Inside The Abandoned Ames / Hills Economy, PA *DEMOLISHED*
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- Опубликовано: 15 июл 2017
- Inside Abandoned Ames / Hills In Economy, PA. In this video, my buddy and I explore the Ames store which used to be a Hills store. The store closed in 2002 and has been sitting abandoned since then. Sadly, the building is set for demolition in a few weeks and will only be a memory. So, enjoy my video as my friend and I are perhaps the last urban explorers to see the inside of this store. Hills was my favorite store when I was kid. I was sad when it became an Ames because i immediately noticed how it went downhill which ultimately led to the company's demise.
Развлечения
"Look at the front, where it says Ames real big".
TimeCode?
@@miataenjoyer11 9:26
Ames bought out Hills... I have shopped here when it was Hills... Miss those days.
Wallies most iconic quote, along side “Hills stickers though!”
Someone else who's local, too, this is off of Rt 65 in Baden, right? I could have sworn that after Hills & Ames that Gabe's used this building for a short time... Damn Walmart's, they moved in, shut all of our retailers down, it's hard to keep up.
I found the "look at the front, where it says Ames real big!" video! Lol
9:27 The iconic quote that made to the intro 😉
Exactly!
Coming from a former electrician helper and a current industrial maintenance supervisor, one thing you really need to be careful about besides the building collapsing on you, is if the power is still on, please be careful when trying to turn the lights on. There could be cables cut here and there that you don't know about and turning on a switch or a breaker could start a fire and sometimes there's bare wires sticking out of the walls where there were once light switches and receptacles and then you have cables and bare wires hanging down from the ceilings from when they took some of the lighting fixtures and displays down. The lights in most of these big stores, hospitals, factories, schools etc. aren't your typical 120 volt light fixtures like the ones in your house or your garage. Most of these lights run on 277 volts which can almost instantly kill you if you touch a bare live wire! The second breaker box you looked at around @16:57 is the high voltage 277/480 volt panel that supplies power for the lights and the step down transformers and the smaller panel you looked at first is the 120/208 volt panel that supplies power for the outlets and some of the smaller appliances. @23:12 where the fluorescent light fixtures are hanging down, you can see the red labels on the ballasts that indicates that they're 277 volts. Also @ 25:40 that square metal box where you found that ad on top of is one of the the step down transformers that takes the voltage down from 277/480 volts to 120/208 volts and the big panels at the end of the video are the main 277/480 volt panels that supply the voltage for the HVAC units, fire sprinkler pumps and the smaller sub panels and step down transformers I told you about earlier in this post throughout the store. I'm just giving you a heads up on what to look out for when you explore these places so it can be safer for you and your friends.
Did you not see him out back by the transformers and then went to the meter sockets that had no meters in them which means the power company pulled the meters to stop power in there. Likely even the transformers no longer are connected to the grid
@@andrewbritton7923 Yes I saw that. The power was off in that building but there's other buildings that they explored where the power was still on. On here I was telling them what to look for when they're exploring other buildings where there still might be power.
That has to be one of the best looking Ames Store I ever seen
That's what I said! I couldn't believe how generally clean it was inside.
Check out this one ruclips.net/video/px_1e2_C9Ns/видео.html
Holy crap! I worked at that Hills back in 82-83! Those black square boxes on the wall at the roof line were windows that we could go upstairs and look out to catch shoplifters. lol
its insane how many displays and things from Ames and hills are still in there. I hope someone saves that stuff before the place gets torn down.
Sryio51😅😅❤
Sryio51😊❤
Originally, this was a Grants department store when Norther lights opened in 1957. They went out of business and Hills took over in 1976.
Huh. Interesting. That would explain the 1977 date for the Hills equipment and what this building was when the structure itself was built.
That's cool. I didn't know that!
The majority, if not all of Ames that lasted until 2002 started as a different chain. I can't think of many locations that originated from the ground up as an Ames. Grants was really the first major department store failure in USA, with locations in most major towns built in the late 50s/early 60s, bankrupt in 1976, and they were all repurposed as other chains like Hills, Ames and Bradlees. Most Ames were former Grants, Big N, Zayre, Britts, Hills, Caldor, Rich's locations. There were many Hills that were former Ames, that became Ames again after the buyout! I think Ames had closed most of their original stores by 1990.
Also, red is Ames original color scheme too. They didn't start using mint green for anything until 1990. Before that they used the same red for everything that Hills did, so it was a pretty easy switch for them to keep the red Hills stuff and just paint a green stripe around the perimeter.
@the one who likes the comments. pizzaeater
Well, that was... random.
I can't believe there are still abandoned Aimes stores around. I hope you took those stickers and aprons with you. You seem to of really liked the store, who would be more deserving. Besides the place is being torn down. That machedi (sp? duh) was wicked looking. It gave me the creeps as to who was staying there.
pretty sure, like me, he wasn't keepiny Ames stuff. Hills on the other hand ...
I think a lot of Ames stores were located in bad areas also most of the buildings are all molded out so no one can even fix them and sell it
FYI A woman crashed through the glass while trying to learn how to ride a motorcycle a few years ago.
this abandoned ames looks to be in better condition than the one dan bell went to
I worked at Ames. Red was the color that use before they turned teal. Not all the stores had been able to finish there remodel before the stores all closed
Yep. I remember Ames being red before that teal/green color as well. I am pretty sore this one was a hills though because of the snack bar in the front which was typical of Hills as well as the oval ring around the Ames on the outside of the building, which was a standard in hills signage.
Edit, I saw Hills signage further in the video than I was when I originally wrote the comment.
*their
I really can't wait for someone to open up those boxes with all the merchandise, they are like time capsules from the early 00's..
My sons and I were able to get in here just before it was demolished. Its very sad going past that site now.
Hi Wally. I've been following you for a while and finally got to see thus video. I was really excited to hear you say this was your first time doing this. Excellent video and I am amazed what great shape this Ames is in for how long it has been abandoned. Very exciting. Thank you. Keep the great videos coming.
Bro... 2 years since i have discovered this channel, and the orgin of a piece of your intro... and you were so much more uncensored than you are today! I am glad to see how far you have come man!
Sales for those Pokemon games for October came out in 2000
I live about 15 minutes from there and man would i love to get inside
9:26 - Look in the front, where it says Ames real big.
(INTRO REFERENCE)
que the intro
That's what she said
Noobiez gd 9:28
Hails stickers
9:27
When the videos start with the intro
(And thus, a Legendary Intro Quote was Born!)
my old Hills growing up. it was a sad day when it turned to an Ames then closed shortly after. lots of memories going here as a kid
Someone's been maintaining the roof. Its all about the roof on these type of places. Once the roof goes and water gets in and is left unabated the place will deteriorate rapidly. I always find it fascinating that property owners can own these multi-million dollar commercial properties yet fail to do basic maintenance and let their investment crumble to nothing.
I doubt it, that place doesn't look like anyone's been there since it closed, if it hasn't started leaking by now, the roof is most likely metal
The property owners should turn properties when they're vacated for whatever reason without another business lined up for at least a year, should open these properties as temporary warming centers for the homeless to sleep at night.
Yep, these buildings with flat roofs are pretty much a lost cause once the roof starts leaking.
Great videos .I worked for Aims in Horseheads and Dansville ny as a store manager .
Thanks for the memories .loved this company!!!!!!
I was born in 1979 so by the time Ames took over my local Hills in Kingsport TN I was about 18 or 19. I loved Hills, I remember my parents picking up layaways from that back customer service desk for me at Christmas and then also back to school shopping there. Our Hills toy department was so neat because set up on the end caps behind very thick clear see thru plastic was toy playsets so you knew what you were getting and what it would look like with everything.
By the time Ames took over I was older, and I only ever remember going to Ames twice, once was with my aunt who'd moved back home from NC and she spent hours in there around the curtains. The other time I don't remember buying anything but I remember up front playing one of those stop on the red light games to win a James Dean keychain I was determined to get, I got it and still have it today! Both times I recall being in Ames it was an absolute mess. I don't know why but they just refused to keep their stores clean and tidy and it hurt them a lot. I miss Hills, I wish Hills had never been bought out by Ames and managed to hold on longer. Around me Magic Mart was a small regional department/discount store and it managed to stay in until I believe like 2019 before they finally all went out of business and closed for good. Still if Magic Mart survived for 20 yrs beyond Hills, there's no reason Hill's couldn't of downsized and become a regional store because they had a lot of loyal shoppers. I'll never forget in the Hills my parents had to buy me special shoes because I was born with a club foot that was broken and reset when I was about 3 months old, after that I had to wear a special shoe until I was 2 so it didn't grow back the wrong way and Hills was where it came from. Also remember around 1990 getting a stuffed New Kids on the Block Joseph doll, I also had the other streetwear dolls and starge that came from Spencer gifts in the Mall. God what I wouldn't give to be able to go back and live from 1989 all over again, if they ever invented time machines I'd just stay in the past and to hell with today and the mess that is the future.
Lot of clothes hangers they left behind, awesome explore! @9:26 is the opening intro line of ‘ Look at the front see where it says Ames real big’ Love that opening line in your newer videos Wallie!
This is one of your best videos and one of the best on RUclips!
Too bad those store fixtures were left there to be destroyed. Hope you got a souvenir like a vest or name tag or sale flyer. I would rather see this stuff preserved than destroyed.
THANK YOU SO MUCH-- I LOVE THIS STUFF, IT MAKES ME SMILE AND THINK OF BETTER DAYS...
You're the Man Dan ! Great video !! I remember shopping at both Hills and Ames great stores ! Well priced too !
Great video! I worked at a Hills in the early 80s in Cressona, PA. That counter in the back was probably layaway. The ramp next to the steps that you went up probably had a conveyor mounted to it. I used to work in the upstairs layaway storage during the busy (holiday) season and we'd use the conveyor to send big items upstairs for storage.
Robert Max Kobige Thats awesome! Thanks for clarifying that! I figured it was a slide to slide product downstairs. Makes sense now!
yea, that's how i remember this store in particular. that red counter in the back was the layaway. to the left of it were the toy aisles and to the right in the corner was the entertainment section (music, movies, video games)
wow that is a big sign. I guess it wouldn't fit in my mancave lol. Hills was definitely one of my favorite stores I had gotten a lot of my he man figures there. glad you got in and obey the urban explorer code. its awesome to get this stuff on video before it gets demolished and forgotten about. big thumbs up bud!!!
journey_with _jay haha I don't think so. lol I want to be there when they start tearing it down so I can film it and see if I can have the Ames logo from the doorway on the inside. I've watched hundreds and hundreds of videos from the big guys such as Aces Adventures and This Is Dan Bell and I've learned that you don't take anything. It's just hard because this place is being torn down and I hate to see history erased.
Exactly, I don't want to see it get erased. I thought the same thing about the lettering above the entrance inside. Only way I would feel right about that sign is by asking the construction crew, when they start tearing it down, if we could have it and if they could keep from destroying it. Other than that, I don't see myself getting it. Hope you can make it out here to check it out. Haven't been out to Ames in a week but it was still standing as of last weekend. Wanted to go out today and film but we're getting battered by severe storms.
Also, I was just inside the Ames again 2 weeks ago, and I noticed some things are gone. Some of the check out line number globes are gone. There were a bunch when I filmed there. I went back to get one last look inside the store because I oddly felt at peace in that old building. But I noticed things were missing which meant others have been inside. Thankfully no further vandalism could be seen. Also, I was the only one inside which was nice.
journey_with _jay i would just make a b line for the he-man aisle as a kid.
had to say thanks. grew up going here and part of me died when it became AMES hahah. thanks for the look inside!
I used to love Ames. We had them all over the place here in New England. I remember when my husband (boyfriend back then) and I got our first house together in 2001 and we went on a shopping spree at Ames. We used to shop there all the time. I also remember going there with my parents quite a bit when I was a kid in the 90s. They had some amazing deals there. I can't believe they have been gone for almost 20 years.
Reminds me of when years ago, I explored an abandoned Kmart in the Miller neighborhood(nicer section btw) of Gary, IN. It's since been renovated into a truck parts store, believe it or not! Nice exploration vid, inside this store.
Maybe it's because we had an Ames near by where I live too (that was a Zayre's before Ames took over) that I used to go to a lot, so I recognize so many of the fixtures & sinage, or maybe because of the fact that all of that stuff is still just there, almost untouched, like it's a timecapsule, but I've watched this video so many times now. I just love it. Your excitement about getting in there & finding the things you find also plays a big part in my enjoyment of this video.
Omigosh, I recognize you from one of the retail FB groups I belong to! I didn't know you had a channel, but I'm glad I found it! Great video!
this is rad :) Isn't it amazing how big signs actually are!?
Thanks! I know! It was HUGE. Just like that Perkins sign you showed us in your video. I underestimated just how big they can be.
That Nate Guy On RUclips hey Nate
@@WallieB26 there was a Toy’s R Us in Escondido, California and it was the final to close in my county. We saw the sign removed piece by piece and believe it or not, the JLG lift worker was crying as he did so. We all were (me a lot) as we saw parts of our childhood screwed off and placed in front of the building.
This video is incredible thank you guys for such an in depth exploration. I've been hunting for a real good video for an abandoned Ames and this one is definitely in better condition than most. Subscribed!!!
EndlessReprieve Well thank you for the compliments. I'm glad you enjoy the video! This was big thing for me to do. Don't know how I can top this. I've watched others do videos inside of abandoned stores and I just thought... this is something I want to do! I figured if I was going to get inside of Ames, I'd explore every square inch.
EndlessReprieve Sorry the camera is kinda shaky or blurry at times. It was really dark inside and I was shaking most of the time there. One, for being nervous and two, for being so excited.
WallieB26 it is all good man you did such a great job I was excited as hell when I found this video. I look forward to your future work.
WallieB26 it is even crazier how they were still inspecting the sprinkler system till 2013 they may have still had the power on back then. I wanted one of those flip switches to put the power on so bad. Guarantee a lot of those lights still work.
Playstation fan1 damn that long? I'd imagine yhe building condition being too shitty by then. But damn even this one was looking good.
OMG!! My childhood!! Oh the memories that you just brought back!
9:27 Found the first cut in the intro.
If I were a betting man I'd say the reason this store is still in such good shape is it likely had power up until just a few years ago, possibly even heat to keep pipes from freezing and such. The fire sprinkler system was still charged as of 2013 so its not a off the wall assumption. Obviously someone was keeping an eye on the place. Great video!
Curtis Munsey Thanks! That's what I'm wondering. It's possible it was checked over considering it's connected to the other stores in which a couple are still open.
Most likely. If a fire or maintenance issues plagued this store it could easily spread to the others next to it! Mold has a way of doing that... we had an abandoned Hills here that sat dormant for a good fifteen years that just reopened as another store, no real damage either. I'm guessing if it's part of a larger shopping center the vavant building still receives regular maintenance?
I don’t know if someone commented on the advertisement at 33:19 when the ad read Sun Oct 15- Sat Oct 21 but Wallie I looked it up and this ad came out in October 2000. Because y’all mentioned The Green Mile VHS and I saw the Pokémon Gold and Silver games and then the Game Boy color system is what helped me solve it. But October of 2000 is the date of the sale ad
That Ames is in better shape than some of the active stores and malls on the other end of the state.
Great videos, man. I loved Ames growing up, only place you could still buy a Sega Game Gear in 2002.
I enjoyed your exploration through the abandoned Ames store. I think I remember Ames years ago. I believe my mother took me and my brother there once or twice up in Saratoga Springs to grab some items there when I was very little. We were living in New York at that time. I also saw an Ames store in Newburgh (now Target) and I think we shopped there as well, but I’m not really sure. It’s a shame that the chain went under in 2002.
I wonder whatever became of "Jennifer."
Freddy fazbear's pizza
I hope you took those Hills Employee books and records. Great find!
you get about as excited as I do over American motors paraphernalia! lol wow. I remember when ours was going out of business. They were selling everything not nailed down. I bought a few POS units, latter sold them. Good videos!
Ames is permanently closed the stores worldwide on September 6, 2002 due to going out of business from Ames on August 14, 2002.
Wow, Ames had their own brand of coolant, very neat. I had that same atomic purple Game Boy Color from that ad. Looks like a 1999 ad
Hills liquidated in 1999 (first of the year) and most stores were then converted to Ames. Ames went out of business in 2002 (but some stores closed earlier)
This abandoned video I watch a lot. Cuz I like how you love the store used to be makes a video 100% better.
The Bunny tried to get in lol
It's still there as of Oct 10 2019.
Shit. Those went tits up in 2000
A great video!
Moldy poop dripping from the ceiling 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 this is hilarious!!! I cracked up when you found the sword lol!
The upstairs areas of most Hills had the Manager's office, cash office, employee breakroom and restrooms all adjacent to a layaway holding area, assembled merchandise such as bikes and grills and then a usually big fixture room that held extra racks and shelving.
Grew up in Beaver PA, remeber going shopping at Norther Lights Plaza when I was a kid, going to Hills and J.C. Pennys for back to school shopping
There is not much left to the plaza now and the Giant Eagle closed January 2, 2021
I once worked for Ames and Hills. The video was really cool to see.
I hope you guys took some photos of the pages from those employee health care plan books. Great opportunity to preserve that information.
Edge XL I did!
Awesome video dude there was a hills and abandoned ames same store in my hometown to
Aww! It's Wallie's first exploration!
Also, I'm shocked it took you 37 minutes to find a wang.
I miss Ames. There was one near me that's a Rose's now. There's also an abandoned one in Middle River that still has the sign. It's in a strip mall that's all closed up except for a Chuck E Cheese, with the bonus of a closed Roy Rogers in the parking lot. It's now a big flea market on weekends.
The diamond point Ames! Also the one off back riverneck road is also a flea market inside. Back when golden ring was actually a mall, those were the days.
9:27 Walie's Intro.
As of the first week of 2018, this particular building still stands. I sure do miss Hills though.
They turned "my hills" into an Ames, and when Ames folded, it became a Big Lots, which is still going strong...at the Green Garden plaza in Aliquippa.
From Western PA. My grandmother worked at Hills and I remember Ames
Excellent explore long but worth it...New sub......
thait is pretty good shape considiering how long it been abandoned
Tony Thatcher That's what I was saying! It's a shame it'll be torn down when it could be fixed up.
Northern Lights Plaza use to be the main shopping hub in Beaver County. Now, only about half-a-dozen merchants remain and everything else has fallen into disrepair. How ironic that the only new construction has been an adjacent access road leading to the new Wal-Mart sitting on top of the hill.
Larry Feo I know. It's sad. Well apparently the plan is to revitalize the shopping center by demolishing this store and building something new.
9:26 a legend is born.
Lol!
I wouldn't go that far lol I'm just an 8-5 guy lol
3 things: 1. did not expect a reply. 2.i forgot. 3. i love your videos. @@WallieB26
I have that same exact sword! Thats crazy. I miss ames so much im glad i saw this video
I looked up the Pokemon games and they were released in 2000!
The GearShots Cool! I was wondering. I never played those games on my gameboy so I was unsure. We were curious to find out how old that ad was. Thanks for letting us know!
that ad is so old that was my first 3 months working at Meijer I started back in August of 2000
Definitely Googled it out of curiosity. October 15, 2000 was a Sunday so that would be it.
WallieB26 Ames he is a king Ames man The GearShots
They were released two weeks after I was born lol
Hey! My husband and I just happened across this video and wasn't sure where Economy, PA was located , so when we found out that it was close to Baden where we lived, I was curious to see if this was one of the stores my dad was the GM of, and sure enough, he was the GM that opened this Hills store in 1977. I started to tear up watching your video as he passed away from Cancer back in 2011. I was 4 years old when he opened this store. So glad we came across your video. I have a snippet of newspaper that announced the Grand Opening of the store with his picture if you are interested. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wow. I took a part time xmas job there at that Hill's #63 back in '81. Northern Lights postal address was in Baden. The roof leaked badly. Pays were made in cash! I still miss the Hill's popcorn.
A legendary slogan was born: 9:27
9:27 Look at the front, where it says AMES real big
9:27
“Look at the front, where it says ames real big”
It's sad that it's being torn down now.But atleast you had the chance to film it before it's gone.
Hi hope you took those Hills tags!!
9:27 this very moment became a staple in your channel
Wow... the Kenner logo is crazy!
I'm from Beaver county and I remember going into Ames and Hills as a kid. You should go explore the old callahans nightclub to the right of the Ames. That's been vacant since 2000.
Trae Conklin I at least want to do a video of the outside but if I can inside, I definitely will. Just hope there is enough time to get back out there before it's too late.
WallieB26 that will be cool. I remember going to callahans in the late 90s when it first opened with my parents. It was state of the art at the time nothing beaver county had seen before. As far as I know nothing has been in there since it closed its doors 17 years ago. So I hope you can get inside and give us all from beaver county a final look into the 90s nostalgia! Keep up the good exploring! Love your videos!
Trae Conklin Thank you, my friend! I will do my best to get inside but obviously with every place I go to, it's not guaranteed but I will certainly try. Thanks for the support and kind words! I love filming these places and sharing them with you guys!
Wow I heard that is was a VIP club in the disco days but they didn’t last long. I wondered why the place was like when I would go to northern light very rarely. Was the night club big with a huge dance floor and lights ?
@@robminmonaca No, the VIP club was on the other end of that plaza.
One of the rooms downstairs in the back would have been the NCR mainframe that all the Hills registers were connected to. The NCR or National Cash Register mainframe had to be manually closed each night and the day's sales transmitted to the corporate offices. Another room would have been a secured stockroom for the electronics department.
Ames department store smell good inside and they were always. A chilled out and calm place to browse and look at the merchandise. they weren't high-strung places like Walmart or Target or even Hills. Which had the bright lights and a high-strung pace .Ames
was a very chilled out place to shop at
Thank you for this!! It's sad what Northern Lights Shopping center used to be like. 😭💔 Do police ever bother you when you are doing these videos?
Frank Rosenberger No but I also try not to make a scene and once I'm inside, I stay inside until I'm ready to leave.
Once, an officer did ask me why I was filming an abandoned business and I told him that it's for RUclips and showed him my other videos. He said he'd habe to check it out because he thought it was interesting! He was definitely supportive and let me go about my business as long as I agreed to not go inside the place I was filming and didn't vandalize anything... which I never would anyway.
Last time I went there was to the Giant Eagle supermarket. Pot holes there could swallow a vw bus.
I know this video is 5 years old but I did a quick search for ames on Google and apparently they are gonna try and make a come back in 2023. Wild lol
Yeah I saw that too I don't Know if that's real or not
I remember when I worked at a Ames and the power went out this reminds me of that day when you only had light from the outside and you look at the back of the store it was dark
I know you don’t take things, but I totally would have snagged the ames papers, Jennifer’s tag, newspapers and DEFINITELY the hills stickers
Hell maybe even the checkout lights, but I don’t think it’s good to haul out shit LOL
Hey wallie the target in harmarville PA there was a AMES and a old giant eagle long been gone I think closed in 2002 and sat empty for about 5 years till about 2007 now sits a target thought I would share that with you
I looked up the released date from the the movie The Green Mile and it showed the year 1999. So that magazine was made around years of 1999 & 2000.
9:27 intro part lol
Look at the front, where it says Ames real big it sounds so normal when you have heard it so many times
Old Northern Lights Shopping Center, that used to be a very busy place in the 60”s and 70’s.
On that add they had good fellas DVD that movie came out in 1990
I love this video
LOL!! 7:12 is SO Blair Witch Project lol :) :)
LMAO! My fiancee said that exact same thing after she watched the video. lol
WallieB26 Ames he is a king Ames man That Nate Guy On RUclips
True. Only difference is Blair witch made millions in revenue. This video.....no such luck lol.
places like this, i get familiar with whom is doing the demolition.then check if say for example if something's NOT nailed or screwed to something important in the building and i like it. can i recycle it formy own use? a sign laying on the floor, a rack in some back room, a poster hanging on the wall, maybe one of the workers would let you salvage one of the logos written around the room if you ask nice enuff, hard to say untill you ask!
pokemon gold and silver came to NA oct, 15th 2000 just for reference! lol that flyer yall found will probably have been from some point maybe a couple of weeks before the release
My state doesn’t have an Ames but we have lots of Kmarts anyway great video
I would have had a field day in here. I would have walked out with arms loaded in goods. Those employee books would be framed for sure.
i actually used to go to that store when i lived in enconomy pa, its scheduled to be tore down soon