Do you Remember… The Friendly Frog

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Do you remember The Friendly Frog that was in the Genesee Valley Shopping Center?

It was made by sculptor Marshall Frederick (1908-98) in 1970 for the Genesee Valley Mall. It is made of Terrazzo and Concrete weighing 6600 lbs.

The Friendly Frog

The Friendly Frog’s first home was the Genesee Valley Shopping Center, which commissioned it in 1970 near the time of its opening. The frog’s richly textured surface and gracefully slanted back naturally invite climbing and sliding. Children strolling through Genesee Valley found it irresistible, but eventually the shopping mall decided to part with it. In 1986, Genesee Valley turned the frog over to the Children’s Museum, then housed at the North Bank Center in downtown Flint. The museum was able to put it on exhibit there, introducing it to a new generation of children. But when the Children’s Museum moved to its current quarters at 1602 West Third Avenue, the staff was advised that the floor would not sustain the weight. Carefully stored by Hank Fracalossi at C & S Motors since 1993, the sculpture was brought to Applewood in 2004.

Not sure why I was thinking about the frog? But do you remember that other attractions in the mall? The big fish aquariums and a big old bird cage going towards Hudson’s? How about the three-sided impression of a woman’s body? I even remember the entrance that we always went through… the stores that were at that entrance were Perry Drugs, Baker’s Shoes, Genesee Bank and Record Land (I think).

I remember thinking how huge that mall was when I was young, now look at big it is! How old does this picture make you feel? Doesn’t a hot pretzel from Hot Sam’s sound good tight about no

GVC

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