I spent a huge chunk of my teenage years at the Plymouth Meeting Mall. I met a lifelong friend and 3 girlfriends (one of whom I married), got an associates degree, and worked at 5 different stores in this mall.
My daughter worked at the Legoland when it first opened. They did a TON of business. I couldn't believe the lines to get in. The pandemic just killed that momentum.
You are definitely right about the other malls in the area. King of Prussia (15 minutes) and Willow Grove (20 minutes) are much nicer malls. I usually only go to Plymouth Meeting for some of the restaurants there (nice selection) and just easier to get to and park.
I lived nearby and I recall the fire very well. The undamaged part of the mall reopened a short time later after the fire. I distinctly remember looking thru observation windows in the partition that was built to section off the destroyed area inside. It was quite an attraction in itself. I don’t remember how long the rebuilding took, but it was relatively quick. Perhaps within a year. A few years later, my school class actually sang Christmas carols around that fountain. That was well over 50 years ago. A different time for sure. A beautiful old school mall that unfortunately has seen its best days. Great memories though.
I’ve made my living in the mall business as a leasing manager and have leased many of the malls you are featuring on this channel. Very interesting seeing them after many years. I’m still in the business but have switched sides to represent a retailer who only has mall stores throughout the country. This is a mall that I used to lease, others include: Stroud,PA Yorktown, PA Holyoke, MA Crossgates, NY Colonie Center, NY Walden Galleria, NY Destiny, NY (former Carousel Center) Palisades, NY Cincinnati Mills, OH Tuttle Crossing, OH Eastgate mall, OH Northgate mall, OH And several others…. Love the channel. If you ever have questions hit me up.
Hey! I just discovered you and watched your Kmart walkthrough and this video was recommended to me so I had to give a click. I live about 20 minutes from the Plymouth meeting mall. I’ll be going there this week to go to Boscovs. I always felt bad for this mall. I love the palm trees and I love Dave and busters but outside the dining options the mall feels so empty and lifeless. It deserves better. Looking forward to your KOP mall walk through. Now THAT is a mall.
Used to work in this mall for years and can give a bit of history to why it is in the current state. I left shortly after the opening of Legoland so did not experience the effect the pandemic had on it. It did used to have a thriving food court. However when Legoland came in, it took over nearly all of it, leaving just that hallway towards the exit with the Popcorn Land, Sarku Japan, and Main St Pizza (love them!). For a good while there was no real seating for the food court which was very awkward. There were not as many restaurants on the outside at the time for quick food options. The Legoland construction became a big eyesore and took over two years to complete if I remember correctly. Customers started to avoid that entrance and side of the mall due to the construction. Additionally construction was done mostly during mall hours and was excessively loud with lots of jackhammers removing old tiles which garnered many complaints from customers and store owners alike. The mall management in the midst of this chaos decided to raise rent while profits were down due to the construction. They justified it by saying Legoland would bring in more profit, but at the time of the rent increase, Legoland wasn't due to be finished for at least another year. That was when a lot of the stores closed down. GameStop even closed their location that used to be there which was a big sign of things dying. The top floor used to have very little vacant space and was filled with clothing stores. There is very little there that was there before the Legoland construction. I'm sure the pandemic helped take out a lot of what was there, but the mall management shot itself in the foot long before that happened.
One of my local malls. If you go on a Sunday, it is very popular kids spot. Lots of kids running around with their parents in the arcade, legoland and the little play areas. Besides that, its very dead. Its a shame because i have so many memories growing up and walking around the mall. Montgomeryville Mall in Montgomeryville, PA is also another good mall at one point but has heavily declined in foot traffic in recent years.
I miss this mall . 9 years ago I worked at Bertuccis for almost 14 years . And a number of other stores and restaurants inside the mall as a second job . Good times and memories. Do wish that shake shack was there when I was up there lol 😂
You should also check out Springfield Mall in Springfield, Delaware County, PA. Dead mall that is propped up by a Target, also has an underperforming Macys.
This was our secondary mall as we lived closer to Montgomery Mall, but my baby sitter would take me here, her hubby was a high up at Strawbridges. We did lunch as some fancy 3rd floor restaurant there once. My family went here several times a year, I remember the big fountain well. Looked for my 9th grade dance dress there with my friends.
this is my local mall! well, at least it’s the closest mall to me. so awesome to see you get around to it. everything you said is pretty much on point, it is dying. one good walk around this place on a Saturday when it’s more alive shows you pretty much everything you need to see. really glad that I have this video that I can watch now in case it ever goes under permanently. too bad I won’t be able to go into the FYE from this video
they just re-opened Uncanny so maybe it's not completely over! also hopefully the roller rink where the old payless used to be will bring in some traffic
One of the very first Chipotle Mexican Grills in the Philadelphia area opened here around 2006. It wasn't an outparcel, it was actually in the mall. Even at that time, Plymouth Meeting Mall was already on the downswing so I was surprised that Chipotle hadn't researched the market a little better. Years later, Chipotle did close this mall location, relocated to an outparcel and opened a location inside King of Prussia.
I have been to this mall several times. When it was fairly new I was a sales representative for the Hoover vacuumed cleaner company and was at the opening of one of the older department stores. It was very busy back then. I also stoped there to shop on occasion and did enjoy the Dave and Busters for dinner and fun in their arcade. It slowly has died just like other malls due to internet shopping as well as you mentioned the larger malls not to far away. It does have one strength that it is located at the southern end of the Northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Blue Route that runs south to interstate 95 in Delaware County. So other than heavy rush hour traffic is close access to many potential customers. With the right combination of stores and entertainment it should be able to succeed.
I worked in the corporate offices attached to the mall in the late 90s. 95-97 I think. I loved it. I used to find any excuse to spend time at the mall throughout the work day.
Whenever I watch your videos of malls, I get hungry for Pizza! 😀 When I was young and we went to the small mall near my home town, we always had a piece of pizza there. So malls and pizza are always linked in my mind...
I remember in 2014 i was living in Maryland but had a work assignment up in conshohockin. i went to this mall to burn some time and thought it was a cool little mall. couple of gaming shops dnd etc and every so often we go there now. im glad its not run down like other malls. i currently live in Royersford PA now and the Coventry Mall up by Pottstown is terrifying. Something straight out of a horror movie.
I grew up next to the PMM, so I was here all the time. We still go sometimes for Legoland for my kid. Adults can't go in Legoland without a kid except for Adult specific nights. There used to be a 2 story Woolworths on the side where the Chick fil a is now. There were escalators going down towards where Hess was with a third small water fountain between them and a lunch counter on the Strawbridge's side. There also used to be a movie theatre on the Legoland side. The neighbors are fighting the building of apartments because of traffic. The downstairs music store FYE is closing now. Did you happen to see the original Strawbridge's seal on the right side of the wall next to Burlington? I'm glad that's still there. This mall has been doing poorly for years, but its a soft spot for me.
I haven't been there in a while but it's only about 15 minutes from me. I used spend a lot of time there. I had my first job in this mall when I was 18 (1995) at a Babbages store (bought and killed by Gamestop). It was right next to the carrousel which played the Chipmunk Christmas song on a loop all day.
Willow Grove Mall is connected to a fairly major transportation center at Olney via bus. Much easier to get to if you don’t personally own a vehicle than Plymouth Meeting. I used to work at Willow Grove and now live near Plymouth Meeting and there seems to be a big difference in accessibility.
Really enjoyed this video. Hope you still plan to visit the Marketplace Mall in Rochester NY. Could be the MOST dead mall in the Northeast. Yeah the website makes it look amazing but trust me it’s NOTHING like it shows online with trick Photography lol.
I've been there in my teens for sure. It's nothing like I remember-- because I don't remember anything but the name. Hey that was probably 40 years ago after all. Oh, Tom, I don't know if you like trains, but if you do, the Steamtown National Historic site in Scranton, PA, is pretty neat and there's a small trolley museum as well, since Scranton was the first place in the US with electric street cars. And the Steamtown mall (it's Marketplace at Steamtown now, I think) is right there as well. It's in that life support mode where there's a community college in there, maybe some state or country offices, and some retail. Not dead, but hardly doing great. Boscov's remains there as well. Thanks as always!
I'll never understand why more malls in the USA didn't go with integrated supermarkets and grocery stores! It makes perfect sense too. The only place I remember seeing that almost come together was at the Granite Run Mall in Media, where ACME had a store that was a satellite on the perimeter of the parking lot.
Plymouth Meeting Mall isn't dying. It's a nice mall that isn't as busy as King of Prussia and more in most people's budget. Meanwhile, King of Prussia mall is more expensive. Plymouth Meeting during the holidays will get some more people anc they still have FYE. Since Target and Best Buy got rid of physical movies, FYE has the market for people who actually want physical blu rays and DVDs.
I’m a Philadelphia native, born n raised n still live in Philadelphia. The Plymouth meeting mall is one of the malls i frequented as a kid. I’m not sure if anyone knows abt the old cheltenham mall but we would make jokes n say Plymouth meeting mall is like cheltenham mall but with two floors instead of one like cheltenham mall had. Lastly, the food court at Plymouth meeting mall used to be a lot bigger with more restaurants. It’s probably been over 10 years since it downsized. I wanna say for a few years it was just nothing there until the legoland came. So legoland is in the place of where the food court used to be.
I wish they can turn this place into an Epcot like center. It would be totally cool. This is such a nice mall! I hope this mall continues to stay open but yes, having other big malls close by will make it hard for this mall to thrive. They will compete with each other to see which ones succeed and thrive.
From the area, King of Prussia Mall “KOP” is a behemoth, truly the opposite of a “dead mall”, as it is crowded all day, every day. Lot of variety and has a section of high end stores, with some being their only US location outside of NY or LA. However, the mall is very bland aesthetically, like most Simon malls.
Used to live about 10 minutes from that mall. Had the feel it was already fizzing out in the early 2000's but got revitalized in 2010's by restaurants that were built in its massive parking lot. Sad to see it's on its way out.
We used to work near there in the mid 90's and used to go in a lot. It seemed to go down pretty quickly during one of the renovations and after Strawbridges closed/left. We have some fond memories though. There used to be a piece of some tree that they cut down to build the place (I think) that had dates on the tree rings that went back really far (like 1700's or before). That was pretty cool. Used to be a lot better food court there. I think one place we used to go to was called Baine's Deli. Not sure of the spelling. was pretty good.
King of Prussia mall (technically The Court and The Plaza at King of Prussia) is really nice and very busy but it is an upscale mall south more expensive stores. I haven't been to Willow Grove in like 20 years but I'm seeing it's still quite busy now.
I've been using this mall for the past few years to get some walking in. This mall is excellent for mall walkers--not many people here. I just hope they don't tear down the interior section--then I'll have to find someplace else to walk!
Here on L.I. NY all the FYE stores closed down over the past six years, the only one I know of and just went to two weeks ago, is the FYE location at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, LI. That store seems to be doing well, mainly selling collectibles, Funkos, comics and manga, and stuff like that. Mainly aimed at teenagers now. The music section is terrible for CDs, but ok for vinyl. The DVD and blu Ray dept. had some bargains, I found cheap copies of A. Candyman (1992) blu ray and B. The Who Quadrophenia Live there recently.
@@fleabittenadventures Really? FYE kind of died the death here about six years ago now. At least. Minus the Smith Haven Mall one. Weird. It's all aimed at kids, teens. Kids aren't going in there for movies or music.
You have no idea how BAD this mall was when i was kid - late 80 to 2000 or so. There was an attached movie theater when i was a kid. Whole Foods is NOT dying but their cliental aren't shopping here, same with Orvis, J Crew and Loft. Ikea's North American HQ was on backside (not attached) to the mall. Where the whole foods is now is about where Ikea used to be. When Ikea moved down 476, a lot of the customers left. I also think that with KOP less then 15 minutes away, more people go to there these days. I will drive here b/c its fewer people here. Willow Grove is underwhelming IMO. The traffic situation here is also a TOTAL nightmare. Getting in and out is rough - and Germantown Pike is always crazy busy! I def rode that carousel as a kid! you should check out suburban square in ardmore, pa. first outdoor "mall" in the US.
I think back in the day there was alot of great stores besides the anchor stores there was a movie theater near the church and a ski shop as other malls did not have that.
I love the fountain. It reminds me of the one in the mall in my hometown. It's an almost dead mall now and they got rid of the fountain a long time ago 😢
It's a shame my first real job was out in that area around 2002. My mother also moved to that area around 2010 so I spent a lot of time in that area and got really familiar with that mall. It was really a great mall, I believe before the pandemic. It had an H&M, Express, a HUGE Footlocker, with a Kids Footlocker attached to it, a Champs Sports, Journeys, even a nice little mom and pop retro videogame store. I believe it also had a Kicks USA and a City Blue also. Also a Dairy Queen on the second floor. It's just sad to see it go down hill and empty like this.
Even if the closed stores are still in business and just closed for the evening, the fact that they're closing by 7pm or thereabouts is not good at all. With such early closing times they're losing out on many after-work shoppers.
I was surprised to see so many stores closed but still looked like they still were in business. I remember when malls required all their stores to be open the same hours as the mall was open. Closing early is one of the reason the mall may be failing. Most people have to shop after work or on weekends. Of course 24 hour internet shopping also hurts all retail stores today.
This mall deserves more traffic. It's the most attractive mall I've seen yet. Seems like the owners aren't doing enough to engage or draw customers which is one of the reasons they're losing traffic to other malls. Hopefully they'll have better draw at Christmas.That fountain is beautiful.
I used to always go to this mall a lot as a kid, ever since then I used to love to going to Justice and FYE. There used to be a retro gaming store called Jay Street and GameStop too. It’s sad because I used to love this mall a lot and their food court was nice and big. I hated how they compacted the size for legoland, I felt like it was just a bad marketing decision and that they should’ve stuck with the apartment complex idea.
Used to go to the Dave and Buster's here all the time in college, and this mall was a nice counter to working at the KOP mall. Shame the mall's so dead- it's got the only Dairy Queen around!
You’re getting close to my neck of the woods. I’m sure you’ll hit the KOP mall soon. You should also check out Springfield Mall in Springfield, PA. It’s a smaller mall, but surprisingly still doing pretty well.
Never been to a Caine’s but i have been to a Zaxbys it’s the idea of getting fried chicken slaw and fries I like that kind of food. Sure restaurant food court review sounds nice 👍
I saw a commercial recently, and it was saying, "Let's all meet at the mall." First time in a long time I've seen a commercial like that. Sadly, it may be too late for most malls.
The Dave & Busters is the biggest thing that keeps Plymouth Meeting around as it’s the only one close by for many people. Other than that, its small size and close proximity to both King of Prussia and Willow Grove make it not very visited. It’s less than 5 miles and about 10-15 minutes away from King of Prussia, which as I mentioned before, greatly hurts it
Yes, I think one of the main reasons this mall is not surviving is due to the fierce competition from the other 2 big malls which are close by. In my area, we only have one big one and another big one but it is 30 minutes away, so that not that close together. The location is so important.
I live 15 min from here in Philly - used to be a huge mall - people still shop here but more at the surrounding stores more than in the actual mall. The movie theater gets good business. I went here all the time as a kid. I go to willow grove and KoP as well - they are much more lively malls. That shopping center gets a good amount of business but not as much in the actual mall. I was born in 84 and I used to ride that carrousel as a kid. Willow grove has a similar one. Like I said - that shopping center isn’t dead and has daily good business - it’s just inside the mall that is slow. The Whole Foods and shake shack have people all the time and the movie theater especially in summer is crowded a lot.
As someone who lived in the area his entire life this mall is not Dying. In fact, this mall in thriving! Instead of trying to compete with the King of Prussia mall they added unique entertainment like Dave N Busters (Teenagers and Kids) and Legoland (families). It`s more of a second option for people in the area who don`t want to deal with the Mega crowds at KOP. There are many Cookies cutter malls around Pennsylvania that are dying but I believe this one will stand the test of time.
I would so go to this mall if I lived close to it. This is a beautiful mall and wish it wasn't so dead. I am a big arcade person and Uncle Joe's arcade looked like a fun time with those pinball machines! I also would love to see the art gallery too that they had there and also check out legoland. I probably would be there like weekly or daily if I lived close to that.
Nope. I filmed this a few months ago. Not sure when I'll get to KOP. I have two more weeks off at work before the end of the year, so I may go in November or December. Not sure yet.
@@fleabittenadventures Also just noticed. By the fountain on the bottom floor there used to be a Amazon pickup/ office space from what I remember before covid. 16:50
I wish someone would turn some of these beautiful malls and turn them into apartment complexes while maintaining the integrity of the actual mall. This mall would make a beautiful apartment complex
The owners are apparently trying to add apartments here, but they city doesn't seem to want to let them.... We'll see what happens though. I would love to live in a mall!
@@fleabittenadventures Typical government nonsense. I'm surprised because it's more property tax revenue. I suppose because the area is only zoned for commercial use? How hard could it be to rezone for mixed use?
I never thought about Willow Grove being in the same area as Plymouth Meeting TBH lol. Guess it's the direction I lived in, makes sense. That said, it's been a few years since I've been here and it seems the slot car shop closed. That's a shame. Oh and I am not sure if it was mentioned but there is a kinda unique 2 level D&B in the mall and an AMC outside.
I frequently go to this mall as I live not even 25 minutes away and for me when I want the “mall experience” I go to Plymouth Meeting mall(it used to be Coventry mall) but I do unfortunately find myself at KOP mall whenever I need to do actual shopping as Plymouth Meeting just doesn’t have much left to offer
Was only inside once in the late '80's. Barely remember it. Almost returned again in 2000 but after a stop at a nearby Ikea my then girlfriend began feeling sick and we just drove back to NJ.
The Uncanny comic store is really recently opened. Like barely a year old. Also The Rock Store is lightyears better than FYE. They actually have a second store at the King of Prussia Mall which you mentioned
This mall has been dead for years. I used to love going there. It would be nice if they had stores worth visiting. Boscov’s and Burlington aren’t enough
I love KOP, but it’s way too far, willow grove is roughly 15 minutes from me and it’s definitely my go to, the area is a one stop shop, especially with the little outdoor mall adjacent to the the old navy
Fun fact btw: The Whole Foods that is present in this video actually used to be the first IKEA store that ever opened in the US before they moved it elsewhere in Plymouth.
It looks like it already devolved into the mixed use with more entertainment type of places than stores. I don't think it will survive much longer in it's current form.
Plymouth Meeting is not quite "dying". In fact, it added significant new stores with the repurposing of the old Strawbridges site. Also, the explosion of restaurants around the perimeter (formerly parking spaces) has helped keep it alive. It has had easier days in the past--but do not write it's death certificate just yet. It is actually improved from two years ago.
The Plymouth Meeting Mall, Willow Grove Park Mall and Montgomery Mall can't hold a candle to the enormous King of Prussia MalI. I don't know how they are going to be able compete in the long run.
@@fleabittenadventuresTom, I read some stuff on the internet about the fire at the mall, supposedly it was started by an electrical malfunction that occurred in the King's Men's Store, where a light bulb in one of the display cases exploded. And one of the stores that was affected by the fire was the pet store. Although the folks from that store were able to get all the little dogs out, the kitties and the lil birds weren't so fortunate, they weren't able to get those out in time😢. That one kind of hits me in the heart, as I am a kitty Daddy.
@@fleabittenadventuresand also some little fishies were lost in the terrible fire that happened at that mall, also when I wrote little dogs earlier I meant little puppies. At least they were able to save the puppies, although they did need some treatment for smoke inhalation😢
This mall is not dying, it is dead. Look at the amount of vacant space, and lack of foot traffic. Those spaces have been vacant for years. There are no high-end retail stores. I work down the road, and use the parameter as a walking track.
firmly disagree that Plymouth Meeting Mall is dying. The presence of Whole Foods, an Amazon-owned entity, suggests stability. Amazon wouldn't invest in a failing venture. Additionally, Miller's Ale House, a popular restaurant, thrives there. New stores are opening, contradicting the narrative of decline. To truly assess the mall's health, visit during operating hours, rather than when stores are closed. This will provide a more accurate perspective on its vitality.
NYC and LI malls don't even have record stores like Rock Shop anymore, and usually no bookstores. As compared to PA, clearly. It really sickens me. Newbury Comics doesn't count, since their prices are absurdly high.
I usually only see Newbury Comics and FYE at most the malls I go to. While they do sell music and movies, it's nothing like back in the 90's and earlier.
I spent a huge chunk of my teenage years at the Plymouth Meeting Mall. I met a lifelong friend and 3 girlfriends (one of whom I married), got an associates degree, and worked at 5 different stores in this mall.
I still love this mall, it’s so nostalgic for me. This was the first mall I went to 20 some odd years ago when I first got my drivers license
Cool! Thanks for watching!
@@fleabittenadventures of course, your channel is dope!
Amen to that!
My daughter worked at the Legoland when it first opened. They did a TON of business. I couldn't believe the lines to get in. The pandemic just killed that momentum.
You are definitely right about the other malls in the area. King of Prussia (15 minutes) and Willow Grove (20 minutes) are much nicer malls. I usually only go to Plymouth Meeting for some of the restaurants there (nice selection) and just easier to get to and park.
I lived nearby and I recall the fire very well. The undamaged part of the mall reopened a short time later after the fire. I distinctly remember looking thru observation windows in the partition that was built to section off the destroyed area inside. It was quite an attraction in itself. I don’t remember how long the rebuilding took, but it was relatively quick. Perhaps within a year. A few years later, my school class actually sang Christmas carols around that fountain. That was well over 50 years ago. A different time for sure. A beautiful old school mall that unfortunately has seen its best days. Great memories though.
Were the Pilgrims having meetings there?
I’ve made my living in the mall business as a leasing manager and have leased many of the malls you are featuring on this channel. Very interesting seeing them after many years. I’m still in the business but have switched sides to represent a retailer who only has mall stores throughout the country. This is a mall that I used to lease, others include:
Stroud,PA
Yorktown, PA
Holyoke, MA
Crossgates, NY
Colonie Center, NY
Walden Galleria, NY
Destiny, NY (former Carousel Center)
Palisades, NY
Cincinnati Mills, OH
Tuttle Crossing, OH
Eastgate mall, OH
Northgate mall, OH
And several others….
Love the channel. If you ever have questions hit me up.
Hey! I just discovered you and watched your Kmart walkthrough and this video was recommended to me so I had to give a click. I live about 20 minutes from the Plymouth meeting mall. I’ll be going there this week to go to Boscovs. I always felt bad for this mall. I love the palm trees and I love Dave and busters but outside the dining options the mall feels so empty and lifeless. It deserves better. Looking forward to your KOP mall walk through. Now THAT is a mall.
Thanks for watching the videos! I'm glad you like them! Yes, I do plan to get to KOP either by the end of this year or next year.
Used to work in this mall for years and can give a bit of history to why it is in the current state. I left shortly after the opening of Legoland so did not experience the effect the pandemic had on it. It did used to have a thriving food court. However when Legoland came in, it took over nearly all of it, leaving just that hallway towards the exit with the Popcorn Land, Sarku Japan, and Main St Pizza (love them!). For a good while there was no real seating for the food court which was very awkward. There were not as many restaurants on the outside at the time for quick food options. The Legoland construction became a big eyesore and took over two years to complete if I remember correctly. Customers started to avoid that entrance and side of the mall due to the construction. Additionally construction was done mostly during mall hours and was excessively loud with lots of jackhammers removing old tiles which garnered many complaints from customers and store owners alike. The mall management in the midst of this chaos decided to raise rent while profits were down due to the construction. They justified it by saying Legoland would bring in more profit, but at the time of the rent increase, Legoland wasn't due to be finished for at least another year. That was when a lot of the stores closed down. GameStop even closed their location that used to be there which was a big sign of things dying. The top floor used to have very little vacant space and was filled with clothing stores. There is very little there that was there before the Legoland construction. I'm sure the pandemic helped take out a lot of what was there, but the mall management shot itself in the foot long before that happened.
Any new adventure would be welcoming..... Keep up the great work.
Thanks! I appreciate it!
Thanks for posting. Enjoyed very much!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
One of my local malls. If you go on a Sunday, it is very popular kids spot. Lots of kids running around with their parents in the arcade, legoland and the little play areas. Besides that, its very dead. Its a shame because i have so many memories growing up and walking around the mall. Montgomeryville Mall in Montgomeryville, PA is also another good mall at one point but has heavily declined in foot traffic in recent years.
Really loved seeing this mall. So many great stores and so much for the kids. We don't have any malls quite this big in Australia. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you liked it! If you think this mall was big, check out my video on the American Dream Mall. You could fit 10 of this mall in there.
@@fleabittenadventures Wow!
I love this mall I went here as a child until about 2017 I haven’t been here since 2022 ❤ it’s only 20 min from me
Where the AMC is now used to be an Ikea. The Ikea parking lot had lines painted to make a driving course and that's where I learned to drive.
I miss this mall . 9 years ago I worked at Bertuccis for almost 14 years . And a number of other stores and restaurants inside the mall as a second job . Good times and memories. Do wish that shake shack was there when I was up there lol 😂
Funny you mention Epcot. That fountain reminds me of the Fountain of Nations, which sadly, is no longer there. This one's much smaller, of course.
Yes, they remind of that too!
Did you do King of Prussia Mall? Oh you mention it 3:40, it has or had a nice Merry-go Round and it did have a slot car parlor/store.
Not yet. Probably next trip, maybe later this year, or early next year.
KOP didn't have a merry ground round when i was a kid. if it did it was pre-late 80s.
You should also check out Springfield Mall in Springfield, Delaware County, PA. Dead mall that is propped up by a Target, also has an underperforming Macys.
Someday!
This was our secondary mall as we lived closer to Montgomery Mall, but my baby sitter would take me here, her hubby was a high up at Strawbridges. We did lunch as some fancy 3rd floor restaurant there once. My family went here several times a year, I remember the big fountain well. Looked for my 9th grade dance dress there with my friends.
I loved the SCC restaurant
this is my local mall! well, at least it’s the closest mall to me. so awesome to see you get around to it. everything you said is pretty much on point, it is dying. one good walk around this place on a Saturday when it’s more alive shows you pretty much everything you need to see. really glad that I have this video that I can watch now in case it ever goes under permanently. too bad I won’t be able to go into the FYE from this video
if you ever get the chance, I’d love to see you go around Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, NY! that was my childhood mall (:
Some day!
they just re-opened Uncanny so maybe it's not completely over! also hopefully the roller rink where the old payless used to be will bring in some traffic
One of the very first Chipotle Mexican Grills in the Philadelphia area opened here around 2006. It wasn't an outparcel, it was actually in the mall. Even at that time, Plymouth Meeting Mall was already on the downswing so I was surprised that Chipotle hadn't researched the market a little better. Years later, Chipotle did close this mall location, relocated to an outparcel and opened a location inside King of Prussia.
I have been to this mall several times. When it was fairly new I was a sales representative for the Hoover vacuumed cleaner company and was at the opening of one of the older department stores. It was very busy back then. I also stoped there to shop on occasion and did enjoy the Dave and Busters for dinner and fun in their arcade. It slowly has died just like other malls due to internet shopping as well as you mentioned the larger malls not to far away. It does have one strength that it is located at the southern end of the Northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Blue Route that runs south to interstate 95 in Delaware County. So other than heavy rush hour traffic is close access to many potential customers. With the right combination of stores and entertainment it should be able to succeed.
I worked in the corporate offices attached to the mall in the late 90s. 95-97 I think. I loved it. I used to find any excuse to spend time at the mall throughout the work day.
Whenever I watch your videos of malls, I get hungry for Pizza! 😀
When I was young and we went to the small mall near my home town, we always had a piece of pizza there. So malls and pizza are always linked in my mind...
I remember in 2014 i was living in Maryland but had a work assignment up in conshohockin. i went to this mall to burn some time and thought it was a cool little mall. couple of gaming shops dnd etc and every so often we go there now. im glad its not run down like other malls. i currently live in Royersford PA now and the Coventry Mall up by Pottstown is terrifying. Something straight out of a horror movie.
Amazing mall!! two records stores wow I love the palm trees as well I miss when my local malls had them.
I grew up next to the PMM, so I was here all the time. We still go sometimes for Legoland for my kid. Adults can't go in Legoland without a kid except for Adult specific nights. There used to be a 2 story Woolworths on the side where the Chick fil a is now. There were escalators going down towards where Hess was with a third small water fountain between them and a lunch counter on the Strawbridge's side. There also used to be a movie theatre on the Legoland side. The neighbors are fighting the building of apartments because of traffic. The downstairs music store FYE is closing now. Did you happen to see the original Strawbridge's seal on the right side of the wall next to Burlington? I'm glad that's still there. This mall has been doing poorly for years, but its a soft spot for me.
Used to work right across from here and would spend time walking around on my lunch break or after work. When as a kid I used to go a lot with my mom.
Wonderful Video!!!! Love the Fountains!! F+L, Corey
Fountain + Music are too loud for me.
I love the fountains too. When malls did away with them it was a huge mistake! Almost everybody I know loves water fountains.
I'm glad the United States still has plenty of big arcades. Can't find much in Canada anymore.
There seem to be more and more every day, especially if you count Dave and Busters and other restaurants like that.
I haven't been there in a while but it's only about 15 minutes from me. I used spend a lot of time there. I had my first job in this mall when I was 18 (1995) at a Babbages store (bought and killed by Gamestop). It was right next to the carrousel which played the Chipmunk Christmas song on a loop all day.
Willow Grove Mall is connected to a fairly major transportation center at Olney via bus. Much easier to get to if you don’t personally own a vehicle than Plymouth Meeting. I used to work at Willow Grove and now live near Plymouth Meeting and there seems to be a big difference in accessibility.
Really enjoyed this video. Hope you still plan to visit the Marketplace Mall in Rochester NY. Could be the MOST dead mall in the Northeast. Yeah the website makes it look amazing but trust me it’s NOTHING like it shows online with trick Photography lol.
Yes, it's on my list. I plan to get to all of the malls the northeast over the next year or two, and then start branching out further. Thanks!
I've been there in my teens for sure. It's nothing like I remember-- because I don't remember anything but the name. Hey that was probably 40 years ago after all.
Oh, Tom, I don't know if you like trains, but if you do, the Steamtown National Historic site in Scranton, PA, is pretty neat and there's a small trolley museum as well, since Scranton was the first place in the US with electric street cars. And the Steamtown mall (it's Marketplace at Steamtown now, I think) is right there as well. It's in that life support mode where there's a community college in there, maybe some state or country offices, and some retail. Not dead, but hardly doing great. Boscov's remains there as well. Thanks as always!
Yes to restaurants! Would also love some grocery store videos, like Whole Foods!
I'll never understand why more malls in the USA didn't go with integrated supermarkets and grocery stores! It makes perfect sense too. The only place I remember seeing that almost come together was at the Granite Run Mall in Media, where ACME had a store that was a satellite on the perimeter of the parking lot.
Plymouth Meeting Mall isn't dying. It's a nice mall that isn't as busy as King of Prussia and more in most people's budget. Meanwhile, King of Prussia mall is more expensive. Plymouth Meeting during the holidays will get some more people anc they still have FYE. Since Target and Best Buy got rid of physical movies, FYE has the market for people who actually want physical blu rays and DVDs.
I’m a Philadelphia native, born n raised n still live in Philadelphia. The Plymouth meeting mall is one of the malls i frequented as a kid. I’m not sure if anyone knows abt the old cheltenham mall but we would make jokes n say Plymouth meeting mall is like cheltenham mall but with two floors instead of one like cheltenham mall had. Lastly, the food court at Plymouth meeting mall used to be a lot bigger with more restaurants. It’s probably been over 10 years since it downsized. I wanna say for a few years it was just nothing there until the legoland came. So legoland is in the place of where the food court used to be.
I wish they can turn this place into an Epcot like center. It would be totally cool. This is such a nice mall! I hope this mall continues to stay open but yes, having other big malls close by will make it hard for this mall to thrive. They will compete with each other to see which ones succeed and thrive.
From the area, King of Prussia Mall “KOP” is a behemoth, truly the opposite of a “dead mall”, as it is crowded all day, every day. Lot of variety and has a section of high end stores, with some being their only US location outside of NY or LA. However, the mall is very bland aesthetically, like most Simon malls.
For many years my dad's office was across the street from the mall and he would go there to get some walking exercise on his lunch breaks every day.
Used to live about 10 minutes from that mall. Had the feel it was already fizzing out in the early 2000's but got revitalized in 2010's by restaurants that were built in its massive parking lot. Sad to see it's on its way out.
We used to work near there in the mid 90's and used to go in a lot. It seemed to go down pretty quickly during one of the renovations and after Strawbridges closed/left. We have some fond memories though. There used to be a piece of some tree that they cut down to build the place (I think) that had dates on the tree rings that went back really far (like 1700's or before). That was pretty cool.
Used to be a lot better food court there. I think one place we used to go to was called Baine's Deli. Not sure of the spelling. was pretty good.
King of Prussia mall (technically The Court and The Plaza at King of Prussia) is really nice and very busy but it is an upscale mall south more expensive stores. I haven't been to Willow Grove in like 20 years but I'm seeing it's still quite busy now.
I've been using this mall for the past few years to get some walking in. This mall is excellent for mall walkers--not many people here. I just hope they don't tear down the interior section--then I'll have to find someplace else to walk!
Here on L.I. NY all the FYE stores closed down over the past six years, the only one I know of and just went to two weeks ago, is the FYE location at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, LI.
That store seems to be doing well, mainly selling collectibles, Funkos, comics and manga, and stuff like that. Mainly aimed at teenagers now. The music section is terrible for CDs,
but ok for vinyl. The DVD and blu Ray dept. had some bargains, I found cheap copies of A. Candyman (1992) blu ray and B. The Who Quadrophenia Live there recently.
Yeah, it's all FYE in my area.
@@fleabittenadventures Really? FYE kind of died the death here about six years ago now. At least. Minus the Smith Haven Mall one. Weird. It's all aimed at kids, teens. Kids aren't going in there for movies or music.
@@thiscorrosion900 Smith Haven isn't the only one. There's also an FYE at South Shore Mall. It opened a couple of years ago.
@@rl8429 Ah, ok. I haven't even been to that mall yet, I don't think.
You have no idea how BAD this mall was when i was kid - late 80 to 2000 or so. There was an attached movie theater when i was a kid. Whole Foods is NOT dying but their cliental aren't shopping here, same with Orvis, J Crew and Loft. Ikea's North American HQ was on backside (not attached) to the mall. Where the whole foods is now is about where Ikea used to be. When Ikea moved down 476, a lot of the customers left. I also think that with KOP less then 15 minutes away, more people go to there these days. I will drive here b/c its fewer people here. Willow Grove is underwhelming IMO. The traffic situation here is also a TOTAL nightmare. Getting in and out is rough - and Germantown Pike is always crazy busy! I def rode that carousel as a kid! you should check out suburban square in ardmore, pa. first outdoor "mall" in the US.
I think back in the day there was alot of great stores besides the anchor stores there was a movie theater near the church and a ski shop as other malls did not have that.
I went to a ski show they had in the mall one year to promote skiing and travel to different ski areas.
Someone who worked at the ski shop had a sweet dog named Brita. A golden I think. We used to go visit her.
@ oh yes that’s right
I love the fountain. It reminds me of the one in the mall in my hometown. It's an almost dead mall now and they got rid of the fountain a long time ago 😢
It's a shame my first real job was out in that area around 2002. My mother also moved to that area around 2010 so I spent a lot of time in that area and got really familiar with that mall.
It was really a great mall, I believe before the pandemic. It had an H&M, Express, a HUGE Footlocker, with a Kids Footlocker attached to it, a Champs Sports, Journeys, even a nice little mom and pop retro videogame store. I believe it also had a Kicks USA and a City Blue also. Also a Dairy Queen on the second floor. It's just sad to see it go down hill and empty like this.
I'm surprised to hear the Willow Grove Park Mall is more successful. Plymouth Meeting run Mall seemed like a more fancier mall
I’ve definitely seen malls in worse shape.
Yes, me too, but this one is apparently struggling based on what I saw and read. Thanks for watching.
Nearby Montgomery Mall is in worse shape.
Even if the closed stores are still in business and just closed for the evening, the fact that they're closing by 7pm or thereabouts is not good at all. With such early closing times they're losing out on many after-work shoppers.
True. It did seem early for these stores to be closed.
Good point and closing too early is a big mistake. Many work late and can’t ship until after they get out.
I was surprised to see so many stores closed but still looked like they still were in business. I remember when malls required all their stores to be open the same hours as the mall was open. Closing early is one of the reason the mall may be failing. Most people have to shop after work or on weekends. Of course 24 hour internet shopping also hurts all retail stores today.
@@TrinhNguyen-sh4fjshop*
This mall deserves more traffic. It's the most attractive mall I've seen yet. Seems like the owners aren't doing enough to engage or draw customers which is one of the reasons they're losing traffic to other malls. Hopefully they'll have better draw at Christmas.That fountain is beautiful.
I used to always go to this mall a lot as a kid, ever since then I used to love to going to Justice and FYE. There used to be a retro gaming store called Jay Street and GameStop too. It’s sad because I used to love this mall a lot and their food court was nice and big. I hated how they compacted the size for legoland, I felt like it was just a bad marketing decision and that they should’ve stuck with the apartment complex idea.
Nice video 😊
Thanks!
Used to go to the Dave and Buster's here all the time in college, and this mall was a nice counter to working at the KOP mall. Shame the mall's so dead- it's got the only Dairy Queen around!
You’re getting close to my neck of the woods. I’m sure you’ll hit the KOP mall soon. You should also check out Springfield Mall in Springfield, PA. It’s a smaller mall, but surprisingly still doing pretty well.
Love this mall. For a "dead" mall there is a lot of cool stuff to do here. Especially if you have kids
Never been to a Caine’s but i have been to a Zaxbys it’s the idea of getting fried chicken slaw and fries I like that kind of food. Sure restaurant food court review sounds nice 👍
I saw a commercial recently, and it was saying, "Let's all meet at the mall." First time in a long time I've seen a commercial like that. Sadly, it may be too late for most malls.
That's what malls for designed for originally, more social than commerce at first.
Sounds like a commercial from the 80s.
The Dave & Busters is the biggest thing that keeps Plymouth Meeting around as it’s the only one close by for many people. Other than that, its small size and close proximity to both King of Prussia and Willow Grove make it not very visited. It’s less than 5 miles and about 10-15 minutes away from King of Prussia, which as I mentioned before, greatly hurts it
The Dave & Busters at Franklin Mills Mall is pretty darn nice.
I could see going here if I was right next door, but otherwise I would probably opt for the two bigger nearby malls.
Yes, I think one of the main reasons this mall is not surviving is due to the fierce competition from the other 2 big malls which are close by. In my area, we only have one big one and another big one but it is 30 minutes away, so that not that close together. The location is so important.
Don't forget Boscov's. It's my go to store.
I live 15 min from here in Philly - used to be a huge mall - people still shop here but more at the surrounding stores more than in the actual mall. The movie theater gets good business.
I went here all the time as a kid. I go to willow grove and KoP as well - they are much more lively malls.
That shopping center gets a good amount of business but not as much in the actual mall.
I was born in 84 and I used to ride that carrousel as a kid. Willow grove has a similar one.
Like I said - that shopping center isn’t dead and has daily good business - it’s just inside the mall that is slow. The Whole Foods and shake shack have people all the time and the movie theater especially in summer is crowded a lot.
Was this a recent visit? I ask because the fountain has been off for a few months due to them renovating the tiles inside.
This was filmed in May.
As someone who lived in the area his entire life this mall is not Dying. In fact, this mall in thriving! Instead of trying to compete with the King of Prussia mall they added unique entertainment like Dave N Busters (Teenagers and Kids) and Legoland (families). It`s more of a second option for people in the area who don`t want to deal with the Mega crowds at KOP.
There are many Cookies cutter malls around Pennsylvania that are dying but I believe this one will stand the test of time.
I think the biggest problem today is the lack of disposable income for people, it just is not there with all the inflation and gouging going on.
Nice find not to many malls have fountain s anymore
I would so go to this mall if I lived close to it. This is a beautiful mall and wish it wasn't so dead. I am a big arcade person and Uncle Joe's arcade looked like a fun time with those pinball machines! I also would love to see the art gallery too that they had there and also check out legoland. I probably would be there like weekly or daily if I lived close to that.
Hey I was just there today!! are you on your way to Kop? would love to meet you! I'll be there Monday!
Nope. I filmed this a few months ago. Not sure when I'll get to KOP. I have two more weeks off at work before the end of the year, so I may go in November or December. Not sure yet.
@@fleabittenadventures Also just noticed. By the fountain on the bottom floor there used to be a Amazon pickup/ office space from what I remember before covid. 16:50
I wish someone would turn some of these beautiful malls and turn them into apartment complexes while maintaining the integrity of the actual mall. This mall would make a beautiful apartment complex
The owners are apparently trying to add apartments here, but they city doesn't seem to want to let them.... We'll see what happens though. I would love to live in a mall!
Living in a mall would be sooooo cool!
@@fleabittenadventuresme too I am looking for one
That my dream as kid /teen I got to have small one in hotel and resort one @@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj
@@fleabittenadventures Typical government nonsense. I'm surprised because it's more property tax revenue. I suppose because the area is only zoned for commercial use? How hard could it be to rezone for mixed use?
*LOVE the water fountain*
Malls need to bring them back!
I never thought about Willow Grove being in the same area as Plymouth Meeting TBH lol. Guess it's the direction I lived in, makes sense.
That said, it's been a few years since I've been here and it seems the slot car shop closed. That's a shame.
Oh and I am not sure if it was mentioned but there is a kinda unique 2 level D&B in the mall and an AMC outside.
I frequently go to this mall as I live not even 25 minutes away and for me when I want the “mall experience” I go to Plymouth Meeting mall(it used to be Coventry mall) but I do unfortunately find myself at KOP mall whenever I need to do actual shopping as Plymouth Meeting just doesn’t have much left to offer
Was only inside once in the late '80's. Barely remember it. Almost returned again in 2000 but after a stop at a nearby Ikea my then girlfriend began feeling sick and we just drove back to NJ.
That Ikea used to be at this mall, where the AMC is now.
The Uncanny comic store is really recently opened. Like barely a year old. Also The Rock Store is lightyears better than FYE. They actually have a second store at the King of Prussia Mall which you mentioned
Rock Shop Rocks!
Uncanny had been in PMM before and closed in 2019 then reopened in a different spot in 2024.
Plymouth Meeting is my favorite mall, especially Boscov's. Plymouth Meeting a bad fire around 1971.
I can't walk to well, so this small mall, is plenty for me.
Plymouth meeting mall is so easily accessible from my home by bus; I do drive, but it's so convenient. I really hope nothing happens to it.
This mall has been dead for years. I used to love going there. It would be nice if they had stores worth visiting. Boscov’s and Burlington aren’t enough
Yeah, there didn't seem to be a huge selection.
I live in Delaware this mall is 40 minutes away from me down interstate 95 north to the Plymouth Meeting mall exit 😮😮
I love KOP, but it’s way too far, willow grove is roughly 15 minutes from me and it’s definitely my go to, the area is a one stop shop, especially with the little outdoor mall adjacent to the the old navy
Haven't been to King of Prussia yet, but Willow Grove was a very nice mall!
I Love At Christmas; when they make a tree out of poinsettias.
I'd love to see that!
Omg you so have to try chick f lay you will enjoy it i kid you not coming from texas chicken it's southern delicacy.
Some day!
awww I grew up going there and King of Prussia Mall, sad to see it's not doing so well... KoP is still somehow as popular as ever tho
Fun fact btw: The Whole Foods that is present in this video actually used to be the first IKEA store that ever opened in the US before they moved it elsewhere in Plymouth.
I remember this mall having an Ikea in the late 1990s.
It looks like it already devolved into the mixed use with more entertainment type of places than stores. I don't think it will survive much longer in it's current form.
Yes, they definitely started the process, but it's still mostly a regular mall at this point. It doesn't look good for the future though.
Wouldn’t even bother going to Chick-fil-A anymore. They’ve gone way down from their heyday. Hasn’t been good for 6-7 years.
Once the owner passed away they went woke.
I was born in 77 and I don't remember a second fountain ever being there.
From what I saw Adults can only go into Legoland if they have a child with them.
Plymouth Meeting is not quite "dying". In fact, it added significant new stores with the repurposing of the old Strawbridges site. Also, the explosion of restaurants around the perimeter (formerly parking spaces) has helped keep it alive. It has had easier days in the past--but do not write it's death certificate just yet. It is actually improved from two years ago.
Way better than the WOW Arcades...
The exterior businesses seem to be doing well but when you get inside the mall, vacancies become more prevalent.
Whoa a fecking fye
Wasn't an Ikea located there?
The Plymouth Meeting Mall, Willow Grove Park Mall and Montgomery Mall can't hold a candle to the enormous King of Prussia MalI. I don't know how they are going to be able compete in the long run.
Willow grove will be fine, KOP is way too far for most willow grove shoppers
I been to this mall once
This mall is in Pennsylvania but what is farthest south location you have ever gone?
I think Philadelphia Mills / Franklin Mills is slightly further south, so that's the furthest.
@@fleabittenadventuresTom, I read some stuff on the internet about the fire at the mall, supposedly it was started by an electrical malfunction that occurred in the King's Men's Store, where a light bulb in one of the display cases exploded. And one of the stores that was affected by the fire was the pet store. Although the folks from that store were able to get all the little dogs out, the kitties and the lil birds weren't so fortunate, they weren't able to get those out in time😢. That one kind of hits me in the heart, as I am a kitty Daddy.
@@fleabittenadventuresand also some little fishies were lost in the terrible fire that happened at that mall, also when I wrote little dogs earlier I meant little puppies. At least they were able to save the puppies, although they did need some treatment for smoke inhalation😢
This mall is not dying, it is dead. Look at the amount of vacant space, and lack of foot traffic. Those spaces have been vacant for years. There are no high-end retail stores. I work down the road, and use the parameter as a walking track.
firmly disagree that Plymouth Meeting Mall is dying. The presence of Whole Foods, an Amazon-owned entity, suggests stability. Amazon wouldn't invest in a failing venture. Additionally, Miller's Ale House, a popular restaurant, thrives there. New stores are opening, contradicting the narrative of decline. To truly assess the mall's health, visit during operating hours, rather than when stores are closed. This will provide a more accurate perspective on its vitality.
NYC and LI malls don't even have record stores like Rock Shop anymore, and usually no bookstores. As compared to PA, clearly. It really sickens me. Newbury Comics doesn't count,
since their prices are absurdly high.
I usually only see Newbury Comics and FYE at most the malls I go to. While they do sell music and movies, it's nothing like back in the 90's and earlier.
You can only go into the Legoland if you have a child with you. Also raising canes is miles better than chick fil-a just my opinion.
Oh... That will be a problem then. What if I consider my dog to be a child? Does that count?
@@fleabittenadventures no I don’t think that would work. lol but you can actually go into the store next to it no problem though.
Go to the Sears at 6950 w 130 middle burg heights Ohio it's an abandoned sears go to the basement happy halloween