Town & Country Plaza

Town & Country Plaza on Pace Boulevard was Pensacola’s first suburban shopping center. Advertisements for the complex touted air-conditioned stores, over 250 parking spaces, and more than 40 businesses concentrated in one location. Opened in 1956, Town & Country was essentially a downtown further out, with a Gayfer’s department store, a supermarket, dentist’s office, post office, and clothing, sporting goods, and toy stores among others. In 1964, a five-story office tower opened at the site. Holiday fever caught on at the plaza the same year, with Santa arriving by parachute on the day after Thanksgiving to take photos with local children.

In 1970, Town & Country management announced that the complex would undergo a complete remodel and update. Like many first-generation shopping centers, Town & Country was facing a significant challenge from the next big thing in retail: the enclosed shopping mall.

Info obtained from: http://inweekly.net/wordpress/?p=7950