Oxford Valley Mall: The Golden Hour - Mall Aesthetics Edition (2021 Update!) - Raw & Real Retail
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2021
- This is our walkthrough of the Oxford Valley Mall in Langhorne, PA from September 21, 2021. We've shown this mall off a few times before, and figured a 2021 update was in order. All in all, the mall isn't doing terribly, despite losing 2 of its 4 anchors in recent years. The old Wanamaker's/Strawbridge's/Boscov's wing is doing pretty horribly, with most tenants vacant or just not interesting in this area. Fortunately the Sears wing consisted of mostly junior anchor spots that had main concourse access, so the area is mostly a kids play area now. As for the rest of the mall, things seem to be treading water, a few vacancies here and there, but nothing to make anyone think the mall was anything close to dying. The most successful area of the mall these days seems to be the food court. Only a couple years ago, the food court was under 50% occupied, but now, thanks in part to small businesses moving in and mall management putting their own attempts at food establishments in, the food court is very nearly fully occupied. This is probably the only really positive development in recent years, as the rest of the mall seems to be on autopilot.
It should be noted that all main songs in this video were the same songs playing while we were at the mall that day!
Songs used in this video (in order):
Kim Waters - Bring It
Brian Culbertson - Playin
Rick Braun - Car Wash 2000
Brian Hughes - For You
David Benoit & Russ Freeman - Palmetto Park
Syd Dale - Latin Belle
David Marriott, Jr. - On the Seventh Day
Steve Gray - Wonder Groove
Steve Gray - Reach Out
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I'd like to say a few words about being an ambassador to your local malls. We have been taking the time to visit all the malls within a reasonable driving distance to check up on them and see how they are doing. Also filming an updated video every year or so, regardless of the lack of many changes, just so there is a video record of the health over time. We think this is an important thing to keep tabs on, especially in these wildly turbulent times. The health emergency has accelerated the impending Retail Apocalypse we've all been talking about these last several years. This was already a big problem, but the restrictions have made the issue 5x worse and likely hastened the death of the enclosed shopping mall.
I know we've all been on pins and needles wondering how bad the fallout is going to be from all of this.
There really is no way to know exactly unless we ALL go and do our small part to make it known how it turns out. I implore you, if you have the means to pick an area you would like to be an ambassador for, and go document your local malls. Whatever your medium, it doesn't matter, any and all documentation is necessary and vital in this day and age. Whether it be on Social Media, Flickr, RUclips, any platform gets it out there and preserves it for posterity. We can't paint this picture unless we all grab a brush...
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Oh, it's still there?
Funny how this mall is literally one of my most beloved, cherished memories of childhood. Incredible mall in 80s. Incredible. Wood floors up top, dark tiles below, a ramp, fountains, trees, plants. It had a comforting, distinctive smell of chlorine and soil. Soothing sound of water. So many shops and restaurants (no food court), all the great department stores had restaurants. Like Louie B's in Bambergers. It was once hopping with people, families. Even BEFORE covid people decided to just stay home. People suffer from depression & anxiety more...maybe if they got out more?
12:13 I remember running up and down the corkscrew ramp when I was a child.
The East Meets West store here is the first location. They have turned into quite a big chain in the northeast lately.
The Oxford Valley Mall had throngs of people there in its heyday. When was the mall's heyday? Opinions vary. I was there on my bicycle when Jim O'Brien showed up with the WFIL (Famous 56!) Boss Bus and the Boss Chicks. I don't recall the Boss Mustang making the trip this time. Might've been late-1973.
After I'd gotten married and started a family, the Oxford Valley Mall was my wife’s and my favorite place to shop and idle away some time with our daughter in her little Umbrella Stroller. Good times.
July or August 1978 there was a John Travolta lookalike contest right at the base of the escalator at Mall Center by the front main entrance. This was just as John Travolta's popularity was near its zenith since he had two hit movies, Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1978) back-to-back. More excellent and fun times.
Couldn't beat shopping at the Oxford Valley Mall near Christmas time. I remember it as enjoyable being in there with that crush of humanity and stopping to have lunch or dinner (maybe Olga's) while we were there. We'd also go to Chi-Chi's in the '80s by ourselves or with other young-ish couples raising a family.
One.reminiscence of the Oxford Valley Mall seems to trigger another but I'm going to stop here for now.
This mall is next to the Sesame Place amusement park, which I'm certain is helpful to its future prospects. Maybe Simon Property Group (manager and majority owner) can hope to persuade a Dave & Busters to move into the old Boscov space? Spin the idea as a "grown-up refuge" from the little kid-focused Sesame Place? I think it could work... :)
idk, there's a Dave & Buster's in Philadelphia that's already close to Oxford Valley Mall.
I'd read in 2019 they were going to build condos where Wanamakers/Boscovs (now flooded) is. I figured the mall was at least partially gone by now, but ya know...covid. The condos were definitely approved by the township.
@@rl8429 Yes in the Plymouth Meeting Mall
@@erin8205 Correct. The apartment complex was approved by the township.
Dead as a door nail and it makes me sad. I used to work in Langhorne during the 90's and this mall was hopping!... especially the food court during my lunch hour. I like the flashback comparisons with the 70's and 80's pics. Very well done.
Did you work at the BUILDERS SQUARE store in Langhorne? Or the HECHINGER store?
@@trentpettit6336 Company was in the business park on Oxford Valley Road. Gone now.
Really nice mall, especially the ceiling of the 2nd floor with the window scaffolding. Great to see it still going. Cool music choice that would be appropriate for walking through a mall. Relaxing, nice melody. Great video and nice, steady camera work.
The mall must have undergone some sort of minor renovation at some point in the 80s, because the fountain by the ramp looks completely different in the later photo and the pillars are painted baby blue.
I think it's just an exposure/lighting issue. All the old postcards were photographed in 1978.
I hope 2022 is the year the abandoned Boscov's/Strawbridge's/Hecht's/Wanamaker's FINALLY gets demolished for the apartments replaing it.
They are about to begin preparation. Should be demolished over the summer.
Luckily the Apartment complex that is replacing the abandoned John Wanamaker/Hecht's/Strawbridge's/Boscov's building was approved despite Covid. That is a dead wing of the mall.
My fiancée stopped by there as the demolition was underway. She sent a couple of photos she'd taken from a good distance. It's quite a sight from what I can make out.
A young lady, she probably had a year or two on me, helped me choose some clothes for the beginning of my senior year in high school at Wanamaker's. Miss Wandling; wherever the lady is I do hope she is doing well.
Not sure if it's too far out of your area, but the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa NY might be worth a visit as the end looks very near. The Sears is now in liquidation, to close by late November, leaving only a Macy's as an anchor; in-line occupancy is less than 50% last I heard; and several months ago a mixed-use development company bought the mall for $30 million, which is 20% of what Westfield had paid in 2006 and equal to land value less demolition costs.
I have been champing at the bit to get to Long Island. Situations have just prevented it so far. Hopefully we get a shot soon, as there is a LOT I have my eye on there.
@@RawRealRetail I live there, and you are right that a lot is happening with the malls. In addition toand in contrast with the impending death of the Sunrise Mall there's the ongoing rebirth of the dead Mall at the Source as the Samanea.
@@R32R38 I am very curious about the future of the Samanea Mall. Mall at the Source was always a destination, but time just ran out...
This is a great looking property. I really like the expansive skylights. They really make the space. Additionally it would appear that the management of this mall are making attempts to keep the property going. The food court exemplifies that. With two anchors gone though , this really hurts. There are however retailers who would grab part or all of some of this space. Time however, is not on their side and real efforts need to be made now.
It used to be seriously gorgeous circa 80s to around 98 or so.
Since filming this video, three of the food court restaurants have closed.
Great mall .
Go there often with my wife to just walk and at times do shopping.
I'm getting worried that Simon is about to sell this mall. They have removed the Simon "sidewards figure 8" logo from the malls website, which is quite fishy.
No I don't think so. Simon owns this mall in partnership with Kravco, who they own a majority stock in. The diamond logo and "A Simon Mall" is only used when they own the mall 100%.
@@RawRealRetailKravco still exists? I thought they were bought out by Simon.
@@RawRealRetail And also Simon uses the logo for Lehigh Valley Mall, which is actually majority owned by PREIT.
www.kravco.com/
Oxford Valley Mall is my childhood mall, I have been visiting my whole life (42 years) and we go there at least once a month. The infinity logo hasn't been used in this mall at least for a few years, whether it is for the reasons I stated or a different reason. I'm pretty confident OVM isn't a risk for being sold, Simon has much worse properties it still is clinging to, like the Liberty Tree Mall. OVM has an occupancy rate of about 69% (I counted), which isn't too bad for these perilous times.
Has anybody been to the exclusive sneakers store
Did this mall have they're outdoor fountain back then when they had all they're indoor fountains or not yet?
Yup, the outdoor fountain was installed alongside the indoor ones.
Well anyway if I go to this mall the video should match what I'm seeing when I'm there right except for the parts where you show what used to be in those spots which used to be the fountains that's definitely not going to match for sure since those fountains are long gone right?
Anyway how do you know what used to be in those spots which were fountains in those spots did you look it up in the wiki or are there traces left of what used to be there?
@@arturocuizon69 I lived through it. I remember all 7 indoor fountains in that mall and where they all were. There aren't too many traces of them left.
@@arturocuizon69 yup