What are YOUR favorite memories of The Landing?

[sandyshoes]

Rather than hijack the last thread any further, where I cried in my long-gone Fat Tuesday B-52 Slurpee, what say we start a new thread for that purpose...a little group therapy.  Share your favorite memories of The Landing here? ( I also miss that fudge, the real Christmas trees, and the view.  And Silver Spoons restaurant. And Flamer's Hamburgers - okay, being near the water made me hungry, apparently. 

[Adam White]

I have two memories that stand out:

1) Going to the Landing shortly after it opened and buying the newest REM tape (Dead Letter Office) at the record store (I can't remember the name - Musicland, maybe?) and then reading the inside of the tape cover over and over when I was at the food court with my sister. I couldn't wait to get home to listen to it.

2) Seeing Steppenwolf perform live - I think this was probably 1989 or so. Maybe 1990. They sucked, but it was a fun night out. I met up with some friends from school and it was just great to hang out at the mall at night. Wasting time at a shopping mall on a friday night was one of my favorite things to do as a teenager in the 80s.

[heights unknown]

This is going waaaaay back when the landing was only about 2 to 3 years old (late 80's, and I was in the Navy based at Cecil Field); I loved the food court...it was a hit when the landing first opened. Also, the chocolate and fudge shop at the entrance with them ringing the bell at certain times and singing about fudge. On the second floor right in front of the food court, they used to have karaoke. I am a musician and vocalist and when I got off from work from the Navy, I would rush downtown to the landing to sing karaoke and sing in the karaoke contests they had back then. These are my most fondest memories because when you get into the 90's and beyond, not much to really gloat about unless you were a young whipper snapper back then. Hell, when the landing first opened I was 30 years old (giving my old fartdom away!). But hey, I am very mad, angry, and incensed that they did not find another super use for the landing!

[I-10east]

I had way too many good memories as a kid at just the Tilt arcade alone. The height of the arcade era; Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter II, the shooting gallery etc etc.

[Snaketoz]

I liked the vibe of the place, it's location on the river, the lighting, and some of the early shops.

[Bativac]

My dad was in a couple local bands (and had his own band) in the 80s and 90s so I have memories of being there when they would program events that would fill the place with people. That and riding my bike down the southbank Riverwalk, over the Main St bridge, and into the Landing.

The arcade, the food court...typical mall stuff, but right on the river.

The Christmas tree lightings. New Years fireworks. Boat Parade.

I remember taking my grandma to Southend once, and how beside herself she was that they served her wine in a plastic cup! But all was forgiven when that apple tart came out.

Good times. Wish the city would get its act together but that will never, ever happen in my lifetime.

[marcuscnelson]

I remember the first or second year of One Spark, back when that was a thing, and I was with my Dad. We'd been spending the day wandering through downtown and seeing all of the different ideas, and we ended up going to the Landing for lunch. I don't remember what we ate, but from the food court we had this just gorgeous view of the river, and in the eyes of little me, the whole place felt so nice. It was great.

[Charles Hunter]

Wandering through Sharper Image and looking at all the cool, and unusual, stuff.
Going to Johnny Rockets for lunch - burger, fries, cherry coke, and playing the nickel juke box.
Crab cakes at the seafood restaurant than used to be by Hooters and J. Rockets - don't remember the name of the place.

[Wacca Pilatka]

^ L&N Seafood Grill

I'll never forget stopping at the Landing (after years of cajoling) in 1993 as a 15-year old who loved Jacksonville from afar, and spending all my saved money on Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage and a print of the city from Picture Perfect.  It was the summer leading up to NFL expansion and a TD Jax rally was going on in the courtyard.

I was unnaturally beside myself that the pushcart market was named Dawson & Buckles after an early Jacksonville store, and at the silhouettes of figures from city history in the food court.  I was not a particularly normal child or teen.

Adam - yes, it was Musicland

[Josh]

Favorite memories probably all involve playing in The Tilt. My best friend's mom in early elementary school worked at the Italian Restaurant that faced the fountains, and she would give us money to go upstairs and play games from time to time.

[Traveller]

My favorite memory of the Landing is actually my now-wife's story.  The day before our rehearsal dinner, her friends took her "out on the town" for her bachelorette party.  Since everyone was staying downtown, and none of them knew anything about Jax nightlife, they took her to the newest club in the city: Club Paris.

The next day she tells me about their evening, about how there were maybe ten people in the whole club, and how she spent part of the evening talking with a large African American man who claimed to play for the Jaguars.  I asked her if he gave a name, and she said John Henderson, having no idea who he was.  I tried to explain to her that he was one of the greatest defensive lineman to ever play the game, but I don't think she was impressed.  She did say he was a really nice guy who gave her some good advice on faith and marriage.

She also took a picture with him, which was hilarious considering my wife is 5'2".

[Captain Zissou]

I loved the toy store and the shooting gallery at the arcade.  When I had enough allowance saved up, my mom would let me go to the toy store and buy a Playmobil toy and then we'd go eat at Johnny rockets and play in the arcade.  Great memories.

[Tacachale]

All together it was the small things that stand out the most. Tilt arcade loomed large for me and my sisters as kids. When GLHF opened, it felt like the Landing had finally gotten an updated version of something that had been lost, and that felt really good.

Meeting my dad for lunch in the food court. Attending the Christmas tree lighting and the light parade every year. Checking out the toy store, grabbing a Coastal Cookie and just walking around enjoying a place on the river. When I was 9 or 10, my mom and I watching helplessly from the Landing as two young men ran up the Main Street Bridge to rescue a suicidal man. Around the same time, seeing my dad and mayor Austin in the background on TV when George H.W. Bush was giving a speech.  A few years later, seeing the Landing as an establishing shot during the first Jaguars season and feeling like others were finally able to see the city like I did. In college, meeting friends for lunch or a beer after work when I interned at City Hall. Overwhelming Florida-Georgia celebrations. Watching the 2012 Presidential debates at Chicago Pizza when we didn't have a working TV. Even simpler things like walking the dog on the Riverwalk and pausing to hear a band in the courtyard.

It wasn't perfect, but it was ours, and I'll never forget it.

[ProjectMaximus]

Ha y'all are getting me a little misty! Some of these posts make me feel young and then Marcus comes along and makes me feel super old!

I honestly don't have a standout memory. Lots of pretty average times but they add up to something I guess. Discovering pasta jambalaya at the Nola-themed restaurant was life-changing (this was cuisine that I never got to eat in my household so don't judge). The toy store was definitely cool. As was TILT. Pretty sure there are tokens and tickets from the TILT still in my drawer at my parents' house. For the first one spark I had a tent near the courtyard. Remember getting beer spilled on me on NYE one night when I was still underage, by some drunk fans of one of the bowl teams that year. Oh, and how awesome it was one year, I'm thinking this was circa 2012, when they had some free rock concerts in the courtyard that had the entire place packed. Jazzfest and a few other random concerts were also cool on that stage, at least from the standpoint of having the whole area hopping.

[sandyshoes]

Tacachale, you brought a very interesting point to light - the opening shots of our downtown area during the Jags home games and Georgia/Florida games.  NOW what are they going to feature?    BTW, I was getting a little ferklempt, too, reading people's favorite memories of The Landing.  Thanks for sharing such special times and emotions.  I know there are lots more out there and I think it does all of us good to read them and nod our heads in agreement and 'oh, I remember that too' moments.  Keep 'em coming.