Rustic Hills Mall

Hi... I found this forum while looking for info on the Manitou Incline hike. I saw the "Rustic Hills Mall" thread and couldn't pass up the opportunity to respond.

I was born in the Springs in 72 and have lived here my entire life with the exception of three years in Ft. Collins during college.

My family lived near Academy/Constitution and the Rustic Hills Mall was our stomping grounds. Whenever my grandparents (from Ordway, CO) would come up to visit for the day, without fail, they would take us to Furrs for dinner before they headed back home. Good times!

Here's what I remember about Rustic Hills from my experiences there in the 70s and 80s:

From the North entrance, there was what I think was a lingerie store on the left. On the right was some sort of clothing store, I believe. If you walked straight ahead you'd enter Furrs. I do remember a Hallmark store there on the east wing, which was a good place to buy Smurf figurines, which my brother and I collected at one point. I can't remember the name of the store on the far east end, but it was some sort of variety store for a time. On the west end there was a Tru-Value hardware store, and this place also appealed to my brother and I because they carried toys during the Christmas season, including the ever-popular Star Wars stuff. Then on the far west end there was Sound Warehouse, a record store that would become my favorite haunt once I transitioned from the elementary to junior high years. Sound Warehouse later moved a little further north on Academy to that strip of stores that lies between the north and southbound lanes. I think now this space is occupied by a Hollywood video.

We also spent a lot of time at the "Rustic Hills North" location that included the Albertsons and the drug store (my first memories of this store were when it was called SKAGGS, the sign being comprised of huge yellow letters). It later turned into an Osco Drug and finally Long's Drugs.

Does anyone remember THE SODA STRAW on the far north end of the Rustic Hills North complex, near Academy? It was sort of an old-timey ice cream shop and I seem to remember everyone wearing bright white and red striped shirts.