I grew up in Springfield I have even had dreams about walking around that mall. Thank you for posting this. There used to be a Wendy’s a Cassano’s pizza, Orange Julus, Cinnabon. Camolot music, RadioShack.’, York’s steakhouse. I think the CVS space was held by a Revco in the early 80s.
I was born in Springfield in '71, just like this mall. I stopped in a few years ago when back in town. Must have been a little while after this was shot; the mall was even sadder then. One store was just a second-hand store, with 15-20 old laser printers dumped in a corner. The Spencer's, I believe, was still open - after nuclear war, there'll be roaches, Cher, and Spencer's - but even it couldn't compare to its late '70s, blacklight poster-laden glory (Spencer's was like a Wayfair for stoners, basically). But I've got fond memories of running off to the toy department in Rike's (Mom always knew where to find me but never failed to scold me for running off, telling me "some strange man" could kidnap me if I did that again), movies in the theater (I took a friend to see "E.T." and remember seeing "9 to 5" with my parents there), video games in the arcade before going for pizza at Cassano's next door, lunches with my mom and grandma at York's Steak House. It will never be a functioning mall again. Some day, Amazon will probably buy it for pennies on the dollar to use it as a distribution center. A sad metaphor for Springfield and so many other small Midwestern towns like it - great to grow up in 50 years ago, bordering on desolate ghost towns today.
Thanks for reposting! I've spent many days in that mall, and remember when it was opened in 1971. The restaurant was originally a Piccadilly Cafeteria, then a York Steakhouse. The Colliers in the news video, was originally a Bill Knapps. Also, I worked in that mall for a long time at different stores, and it's really sad to see it in such a decline.
This was my mall growing up in Springfield, Ohio. I remember the Woolworth at this mall. It had great things. Next store was Harvest house cafeteria which had red carpet and red leather seats, very fancy. When I was a girl we would get a ice cream sundae for 75 cents and then go into Woolworth to shop. We went to the mall every Sat. sometimes my mom would get us a orange Julious. Oh to have one of those drinks again.
I remember going to this mall a lot when I was a teenager. My friends and I would always go to the B. Dalton's to get books for our summer reading assignments and Deb's to buy our homecoming and prom dresses. I would go to Regis hair salon to get my hair done right before prom. It used to be so busy. My parents normally dropped us girls off and go elsewhere because they couldn't stand the crowd. It's sad to see it in such a "dead" state.
something i never really understood with many of these malls is that they are not encouraging people to stick around all day like they use to in the past. People would show up a round noon and stay 4-6 hours, not just to shop, mostly to socialize. Many of them could put in Internet Cafes. Have people be able to connect to a free Wi-Fi network, provide power sources, comfortable places to sit, and a shop near by to sell snackfood type foods (coffee, soda, cookies, candy, chips). If they are energetic enough, perhaps some Japanese Style vending machines (the ones that can sell hot and cold drinks and food) inside the malls. (But my god, can you just imagine one of these old malls being filled with vending machines that sell anything and everything like they do on every street-corner in Japan? Just hire a few people to walk the floor to make sure nobody is vandalizing them and to take orders if anything is empty or if a machine is stuck... it would literally take like only 10 people to work there and 30% the money generated goes to the mall that owns the machines.... though it may just be too much of a novelty to work in America).
But here's something you should know: the town of Springfield (and I say TOWN, not CITY, no matter what Mayor Copeland may say [even though he's my mentor!]) is not really for the young. The few young people remaining in Springfield are those that are too poor to move anywhere else. What you're suggesting mainly to cater to young people or people who have money. Springfield has neither. The wealthy business owners (those businesses in Prime Ohio) who live in Springfield go to Beavercreek, OH for serious shopping; the young who can drive go to Columbus, Beavercreek or Dayton for shopping. Springfield's majority lives on fixed income, use public transit that doesn't run on weekends (mall-based service runs from 8:00am-6:00pm weekdays only), and is used to the five Krogers, two Walmarts (Bechtle Ave., another on Rt. 40) and the Meijer on Rt. 41. The kinds of people that would frequent malls or even the internet cafes that you propose do not exist here. What I mean is, your ideas are interesting, but Springfield has turned into a retirement town, with the population dropping by the DAY (no exaggeration). If it's not cheap, then Springfield citizens don't want it.
Ive seen videos of those Japanese vending machines! So cool! They sell everything, even full meals. I wish someone would invest in those and bring them to the US!!
I know this comment is two years old, but people are commenting on it so I'll say this: There was something in the mall kinda like that. It's called Pixel Playground. If you look at 3:36 you can see its sign. It was a gaming lounge where the rate started at only $5. They're still in Springfield, just not in the mall anymore.
I was stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB from 84 to 89 and again 96 to 99. This mall was a real gem. It wasn't too big and had good stores. I bought a lot of CD's at the Camelot in this mall.
You are correct, Ace, Amy. York was my first job. Just out of high school in 1985 Started summer college classes. Worked at York around a year before moving on but still spent much time there. Some good memories. Sad state of brick & mortar retail. Cinemas were demolished in 2022. Most of the complex is a warehouse.
I will forever miss this. I was born in 1990. I was a teenager in the 2000s when this mall was still alive and well. Fye,Suncoast,Spencer’s, JC Penny, Lazarus, Elder Beerman etc. I miss this
So everyone remembers from the first upload: that restaurant apparently was at first a Piccadilly Cafeteria, and then a York's Steakhouse. Either of which I would love to go eat at now. Thanks to whatever local made the original comment.
In the late 80s my friends and I would go to the Hollywood fashion center while they were remodeling and as KIDS we knew. New Tile dosent make you buy things!!!!
The restaurant was a York's Steak House which later became Bradfield's. Their chicken dinners were delicious and not expensive and I ate there all the time. When the mall started sinking, Bradfield's closed in October of 2010 and when it did, I never went back to it again.
Love the before and after shots. I worked at this mall in 1991 at the electronics boutique when I was 16. It was always packed and my home away from home. I visited a couple years ago just to see it. It was really sad. Not much longer before it's gone forever I'm sure. Had some really great times in that mall.
The restaurant with green shutters was Bradfields. It was a walk through cafeteria line serving steak, beef tips, baked potatoes, ect. Beautiful little restaurant with nice dim lighting giving great ambiance.
DUDE! You made a film about Springfield's only mall! And you came here recently, too! When I moved to Springfield four-and-a-half years ago (May 2013) from Philadelphia to attend college I asked my aunt and uncle about the location of any kind of mall. My aunt said "...yeah, there's a mall...but it's not worth seeing." I told her it couldn't be that bad. Taking the Upper Valley Mall/First Street bus, when I saw the mall and the large, empty, hot parking lot and the rather bland looking sign, I knew I should have listened to my aunt. Macy's and JCPenney's was still there, as well as the CVS (all three are GONE as of November 2017, that CVS closed one month after you visited). Sears is the only anchor remaining and no one knows why. All of the action is now along North Bechtle Avenue, from Park Plaza Shopping Center, cross Rt. 41 (Troy Road/First Street), all the way up close to the Splashworld water park. Everything on Bechtle's various strip malls is constantly updated, and Hobby Lobby (formerly across the street from the mall alongside the recently-closed K-Mart) relocated to Bechtle, and a new IHOP opened, along with Dick's Sporting Goods and a renovated/expanded Aldi. If it's not on Bechtle Avenue or East Main Street (the alternative for when you're REALLY broke), then it's not worth owning, because no one wants to go anywhere near the mall.
Either in Hollywood Nails or beside it used to be a pet shop,I believe. I remember begging my parents for many different critters in that place. I remember Bath and Body Works first opening along with Old Navy. Got my ears peirced in the middle of the mall-Piercing Pagoda. So many memories in that place.
What brought me on a search for this was getting an AMAZON Christmas catalog in the mail today and my kids circling things they'd like. I remembered the Sears catalog in the back of this mall and doing some circling myself.
if anyones wondering, both the macy's and sears are gone now. so is the hot topic, there's only a couple more big-name stores left. the floors are coming apart in places. the boonshoft actually used to have the location in the mall as a "satellite", so that was really neat, but... the only thing it's really got going for it is a small game store.
I'm almost afraid to watch this. I grew up with this mall in its prime. Haven't been back to my home town in a few years. This whole area is my childhood.
So surprising to find a whole group of people enamored with our old dead mall. There is an official plan to turn it into a sports complex. They are no longer renewing any leases. So if it's on anyone's bucket list, make haste!
York Steakhouse... wow that a brings back memories. I loved going there as a kid. I was always fascinated seeing them grilling the food behind the line.
Im Just discovering your channel because I live in Pittsburgh and recently found some old closed malls and RUclips'd them to find out more and stumbled upon your page. Then I see this video...this is my childhood. I haven't seen that mall in maybe 5 years (since I moved to PA) and man is it sad. I went there every weekend through the late 90's.and most of the 2000's Mark pi's has been my favorite Chinese food my whole life! Right across from Mark pi's is the hair salon, next to the salon there was a pet store for years. My mom and sister worked at many stores in the upper valley. Next to the Spencer's to the left was a suncoast video in the 90's and across from them where sabarro's pizza, DEB clothing, and FYE and B.Daulton books. Then on the far end by Sears was a radio shack and a K.BToys .And on the opposite side by penny's I remember that restaurant being named Bradfield's. I remember the name because my school band played holiday music there every year and I would stare at their sign the whole time. My first hair cuts were in the green tiled salon across from CVS. And my sister's best friend worked in the store next to it, a tuxedo rental store at the time Across from that was EB games!! Man. This video really hit me in the nostalgia. I'll be thinking about this place for the next week. I literally remember it like the back of my hand. Thank you so much for posting this.
Sadly, the mall no longer exists. It closed, and I guess the building is now used for storage or something for different factories. Springfield, even from 6 years, has become a sad place to live.
Years my my life spent in this mall. I worked in a few of the stores as well. Moved back into town a few years ago and was shocked to see that nothing had changed. Even the movie theatre was the same as it was in the 80s. That's closed now, but the smell before it did it needs to be burned.
I miss the auntie Anne’s and how the vs was the original design from when they first opened. I miss the pet store and there was a friendlys and a pizza place in the back I forgot what it was called. I miss throwing Pennie’s in the fountain ❤
Amazon is buying up malls and turning them into distribution centers. That would be a perfect use for the Upper Valley Mall. Plenty of space and more jobs for Springfield.
It's so sad to see all these malls closing😰😰😰I remember shopping at the malls in the late 70s early 80s with my mother. Now everyone is shopping online😰😰😰😰😰😰😰thank you for showing us all of these closed malls. It's good to see someone with a passion for the past! Seems like folks today could care less about the retro 70s and 80s!
Another great video Anthony I love how retro the mall looks the bad thing is while i think the retro look is cool it really doesn't keep customers wanting to shop there much.
I live in Springfield and this mall is still nice to go to for the few stores that are still in existence inside of it but it’s side seeing the old pictures of it and walking in it now.
I checked this mall out back in April before it closed. It's sad because up in that area there really isn't anything else to do there. There were still tons of people there for only a couple shops left. Sad
My family used to eat at that steakhouse during the 90s. I was probably 15 in 1997 or so the last time we ate there. It was called Bradford's. I am wondering when it closed.
Michael NakedPCTech Nearest Ponderosa was down the street from the mall- south on Upper Valley Pike. Once it went out of business it became a dirty restaurant serving Mexican food called Mi Jalapeño- the health department cited them numerous times and they too went out of business.
@@JJPMustang I ate there one time and almost didn't even eat, the place was so filthy. I heard the owner was disappeared back in Mexico, that he was either cartel connected or that a gang thought he had a lot of $ and killed him when they couldn't collect a ransom. Random, I know. Lol
My dad always talks about how great the mall used to be, I could never imagine the mall being packed full of people until this video, seeing the layout and seeing all of the stores my dad always talks about being his favorite, (he never shuts up about Camelot Music and the pet store, lol!) but honestly seeing the pictures of how the mall used to be honestly makes me kind of sad, on a good day there's usually only up to 15 or 16 people throughout the whole mall, most of the people are old people who walk the mall to get in some extra exercise and maybe some Subway on the way out. I heard they're trying to turn it into a Sports Complex, I would much rather have that than just seeing the mall wasting away.
The CVS moved out now. Sears is shut down and Victoria's Secret is done. They're talking about tearing down some of it, and make a sports complex out of it and the surrounding property.
You're gonna be in the Southern states? If you find yourself around Knoxville, Tennessee, definitely check out the Knoxville Center Mall (aka East Towne Mall), it's... definitely in the beginning stages of becoming a dead mall; there's an entire wing over by the Sears anchor that's practically a ghost town (the only things over by Sears are maybe a couple small stores downstairs and upstairs, there's literally just Gold's Gym), and the area downstairs is pretty dead itself. The JCPenney's is in the process of closing down (if it's not already shut down by then).
Places like this will eventually come back. The whole amazon, Walmart, Costco thing will run its course just like everything else does and what's old will be new again. The main difference will be that by the time the likes of Amazon and Walmart get done manipulating there customers and abusing there employees to the point where people run from them there wont be any sense of nostalgia about there demise like there is for these old malls. Most people will probably just say good riddance.
Omg! I loved that mall! My ex husband worked in that area sometimes and we lived in Delaware. So my daughter and I would hang out there and wait for him to get off work. I've been wondering if anyone would do a segment on this one! Thanks! And yes it was a York's! We still have one in Columbus!
i was here just the other day and i have no clue how they keep it open. if anyones hoping to head out there do it soon, i dunno how long theyll still be there at this point
If the Sears is "independently owned" then it may suffer the same fate as a local mall in my area, Landover Mall. The Sears there put up a fight against the mall to not destroy their building because it was owned by them. The mall closed around the mid-2000s and the Sears did not close until a year or two ago. So it definitely provided a thorn in their neck for the developers.
Kevin Hernandez It was announced this past week in the latest rounds of closings, the last remaining Sears in the Dayton region (at this mall) will begin liquidation.
I grew up in Springfield I have even had dreams about walking around that mall. Thank you for posting this. There used to be a Wendy’s a Cassano’s pizza, Orange Julus, Cinnabon. Camolot music, RadioShack.’, York’s steakhouse. I think the CVS space was held by a Revco in the early 80s.
County seat jeans, father and son shoes, are a few I remember.
I grew up in Springfield too.
And I never thought this mall would die , but it did!
That's so 😢.
I wonder , what will become of it now?
I was born in Springfield in '71, just like this mall. I stopped in a few years ago when back in town. Must have been a little while after this was shot; the mall was even sadder then. One store was just a second-hand store, with 15-20 old laser printers dumped in a corner. The Spencer's, I believe, was still open - after nuclear war, there'll be roaches, Cher, and Spencer's - but even it couldn't compare to its late '70s, blacklight poster-laden glory (Spencer's was like a Wayfair for stoners, basically). But I've got fond memories of running off to the toy department in Rike's (Mom always knew where to find me but never failed to scold me for running off, telling me "some strange man" could kidnap me if I did that again), movies in the theater (I took a friend to see "E.T." and remember seeing "9 to 5" with my parents there), video games in the arcade before going for pizza at Cassano's next door, lunches with my mom and grandma at York's Steak House. It will never be a functioning mall again. Some day, Amazon will probably buy it for pennies on the dollar to use it as a distribution center. A sad metaphor for Springfield and so many other small Midwestern towns like it - great to grow up in 50 years ago, bordering on desolate ghost towns today.
Thanks for reposting! I've spent many days in that mall, and remember when it was opened in 1971. The restaurant was originally a Piccadilly Cafeteria, then a York Steakhouse. The Colliers in the news video, was originally a Bill Knapps. Also, I worked in that mall for a long time at different stores, and it's really sad to see it in such a decline.
Don't forget Bradford's Smorgasbord.
@@lt7114 Bradfields
This was my mall growing up in Springfield, Ohio. I remember the Woolworth at this mall. It had great things. Next store was Harvest house cafeteria which had red carpet and red leather seats, very fancy. When I was a girl we would get a ice cream sundae for 75 cents and then go into Woolworth to shop. We went to the mall every Sat. sometimes my mom would get us a orange Julious. Oh to have one of those drinks again.
This really is a retro gem. Great video. Thank you for posting it.
Um.... Wow! Had to LOL at those brown light fittings!
I remember going to this mall a lot when I was a teenager. My friends and I would always go to the B. Dalton's to get books for our summer reading assignments and Deb's to buy our homecoming and prom dresses. I would go to Regis hair salon to get my hair done right before prom.
It used to be so busy. My parents normally dropped us girls off and go elsewhere because they couldn't stand the crowd. It's sad to see it in such a "dead" state.
Aw, I was hoping to see what happened to the Woolworth's, that was a huge staple in malls in the UK since the early '70s.
something i never really understood with many of these malls is that they are not encouraging people to stick around all day like they use to in the past. People would show up a round noon and stay 4-6 hours, not just to shop, mostly to socialize.
Many of them could put in Internet Cafes. Have people be able to connect to a free Wi-Fi network, provide power sources, comfortable places to sit, and a shop near by to sell snackfood type foods (coffee, soda, cookies, candy, chips). If they are energetic enough, perhaps some Japanese Style vending machines (the ones that can sell hot and cold drinks and food) inside the malls.
(But my god, can you just imagine one of these old malls being filled with vending machines that sell anything and everything like they do on every street-corner in Japan? Just hire a few people to walk the floor to make sure nobody is vandalizing them and to take orders if anything is empty or if a machine is stuck... it would literally take like only 10 people to work there and 30% the money generated goes to the mall that owns the machines.... though it may just be too much of a novelty to work in America).
But here's something you should know: the town of Springfield (and I say TOWN, not CITY, no matter what Mayor Copeland may say [even though he's my mentor!]) is not really for the young. The few young people remaining in Springfield are those that are too poor to move anywhere else. What you're suggesting mainly to cater to young people or people who have money. Springfield has neither.
The wealthy business owners (those businesses in Prime Ohio) who live in Springfield go to Beavercreek, OH for serious shopping; the young who can drive go to Columbus, Beavercreek or Dayton for shopping. Springfield's majority lives on fixed income, use public transit that doesn't run on weekends (mall-based service runs from 8:00am-6:00pm weekdays only), and is used to the five Krogers, two Walmarts (Bechtle Ave., another on Rt. 40) and the Meijer on Rt. 41. The kinds of people that would frequent malls or even the internet cafes that you propose do not exist here.
What I mean is, your ideas are interesting, but Springfield has turned into a retirement town, with the population dropping by the DAY (no exaggeration). If it's not cheap, then Springfield citizens don't want it.
Ive seen videos of those Japanese vending machines! So cool! They sell everything, even full meals. I wish someone would invest in those and bring them to the US!!
Unfortunately that wouldn't work in Springfield Ohio.
I know this comment is two years old, but people are commenting on it so I'll say this: There was something in the mall kinda like that. It's called Pixel Playground. If you look at 3:36 you can see its sign. It was a gaming lounge where the rate started at only $5. They're still in Springfield, just not in the mall anymore.
I was stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB from 84 to 89 and again 96 to 99. This mall was a real gem. It wasn't too big and had good stores. I bought a lot of CD's at the Camelot in this mall.
You are correct, Ace, Amy. York was my first job. Just out of high school in 1985 Started summer college classes. Worked at York around a year before moving on but still spent much time there. Some good memories. Sad state of brick & mortar retail.
Cinemas were demolished in 2022. Most of the complex is a warehouse.
My hometown. Grew up in that mall. Sad to see what it has become.
I will forever miss this. I was born in 1990. I was a teenager in the 2000s when this mall was still alive and well. Fye,Suncoast,Spencer’s, JC Penny, Lazarus, Elder Beerman etc. I miss this
The restaurant before it closed was Bradfields.
Great video! Love when you have pics/ footage of the malls from better days.
So everyone remembers from the first upload: that restaurant apparently was at first a Piccadilly Cafeteria, and then a York's Steakhouse. Either of which I would love to go eat at now. Thanks to whatever local made the original comment.
KentuckyFriedNerd York's, come to Columbus our Westland mall one (across the street is still open)
I worked at that York's for a week back in my teens. Loved the sirloin tips.
For a while, it was called Bradfields.
@@travisj23 same here...with sauteed onions & mushrooms lol!
In the late 80s my friends and I would go to the Hollywood fashion center while they were remodeling and as KIDS we knew. New Tile dosent make you buy things!!!!
The restaurant was a York's Steak House which later became Bradfield's. Their chicken dinners were delicious and not expensive and I ate there all the time. When the mall started sinking, Bradfield's closed in October of 2010 and when it did, I never went back to it again.
We ate at York Steak house every visit....sigh... 😢
Memories from the 70's, i miss it, so sad!
Love the before and after shots. I worked at this mall in 1991 at the electronics boutique when I was 16. It was always packed and my home away from home. I visited a couple years ago just to see it. It was really sad. Not much longer before it's gone forever I'm sure. Had some really great times in that mall.
It was definitely a York Steakhouse! At least in the mid to late 80s.....I ate there as a kid!
The restaurant with green shutters was Bradfields. It was a walk through cafeteria line serving steak, beef tips, baked potatoes, ect. Beautiful little restaurant with nice dim lighting giving great ambiance.
DUDE! You made a film about Springfield's only mall! And you came here recently, too!
When I moved to Springfield four-and-a-half years ago (May 2013) from Philadelphia to attend college I asked my aunt and uncle about the location of any kind of mall. My aunt said "...yeah, there's a mall...but it's not worth seeing." I told her it couldn't be that bad. Taking the Upper Valley Mall/First Street bus, when I saw the mall and the large, empty, hot parking lot and the rather bland looking sign, I knew I should have listened to my aunt.
Macy's and JCPenney's was still there, as well as the CVS (all three are GONE as of November 2017, that CVS closed one month after you visited). Sears is the only anchor remaining and no one knows why.
All of the action is now along North Bechtle Avenue, from Park Plaza Shopping Center, cross Rt. 41 (Troy Road/First Street), all the way up close to the Splashworld water park. Everything on Bechtle's various strip malls is constantly updated, and Hobby Lobby (formerly across the street from the mall alongside the recently-closed K-Mart) relocated to Bechtle, and a new IHOP opened, along with Dick's Sporting Goods and a renovated/expanded Aldi. If it's not on Bechtle Avenue or East Main Street (the alternative for when you're REALLY broke), then it's not worth owning, because no one wants to go anywhere near the mall.
Either in Hollywood Nails or beside it used to be a pet shop,I believe. I remember begging my parents for many different critters in that place. I remember Bath and Body Works first opening along with Old Navy. Got my ears peirced in the middle of the mall-Piercing Pagoda. So many memories in that place.
What brought me on a search for this was getting an AMAZON Christmas catalog in the mail today and my kids circling things they'd like. I remembered the Sears catalog in the back of this mall and doing some circling myself.
Loved it!......I hung out there in my youth and even worked at Penneys
if anyones wondering, both the macy's and sears are gone now. so is the hot topic, there's only a couple more big-name stores left. the floors are coming apart in places. the boonshoft actually used to have the location in the mall as a "satellite", so that was really neat, but... the only thing it's really got going for it is a small game store.
I'm almost afraid to watch this. I grew up with this mall in its prime. Haven't been back to my home town in a few years. This whole area is my childhood.
Springfield is like a black hole no matter how far you travel or how long you stay away you will come back
When the guy said "21 Century Merchandising" after they talked about making it an outdoor shopping center. He was basically saying the mall is dead.
Truly a gem - really like the cross-fade photos!
So surprising to find a whole group of people enamored with our old dead mall. There is an official plan to turn it into a sports complex. They are no longer renewing any leases. So if it's on anyone's bucket list, make haste!
Spencers was there in 70's....best place in the mall....it smelled sooooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This mall was the setting of a short story I wrote called, A Primary Target. It didn't take a nuclear war to end this place.
York Steakhouse... wow that a brings back memories. I loved going there as a kid. I was always fascinated seeing them grilling the food behind the line.
Gorgeous mall! Love that it's still of it's times. I don't think "facelifting" will solve the retail problems..
I remember going there when I was little and I’might by there right now
that was, indeed, a york steak house. my family went there nearly every week.
i recommend the porterhouse.
Im Just discovering your channel because I live in Pittsburgh and recently found some old closed malls and RUclips'd them to find out more and stumbled upon your page. Then I see this video...this is my childhood. I haven't seen that mall in maybe 5 years (since I moved to PA) and man is it sad. I went there every weekend through the late 90's.and most of the 2000's Mark pi's has been my favorite Chinese food my whole life! Right across from Mark pi's is the hair salon, next to the salon there was a pet store for years. My mom and sister worked at many stores in the upper valley. Next to the Spencer's to the left was a suncoast video in the 90's and across from them where sabarro's pizza, DEB clothing, and FYE and B.Daulton books. Then on the far end by Sears was a radio shack and a K.BToys .And on the opposite side by penny's I remember that restaurant being named Bradfield's. I remember the name because my school band played holiday music there every year and I would stare at their sign the whole time. My first hair cuts were in the green tiled salon across from CVS. And my sister's best friend worked in the store next to it, a tuxedo rental store at the time Across from that was EB games!! Man. This video really hit me in the nostalgia. I'll be thinking about this place for the next week. I literally remember it like the back of my hand. Thank you so much for posting this.
These are some great shots of the upper valley mall in Springfield Ohio.😊
Interesting to see Spencer's Gifts was on the original roster. They managed to maintain their spot until the mall's closing.
Love how you do your videos....love the imagery.
I really like the CVS exterior. I have not seen that exterior in as long time. Great video!
Great video I was here this past Sunday exploring what remains. It’s about 90% gutted.
It was a York Steakhouse. I went there a million times as a kid with my parents and brother and sister.
Sadly, the mall no longer exists. It closed, and I guess the building is now used for storage or something for different factories. Springfield, even from 6 years, has become a sad place to live.
Years my my life spent in this mall. I worked in a few of the stores as well. Moved back into town a few years ago and was shocked to see that nothing had changed. Even the movie theatre was the same as it was in the 80s. That's closed now, but the smell before it did it needs to be burned.
There was a York Steak House, my dad took us there to eat every Friday in the 70's . It was across from Plaza U and the Health food store
came here from your newest video, looks like the restaurant could have also been a Ponderosa. We had one in our mall that looked just like that.
It was called Bradfields and they went out of business for not paying rent. Their food was pretty amazing.
I miss the auntie Anne’s and how the vs was the original design from when they first opened. I miss the pet store and there was a friendlys and a pizza place in the back I forgot what it was called. I miss throwing Pennie’s in the fountain ❤
The restaurant was a York Steakhouse. It was one of my first jobs.
I was manager of the Spencer Gifts store when it got its only remodel in 1988..they never updated it apparently..held up pretty well I think.
Some of this reminds me more of ‘Haunted Ohio’ excerpts. Very sad to see the place where we hung out as teenagers just turn into a ghost town.
Indeed, it was a great place to be a kid!
i loved the transition at 2:13
I'm looking forward to the Regency Mall video!
4:33 Karma for Wells Fraudgo
York Steakhouse restaurant... yes, I use to work there at that location way back in 1983.
A sense of "aesthetic" only a mother can love
Anyone remember the restaurant on the second floor of Lazarus? The Blue Fox?
Yes! I remember having a very swank lunch there with my grandma.
Amazon is buying up malls and turning them into distribution centers. That would be a perfect use for the Upper Valley Mall. Plenty of space and more jobs for Springfield.
It's so sad to see all these malls closing😰😰😰I remember shopping at the malls in the late 70s early 80s with my mother. Now everyone is shopping online😰😰😰😰😰😰😰thank you for showing us all of these closed malls. It's good to see someone with a passion for the past! Seems like folks today could care less about the retro 70s and 80s!
Great research! I am really looking forward to the southern tour 🤗
The restaurant was Bradfields
That was a YORK Steak House originally when it opened in 1971.
There was a York’s steakhouse there in the 1980s. I miss that place.
I've just started going here this year. I come here to walk the mall. I so hope someone does something with it.
omg the opening song was perfect choice
Same people at Mark Pi's since I worked there in 1994!
Another great video Anthony I love how retro the mall looks the bad thing is while i think the retro look is cool it really doesn't keep customers wanting to shop there much.
I live in Springfield and this mall is still nice to go to for the few stores that are still in existence inside of it but it’s side seeing the old pictures of it and walking in it now.
Love it! Thx so much 4 uploading!
I checked this mall out back in April before it closed. It's sad because up in that area there really isn't anything else to do there. There were still tons of people there for only a couple shops left. Sad
love these videos, keep up the great work!
I love dead mall videos and the intro was kick ass.
My family used to eat at that steakhouse during the 90s. I was probably 15 in 1997 or so the last time we ate there. It was called Bradford's. I am wondering when it closed.
Wasn't the nearest Ponderosa on Bechtle?
Michael NakedPCTech
Nearest Ponderosa was down the street from the mall- south on Upper Valley Pike. Once it went out of business it became a dirty restaurant serving Mexican food called Mi Jalapeño- the health department cited them numerous times and they too went out of business.
@@JJPMustang
I ate there one time and almost didn't even eat, the place was so filthy. I heard the owner was disappeared back in Mexico, that he was either cartel connected or that a gang thought he had a lot of $ and killed him when they couldn't collect a ransom. Random, I know. Lol
My dad always talks about how great the mall used to be, I could never imagine the mall being packed full of people until this video, seeing the layout and seeing all of the stores my dad always talks about being his favorite, (he never shuts up about Camelot Music and the pet store, lol!) but honestly seeing the pictures of how the mall used to be honestly makes me kind of sad, on a good day there's usually only up to 15 or 16 people throughout the whole mall, most of the people are old people who walk the mall to get in some extra exercise and maybe some Subway on the way out. I heard they're trying to turn it into a Sports Complex, I would much rather have that than just seeing the mall wasting away.
The CVS moved out now. Sears is shut down and Victoria's Secret is done. They're talking about tearing down some of it, and make a sports complex out of it and the surrounding property.
I liking dead mall series so far
Amazing video Ace.
love to find lil time warp locations like this, its sad and tacky but cool to have the experience, i love exploring places like this
You're gonna be in the Southern states? If you find yourself around Knoxville, Tennessee, definitely check out the Knoxville Center Mall (aka East Towne Mall), it's... definitely in the beginning stages of becoming a dead mall; there's an entire wing over by the Sears anchor that's practically a ghost town (the only things over by Sears are maybe a couple small stores downstairs and upstairs, there's literally just Gold's Gym), and the area downstairs is pretty dead itself. The JCPenney's is in the process of closing down (if it's not already shut down by then).
The steakhouse was called Bradfields. It was horrible.
Come on down to Florida this week. We've got all sorts of abandoned places. Just ignore the wind/water/flying debris stuff.
They didn't even update the sign in a while
2020: we no longer have a claire’s, victoria secret, sears, rue 21 (moved locations), & i don’t even know if we still have a CVS in there.
It seems like music selection for dead mall videos can be found if you look for songs that ranked under 75 in the mid 80s, preferably 1984 to 1986.
Albums from 2015. Most of it's not actually from that time period.
It was a rotisserie chicken place and it was really good
The front of sears looks like the one in rolling acres mall
Places like this will eventually come back. The whole amazon, Walmart, Costco thing will run its course just like everything else does and what's old will be new again. The main difference will be that by the time the likes of Amazon and Walmart get done manipulating there customers and abusing there employees to the point where people run from them there wont be any sense of nostalgia about there demise like there is for these old malls. Most people will probably just say good riddance.
Looks just like the sign by Randall Park Mall which is now going to be an Amazon location
There how the signs at Debartolo malls looked. The regency mall in Georgia had a similar sigh
I remember the restaurant being called Bradfords I believe
Once again, you can't run a Bath and Body Works out.
Omg! I loved that mall! My ex husband worked in that area sometimes and we lived in Delaware. So my daughter and I would hang out there and wait for him to get off work. I've been wondering if anyone would do a segment on this one! Thanks! And yes it was a York's! We still have one in Columbus!
where do you get that music? is there a youtube channel for it?
I used to eat there it was a York steak house
i was here just the other day and i have no clue how they keep it open. if anyones hoping to head out there do it soon, i dunno how long theyll still be there at this point
If the Sears is "independently owned" then it may suffer the same fate as a local mall in my area, Landover Mall. The Sears there put up a fight against the mall to not destroy their building because it was owned by them. The mall closed around the mid-2000s and the Sears did not close until a year or two ago. So it definitely provided a thorn in their neck for the developers.
Kevin Hernandez
It was announced this past week in the latest rounds of closings, the last remaining Sears in the Dayton region (at this mall) will begin liquidation.
That mall actually had some people in it. Hard to believe that they can forclose on a mall but it didn't affect the company as a whole like Simon.
The silence in the first 2:35 perfectly suits this video.
This mall reminds me of the old Forum 303 mall in Arlington TX that was opened in 1971 and also died, now no longer exists.
It had a Piccadilly cafeteria also
Yes it was a Yorks steakhouse