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Back to our search through the past history of South Gate Shopping Mall. For many years the same basic businesses remained in the mall and it was fairly stable. In the ‘70s Publix added their Danish Bakery which ultimately forced Colonial Bakery to close. We also found a few new ones like Bresler's Ice Cream Shop, the Rainbow Gift Shop, Jennie's Ladies Shop, Hunter Music, and the Singer Sewing Center.

South Gate Bowling Lanes opened in the ‘70s along with a restaurant. As we moved to the mid-1970s along came Cloth World and World Bazaar who moved in where W.T. Grant had been. I loved going in World Bazaar because they had such a huge selection of imported items, but I couldn't stay long because they had incense burning (that was so popular with the hippie culture) and it made me sneeze.

Kuban's Records appeared about that time along with Toys ‘n Things and Walgreen Drugs, Mr. Freedom Clothing, Cappie's Handbags, South Gate Beauty Salon, as well as Radio Shack and Boyce Travel Agency.

When Sarasota Square Mall opened, J.C. Penney moved out of South Gate and relocated in the new mall, and Robinson's moved into their vacated space.

Stay tuned for another episode of the growth of South Gate Mall coming soon. This is fun trip down memory lane. Hop in with your own memories. Life is good...

(Editor's note: Please feel free to post your memories to Pete and Diane's blog)