Name of Building or Business: Mount Prospect Park and Shop; Prospect Place
Address: 1-31 West Prospect Avenue, bounded by Main, Evergreen, and Wille Streets
Built: 1950
Currently at address: 1 West Prospect apartment complex with first-floor retail space
For more information, please read the feature article in the Summer 2021 newsletter: https://www.mtphist.org/the-mount-prospect-park-and-shop-a-hidden-history/
The land that later became Prospect Place Shopping Center was originally part of George Meier’s farm, according to the 1923 Drainage District Map. It’s unclear exactly when Meier sold his land, but the Weller Creek Drainage District office ledger, which recorded land payments, shows that by late 1940 a woman named Stella C. Wilson was making payments on the property. Later in the 1940s it was the site of the annual Lions Club Fall Festival.
In May 1950 officials broke ground on this site for the construction of the Mount Prospect Park and Shop, a $250,000 project. Mount Prospect’s Mayor Pendleton shoveled the first scoop of dirt, and he was accompanied by representatives of the project and business owners who planned to open a store in the new shopping center. Architect Edward P. Steinberg designed the structure, which a February 1950 issue of Realty and Building magazine praised as “one of the most modern and unusual store developments in the entire Chicago area.” The Mount Prospect Park and Shop opened for business in fall 1950, and the entire block of stores was completely full by the end of 1952.
Some of the earliest tenants at the Park and Shop were Reid’s Ladies Apparel, Sethness Men’s Store, Brunberg’s 5 & 10, Lenhart’s Pastry Shop, Bachmann’s Hardware Store, the National Food Store, and McMahon’s Dry Goods. While none of these early tenants remain in the shopping center, other tenants became fixtures. Keefer’s Pharmacy, Strass’ Ladies Apparel (later Mary Jayne’s Ladies Apparel), and Sam’s Place were located in the Park and Shop for over 40 years.
Around 1980, Julius Kaplan purchased the Park and Shop. He already had properties in Rogers Park, Evanston, and Wilmette, but the Mount Prospect Park and Shop was his first purchase outside of that area. Mike Weinberg, Julius’ son-in-law, became involved in managing the Park and Shop around 1984. Only a few years later Mike began working with Ken Fritz on updating the Park and Shop as part of Mount Prospect’s Façade Improvement Project. Mike approved the new look for the shopping center, which included an arch above the driveway. (This arch would replace the original “Mount Prospect Park and Shop” sign.) While the arch was a nice feature, it still seemed to be missing something. Mike suggested adding a clock as a focal point and his wife Penny, an artist, drew the design. At this same time the Park and Shop, the Village of Mount Prospect, and Ken held a contest to pick a new name for the updated shopping center. Children from around town were invited to submit their ideas and the child who submitted the best name would receive a $100 savings bond. “Prospect Place” was the clear winner. Though the Prospect Place arch and clock were a relatively new addition, they became an iconic part of downtown Mount Prospect.
Over the years Mike remembers getting to know the owners of local favorites, such as Sam Trakas of Sam’s Place and Mary Jayne Pikula of Mary Jayne’s Ladies’ Apparel, and resetting the giant clock for Daylight Savings Time. The clock control panel was located in the kitchen of Sam’s Place. In 2005 Mike stepped back from the day-to-day management of Prospect Place, and his wife and her two sisters took over operations until the building was sold to developers shortly before the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. In March 2021 the Mount Prospect Village Board approved the proposed redevelopment plan for 1 West Prospect, a five-story building containing first floor commercial space and apartments above.
