chain) in one of your pics. Reminds me of going to the one in Nunawading in the 70s where they’d pack your stuff in paper bags. Happened to go to Northcote Plaza today for the 1st time ever. That felt like an 80s experience! Growing up! For me it was Vermont south, Forest Hill, Brentford Square and Box Hill Plaza (be fore the mega transport hub). Simpler times.
Thank you for this, as always it was very information. 0:54 My grandma used to live near the Mall and I have fond memories of walking down to the Mall with her and my siblings. I remember the State Bank (advertised in your video), getting smelly pens from Coles Variety store, and regularly went to Henri's Cakes. I have a vague memory of drawing a map of the Mall during one of our visits but I'm not sure where it would be today. 3:58. I had to rewind to make sure I heard you correctly. Microbee???? Now that's a name I haven't heard for a while!
I love this, thanks Philip! If you haven't already, I would love to see a video on how vibrant those old small strips of shops were that you tend to find on the inner suburbs....like those around toorak road/camberwell road junctions and canterbury road east camberwell. They are almost completely abandoned but had a lively past.
Thank you so much for this video! I will have to go out to every single one of these places and soak up the vibes. Drive down listening to INXS and Blondie.
Wow. Boronia Mall is where my mum would take us shopping often when I was a kid back in the 80s. Even then I thought it looked dated! But it has a beautiful look and design to it. The brown brick, the blocky design in and out, the strange way the levels merge with ramps, the big mural, and that fantastic ceiling! All very characterful.
Northcote Plaza still has retro vibes, along with Gladstone Park. Maybe to a lesser extent Market Square in Geelong, although it was extended in the last couple of decades. It's just overshadowed by the Westfield (originally Bay City Plaza) across Malop St. The upstairs food court there was pretty quiet last time I was there. EDIT: Oh and Centrepoint Arcade in Geelong. Gloriously retro, and I believe it's now a creative space.
Omgosh, Gladstone Park! I went there years ago with a friend who lived near there. It seemed tiny and retro even then. But they had a fish and chip shop that did amazing “grilled” fish. Huge serving.
Remember in highpoint they had those fountains in the food courts? I was no older then 10, anyone else remember those? I swear that kind of look was everywhere
Amazed that Gladstone Park is not on the list. You can see it from the Tulla Fwy, if you are driving from the airport heading to the city. Maybe a part 2 video in the future?
I was looking for a comment like this because I was going to suggest the same! It’s such a time warp with so many different eras of signage on the outside and a very retro vibe on the inside
And if you arrive there and get confused because a so called drab old centre has a fairly full car park don't expect inside is buzzing with customers. In recent years people have realized it's just a 5 minute, one stop easy bus ride to the airport. I've seen signs explaining it's only for shopping centre patrons but don't think it's policed.
Do you remember a few years ago when part of the roof fell in and the centre flooded? I thought maybe a reno would have been done after that. I lived in Gladstone Park in the 70's and early 80's and it was a white elephant even back then.An upgrade is long overdue, or demolish it and rebuild it to better service the customers in the area.
So good! The Boronia Mall reminds me a lot of Tooronga Village as a kid. I also can't believe I've never come across the Paramount Centre. It doesn't even look remotely familiar and I've spent a lot of time in that area of the CBD.
6:26 - No way! I was at Paramount just last Sunday! I came up to Melbourne to check out the Lunar New Years celebrations. It's always busy in the food courts, especially during the week. The prices are cheaper than most other places, and dad and I have had good food here (he used to go there all of the time when he worked at Telstra). He thinks the Srilankan place there is great, and the Thai (there's 4 of them, I swear) place is also great. The upper levels do have a seedy and ominous feeling to them. I didn't go there this time, but should have. Last time, there was a multitude of massage palours and other beauty shops that all seemed a little off. However, there was other businesses, including a language learning place, and a newish K-pop store, so that's pretty neat. These old shopping centres show their age when you look at the design choices, the floors and other unique features. This is not a bad thing, it has aged, but it shows character, which I appreciate! But it's the shops that bring the centre life. Without them, they become empty and souless. These places deserve love and care.
@pavementpounder7502 I wonder if the fact that the developer is a Malaysian had an impact on the design? That's true though, I haven't had much experience with shopping malls in other countries, but I went to one in Bali and it looked old. It wasn't very good, but it was busy, which I thought was a good thing!
Grew up around Lalor, and remember many visits to the Plaza - when it first opened, one of the tenants in the dead end section was a stamp collectors shop, which seemed weird in Lalor in the seventies, but would seem even weirder now.
Liked, subscribed and shared purely because of your donation. That's awesome. This video brought memories back and now im keen to go visit mooroolbark and boronia as I'm just around the corner from them both. Especially mooroolbark. I spent heaps of time in there. I had my photo on the wall of the iga bottle shop because I won a Woodstock raffle. Im so happy stay tuned is still going. Will definitely go in and buy something. I really appreciate this video.
I remember going to the Heidelberg Mall when we visited my Nana in the 70s. Mum would take her there on pension day to collect her pension, and we would get dragged around the shops. There was a Venture store, where the clothes racks were in big circles, and we would play hide and seek chasey going from rack to rack.
The West Heidelberg Mall....what a shame. I remember as a kid it was a busy, vibrant place to do all your shopping. Gilbertson's Butchers, Rockman's, Dickens supermarket, Waltons, Coles, State Bank, and Herbert's Bakery and the rest. Fletcher Jones and the barber at the back was where I got my first hair cut. the whole place was full of activity and very busy. Northland perhaps caused it some issues, but looking at your video footage, a shadow of what it used to be. That's for the vid, fantastic work and always very interesting.
Hello Philip, Thank you for all your videos! They are always well researched and well presented! Thank you! I live in Boronia ( not far from ‘The Mall’) I remember visiting it way back around 1974-5 ( when it was called ‘Boronia Shoppingtown’) and it’s hard to believe now, but it was as busy as Burke St with lots of thriving businesses. I still visit the Mall ( I was there just a few days ago) and it’s a rather sad worn out and barely frequented shopping centre. The local council ( to be fair) has tried valiantly to try to resurrect the centre with little ( almost non) success. Having said that, in the midst of all its hardships a few businesses still survive and, who knows, maybe thrive as well. Ps: I still go there to get my hair cut! The opening of Knox Shopping Centre in 1978-79 marked the beginning of the end! So to speak ( and of course there are many other contributing factors, to its demise).
Love this ! In the mid 00s I worked across from the Mooroolbark terrace, at the time it had a salon at the front that also was a beauty supply place, the butcher at the front, Bendigo bank had just been put in at the front, Regalo the Italian gift shop was open and the owners where lovley, IGA was open, the cafe in the middle was open, there was a rug shop, a used electronics store/repairs, a tattoo shop that had an inconspicuous looking shop front, another hair salon at the back entrance, next to that salon was an old closed Video Easy, I would peer inside and look at the old video easy sign hanging above the store. Anytime I’m in Baronia I go and check that The Mall has not been changed, I also love the cafe upstairs and have taken photos of it when it was open and just after it closed, that cafe gives me 80s Neighbours TV show vibes. I spent so much time at Eastland in the early 00s during my emo era lol😂, I miss all the pink marble and brass handrails and the store directory that was a massive compass, whenever I go now it’s like it’s struggling because it’s too big, many stores close, the “fancy” stores they put in have left because the demographic is not there, they ruined that centre trying to make it upmarket and larger, there was nothing wrong with it prior because it was already a large shopping centre that didn’t need to become bigger 🙄
Ahh, showing my age here - I remember when Chadstone Shopping Centre was 2 rows of stores (Myer at the top end and a Coles supermarket at the bottom end) with a bitumen walkway between them. Halfway down the left side was an open area with a florist and a space where they had pantomime shows...
I remember when Chadstone was much smaller, and it had such charm. Don’t remember pantomimes, but do remember it being waaaay smaller, the Downyflake doughnut shop, that futuristic Mr Minit booth, and the little white chain link borders around the lawn areas. Oh, and the Bowling alley!
Have been to three of these. Worked at RMIT Bundoora and often stopped at Lalor. Great Delis, Lebanese bakery, and some interesting shops in that dead end. And yes, plenty of parking. Dropped into the Mall a few times on my way to Heidelberg; and worked near the paramount. Glad to see it is renewing as it was a wasteland in the 2000s But Lalor is my pick for nostalgic reasons, plus it is a vibrant centre for the local community.
Yes! Boronia was my pick for number one. It is just so seventies to me. When I first saw it in 2011 I couldn’t believe the 70’s was still so esconced in Boronia.
For a Short Time in the 90s & Early 2000s, At the Kmart End of Boronia Mall there was a Entrance to Kmart from the Mall. Once problem was it had a Steep Staircase & Also made it easy to shoplift & run straight to the Left on to Chandler Rd
Wow Philip, you visited my childhood shopping centre, Lalor Plaza. It's lost most of its retro features over the years, like the funky curvy writing used for its name, long internal ventilation ducts and the rounded architectural features outside along the roofline that were painted bright colours. It was really busy back in the 1980s, we used many of the shops that are amazingly still there today, and many that have changed, like Tuckerbag! The newsagent had a handy photocopier long before Officeworks existed. And a friend from high school had an uncle who ran a jewellery shop there, which is where various birthday gifts were bought. The most retro of all the shops is also gone - the video store! It's also interesting to see the dead end court be busier now than it was back then - it originally led to offices for the "Department of Social Security", the equivalent of today's Centrelink. Anyway thanks for all the memories, it's great to see it still doing fairly well. Also if you want to visit a small centre that hasn't been touched since the 1970s, visit Union Square in Brunswick. A local councillor is pushing to get it renovated so it might not stay that way for much longer.
A few more: - Milleara Shopping Centre, Keilor East - Buckley Square Shopping Centre, Sydney Rd Brunswick - still has remnants of the original build - Currently has a woolies and Coles, originally had a Coles and a Jewell and a massive market with space frame roof, the fruit shop out front and the k-mart have been there since it opened. - Union Square Shopping Centre, Union St Brunswick - Even smaller than Lalor Plaza, has the history of having a Jewell, a Tuckerbag, a Bi-Lo and now a Coles as the anchor. I'd argue Footscray Market would be a good contender as well
Barkly Square was fairly original until about 2010 or so...then it started getting renovated. It also had one of the later Safeways, it was only rebranded around 2016 or so. I think it was a Franklins, after Jewel and before Safeway. The back parts of Kmart (Barkly Square) look fairly original too... Union Square is definitely still quite original though.
I used to buy my records from Sight 'N' Sound in Boronia Mall in the 80's - can't believe the shop is still there. I live in Boronia and hardly set foot in the mall, but if I do, I always check to see if Sight 'N' Sound is still there
I was surprised to not see Vermont South Shopping Centre (adjacent to the Tram 75 terminus) on here, which is still very much intact since it was built in the 70s.
Ill give you another one, buleen plaza, place has never changed, the biggest thing was coles updating their store. And i promise you if your italian or greek, youve been there once.
I came here to say the same thing. The first time I walked in there, it was like stepping back into the 80's. Even the lo-fi PA system had 80's music playing.
Arrived in Australia 1971 and lived in Belgrave, then Ferntree Gully. Remember Boronia Shoppingtown very well - might well have been one of the first customers.
Remember The Mall in West Heidelberg really well as we lived 3 streets away (Redwood st) and it was our favourite haunt. Use to get my hair cut by Sammy the barber then go to the milk bar opposite and get my scanlens footy cards and a Sunny boy ( sometimes a Razz if I was feeling adventurous). Remember getting my fish and chips ( and sometimes a pickled onion) via the back carpark entrance facing Oriel rd then we took a shortcut through his shop that turned into a chinese restaurant and would come out in the centre part of the Mall. Let me tell you, life does not get any better than that when you're a kid ! Also remember Paramount in the city and use to eat at the food court often, during my lunch breaks when I worked in the cbd. Great video. Keep it up
Boronia Mall is depressing. Most of the shops are empty, the escalators have been out of commission for the better part of a year now (awaiting parts, my foot!), and I swear that the only reason it’s still open is the fact that the doctors’ office and post office are always busy. We’ve lost the news agency years ago and the coffee shops even further back in time. It used to be the place to hang out as teens and preteens and it was bustling.
Lalor plaza is still very much used. Most the shops are still very active. There's been a couple that have moved out recently, but it still gets a tonne of traffic through it.
I used to go to the Bendigo Bank in Mooroolbark, and apart from the butcher the place was a ghost town. Paramount's food court used to be the same with a few very sad choices, so I'm glad that's improving. Also go to Boronia regularly - having the KMart right there has helped to keep it alive.
The Boronia Mall is like a time capsule. I've been there only one time around 2 - 3 years ago & brought me back a few decades. It kind of had Greensborough S/C vibes from the '70s - '80s period but with Boronia being on a much smaller scale. The inside layout of Boronia Mall is kind of like the developers tried to fit as much as they could possibly fit into a confined area. It also has ever changing floor pitches & unusual paths. I wouldn't call it immaculate, mainly because some of the escalators weren't working at the time. Boronia Mall has so much character & it left a good impression to see it in it's OG condition. Glad to see it recognised here.
One of the reasons Woolworths can’t get in to Mooroolbark Plaza is reputably nearby Coles has bought the strata title of several stores thereby preventing anyone buying the entire complex and keep Woolies out.
I do medical home visits around the area of Whitehorse - namely Forest Hill Chase and Vermont South Shopping Centre. Vermont South still retains a lot of these classic features, whereas, Forest Hill (relatively new) seems to not be busy due to its lack of ability to attract the younger demographic. Most of them visit these type of shopping centres since they're more friendlier for the older demographic - parking, slower pace, etc I think the 'economic viability' comes from the shopping area ability to attract young families and younger people. Just some of my observation and food for thought
My very first shopping trip by myself was a bus trip to Boronia shopping centre. I don’t even recognise it now. Mind you the memories are a bit fuzzy these days lol
Having grown up in Bayswater north and with Kmart Boronia being our local, I remember many times going to Boronia mall, the Gloria jeans was popular before closing. (Probably like 10 years ago now) As for Mooroolbark Terrace which is only slightly further away in the opposite direction from my childhood home, I only glimpsed it once when trying to buy flowers after work in Valentines Day and didn’t even realise it was a shopping centre until watching this.
The Olsen Place Mall in Broadmeadows has a very similar look to the Bell St one. I'm guessing it would have built around the same time, since that part of Broadmeadows was also built by the Housing Commission of Victoria in the mid - late 1950's. Also, I have vague memories of a mall in Moorabbin which had a similar aesthetic to the Boronia Mall, but I can't seem to find it and suspect it's probably been demolished. A place I can remember going to with my nana as a kid in the 80's.
Hi Philip. Great video. Boronia also has some great (or terrible) little arcades near The Mall which are a step back in time. Other centres already mentioned for a second top 5 would be Bulleen Plaza, Northcote Plaza and Goldfields Shopping Centre in Warrandyte. An honourable mention for the CBD is the Port Phillip Arcade before it was demolished for the Metro Tunnel.
Definitely Bulleen Plaza on Manningham Road, Bulleen. Hasn’t changed much since the 80’s and is well known hang out for our retired Italian and Greek community members. Check out Quinnies Bakery, the prices are still a decade or 2 behind but no complaints here! 😉
I remember the controversy associated with the removal of houses to enable Kmart/Coles and Boronia Mall to be built. I remember the original upstairs cafe in the north west end of the mall and the pinball machines on the ground level just below the walkway between Kmart and the north-west entry/exit. There was also a water course built at the north end on the lower floor, but that was removed fairly early on. There was a great T-shirt shop and a Darrel Lea, a Cargo Hold, news Agent, Mr Minute keys and boot repair, Just Jeans and a music/record store (where you could get the latest 3XY Hit charts) among other shops.
I am in Launceston but born in Melbourne 1955.On a visit back to Melbourne as a teen I was taken to Doncaster Shopping Town , Boronia Shopping Town looks similar. Launceston has mainly Plaza malls . Our CBD mall is often claimed to be one of the pedestrianised city centre malls in Australia,though some locals want the cars returned.
Great video Philip. I know it's technically not Melbourne, but Mornington Village shopping centre in Mornington has remained very much unchanged since opening in the 1970s. Great retro vibe. Fun fact for you too: it had the Mornington Peninsula's first escalator!
Love your work 💐.. loved the centres who played music from the era... great to learn . Love the Paramount, also...and its development , and history. I ushered (?) there, during uni., hundreds of years ago .. and did my adolescence in Mooroolbark, which started with a Milk Bar .. then a tiny strip "mall" (5? shops built back from road line for perpendicular parking ). 😶 Thank you, your work is a treasure.
Fascinating stuff. As someone that grew up in the outer Eastern suburbs and Yarra Valley region in the 1970's and 80's places like Boronia and Mooroolbark seemed like suburbia to me so even though I do not live out those ways for over two decades it does interest me to see what was somewhat modern then be well outdated now. I have no idea was KLF is so fascinated to visit that site in Mooroolbark and have a look for myself. I remember Boronia was a place my Dad may take us to goto the cinema in school holidays. For some reason I have some memory of seeing Smokey and The Bandit at the cinema as a kid in Boronia. Curious to have a drive there and see the Boronia Shoppingtown and see if there still an old cinema there. Where I live now I sometimes drive past Brandon Park shopping centre and last time I went in there it really does look like it in a bit of a time warp and new knocking down and something more modern built there. There also some small Plaza like shopping spot that maybe in Wheelers Hill or somewhere near VFL Park area that still looks like it stuck in early 1980's and half expect an early 1980's football crowd on way to VFL Park to be shopping there. What the hell was Foosey's? I remember the name but cannot picture what type of retail shop it was. Sounds like something common at one time that I should be able to remember but I do not. I assume it went the way of Brash's and McEwan's as a ghost retailer of last century that almost forgotten it existed now.
I took my wife for a visit of Mooroolbark terrace on the way back from Marysville, she was less enthused than I was. We went to Boronia mall too but it's closed on Sunday's (very retro). Dandenong Hub is another one. Another I have never managed to visit is Vanity Court in Dandy, that looks like a real trip back in time.
Pinewood shopping centre in Mount Waverly is a weird place, plenty of traffic going past but apart from Coles there was nobody in the other shops, definitely run down looking. Actually the blood bank was the busiest part of the centre. Also outside of Melbourne but Bridge Mall in Ballarat up till recently was very run down and lacking customers but its now being redeveloped and hopefully will recover
Brandon Park is a really sad example of a dying mall. It has stores I haven't seen since the late 90's such as Millers, Sussan and Katies. It lost it's Kmart in 2001 and since then it's basically died.
I live very near here, and given Brandon Park is on two massive roads, Springvale and Ferntree Gully, it needs to be knocked over and rebuilt like a M-City or similar. Get some density in the area.
@Zankoran I grew up near there. I remember when it opened. It was a really good little shopping centre, and I would still rather shop there than Chadstone or The Glen, if it hadn't lost all of its best stores, and the Post Office. Ive seen there are plans in the works to put in two residential towers and serviced apartments, but I'm not sure that will be a reason to go back there.
Brandon Park opened in 1970 with Coles New World as anchor. A two level extension opened in 1984 with Kmart and briefly Safeway which is now Aldi. The food court was added in the early 1990s and was a strong trader with the offices across the road until killed by COVID in the end. The Post office and Westpac have gone with Kmart but the other three banks are still there for now.
I used to go the Paramount when I worked in the city and pleased it’s still going. One place that may fit here might be Dandenong Plaza. It’s a great multi cultural place to shop and visit, and seems stuck in another era.
Amazing I remember when some of these 1970's beige/brown styles were UPDATED to the 90's style (see Mid Valley out in Morwell) Those brown tiles in Boronia are an absolute blast.
I visited Melbourne over the Xmas peroid, rode most trams and trains (thought no fully completed the "tick that off the list") Found the end of Line 75/tram at Burwood/Hanover Road, the Mall of Vermont South Mall. It was feeling neglected and in need of a refresh. The oddest thing was the floor wasn't flat, but followed the contour of the land
Unfortunately each shop is owned individually rather than owned by a big corporation, so unless everyone pitched into the body corp to renovate it, the best they can do is paint the exterior, which they did a couple of years ago.
Another great video Philip. If you want to head down to sleepy hollows, Labuan Square in Norlane is worth a look. Still original in style, the drugs sold there are very modern. Market Square in central Geelong is dying on the vine, more vacancies than tenants. Developed in the 1980s, it remains true to its original form.
Used to love going to the Mal in west Heidelberg. Used to go with my Nan and buy clothes at venture then get the bus to norfiez and visit my pop who worked at the old Golden Fleece servo which was in the front car park
Hello Phillip! If you have time I would recommend a look through Eltham Town Mall and Eltham Terrace, as well as some of the remaining features of Eltham shopping Village. They are quite retro and largely untouched, with the terrace in particular having a very unique style. Also worth noting are the many suburban arcades within shopping strips which are slowly dying off. There are some very tired looking arcades which form extensions of larger shopping centres across the road, such as those in Greensborough, Boronia and Northcote. I would love a detailed video on the history of Arcades in Melbourne, as many have been killed off by shopping centres. Great video as always!
@aquacactuscheeseburger I’ll also vouch for both Eltham Terrace and the Town Mall, which have changed little from 40 years ago. Even Eltham Village has changed little over the years, the only major alteration coming when the “Bottom Safeway” (originally Woolworths from before they bought out Safeway) was replaced with Coles in the late 1990s.
Marcia Hines once sang at the Boronia Mall. We tried to see her but couldn't get close and the sound wasn't very good so we left early. My aunt was the real fan. I went to Boronia Tech from its inception and the Mall was part of the route to and from the train station.
Fascinating vid, Phil. I dont really think of dead/dying mall as an Australian thing, but I guess there are some smaller ones. Hopefully they ll be revitalised or put to good use. Its funny I walk through Chinatown heaps but havent been inside the Paramount for years I think. I just forget it exists, cos there doesnt seem much there. I do also love the 90s decor. Good to hear its busier, should check it out sometime soon. As a 90s kid I also miss the interior design of 90s and earlier era shopping centres, everything is so bland and generic now.
I lived in Boronia for 10 years, I remember my mother taking to me to get my hair cut a lot at the barbers that were there in the mall years ago, god I miss that place
I miss the Eltham Village Centre where Coles is now. It had concrete floors, natural light, loads of plants and so much character. Now it looks like everywhere else 😢
Great video! You should dig up as much information photos and footage of the old Waverly Gardens shopping centre. It would also make for some great content
this is great! there used to be a cool music shop at boronia mall where you could get rare heavy metal cds back in the 90's which was a big deal back then and i went to see die hard 3 at the cinema across the road. Dude you got to go check out Dandenong Hub for a blast from the past
@@robvegas9354 Are you thinking of the shop "Sight n Sound"? If so, that shop still lives, and seemingly thrives! Also the Metro cinemas are still there, too, although I predict they won't be much longer.
Really interesting! I'd somehow never even heard of the Paramount Centre.
$5 asian beers inside 😊
There used to be an independent supermarket inside in the '90's. Very expensive though so I don't think it lasted long.
Shhh its a secret! Lots of yummy food there...
Love your vids taitset but I’m assuming it’s because it’s nowhere near any train station😅
@@ZekeBone-k2n it's near Parliament if I remember correctly
The "New Boronia Mall Cafe" sign brought back a lot of childhood memories. I can't believe it's still there! I'll have to take my grandchildren there to give them a glimpse into my childhood. Thanks Philip.
Vermont shopping centre for a 1970s time warp and well patronised. I love shopping there
omg vermont south shopping centre scared the shit outta me when my nana used to take me as a kid. i hated the grates what were running along the floor!!
I assumed that any retro soundtracks playing at these places were more from apathy to adapt, or laziness/cheapness from the centre operators, rather than an intention to stay true to the era of their founding. Thank you for helping me see the optimistic side 😁
Great Memories of Lalor Plaza used to work there in the 90’s at Social Security. Thanks Phillip
Very surprised not to see Northcote Plaza on this list...
I call it "The place dreams go to die
I was also going to say northcote plaza. it's such a liminal space. completely frozen in time
I was going to comment to add that place. It is a state of hell.
Oh my god you're right, it's the most liminal space in the world. I don't even know what lives there.
The plaza is such an odd place! I think one of the very few places in Northcote where you can still get the feel that the area used to be rather lower income than it is now not so long ago - obviously you can still see the ghost signs of local businesses gone by on the high street but the plaza just has a certain "we don't have to make it nice, it's only Northcote" feel to it.
You should see Gladstone Park.
I lived in Boronia in the very late 70s/early 80s. I have many childhood memories of the mall. My family went there regularly.
I visited it in person a few years ago, and was amazed how little it has changed. Hopefully, it will be preserved as is.
Boronia was a terrific shopping area back in the 70's-80's; up until recently, it was also still a very Anglo area, with the well known Boronia bogan culture still in evidence..
Its amazing how horrible it is still.
@@petesmitt Boronia Boyz!
@@petesmitt Ahh Boronia bogans:A UNIQUE sub culture!
Great video! If you do any more, definitely need to give Bulleen and Northcote Plazas a visit
Wow boronia mall taking number 1 spot, it’s my childhood mall and it hasn’t changed one bit other than the logo changing throughout the years. My family knew the owners of the boronia mall cafe, as well as the security guard! Boronia Mall holds a special place in my heart
The cafe owner had a Rolls Royce car LOL!
Dandenong Hub opened in November 1974 as a two level arcade with adjoining offices and car parking coinciding with the new Myer department store across the street. With the development of the Capital Centre in 1989 and later Dandenong Plaza in 1995 the Main Street lost its retail activity and The Hub went with it. Today the upper level retains its 1974 decor but downstairs had new false ceiling and floor about 20 years ago.
The Hub retains its ‘international food court’ which was built in the late 1980s in the former Treasureway store. Only thing is all the food outlets have closed down.
@@scana1979originally the Tteasurway space was a 2 story store called Alexander’s which was a menswear/boy wears store. Hence why the 2 level Treasurway had no escalators but that grand staircase.
I worked there for 8 years in the music shop there.
I quit in 2020!
Radical records is the only reason I go there. Upstairs is a ghost town. Died once Dandenong plaza came to be.
@@vk3fbab and now plaza is dead too lol
Box Hill Central - above the train station where Maccas is. Very dated and tired looking. I remember as a kid when it was called Whitehorse Plaza I bought my first CD from a shop that sold DJ gear. I would race my brother up the four levels of escalators past the empty / barely operating shops.
I thought it was always called Box Hill Central, and the old mall where Coles now sits was Whitehorse Plaza, but happy to be corrected. We used to park in there when I went to Tafe in 2000, and it was 20c for 3hrs. So you park in the morning, attend classes, then run back at lunch to move your car out then back in for another 20c 😁
No way is Box Hill central outdated it was only renovated about 4 years ago. Before that is was outdated as Centro the previous owner wouldn't spend money on Box Hill central. However they did spend money on renovating the Box Hill plaza which was in desperate need of a renovation. When Gandells took over Box Hill Central and the Plaza the Plaza was renovated again and Box Hill central was renovated for the first time in its history. Interestingly Maccas is on Railway property and not on the shopping center property as some people might think. And the reason why is they tried to get into the food court but the tenants wouldn't let them in. LOL then we had the Maccas police stopping people taking Maccas food into the food court.
Wow! Saw an SSW (grocery chain) in one of your pics. Reminds me of going to the one in Nunawading in the 70s where they’d pack your stuff in paper bags. Happened to go to Northcote Plaza today for the 1st time ever. That felt like an 80s experience! Growing up! For me it was Vermont south, Forest Hill, Brentford Square and Box Hill Plaza (be fore the mega transport hub). Simpler times.
Thank you for this, as always it was very information.
0:54 My grandma used to live near the Mall and I have fond memories of walking down to the Mall with her and my siblings. I remember the State Bank (advertised in your video), getting smelly pens from Coles Variety store, and regularly went to Henri's Cakes. I have a vague memory of drawing a map of the Mall during one of our visits but I'm not sure where it would be today.
3:58. I had to rewind to make sure I heard you correctly. Microbee???? Now that's a name I haven't heard for a while!
I love this, thanks Philip! If you haven't already, I would love to see a video on how vibrant those old small strips of shops were that you tend to find on the inner suburbs....like those around toorak road/camberwell road junctions and canterbury road east camberwell. They are almost completely abandoned but had a lively past.
If I'm not mistaken, Philip used to be Town Planner for Boroondara... He would know the area well.
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre deserves to be featured in this !
Thank you so much for this video! I will have to go out to every single one of these places and soak up the vibes. Drive down listening to INXS and Blondie.
Boronia is so iconic I recognised it instantly! So bizarre, what with the carpet and eerie vibe
@@ashleighevie needs to be reserved
@ashleighevie baronia mall would make a great studio 54
I would love to see you do Craigieburn Plaza, pretty much half abandoned at this stage but still holds up the 1970's-80's architecture!
Wow. Boronia Mall is where my mum would take us shopping often when I was a kid back in the 80s. Even then I thought it looked dated! But it has a beautiful look and design to it. The brown brick, the blocky design in and out, the strange way the levels merge with ramps, the big mural, and that fantastic ceiling! All very characterful.
You may be interested in Greensborough Shopping Centre (built in 1978). I haven't been there in years but it might be worth a visit.
@@simonpark843 Covered in green tiles till the 90's. The green tiled 'pits' were where everyone hungout before the 'Cafe'.
Northcote Plaza still has retro vibes, along with Gladstone Park.
Maybe to a lesser extent Market Square in Geelong, although it was extended in the last couple of decades. It's just overshadowed by the Westfield (originally Bay City Plaza) across Malop St. The upstairs food court there was pretty quiet last time I was there.
EDIT: Oh and Centrepoint Arcade in Geelong. Gloriously retro, and I believe it's now a creative space.
Second Gladstone Park
Omgosh, Gladstone Park!
I went there years ago with a friend who lived near there. It seemed tiny and retro even then.
But they had a fish and chip shop that did amazing “grilled” fish. Huge serving.
Another older outdoor shopping centre is Mountain Gate in Ferntree Gully. Very vibrant!
Remember in highpoint they had those fountains in the food courts? I was no older then 10, anyone else remember those? I swear that kind of look was everywhere
The original Frankston Shopping Center for me. So many fond memories as a kid going to Whats New, EB Games, Myer and Target
I miss the old square where movie multiplex is now. Memories of a parade about 1970 or so. Xmas parade??? 🤔
Amazed that Gladstone Park is not on the list. You can see it from the Tulla Fwy, if you are driving from the airport heading to the city. Maybe a part 2 video in the future?
Good call!
I was looking for a comment like this because I was going to suggest the same! It’s such a time warp with so many different eras of signage on the outside and a very retro vibe on the inside
That place hasn't changed in all my 40 years and still as dead as it was then. Airport West expanded and left ol' Gladdy Park clinging to life.
And if you arrive there and get confused because a so called drab old centre has a fairly full car park don't expect inside is buzzing with customers. In recent years people have realized it's just a 5 minute, one stop easy bus ride to the airport. I've seen signs explaining it's only for shopping centre patrons but don't think it's policed.
Do you remember a few years ago when part of the roof fell in and the centre flooded? I thought maybe a reno would have been done after that.
I lived in Gladstone Park in the 70's and early 80's and it was a white elephant even back then.An upgrade is long overdue, or demolish it and rebuild it to better service the customers in the area.
Ah, I shop at Bell St Mall but have never noticed that sign advertising it, but I will now. Great video.
So good!
The Boronia Mall reminds me a lot of Tooronga Village as a kid.
I also can't believe I've never come across the Paramount Centre. It doesn't even look remotely familiar and I've spent a lot of time in that area of the CBD.
6:26 - No way! I was at Paramount just last Sunday! I came up to Melbourne to check out the Lunar New Years celebrations.
It's always busy in the food courts, especially during the week. The prices are cheaper than most other places, and dad and I have had good food here (he used to go there all of the time when he worked at Telstra). He thinks the Srilankan place there is great, and the Thai (there's 4 of them, I swear) place is also great.
The upper levels do have a seedy and ominous feeling to them. I didn't go there this time, but should have. Last time, there was a multitude of massage palours and other beauty shops that all seemed a little off. However, there was other businesses, including a language learning place, and a newish K-pop store, so that's pretty neat.
These old shopping centres show their age when you look at the design choices, the floors and other unique features. This is not a bad thing, it has aged, but it shows character, which I appreciate! But it's the shops that bring the centre life. Without them, they become empty and souless.
These places deserve love and care.
Feels a bit like a lot of older malls in Singapore or Bangkok.
@pavementpounder7502 I wonder if the fact that the developer is a Malaysian had an impact on the design?
That's true though, I haven't had much experience with shopping malls in other countries, but I went to one in Bali and it looked old. It wasn't very good, but it was busy, which I thought was a good thing!
Grew up around Lalor, and remember many visits to the Plaza - when it first opened, one of the tenants in the dead end section was a stamp collectors shop, which seemed weird in Lalor in the seventies, but would seem even weirder now.
Liked, subscribed and shared purely because of your donation. That's awesome. This video brought memories back and now im keen to go visit mooroolbark and boronia as I'm just around the corner from them both.
Especially mooroolbark. I spent heaps of time in there. I had my photo on the wall of the iga bottle shop because I won a Woodstock raffle.
Im so happy stay tuned is still going. Will definitely go in and buy something.
I really appreciate this video.
I remember going to the Heidelberg Mall when we visited my Nana in the 70s. Mum would take her there on pension day to collect her pension, and we would get dragged around the shops. There was a Venture store, where the clothes racks were in big circles, and we would play hide and seek chasey going from rack to rack.
Same, both my nans used to take me there, I remember the circular clothing racks
Belgrave is more of a shopping strip, but retains alot of the heritage from back in the 90s and early 2000s when I was around that way too.
Is The Cameo still going?
The West Heidelberg Mall....what a shame. I remember as a kid it was a busy, vibrant place to do all your shopping. Gilbertson's Butchers, Rockman's, Dickens supermarket, Waltons, Coles, State Bank, and Herbert's Bakery and the rest. Fletcher Jones and the barber at the back was where I got my first hair cut. the whole place was full of activity and very busy. Northland perhaps caused it some issues, but looking at your video footage, a shadow of what it used to be. That's for the vid, fantastic work and always very interesting.
Hello Philip, Thank you for all your videos! They are always well researched and well presented! Thank you! I live in Boronia ( not far from ‘The Mall’) I remember visiting it way back around 1974-5 ( when it was called ‘Boronia Shoppingtown’) and it’s hard to believe now, but it was as busy as Burke St with lots of thriving businesses. I still visit the Mall ( I was there just a few days ago) and it’s a rather sad worn out and barely frequented shopping centre. The local council ( to be fair) has tried valiantly to try to resurrect the centre with little ( almost non) success. Having said that, in the midst of all its hardships a few businesses still survive and, who knows, maybe thrive as well. Ps: I still go there to get my hair cut! The opening of Knox Shopping Centre in 1978-79 marked the beginning of the end! So to speak ( and of course there are many other contributing factors, to its demise).
Love this !
In the mid 00s I worked across from the Mooroolbark terrace, at the time it had a salon at the front that also was a beauty supply place, the butcher at the front, Bendigo bank had just been put in at the front, Regalo the Italian gift shop was open and the owners where lovley, IGA was open, the cafe in the middle was open, there was a rug shop, a used electronics store/repairs, a tattoo shop that had an inconspicuous looking shop front, another hair salon at the back entrance, next to that salon was an old closed Video Easy, I would peer inside and look at the old video easy sign hanging above the store.
Anytime I’m in Baronia I go and check that The Mall has not been changed, I also love the cafe upstairs and have taken photos of it when it was open and just after it closed, that cafe gives me 80s Neighbours TV show vibes.
I spent so much time at Eastland in the early 00s during my emo era lol😂, I miss all the pink marble and brass handrails and the store directory that was a massive compass, whenever I go now it’s like it’s struggling because it’s too big, many stores close, the “fancy” stores they put in have left because the demographic is not there, they ruined that centre trying to make it upmarket and larger, there was nothing wrong with it prior because it was already a large shopping centre that didn’t need to become bigger 🙄
Ahh, showing my age here - I remember when Chadstone Shopping Centre was 2 rows of stores (Myer at the top end and a Coles supermarket at the bottom end) with a bitumen walkway between them. Halfway down the left side was an open area with a florist and a space where they had pantomime shows...
I remember when Chadstone was much smaller, and it had such charm. Don’t remember pantomimes, but do remember it being waaaay smaller, the Downyflake doughnut shop, that futuristic Mr Minit booth, and the little white chain link borders around the lawn areas.
Oh, and the Bowling alley!
There was a little theatre on the left too. Also had a Target (I think) downstairs with a carpark with a huge dip in it.
Have been to three of these. Worked at RMIT Bundoora and often stopped at Lalor. Great Delis, Lebanese bakery, and some interesting shops in that dead end. And yes, plenty of parking.
Dropped into the Mall a few times on my way to Heidelberg; and worked near the paramount. Glad to see it is renewing as it was a wasteland in the 2000s
But Lalor is my pick for nostalgic reasons, plus it is a vibrant centre for the local community.
I knew Boronia Mall would be on this!
Yes! Boronia was my pick for number one. It is just so seventies to me. When I first saw it in 2011 I couldn’t believe the 70’s was still so esconced in Boronia.
Boronia only got into the 70’s in 2011!
For a Short Time in the 90s & Early 2000s, At the Kmart End of Boronia Mall there was a Entrance to Kmart from the Mall. Once problem was it had a Steep Staircase & Also made it easy to shoplift & run straight to the Left on to Chandler Rd
Wow Philip, you visited my childhood shopping centre, Lalor Plaza. It's lost most of its retro features over the years, like the funky curvy writing used for its name, long internal ventilation ducts and the rounded architectural features outside along the roofline that were painted bright colours. It was really busy back in the 1980s, we used many of the shops that are amazingly still there today, and many that have changed, like Tuckerbag! The newsagent had a handy photocopier long before Officeworks existed. And a friend from high school had an uncle who ran a jewellery shop there, which is where various birthday gifts were bought. The most retro of all the shops is also gone - the video store! It's also interesting to see the dead end court be busier now than it was back then - it originally led to offices for the "Department of Social Security", the equivalent of today's Centrelink. Anyway thanks for all the memories, it's great to see it still doing fairly well.
Also if you want to visit a small centre that hasn't been touched since the 1970s, visit Union Square in Brunswick. A local councillor is pushing to get it renovated so it might not stay that way for much longer.
I know 2 of them. Please keep it up, this is great stuff.
A few more:
- Milleara Shopping Centre, Keilor East
- Buckley Square Shopping Centre, Sydney Rd Brunswick - still has remnants of the original build - Currently has a woolies and Coles, originally had a Coles and a Jewell and a massive market with space frame roof, the fruit shop out front and the k-mart have been there since it opened.
- Union Square Shopping Centre, Union St Brunswick - Even smaller than Lalor Plaza, has the history of having a Jewell, a Tuckerbag, a Bi-Lo and now a Coles as the anchor.
I'd argue Footscray Market would be a good contender as well
I think the one in Brunswick might be Barkley Square.
Barkly Square was fairly original until about 2010 or so...then it started getting renovated. It also had one of the later Safeways, it was only rebranded around 2016 or so. I think it was a Franklins, after Jewel and before Safeway.
The back parts of Kmart (Barkly Square) look fairly original too...
Union Square is definitely still quite original though.
I used to buy my records from Sight 'N' Sound in Boronia Mall in the 80's - can't believe the shop is still there. I live in Boronia and hardly set foot in the mall, but if I do, I always check to see if Sight 'N' Sound is still there
I was surprised to not see Vermont South Shopping Centre (adjacent to the Tram 75 terminus) on here, which is still very much intact since it was built in the 70s.
@@BonnyT honestly thought the Mooralbark one in the thumbnail was Vermont south - they look exactly the same!
Forest Hill Shopping Centre is another..
@@petesmitt used to love the elevator dropping below the fountain :) not sure if it's still there
that place used to scare me as a kid. my nana used to take me when looking after me and the wide grates along the floor scared me!
@@petesmitt Forest Hill has been renovated
Boronia Mall needs to be preserved as is. If they ever change it there will be a riot.
Next time include Gladstone Park Shopping Centre. It's like travelling back in time walking through it.
Bundoora square is quite interesting because it has a prominent coles and theb what feels like a maze of open air ahops
Ill give you another one, buleen plaza, place has never changed, the biggest thing was coles updating their store. And i promise you if your italian or greek, youve been there once.
I second that, I've dropped in there a few times recently, it's a time warp.
Is that bakery there that makes perfect Ciabatta still making it?
Brilliant video mate! I used to visit the Boronia mall quite often when the toy store was there.
Fascinating, thank you. I was de,ignited to hear they still play piped music.
Chadstone shopping centre used to be beautiful.
Really wonderful to see this. Thanks Philip.
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre is probably the most drab, claustrophobic and unappealing place I've ever been and should 100% be on your next list.
The toilets are like something out of a horror movie.
Oakleigh Market on Chester Street. It's been in the same family since it was built in the 70s!
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre is a retro time warp trip
I came here to say the same thing. The first time I walked in there, it was like stepping back into the 80's. Even the lo-fi PA system had 80's music playing.
A depressing one.
@ Yeah, it's in dire need of renovation or demolishing and rebuilding.
Was just there recently. Quite a nice one actually with a little bit of character!
I lived in Westmeadows in the 80's & used to haunt the cash converters at Gladdy Park looking for cheap guitars, good times
Arrived in Australia 1971 and lived in Belgrave, then Ferntree Gully. Remember Boronia Shoppingtown very well - might well have been one of the first customers.
We arrived in Australia in 70 and Boronia in 71. Great memories!
Remember The Mall in West Heidelberg really well as we lived 3 streets away (Redwood st) and it was our favourite haunt.
Use to get my hair cut by Sammy the barber then go to the milk bar opposite and get my scanlens footy cards and a Sunny boy ( sometimes a Razz if I was feeling adventurous).
Remember getting my fish and chips ( and sometimes a pickled onion) via the back carpark entrance facing Oriel rd then we took a shortcut through his shop that turned into a chinese restaurant and would come out in the centre part of the Mall.
Let me tell you, life does not get any better than that when you're a kid !
Also remember Paramount in the city and use to eat at the food court often, during my lunch breaks when I worked in the cbd.
Great video. Keep it up
Boronia Mall is depressing. Most of the shops are empty, the escalators have been out of commission for the better part of a year now (awaiting parts, my foot!), and I swear that the only reason it’s still open is the fact that the doctors’ office and post office are always busy. We’ve lost the news agency years ago and the coffee shops even further back in time. It used to be the place to hang out as teens and preteens and it was bustling.
Yeah, back in the day it was the place to be!
I've been to Boronia Mall like 8 years and at the time it was surprisingly operational! Should go and visit again!
Lalor plaza is still very much used. Most the shops are still very active. There's been a couple that have moved out recently, but it still gets a tonne of traffic through it.
I used to go to the Bendigo Bank in Mooroolbark, and apart from the butcher the place was a ghost town. Paramount's food court used to be the same with a few very sad choices, so I'm glad that's improving. Also go to Boronia regularly - having the KMart right there has helped to keep it alive.
The Boronia Mall is like a time capsule. I've been there only one time around 2 - 3 years ago & brought me back a few decades. It kind of had Greensborough S/C vibes from the '70s - '80s period but with Boronia being on a much smaller scale. The inside layout of Boronia Mall is kind of like the developers tried to fit as much as they could possibly fit into a confined area. It also has ever changing floor pitches & unusual paths. I wouldn't call it immaculate, mainly because some of the escalators weren't working at the time. Boronia Mall has so much character & it left a good impression to see it in it's OG condition. Glad to see it recognised here.
By at the time, you mean almost all of the time! Usually the single 'up' is working, but the two side-by-side have been broken for ages!
One of the reasons Woolworths can’t get in to Mooroolbark Plaza is reputably nearby Coles has bought the strata title of several stores thereby preventing anyone buying the entire complex and keep Woolies out.
This type of behaviour is preventing other cheap grocery stores from getting a foothold in Australia.
I do medical home visits around the area of Whitehorse - namely Forest Hill Chase and Vermont South Shopping Centre.
Vermont South still retains a lot of these classic features, whereas, Forest Hill (relatively new) seems to not be busy due to its lack of ability to attract the younger demographic.
Most of them visit these type of shopping centres since they're more friendlier for the older demographic - parking, slower pace, etc
I think the 'economic viability' comes from the shopping area ability to attract young families and younger people.
Just some of my observation and food for thought
My very first shopping trip by myself was a bus trip to Boronia shopping centre. I don’t even recognise it now. Mind you the memories are a bit fuzzy these days lol
Having grown up in Bayswater north and with Kmart Boronia being our local, I remember many times going to Boronia mall, the Gloria jeans was popular before closing. (Probably like 10 years ago now) As for Mooroolbark Terrace which is only slightly further away in the opposite direction from my childhood home, I only glimpsed it once when trying to buy flowers after work in Valentines Day and didn’t even realise it was a shopping centre until watching this.
The Olsen Place Mall in Broadmeadows has a very similar look to the Bell St one. I'm guessing it would have built around the same time, since that part of Broadmeadows was also built by the Housing Commission of Victoria in the mid - late 1950's.
Also, I have vague memories of a mall in Moorabbin which had a similar aesthetic to the Boronia Mall, but I can't seem to find it and suspect it's probably been demolished. A place I can remember going to with my nana as a kid in the 80's.
Hi Philip. Great video. Boronia also has some great (or terrible) little arcades near The Mall which are a step back in time. Other centres already mentioned for a second top 5 would be Bulleen Plaza, Northcote Plaza and Goldfields Shopping Centre in Warrandyte. An honourable mention for the CBD is the Port Phillip Arcade before it was demolished for the Metro Tunnel.
I'm glad you mentioned Como, I work in the Como building and the shop area is original and loverly. For me, another one is the Plaza in Dandenong.
Definitely Bulleen Plaza on Manningham Road, Bulleen. Hasn’t changed much since the 80’s and is well known hang out for our retired Italian and Greek community members. Check out Quinnies Bakery, the prices are still a decade or 2 behind but no complaints here! 😉
I remember the controversy associated with the removal of houses to enable Kmart/Coles and Boronia Mall to be built. I remember the original upstairs cafe in the north west end of the mall and the pinball machines on the ground level just below the walkway between Kmart and the north-west entry/exit. There was also a water course built at the north end on the lower floor, but that was removed fairly early on. There was a great T-shirt shop and a Darrel Lea, a Cargo Hold, news Agent, Mr Minute keys and boot repair, Just Jeans and a music/record store (where you could get the latest 3XY Hit charts) among other shops.
I am in Launceston but born in Melbourne 1955.On a visit back to Melbourne as a teen I was taken to Doncaster Shopping Town , Boronia Shopping Town looks similar.
Launceston has mainly Plaza malls .
Our CBD mall is often claimed to
be one of the pedestrianised city centre malls in Australia,though some locals want the cars returned.
Great video! Fascinating subject.
Suggestion - Old nightclubs in the Outer East... eg Stages at Manhattan.
Please..!!!!!....Noooooooo !!!!
Great video Philip. I know it's technically not Melbourne, but Mornington Village shopping centre in Mornington has remained very much unchanged since opening in the 1970s. Great retro vibe. Fun fact for you too: it had the Mornington Peninsula's first escalator!
Love your work 💐.. loved the centres who played music from the era... great to learn . Love the Paramount, also...and its development , and history. I ushered (?) there, during uni., hundreds of years ago .. and did my adolescence in Mooroolbark, which started with a Milk Bar .. then a tiny strip "mall" (5? shops built back from road line for perpendicular parking ). 😶
Thank you, your work is a treasure.
Fascinating stuff. As someone that grew up in the outer Eastern suburbs and Yarra Valley region in the 1970's and 80's places like Boronia and Mooroolbark seemed like suburbia to me so even though I do not live out those ways for over two decades it does interest me to see what was somewhat modern then be well outdated now. I have no idea was KLF is so fascinated to visit that site in Mooroolbark and have a look for myself. I remember Boronia was a place my Dad may take us to goto the cinema in school holidays. For some reason I have some memory of seeing Smokey and The Bandit at the cinema as a kid in Boronia. Curious to have a drive there and see the Boronia Shoppingtown and see if there still an old cinema there. Where I live now I sometimes drive past Brandon Park shopping centre and last time I went in there it really does look like it in a bit of a time warp and new knocking down and something more modern built there. There also some small Plaza like shopping spot that maybe in Wheelers Hill or somewhere near VFL Park area that still looks like it stuck in early 1980's and half expect an early 1980's football crowd on way to VFL Park to be shopping there. What the hell was Foosey's? I remember the name but cannot picture what type of retail shop it was. Sounds like something common at one time that I should be able to remember but I do not. I assume it went the way of Brash's and McEwan's as a ghost retailer of last century that almost forgotten it existed now.
I took my wife for a visit of Mooroolbark terrace on the way back from Marysville, she was less enthused than I was. We went to Boronia mall too but it's closed on Sunday's (very retro). Dandenong Hub is another one. Another I have never managed to visit is Vanity Court in Dandy, that looks like a real trip back in time.
Pinewood shopping centre in Mount Waverly is a weird place, plenty of traffic going past but apart from Coles there was nobody in the other shops, definitely run down looking. Actually the blood bank was the busiest part of the centre. Also outside of Melbourne but Bridge Mall in Ballarat up till recently was very run down and lacking customers but its now being redeveloped and hopefully will recover
Is the cinema still there?
@@justmemimi7338 Sure is, never been there though
The old Dandenong hub needs a video on it
I faintly remember when it opened. I’d slip in Vanity Court arcade there as well. Very 70’s if not 60’s.
Vanity court is a time warp... terrazzo flooring brass handles and very eerie.. Dandenong Hub was ok until Dimmeys and Dairy Bell left
Union Square in Brunswick, it's a bit of a dump but it still has a lot of the old signage, the tiled floors and so forth.
Brandon Park is a really sad example of a dying mall. It has stores I haven't seen since the late 90's such as Millers, Sussan and Katies. It lost it's Kmart in 2001 and since then it's basically died.
I live very near here, and given Brandon Park is on two massive roads, Springvale and Ferntree Gully, it needs to be knocked over and rebuilt like a M-City or similar. Get some density in the area.
@Zankoran I grew up near there. I remember when it opened. It was a really good little shopping centre, and I would still rather shop there than Chadstone or The Glen, if it hadn't lost all of its best stores, and the Post Office. Ive seen there are plans in the works to put in two residential towers and serviced apartments, but I'm not sure that will be a reason to go back there.
@@BlackCatMargie The NIMBYs keep neutering the proposals for Brandon Park.
Brandon Park opened in 1970 with Coles New World as anchor. A two level extension opened in 1984 with Kmart and briefly Safeway which is now Aldi. The food court was added in the early 1990s and was a strong trader with the offices across the road until killed by COVID in the end. The Post office and Westpac have gone with Kmart but the other three banks are still there for now.
Umm Kmart didn’t leave in 2001. It only left in the last 3-4 years at most. I work nearby.
Love this! Thank you!
I used to go the Paramount when I worked in the city and pleased it’s still going. One place that may fit here might be Dandenong Plaza. It’s a great multi cultural place to shop and visit, and seems stuck in another era.
1956 was also the year the world’s first indoor shopping centre opened in the US while Chadstone also started construction that same year! :)
Amazing I remember when some of these 1970's beige/brown styles were UPDATED to the 90's style (see Mid Valley out in Morwell) Those brown tiles in Boronia are an absolute blast.
Great video Phillip!
I visited Melbourne over the Xmas peroid, rode most trams and trains (thought no fully completed the "tick that off the list")
Found the end of Line 75/tram at Burwood/Hanover Road, the Mall of Vermont South Mall.
It was feeling neglected and in need of a refresh. The oddest thing was the floor wasn't flat, but followed the contour of the land
Unfortunately each shop is owned individually rather than owned by a big corporation, so unless everyone pitched into the body corp to renovate it, the best they can do is paint the exterior, which they did a couple of years ago.
Another great video Philip. If you want to head down to sleepy hollows, Labuan Square in Norlane is worth a look. Still original in style, the drugs sold there are very modern.
Market Square in central Geelong is dying on the vine, more vacancies than tenants. Developed in the 1980s, it remains true to its original form.
Used to love going to the Mal in west Heidelberg. Used to go with my Nan and buy clothes at venture then get the bus to norfiez and visit my pop who worked at the old Golden Fleece servo which was in the front car park
Hello Phillip! If you have time I would recommend a look through Eltham Town Mall and Eltham Terrace, as well as some of the remaining features of Eltham shopping Village. They are quite retro and largely untouched, with the terrace in particular having a very unique style. Also worth noting are the many suburban arcades within shopping strips which are slowly dying off. There are some very tired looking arcades which form extensions of larger shopping centres across the road, such as those in Greensborough, Boronia and Northcote. I would love a detailed video on the history of Arcades in Melbourne, as many have been killed off by shopping centres. Great video as always!
Also just remembered St Helena marketplace, was very unique in style yet sadly renovated in 2024, losing all of its style
@aquacactuscheeseburger I’ll also vouch for both Eltham Terrace and the Town Mall, which have changed little from 40 years ago. Even Eltham Village has changed little over the years, the only major alteration coming when the “Bottom Safeway” (originally Woolworths from before they bought out Safeway) was replaced with Coles in the late 1990s.
This is a great list! Need to check some of them out :~)
Marcia Hines once sang at the Boronia Mall. We tried to see her but couldn't get close and the sound wasn't very good so we left early. My aunt was the real fan.
I went to Boronia Tech from its inception and the Mall was part of the route to and from the train station.
Fascinating vid, Phil. I dont really think of dead/dying mall as an Australian thing, but I guess there are some smaller ones. Hopefully they ll be revitalised or put to good use.
Its funny I walk through Chinatown heaps but havent been inside the Paramount for years I think. I just forget it exists, cos there doesnt seem much there. I do also love the 90s decor. Good to hear its busier, should check it out sometime soon. As a 90s kid I also miss the interior design of 90s and earlier era shopping centres, everything is so bland and generic now.
I lived in Boronia for 10 years, I remember my mother taking to me to get my hair cut a lot at the barbers that were there in the mall years ago, god I miss that place
I used to go to Wizard of Oz down from Keyboard Corner on Erica Ave. Neville and Michael were the best!
Boronia is a hole.
I miss the Eltham Village Centre where Coles is now. It had concrete floors, natural light, loads of plants and so much character. Now it looks like everywhere else 😢
Great video! You should dig up as much information photos and footage of the old Waverly Gardens shopping centre. It would also make for some great content
Boganronia mall is still alive and kicking!
Can’t believe le plaz didn’t make the cut! (northcote plaza)
this is great! there used to be a cool music shop at boronia mall where you could get rare heavy metal cds back in the 90's which was a big deal back then and i went to see die hard 3 at the cinema across the road. Dude you got to go check out Dandenong Hub for a blast from the past
@@robvegas9354 Are you thinking of the shop "Sight n Sound"? If so, that shop still lives, and seemingly thrives! Also the Metro cinemas are still there, too, although I predict they won't be much longer.