You’ve touched on some of my favorite past eateries at Tyson’s Corner, *the* shopping center of my childhood. Unfortunately, I don’t have photos, but I do have some memories…
Hot Shoppes: What would a shopping trip with Mom be without some Pappy Parker fried chicken, and some coleslaw? This was there since day one, and, although there were two cafeteria lines, most of the time only one was ever open. I think you could also get the same chicken, if not by the same name, at the Roy Rogers, another Marriott property at one time.
(I always thought that with the whole Black Eyed Pea/Boston Market-type comfort food trend that Marriott, with some updating, could have made a go of the chain even today, but they claimed it wasn’t Still, at one time not too long ago, the Key Bridge Marriott was going to renovate its lobby-level restaurant into a replica of an early Hot Shoppes, complete with authentic entrees. I don’t think that ever happened, but I did get a Hot Shoppes cookbook at the Bailey’s economically viable. Crossroads location when I ate there, just before it was razed for a Best Buy.)
Roy Rogers: This location did have a cafeteria line, where you could get premade roast beef sandwiches, fries, etc., unlike most of the other locations, where you stood in a regular line. Even after it was remodeled with an all-glass storefront, it kept that setup, I think. The chain is still around, but they are few and far between - it never recovered from the Hardees acquisition. Good fast food.
Farrell’s: I remember going to friends’ birthday parties at here, but my most vivid memory of that location was that it was near a raised, permanent circular stage, with sloping tiled sides and covered with orange rug on top, where they held fashion shows (“Fashion Court”) – I remember my sister being in several sponsored by Woodward and Lothrop.
There was also the requisite huge bird cage nearby, which lives on only in name in the Aviary Court. At least I think so – I couldn’t find the court names at their website,
http://www.shoptysons.com
Lum’s: I never ate there, but you’re right about the location, which was near Roth’s theaters, too.
Roth's was not the greatest - I always liked the theater next to Farrell’s better – I think there were four screens, and you walked down a flight of stairs a mezzanine with a video arcade, and then to a set of escalators that took you the rest of the way down. ADA-compliant it wasn’t.
It was one of the few areas, besides the department stores, and Raleigh’s menswear (now occupied by Banana Republic) which had levels below the main level, where all the inline stores were before renovation added a lower level.
Raleigh’s, an original tenant, never renovated significantly, and still had a fab 60’s-era spiral staircase to the lower level until it went out of business. After the lower level was added, they didn't a second storefront - there were just black doors that opened out, like the exit from a movie theater.
Fannie Farmer candy: Facing diagonally toward Hecht’s, they had wonderful pecan buttercreams. I really miss those.
The Hecht Co.: It was years before I realized that what I thought was an abstract sculpture on the wall inside was actually the script version of their logo. I remember getting some of my school clothes there, but my mom usually took me to Woodies first, to see what they had. The Hecht’s menswear Really brown. Brown of an organic nature. Not attractive. It also hosted the bus stop, which made for some interesting people waiting inside, sheltered from the cold/heat. department was brown.
The restaurant was in the basement, which I always thought odd, and there never seemed to be anyone in there when I went downstairs to use the restroom.
I liked the Fountain Court in front of the store. Really fake-looking palms, and blue (?) tiled fountains lit from underneath with what seemed like hundreds of dollars of coins in them – I think the center donated them to charity every so often. And, an odd store (or something) called Pot’o’Gold that couldn’t seem to decide what it was – a restaurant? A place to buy smokes? Both?
Woodward & Lothrop: This was the department store my family went to most often, and I still have a black wool overcoat that I wear occasionally. I always wanted to go to their restaurant, The Williamsburg Room, which was on the top floor, but I don’t think I ever did. I always liked the octagonal display room at the top of the escalator though – like a mini-Monticello.
Woodies had the clock court, with a freestanding square clock. Nice, but the fake lushness of the Fountain Court was nicer, to my way of thinking.
I think they’ve updated Tyson’s nicely, and I shop there when I need to go to the mall, although I don’t care for the new wing too much or the less dramatic courts. I’d love to see some of these retailers resurrected, too. Venture capital anyone?