Shepherd Mall (Oklahoma)

Shepherd Mall is a former shopping mall located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that opened in 1964 [6] as the first fully inclosed indoor shopping mall in Oklahoma City,[7] however by 2003 all of the anchors had closed and the mall was well under way in transitioning to being primarily an office complex.[8]

Shepherd Mall
LocationOklahoma City, Oklahoma
Opening dateNov. 1964 [1]
DeveloperCharles L. Jenkins and Ray C. Broce[2]
Total retail floor area630,000 sq ft (59,000 m2) [3]
No. of floors2 [4]
Parking4,200 parking spaces at the time of mall opening [5]
photo of entrance of Shepherd Center (formerly Shepherd Mall)
photo of entrance of Shepherd Center (formerly Shepherd Mall)

History

The area where Shepherd Mall would later be built was part of a 160 acre homestead claimed by George Shepherd during the land run of 1889. While much of the original homestead was later developed into a housing addition in the early 1930s (which today is known as the Shepherd Historic District), members of the Shepherd family continued to live in the old house (which was surrounded by the mall parking lot after the fall was constructed) until 1970. (The old Shepherd family home was later moved to the Harn Homestead historic site near the state capitol in the 1987.)[9][10]

Shepherd Mall had its grand opening on Nov. 5, 1964 [11] and received local media attention for "creating its own weather" (this was Oklahoma City's first indoor shopping mall).[12] It was built by Harmon Construction Company[13] over one and half years.[14]

During its heyday, Shepherd Mall was home to both anchor stores like Oklahoma-based chains TG&Y and Kerr's (later occupied by Dillard Brown Dunkin, related to John A. Brown, as well as national chains like McCrory's, Dillards and J.C. Penney[15] but also by smaller stores, restaurants (including the famed El Charrito restaurant[16])and service businesses including at times a travel agency,[17] a bank,[18] and a credit union.[19] The mall also had a two screen movie theater for a time.

In 2017, the complex's name was changed to "Shepherd Center" to reflect the building's current use,[20] and today houses a variety of government and corporate tenants.[21]

References
  1. "Penn Square Shopping Center Northwest" Mall Hall of Fame (March 2007) Accessed Oct. 10, 2021
  2. "Shepherd Historic District" LivingPlaces.com Accessed Oct. 10, 2021.
  3. "Last Original Shepherd Mall Store is closed" The Oklahoman
  4. "Shepherd Center Listings" Wigginprop.com>
  5. "Mall has space for 4,200 autos" The Oklahoman Nov. 1, 1964, page 85. Accessed via Metrolibrary.org database on Oct. 10, 2021.
  6. "Memories of Shepherd Mall". 25 April 2014.
  7. "Shepherd Mall" OkieModSquad (website)
  8. Wiley, Camacho "Last Original Shepherd Mall Store is closed" The Oklahoman (Feb. 27, 2003) Accessed Oct. 10, 2021.
  9. Defrange, Ann "Historic Shepherd House makes second move to new plot" The Oklahoman (Aug. 14, 1987) Accessed Oct. 10, 2021.
  10. "History of Shepherd Historic District" ShepherdHistoric.com Accessed Oct. 10, 2021.
  11. Advertisement The Oklahoman page 83, Nov 1, 1964. Accessed via Metrolibrary.org database on Oct. 10, 2021.
  12. "Mall makes own weather" The Oklahoman Nov. 1, 1964, page 84. Accessed via Metrolibrary.org database on Oct. 10, 2021.
  13. Advertisement "Another Harmon Structure!" The Oklahoman Nov. 1, 1964, page 85. Accessed via Metrolibrary.org database on Oct. 10, 2021.
  14. "Construction job lasted 1-1/2 years" The Oklahoman Nov. 1, 1964, page 90. Accessed via Metrolibrary.org database on Oct. 10, 2021.
  15. "Last original Shepherd Mall store is closed".
  16. "Sidewalk restaurants key mall informality" The Oklahoman page 88, Nov. 1, 1964. Accessed via metrolibrary.org database on Oct. 10, 2021.
  17. Jacoby, Ray "Photograph of Rainbow Travel Service, Shepherd Mall, Oct. 29, 1964" Oklahoma Images Archive (Metro Library System) Accessed Oct. 10, 2021.
  18. "Shepherd Mall State Bank" Metrolibrary.org Accessed Oct. 10, 2021
  19. Burkes, Paula "Credit Union Chief deals personally with clients and employees" The Oklahoman (April 14, 2021)
  20. Fleming, Molly M. "Renovations, branding update Shepherd Mall into Shepherd Center" (Oct. 26, 2017) Accessed Oct. 10, 2021.
  21. Listing of rental opening at Shepherd Center, dated 2021

35.4935306°N 97.5567639°W / 35.4935306; -97.5567639

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