I really miss Oakridge Mall of old...

I drove down 41st today for the first time in years. I grew up in Kerrisdale but don’t live anywhere near there anymore. But driving by there (which is currently a colossal mess of construction), I remembered two things: 1. The Parcel Pickup from the Woodward’s Food Floor. Instead of taking your shopping bags (all paper) to your car, your bagged groceries would disappear into a tunnel in these large plastic bins with numbers on them. You’d receive a ratty plastic shingle with a number on it... and you’d drive your car to this island in the middle of the parking lot where you’d hand the cards to a kid who’d find the corresponding bins and retrieve the bags and put them in the trunk. You didn’t even get out of the car. Or, in my case, the back of the station wagon where I was tasked with holding the bags so they wouldn’t bounce around too much. Seatbelts? Lol 2. That Food Floor had a little Deli sort of thing where you could get Frosted Malts that were the greatest thing ever. Wendy’s Frosty is the closest thing that comes to mind, but for anyone who ever had the original, I’m sure you’d agree it’s far from the same thing. If anyone knows where to get a good genuine local Frosted Malt, please chime in! My parents are long gone, as is the house we lived in, replaced by a large ugly concrete box. Doesn’t matter — not like I’ll ever be able to afford living around there... but nothing will ever take away the wonderful memories.

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Great, well-written post

May 23, 2019 at 7:03pm

and definitely recreates that time in the past.

Anonymous

May 23, 2019 at 7:04pm

thanks for sharing. it's interesting to hear how things have changed!

No kidding

May 23, 2019 at 8:11pm

I used to love Oakridge Mall. It’s still a good place but it’s not what it was many years ago. Now I hear they want to extend it and build more condos. Good grief!

This Is Nice

May 23, 2019 at 9:52pm

Even though I was born in the 80s I also spent much time at Oakridge Mall with my grandparents, parents and friends when I was little. I also have fond memories. I really liked this post. Thank you.

22 8Rating: +14

Frosted malts

May 23, 2019 at 11:29pm

I think you can still get a hot dog and frosted malt at Army & Navy ground floor. Same location in the other building behind their Hastings building....

Ohhhh

May 23, 2019 at 11:40pm

The malts. How I miss them. Army and a Navy had the best!!!

Anonymous

May 24, 2019 at 7:24am

As a kid in the seventies, before Sunday shopping the place would be deserted and we would “roller skate” on the conveyors. Great fun until you wiped out. I remember some good bruises from there

$1.49 Day

May 24, 2019 at 11:32am

Yes, I remember those malts. Slightly runnier than the Wendy's variety IIRC (and served in a styrofoam cup). That 'deli' also sold terrific donuts. Other items of interest in the Oakridge mall of the pre 1980's: Kelly's Records and an astounding Halloween section when the season called. Also: two White Spot restaurants (the current one was opened in 1985): a lunch counter and a formal dining room. Part of what is now the basement level of The Bay at Oakridge was The Woodwards restaurant. Very 1950's design overall (the mall opened in 1959) and a lot more family orientated place. The medical building across the street is the only survivor of that era. The greasy spoons and kid friendly stores were removed when the mall was redesigned to make way for the horrendous design and high fashion of the go-go 80's. That's what stands there today (for the moment).

Lovely L.

May 24, 2019 at 3:59pm

Thank you for sharing such a lovely memory of times passed.

Anonymous

May 24, 2019 at 5:49pm

Jeez, the moderator left us hanging with a stinker of a confession. I miss be a mall zombie. What a bland memory. A bland memory for a city like Blandcouver. How about an update? Post some new confessions.

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