“Remember Fame City?” I ask. Galleria Mavist in Istanbul was once the place to be. Opened in 1988, it was Turkey’s first shopping mall. Turgut Özal championed it. He wanted Turkey to have its own Galleria. He even named it after the Galleria in Houston, Texas.
Galleria Mavist became a destination. Families flocked here in the 80s and 90s. It had a bustling food court. A small ice-skating rink stood in the middle. Adjacent to that was Fame City. People likened it to Disney World. Or at least the closest Turkey had at the time.
Fame City had a bowling alley. It had arcade games and miniature golf. Slides and ball pits delighted kids. Many Gen X’ers remember it fondly. One user wrote about spending weekends there. They spent all their pocket money happily. They saved tickets to buy toys.
Sadly, Fame City closed over 20 years ago. The ice rink followed in 2010. Most of the shops in Galleria Mavist closed too. Security guards stand at the entrance now. Metal detectors and x-rays are present. But often, no one goes through them.
One shop remains open near the entrance. It is a watch shop called Big Ben. For Galleria Mavist, time is of the essence. Reports suggested it would be torn down. Luxury housing and office buildings might replace it. The Ataköy coastline has changed. High-rise buildings have transformed it.
A large supermarket Migros now occupies Fame City’s space. It is busy compared to the rest of Galleria Mavist. It is probably the largest supermarket nearby. A pedestrian underpass connects Ataköy to Galleria. Next to Migros is a KFC. It is the only one left in the food court.
A furniture store is on the top floor. A few clothing shops and optometrists remain. But they are a small part of what was once 140 stores. Walking through Galleria Mavist is now gloomy. Dimly lit corridors feel empty. Security guards seem more numerous than shoppers. One guard blamed the emptiness on Covid-19. But Galleria Mavist may have simply lost its relevance.
Istanbul has many shopping malls now. Some are packed. Others, like Galleria Mavist, are dying slowly. Still, it’s worth a visit. Hayati Tabanlıoğlu designed it. He also designed the Atatürk Airport and the Atatürk Cultural Center. He won an award for Galleria’s design in 1989. The structure is impressive. It has an ornate 80s feel. As sad as its current state is, it’s better than another housing complex. Galleria Mavist deserves to be remembered.