Chapel Hill Mall in Akron

The two malls I frequent, Belden and Summit, seem pretty healthy.
Both similar to Chapel Hill for me... Have shopped in both areas frequently but have been inside Belden (actually mall) and have only been in Summit once or twice in past decade.
 
Final nail in the coffin:

Chapel Hill Mall closes after suspects rob jewelry store

The Akron Police Department reports that a robbery took place at the Gold N Diamonds jewelry store in the Chapel Hill Mall around 1:45p.m. on Monday afternoon.

Police are not calling it a looting.

Investigators say the Gold N Diamonds store was open at the time when multiple suspects entered and committed a smash and grab.

 
There were reports of looting but apparently it was your run of the mill robbery. I've driven through their parking lot a number of times (going to Sam's Club). I just don't see how they survive much longer.
 
There's been a lot of reports of looting/rioiting at NEO malls the last couple days but most cases seem to be Karens disturbed by local police using mall parking lot as staging areas...

Did see Summit was on lockdown after Chapel Hill incident.
 
Another sad story from the once proud Chapel Hill Mall:

Thief robs Chapel Hill Mall jewelry store manager at gunpoint

An armed man robbed the manager of the Gold Valley jewelry store inside Chapel Hill Mall at gunpoint Sunday afternoon, Akron police said.

The manager told police the suspect entered the store around 1:15 p.m., pointed a gun at him and demanded jewelry.

Also trying to figure out how old their pic is on the news story:

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Kaufmann's turned into Macy's a long time ago and Macy's closed at the mall about 5 years ago. Those cars in the parking lot look pretty old. Anyone good with model and year of cars?
 
Another sad story from the once proud Chapel Hill Mall:

Thief robs Chapel Hill Mall jewelry store manager at gunpoint



Also trying to figure out how old their pic is on the news story:

View attachment 12427

Kaufmann's turned into Macy's a long time ago and Macy's closed at the mall about 5 years ago. Those cars in the parking lot look pretty old. Anyone good with model and year of cars?
Some around 2005 is my guess.

I suspect there weren't many witnesses to that robbery.
 
Just down the street, Midway Plaza looks to be in even worse shape:

Tallmadge issues code violations to Midway owners, consider future of property

City officials are hoping that Midway Plaza's out-of-state owners reinvest in the strip mall that is now 80% vacant and have given them 30 days to bring the property up to code or face citations to court.

“We want to see businesses succeed and grow, but there’s a minimum standard in place, and they’ve allowed that property to fall below that minimum standard,” Tallmadge Planning Director and Economic Developer Matthew Springer said.

In 2016, Namdar Realty Group of Great Neck, New York — which specializes in distressed retail centers — purchased the now 65-year-old plaza and the parking lot for $1.25 million, compared to its total appraised value of $1.51 million, according to Summit County records.

I had my first two real jobs at Midway Plaza, "Homerun Hoagies" and "Home Centers"
 
I can remember the huge neon M at Midway Plaza as a kid. That whole area from the dancer bars to the trailer park to the dive bars has gone to heck. Between the plaza and places like Ralph Joseph's and the Egg Castle years ago that area used to be okay. Welcome to the decay of the urban midwest.
 
I can remember the huge neon M at Midway Plaza as a kid. That whole area from the dancer bars to the trailer park to the dive bars has gone to heck. Between the plaza and places like Ralph Joseph's and the Egg Castle years ago that area used to be okay. Welcome to the decay of the urban midwest.
The hill next to Midway Plaza was the first soap box derby when they brought it to the Akron area:

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I don't know if anyone on here ever went to Homerun Hoagies but it was a pretty cool place in the mid 80s. They had good food in the front and coin-operated batting cages in the back. Some really good baseball and softball players came to workout in the Winter back then.
 
The hill next to Midway Plaza was the first soap box derby when they brought it to the Akron area:

View attachment 12604



I don't know if anyone on here ever went to Homerun Hoagies but it was a pretty cool place in the mid 80s. They had good food in the front and coin-operated batting cages in the back. Some really good baseball and softball players came to workout in the Winter back then.
I was aware of the Soap Box Derby hill. Never experienced Home Run Hoagies. I heard they employed some sketchy people there.
 
I just remember Midway Plaza had Sam's World of Golf, which is where I got my first set of no-name golf clubs back in the 80s.
Sam's is long gone, but for the discount golf nut like myself, it was a fun place to visit now and then. That retail space is now taken up by DSG and maybe Play It Again Sports to some degree, but it was nice having a cheaper alternative back then for a duffer like me.
 
I just remember Midway Plaza had Sam's World of Golf, which is where I got my first set of no-name golf clubs back in the 80s.
Sam's is long gone, but for the discount golf nut like myself, it was a fun place to visit now and then. That retail space is now taken up by DSG and maybe Play It Again Sports to some degree, but it was nice having a cheaper alternative back then for a duffer like me.

Man did that place have the clubs. They had stuff in there you wouldn't find anywhere else. As I recall, they also had salesman that appeared to be there on breaks from their second jobs as used car salesmen.
 
Didn't they move to the "new" Chapel Hill Plaza around 86/87?

That seemed like the beginning of the end for Midway when Chapel Hill Plaza opened up.
 
Didn't they move to the "new" Chapel Hill Plaza around 86/87?

That seemed like the beginning of the end for Midway when Chapel Hill Plaza opened up.

I vaguely recall them on the Britain Road side of the mall. They weren't there long.

I remember getting my first couch and loveseat from Value City when it was in Midway.
 
I vaguely recall them on the Britain Road side of the mall. They weren't there long.

I remember getting my first couch and loveseat from Value City when it was in Midway.
I'm pretty sure they were in the plaza just about where Mr Bulky's is now. I don't believe they lasted very long there. Probably had to pay higher rent and lost some customers who didn't know where they went.
 
I'm pretty sure they were in the plaza just about where Mr Bulky's is now. I don't believe they lasted very long there. Probably had to pay higher rent and lost some customers who didn't know where they went.

There was an Ohio Discount Golf where the Panera is now.
 
You guys old enough to remember the golf course that was where the Howe Road Plaza (Marc's/Giant Eagle, etc.) is now? I don't actually remember the course but heard about it. It was called something like Brennick.
 
You guys old enough to remember the golf course that was where the Howe Road Plaza (Marc's/Giant Eagle, etc.) is now? I don't actually remember the course but heard about it. It was called something like Brennick.
I don't remember a golf course there. I do remember it being a big open field. Definitely could have been an abandoned golf course.
 
You guys old enough to remember the golf course that was where the Howe Road Plaza (Marc's/Giant Eagle, etc.) is now? I don't actually remember the course but heard about it. It was called something like Brennick.
I don't recall this either- but like Yappi I do recall when it was an undeveloped field. I also still recall the days when the Howe Rd. strip still had houses on it, (on the other side of Howe Rd about where Home Depot and Best Buy are now). It was probably in the early to mid 80s.

It'd be interesting to find out some info on the golf course, if any exists.
 
You guys old enough to remember the golf course that was where the Howe Road Plaza (Marc's/Giant Eagle, etc.) is now? I don't actually remember the course but heard about it. It was called something like Brennick.
Breathnach Country Club

The first pro golf event to come to Akron was played there in 1953 with the arrival of the Rubber City Open before it moved to Firestone the following year. Building of the course began in 1927, and it expanded to 18 holes in 1932. It closed on Sept. 17, 1972. Developers purchased the course from the estate of Anthony Hiel. The land was rezoned a few years later to make commercial development a possibility. Part of the land was within the Akron city limits and the other part in Cuyahoga Falls.


 
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Great job Slippery. This also explains why I don't recall the course-my family moved here in '73 after it closed.
 
Great job Slippery. This also explains why I don't recall the course-my family moved here in '73 after it closed.
All of this was new to me until I started searching the Beacon archives via newspapers.com. The info I came across is courtesy of old BJ articles. Incidentally, Clark is correct in that the pronunciation is "Brennick." I would've lost a chunk of change on a bet regarding either how to pronounce it or how to spell it based on the pronunciation.

The opportunity to learn something new and the accompanying hunt for relevant information continues to be a source of enjoyment.
 

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Breathnach Country Club

The first pro golf event to come to Akron was played there in 1953 with the arrival of the Rubber City Open before moving to Firestone the following year. Building of the course began in 1927, and it expanded to 18 holes in 1932. It closed on Sept. 17, 1972. Developers purchased the course from the estate of Anthony Hiel. The land was rezoned a few years later to make commercial development a possibility. Part of the land was within the Akron city limits and the other part in Cuyahoga Falls.



You beat me to it! I did some looking around today.

I also remember the Highlander Driving Range where Stonehedge Bowling is now.
 
I don't recall this either- but like Yappi I do recall when it was an undeveloped field. I also still recall the days when the Howe Rd. strip still had houses on it, (on the other side of Howe Rd about where Home Depot and Best Buy are now). It was probably in the early to mid 80s.

It'd be interesting to find out some info on the golf course, if any exists.
Yup, I remember going to a classmates birthday party and they lived in the neighborhood on that side of Howe Road.
 
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