A LOOK BACK:Huntington Center’s opening

What do Carat’s, Elam’s Men Store, The Pie Man, Willis Shoe Repair and Security First National Bank have in common?

If you were around here in 1966, you would know the answer.

These businesses were some of the original tenants at “The Mall” or, as we came to know it, the Huntington Center, where the new Bella Terra shopping mall is today.

I recently read that DJM Partners, the developers of Bella Terra, are planning to tear down the last vestige of the old center, notably the Montgomery Ward buildings.

This week we’ll explore the diamond in Huntington Beach’s crown — the Huntington Center.

The 1960s were a time of strife for the country, the war in Vietnam was raging, the Watts rioters were burning and looting stores in South Central Los Angeles, and President Johnson’s Great Society wasn’t working.

But with all this happening, the planners were firm in their belief that their shopping mall would put Huntington Beach on everyone’s shopping map.

It began back in 1962, when plans were being drawn up for a unique shopping center for Orange County. This would be the first enclosed shopping mall in all of Orange County with everything anyone wanted under one roof.

It would be a joint venture between the Huntington Beach Co., the developers of the center and the Gordon L. MacDonald Corp. of Santa Barbara.

They chose a wave as the symbol of the new mall because it stands for a wave of new store openings, and they also chose the letters “HC” as an acronym for Huntington Center. The wave was also a reference to the shopping center’s proximity to the ocean.

By the end of 1966, and after spending more than $20 million, the 850,000-square-foot center was finally ready to open.

But before it officially opened, several of the businesses held their own grand openings, among them Security First National Bank, on Sept. 30, 1966. Cookies, punch, coffee, sno-cones and popcorn were handed out to the public, while the younger kids enjoyed the antics of Flipo the Clown.

At the event, bank manager Fred J. Pfarrer welcomed everyone, including Huntington Beach Vice Mayor Don Shipley, Susie Bruderlin (Miss Huntington Beach), Chamber of Commerce President Roger Slates, and Jack Froggatt, vice president of the Huntington Beach Co..

On Oct. 26, 1966, Montgomery Ward held its grand opening ceremony.This two-story department store contained 175,000 square feet of customer floor space, and it anchored the center’s west end and opened onto the main corridor of the center.

It was an all-weather center, meaning that once inside it didn’t matter what the weather was outside for inside it was always 72 degrees.

I remember once getting caught in a heavy rainstorm and spent several hours looking at the decorated store windows, picking up a few purchases and simply sitting snugly inside while a downpour of water issued forth from the sky.

When Montgomery Ward opened that year, the manager was Howard C. “Bud” Matheny. Huntington Beach Mayor Jake Stewart and his wife, Helen, were on hand to sample the champagne and goodies that Ward offered during it the hullabaloo. The mayor could also buy some peanut clusters in the store for 44 cents a pound.

The center’s pre-opening ceremony was on Sunday, Nov. 13. It attracted some of Huntington Beach’s finest citizens. Attending the evening champagne and buffet ceremonies were Mayor Jake Stewart and his wife Helen, Jack and Wandalea Green, Ernie Gisler, Dr. Henry Kaufman, Doyle Miller, Dale and Catherine Bush, Bud and Eula Higgins, Roger and Marty Slates, Dale Dunn, J. Sherman Denny, Steve Holden, Jim DeGuelle, Bob Bazil, Robert Merriman, Judy King, George Sheridan, Monte Nitzkowski and George Farquhar.

The grand opening for the public was Nov. 17.

Mayors from eight neighboring cities strolled past imported Danish gas lamps that dotted the interior of the mall while pleasant music played.

At the conclusion of the opening ceremonies, the Huntington Beach High School band gave a concert for the public, while outside the children ages 7 to 12 participated in an old-fashioned “Turkey Shoot,” with kids shooting air rifles at paper targets and a chance to win one of the 50 prime turkey loafs as their prize.

Other stores and services in the center included Barker Brothers, Comar Shoes, El Poco Candle Shop, Harris & Frank men’s store, J.C. Penney, Kirk Jewelry, Lawson Jewelry, Leeds Shoes, Mode O’Day, See’s Candy, Singer Sewing Center, Thrifty Drug Store, Toy World and Willis Camera.

The center scheduled its opening just in time for Christmas shopping.

Speaking of Christmas, the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce chose the Huntington Center as the best decorated public building that year.

I kind of miss the old center in its glory days and sitting inside while the rain poured down outside — something I wouldn’t be able to do at the new Bella Terra mall.