Southdale

This is where I do most of my Christmas shopping and have for years, although it doesn't really look like this anymore. This is the Southdale mall, the first retail mall in the world. It's located about three miles from the house where I grew up in Minneapolis. Probably the last place that I would think of if I had to pick the first city for a mall. The only justification I can come up with would have to be the weather. On second thought, that's actually a pretty good reason. Who wants to shop when the clothes freeze before you can try them on?

I ran across this picture of the mall from the 1950's, shortly after it opened, from Life magazine (a publication that will most likely be forgotten in a generation). The mall was designed by an Austrian, Victor Gruen. While im not sure of Gruen's particular talents, I would love it if someone could tell the ratio of talented Austrian architects to talented architects from the rest of the world. I'd be willing to bet the scales tip towards the Austrians by at least 3-1.

There's some interesting history to Southdale. It was started as an attempt to bring the feel of a city center to places that were not necessarily the center of a city and Gruen was ultimately disgusted by the suburban waste of space that malls eventually became over time.

There is apparently a spirited debate over where the world's first mall actually sat. A short and informational post over at Kottke.com has more details on Gruen, Southdale and the other malls staking claim to first.

Southdale, I'll be seeing you shortly, and no matter what anyone else says, you'll always be MY first.