The sad aspect of so many malls closing is that once upon a time, they were social hubs where people of all ages could visit, meet and get to know each other. Today everyone of all ages are addicted to their phones and have become unsocialized. It's a sad state of affairs.
@@SWExplore it is sad. Im in the era of going to the mall for just about everything minus groceries. 70's - 80s - 90s. Young people are mainly apps & amazon now
@@rideshareroadwarriorrick That would be great if it actually happens. The cost of renting or buying a home continues to sky rocket and people in government don't seem to care.
to many rules things to expensive kids like a places they can afford like fast food joints parks extra today's young see being broke as embarrassing and too young to get a job to fix that.
I grew up in Westminster from 1966 through 1975. On my wedding day on November 15, 1975, as a prank, our friends "kidnapped" my wife. She was still in her wedding dress and I was in my tux. They took her to this mall and I had to rescue her by paying a ransom of 100 pennies. The pennies had to come from random customers at the mall. She was handcuffed to metal gates in front of a store. The whole thing was a blast and created some great memories and pictures. It was kind of a spectacle at the time. It's sad to see how it looks now. FYI...my wife and I are still happily married with two sons and four grandkids. 😃
I grew up in this mall. It's too painful to watch it die. Kids today missed our on the true 80s 90s mall experience. It was magical and we all took it for granted.
like I said, the area where the mall is was great for riding my little motorcycle when the gold fish farm was there. Malls are temporary and only can be a think if people go there. Why be pissed? That space should be turned into something useful.
My mall also but unlike most here, I'm not nostalgic AT ALL about this, or any mall. All they are, are monuments to consumerism. In fact I find them dystopian, like underground bunkers to shield people from nature and the real world. very little natural light, conditioned air.....creepy!
Growing up in HB I remember when that opened. Spent so much time there with my Mom shopping and then hanging out as a teen. That place was absolutely packed any day of the week. Christmas was just insane. A crown Jewel of the OC. But malls are a thing of the past now.
@@tommurphy4307 Brea was pretty hoppin' last time I was there. I'm sure South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island are still good but haven't been to either in decades
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMANyou could have a street takeover or a lowrider meet in this lot lol. Yeah probably it's because they made those shopping centers with outlets and fast food franchises is why lot not occupied
Finally somebody made a video about this, it's about time! I live like literally 10 minutes away from this mall. Thank you for making this. I knew almost every store was used to be there when you pointed it out in your video. Part of my child hood was that mall. Radio shack, american eagle , Hollister, sears , game stop , book off, DSW shoe store, wetzels pretzels, sunglass hut, pink by Victoria secret, zumiez , spencers, japan lifestyle store, Vans shoes , express men (mom bought me my first suit there in high school), sbarro at the food court my favorite Italian eatery, hot dog on a stick, phillys cheesesteak, panda express, see's candies ,robinsins may etc etc etc. I could go on and on. Thosd stores i listed all used to be there at one time. But now they are all gone. RIP.
Is Spencer's still there? I remember when Spencer's used to be in the Buena Park mall, and when it closed for renovations I'm the mid 80s sometime, Spencer's went to Westminster Mall and stayed there.
Was an amazing mall back in the 90s, you couldn’t even find parking sometimes. They use to have a pet store where you could see the cutest dogs. Shocked how it’s empty now 😢
I remember when it opened. My old room mate used to work in the Sears tool department in the mid 70s. The place was always busy and alive. The holidays were especially enjoyable with Santas and families enjoying all the decorations and activity. What a sad place it is now. I still occasionally go to the Macy's that's hanging on. I don't understand why today's shoppers avoid the tactile experience in favor of online purchases. I'm glad I lived when all these places thrived. Youth today will never know what a great time it was.
okay, wow- TACTILE EXPERIENCE. we still go to the malls to buy clothes here in san diego., buying tools and buying clothes are two entirely different things. we have a few outdoor swap meets every sat/sun and those are the best places to buy tools. harbor freight has a great selection of cheap stuff to get you by, but i go to ace for better stuff at its in my home town here in alpine, ca. all the sears stores that were around here are toast- macy's is next...
There was a news article a couple years back that stated they were going to start demolition in 2024 and new construction was going to start in 2025 of a Housing community with new shopping and restaurants on the lower level of the housing. I do not recall the name of the construction builders or owners of the property, but they are the same owners and builders that are going to build housing in Buena Park in the Mall where the Sears location is now. Malls are going to become 15 minute city locations soon enough. How Sad. I’m an 70’s-80’s kid and we are socially heading into a downward irreversible spiral.
Exactly what I was thinking. These old shopping centers/malls are slated to be redeveloped into Agenda 21/mixed use ultra dense housing. It’s been happening for awhile and will really ramp up in the coming decade, especially in Southern California. A serious bummer imo.
that not true....the lady at macys told me a couple weeks ago the plans are on hold to tear it down,,,,the property owners cant agree on what to do ....she has been with macys for 25 years....she said macys told the employyess they will be there until feb 2025,,,but they keep extending that....
@@BillMcLendon8888 i went to the Buena Park Mall today to soot a vid there & they had a fire inside there the day before so the interior was closed due to them airing out the inside. Hope i can get in there soon
i would think housing costs are much higher in orange county than those in harris county, texas. what the hell are they waiting for? its costing SOMEBODY a ton of $$$$$.
You're ripping my heart out. We grew up with this small and watched it change over the years. It only recently died and those bears used to be inside. I'm surprised to see them out there.
I was a freshman at Westminster High School in 1986 and 87. This mall was my hangout when I ditched school. We were always getting lost in the crowds when the cops chased us. Thanks for the flashback!
@jaystriple. Lol... I hope the security didn't catch you. I can't imagine keeping one eye on the stores and food courts, and one eye keeping a lookout for security. 😊
I grew up not too far from this mall. I was 16 when it opened. I have such great memories of shopping, hanging out with my friends and eating there. I even remember Joan Jet performing there in the 70s before she became huge of course. Later in my 20s my mom and I would spend the day shopping then having lunch at The Broadway or May Co. Christmas was the best because they would go all out on the decorations. Dept stores offered holiday gift wrapping for a reasonable cost. It was the ultimate mall experience. Spent a lot of time there. There's a cemetery not too far from there that we'd pass on the way to the mall I used to tell my mom jokingly that when I die I want my ashes scattered at Westminster Mall that's how much I loved that place. She still remembers that and we still laugh about it. She's 95.y.o. time passes so quickly.
Absolutely horrible! I was born and raised in Westminster and went to Westminster Highschool. I’m 60 now…you can blame the city council.🤬 They have destroyed the city!
I and a group of friends bought Wilson's leather jackets, when we were 20 ish and in the year 2000 ish. I still have mine, but have never needed a plush lined, suede leather trench coat, in So Cal weather, and especially not since the winters have (seemingly?) grown warmer in the last 10 years...
This is so fricking sad to see...It is actually heartbreaking to see. Though not my primary mall (that would be Lakewood Mall), when I started driving, Westminster Mall was THE place to go (early 80's) and I spent a lot of time there. And even into my adult years, If I had to hit the Mall, I would go to Westminster. A couple of years ago, I read that Westminster Mall was going to be demolished and in it's place, will be constructed literally of one thousand "low income" housing units, apartment style. Should that happen, can you guess what that will look like in about a year or two after opening and what it will do to the area traffic?? I stopped going to Westminster Mall when the Sears closed (that is where I would always purchase my Craftsman Tools). Thank you for making and posting this video, still though, very sad to see. BTW, forgot to mention, back in the day, were you to visit during Christmas time (keeping in mind the size of the parking lot, it would take 15-20 minutes to find a parking spot....the ENTIRE parking lot would fill up, causing you to circle looking for a spot to park.
I bought tons of Craftsman tools there myself & stopped going there after Sears closed too. The days of circling for a parking spot there are over. Super sad
I remember being around 7 or 8 years old and going here with family and I found 5 dollars in a planter. Mid 80s. I felt so lucky to find that 5 bucks lol I bought a Gumby toy with it. It was a damn good day for that young version of me!
OMG!!! That mall was so happening back in the 80s it was my old stomping ground. It was where we hung out me and my girlfriends on the weekends. I'm so sad to see it in such dire condition. Never thought it would go out of business. Thanks for showing. Its been so long since I've been there that I was going to take a trip down there to look around, but I guess I won't have to now. 😢
Visuals are everything from this vid. But if you have other plans in the area stop in just to trip out in person on how dead it is & reminisce your memories you had of it back then
Nice work ! As a kid of the 80s I spent many days and nights in this mall. My friends and I anticipated this with the emergence of Amazon and Walmart. It’s unfortunate the malls will be all closing most likely for housing. Now my son and I go so he can ride the elevators :).
That's the mall I grew up with. Taught me how to lock a bike up so it didn't get stolen. Lace lock through your seat, wheels handlebars, frame..... Anything you didn't want stolen.😅. Made it from McFadden and bolsa chica to the mall in 6 minutes on my bike to make a movie. Personal best!
I remember when it opened. It was packed around Christmas. Used to ride the bus there from 5th grade through middle school to see movies, hangout, and go to the Sega Center arcade to play pinball, Tempest, Asteroids and Space Invaders.
I lived in that mall!!!! seriously- went there EVERY day after school, (Westminster High- goooo Lions) it had the BEST food court... I see you passed where foot locker was... & spencer gifts - Judy's was at the end- that esculator next to Macys saw sooooo much action... it was the "spot" to be noticed when looking for a date. :-D
This mall in the 80s and the 90s. was really fun to go to. even had two separate movie theaters. One inside the mall. and the other One outside of the mall.
Fell in this mall back in 2019 when it was still somewhat lively. Gf and i would go there all the time because it was nostalgic for both of us when we grew up. Sad to see it go. Going to miss you, Westminster 😢
My home territory!! My friend and I walked Westminster Mall the very week it opened. It had new technology in that it was built on some type of rollers that would withstand strong earthquakes without having structural damage. Every store was open back then. So sad to see the teenage hang outs gone now. Update Aug 7 ... went to the Laughlin Outlet Mall today in Laughlin, NV (close to me now) and it's the same thing. It's so dark, everything closed except for a Boys & Girls Club Thrift Store, Maidenform, and a souvenir type store. Oh, the Bath & Body Works outlet is still there too. Was told they're selling the property. I wonder if malls will ever revive.
Sugar Plum used to be downstairs at Buena Park Mall. They rent out stalls, and vendors sell crafts, small antiques, used items, etc. It is only open a few days each month. It is sad to see what has become of Westminster Mall, a mall from my youth. The way people shop has completely changed. Not just online, but the items they shop for. Who knows? Maybe a future generation will rediscover mall shopping, and online shopping will suffer. The only constant is change.
During the holidays that parking lot would be full. Bought a lot of tools and a few appliances at that Sears. Used to get watch batteries changed at that Fast Fix. Other stores like KB Toys, Spencer Gifts, and Cinnabon. I still get mailers advertising that Luxe Buffet. If I had to guess, they will demolish the mall and replace with apartments.
@@CAHummingbird my dads favorite undeware brand was the JCPenney brand. They seemed thicker & better cotton back in the day. I liked the Vans t's they have there.
Grew up going there and worked at Robinson May back in the day. A lot of memories there 😊 Took my niece to an anime meet up a while back . Love to see this place full again .
This is my old neighborhood. I spent countless hours and quarters at that mall and the arcade which used to be right there on the right as you walked in at the beginning. Was a pizza place, then the arcade. I can't believe it now looks like the Huntington Center did then. Empty. This video brought back so many memories.
So sad. I grew up in Chino, CA in the 70's, 80's and the first half of the 90's. I spent many summer days there at the Westminster Mall, chasing girls and getting in trouble! I just turned 50, and life itself, seems almost unrecognizable from those days.
@@tonybino01 lol..yeah. my whole family was scattered all over Southern California one of my My Auntie & Uncles, Cousins lived in Huntington , we were there often! 🤙🏻
The middle of the mall used to have a sunken food court and it was amazing. The three story escalator going down to the food court was like a Disneyland ride (at least for a 6 year old in 1981). Then they ruined the mall and filled the center in with more store fronts, it took the character and uniqueness out of it.
Yes!!!! The pit! I worked in the pit at burgers & fries next to Orange Julius- my first real job at 15 in 1983! So many memories- the mall was where it all went down!! 😂
I started at my current job in February of 2020 nearby this mall. After the initial lockdowns were lifted, i used to come here on my lunch breaks. It was kind of eerie, like i was living in a zombie movie. It's so sad that things are the way they are. That food court is like the discount version of the classic food court staples. The Sbarro's hasn't actually been one for a while (the same thing for the Ghengis Khan). It was an Orange Julius and Dariy Queen combo, but i think they have been gone for a while. That actually was a Mrs. Fields, but it was a combo store with TCBY Treats ( I didn't know they were still around). I think the owner of that location closed a couple of years ago. I only ever saw her working by herself and she was only open a few days a week at very limited hours. Thanks for doing these videos! When I was at my previous job, we actually had the property management as a customer. The middle island sucked to get communication wires to.
My three favorite back in the day South Coast Plaza, Orange Mall Westminster- never cared for Main place in Santa Ana (even though I lived in S.A... 77-85
It's ironic and sad that these places were once flourishing places of wonder and socializing and commerce and then people at the top enact changes upon society and these locations without regard for what the people want and then wonder why things are the way they are now and why everything has changes in an negative capacity.
I used to work there when it first opened! Worked at the food court down in the middle. Pablo's Kitchen, Orange Julius and Burger and Fries all owned by the same company. Was a very busy place. Saw movies stars etc. Christmas it was packed. So sad to see it like this but so many found memories.
I wonder what happened to the iron bears and alligator statues we used to play on as kids (and occasionally crack our heads open when we fell off them).
Man this is soo depressing to watch.....😭 My family moved here to Westminster back in 1980! and I remember it had that 80's model vibe and style then a few years later they revamped the mall to look more modern. A couple of Landmarks. In the middle of the upper level was the Huge store for the girls ( drum roll please....) . . . . Charlette Rouse, if I spelled that right. Anyone remember that? And Me and my buddies would play Street Fighter at this I think it was a pizza joint near the entrance of the mall. And I used to shop at the Cool shop in the 90's ......G.H.Q! Anyone remember that store!!!!??? I loved looking around Sears too as a Kid, we used to get our school clothes from there. 😢 In the 90's this mall busy and bustling...... and they used to have a Millers Outpost there too!!! There's a Blast from the Past. I got my 1st lil RC car my dad. bought me from : KB toy store. Man I Loved that lil car. Anyone else have memories here at the Westminster Mall they want to share?
I was 15 and 16 when I did fashion shows in Westminster mall. My mom would drive me there and I would model the clothes with other girls on the runway in center court somewhere. Oh it was so fun! I am almost 61 now!!! I was the total mall girl with my friends.
I lived in HB from 1976-1983.. went to this mall often. In those days the very center of the mall was a cavity where the largest wooden beam imagineable was suspended by about a hundred steel cables resembling a modern suspension bridge. Then in the late 90’s I went through and saw they had built into that cavity-/ the beam was gone, and the cavity was filled with more stores. Shame to see such a magnificent place die.
Yes, that's when this mall was awesome. We're so lucky to have known it like that. All those little pathways and everything. That's how I will always remember that mall.
The Little Folk Shop (with in store slide)0Cartoon Junction, Doo Dah, Time Out, KB, the weird d organ stores, and .25 sticker books at Sanrio. Those were indeed....the days
So sad. It’s not just a depressing situation due to Bidenomics, but also in the sense that Malls were the hangout for all us kids growing up in the 80s. So many great memories. I’m going to Del Amo next w my bff. Hope it’s not this bad. 🙌🇺🇸🙌
My husband and I just went there. So hard to see it like this. Walked around remembering how it was when it first opened. Where I worked and thinking of all the shops that used to be there and the people.
This looks like the mall in Citrus Height, CA.. ( suburb of Sacramento). The are tearing it down and replacing it with apartment buildings, other types of retail, offices, etc. My daughter lived south of Westminster Mall, and I remember going to visit her at Christmas time, and the traffic around this mall would be backed up for blocks with people wanting to get in. I never went in there, but I never realized how huge it was. I wonder what makes some malls deserted, while others thrive. I know of three that are just like the hey-days of the 80's.
Born in Garden Grove and raised in Westminster. This mall was our neighborhood mall. Im 44 now and I still remember back in the days when the mall was so packed, it has red carpet and everyone was happy going there. Such a shame it becomes one of those ghost town malls in Orange County. People can argue because of online shopping and the pandamic but its not true. South Coast Plaza, The Orange Outlet, Irvine Spectrum and Fashion Island still has alot of people and stores still open. To me this mall will always me our neighborhood mall
I grew up at this mall, it’s so sad to see it so empty. There used to have a theatre there in the 90’s which was great and the parents would just drop us off for hours. My mom worked at the LensCrafters there for over a decade and they were always so busy. So many awesome memories there.
Cost of buying new clothing etc became too expensive for many us at the malls in recents years. Cost of living exceeds our incomes. Goodwill stores has become the popular place to shop.
I never went there growing up - but moved into the area around 2002 . It was so packed every weekend. People spending money on children’s clothing and everything else. I saw the demise of this mall over the next 15 years. Most go down the freeway one exit to Bella Terra. Once Macy’s and Sears lost all of their customers, this place was DONE. It will be better developed as a Balla Terra type place- with hundreds of apartments. lol
The food court was at the west end by the sears entrance. Upper level. It was called “cafe 405” they made it I think around 1987. Before that it was in the center of the mall accessible by a bunch of red carpeted ramps to get to the various levels of the mall. It was really gorgeous.
I got laid on the roof of the JC Pennys while I was doing the HVAC for a company called Building Comfort Services. They even had a freight elevator to the roof. Good ol days.
I live not far away in the same county, but haven't been there in about a year. It was not this bad, it really looks like a ghost town now! There isn't really anything for me to get there that I can't get online w/free shipping now. Malls were places to socialize like 30-40 years ago but not anymore. Those big bins Returns places have popped up in strip malls too now, kinda creepy.
I used to live near the Westminster Mall in the 70s and 80s. Even though JCPENNEY and Macy's are there, they didn't replace Sears store. Many more stores that were there just didn't do the business and now the shops are closed.
I used to go to the Westminster Mall almost weekly. I would go to Best Buy to check out the new releases, then head across to the mall. Target helped to revive it for a short while. Sad to see it this empty. 😢
@@alexshatner3907 Best Products was one of the original warehouse stores. Pick something to buy from a catalogue or limited display area. Then would be given to you at a pickup counter. I had forgotten about this store until I remembered the Best Buy using the building years after Best Products closed.
Sad to see this mall so empty. I was Dave's Appliances last year and did not realize that this adjacent mall was failing. Very good selections and prices at Dave's BTW!
This was my mall growing up. I remember where the KB toys, Mrs. Fields, Spencers Gifts, and Suncoast record store was! Suncoast is where I remember my mom took me to get the Offspring "Americana" CD lol. The food court had an A&W Rootbeer, Hotdog on a Stick, and a McDonalds. I remember getting the beanie babies from the happy meals there. That Target was a big deal when it opened and now it's just a shell for the most part. I stumbled upon your Puente Hills video and had to look to see if you did the Westminster Mall. Sad how they have become but it is a different world than the 80s and 90s now. The only malls that haven't struggled are South Coast and Fashion Island but that isn't for everyone.
It's public information that the entire property is going to be repurposed into housing, restaurants, a park and plenty of shopping. It will be booming like the Bella Terra here in Huntington Beach.
When the Sears shut down the mall died. It really isn't a mall anymore. It's a Target next to zombie stores. The Best Buy at the north end of the parking lot still seems to be alive; that's the only place I've been to recently.
I tutored a lady for chemistry back in 1997? She and her husband had a jewelry store. One day some slashed his Mercedes tire and he was afraid to change the tires and so he drove home with the flat.
A lot of the stores have closed that were just open last December. I was told that the Westminster and Buena Park Malls would be fully closed and demolished within the next 3-5 years and condos would be built in its place. Sugar Plum moved from BP to Westminster knowing BP is supposed to go first.
I grew up in the 90s, coming to this great Mall, back when it had a Disney store, KB toys, I'm in shock how it's so empty now, like I walked into an alternative future, almost everything is gone and some homeless dude is growing corn in a part of the parking lot
It's a very slow sad death. 😢 They closed the Target entrances to the mall quite a while ago because the alcohol section was next to the exit and it made it easy to steal, so of course the solution isn't, move the alcohol, the answer was, close off the exit. Now you have to walk out the front side from the lower level and back into the mall at its deadest point. That decision didn't help the few that still shop there.We no longer bother using that Target.
I remember when it opened. I was 14-15 and me and my friends got all dressed up just to walk around! Also, during the holidays there was absolutely nowhere to park. Even the outer parking spaces were full. Now it will eventually become more condos and shops with some kind of park space. Just more traffic and congestion for the main intersection of Bolsa/Goldenwest. Sometimes progress is not a good thing. 😔
Omg! I had my first two jobs here- Burgers & Fries in “the pit” aka, the lower food court, next to Orange Julius over the summer and Robinson’s (now Macy’s) in the fall for the next two years. Wow, it looks crazy! It used to be so packed back in the 80’s!! I live in south OC now and I had no idea this mall was a ghost town now- another one bites the dust 😢 it’s almost hard to look at… my warm childhood memories are disintegrating in my brain rn 🤯
When you first walked in the mall, it seemed like a scene from the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. Lol I used to go to the Westminster mall quite often when I was younger. In addition to MainPlace, Buena Park, and the old Anaheim Mall. I liked the underground movie theater at the Buena Park mall. FEDCO made it’s last stand there before going out of business. South Coast Plaza has always had a “snooty” vibe. The Brea Mall was cool. I remember when the Huntington Beach Mall (now called Bella Terra) was a dead place. Bella Terra is the blueprint of what the modern developers want to do with these 1970’s style malls. It’s weird seeing these old malls go extinct. This mall was built about a year before I was born in late ‘75.
The sad aspect of so many malls closing is that once upon a time, they were social hubs where people of all ages could visit, meet and get to know each other. Today everyone of all ages are addicted to their phones and have become unsocialized. It's a sad state of affairs.
@@SWExplore it is sad. Im in the era of going to the mall for just about everything minus groceries. 70's - 80s - 90s. Young people are mainly apps & amazon now
By design.
I understand that they are going to convert much of the mall to housing
@@rideshareroadwarriorrick That would be great if it actually happens. The cost of renting or buying a home continues to sky rocket and people in government don't seem to care.
to many rules things to expensive kids like a places they can afford like fast food joints parks extra today's young see being broke as embarrassing and too young to get a job to fix that.
I grew up in Westminster from 1966 through 1975. On my wedding day on November 15, 1975, as a prank, our friends "kidnapped" my wife. She was still in her wedding dress and I was in my tux. They took her to this mall and I had to rescue her by paying a ransom of 100 pennies. The pennies had to come from random customers at the mall. She was handcuffed to metal gates in front of a store. The whole thing was a blast and created some great memories and pictures. It was kind of a spectacle at the time. It's sad to see how it looks now. FYI...my wife and I are still happily married with two sons and four grandkids. 😃
@@GregSr ohhhh the memories & still together makes the story that much better
Love this.
I grew up in this mall. It's too painful to watch it die. Kids today missed our on the true 80s 90s mall experience. It was magical and we all took it for granted.
Being a graduate of Westminster HS I spent a lot of time at this mall sad to see it now a ghost town.
like I said, the area where the mall is was great for riding my little motorcycle when the gold fish farm was there. Malls are temporary and only can be a think if people go there. Why be pissed? That space should be turned into something useful.
As a 90’s kid, the mall experience was as ass and we ALWAYS longed for something more exciting… like drugs
@@MarlinAmada my daughter was born in 95. 3 years sober. My son is a 99. Recent UCLA GRAD.
My mall also but unlike most here, I'm not nostalgic AT ALL about this, or any mall. All they are, are monuments to consumerism. In fact I find them dystopian, like underground bunkers to shield people from nature and the real world. very little natural light, conditioned air.....creepy!
this is my childhood mall, great memories from the 80s
Our mall memories are pretty much all we have now.
Growing up in HB I remember when that opened. Spent so much time there with my Mom shopping and then hanging out as a teen. That place was absolutely packed any day of the week. Christmas was just insane. A crown Jewel of the OC. But malls are a thing of the past now.
Lets circle the lot to find a parking spot now...lol
especially in OC
@@tommurphy4307 Brea was pretty hoppin' last time I was there. I'm sure South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island are still good but haven't been to either in decades
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMANyou could have a street takeover or a lowrider meet in this lot lol. Yeah probably it's because they made those shopping centers with outlets and fast food franchises is why lot not occupied
South Coast Plaza still thriving
Finally somebody made a video about this, it's about time! I live like literally 10 minutes away from this mall. Thank you for making this. I knew almost every store was used to be there when you pointed it out in your video. Part of my child hood was that mall. Radio shack, american eagle , Hollister, sears , game stop , book off, DSW shoe store, wetzels pretzels, sunglass hut, pink by Victoria secret, zumiez , spencers, japan lifestyle store, Vans shoes , express men (mom bought me my first suit there in high school), sbarro at the food court my favorite Italian eatery, hot dog on a stick, phillys cheesesteak, panda express, see's candies ,robinsins may etc etc etc. I could go on and on. Thosd stores i listed all used to be there at one time. But now they are all gone. RIP.
Good memories is all we have now with these malls. Yup R.I.P.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN i use to go there in high school all the time with friends and hang out, shop, eat ect
Same, sad to see it end this way, but ever since sears closed its doors, it seemed like it was a domino effect.
you forgot to mention 'tilt'- where it was easy to score and sell weed- right?
Is Spencer's still there?
I remember when Spencer's used to be in the Buena Park mall, and when it closed for renovations I'm the mid 80s sometime, Spencer's went to Westminster Mall and stayed there.
Brings back memories…I used to work at this mall (Warehouse Records) in the 70’s. Ahhh the good old days!! Thanks for this video! 👍👍
woohoo music stores! I used to go on the one at Beach/Warner in HB.
Was an amazing mall back in the 90s, you couldn’t even find parking sometimes. They use to have a pet store where you could see the cutest dogs. Shocked how it’s empty now 😢
Pet store was the best!
I remember when it opened. My old room mate used to work in the Sears tool department in the mid 70s. The place was always busy and alive. The holidays were especially enjoyable with Santas and families enjoying all the decorations and activity. What a sad place it is now. I still occasionally go to the Macy's that's hanging on. I don't understand why today's shoppers avoid the tactile experience in favor of online purchases. I'm glad I lived when all these places thrived. Youth today will never know what a great time it was.
@@stevekovacs4093 im glad i seen it myself & your right the youth of today is soooo used to tech to buy everything.
okay, wow- TACTILE EXPERIENCE. we still go to the malls to buy clothes here in san diego., buying tools and buying clothes are two entirely different things. we have a few outdoor swap meets every sat/sun and those are the best places to buy tools. harbor freight has a great selection of cheap stuff to get you by, but i go to ace for better stuff at its in my home town here in alpine, ca. all the sears stores that were around here are toast- macy's is next...
There was a news article a couple years back that stated they were going to start demolition in 2024 and new construction was going to start in 2025 of a Housing community with new shopping and restaurants on the lower level of the housing. I do not recall the name of the construction builders or owners of the property, but they are the same owners and builders that are going to build housing in Buena Park in the Mall where the Sears location is now. Malls are going to become 15 minute city locations soon enough. How Sad. I’m an 70’s-80’s kid and we are socially heading into a downward irreversible spiral.
Exactly what I was thinking. These old shopping centers/malls are slated to be redeveloped into Agenda 21/mixed use ultra dense housing. It’s been happening for awhile and will really ramp up in the coming decade, especially in Southern California. A serious bummer imo.
that not true....the lady at macys told me a couple weeks ago the plans are on hold to tear it down,,,,the property owners cant agree on what to do ....she has been with macys for 25 years....she said macys told the employyess they will be there until feb 2025,,,but they keep extending that....
@@BillMcLendon8888 i went to the Buena Park Mall today to soot a vid there & they had a fire inside there the day before so the interior was closed due to them airing out the inside. Hope i can get in there soon
Wow, thats my hometown mall, started going thee in 1960s. I think its doing better than Westminster except for west end closests to knotts.
i would think housing costs are much higher in orange county than those in harris county, texas. what the hell are they waiting for? its costing SOMEBODY a ton of $$$$$.
I never thought this mall would look so deserted
Yeah, blows me away.
Used to go there in the early 2000's it was always packed
@@dorrengilbert804 yeah sign of the times now. Sucks!
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMANonly time it would get packed is during the holiday season
Yeah i remember going to watch starwars episode 1 at this mall. Times have changed 😢@microwave9099
We live in a virtual world, the physical world no longer matters.
Yeah...kids need to get off their console games and mobile devices and go outside!
You're ripping my heart out. We grew up with this small and watched it change over the years. It only recently died and those bears used to be inside. I'm surprised to see them out there.
I was a freshman at Westminster High School in 1986 and 87. This mall was my hangout when I ditched school. We were always getting lost in the crowds when the cops chased us. Thanks for the flashback!
@jaystriple. Lol... I hope the security didn't catch you. I can't imagine keeping one eye on the stores and food courts, and one eye keeping a lookout for security. 😊
Easy to get lost in the crowds back then too
I grew up not too far from this mall. I was 16 when it opened. I have such great memories of shopping, hanging out with my friends and eating there. I even remember Joan Jet performing there in the 70s before she became huge of course. Later in my 20s my mom and I would spend the day shopping then having lunch at The Broadway or May Co. Christmas was the best because they would go all out on the decorations. Dept stores offered holiday gift wrapping for a reasonable cost. It was the ultimate mall experience. Spent a lot of time there. There's a cemetery not too far from there that we'd pass on the way to the mall I used to tell my mom jokingly that when I die I want my ashes scattered at Westminster Mall that's how much I loved that place. She still remembers that and we still laugh about it. She's 95.y.o. time passes so quickly.
Patricia. That's very funny! Ashes scattered in the parking lot at Westminster Mall. 😊
Amazing worked a few months there in the mid nineties for Hickory farms,it was a very busy mall
My wife and I used to walk this mall when it was so busy with people. It was so nice to get away and socialize with others.
I grew up in Garden Grove. This was my mall. It's very sad to see it in this state of decay.
Saw Kobe Bryant on Valentine's Day on his way home from the Forum to Newport Beach picking up a present for his wife. The days!
That's cool!
and you had lunch with him and gigi- right??
😂😂😂😂
Sure you did! Then shot hoops in the parking lot, right!
If Kobe would go to ANY mall it's going to be South Coast Plaza
Absolutely horrible! I was born and raised in Westminster and went to Westminster Highschool. I’m 60 now…you can blame the city council.🤬 They have destroyed the city!
@@jackie1474 plus other factors too i bet but yeah i hear city council isn't the best
It’s changing times. The internet and Covid killed a lot of malls.
I used to work in the mall in the 80s. Boy where they packed. How we do business now has changed so much.
I once bought a leather jacket from Wilson's Leather back in the early 2000's.
lol so did i, and i still have it....
Wonder if Wilson's still exist in life. It was the place to go at malls for leather goods
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN it does back east in fact last night on qvc they was saleing them
I and a group of friends bought Wilson's leather jackets, when we were 20 ish and in the year 2000 ish. I still have mine, but have never needed a plush lined, suede leather trench coat, in So Cal weather, and especially not since the winters have (seemingly?) grown warmer in the last 10 years...
Wilson's House of Suede lol
Wow unbelievable- enjoyed your walkabout. I remember this mall in it heyday. What a shame.
@@nedracrouse8125 thanks. I mainly knew the Sears inside & out.
This is so fricking sad to see...It is actually heartbreaking to see. Though not my primary mall (that would be Lakewood Mall), when I started driving, Westminster Mall was THE place to go (early 80's) and I spent a lot of time there. And even into my adult years, If I had to hit the Mall, I would go to Westminster. A couple of years ago, I read that Westminster Mall was going to be demolished and in it's place, will be constructed literally of one thousand "low income" housing units, apartment style. Should that happen, can you guess what that will look like in about a year or two after opening and what it will do to the area traffic?? I stopped going to Westminster Mall when the Sears closed (that is where I would always purchase my Craftsman Tools). Thank you for making and posting this video, still though, very sad to see. BTW, forgot to mention, back in the day, were you to visit during Christmas time (keeping in mind the size of the parking lot, it would take 15-20 minutes to find a parking spot....the ENTIRE parking lot would fill up, causing you to circle looking for a spot to park.
I bought tons of Craftsman tools there myself & stopped going there after Sears closed too. The days of circling for a parking spot there are over. Super sad
I remember being around 7 or 8 years old and going here with family and I found 5 dollars in a planter. Mid 80s. I felt so lucky to find that 5 bucks lol I bought a Gumby toy with it. It was a damn good day for that young version of me!
I remember as a little boy finding $$$ all the time cuz we were low to the ground back then....lol
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN This is true!
I used to go there all the time when I lived in HB in the late 90s to 2002
Drove by many times ove the years and every time it looks more sad than before.
OMG!!! That mall was so happening back in the 80s it was my old stomping ground. It was where we hung out me and my girlfriends on the weekends. I'm so sad to see it in such dire condition. Never thought it would go out of business. Thanks for showing. Its been so long since I've been there that I was going to take a trip down there to look around, but I guess I won't have to now. 😢
Visuals are everything from this vid. But if you have other plans in the area stop in just to trip out in person on how dead it is & reminisce your memories you had of it back then
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN Yes, I think I will go down there and look around in person. I'm gonna trip out, reminiscing the good old days. 👍🏻😆
Nice work ! As a kid of the 80s I spent many days and nights in this mall. My friends and I anticipated this with the emergence of Amazon and Walmart. It’s unfortunate the malls will be all closing most likely for housing. Now my son and I go so he can ride the elevators :).
Gotta keep going to hit up the elevators & escalators before it goes away 😁
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMANThat just reminded me of something. Remember the scene in Dawn Of The Dead where the Zombies are riding the escalators? 😅
This is depressing seeing this mall so dead. I remember in the 1980’s and 1990’s when it was busy.
@@JaneDoe-ps6ve ahhhh those were the days!
The emptiness at the malls is mainly about Amazon, E bay, and other online shopping at a fraction of the cost.
That's the mall I grew up with. Taught me how to lock a bike up so it didn't get stolen. Lace lock through your seat, wheels handlebars, frame..... Anything you didn't want stolen.😅.
Made it from McFadden and bolsa chica to the mall in 6 minutes on my bike to make a movie. Personal best!
I tried that and they just cut the lock.
USED TO GO TO THIS MALL BACK IN THE EARLY 80'S .
@@TRONABORON lots of 80's & 90's stories. Was a happening mall back then
I remember when it opened. It was packed around Christmas. Used to ride the bus there from 5th grade through middle school to see movies, hangout, and go to the Sega Center arcade to play pinball, Tempest, Asteroids and Space Invaders.
I lived in that mall!!!! seriously- went there EVERY day after school, (Westminster High- goooo Lions) it had the BEST food court... I see you passed where foot locker was... & spencer gifts - Judy's was at the end- that esculator next to Macys saw sooooo much action... it was the "spot" to be noticed when looking for a date. :-D
Graduated from Westminster High in 1971! Yikes!
This mall in the 80s and the 90s. was really fun to go to. even had two separate movie theaters. One inside the mall. and the other One outside of the mall.
@@trila182 i hear the out side movie theater was where the old babie r us was
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN yup
and a pet store by the inside movies
I remember watching Return of the Jedi in the outside theater and Indiana Jones and the temple of doom and many others.
@@joesanchez9811star wars episode 1 for me. Crazy how things change so much.
In any indoor mall, once Orange Julius and Hotdog on a Stick closes on the food court, the mall is done. I wonder if Laguna Hills Mall is still open.
My first job was at Hickory Farms in 1974 when the Westminster Mall first opened.
Fell in this mall back in 2019 when it was still somewhat lively. Gf and i would go there all the time because it was nostalgic for both of us when we grew up. Sad to see it go. Going to miss you, Westminster 😢
My home territory!! My friend and I walked Westminster Mall the very week it opened. It had new technology in that it was built on some type of rollers that would withstand strong earthquakes without having structural damage. Every store was open back then. So sad to see the teenage hang outs gone now. Update Aug 7 ... went to the Laughlin Outlet Mall today in Laughlin, NV (close to me now) and it's the same thing. It's so dark, everything closed except for a Boys & Girls Club Thrift Store, Maidenform, and a souvenir type store. Oh, the Bath & Body Works outlet is still there too. Was told they're selling the property. I wonder if malls will ever revive.
Ahhh the older mall days! Was fun times. Ok im going to hickory farms now
I lived in Westminster when it opened and remember hearing that it was supposed to withstand earthquakes.
Tons of memories there.
It all we have now. Memories. I know that Sears very well
I was there during the Grand Opening week. This is wild. No one shops in malls anymore with the internet.
Agreed but it does get packed on black Friday and during holiday season
Very easy to shop online these days. Its a👍&👎way better variety online & no time gas or effort wasted.
Sugar Plum used to be downstairs at Buena Park Mall. They rent out stalls, and vendors sell crafts, small antiques, used items, etc. It is only open a few days each month.
It is sad to see what has become of Westminster Mall, a mall from my youth.
The way people shop has completely changed. Not just online, but the items they shop for. Who knows? Maybe a future generation will rediscover mall shopping, and online shopping will suffer. The only constant is change.
During the holidays that parking lot would be full. Bought a lot of tools and a few appliances at that Sears.
Used to get watch batteries changed at that Fast Fix. Other stores like KB Toys, Spencer Gifts, and Cinnabon. I still get mailers advertising that Luxe Buffet. If I had to guess, they will demolish the mall and replace with apartments.
@@billl1127 i bought a bunch of tools from that sears my self. Wasn't my hometown mall but used to go there from time to time tho
I love your JCP comment on the tshirts…my dad & husband both were JCP T-shirt fans who always got them & their underwear for Christmas 😆
@@CAHummingbird my dads favorite undeware brand was the JCPenney brand. They seemed thicker & better cotton back in the day. I liked the Vans t's they have there.
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMANI wore the JCP brand Tightie Whites as a kid. I think they were called Towncraft. 😊
Also, fun fact: Punk rock band The Vandals wrote a song about the food court "Cafe 405".
Grew up going there and worked at Robinson May back in the day. A lot of memories there 😊 Took my niece to an anime meet up a while back . Love to see this place full again .
This is my old neighborhood. I spent countless hours and quarters at that mall and the arcade which used to be right there on the right as you walked in at the beginning. Was a pizza place, then the arcade. I can't believe it now looks like the Huntington Center did then. Empty. This video brought back so many memories.
👍 i remember the Huntington Center & wondered why the Montgomery Ward building stayed empty for so long.
They were successful in changing an indoor mall to an outdoor mall. Strange how that worked out.
Malls will be missed. Amazon has taken over. Sad state of affairs 😢
Yeah technology has certainly taken over
i hate amazon im a mall person...i need to see what im buying...
It's sad to see it in this state. You should have seen the crowds in the summer of 87'.
I remember the Jeff Spicoli days
Worked at May Co in that mall back in the mid 80s 😢
I watched "E.T." at the old UA theater on the outside of this mall back in 1982.
So sad. I grew up in Chino, CA in the 70's, 80's and the first half of the 90's. I spent many summer days there at the Westminster Mall, chasing girls and getting in trouble! I just turned 50, and life itself, seems almost unrecognizable from those days.
Chino to Fountain Valley is a long drive.
@@tonybino01 lol..yeah. my whole family was scattered all over Southern California one of my My Auntie & Uncles, Cousins lived in Huntington , we were there often! 🤙🏻
The emptiness at the malls is mainly about Amazon, E bay, and other online shopping at a fraction of the cost.
Yes back in the good days of Jeff Spicolli
@@Airbender-kl7cuDude!!!
The middle of the mall used to have a sunken food court and it was amazing. The three story escalator going down to the food court was like a Disneyland ride (at least for a 6 year old in 1981). Then they ruined the mall and filled the center in with more store fronts, it took the character and uniqueness out of it.
My favorite was the popcorn store. Multi colored….
Yes!!!! The pit! I worked in the pit at burgers & fries next to Orange Julius- my first real job at 15 in 1983! So many memories- the mall was where it all went down!! 😂
Karmelcorn is what it used to be called. I remember Orange Julius too! 😭😭😭 so many memories.
The bears used to be inside, in the 70’s I would climb on them as a little girl and had so much fun :)
I started at my current job in February of 2020 nearby this mall. After the initial lockdowns were lifted, i used to come here on my lunch breaks. It was kind of eerie, like i was living in a zombie movie. It's so sad that things are the way they are.
That food court is like the discount version of the classic food court staples. The Sbarro's hasn't actually been one for a while (the same thing for the Ghengis Khan).
It was an Orange Julius and Dariy Queen combo, but i think they have been gone for a while.
That actually was a Mrs. Fields, but it was a combo store with TCBY Treats ( I didn't know they were still around). I think the owner of that location closed a couple of years ago. I only ever saw her working by herself and she was only open a few days a week at very limited hours.
Thanks for doing these videos!
When I was at my previous job, we actually had the property management as a customer. The middle island sucked to get communication wires to.
Man, TCBY a forgotten name but weird Mrs. Fields & TCBY together. As Dairy Queen & Orange Julius
My three favorite back in the day
South Coast Plaza, Orange Mall Westminster- never cared for Main place in Santa Ana (even though I lived in S.A... 77-85
It's ironic and sad that these places were once flourishing places of wonder and socializing and commerce and then people at the top enact changes upon society and these locations without regard for what the people want and then wonder why things are the way they are now and why everything has changes in an negative capacity.
I used to work there when it first opened! Worked at the food court down in the middle. Pablo's Kitchen, Orange Julius and Burger and Fries all owned by the same company. Was a very busy place. Saw movies stars etc. Christmas it was packed. So sad to see it like this but so many found memories.
Orange Julius used to be all over the place. I here people like that place a lot
Very familair with that mall, use to pack when I was a teenager 25 years ago.
My first job was at this mall!! I was 15
Memories
I wonder what happened to the iron bears and alligator statues we used to play on as kids (and occasionally crack our heads open when we fell off them).
Bears are out front in the parking location by the food court entrance
This video came through my algorithm… my grandma would take me shopping there when I would visit 😢
@@cat_zab it was a happening mall way back when
Westminster Mall being like this for 20 yrs the only Immortal Mall !
I think South Coast Plaza will be the only physical immortal mall
@@julieb3996 SCP is a open mall! There is a way to revive the mall but that is just me!
Man this is soo depressing to watch.....😭 My family moved here to Westminster back in 1980! and I remember it had that 80's model vibe and style then a few years later they revamped the mall to look more modern. A couple of Landmarks. In the middle of the upper level was the Huge store for the girls ( drum roll please....) . . . . Charlette Rouse, if I spelled that right. Anyone remember that? And Me and my buddies would play Street Fighter at this I think it was a pizza joint near the entrance of the mall. And I used to shop at the Cool shop in the 90's ......G.H.Q! Anyone remember that store!!!!???
I loved looking around Sears too as a Kid, we used to get our school clothes from there. 😢
In the 90's this mall busy and bustling...... and they used to have a Millers Outpost there too!!! There's a Blast from the Past. I got my 1st lil RC car my dad. bought me from : KB toy store. Man I Loved that lil car.
Anyone else have memories here at the Westminster Mall they want to share?
I was 15 and 16 when I did fashion shows in Westminster mall. My mom would drive me there and I would model the clothes with other girls on the runway in center court somewhere. Oh it was so fun! I am almost 61 now!!! I was the total mall girl with my friends.
Back during the Great Bicentennial my beautiful, young wife and I would spend all day Sunday here.
Yeah back then it was the spot to be.
I lived in HB from 1976-1983.. went to this mall often. In those days the very center of the mall was a cavity where the largest wooden beam imagineable was suspended by about a hundred steel cables resembling a modern suspension bridge. Then in the late 90’s I went through and saw they had built into that cavity-/ the beam was gone, and the cavity was filled with more stores. Shame to see such a magnificent place die.
Damn, as soon as you walked inside i saw that Book Off was gone. That's the only thing i went to this mall for 😢
They moved to Garden Grove after finding out the mall was going to be demo'd for a new development.
Soooo many places took off. Weird to see it like that
As a kid in the 80s, I always knew I was at Westminster Mall thanks to the red carpet that covered the whole place.
Old school memories is all we have now.
Yes, that's when this mall was awesome. We're so lucky to have known it like that. All those little pathways and everything. That's how I will always remember that mall.
The Little Folk Shop (with in store slide)0Cartoon Junction, Doo Dah, Time Out, KB, the weird d organ stores, and .25 sticker books at Sanrio. Those were indeed....the days
So sad. It’s not just a depressing situation due to Bidenomics, but also in the sense that Malls were the hangout for all us kids growing up in the 80s.
So many great memories.
I’m going to Del Amo next w my bff. Hope it’s not this bad.
🙌🇺🇸🙌
Main Place Santa Ana & South Coast Plaza are the busy malls my way.
@Society. I grew up not too far from Del Amo Mall in the 70s. I believe it's where I saw my first movie in a multiplex theater.
Had nothing to do w/Bidenomics as it started dying once internet shopping started in the late 90's.
Used To Go There All The Time Back In The 80s
Those were the days!
My husband and I just went there. So hard to see it like this. Walked around remembering how it was when it first opened. Where I worked and thinking of all the shops that used to be there and the people.
Glad you went to go see it as it is now. Memories is all we have now
This looks like the mall in Citrus Height, CA.. ( suburb of Sacramento). The are tearing it down and replacing it with apartment buildings, other types of retail, offices, etc. My daughter lived south of Westminster Mall, and I remember going to visit her at Christmas time, and the traffic around this mall would be backed up for blocks with people wanting to get in. I never went in there, but I never realized how huge it was. I wonder what makes some malls deserted, while others thrive. I know of three that are just like the hey-days of the 80's.
Born in Garden Grove and raised in Westminster. This mall was our neighborhood mall. Im 44 now and I still remember back in the days when the mall was so packed, it has red carpet and everyone was happy going there. Such a shame it becomes one of those ghost town malls in Orange County. People can argue because of online shopping and the pandamic but its not true. South Coast Plaza, The Orange Outlet, Irvine Spectrum and Fashion Island still has alot of people and stores still open. To me this mall will always me our neighborhood mall
I grew up at this mall, it’s so sad to see it so empty. There used to have a theatre there in the 90’s which was great and the parents would just drop us off for hours. My mom worked at the LensCrafters there for over a decade and they were always so busy. So many awesome memories there.
@@rachelhalsell927 ahhhh the days of being a kid & being dropped off at the movies. I remember those days
OC native and this place definitely brings back memories 😢😊
Memories is all we have now
Cost of buying new clothing etc became too expensive for many us at the malls in recents years. Cost of living exceeds our incomes. Goodwill stores has become the popular place to shop.
I hit up goodwill today & bought brand new Asics shoes
I never went there growing up - but moved into the area around 2002 . It was so packed every weekend. People spending money on children’s clothing and everything else.
I saw the demise of this mall over the next 15 years.
Most go down the freeway one exit to Bella Terra.
Once Macy’s and Sears lost all of their customers, this place was DONE.
It will be better developed as a Balla Terra type place- with hundreds of apartments. lol
The food court was at the west end by the sears entrance. Upper level. It was called “cafe 405” they made it I think around 1987.
Before that it was in the center of the mall accessible by a bunch of red carpeted ramps to get to the various levels of the mall. It was really gorgeous.
@@AzMountainMoMo red carpeted ramps sounds cool vs going down an escalator or elevator
... and there was that maybe hundred-foot-long beam suspended horizontally above the ramps as sunlight shone in through ceiling windows.
I got laid on the roof of the JC Pennys while I was doing the HVAC for a company called Building Comfort Services. They even had a freight elevator to the roof. Good ol days.
Nice. 😏
Wow. Lol
I live not far away in the same county, but haven't been there in about a year. It was not this bad, it really looks like a ghost town now! There isn't really anything for me to get there that I can't get online w/free shipping now. Malls were places to socialize like 30-40 years ago but not anymore. Those big bins Returns places have popped up in strip malls too now, kinda creepy.
I used to live near the Westminster Mall in the 70s and 80s. Even though JCPENNEY and Macy's are there, they didn't replace Sears store. Many more stores that were there just didn't do the business and now the shops are closed.
I used to go to the Westminster Mall almost weekly. I would go to Best Buy to check out the new releases, then head across to the mall. Target helped to revive it for a short while. Sad to see it this empty. 😢
The emptiness at the malls is mainly about Amazon, E bay, and other online shopping at a fraction of the cost.
I remember best products next best buy waaaaay back when
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN can you remind me?, the name sounds familiar I just cannot remember what those products were
@@HEYMANWITHJAYMAN Best Buy went in to the external location where Best Products was.
@@alexshatner3907 Best Products was one of the original warehouse stores. Pick something to buy from a catalogue or limited display area. Then would be given to you at a pickup counter. I had forgotten about this store until I remembered the Best Buy using the building years after Best Products closed.
Sad to see this mall so empty. I was Dave's Appliances last year and did not realize that this adjacent mall was failing. Very good selections and prices at Dave's BTW!
This was my mall growing up. I remember where the KB toys, Mrs. Fields, Spencers Gifts, and Suncoast record store was! Suncoast is where I remember my mom took me to get the Offspring "Americana" CD lol. The food court had an A&W Rootbeer, Hotdog on a Stick, and a McDonalds. I remember getting the beanie babies from the happy meals there. That Target was a big deal when it opened and now it's just a shell for the most part. I stumbled upon your Puente Hills video and had to look to see if you did the Westminster Mall. Sad how they have become but it is a different world than the 80s and 90s now. The only malls that haven't struggled are South Coast and Fashion Island but that isn't for everyone.
Soon to be condos and new outdoor shops and dining, demolition begins mid 2025
It's public information that the entire property is going to be repurposed into housing, restaurants, a park and plenty of shopping. It will be booming like the Bella Terra here in Huntington Beach.
@@Anaiya2022strange how an outdoor mall is successful....
When the Sears shut down the mall died. It really isn't a mall anymore. It's a Target next to zombie stores. The Best Buy at the north end of the parking lot still seems to be alive; that's the only place I've been to recently.
@@SunSeekerHawk haha a Target next to zombie stores. Pretty much, next year things will change over there with new construction i guess?
I tutored a lady for chemistry back in 1997? She and her husband had a jewelry store. One day some slashed his Mercedes tire and he was afraid to change the tires and so he drove home with the flat.
Westminister Mall used to be THE mall. None of us lived in Westminister but we all went there. I cant believe this video, its unreal.
I keep hearing the good old days stories about this mall
A lot of the stores have closed that were just open last December. I was told that the Westminster and Buena Park Malls would be fully closed and demolished within the next 3-5 years and condos would be built in its place. Sugar Plum moved from BP to Westminster knowing BP is supposed to go first.
I used to take my kids to this mall when they were little. This breaks my heart!
I grew up in the 90s, coming to this great Mall, back when it had a Disney store, KB toys, I'm in shock how it's so empty now, like I walked into an alternative future, almost everything is gone and some homeless dude is growing corn in a part of the parking lot
It is amazing how it went down hill. It was a very popular mall back in the day
In the 80's this place was packed! Especially during Christmas time! This is very sad.
It's a very slow sad death. 😢 They closed the Target entrances to the mall quite a while ago because the alcohol section was next to the exit and it made it easy to steal, so of course the solution isn't, move the alcohol, the answer was, close off the exit. Now you have to walk out the front side from the lower level and back into the mall at its deadest point. That decision didn't help the few that still shop there.We no longer bother using that Target.
Was courious as to why the Target mall entrances were shut
I remember when it opened. I was 14-15 and me and my friends got all dressed up just to walk around! Also, during the holidays there was absolutely nowhere to park. Even the outer parking spaces were full. Now it will eventually become more condos and shops with some kind of park space. Just more traffic and congestion for the main intersection of Bolsa/Goldenwest. Sometimes progress is not a good thing. 😔
Thank you for sharing with us ❤❤❤❤
Then I got jobs here...first maintenance, then security...finally moved on to real jobs, but still came here through the 80s.
Omg! I had my first two jobs here- Burgers & Fries in “the pit” aka, the lower food court, next to Orange Julius over the summer and Robinson’s (now Macy’s) in the fall for the next two years. Wow, it looks crazy! It used to be so packed back in the 80’s!! I live in south OC now and I had no idea this mall was a ghost town now- another one bites the dust 😢 it’s almost hard to look at… my warm childhood memories are disintegrating in my brain rn 🤯
When you first walked in the mall, it seemed like a scene from the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. Lol
I used to go to the Westminster mall quite often when I was younger. In addition to MainPlace, Buena Park, and the old Anaheim Mall. I liked the underground movie theater at the Buena Park mall. FEDCO made it’s last stand there before going out of business.
South Coast Plaza has always had a “snooty” vibe. The Brea Mall was cool.
I remember when the Huntington Beach Mall (now called Bella Terra) was a dead place. Bella Terra is the blueprint of what the modern developers want to do with these 1970’s style malls.
It’s weird seeing these old malls go extinct. This mall was built about a year before I was born in late ‘75.
I did trip out when i first walked in. Amazing how dead it is now
How is brea mall now? if any mall is doing ok now its probably brea.
Wow my mom took us to FEDCO in Van Nuys.
Fast fix does amazing repairs!!
@@stacybugg7180 my mom goes to Fast Fix