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Places 📍 Shopping center names (AIB: Non-sonorous city names)

Dan

Dan

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This is just a copy and repaste of part of my post from the referenced AIB thread, but I think it's worthy of a thread of its own. Besides, nobody commented about it. :)

Shopping center names in the Buffalo area tend to be quite plain. Sure, there's the Walden Galleria and Eastern Hills Mall, but most follow a formula of using the name of the streets at the intersection where it's located ...

Sheridan-Delaware Plaza
Sheridan-Harlem Plaza
Maple-Transit Plaza
Maple-North Forest Plaza
Brighton-Eggert Plaza
Colvin-Eggert Plaza

... or the name of the largest tenant

Valu Plaza
Tops Plaza
Kmart Plaza
Eckerd Plaza
Rocco's Pizza and Wings Plaza

There's also the 1950s retro holdouts

Northtown Plaza
Transittown Plaza
Southgate Plaza

"The Crossings at West Seneca?" "Village Shops at East Amherst?" "Williamsville Town Center?" "Toscana at Clarence?" Nope, not in the Buffalo area. That's too fancy-dancy.

For unenclosed shopping centers, the suffix "Plaza" is nearly universal. A distant second is the awkward "Consumer Square," believe it or not.

Boulevard Consumer Square
Walden Consumer Square
Delaware Consumer Square
Niagara Consumer Square
Union Consumer Square

The "Consumer Square" theme seems to be a Buffalo phenomenon; I haven't seen it elsewhere.

What are the trends for shopping centers around your neck of the woods? Are they boring Buffalo-style street intersection or primary tenant names, retro names, or names chosen carefully by marketers to evoke Northern Italy or other places that might be trendy at the moment?
 
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My absolute most hated naming strategy is by the Australian mall giant "Westfield" All of their malls are "Westfield Shoppingtownes" now (note the classy "e"). Hence, our prosaic "Solano Mall" is now "Westfield Shoppingtowne Solano"

Thanks, Aussies. ;-) :D

The Bay Area as a whole is pretty generic in naming. "Broadway Plaza" is the posh Walnut Creek mall on Broadway, of course. Sacramento has "Downtown Plaza (another "Shoppingtowne"), Roseville Galleria, and Arden Fair Mall. Santa Rosa has...Santa Rosa Plaza downtown and, my favorite :) Coddingtown Mall.

My hometown has Glennbrook (yawn), the soon to be demolished Southtown, and the new, California-style outdoor mall "The Pointe"
 
The shopping mall here is "Cross County Mall". I never understood why, this is Coles County. Don't know where Cross County is.
 
:-o Eastland Mall is on the east side of the city.
North Park Shopping Center is on the northside of city. :-o :-D

Then there is Lawndale Mall where there is no green lawn but acres of parking. :cool:
 
We have the plain names suchas:

Northgate Mall - you guessed it - on the north side
Eastgate Mall - yeah, on the east side
Tri-County Mall

Now we are wearing out the newer descriptions:

Miami Commons
Rookwood Commons
Miami Towne Center
Kenwood Towne Center
Deerfield Towne Center

Most of these centers are named after the local government jurisdiction. Local governments in our region all seem to have an identity crisis. Elected officials think if a major shopping center is named for the city or township it will improve the identity of the community. Sometimes it has the opposite effect.

None of these are really "town centers" - They are all traditional, suburban,open air shopping centers
 
Here are some near me (Huntley-Algonquin-Lake in the Hills-Crystal Lake-Cary-Carpentersville, IL area)

Algonquin Commons (lifestyle center)
Algonquin Galleria Center (lifestyle center)
The Esplanade (mini-lifestyle/mix-use center)
Woodsreek Commons S.C. (power center)
River Pointe (grocery/power center)
The Centre (grocery/theater/restaurants)
Randall Plaza (drugstore/videostore)
Bellchase Commons (12 unit strip center)
Prestwicke Plaza (12 unit strip center)
Huntley Towers (6-unit strip center)
Prime Outlet Mall (outlet mall)
Spring Hill Mall (regional indoor mall)
Meadowdale Shopping Center (grocery/hardware/restaurant)
Spring Hill Fashion Corner (power center)
Century Plaza (strip center)
River Valley Square (grocery)
Huntley Center (grocery/hardware)
Huntley Village Green (grocery/strip/future power center)
Algonquin Town Center (grocery/hardware)
Crystal Point Mall (massive power center)
Cary Square (grocery/hardware/restaurant)
Stonehill Center (grocery/restaurant/strip)
Crystal Court (power center)
Bohl Farm Marketplace (power center)
Archway Center (power center)
Twin Ponds S.C. (power center)
Country Corners (power center)
Crystal Lake Plaza (strip center)
 
Here in Chicagoland, we have the full gamut of shopping center naming conventions from the earliest ("towns") to the most recent (The Shops at Chancellory Hills Estates).

I personally don't mind the more pedestrian nameing conventions such as North - town, gate, center,commons, etc., but I absolutely hate the most recent convention of The xxx at the xxx Hills, Estates, Commons, etc.

It's so amazingly pretensious and meaningless, it makes me want to set fires.

One suffix name that hasn't been mentioned is using Annex. Here in my wonderful muni. we have the Annex of XXXXX, but that name doesn't really mean anything.

Dan, "Consumer Plaza" is a new one for me.....that definitely does not roll of the tongue very easily.
 
In California, it seems every suburb and community builds a large big box-style strip mall and calls it the "Town Center."

Interestingly, in almost every case, the "Town Center" is on the very edge of the suburb, bordering a neighboring suburb. :)
 
Pretty much the same thing in Cleveland.

Richmond Town Square in Richmond Heights

Randall Park Mall in North Randall

Beachwood Place in Beachwood

Parmatown Mall in Parma, although we do have a few that are kind of different

Severence town center on the old Severence estate in Cleveland Heights

Great Lakes Mall

and Tower CIty in the old Union terminal in Downtown.
 
Blue said:
Interestingly, in almost every case, the "Town Center" is on the very edge of the suburb, bordering a neighboring suburb. :)
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Slightly OT:
In Manhattan, KS, the "Town Center" mall apparently replaced part of the existing downtown. Evidence of this was that there were non-contiguous street segments which had the same name and would have been one street if the mall and its vast parking lots were not smack in between them. I also once saw some historic photographs showing what the area looked like before and after the mall went in, confirming my suspicions. I don't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
 
Michele Zone said:
Slightly OT:
In Manhattan, KS, the "Town Center" mall apparently replaced part of the existing downtown. Evidence of this was that there were non-contiguous street segments which had the same name and would have been one street if the mall and its vast parking lots were not smack in between them. I also once saw some historic photographs showing what the area looked like before and after the mall went in, confirming my suspicions. I don't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
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In Redding, CA, it was definitely a "bad thing." They enclosed their Main Street in a horrible 1970s enclosed mall thingie, basically roofing the street while retaining most of the storefronts (which had generally been botched over the years with 1940s-60s "modernizations" anyway) . It's pretty much failed dismally, of course.
 
BKM said:
In Redding, CA, it was definitely a "bad thing." They enclosed their Main Street in a horrible 1970s enclosed mall thingie, basically roofing the street while retaining most of the storefronts (which had generally been botched over the years with 1940s-60s "modernizations" anyway) . It's pretty much failed dismally, of course.
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When I lived in Manhattan, the mall there was the best mall I have ever seen. It seemed to not be so great when we passed through to check on our house on our way to California. They used to have free entertainment on Wednesday night at the food court, a children's museum that the mall donated the space for (think high brow "Chuck E. Cheese" -- hands-on stuff for kids to explore for free, just cuz), an art store that I think was also donated space which sold the creations of local artists, and at least one weekend a month they had special events like an artisan's guild selling their crafts or a model railroad display (throughout the ENTIRE mall -- not just one measly railroad). They genuinely did manage to replicate some sense of community and downtown happenings. I do think the broken up streets were a problem and I think the main drag dead-ended up against the back of the mall, creating traffic flow problems. My impression at that time was that there was some ways in which this mall was effectively planned as an actual "town center".
 
Here we stick to the basics.

Indooroopilly Shoppingtown (in Indooroopilly) Actually thats a candidate for the Non-Sonorous thread. Inn-drow-pilly. All the "o's" are just there to confuse the visitors.

Toowong Village (In Toowong) Adjacent to Toowong Tower. Also known as the Darth Vader Building. However does not look at all like Darth Vader.

Chermside. Simply Chermside. In Chermside. Has no extra -Plaza or -Towne or -Village. At least, if it does, it has never been used by any person this Chukky has ever met.

And then the Nice Names. Like Brookside. At least it is next to what might be termed a brook somewhere far distant to Brisbane. It's a CREEK goddammit!

The newest Mall Extravaganza is just called DFO. But thats another rant.
 
Here we stick to the basics.

Indooroopilly Shoppingtown (in Indooroopilly) Actually thats a candidate for the Non-Sonorous thread. Inn-drow-pilly. All the "o's" are just there to confuse the visitors.

Toowong Village (In Toowong) Adjacent to Toowong Tower. Also known as the Darth Vader Building. However does not look at all like Darth Vader.

Chermside. Simply Chermside. In Chermside. Has no extra -Plaza or -Towne or -Village. At least, if it does, it has never been used by any person this Chukky has ever met.

And then the Nice Names. Like Brookside. At least it is next to what might be termed a brook somewhere far distant to Brisbane. It's a CREEK goddammit!

The newest Mall Extravaganza is just called DFO. But thats another rant.
 
Manhattan Town Center

I've actually been to the Manhattan Town Center in Kansas, and I agree with you -- it's very nicely integrated into the downtown, with the exception of the broken up streets (although I remember driving through the parking lot quite easily to get to the other side). The exterior stone -- I think from the Flint Hills in the Manhattan area -- blends into the downtown, and it seemed to be very vibrant and active.
 
More Of The Same In Toledo

Metropolitan Toledo.....we dare to be different.....NOT.....

Woodville Mall (On Woodville Road)
Southwyck Shopping Mall (Southwest side, near death, being argued about by candidates for Mayor)
North Towne Plaza (North end, now closed and used to store new Jeeps, fresh off the assembly line)
Westgate Shopping Center (Toledo's original SC, about to be torn down and replaced by a box....yes, on the west side)

Very successful:
Franklin Park Mall (Original Name)

Purchased by those Aussie's.....Now Westfield Franklin Park. Toledo's premier regional mega shopping mall. Just added about thirty (30) more stores and a couple parking garages. They tried it with the name "Shoppingtowne" shoved in, but that was never picked up by locals.

Just built in ritzy southwest suburb, Perrysburg.....Levis Commons.....open-air town center concept.....located in area known as Levis Park.....actually a business park, soon to be home of a Fortune 500 company moving from downtown Toledo, OI (formerly Owens-Illinois).....a bottle-making giant (plastic and glass).

Another open-air concept development is about to break ground, in Monclova Township (very near Maumee River and suburban Maumee, OH.) This was originally planned as a regional giant mall, but plans changed. (And Levis Commons was built.)
_____

My fake city, De Noc, has many traditional names. Here's a few.....

Oakland Center
Intown Shopping Center
Southern Keys Shopping Center
Hiawatha Value Mall
Northern Lights Mall
Harborview Plaza
Park Center Mall

Bear
 
Blue said:
I've actually been to the Manhattan Town Center in Kansas, and I agree with you -- it's very nicely integrated into the downtown, with the exception of the broken up streets (although I remember driving through the parking lot quite easily to get to the other side). The exterior stone -- I think from the Flint Hills in the Manhattan area -- blends into the downtown, and it seemed to be very vibrant and active.
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The food court is also very nice, with a high, partially glass (or skylighted?) ceiling to accommodate indoor trees. The mall where I live currently does not have a food court. I think a mall without a food court is a lot less family-friendly than a mall with a food court. Augusta, Georgia has a fairly large two-story mall that has two food courts -- one upstairs and the other downstairs, one more towards one end of the mall and the other more towards the other end. I think it's brilliant. I always found that to be extremely convenient.
 
Bear Up North said:
My fake city, De Noc, has many traditional names. Here's a few.....

Oakland Center
Intown Shopping Center
Southern Keys Shopping Center
Hiawatha Value Mall
Northern Lights Mall
Harborview Plaza
Park Center Mall

Bear
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Ooo...your fake city shopping centers, gives me an idea.

Here are the names of some of the shopping centers in North Oak Creek (my fake city):
Garden Mall (large regional indoor mall)
Patriot Square (lifesyle center)
River Gardens Center (giant power center)
Creekside Square (mini-lifestyle center, but with non-upscale stores)
Brown Deer S.C. (grocery/power center)
Glendale S.C. (power center)
Oak Prairie Center (grocery/power center)
Ralieigh Plaza (power center)
Graystone Marketplace (grocery/power center)
Wal-Mart Supercenter/Sam's Club (un-named)
Valley Green S.C. (power center)
Westville Square (power center)
South Valley Creek (grocery/strip center)
Blue Ridge S.C. (Big Lots/restaurants)
Rockway Plaza (grocery/power center)
Oak Corners (restaurants/bank)
 
mendelman said:
Here in Chicagoland, we have the full gamut of shopping center naming conventions from the earliest ("towns") to the most recent (The Shops at Chancellory Hills Estates).
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My favorite shopping center in the Chicago burbs has to be in Schaumburg at the corner of Schaumburg and Barrington Roads... Welcome to Schaumington Plaza.

Here is Peoria we have Northwoods mall.. in the center of town, and The Shoppes of Grand Prairie, our exurban lifesyle center...err open air mall. Why they didn't just completely crap it out at call it Grande Prairie I don't know.
 
My fellow fake city drawer, illinoisplanner.....you need to get yourself a thread designated to your city, North Oak Creek. There are a few planners hanging around here that might like to hear some details.

Probably should go in The Friday Afternoon Clubbe, though.

You know what to tell us, but in case you need the ole' cattle prod.....

Location
Geographical Size
Percentage Land/Percentage Water
Population Stats
Neighborhood Descriptions
Ghetto
Central City Details
Expressway Info
Public Housing Info
Points Of Interest
Historical Reason For Being
Shopping Centers (You gave us some detail!)
Traffic Density Issues
Subdivisions With Those Funky Names ("Breckenridge" in flatlands, etc.)
Industrial Base
Railroads
Port
Airport
Military Installations
Casino Gambling
Convention Center(s)

Bring on the details!

Bear
 
Bear Up North said:
My fellow fake city drawer, illinoisplanner.....you need to get yourself a thread designated to your city, North Oak Creek. There are a few planners hanging around here that might like to hear some details.

Probably should go in The Friday Afternoon Clubbe, though.

You know what to tell us, but in case you need the ole' cattle prod.....

Location
Geographical Size
Percentage Land/Percentage Water
Population Stats
Neighborhood Descriptions
Ghetto
Central City Details
Expressway Info
Public Housing Info
Points Of Interest
Historical Reason For Being
Shopping Centers (You gave us some detail!)
Traffic Density Issues
Subdivisions With Those Funky Names ("Breckenridge" in flatlands, etc.)
Industrial Base
Railroads
Port
Airport
Military Installations
Casino Gambling
Convention Center(s)

Bring on the details!

Bear
Click to expand...

I've been working on it in MS Word right now. I'll release it soon!!!
 
Bear Up North said:
Subdivisions With Those Funky Names ("Breckenridge" in flatlands, etc.)
Click to expand...
How true in my fair county we have a "Breckenridge" - proof by the street names
Sawmill (Peak 9)
Silverthorne (Peak 9)
Lobo (Peak 8 Bowl)
Cimmarron (Peak 10)
Vertigo (Peak 7 Bowl)
Crescendo (Peak 8)
 
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Waiting...

I'm waiting for the next name in the North Towne saga......

Original - North Towne
Newest - Lakeside Center (which is nowhere NEAR the lake)
Next - Jeepside Towne Plaza

:-D Leave it to good 'ol Toledo to turn a former mall lot into an automaker storage lot.
 
boiker said:
My favorite shopping center in the Chicago burbs has to be in Schaumburg at the corner of Schaumburg and Barrington Roads... Welcome to Schaumington Plaza.
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Acutally...I believe it's named Scharrington Plaza...which is equally silly.
 
mendelman said:
Acutally...I believe it's named Scharrington Plaza...which is equally silly.
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Hahahaha...and I thought Dunhurst (named after Dundee and Elmhurst Roads) and Randhurst (named after Rand and Elmhurst Roads) were bad!!!
 
How about some suggestions on good names for future use or naming rule ideas that would not make these so awful. Our plazas seem to have been named by people who like to use lots of disjointed words and dreadful misspellings. "Wynter Haven Run" is one of my favorites.:cool:
 
The joys of Benderson

Since they're the ones that stick that name on every power center that they have built over the last several years in Upstate NY.
For unenclosed shopping centers, the suffix "Plaza" is nearly universal. A distant second is the awkward "Consumer Square," believe it or not.

Boulevard Consumer Square
Walden Consumer Square
Delaware Consumer Square
Niagara Consumer Square
Union Consumer Square

The "Consumer Square" theme seems to be a Buffalo phenomenon; I haven't seen it elsewhere.

What are the trends for shopping centers around your neck of the woods? Are they boring Buffalo-style street intersection or primary tenant names, retro names, or names chosen carefully by marketers to evoke Northern Italy or other places that might be trendy at the moment?
Click to expand...
 
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