I have to start of this review by saying that Eastland Mall is one of the first malls I ever visited. My first trip to this mall was in the mid 1970s, and I have a lot of fond memories. It has changed a lot over the years, shedding it's classic 70s decor for the brighter, shinier mall of the 80s and 90s. Some of the original features are still visible externally, such as this view of Bergners.
Inside Eastland Mall these days, one will find a wide assortment of stores and, surprisingly, one of the better food courts I've seen recently. The picture below illustrates the open-air feel of the food court, which has recently been repainted. Several spaces that were closed during my last visit are now filled. Choices include A&W Rootbeer, Great Steak and Potato (very similar to Charley's Subs here in St Louis), a Sbarro, a Subway, and a Kobe Japanese. In addition, there are TWO pretzel stores, one directly off the food court, another in a different area of the mall.
Though I am quite familiar with this mall, I looked over the selection of stores carefully for this review. Gone are the Woolworths and the Hardees restaurant of the 70s. A selection of modern fare includes Macy's, Victoria's Secret, Aeropostale, Hot Topic, and PacSun. For kids' clothing, there is a Justice and a Gap Kids. Additional stores include Gap, Old Navy, Game Stop, and Bath and Body Works. Anchors include Sears, Bergner's, JC Penney, and Kohl's.
I did not get a chance to test WiFi availability, nor could I find any information on it. The mall is very near a McDonald's which offers free WiFi, as well as a Starbucks which has WiFi available for purchase.
Pluses - Decent store selection, smaller crowds, and nearby availability of several dining, banking, and other establishments. Located right off of Veteran's Parkway, so it's easy to get to for both "townies" and out of town visitors.
Minuses - It's hard for me to find many minuses with this mall, but I will point this out: don't go here thinking it's a true regional mall. It's nowhere near as large as several of the malls here in St Louis, or others I've been to. Also, the layout is a little counter-intuitive, so be prepared to walk back and forth a bit to get to the stores you want.
I give Eastland Mall 4 Kiosks.
Seeing some changes in one of the first malls you've ever visited can be a little sad. But seeing it change overtime means that it's still growing, right? Based on your reviews, I guess it's really safe to say that this is a good mall. And I wouldn't mind going here myself. I'll do that when I get the time.
ReplyDeleteDanny Riddell