Shopping is one of Europe’s first interior shopping centers ever built. This mid-century gem is hidden away in the cold northern parts of Sweden. It was designed by famous British-Swedish architect Ralph Erskine and built in 1955. Erskine wanted to create something that would be enjoyable for everyone all year round, not being dependent on the current (and sometimes harsh) weather conditions.
The shopping centre was to become a natural meeting point for everyone in the city and to offer both entertainment, dining and plenty of merchandise and goods for all the family. It was nick named “a city within the city”. The unique floor plan of the shopping center features multiple levels that are offset to each other by half a level and all connected by numerous staircases and escalators – creating a maze that can be a bit confusing to navigate for first comers. The huge concrete pillars and walkways supporting the construction makes it a look a bit cold but at the same time very clean and easy on the eyes. This type of design was very popular throughout the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s – especially in northern Europe.
By Chris
January 16th, 2012
British supermarket giant Tesco has recreated a 1960s style store for the Goodwood Revival historic motor race meeting, held each September in Essex, not far away from London. Inside the store, customers will be able to walk up and down three different aisles filled with dozens of products from the sixties. Even the check-out assistants will be dressed in vintage uniforms, with hair and make-up styled in the fashion of the area.
The Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival for the types of cars and motorcycles that would have competed during the circuit’s original period—1948-1966. It is one of the world’s most popular motor race meetings and the only UK event which recreates the golden era of motor sport from the 1950s and 1960s. (Via)
By Chris
September 19th, 2011
Ultra Swank – Your one stop blog for retro living, style and design
Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s, 60s and the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris, a Swede born in the wrong decade that currently resides in Barcelona. Read more
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Let’s kick off the new year by spending some of that hard earned money at the local shopping center. Perhaps a new color television, that black suit that’s now on sale or why not a new kitchen appliance for the wifey? There is something for everyone. Where shall we go first? Montgomery Ward, SS Kresgne, Publix or Woolco? I am sure many of you have fond (or perhaps not so fond) childhood memories visiting these stores as a kid. For more shopping adventures and photos head over to the always splendid Pleasant Family Shopping. And don’t forget to check out the other posts in the shopping spree series. Which is your favorite chain or stores that are still alive today?
By Chris
January 13th, 2011
Don’t know what to spend that extra cash on? Don’t worry, there is still time. Our stores are open at convenient times and located just around the corner here in Yester Sweden. Today we are traveling back in time to visit Stockholm and Hudiksvall (north of Stockholm) where you can slowly waltz through the many isles of exotic groceries, the latest fashion, brand new color TV models and still have some time left over for a coffee and cupcake at one of the many cafes. Typical anchor stores of the time were ICA, Domus and Tempo – sadly only the first one is still alive. For more shopping goodness, check out the other parts of this ongoing series of retro retail mania.
By Chris
August 21st, 2009
I found some more photos of my favorite shopping mall in southern Sweden – Väla Centrum. It was built in 1974 outside of Helsingborg and took its inspiration from American shopping malls at the time – meaning that it didn’t look very Scandinavian or traditional, which I really love. It even had a birdcage with live canaries up until the mid 1980s. For more information and photos of the shopping center, see my earlier post about it.
By Chris
November 26th, 2008
Found these great vintage photos taken at two different ICA stores in Gothenburg, Sweden. Most likely taken for publicity reasons for use in catalogs or magazines. ICA is one the largest retail chains in Sweden, started back in 1938 and today boasting over 1 600 stores nationwide. Can’t help thinking how Americanized the ICA store top photo looks like.
By Chris
May 13th, 2008
