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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: FCOldtimer ()
Date: November 06, 2014 09:13AM

anyone remember the luncheonette at Monkey Wards?

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: FCOldtimer ()
Date: November 06, 2014 09:16AM

anyone remember the luncheonetter in Montgomery Ward?

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Haycock boy ()
Date: November 24, 2014 01:40PM

As far as the open/closed questions, I distinctly recall going there for Christmas shopping in the early '70s. We lived closer to Tysons Corner and tended to shop there but my grandmother still clinging onto 7-Corners' venerable past said we must go there.
It was a very cold day and I remember how freezing it was walking in the covered promenade amongst a throng of holiday shoppers. The whole experience was a little bizarre to me: there was a roof overhead but it was freezing and rather breezy! The lighting was minimal, surrounded by bricks and hard surfaces everywhere while people were pushing around in the bitter cold getting their Christmas gifts. But I was sort of marveling at it anyway. The underground service tunnels, the sort of indoor/outdoor arrangement. I was thinking of how it could be "tweaked" to still work as outdoors. (I am an architect now.)

I don't recall the monkeys but this seems to be one of the curious things merchants would do to attract patrons back in the day.
I remember going into Tysons Corner when it was new and they had an enormous floor-to-ceiling bird cage in the ell of the mall. These huge tropical birds made loud cackling sounds that echoed all the way down the mall. And they dropped monumental piles of poop. My brother and I always loved to point that out to mom.
Like 7-Corners, Tysons was all hard surfaces and noisy inside. Remember when they came out with those acrylic balls attached by a rope?
The purpose of these things was to swing them back and forth smacking them against each other to make a loud cracking sound. They sold them at Tysons Corner and all the racket from kids smacking these things drove my mom crazy!

Anyway, we moved away in '76 and I think that 7-Corners Christmas visit was at least a few years prior to that so it was still open air (w/roof) probably in early '70s.

I totally remember those annual Hahns shoe store trips! Agh! Here we go again where mom and dad tell you that you need quality and wind up with the institutional look. My brother and I would laugh at each other once we got "shoed" and mom would just tell us to settle down and get moving.

Woodies! Because it would take forever for mom to shop, my brother and I found great fun at the elevators. Customers would go in the elevator, we ran up and pressed the button after the doors closed, and the delay before they reopened was just long enough to hide in the nearby clothes racks. Our goal was to do it enough that people would just give up and leave. Of course it all came to an end the day we finally got caught. Mom made us apologize to the manager. Lesson learned.

Fun to reminisce. Thanks!

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Billy Whack ()
Date: November 24, 2014 02:32PM

Guess not now STFU!



FCOldtimer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> anyone remember the luncheonetter in Montgomery
> Ward?

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Richard ()
Date: November 29, 2014 10:59AM

Does anyone remember the tobacco store? I remember the smell of pipe tobacco the most. I had forgotten that people were allowed to smoke in that mall. It was a beautiful place and very luxurious. I also remember it housed a fallout shelter. I always wanted one of those signs as a child.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: txblue ()
Date: July 30, 2015 07:59PM

Woodies was actually 4 levels -the basement, Lower Level, Upper Level and 2nd floor. I worked in both the basement and the 2nd floor during the 5 years I worked there in HS and college. Since the mall really had 2 main levels they didn't want to confuse people by numbering them 1 and 2.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Deb ()
Date: December 02, 2015 12:54PM

Does anyone remember the name of a bar that was in a strip mall on rt 7 at bailys crossroad where live bands played on weekends?

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: DH ()
Date: December 02, 2015 03:55PM

Misty's??
It was in the Culmore shopping center.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: still get nightmares ()
Date: December 08, 2015 03:02PM

They're coming to get you Barbara.


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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: YF12A ()
Date: February 10, 2016 03:31PM

To all, thanks for the fantastic memories,

7 Corners, I spent a LOT of time there. Loved shopping there with my Mom, I think she tried to keep Woodies going by herself. Even though the Landmark W&L was a lot closer, I think the feel of the 7 Corners Woodies kept her going back.

Used to go to the great tobacco store, the Italian store and the pizza place in the top middle were great as well. There was also a very interesting luggage store there. A time capsule of an American Mall.

Montgomery Wards across the way, the food shop was ok, liked shopping there. How about Lafayette Electronics as well. or Steven Windsor clothing?

Baileys Crossroads, when my parents moved here in the '50's, they said the X-roads was nothing but an intersection with a feed store there. Then there was Giffords ice cream, the first Roys', ToysRus, the Airport, the Drive In and Hechingers. And then I found Crossroads Kawasaki, a motorcycle shop next to the pony rides that has had an effect on me to this day.

And in between both locations, Peking Gourmet Chinese, a then and now top tier restaurant.

Once again to all, thanks!!

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: henry M. ()
Date: April 28, 2016 03:03PM

Does anybody remember CPI Photo Finish on the lower level next to Woolworths? I used to work there in the 80's.. it was a lot of fun and I have some good memories! How about Buchanan and Kiguel? I worked there in 1980, located on the upper level close to the current shoe store. I have pictures and will upload them soon!

I got my "Member's Only" jacket from Wilson's next to CPI Photo Finish in 1984 I think.. I used to love wearing it!

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Sleepy Holla ()
Date: April 28, 2016 05:09PM

As I posted in "Old Pics" thread a few yrs ago...one of my fav parts of 7-Corners! Some more cool facts about my fave....
The first car drove under that magical sign Oct. 4, 1956, the day of the shopping center's grand opening. The sign consisted of an 80-foot-tall vertical section that read "7 CORNERS" and a horizontal arch reading "SHOPPING CENTER." The 11-foot-tall "7" forecast the weather. A jingle from those days:

When Number 7 is shining red, nasty weather is ahead.

When Number 7 is shining green, fair weather is foreseen.

When Number 7 is shining white, cloudy weather is in sight.

A vertical row of lights flashed upward when the temperature was increasing and downward when the mercury was falling. As if this weren't enough, there was also a three-foot-high digital clock.
Attachments:
7Corners1.jpg

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: F9pu6 ()
Date: April 29, 2016 12:23PM

F9pU6

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: JK ()
Date: April 29, 2016 02:08PM

Louie's Rock City
Attachments:
louiesrockcity.jpg

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Anwar al-Awlaki ()
Date: April 29, 2016 03:07PM


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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Nidal Hasan ()
Date: April 29, 2016 03:09PM

I love Dar Al-Hijah as well!

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Elizabeth ()
Date: April 29, 2016 05:26PM

Does anyone remember the Lerner's which was outside of Woody's I think?

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Sleepy Holla ()
Date: April 30, 2016 02:21PM

And while taking a break from shopping and meet friends...
Attachments:
peoples.jpg

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: very sad ()
Date: April 30, 2016 02:38PM

Now it's full of Mexicans/non-whites and is predictably garbage. Very sad.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Pity the honky ()
Date: May 01, 2016 12:13PM

If your life is defined by being surrounded by white people, you are in for decades and decades of deep and increasing sadness everywhere in this country.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Arlington native ()
Date: May 03, 2016 09:48PM

At the intersection of Wilson and rt 50 across from 7 corners, where the guitar center is, I remember my dad taking me on a walk up a hill overlooking the intersection. There were a few very old out buildings and some barbed wire fence. I must have been 8 or 9. It was the late 60s. I didn't understand the significance at the time. It was the last vestages of what was mostly farms when my father first came to this area in the fortys. He wanted me to see the last of what was. Seven corners was all dirt roads untill the early fifty's. I still remember it vividly every time I drive past even today. There was also a s&w cafeteria at the end of 7 corners with a prepared food line. You would slide your trey down and pick your food from the stainless steele carts. Nice memories.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Montgomery ()
Date: May 04, 2016 02:28AM

Sleepy Holla Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And while taking a break from shopping and meet
> friends...


Are you thinking of the lunch counter at Woolworth's? I don't remember a People's Drug in 7 Corners. There was one across the street in Wilson Centre, now a CVS.

Also anyone else ever hang out in the basement pool hall in Wilson Centre? I believe it was called Chaucer's or Chancer's or something like that.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Montgomery ()
Date: May 04, 2016 02:31AM

Sleepy Holla Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As I posted in "Old Pics" thread a few yrs
> ago...one of my fav parts of 7-Corners! Some more
> cool facts about my fave....
> The first car drove under that magical sign Oct.
> 4, 1956, the day of the shopping center's grand
> opening. The sign consisted of an 80-foot-tall
> vertical section that read "7 CORNERS" and a
> horizontal arch reading "SHOPPING CENTER." The
> 11-foot-tall "7" forecast the weather. A jingle
> from those days:
>
> When Number 7 is shining red, nasty weather is
> ahead.
>
> When Number 7 is shining green, fair weather is
> foreseen.
>
> When Number 7 is shining white, cloudy weather is
> in sight.
>
> A vertical row of lights flashed upward when the
> temperature was increasing and downward when the
> mercury was falling. As if this weren't enough,
> there was also a three-foot-high digital clock.


Wow, I remember the sign, but I don't think I ever knew it changed colors like that. I do remember the time a neighbor of mine stationed people at each end of the mall, had them open the double doors, and drove his old-school tiny Honda Civic inside from one end to the other.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Montgomery (again) ()
Date: May 04, 2016 02:36AM

FCOldtimer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> anyone remember the luncheonette at Monkey Wards?


Yup, it was called the Buffeteria (combine buffet and cafeteria). I used to eat there every day I worked. Pretty sure the lady who ran it was even named Flo.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: NoVa Oldtimer ()
Date: May 04, 2016 07:16AM

This thread is a nice respite from all of the other regular garbage on this site!

Anyway...

My grandparents lived in Falls Church (in the county, not FC City) from the 1940's until they passed away in the 80's. Grandma loved Seven Corners Mall and she took "us kids" there all the time, to have lunch at the S & W and just to tag along with her as she shopped at Woodies and Garfinkels. This was during the 60's. We thought the S & W was paradise! All the choices, and what a treat! When we were a bit older, she would take my sister and me to Lord and Taylor across the road to have a ladies' lunch in their fabulous restaurant. Very posh :-) Ah, memories...

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: DaveH ()
Date: May 04, 2016 08:38AM

Montgomery Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sleepy Holla Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > And while taking a break from shopping and meet
> > friends...
>
>
> Are you thinking of the lunch counter at
> Woolworth's? I don't remember a People's Drug in
> 7 Corners. There was one across the street in
> Wilson Centre, now a CVS.
>
> Also anyone else ever hang out in the basement
> pool hall in Wilson Centre? I believe it was
> called Chaucer's or Chancer's or something like
> that.


There was a People's at 7 Corners, it was next door to Woolworths. Woolworths had a lunch counter on the lower level and Peoples had a counter on the lower level and a sit down restaurant on the upper level. CVS at Wilston was originally a Drug Fair.
We spent a lot of time at that pool hall. I can't remember the name of it. I think the tables were named after States, with Virginia being in the corner and had seats around it for tournaments. We would skip school and hang out there.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: cw6Jd ()
Date: May 05, 2016 04:37PM

cw6Jd

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Eve Birch ()
Date: July 16, 2016 08:33AM

I worked at the Magic Pan.
Those were wonderful memories.
And I worked with wonderful people, some were even white, like the managers and the owners and the building landlords ...

Your comment about 'when white people lived there' was right out of your ass. Why don't you look into the local history and find out who moved all the people of color into that area, you racist pigass.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: FCOldtimer ()
Date: January 15, 2017 12:19PM

Yes, The Buffeteria. Had a friend who worked there. When did you work at Wards?

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Sleepy Holla ()
Date: January 15, 2017 02:09PM

Loved parking on the roof of Wards....plus the bounty of different girls at the summer carnival.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: pPyVx ()
Date: January 15, 2017 07:35PM

Pity the honky Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If your life is defined by being surrounded by
> white people, you are in for decades and decades
> of deep and increasing sadness everywhere in this
> country.

DROP DEAD

I'LL MAKE SURE THEY GET TOPPINGS ON THEIR ICE CREAM - THIS OR THAT. go back to DC

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: DYbP4 ()
Date: January 15, 2017 07:52PM

your attempt to bring shame to whites but not to blacks or mexicans who cling together in fairfax - under obama
Attachments:
perp.jpg

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: jeb ()
Date: January 15, 2017 07:53PM

what i remember about tyson's is from a dr's office coffee table book about tyson's over the the years. it's gone through many changes. what i remember most from the book and from local knowlege is ...


Tyson's was developed by a U.S.A. Military man



who had obtained money from and after the war. A friend of his told him the area was to become prime real-estate, and his put all his money down there - including in building the original mall.

His bet paid of well, Tyson's was and is a popular and high land value area.


IT IS A PLACE, SO TO SPEAK, OF A WAR-DROBE, OF WAR SPOILS - UNSURE IF VIET-NAM OR WWII / JAPAN OR KOREA


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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Hush Monkey ()
Date: January 16, 2017 12:49PM

Used to go there in the 70s and 80s. Lower level had a House of Fine Fabrics, a Cargo furniture store, and a tobacconist where I used to buy Indonesian clove cigarettes.

Anchor stores at either end were Woodward & Lothrop ("Worthless & Loathing")& Garfinkel's. Shopping was lovely then. Americans behind every sales counter in the shopping center. You could converse with them. Used to buy stockings at Garfie's and W&L. The sales counters had displays of stocking material for the various brands so you could touch them and see how the colors looked against your skin. You'd tell the sales clerk what you wanted and she'd bring out a small flat box of stockings wrapped in tissue paper. You'd take your purchase home in a flat paper bag. How sweet it was.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Minkie ()
Date: January 16, 2017 12:54PM

Hey, that parking lot on the roof of Montgomery Ward was meant for the employees!

I worked there in the late 70s and that roof lot was where the employees went to smoke weed on their lunch breaks.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Sleepy Holla ()
Date: January 16, 2017 12:58PM

Hey Minkie...yea, I know :)

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: GpXyD ()
Date: January 16, 2017 01:02PM

sounds like a yuppie snowflake got butt hurt by hearing his precious is surrounded by neighbors he despises...

typical northern love the race, hate the man idiocy

DEStewart01 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yep that area is such a filthwhole... Sears, Home
> Depot, Dogfish Head Tavern, the Pub House No. 7,
> Chipotle, Barnes and Nobles, Starbucks, G Street
> Fabrics, Michaels, a new Bank of America
> (replacing a flea bag motel). Damn, I wouldnt want
> any of those substandard establishments in my
> neighborhood!
>
> LOL some of ya'll are ridiculous with your
> adjectives. Have you forgotten that the closest
> neighborhoods to 7 Corners, besides a few
> apartment complexes (which are well maintained by
> the way) are Sleepy Hollow and Lake Barcroft! The
> horrors! The hood! A filthy hell hole! A
> disgusting pit of humanity!
>
> Thanks I'll go back to my ghetto Sleepy Hollow
> neighborhood of houses worth between 500K and 2
> million and just hide inside. I hear 7 Corners is
> "dangerous" LOL

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: dog fish ()
Date: March 14, 2019 06:57AM

Loved dog fish.

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Re: Seven corners in the late 70s
Posted by: Johnee ()
Date: July 02, 2021 04:00PM

Does anyone happen to have a photo or photos of 7 Corners mall from the late 70s-mid 90s? I’ve seen the ones already uploaded here but it seems they’re from before 1970. I grew up there my entire childhood and college years and worked at Sam Goody in 1993. I have a ton of memories there especially my mom always shopping at Woolworth’s. They had the best arcade games there too. Hope this reaches someone with an answer. Thanks in advance!

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