This mall was my childhood. Used to go to Hills for toys and snacks as a kid where the JC Penney is now. Spent many quarters in Aladdin’s Castle Arcade that was down that far end hallway near JC as well. Watched Beauty and the Beast at the old cinemas now long gone near where the Bon Ton is. Renna’s has been there forever. Amazing.
Before the mall went up, my mother used to take me shopping up and down State street. It was glorious. I'll never forget the floor in Bradners and how sparkly it was and all the sales girls behind the counters and the chandeliers and the stair case. We always had to go ride the elevator too. My mother knew all the shop keepers and since we lived in PA she would buy clothes and have them shipped to PA to avoid the sales tax. I remember everyone getting ready for the mall to open, it was big news. It also put downtown Olean out of business eventually. I remember seeing Star Wars at the theater on State street where the Bluebird center is now.
This is always sad for my wife and me to see. When our kids were young, we spent many winter Friday nights at the Mall, eating at the Ponderosa or at McDonalds, waiting for the movie to start. My wife and I watched other families shop while the kids played at the arcade. The whole place went from "busting at the seams" to simply busted, like so many other malls across America.
I think this place was recently renovated or reopened, from what I can tell it used to be called Cyberstation and is now At the Pier. I really hope they have people in there on the weekend or something because it doesnt look bad at all really
Good call on minimal voiceover as this was a good video for our own memories of malls like this…and the music choices were a nice change from the music a lot of us keep using over and over.
This is my local mall. It started dying once before, but Kohl's coming in 2012 rejuvenated it for a few years. Sadly, Bon-Ton's 2018 closure seems to have been the turning point where things spiraled downwards and then ownership changed in 2021 to a firm out of Rochester, NY. Really it is just the last 2 years that have been horrible, as it seems the new owner had no intentions of doing anything. I can't help but feel the tenants got tired of nothing happening. The owner allowing JCPenney to shutter their mall doors really cut traffic to the mall itself- which was then hurt even more when Kohl's followed. This in turn led to FYE, claire's, Cindy's Craft CO-OP and Bath & Body Works either closing or opting to relocate. Shoe Dept simply opted to focus on their other existing store instead of operating two different locations. There are major plans for the property in the near future that did recently get approved which entail the demolition of most of the Bon Ton space, adding an apartment complex and adding an entirely new entrance by the arcade. But we'll have to see if any of that actually happens.
I saw those plans and was really intrigued because it seemed like they were keeping most if not all of the mall intact. I wonder if they're hoping that having people living on site will create a built in audience for opening some stores at least down at the end near the Bon Ton....
Perfect dead mall video, thank you, you have mastered your craft, ASMR bliss, the music, minimal narration, shots of the exotic plants and skylights, and the girl checking her reflection and the sad homeless mall walker, what a story shown, thanks again
This mall was my childhood. Used to go to Hills for toys and snacks as a kid where the JC Penney is now. Spent many quarters in Aladdin’s Castle Arcade that was down that far end hallway near JC as well. Watched Beauty and the Beast at the old cinemas now long gone near where the Bon Ton is. Renna’s has been there forever. Amazing.
Before the mall went up, my mother used to take me shopping up and down State street. It was glorious. I'll never forget the floor in Bradners and how sparkly it was and all the sales girls behind the counters and the chandeliers and the stair case. We always had to go ride the elevator too. My mother knew all the shop keepers and since we lived in PA she would buy clothes and have them shipped to PA to avoid the sales tax. I remember everyone getting ready for the mall to open, it was big news. It also put downtown Olean out of business eventually. I remember seeing Star Wars at the theater on State street where the Bluebird center is now.
This is always sad for my wife and me to see. When our kids were young, we spent many winter Friday nights at the Mall, eating at the Ponderosa or at McDonalds, waiting for the movie to start. My wife and I watched other families shop while the kids played at the arcade. The whole place went from "busting at the seams" to simply busted, like so many other malls across America.
That hidden corner hall entrance near JCP with the orange MALL sign outside is classic old school mall style! 🎉
All the old signage outside is amazing!
The arcade looks really nice and clean! I’m not big on the redemption games, but that’s how any of these arcades make money today.
I think this place was recently renovated or reopened, from what I can tell it used to be called Cyberstation and is now At the Pier. I really hope they have people in there on the weekend or something because it doesnt look bad at all really
Great video! Its gonna be a sad day when this one inevitably closes.
Good call on minimal voiceover as this was a good video for our own memories of malls like this…and the music choices were a nice change from the music a lot of us keep using over and over.
This is my local mall. It started dying once before, but Kohl's coming in 2012 rejuvenated it for a few years. Sadly, Bon-Ton's 2018 closure seems to have been the turning point where things spiraled downwards and then ownership changed in 2021 to a firm out of Rochester, NY. Really it is just the last 2 years that have been horrible, as it seems the new owner had no intentions of doing anything. I can't help but feel the tenants got tired of nothing happening. The owner allowing JCPenney to shutter their mall doors really cut traffic to the mall itself- which was then hurt even more when Kohl's followed. This in turn led to FYE, claire's, Cindy's Craft CO-OP and Bath & Body Works either closing or opting to relocate. Shoe Dept simply opted to focus on their other existing store instead of operating two different locations.
There are major plans for the property in the near future that did recently get approved which entail the demolition of most of the Bon Ton space, adding an apartment complex and adding an entirely new entrance by the arcade. But we'll have to see if any of that actually happens.
I saw those plans and was really intrigued because it seemed like they were keeping most if not all of the mall intact. I wonder if they're hoping that having people living on site will create a built in audience for opening some stores at least down at the end near the Bon Ton....
Perfect dead mall video, thank you, you have mastered your craft, ASMR bliss, the music, minimal narration, shots of the exotic plants and skylights, and the girl checking her reflection and the sad homeless mall walker, what a story shown, thanks again
@@christrojak9951 thanks for watching, appreciate the comments