Section of Architectural Plans Core 1-6 for Southdale Center, 1956

Shown in this diagram for the lower level of Southdale Shopping Center are menswear, Woolworth's, a supermarket, etc.  Having a supermarket in a shopping mall may seem like a strange choice in today's culture, but it aligned perfectly with Victor Gruen’s overall concept for the space. Although Southdale became a shopping mall only, Gruen’s original plans were to create a larger community centered around the mall, thus eliminating the need for the suburb’s inhabitants to venture into the city for their needs. The shopping mall included in this diagram is evidence of these larger goals.