Sterling Heights Lakeside Mall End Date Now Official

The end date for Lakeside Mall is set, and this time, it's for real. Lakeside's owner plans to announce Wednesday that it will permanently close the shopping mall on July 1.

Built in the late 1970s, the 110-acre site could see groundbreaking by late 2025 for a $1 billion-plus redevelopment plan: Lakeside Town Center, a town-square-type project with apartments, new retail, restaurants, offices, a hotel, and public recreation space.

Macy's and J.C. Penney department stores at the mall are to stay open and help anchor the future development. The former Sears and Lord & Taylor stores also will remain standing. That is the plan for now. As you know, things change each day.

The Year was 1976, when America was celebrating its bicentennial. News around the neighborhood was that the most excellent mall ever had been finished. Back then, my pals in the area went to the Macomb Mall or Oakland Mall, and they did so for years! Holidays like Easter and Christmas brought many memories to those malls. Then, a new concept of an even greater mall with all your favorite stores in one place was built.

Lakeside Mall was in Sterling Heights, Michigan, off M-59 and Schoenherr Road. It had two levels and a movie theater. An ice rink that later became a hydro-tube water slide was also there. There was a food court, a glass elevator, and plenty more. Plus, it also had that new mall smell!

The Macomb Daily reported that Sterling Heights' city council voted to accept a $3 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to help acquire properties around the mall area and redevelop them.

Lakeside Town Center would be built in phases and, as currently proposed, eventually include:

patreon.com/northernfilms does an awesome job with this short film capturing the heart and times of the once-great Lakeside Mall

When I first went to the mall with friends, we took a bus that left the Macomb Mall from out front. You better not dare ever miss the last bus, as it would mean you'd be making a call to Mom and Dad that wouldn't go over well.

It was the cool thing to do—go to the mall—a local hangout where you met all your friends from school and made even more friends from other schools all over. I loved the record stores—they had three or four back then, some of which included Harmony House, Music Stop, and more. We went ice skating at one time. There was a two-story Hydro-tube indoor water slide. And all the fun with Movies at Midnight.

Memories of friends and hanging out at the local mall for midnight showings of movies. Great excuse to stay out late from mom and dad. On a special date or just a bunch of your neighborhood pals. Lots of fun included being part of the night on the big screen, and singing along with the movie. The choice seat was always trying to get the back row of seats for goofing around or alone time with your favorite girl. To me, nothing beat a Midnight Movie at Lakeside Mall in Sterling Hgts. The following were some of the Academy Award-winning films shown on the movie screens. They always had multiple theaters so you could sneak in any movie during the night.

Star-studded award-winning actors, (not at the time), Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Meatloaf, and others for one of the craziest movies ever made. When you see this movie at the midnight shows you are a part of the movie. You are expected to bring all the props like a newspaper, squirt gun, rice, playing cards, and a whole lot of movie lines to remember. Not just a movie but an experience you will not soon forget.

This groundbreaking movie captures Led Zeppelin LIVE in a 1973 concert at New York's Madison Square Garden. Features performances of such classics as "Dazed and Confused," "Stairway to Heaven" and "Whole Lotta Love," and Jimmy Page playing his guitar with a bow. Close-ups of Robert Plant's brilliant vocals and close-ups of his balls, John Paul Jones, and the late John Bonham. Lots of visual effects and little side movies of the personal lives of each band member. A moment in time captured on film. 

Bob Geldof from the band Boomtown Rats plays a tutored band member fighting with psychological pain from his past. The movie pretty much follows the storyline of the album with the same name. I remember every showing a cloud of smoke would fill the theater. Funny because there were no smoking cigarettes' at the movie theater. It was ok I guess because it wasn't Tabaco.

The WHO's Rock Opera was made into a movie. Tommy revolves around the 'deaf, dumb, and blind kid' Roger Daltrey who survives the childhood trauma that stole his senses to become a Pinball Wizard. Staring, Tina Turner to Elton John's over-the-top rendition of "Pinball Wizard". Other star performers include Eric Clapton and the Who's drummer Keith Moon and many other stars like Jack Nicholson. All of Pete Townsend's music masterpieces come to life in one crazy Hollywood movie.

This was one crazy movie combining the best in animation techniques at the time. It's a collection of tales from all over the spectrum. The music was the best of the best at the time. Sammy Hagar, Cheap Trick, Stevie Nicks, Blue Oster Cult, Donald Fegan, Nazareth, Devo, Grand Funk Railroad, and Journey. The voice actors in the movie had a heavy Canadian cast featuring John Candy, Harold Ramis, and Eugene Levy. Almost every Ghostbuster except Bill Murray. Still, a fun movie to stay out late on a Saturday night.

Sterling Heights Lakeside Mall End Date Now Official Lakeside's owner plans to announce Wednesday that it will permanently close the shopping mall on July 1.