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Virginia
Related: About this forumOn November 2, 1951, Hecht's department store opened at the Parkington Shopping Center.
I used to go to the Lafayette in the back part of the shopping center. That started in late 1968. December sounds right. I would have been on a break for the holidays.
https://www.facebook.com/ArlingtonHistoricalSociety/posts/10157777077438036
Arlington Historical Society
16 hrs ·
On this day in Arlington history, November 2, 1951 Hechts department store opened at the Parkington Shopping Center. The Parkington Shopping Center opened in 1951 and was one of the first major suburban shopping centers in the Washington D.C. area. It was the first shopping center built around a multi-story parking garage in the United States and was located at the intersection of Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard in Ballston.
16 hrs ·
On this day in Arlington history, November 2, 1951 Hechts department store opened at the Parkington Shopping Center. The Parkington Shopping Center opened in 1951 and was one of the first major suburban shopping centers in the Washington D.C. area. It was the first shopping center built around a multi-story parking garage in the United States and was located at the intersection of Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard in Ballston.
I can find a picture from 1951, but I can get it to load. This is from much later:
Here we go. Someone had it at Fairfax Underground.
http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/file.php?2,file=296365,filename=3310435190449181334_n.jpg
You'll have to cut and paste.
Source for the later photograph:
Arlngton Historical Society
A PARKINGTON CHRISTMAS
ANNETTE NOVEMBER 24, 2017
Parkington Shopping Center opened in 1951 and was one of the first major suburban shopping centers in the Washington D.C. area. It was the first shopping center built around a multi-story parking garage in the United States and was located at the intersection of Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard in Ballston.
Parkington became a hub for Arlingtonians for Christmas shopping when a $6.5 million Hechts store opened in the Parkington Shopping Center on November 2, 1951. At its opening, the five story, 300,000-square-foot store (see artists rendering at right) was the largest suburban department store on the East Coast. Over the years, the $15 million Parkington Shopping Center expanded to 30 stores including Giant Food, McCrorys, Hub Furniture, Crawford Clothes, Franc Jewelers, W.T. Grant, Wilbur-Rogers Womens Apparel, A.S. Beck Shoes, Brentanos Books, and Casual Corner. In May 1974, J.C. Penney opened a soft line merchandise and catalog store.
Parkington became known not just for its stores and parking garage, but for its Christmas decorations and signs on the side of the Hechts section of the building. In the featured photo above, tin soldiers adorn the flag poles outside of Hechts. In the photo at right the sign says: Schools Open Drive Carefully.
By 1982, the 30-year-old Parkington Shopping Center was in need of a facelift. Beginning that year, Arlington County and the owners, May Centers, embarked on a $100 million renovation project and expansion of the shopping center. Part of this was a contest among Arlington residents for a name for the new mall. That contest was how Ballston Common came to be the malls name. Ballston Common mall opened on October 20, 1986 just in time to herald an early Christmas shopping season.
In the early 2000s, the mall became home to the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, headquarters and practice facility for the National Hockey Leagues Washington Capitals. On May 31, 2016, most businesses closed so the mall could be redeveloped into Ballston Quarter by its owners, Forest City Washington.
A PARKINGTON CHRISTMAS
ANNETTE NOVEMBER 24, 2017
Parkington Shopping Center opened in 1951 and was one of the first major suburban shopping centers in the Washington D.C. area. It was the first shopping center built around a multi-story parking garage in the United States and was located at the intersection of Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard in Ballston.
Parkington became a hub for Arlingtonians for Christmas shopping when a $6.5 million Hechts store opened in the Parkington Shopping Center on November 2, 1951. At its opening, the five story, 300,000-square-foot store (see artists rendering at right) was the largest suburban department store on the East Coast. Over the years, the $15 million Parkington Shopping Center expanded to 30 stores including Giant Food, McCrorys, Hub Furniture, Crawford Clothes, Franc Jewelers, W.T. Grant, Wilbur-Rogers Womens Apparel, A.S. Beck Shoes, Brentanos Books, and Casual Corner. In May 1974, J.C. Penney opened a soft line merchandise and catalog store.
Parkington became known not just for its stores and parking garage, but for its Christmas decorations and signs on the side of the Hechts section of the building. In the featured photo above, tin soldiers adorn the flag poles outside of Hechts. In the photo at right the sign says: Schools Open Drive Carefully.
By 1982, the 30-year-old Parkington Shopping Center was in need of a facelift. Beginning that year, Arlington County and the owners, May Centers, embarked on a $100 million renovation project and expansion of the shopping center. Part of this was a contest among Arlington residents for a name for the new mall. That contest was how Ballston Common came to be the malls name. Ballston Common mall opened on October 20, 1986 just in time to herald an early Christmas shopping season.
In the early 2000s, the mall became home to the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, headquarters and practice facility for the National Hockey Leagues Washington Capitals. On May 31, 2016, most businesses closed so the mall could be redeveloped into Ballston Quarter by its owners, Forest City Washington.
Tue Nov 3, 2020: On November 2, 1951, Hecht's department store opened at the Parkington Shopping Center.
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On November 2, 1951, Hecht's department store opened at the Parkington Shopping Center. (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
Nov 2023
OP
50 Shades Of Blue
(10,867 posts)1. Hecht's!!!! My favorite department store of all time.
I lived in northern VA for years and my family shopped the hell out of the Parkington Hecht Co. Thanks for the memories!
Get Me Outta Here
(97 posts)2. Fairfax Underground 🤣
I forgot what a festering pustule of ignorance that website was when I checked it out years ago. Seems even worse now. Lucky you found something useful there!
mahatmakanejeeves
(60,568 posts)3. There was one thread, the one with pictures of old Fairfax County.
That got run out of business. Fairfax Underground is just an open sewer now.
And good morning.