Historic photos of long-lost Adelaide shopping hubs offer stroll down memory lane

From taking a ride on the rollercoaster at Dazzeland to shopping at John Martin’s, take a stroll down memory lane with these historic pictures of our shopping centres.

John Martin’s Rundle Street store’s. 'Long Live the King' decorations to celebrate the coronation of King George VI in May 1937.

For many kids growing up in Adelaide in the 1990s, taking a ride on the rollercoaster was one of the best reasons for visiting the Myer Centre in Rundle Mall.

But Dazzleland is one of many Adelaide shopping institutions to go by the wayside.

Take a trip down memory lane with these historic photos of shopping centres and retail institutions in Adelaide’s past.

JOHN MARTIN’S

John Martin’s holds a special place in the hearts of many Adelaideans.

The stores closed down on March 15, 1998, marking the end of one of South Australia’s most-loved institutions.

A massive crowd waiting for doors to open on the final day of trading before the closure of John Martin’s department store.

John Martin’s started out trading as Peters and Martin’s on October 26, 1866.

It was a tiny drapery business that would develop and thrive to become one of Adelaide’s most successful department stores of the 20th century.

John Martins Rundle Street window display of men's clothing in the 1930s. Pic: State Library of SA

Edward Hayward Sr had taken ownership of the business just prior to John Martin’s death in 1889 and, under his guidance and stewardship, the small business expanded and grew until 1901, when it became known as “The Big Store”.

The business went on to have stores in the city, Elizabeth, Arndale, Marion, West Lakes and Keswick.

West Lakes Shopping Centre’s John Martin’s store in the 1990s.

John Martin’s Rundle Street store could boast that it housed the first escalator in Adelaide, installed back in 1956.

By 1985, the retail business of John Martin’s had changed hands several times, until it was finally purchased by rival department store David Jones, which continued to operate it as John Martin’s until the decision to finally shut it down was made in 1998.

When the company closed in 1998, it did so after 132 years of trading.

John Martin’s Rundle Street store where shoppers used the first escalator in Adelaide.

Raelene Ansell was the winner of the Miss Maglia 1965 competition conducted by John Martin's to find an ideal outdoor and surf girl. Picture: Sam Cheshire.

John Martin‘s Rundle Street store with 'Long Live the King' decorations to celebrate the coronation of King George VI in May 1937.

DAZZLELAND

The Dazzeland amusement park at the top of the Myer Centre remains an icon for many South Australians.

It opened in 1991 and closed in 1998.

Dazzleland was the centrepiece of the Remm Group’s $570 million redevelopment of the Myer Centre.

The most popular feature was the rollercoaster – loved by many children of the 1990s – but it also had dodgem cars, a miniature train, arcade games and a starry ceiling.

Dazzleland’s major drawcard – its rollercoaster.

Dazzeland was a $20m fun factory, occupying the top two levels of the building.

If you chose to visit, $5 gave you unlimited rollercoaster and dodgem car rides.

At the time of its closure in 1998, centre management said the Dazzeland facility had become dated and intruded on the retail focus.

Performers at the Myer Centre’s former Dazzeland.

Rides and amusements were auctioned off for a fraction of their worth, with the rollercoaster sold for one per cent of its installation cost.

TARGET FULHAM GARDENS

In August last year, Target closed its doors at the Fulham Gardens Shopping Centre.

It had been part of the local community for 40 years.

The Tapleys Hill Road store was replaced with a Woolworths supermarket, Dan Murphy’s and a variety store.

Target at the Fulham Gardens Shopping Centre closed in August last year and was replaced by a Woolworths. Picture: Rachel Moore

When it first opened, Target shared the Fulham Gardens complex with an Arrow supermarket and a Red Apple restaurant, until they closed in the early 1990s.

Last year’s closure came two months after its owner, Wesfarmers, announced it was taking the axe to its Target network across Australia, and cutting 10 per cent of its workforce.

MOORE’S DEPARTMENT STORE

The Sir Samuel Way building, the home of a number of court services, was once a major department store.

Charles Moore, a successful South Australian businessman, established the building in 1916 after a brief stint working for John Martin’s.

The Moores store in Victoria Square in December 1979. Picture: Barry O'Brien

In March 1948, the department store was destroyed in a massive blaze that burnt the building to a shell and reportedly attracted about 20,000 people to watch.

The fire began in the roof space – above the fire sprinklers – and the blaze quickly took hold of the wooden structure. Owner Charles Moore was undeterred – he rebuilt the building.

Moore’s closed its doors in December 1979.

The last of the bargain-hunters clearing up the few remaining items in the Moore's closing down sale in December 1979.

COX FOYS

Now home to a car park, the Foy and Gibson building on the corner of Rundle and Pulteney Streets began its life as The Grand Hotel in 1911.

It was turned into a department store in 1924 by Foy & Gibsons.

In the mid 50s Foy & Gibsons moved to new premises, in Rundle Street, as Cox Foys.

Cox Foys closed its doors in the 1970s.

Cox Foys on Rundle Street in 1958.

Bargain hunters converged on Cox-Foys in Rundle Street for the opening of its summer sale in December 1968.

MILLER ANDERSON

Miller Anderson lays claim to being Adelaide’s first department store.

Its founder James Miller Anderson arrived in 1849 from London and joined his uncle Robert Miller, a partner in the drapery firm of Miller and Gale on Hindley Street.

Shoppers crowd the Miller Anderson department store in Hindley Street for the closing down sale in November 1988.

In 1859, after various partnerships the business became J Miller Anderson and Company and developed into a leading drapers, importers, tailors and homewares emporium in the state.

From the 1860s business at the store, near what is now Station Arcade, boomed.

The business eventually floated on the stock exchange and became a public company in 1915.

By December 1922, extensive additions were made to its premises, with the erection of a five-storey building at 16-26 Hindley Street, which is now Miller Apartments.

James Miller Anderson remained as head of the company until his death in 1923, at the age of 94.

John Browne with a selection of rug stock at the Miller Anderson department store in March 1988.

Shortly after his death, the store was taken over by Marcus Clark & Co, a large Sydney department store group, which was then taken over by Waltons, in 1966.

Waltons had built a huge chain of 96 stores on the east coast of Australia but decided to retain the name Miller Anderson in SA.

Then high-profile businessman Alan Bond bought out the entire Waltons chain in 1981, which included Miller Anderson. However, it was a financial disaster and within two years, he had lost nearly $200 million.

In the aftermath, Miller Anderson was forced to move from its well-known building to smaller premises down the road, in Station Arcade. After just seven months at the new location it passed into receivership in October 1988, finally closing later that year.