I worked at the Black Squirrel on May Street back in the late 70's. I loved working there....it was such an "in" place to be employeed in those days...I miss it and the customers who used to frequent it....Ron Fedun was the owner/ operator at the time.
I was up there in '76 and it was the quintessential '70s mall; returned twenty years later and it was a quintessential dead mall! Virtually abandoned yet still oozing a "Have a Nice Day" vibe from it's once groovy fixtures. My inner twelve year old cried a bittersweet tear! I'm sure it was razed shortly thereafter, no?
This commercial really sums up the "squirrelly" optimism of Seventies teendom.
Well, unfortunately, Keskus is no more. After Eaton's closed in 1997, Keskus went downhill after that and was torn down. Built in its place in either 2000-2001 was the OLG Casino Thunder Bay. Are you from Thunder Bay or did you just visit?
Just visiting as a kid and playing in a band upon my return. I remember I dedicated a song called "We're Gonna Burn It Down" to the Keskus Mall and the crowd ate it up.... Had they no care for their dead mall?!
I guess not after Eaton's closed. The chain was going bankrupt at the time, which is why the Thunder Bay store closed, along with many others soon after that. The few in Canada that did stay open were bought out by Sears, and now Eaton's is no more.
People in Thunder Bay love this Black Squirrel commercial. We remember it in Keskus Mall and County Fair Plaza! Right beside the record store called Music City. Thanks for this great posting! Keep the retro Thunder Bay stuff coming!
I REMEMBER a black squirrel got into the mall and was captured in the Black Squirrel store.
Chubstanley 2 years ago
I worked at the Black Squirrel on May Street back in the late 70's. I loved working there....it was such an "in" place to be employeed in those days...I miss it and the customers who used to frequent it....Ron Fedun was the owner/ operator at the time.
kathy anderson kosolowski
PbNKeenan 2 years ago
un-uncle Scott?
Michellelegrosssssss 3 years ago
Ah yes, the Keskus Mall!
I was up there in '76 and it was the quintessential '70s mall; returned twenty years later and it was a quintessential dead mall! Virtually abandoned yet still oozing a "Have a Nice Day" vibe from it's once groovy fixtures. My inner twelve year old cried a bittersweet tear! I'm sure it was razed shortly thereafter, no?
This commercial really sums up the "squirrelly" optimism of Seventies teendom.
mndandy 3 years ago
Well, unfortunately, Keskus is no more. After Eaton's closed in 1997, Keskus went downhill after that and was torn down. Built in its place in either 2000-2001 was the OLG Casino Thunder Bay. Are you from Thunder Bay or did you just visit?
bluebear1985 3 years ago
Just visiting as a kid and playing in a band upon my return. I remember I dedicated a song called "We're Gonna Burn It Down" to the Keskus Mall and the crowd ate it up.... Had they no care for their dead mall?!
mndandy 3 years ago
I guess not after Eaton's closed. The chain was going bankrupt at the time, which is why the Thunder Bay store closed, along with many others soon after that. The few in Canada that did stay open were bought out by Sears, and now Eaton's is no more.
bluebear1985 3 years ago
D-Dad?
Dyzlan 3 years ago
Only in the wilds of Canada would a clothing store be called "Black Squirrel". I love that name!
OofusTwillip 4 years ago
People in Thunder Bay love this Black Squirrel commercial. We remember it in Keskus Mall and County Fair Plaza! Right beside the record store called Music City. Thanks for this great posting! Keep the retro Thunder Bay stuff coming!
daryl060761 4 years ago