I remember my mom taking me to the sidewalk sale at JC Penney back in the '60s when this was an open-air mall. It enclosed in the '70s and for the next 20 years was part of the mall boom in southern California. That Sears was THE go-to place for any major appliance/home furnishing/tool purchase. The MayCo at the other end was for a higher-end purchase like a Sony Trinitron TV. Buena Park was a solid working class/middle class town in those days, dads mostly worked at factories in L.A. County. Fond, fond memories of my early days!!
This was the mall of my youth! I worked at two stores there in my teens back in the mid 80s-Sherwood Jewelers next to JCP and then Judy’s. Of course I’d shop at Judy’s but also at Contempo Casual, Wet Seal, Casual Corner, Chic Accessories, etc. Bought my prom dress at Windsor Fashions. As a kid, I would shop at BP Mall with my mom and grandma and aunt and I thought that glittering sidewalk outside of Sears was the coolest thing! Thank you for getting it on video! I still miss the Sears candy counter where my mom would get me goldmine candy. As an adult, I’d shop through the Sears catalog and pick up my order in-store. So many lovely memories of this place. Very sad to see the end of an era. 😢 Netflix needs to make a documentary about the rise and fall of our malls.
That sears is where my step mom took me to buy my first bra in the early 80's...lol..I used to shop there in my early 20's.My husband and I had purchased my son's crib at the Burlington Coat Factory there in 2002. We were last there about 2 years ago for the Asia buffet.
I've lived in La Palma and Buena Park since 1975 and this mall was such a huge part of my life growing up. The Walmart used to be Robinsons/May and then became a Fedco before turning into Walmart. The movie theater used to be a UA, I think, and was where 24 Hour Fitness is now. They reconfigured that area a bit. So many great memories of so many cool stores and restaurants in there. So sad.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMANYes. The food court was downstairs. This used to be a one story outdoor mall. It was enclosed. And then the entire downstairs area was carved out of the basements of the south side stores. Not sure where all the stores put their merchandise after that as the basement was their stockrooms. My mom used to work here when I was a kid. I remember going down in the basement once. Never realized that someday in my teenage years I would spend many hours at this mall and many a lunch in that downstairs food court.
There was never a Broadway. Walmart site used to be May Company, which turned into Fedco in the 90s. It was demolished in the early 2000s for Walmart. JC Penney used to be where the Krikorian theatres are and the 24 hour fitness site was the old movie theater
I remember BP Mall when it was an open air mall. They had laege boulders near the seating areas in the middle of the walkway. Later after it was enclosed I had a friend who worked the Newberry's there.
They were all along the middle of the walkway every few stores from what I remeber... but I was just a kid then and more interested in thealigator farm over by Knotts... @@square-on-wheels
Tears!! One of my old malls ... it's so sad!! Was there about 5 years ago and it had closed so many stores ... will watch to see what else is gone. Just ... sad.
I grew up off of Crescent & Dale and was at that mall a lot back when May Company, Pennys and Sears were the anchor stores. It’s sad but that mall has been dead for years.
I live near this mall and visit periodically, usually in the evening the parking lot is full of cars and you can't find parking. I wouldn't call this a dead mall, just certain parts of it are dead like the Sears end. Howe's was a gaming lounge that closed due to COVID-19, and never came back. It might look dead depending on when you visit though. The fire probably caused evacuations making it seem dead.
Oh yah that is true. This year I did go there at night & the parking lot was packed. I think it's all the people going to Walmart, TJ Max, and the Movie theatre. Same for the mall at Orange, prolly cuz of the Walmart. Westminster mall parking inside is a ghost town. Stores are open, but not alot of foot traffic at all.
My husband and I discovered this mall (along with Westminster) only a few years ago when we started going to the O.C. a lot more. We mainly went here to bring our son to the John’s Incredible. And last year we went a bunch of times since they hosted a lot of anime events in that space between the mall and the theater. It saddened us that we discovered these malls too late, since they both have been big with the anime community. Our usual malls (Lakewood, Del Amo and Cerritos) are still pretty busy, thankfully. But even another mall we used to frequent, the South Bay Galleria, has become a dead mall as well.
@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN for sure! Looking forward to see if you post a video about it. It used to be pretty popular with celebrities back then, I heard. And I did see Danielle Fishel (who played Topanga in Boy Meets World) there once. I used to work at the Macy's there during my early college days. My husband and I used to go there to take our son to the Wonder of Dinosaurs and we went recently after a couple years and was so saddened that it was so empty.
Thanks for mentioning the Gallo De Oro restaurant in their little food court (that I had no idea existed!). I usually only go to the Walmart there. I'll definitley give it a try.
There was some good stores back in the day Now not so much. The only thing keeping it open is the restaurants. The Chinese restaurant towards the back was legit back in the day. Some sketchy people like to hangout around there nowadays which is sad. Wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes apartments like everything else that goes dead zone.
I remember when it was an open air shopping center. There were huge boulders down the middle I used to climb on when I was a kid. I had my first job at the mall in 1983 at Toy World (later Kay Bee Toys). There was a Bob's Big Boy next door that I'd have lunch at. Minimum wage was $3.35 and hour. I worked at the Sears four different times between 1984 and 1996, in the hardware, plumbing, major appliances, and security. So many great memories!
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN Yes...so what they had in the mall was Bob's Big Boy Jr...which sold the same burgers and fries that you got at the full service restaurants, and maybe some of the other menu items, but obviously not the full selection as the restaurant, nor a coffee counter to eat at. There used to be a full service Bob's Big Boy restaurant where Stanton Ave runs into Beach Blvd. I looked at Google maps and it appears to be a Domino's Pizza now.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN If you haven't visited it yet, google Bob's Big Boy Burbank. If you're ever out this way that's a unique one to check out. Friday nights they have classic cars on display also. Should you go, on the way there, depending how you plan your route, you can take in the oldest McDonalds in Downey. Both places have their unique architecture.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN if you haven't already you should check out the Bob's Big Boy in Burbank. Classic architecture and sign, and on Fridays they have classic cars. You can find it online.
Walmart was The May Company. We used to run around that place when there was no roof and no second floor. That is whenit was at its best. My favorite place at the time was Orange Julius and The Popcorn Place. I was just a kid.
Because of the Walmart there is traffic there. Then although its connected, you have to walk around to get into the mall. Then theres an active trampoline park, shoe store, TJ Max, & a jewelry store. The Sears closed down. 5 years ago b4 Covid, huge selection of clothes in the store, but not alot of traffic. Downstairs theres a little kid Dave n Busters type of arcade for families, outside is active cuz of the movie theatre. More traffic than the mall in Orange. But cool video. It is kind of a slow mall.
Are you visiting middle of the week while kids are in school? This mall isn’t booming, but there are always people at the restaurants out front and theater in the evenings. The Sears went out of business years ago to make room for condos.
@@OhanaMamaWatt yeah out front is always busy but inside the mall isn't that busy. The theater outside the mall probably can be busy too but dead around it.
I lived near there 20 years ago, and that mall was the place to shop! In fact, I got my fridge at that Sears. I actually remember when that movie theater opened. I visited a few months ago, and dang, what a difference! In fact, most of the stores left were the same ones left at the Village Mall of Orange before it closed. Omen? Especially since there was a fire.
This is one mall that is still relevant. The only downside is a closed Sears and faded theater artwork. That hardly qualifies as a "Dead Mall". The recent fire doesn't help matters though.
The border of Buena Park is the east side of the nursery by Woodland Drive. El Pollo Loco is in Anaheim and the Apartment across from it is in Buena Park.
It’s a busy mall, you went during the wrong day due to the fire that just happened. Also why don’t you go back and see if Dickeys has cleaned up their place and fixed the always broken ice cream machine.
That mall is depressing. The last time I was there was in early 2022 to check out a burger place called Burger Monster in the mall's separate food hall building. My spicy Dracula Burger was very good but, shortly thereafter, Burger Monster fled that mall and moved to a different location.
hahah, yeah, pretty dead these days.... we had Molly Pitcher's pie in the food court downstairs in the 90s and also the comic book store / post office in the corner, Asia buffet is actually the busiest place, lines start to form later in the day
There was never Broadway. It was May Company. My Mom worked there when she was young. I worked at the Fedco while it was there and they leveled the building to build the Walmart.
Sad, I’ve watched this mall die twice now. Wal-Mart came in and helped breathe life into it in the early 2000’s and it turned things around for almost 20 years. Now, the poor mall is dying again.
Ok but WHY did you skip over Kickin' Crab right across from the Sushi place? That place is always packed and I always have to wait an hour or so. Please keep it real.
I live near the Buena Park mall. It's just sad and embarrassing. That food hall was suppose to help revive that mall, but business was never that good and the pandemic helped expedite it's demise. Even when I was in High School 30 years ago, the BP mall was regarded as a dump.
the mall is busy on the weekends with lots of people coming to the movie theaters, that downstairs funzone and the outside swapmeet. it's sad that the food hall flamed out so fast. Its open again with one business.
The mall inside is doomed but it retains all the anchor tenants like Walmart, Burlington, Ross and TJmax. These stores are popular with big curvy mexican women who make up all the foot traffic. 😂
I remember my mom taking me to the sidewalk sale at JC Penney back in the '60s when this was an open-air mall. It enclosed in the '70s and for the next 20 years was part of the mall boom in southern California. That Sears was THE go-to place for any major appliance/home furnishing/tool purchase. The MayCo at the other end was for a higher-end purchase like a Sony Trinitron TV. Buena Park was a solid working class/middle class town in those days, dads mostly worked at factories in L.A. County. Fond, fond memories of my early days!!
Sears candy counter👍🏼
Yeah if you had a Sony Trinitron back in the day you were doing well 🤣
I grew up in Buena Park.
So much is gone.
@@robertlandry5676 Sears, everywhere, always smelled like buttered popcorn
This is just a block away from Knott's Berry Farm. 25 miles from where I live.:).
This was the mall of my youth! I worked at two stores there in my teens back in the mid 80s-Sherwood Jewelers next to JCP and then Judy’s. Of course I’d shop at Judy’s but also at Contempo Casual, Wet Seal, Casual Corner, Chic Accessories, etc. Bought my prom dress at Windsor Fashions. As a kid, I would shop at BP Mall with my mom and grandma and aunt and I thought that glittering sidewalk outside of Sears was the coolest thing! Thank you for getting it on video! I still miss the Sears candy counter where my mom would get me goldmine candy. As an adult, I’d shop through the Sears catalog and pick up my order in-store. So many lovely memories of this place. Very sad to see the end of an era. 😢 Netflix needs to make a documentary about the rise and fall of our malls.
That sears is where my step mom took me to buy my first bra in the early 80's...lol..I used to shop there in my early 20's.My husband and I had purchased my son's crib at the Burlington Coat Factory there in 2002. We were last there about 2 years ago for the Asia buffet.
I need to get inside the mall now after they air it out.
I've lived in La Palma and Buena Park since 1975 and this mall was such a huge part of my life growing up. The Walmart used to be Robinsons/May and then became a Fedco before turning into Walmart. The movie theater used to be a UA, I think, and was where 24 Hour Fitness is now. They reconfigured that area a bit. So many great memories of so many cool stores and restaurants in there. So sad.
Wasn't the food court downstairs? I remember the knife store, sanrio store, piano store, there used to be a coca cola memorabilia store down stairs
Moved to Buena Park in 1978.
We lived off of Franklin and Western.
@@jeffalbillar7625Must’ve been a popular year to move to the area. My folks moved us to La Palma in 78’
The movie theater was an UA but it was inside the mall. The big Krikorian outside of the mall is relatively new.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMANYes. The food court was downstairs. This used to be a one story outdoor mall. It was enclosed. And then the entire downstairs area was carved out of the basements of the south side stores. Not sure where all the stores put their merchandise after that as the basement was their stockrooms. My mom used to work here when I was a kid. I remember going down in the basement once. Never realized that someday in my teenage years I would spend many hours at this mall and many a lunch in that downstairs food court.
There was never a Broadway. Walmart site used to be May Company, which turned into Fedco in the 90s. It was demolished in the early 2000s for Walmart.
JC Penney used to be where the Krikorian theatres are and the 24 hour fitness site was the old movie theater
Ahhh ok the May Co & i do remember that Fedco. Cool you know the lay of the land over there
I would buy concert tickets on the second floor of the May Co.
I remember BP Mall when it was an open air mall. They had laege boulders near the seating areas in the middle of the walkway. Later after it was enclosed I had a friend who worked the Newberry's there.
Ahhh Newberrys there was 1 by me at an open air shopping center that no longer exists & was re developed as a different type of shopping center
As I recall, the boulders were near the Caramel Corn (Karmel Korn?)/Ice Cream stand. Where are those boulders now, I wonder.🤔
They were all along the middle of the walkway every few stores from what I remeber... but I was just a kid then and more interested in thealigator farm over by Knotts... @@square-on-wheels
Tears!! One of my old malls ... it's so sad!! Was there about 5 years ago and it had closed so many stores ... will watch to see what else is gone. Just ... sad.
I'll go back at some point to film the inside
the mall is busy on the weekends with lots of people coming to the movie theaters, that downstairs funzone and the outside swapmeet.
I grew up off of Crescent & Dale and was at that mall a lot back when May Company, Pennys and Sears were the anchor stores. It’s sad but that mall has been dead for years.
I want to see inside when available
I live near this mall and visit periodically, usually in the evening the parking lot is full of cars and you can't find parking. I wouldn't call this a dead mall, just certain parts of it are dead like the Sears end. Howe's was a gaming lounge that closed due to COVID-19, and never came back. It might look dead depending on when you visit though. The fire probably caused evacuations making it seem dead.
I'll be back eventually to check out the inside
Oh yah that is true. This year I did go there at night & the parking lot was packed. I think it's all the people going to Walmart, TJ Max, and the Movie theatre. Same for the mall at Orange, prolly cuz of the Walmart. Westminster mall parking inside is a ghost town. Stores are open, but not alot of foot traffic at all.
Yes and there's always a wait for the Kickin' Crab
My husband and I discovered this mall (along with Westminster) only a few years ago when we started going to the O.C. a lot more. We mainly went here to bring our son to the John’s Incredible. And last year we went a bunch of times since they hosted a lot of anime events in that space between the mall and the theater. It saddened us that we discovered these malls too late, since they both have been big with the anime community. Our usual malls (Lakewood, Del Amo and Cerritos) are still pretty busy, thankfully. But even another mall we used to frequent, the South Bay Galleria, has become a dead mall as well.
I'll need to hit up the South Bay Galleria to check it out.
@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN for sure! Looking forward to see if you post a video about it. It used to be pretty popular with celebrities back then, I heard. And I did see Danielle Fishel (who played Topanga in Boy Meets World) there once. I used to work at the Macy's there during my early college days. My husband and I used to go there to take our son to the Wonder of Dinosaurs and we went recently after a couple years and was so saddened that it was so empty.
Thanks for mentioning the Gallo De Oro restaurant in their little food court (that I had no idea existed!). I usually only go to the Walmart there. I'll definitley give it a try.
There was some good stores back in the day Now not so much. The only thing keeping it open is the restaurants. The Chinese restaurant towards the back was legit back in the day. Some sketchy people like to hangout around there nowadays which is sad. Wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes apartments like everything else that goes dead zone.
I hear the Sears side is going to be housing starting in 2025. We shall see
I used to work at Knott's Berry farm and walk over there and go shopping when I get off work back in 2002 when I was 18☺️
I remember when it was an open air shopping center. There were huge boulders down the middle I used to climb on when I was a kid. I had my first job at the mall in 1983 at Toy World (later Kay Bee Toys). There was a Bob's Big Boy next door that I'd have lunch at. Minimum wage was $3.35 and hour. I worked at the Sears four different times between 1984 and 1996, in the hardware, plumbing, major appliances, and security. So many great memories!
I would of liked to of seen the Bob's Big Boy back then over there.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN Yes...so what they had in the mall was Bob's Big Boy Jr...which sold the same burgers and fries that you got at the full service restaurants, and maybe some of the other menu items, but obviously not the full selection as the restaurant, nor a coffee counter to eat at. There used to be a full service Bob's Big Boy restaurant where Stanton Ave runs into Beach Blvd. I looked at Google maps and it appears to be a Domino's Pizza now.
@@Cgopat Bob's Big Boy Jr. Sounds even cooler & unique! I hit up Bob's in Norco these days
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN If you haven't visited it yet, google Bob's Big Boy Burbank. If you're ever out this way that's a unique one to check out. Friday nights they have classic cars on display also. Should you go, on the way there, depending how you plan your route, you can take in the oldest McDonalds in Downey. Both places have their unique architecture.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN if you haven't already you should check out the Bob's Big Boy in Burbank. Classic architecture and sign, and on Fridays they have classic cars. You can find it online.
I went to Portillo’s around 2008. I didn’t go inside the mall, but remember the parking lot being fairly filled. So in 16 years, it looks like this!
Thanks for sharing - my old stomping grounds.All those jobs lost, very sad.
Walmart was The May Company.
We used to run around that place when there was no roof and no second floor. That is whenit was at its best. My favorite place at the time was Orange Julius and The Popcorn Place. I was just a kid.
Wish i could of seen it then
Plenty of memories, especially that wierd diamond skylight entrance they removed years ago!!
Used to get my orange julius ever time!
Because of the Walmart there is traffic there. Then although its connected, you have to walk around to get into the mall. Then theres an active trampoline park, shoe store, TJ Max, & a jewelry store. The Sears closed down. 5 years ago b4 Covid, huge selection of clothes in the store, but not alot of traffic. Downstairs theres a little kid Dave n Busters type of arcade for families, outside is active cuz of the movie theatre. More traffic than the mall in Orange. But cool video. It is kind of a slow mall.
Curious if that trampoline park will re open at some point down the line after the 4 alarm fire?
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN I recall I went there this year & it was open. I saw some lady sitting on the bench watching her children.
That place used to be super busy in the 90s!
Are you visiting middle of the week while kids are in school? This mall isn’t booming, but there are always people at the restaurants out front and theater in the evenings. The Sears went out of business years ago to make room for condos.
@@OhanaMamaWatt yeah out front is always busy but inside the mall isn't that busy. The theater outside the mall probably can be busy too but dead around it.
I lived near there 20 years ago, and that mall was the place to shop! In fact, I got my fridge at that Sears. I actually remember when that movie theater opened. I visited a few months ago, and dang, what a difference! In fact, most of the stores left were the same ones left at the Village Mall of Orange before it closed. Omen? Especially since there was a fire.
This is one mall that is still relevant. The only downside is a closed Sears and faded theater artwork. That hardly qualifies as a "Dead Mall". The recent fire doesn't help matters though.
I do need to go back there to check out the inside when available. But that back section by movie theater seem dead
What time did you go there. That place is packed, especially by Walmart. Go there around noon by the kicking crab. You can’t find a parking spot.
there was a kelly's coffee and fudge....so good! That mall was the SPOT back in the 90's lol
The Walmart was May Company not Broadway.
So where are the lot lizards? 😂
I remember it as a 3-Story FedCo...
@@rgm4289it was May Company up to 1993ish then they used the building for Fedco
Oh ok i used to go to the May co in Santa Ana waaaaay back.
The old food court had a place called Sunshine’s. They made sandwiches using Roman Meal bread, I miss that bread.
I remember this mall back when I was a child, in 2004 when I was in the fourth grade, it was lively and had stores and all... now....
Its so sad my best friends mom would drop us off at sears in the 80s it was a great place to be.
I used to shop that Sears all the time
Sears is where we’d get our Polo Cologne in the 80’s 😂
The border of Buena Park is the east side of the nursery by Woodland Drive. El Pollo Loco is in Anaheim and the Apartment across from it is in Buena Park.
First went to this mall in '99. It was a ghost town. Over the years, they started to add all those surrounding establishments, the movie theater, etc.
It was struggling in the 80s as well.
It was closed for a long time for renovations.
It had two levels
Imagine if the internet never happened all this stuff would still be there!
It’s a busy mall, you went during the wrong day due to the fire that just happened. Also why don’t you go back and see if Dickeys has cleaned up their place and fixed the always broken ice cream machine.
Ill be back. Lol free ice cream is probably why they claim it's broke. I never been in that Dickeys tho
Cool, THANKS AGAIN SIR!
Your welcome
Sears been closed for years - I always went there for my fridge/washer and dryer. The faith of this one is even worse than the one in Orange mall.
Guess in 2025 the Sears side will be housing i hear?
That mall is depressing. The last time I was there was in early 2022 to check out a burger place called Burger Monster in the mall's separate food hall building. My spicy Dracula Burger was very good but, shortly thereafter, Burger Monster fled that mall and moved to a different location.
1 mexican resturant left in that back location which is sad. Their food looked good tho
that poor food hall... it flamed out so fast.
Some day, the malls... what's left of them, will be like the great pyramids.
Who built them... and how?😊
@@jmr5707 lol... that's a good 1!
This is like 7 miles from my house. I've been there only twice. I go to Brea mall.
hahah, yeah, pretty dead these days.... we had Molly Pitcher's pie in the food court downstairs in the 90s and also the comic book store / post office in the corner, Asia buffet is actually the busiest place, lines start to form later in the day
Buffet any good? Must be if they have a line
Have you ever snuck into the abandoned Hawthorne Plaza Mall in Hawthorne, CA? It’s pretty trippy.
This mall is doing ok with the food places around it. The stores inside always been dead for decades. I love when they have the Disney pop up events.
You should do a video on the Escondido mall. what a active popping mall should still look like.
San Diego area i assume?
@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN yes S.D.
There was never Broadway. It was May Company. My Mom worked there when she was young. I worked at the Fedco while it was there and they leveled the building to build the Walmart.
Sad, I’ve watched this mall die twice now. Wal-Mart came in and helped breathe life into it in the early 2000’s and it turned things around for almost 20 years. Now, the poor mall is dying again.
& the Sears side is going to be housing i just was told. New development over there in 2025
All malls are dying.
when the new Gudetama cafe is open, there are long lines. that's something.
I ❤️ Deadmalls
New thing for me now
Shameless plug to tag along one episode
It was Fedco, then the May Company and then Walmart
Ok cool. Vaguely remember that mall from back in the day.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN No./.May Co.,first, then Fedco
Ok but WHY did you skip over Kickin' Crab right across from the Sushi place? That place is always packed and I always have to wait an hour or so. Please keep it real.
Shut this thing down already. Build the much needed affordable housing the city is stauling and refusing to approve. What a waste of space
I live near the Buena Park mall. It's just sad and embarrassing. That food hall was suppose to help revive that mall, but business was never that good and the pandemic helped expedite it's demise. Even when I was in High School 30 years ago, the BP mall was regarded as a dump.
the mall is busy on the weekends with lots of people coming to the movie theaters, that downstairs funzone and the outside swapmeet. it's sad that the food hall flamed out so fast. Its open again with one business.
You look exactly like Alex jones.
@@sting114 i get that alot. Even in jury duty by the bailiff...lol
Thought the same. 😂
maybe he IS Alex Jones.
The mall inside is doomed but it retains all the anchor tenants like Walmart, Burlington, Ross and TJmax. These stores are popular with big curvy mexican women who make up all the foot traffic. 😂
@@chinaboss6683 🤣
The Ross has good stuff at good prices. You just have to look.
that downstairs funzone gets lots of business.
👍🙏
👍👍
Enter to the left of 24hr fitness pass the Asia buffet and movie theater
Now it’s a breeding center for the local 🇲🇽’s 😂
Its really closer