Seminary South Shopping Center

Anyone who grew up in Fort Worth in the 1960s has great memories of the Seminary South Shopping Center. Built on a location previously occupied by Katy Lake, Seminary South opened in 1962, and offered a vastly superior shopping experience to the strip centers of the day. It was the first commercial venue in the area that encouraged shoppers to browse many stores, all in a beautiful open-air setting. While often described today as a “mall”, I don’t recall that name applied to it at the time. The first true mall, the fully-enclosed Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota, opened in 1956.
One of the most appealing aspects of Seminary South was the diverse selection of stores, ranging from the large department stores like Striplings, Sears, J.C. Penny, Leonard’s and G.C. Murphy, to smaller establishments like Spencer’s Gifts, Chess King, Kinney Shoes, Hobby Hub and the Book Oasis. There was truly something for everyone.
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