HomeWonderland Mall in Michigan - Information and Photos

The following is a sampling of photos for Wonderland Mall - Livonia, MI

I have added a new page dedicated to this mall HERE

As Wonderland Mall is facing demolition in the spring of 2004, let this photo essay serve as a reminder to this early version of the shopping mall and some of the stores that we visited in our earlier days. The mall was built in 1959 with Montgomery Wards serving as the anchor. It also featured 2 more retailers that Michiganders know and love, Winklemans and Hughes and Hatcher. Like many malls, it was originally designed as an open facility, then later converted to an indoor.

With the demise of Ward's, some of the smaller stores began to struggle as the design did not allow for many exterior entrances. The retail world seems to be going away from indoor malls, with most new centers incorporating a few large anchors with smaller stores clustered nearby, interspersed with parking. Examples of this would be Fountain Walk in Novi and Eastwood Center in Lansing. As a result, some of the old indoor malls are being converted back to outdoor, with Tel-Twelve in Southfield, Northland Center in Southfield and now Wonderland, which will be converted to a "Power Center" with 2 or 3 larger stores surrounded by a few restaurants or coffee shops.

So the circle is complete, from outdoor to indoor to outdoor again! The truth however, is that the small indoor mall had less character and local flavor than the traditional downtown retail district, and now the enormous "big box" centers will complete the trend toward the total homogenization of the commercial landscape.

Click the following button to see lots of higher res images. It will take quite some time to load.


1 Article From Scott Santoro
1 Article From Scott Santoro
2 Article From Scott Santoro
2 Article From Scott Santoro
3 Article From Scott Santoro
3 Article From Scott Santoro
4 Article From Scott Santoro
4 Article From Scott Santoro
5 Article From Scott Santoro
5 Article From Scott Santoro
6 Article From Scott Santoro
6 Article From Scott Santoro
7 Demo From Jon Milan
7 Demo From Jon Milan
8 Demo From Jon Milan
8 Demo From Jon Milan
From Matthew Cartwright
From Matthew Cartwright
From Matthew Cartwright
From Matthew Cartwright


Abandoned Store
Abandoned Store
All Closed
All Closed
All Gone.JPG
All Gone
Bath Body Works
Bath Body Works
Cafes
Cafes
Cafe Entrance
Cafe Entrance
Cinemas.JPG
Cinemas
Closed Store.JPG
Closed Store
Demo.JPG
Demo
Demo1
Demo1
Demo From Mike Engel
Demo From Mike Engel
Dunhams.JPG
Dunhams
Dunhams Exterior.JPG
Dunhams Exterior
Eerie
Eerie
Emptiness
Emptiness
Empty
Empty
Empty Hall
Empty Hall
Empty Mall
Empty Mall
Empty Stores
Empty Stores
Empty Wing
Empty Wing
Empty Wing
Empty Wing
Entrance.JPG
Entrance
Entrance Hall
Entrance Hall
Exterior.JPG
Exterior
GNC
Gnc
Main Corridor
Main Corridor
Main Hall
Main Hall
Mall
Mall
More Demo From Mike Engel
More Demo From Mike Engel
Pearle Vision
Pearle Vision
Shuttered Store
Shuttered Store
Sign
Sign
Wards.JPG
Wards
Wards Auto Center.JPG
Wards Auto Center
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