Cherry Hill Plaza (Gone)
Wayne, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The old roadside sign at Cherry Hill Plaza was a familiar sight along busy Cherry Hill Road. With its tall pylon and tenant panels, it welcomed shoppers long before they reached the parking lot. 02-08
Like many neighborhood shopping centers from the postwar era, the sign was designed to advertise several businesses at once. As tenants changed over the years, the sign remained a recognizable landmark for people traveling the corridor.
The shopping center is still open today, but the original sign has been replaced by a modern readerboard. It may do the same job, but it doesn't have quite the same personality as the old marquee.
UPDATE: Cherry Hill Plaza continues to serve the community, but the vintage shopping center sign shown here is gone. 07-26
Central Center (Demolished)
Lake Station, IN Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi
For years, the sign at Central Center was a familiar landmark for anyone traveling through Lake Station. Even after the old marquee disappeared, many locals still recognized the shopping center that stood behind it. 10-08
The plaza was home to a variety of neighborhood businesses over the years, making it a regular stop for shopping, services, and everyday errands. Like many small strip centers, it became part of the community simply by being there decade after decade.
By the time this photo was taken, the vintage roadside sign had already been removed. Even without it, the shopping center still had the look and feel of a classic mid-century neighborhood plaza.
UPDATE: Central Center was destroyed by a massive fire in 2018 and was later demolished. Today, both the shopping center and its familiar roadside sign are gone. 07-26
Woodmar Mall (Demolished)
Hammond, IN Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi
This sign is what's left of the old Woodmar Mall in Hammond, IN. A new strip mall is coming so hopefully this sign will be kept. The Woodmar is the second enclosed mall in North West Indiana. It's twin, the Tri City Plaza in Gary still survives. Many thanks to Kevin Heggi for info. 10-08
Woodmar opened in 1954 as an open-air shopping center before being enclosed into a full indoor mall during the 1960s. For years, it was a popular place to shop and became a landmark along Indianapolis Boulevard.
There was hope that the sign would survive the redevelopment, and fortunately it did. Rather than being destroyed, the iconic "WOODMAR" letters were removed and placed into storage by the city, with plans to someday incorporate them into the redeveloped site.
Today, the former mall property has been completely transformed with new community facilities, including the Hammond Sportsplex. Although the mall is long gone, the famous sign may yet find a new home.
UPDATE: Woodmar Mall and its anchor stores have all been demolished, but the historic "WOODMAR" letters were saved and remain in municipal storage. Hopefully they'll once again become part of the landscape that made the name so familiar. 07-26
Towanda Plaza
Bloomington, IL Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The first thing that grabs your attention at Towanda Plaza is the towering roadside sign. With its giant neon arrow and distinctive teepee design, it's the kind of shopping center marquee that belongs to another era of roadside America. 06-11
Built during the late 1950s shopping center boom, Towanda Plaza has been serving Bloomington for decades. The sign became an important part of its identity, pointing motorists toward the stores long before they reached the parking lot.
The sweeping arrow does exactly what it was designed to do—it draws your eye right into the plaza. Combined with the oversized teepee, it creates a bold design that's both playful and unmistakably mid-century. It's hard to imagine anyone driving by without noticing it.
Unlike many shopping center signs that have been replaced with plain readerboards, this one still has plenty of personality. It reflects a time when architects and sign designers wanted even a neighborhood shopping plaza to have its own identity instead of blending in with everything else.
Towanda Plaza
Bloomington, IL Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The plaza has evolved over the years as businesses have come and gone, but the landmark sign has remained. Recent restoration work has helped keep it looking much as it did decades ago, ensuring that another piece of classic roadside design continues to welcome shoppers.
UPDATE: Towanda Plaza is still open, and the iconic teepee-and-arrow sign continues to stand along Towanda Avenue. It's one of the finest surviving shopping center signs from the mid-century era. 07-26
Cherry Hill Plaza (Gone)
Central Center (Demolished)
Woodmar Mall (Demolished)
Towanda Plaza
Towanda Plaza
