1968
Rendering of Fountain Court
Image courtesy Patrick Richardson
1969
Fountain Court under construction
Image courtesy Patrick Richardson
1970-1986 
1970-1986 This was the original, Modernist look, with the sunken fountain and brick-tiled floors. Photo dates from 1976
Thanks to Keith at Malls of America for unearthing this gem
Image courtesy of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room – Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
1986-2002
An updated, larger fountain covered in white marble, surrounded by oak ceilings, green foliage and large clerestory windows. Photo dates from 1995
Image courtesy SouthPark, via an old mall directory
2002-present
A smaller fountain covered in black marble with enhanced seating areas, palm trees and warm cherry and oak woods surrounding it. Photo dates from 2003.
Image courtesy cantnot
Thank you for putting this together. It's such a good thing to be able to show the evolution of the SouthPark fountain court.
ReplyDeleteI've had so many memories from being young at the 1986-2002 fountain, throwing pennies into it... We'd always get ice cream there and then go down to the fountain and eat it and I'd get to throw pennies in. There was also a bookstore nearby where my parents would like to go and we'd get books and sit by the fountain and read.
The pleasure is all mine, cantnot.
ReplyDeleteMy memories of SouthPark don't go back as far as yours do, but I remember thinking that 1986-2002 fountain was the coolest thing I ever saw in a mall.
That was in 1994. I actually visited SouthPark for the first time in 1992, but I only got a chance to go to Belk, with only fifteen minutes to spare before closing (which is worth another whole blog entry, to be sure). The fountain was off the first time I went.
But I digress: my memory of that space could never be as cool and touching as yours was. Thank you for sharing.
I've heard of this SouthPark before, but never got to really read about it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very pricey mall, store-wise, but I think you would get a kick out of going there, Billy. It's a really cool place.
ReplyDeleteIt sickens me the way they've simultaneously dumbed down and cluttered up that poor mall--inside and out. Will no mall ever learn a lesson from the wildly successful Northpark in Dallas?
ReplyDeleteIt's a setback for Modernism, but the mall as a retail entity has to keep evolving, for better or wors.
ReplyDeleteI lived a few miles from South Park from 77-83, so most of my memories are of the 70-86 fountain. We used to park underneath and rode the escalators in the middle of the mall, way before the food court/Hecht's wing.
ReplyDeleteI still have some family in the area, and make a trek to SP every couple of years. I want to go back when the Crate and Barrel opens, and maybe to peek into the Nieman Marcus store.
For us, it was the same distance to SP and Eastland, but we went to Eastland more because it had the skating rink. Times have changed both areas, that's for sure!
I never got to see the pre-1986 SouthPark, ncwebguy. From what I can tell from you guys' memories, it was quite the place.
ReplyDeleteCrate & Barrel will be open soon, so I'm going back down after it opens too. I'm sure it will be great. NM will not disappoint, either. It's a little small but it's very chic.
Nice photos. I am now 55 years old, but my very first "real" job was at Belk's in Southpark as Christmas holiday help. It must have been about 1970 or so. I was a student at South Mecklenburg High School.
ReplyDeleteA sad thing I recall from there was that I had a classmate who was abducted from the parking lot at Southpark and murdered. I think she worked at Belk's also. Her name was Carla Underwood. It was quite a shock at the time.
Can You tell me about Carla?? My Mom was Her sister. No one ever talked much about Her while I was growing up... and i guess i never had the guts or heart to pry.... I just remember Her beautiful picture hanging in my Grandmothers living room as a child and i've always wondered what she was like.
DeleteCan You tell me about Carla?? My Mom was Her sister. No one ever talked much about Her while I was growing up... and i guess i never had the guts or heart to pry.... I just remember Her beautiful picture hanging in my Grandmothers living room as a child and i've always wondered what she was like.
DeleteMy sister and I also worked at Belk's in SouthPark but for my sister, it was about a year after Carla's murder. She was a classmate of Carla's. I am curious as to the fate of her killer, James Nathaniel Westbrook, Jr, but the NC Dept of Corrections has absolutely no information on him, which is a crime in and of itself.
DeleteThanks for sharing your memories, Randy. For better or worse, SouthPark has affected lives throughout its lifespan. My condolences go out to Carla Underwood and her family.
ReplyDeleteI am 53 years old and used to ride the school bus from our house in the Cloisters to Sharon School. The land where Southpark Mall is was all cow pasture and farmland. I think there was one lonely house out there and that was it. I always have very distinct memeories of that whenever I go to the mall. Chick Fil-A was the place to hand if you wanted to buy MJ.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's one thing I've never bought at SouthPark. LOL
ReplyDeleteI used to live a mile from SouthPark and remember when it was being built. During the summers they used to put a Put-Put golf course down the middle of the mall. If you scored a hole in one, you could take your score card to Chick Fil-A for a free soft drink.
ReplyDeleteCool.I think that would have been fun to see. Thanks for sharing your SouthPark memories.
ReplyDeleteI never blog but when I saw this I had to comment. I lived in Charlotte for some 20 years and spent almost every Saturday at South Park. I also worked at Belk's when I was a teen and hated the shoe dept. and the basement! I liked buying posters at the Record Bar and was ecstatic to have enough baby sitting $ to buy EJ's Yellow Brick Road album. Anyway in 1970 I was 10 years old when the Underwood girl was kidnapped and killed near the Celanese plant off Fairview Rd. Such as a tragedy and she worked at Belk's and I always was scared leaving the store at night to go to my car since they made us park across from the store. This is funny..once my mom was looking at purses at Belk's and left the store with one on her arm and all the alarms went off. Security tried to accuse her of shoplifting but by the time she got through with them they were apologizing like crazy.
ReplyDeleteMy ex-wife was Carla Underwood’s best friend. Jan described Carla as a beautiful, fun loving young lady. Full of life cut short by murders. Carla’s body was found on Mother’s Day. Carl’s mom and dad were good people but we’re forever scared by Carla’s death. Carla’s dad raised roses and named a new verity he developed the “Carla”. I never knew Carla but I came to love her family.
ReplyDelete