About 2 weeks back, a new Kohl’s opened in Riverside, one of 21 stores the Wisconsin-based chain opened that week across the U.S. It is the second Kohl’s in Riverside with the other store situated on Van Buren Boulevard in the Orangecrest area. Located across from the Galleria at Tyler mall, the new Kohl’s opened…
As mentioned before, Eighth Street — now University Avenue — in Riverside’s eastside was once the city’s “motel row.” In many ways, with several motels, hotels and eateries remaining, it still serves that purpose today. One of the earliest major chain motels to pop up on the stretch between downtown and UC Riverside was the…
Les Richter, former head of the now defunct Riverside International Raceway, passed away this weekend in Riverside. He was 79. Les Richter(NASCAR.com) RIR logo Post-1969 track configuration(wikipedia) 1970sRichard Petty, Bobby Allison Winston Cup Series 1982Winston Cup Series @1990RIR control tower(AP) Probably no one else is more responsible for putting both Riverside International Raceway on the…
1950sTown & Country 1960sSage & Sand 1960sCaravan Inn 2010Courtyard by Marriott Prior to the building of the 60 Freeway through Riverside in the early 1960s, the main highway heading into downtown from the east was Eighth Street. Visitors traveling between Palm Springs and Los Angeles could grab some rest at any one of the half-dozen…
This past weekend, we stumbled upon a bit of retail archeology when we noticed the false-front of a now-shuttered Mervyn’s had been removed to reveal the zig-zag roofline of the building’s original occupant — The Treasury. (The removal is part of refurbishing the former Mervyn’s space for an incoming Kohl’s, expected to open in September…
2010Main lobby 2010Balcony Flash: Fox: May 2007 – Jan. 2010 Crowds flocked to the new Fox Performing Arts Center in downtown Riverside this past weekend to catch an inside look at the newly-renovated facility following a 3-year, $32 million renovation. Friday night was the grand opening, fund-raising gala while Saturday and Sunday were open house…
At right is a postcard view of Main Street in downtown Riverside looking south toward Tenth from Ninth. The view is from 1963/64, prior to the construction of the Main Street pedestrian mall*, which opened in 1966 and stretches north from Tenth to Sixth. At left is Gordon’s (here’s a different view*). According to its…
Then & NowRiverside Town House: 1950s – 2009Flash: View photo overlay We know little of the history surrounding the block bounded by Fifth, Sixth, Lemon and Lime streets in downtown Riverside, but a 1948 aerial photo shows the entire lot devoid of development, with grass, shrubbery and some trees as well as a few walking…
In 1964, after nearly 35 years in downtown Riverside, Sears Roebuck & Co. opened a new, larger “suburban-style” store about 5 miles southwest of its former Main Street store. Located on 19 acres at the northeast corner of Arlington and Streeter avenues, the 93,000 sq. ft., $3 million store was Sears’ largest store in Inland…
In today’s world of big-box retail, it’s often difficult to find a homegrown retailer that has not only survived the chain store era, but continues to thrive in spite of it. Taylor’s Appliance in Riverside is one such store. Started in 1945 by Harold Taylor Sr., the original store was located on the 4000 block…
