Penny Lane Mall
4.6(263)google
4.0(5)yelp
DowntownLocal LifeOutdoor
Overview
In 1973 the Penny Lane Mall was built in downtown Calgary, Alberta, preserving the facade of a block of older buildings on 8th Avenue SW. According to The Calgary Herald the mall preserved the facade of one of Calgary's first hospitals, the first Colonel Belcher Hospital, a military hospital opened in 1918. The Calgary Herald reported shoppers would be surrounded by "an atmosphere of quality and elegance". In 1983 The Calgary Herald's Tom Keyser profiled Bob Hutchison, the mall's long-time shoe-shine-boy -- one of only three individuals who still operated a shoe-shine stand in Calgary.
Practical Info
Mon8:00 AM 10:00 PM
Tue8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Wed8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Thu8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Fri8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sat8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sun8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Suggested Duration1-2 hours
Best TimeThe best window is 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM from July to October. This open-air, European-style pedestrian shopping alley is tucked away in downtown Rehoboth. The late afternoon light casts a quaint charm over the flower-lined cobblestones, perfect for unique boutique shopping and photography before heading to the surf.
Getting ThereNestled at 42 Rehoboth Ave in central Rehoboth Beach. Street parking on Rehoboth Ave is metered and highly competitive. The most scenic transit option is the historical Jolley Trolley open-air tram from Lewes, which drops off a mere 1-minute walk from this hidden pedestrian retail lane.
Travel Tips
- This open-air European-style pedestrian alleyway off Rehoboth Avenue bars all motorized and non-motorized vehicle access. Surrounding municipal street spaces (Zone 1) carry premium hourly rates with a strict 3-hour maximum limit; drivers must configure automated expiration alerts via the ParkMobile app to avoid localized $50+ parking citations.
- The narrow, high-walled alley layout traps intense ambient heat and creates a severe cellular dead zone for T-Mobile and Verizon due to physical obstruction and bandwidth over-saturation from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM in summer. Secure adequate physical cash prior to entering; do not count on live digital wallets or mobile cellular payments.
- The corridor floor features irregular historic brickwork and sloped decorative masonry that cannot safely accommodate double-wide strollers exceeding 0.8 meters, while skateboards are banned. Most micro-boutique thresholds display colonial-era raised steps; wheelchair users and seniors must maintain hyper-vigilance to prevent tripping.
Reviews
Positive
- An open-air European-style shopping alley tucked off Rehoboth's main street; cobblestone paths and unique architecture offer a cozy, romantic vibe.
- Packed with unique independent boutiques selling local crafts, fine jewelry, and exclusive apparel rather than copycat chain store goods.
- Features a highly praised open-air cafe and old-school candy shop; sitting on a bench with a coffee watching people is deeply relaxing.
- Completely pedestrianized and free from traffic noise, it's kept impeccably clean and reflects a quiet, rustic, slow-paced charm.
Heads up
- The entire shopping area is tiny, essentially just a narrow 100-meter-long alleyway; you can walk through it in 2 minutes if not shopping.
- The walkway is narrow, feeling quite cramped during busy summer evenings; families with wide strollers struggle to pass each other.
- The mall has absolutely no dedicated public restrooms; shoppers must walk out to find the public toilets on the boardwalk, which is painful.
- Since shops focus on unique indie designer goods or high-end crafts, prices are generally premium, lacking budget-friendly options.