What happened to the Hillside Shopping Center?

I recently went back home for my brother's wedding, and I was shocked to see that the mall was gone! What the hell happened? That place was my home away from home in the 80's. Very sad to see it gone! When did it close? Also, I noticed that the Hillside theater is gone! I remember going up to the Sears Tower, and looking west through the telescopes, and you could pick out the huge Hillside Theater sign. It all makes me want to cry. What a shame!!!

Hillside shopping center and theater has been gone for AGES.........years and years and years.

Run over by gang- banging punks! The whole area is now a 5hit hole.

Most of the Hillside Shopping Center was torn down in 1997. It was built in 1956, so it had a pretty good run, but I agree it is a shame to see it go. I remember it in the 60s and 70s -- there was Carsons at one end, Goldblatts at the other (where Menards is now). There was a record shop, Vicki's card shop, Allied Radio (before Radio Shack), Western Auto, etc. Q's Restaurant on Butterfield Road is still going strong -- if you grew up around Hillside in the 1980s I'm sure you spent some time there.

there was also a woolworths. they had a food counter. frozen cherry cokes and hotdogs. loved it. remember candy's around the world. whiskey sours were my favortie. there was allisons and what was the name of the jean place. teds or something like that. and there was a restaurant in the mall. they had red barn doors. i think menards now occupies the place. spent many weekends at "the center." where did all you grow up and attend school? just curious. not very often I run into (so to speak) from someone from the old neighborhood.......

Oh yes, how could I forget Woolworth's and the lunch counter? Didn't they sell parakeets in the store too? Can't remember the name of the restaurant. William A. Lewis, a women's clothing store, was there I think. I grew up in Berkeley and graduated from Sunnyside Grade School in 1967 and Proviso West in 1971.

Wasn't the name of the restaurant "Tally Ho"? It was located down toward Goldblatt's.......

You're right, now that you mention it, it was Tally Ho. You have a good memory.

did you know my sisters. my two elder sisters graduated from pw in 74 and 76. they both graduated from st. johns. leslie and patti andrews.

I was in the business of supply flooring to shopping centers, so I was aware of the changes going on. First and obviously the most important was the improvement and expansion of Oak Brook Center. Then, Brickyard Shopping Center was built a few miles North. Hillside mall did serve well and I used it a lot. I didnt really think it would surviv, once crime went way up around the mall

Hi...still live in Bellwood--moved back to folks house after my divorce 11 yrs ago. My dad passed this past Sept and I'll be out of there by this fall. He was the original owner of the house and he and my mom lived in Bellwood for almost 50 years! Me and my 3 sisters all attended and graduated from St. John Chrysostom School on St. Charles Road. We all went to ICHS in Elmhurst but all of out neighborhood friends went to PW. OMG--what a coincidence that I found this forum about Hillside Shopping Center. My friend and I were just talking about that corner restaurant by Goldblatt's (turned Zayre in the 80's). It did have red barn doors and red pleather booths! They had the best Pattymelts. It was right across from a HOT DOG Buggy/Stand. That mall what the bomb! Thom Mcahn & Kinney shoes stores, Woolworths (Played many games of PacMan there), The popcorn shop that had the best cheese popcorn! I can't believe you remembered Candies Around the World and the Whiskey SOur candies--those were my fav too. The Hillside Theater and Hillside Square (multiplex theaters) are not Baptist churches. Boy if the walls of those theaters could talk. Anyway, thanks for letting me know the name of the Red Barn restaurant!!

Former Bellwoodian --

Sorry, I do not know your sisters. If your younger sister graduated in 1974, then she must have been a freshman when I was a senior -- but as you know there were a lot of students there! I think my graduating class was close to 1000.

Dave,

Oh ok. Just wondering. I know what you mean about the large class size. I went to PW for one year and then our family moved to Lake Zurich. Talk about culture shock. On our first day of school, there was some sort of assembly in they gym and I clearly remember the princpal informing us enrollment reached over 1000 students and how excited they were etc.... My sister and I just looked at each other and groaned. If I would have graduated at PW our graduating class was about 800 students. I have nothing but fond memories of Bellwood and the surrounding area. Every now and then will drive the old neighborhood.

What was the name of the (kind of round shaped) stereo & electronics store that was in the parking lot of the mall?

Lillian wrote:

What was the name of the (kind of round shaped) stereo & electronics store that was in the parking lot of the mall?

Playback.

YESSSS! You're good!(Sob...)

Hi everyone! I feel like I'm taking a walk down memory lane!I grew up in Westchester and worked at the Goldblatts store for 2 years.I graduated from Proviso west in 77.I have great memories of all the stores you mentioned!I sure miss the old days!

And for the old timers... Sandy's Drive In at the far west end of the Hillside Shopping Center, across the street from the Hillside Bowl. Long gone.

My favorites though, were the caramel corn shop in the mall and the lunch counter at Woolworth's.

And let's not forget Cock Robin on Mannheim Road and the long gone Jack In the Box. Okay... maybe we can forget the latter.

Ooops... Meant to say far east end of the mall for Sandy's.

Used to hang out at Del Mar's restaurant at Mannheim and 22nd. Sit for hours, order one coke and smoke up a storm. How they put up with us, I'll never know.........