One thing that's helping all of these UP malls to defy the odds is the same thing that's keeping Midtown Mall open: the UP just gets too cold in the winter for ridiculous outdoor centers. People _especially_ in that area prefer to be inside, and that's going to keep those malls open to some degree. I mean, imagine a lifestyle center in the UP. 😂
LOL! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought the idea a lifestyle center in the UP was hilarious! I left Michigan about 30 years ago and thought maybe I had missed something.
Delta Plaza Mall has one of the coolest neon food courts still in existence. The first mall was fairly bland, but has some retro storefronts. Keep up the good stuff Doomie!
Menards used to have much smaller stores than they do now. Here in the West Michigan area, they took over several former Hills locations (Centerpoint Mall in Grand Rapids, Holland, and Portage). AFAIK all of these small format locations have been replaced or closed.
Lovely malls. I've been to Escanaba few times because my grandparents used to do Native American reenactments and most recently went to Escanaba with my Grandpa in 2009 and was one of 2 times I ever saw a stand alone Sears outside of a mall. Going across the bridge was nice and a good restaurant by the bridge. Another good video as always DG.
I used to work at the Delta Plaza Mall in the early 2000's as a janitor. I worked there for about 9 years. My mom also took me too Woolworths when I was a baby. She would bring me into their little restaurant. She also told me about Red Owl being in the mall. I do miss working there. Alot of good memories.
I see the sign on the entrance about a lease with outside entrance. 6800 sq ft of space with a picture of exterior stores. Can't help the image of going into the mall with retail with most stores not having access to the inside. I can guess that no store can have both an exterior and interior entrance. Security, and probably having checkouts at both sides, not economical at all. As always Doomie, great video, and again the music you selected fits my mood when watching your videos. I watched another video just this week that featured a mall with almost all the store having exterior entrances only. The mall it self was being used for other types of business. Office space, and medical offices and community spaces.
I haven't been to the UP in about 30 years, so maybe things are different now, but have a hard time imagining a need for gentrification buildings in Escanaba or Iron Mountain. I never understood the de-malling of the Brighton Mall into a lifestyle plaza, it's Michigan, it's cold. Indoor malls are nice. I have awfully fond memories of Copper Country Mall when I would do the summer program at Michigan Tech as a teen, I lived in Hale and later Howell, so a trip to an enclosed mall was a real treat for me in the late 80's.
I would think mall operators would want to partner with local communities and add local farmers markets on the parking areas and during cooler weather utilize empty anchors as weekend craft popups.
The problem that a lot of Upper Peninsula shopping malls had to face was from competing shopping malls in the Northern Wisconsin region including those that are found in Marinette, Wausau, Stevens Point, Green Bay and Appleton in particular...
There are a couple more enclosed strip centers in MI , Jackson Crossing (paka plaza) in Jackson and Westborn shopping center in Dearborn both have just a parking lot facing enclosed wing rather than a double sided corridor or wing like a typical mall.
I have never been to the UP but it seems like a cool happy place that could also be filled with lots of depression and unemployment/boredom especially during winter. Any locals care to enlighten me?
When it's minus 30F you take what you can get. these are micro markets 10,000-15,000 people. Most on some form of Govt assistance...not much money going places except grocery and liquor stores.
Pardon my referral of the UP as just "the Up". That was an oversight in the commentary this time around.
One thing that's helping all of these UP malls to defy the odds is the same thing that's keeping Midtown Mall open: the UP just gets too cold in the winter for ridiculous outdoor centers. People _especially_ in that area prefer to be inside, and that's going to keep those malls open to some degree.
I mean, imagine a lifestyle center in the UP. 😂
LOL! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought the idea a lifestyle center in the UP was hilarious! I left Michigan about 30 years ago and thought maybe I had missed something.
Neon is like a gateway into another world. Beautiful.
That neon food court is AMAZING, beautiful
Delta Plaza Mall has one of the coolest neon food courts still in existence. The first mall was fairly bland, but has some retro storefronts. Keep up the good stuff Doomie!
Menards used to have much smaller stores than they do now. Here in the West Michigan area, they took over several former Hills locations (Centerpoint Mall in Grand Rapids, Holland, and Portage). AFAIK all of these small format locations have been replaced or closed.
Holy shit this is incredible
Lovely malls. I've been to Escanaba few times because my grandparents used to do Native American reenactments and most recently went to Escanaba with my Grandpa in 2009 and was one of 2 times I ever saw a stand alone Sears outside of a mall. Going across the bridge was nice and a good restaurant by the bridge. Another good video as always DG.
I used to work at the Delta Plaza Mall in the early 2000's as a janitor. I worked there for about 9 years. My mom also took me too Woolworths when I was a baby. She would bring me into their little restaurant. She also told me about Red Owl being in the mall. I do miss working there. Alot of good memories.
I see the sign on the entrance about a lease with outside entrance. 6800 sq ft of space with a picture of exterior stores. Can't help the image of going into the mall with retail with most stores not having access to the inside. I can guess that no store can have both an exterior and interior entrance. Security, and probably having checkouts at both sides, not economical at all. As always Doomie, great video, and again the music you selected fits my mood when watching your videos. I watched another video just this week that featured a mall with almost all the store having exterior entrances only. The mall it self was being used for other types of business. Office space, and medical offices and community spaces.
The blue fountain against the wall looked cool
I haven't been to the UP in about 30 years, so maybe things are different now, but have a hard time imagining a need for gentrification buildings in Escanaba or Iron Mountain. I never understood the de-malling of the Brighton Mall into a lifestyle plaza, it's Michigan, it's cold. Indoor malls are nice. I have awfully fond memories of Copper Country Mall when I would do the summer program at Michigan Tech as a teen, I lived in Hale and later Howell, so a trip to an enclosed mall was a real treat for me in the late 80's.
Interesting malls. Thanks for filming.
I would think mall operators would want to partner with local communities and add local farmers markets on the parking areas and during cooler weather utilize empty anchors as weekend craft popups.
Actually happens at a local mall over here
The problem that a lot of Upper Peninsula shopping malls had to face was from competing shopping malls in the Northern Wisconsin region including those that are found in Marinette, Wausau, Stevens Point, Green Bay and Appleton in particular...
There are a couple more enclosed strip centers in MI , Jackson Crossing (paka plaza) in Jackson and Westborn shopping center in Dearborn both have just a parking lot facing enclosed wing rather than a double sided corridor or wing like a typical mall.
Love the opening song one of my faves
Can you visit the white marsh mall in Baltimore Maryland a lot has been changing their recently
You should try to get into Columbia Colonnade
I have never been to the UP but it seems like a cool happy place that could also be filled with lots of depression and unemployment/boredom especially during winter. Any locals care to enlighten me?
We do we get your KY malls?
A couple months off. But its on the roster.
Hi, is Steve around?
I found both malls depressing. I am totally flummoxed by other comments. 🤔 Like I watched a different video.
When it's minus 30F you take what you can get. these are micro markets 10,000-15,000 people. Most on some form of Govt assistance...not much money going places except grocery and liquor stores.
The 2nd mall but cool it was like a nostalgic time capsule
Be hopeful for sure. But like most in the Western world these days they have forgotten... How you gonna pay for that?