Peninsula Center, Then and Now

Peninsula Center, Rolling Hills Estates, California

Credit Carol Damon Dearborn who posted this on Facebook over three years ago. I believe this picture was taken in the late 60s/early 70s.

I used to shop at those very stores, but not often because in our large family the clothing budget was tight, plus my mother was a good seamstress and I was very happy with the outfits she made me. But, still this made me nostalgic for times past and those days when I would wander through the shopping center, looking at the windows and buying a little something at J.J. Newberry which was just beyond Rix Rack and Miss Lori, towards the parking lot that abutted Hawthorne Blvd.

At the right is the Finley's jewelry store where my sisters got their ears pierced when they turned 12. I took my own daughter there in 1987, when she turned 10, for the same reason. Near Finley's was Don's Toys, another one of my favorite stores. They also sold 45's and I remember buying a Four Seasons record there. My usual music store was Mr. B's which was reached by making a right turn at this very spot. I still have most of those records as well as the free top 30 listings published by KHJ radio every week. Yes, it was the top 30 on KHJ, not top 40. Not sure when Casey Kasem started his American Top 40, but he was on a different station anyway, KFWB, I think.

What struck me most about this picture was the tree in the middle that starts with two trunks closely aligned then split and going in different directions. The tree is still there. I took this picture yesterday:

The look has changed, but the tree remains! The one to the left, also.

Here is another look at the trees:

Carol Damon Dearborn shared another picture which I'll post here sometime in the near future, along with a photo of what that part of the shopping center looks like today.