Our second tour of the Northridge Mall in Milwaukee Wisconsin www.teespring.com/acesadventures www.patreon.com/acesadventures INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @ACESADVENTURES1
Aesthetically this is one of the most interesting malls I’ve seen so far, also really like the vintage footage. Playing those VHS tapes in the security office would be so cool.
At time stamp 11:17 you captured a Mandela effect. Most remember it spelled Berenstein Bears but you captured it as Berenstain Bears. Parallel universe anyone? What a gem!
Loved the commercials, especially the one with the laundry list of Northridge stores. I remember many of the stores that no longer exist. Great video with more exploration!
Man, that security room was epic. Manuals, Suspect photos, old equipment. Looks like it was used last in 2002/2003 judging my the equipment and the calendar. Hard to believe no one has vandalised it or stolen anything.
Was there with Ace, went back several times throughout July because I live not far from here. Literally right after this was filmed the place exploded and I was constantly having to duck out because of scrappers and people WRECKING the place. MPD got involved (not with me) over one incident in particular, and I'm told they are now sealing it again.
jonrev I've heard for the past 2-3 years scrappers and vandals have been targeting this place (even the oldest videos of this place show broken glass and graffiti) Sucks to hear that it's still ongoing.
Damnnnn... This trip the second time around is just epic. Love the music and the old footage. That happy meal display left over from Mc Donalds is late 80's I know because I had two of those toys. Pretty cool to see another mall had a Tinder Box. That Kaybee toys was just heartbreaking to watch, all empty and sad looking. Anyway, awesome af video, and from the bottom of my heart, a big thanks to all that helped with this one! You guys all rock! 💜
What used to be may someday be again. Maybe someday, but better. I'll probably be old and gray before we may see this happen again, but I'm glad I got to experience the joy of the mall when it was in the mainstream. They are certainly not like they used to be, if not gone like this one (Northridge). Thank you for uploading this amazing video and it's photos from back in the day. As someone who was born in the 80s, but was around long enough to see what malls were like (mine particularly) back then, I certainly appreciate the work that is put into every video! Great work!
Incredible video. Probably one of my favorites. It’s truly a shame what vandals are doing to these properties. I’m only 15, so it’s sad to see what kids not too much older than me are doing to these gorgeous buildings. They don’t understand the millions upon millions of dollars that were put into constructing these buildings. They don’t understand the hundreds of hours that were put into designing these structures. The only thing they see is a large object that they can destroy. I️ just wish the owners of the properties would do a better job sealing up these malls. If they would block off all the entrances they could preserve these retail beauties for years to come.
Retail Ruins - double edged sword because by sealing them tight yes they'd preserve their interiors, but chances are we then wouldn't get to see them on videos like this one.
Malls close for a reason -- lack of business. And lack of business means lack of rental revenue. Often by the time malls close their doors for good, they've been sold several times each at a reduced price. Chances are the final owner cannot afford to seal them up as Colin describes. If documentary videographers can easily get in so can vandals.
@@MsJamiewoods I lived about 3 miles from here and grew up in this mall. You are correct in they close for a reason. Milwaukee in its brilliance, decided it would be wise to allow low income and section 8 housing in the neighborhoods immediately around the mall. This sealed the mall's fate and brought on its extinction.
The original Mayfair (1960s and early 70s) was an outdoor mall with stores on both sides of a walk way. The 70s/80s first edition single-level enclosed mall Mayfair was far better than today. They had little streams and ponds filled with gold fish and little wooden bridge you could walk over. The center court of Mayfair was an indoor, year-round ice skating rink. There was a large McDonald's where you could look down and watch the skaters while you ate. They took that all out in early 1986.
A group of Chinese investors bought Northridge about 10 years ago and has just sat on the property with empty promises of some sort of trade mart. They let the maintenance caretaker go and reportedly stopped paying the electricity and natural gas bill.Meanwhile the guy who owns Penzey's Spices tried to buy Northridge so he could relocate his offices, factory, distribution center and retail outlet there, but they Chinese will not sell at any price.
Thanks so much for making these. Back in 2000 I started working at a data services company further down the road, and visited Northridge frequently over lunch. Back then it was still mostly occupied, though it started emptying out in earnest over the next couple years. A weird sense of entropy and melancholy, for sure!
This video was great. I am recreating the mall on Minecraft as accurately as I can from videos. This is the only video to show details on mall directory. Thank you.
Words can't describe how awesome this video is!!! Its such a shame that low lifes had to wreck Northridge (the Anderson shooting and the more recent vandalism) and this is what it became.
Chinese investors own this mall and they are doing nothing with it. The city of Milwaukee has been trying to get the property rights to this mall, but the investors keep renewing their paperwork and pay the property taxes so the city can't do anything about it. This mall closed in 2002 because of the high crime and black population that makes up the majority of the north side. Many shoppers didn't feel safe coming to this mall in the 1990s and this eventually led to it's closing. People were afraid of getting robbed in the parking lot or having their car stolen while shopping and young blacks youths made this a popular hang out spot to pick up girls to have sex with and became a nuisance to mall patrons. Milwaukee has many malls that are still thriving. Southridge Mall, Mayfair Mall, Bayshore Mall, and Brookfield Square are still open and thrive with business. The entire north side of Milwaukee is becoming like the bad parts of Detroit, but the properties are nicer because most were built in the 1980s. The mall has a fence around the entire property and all entrances and windows are boarded up with plywood. This mall has been closed for 16 years and looks great still.
Vandals stink! That mall looks amazing. There is lots of sunlight coming in the mall too. Too bad they didn't use that mall to turn into a small community college.
Chinese investors own this mall and they are doing nothing with it. The city of Milwaukee has been trying to get the property rights to this mall, but the investors keep renewing their paperwork and pay the property taxes so the city can't do anything about it. This mall closed in 2002 because of the high crime and black population that makes up the majority of the north side. Many shoppers didn't feel safe coming to this mall in the 1990s and this eventually led to it's closing. People were afraid of getting robbed in the parking lot or having their car stolen while shopping and young blacks youths made this a popular hang out spot to pick up girls to have sex with and became a nuisance to mall patrons. Milwaukee has many malls that are still thriving. Southridge Mall, Mayfair Mall, Bayshore Mall, and Brookfield Square are still open and thrive with business. The entire north side of Milwaukee is becoming like the bad parts of Detroit, but the properties are nicer because most were built in the 1980s. In the mid 2000s UW-Milwaukee wanted to put campuses in this mall, but the deal never went through because the Chinese investors didn't want to sell the mall for the amount being offered. Why this mall looks so prestine still is because the entire mall has a fence around it and all entrances are bordered up with plywood.
Northridge has/had lots of skylights and plants/trees growing on the lower level. Until the Chinese investors took ownership, the ownership kept a full-time caretaker on payroll to look after the place, water trees/plants, etc.
In 1984 Mayfair was a single-level mal while Northridge had two levels. Mayfair only had Gimbel's and Marshall Field as anchors in 1984 while Northridge had Sears, JC Penny, Boston Store, Gimbel's and the soon-to-close TA Chapman junior department store (this space was converted to the food court). The second level was not fully added until the early 2000. However, in 1984 Mayfair still had the year-round ice rink in the center complete with a McDonald's where you could eat and watch the skaters. The ice rink was removed in late 1985.In addition, in 1984 Northridge had a six-screen United Artists Cineplex. The 18-screen theater at Mayfair did not open until circa 1999.
Wow!!! Great videos. My mother, my brothers, and I all worked at Northridge, so I pretty much grew-up in this mall. This brought back so many memories.
Anthony, this is one of, if not the Best, Mall explore vids, of all time! Your intro is so cool... Old commercials giving a glimpse of the heyday, of the Mall, that's great stuff! I didn't want the explore to end! I often, think, I could sit in an abandoned mall, with screens playing abandoned Mall vids, repeatedly, with dinner and a soda, and that would be my evening entertainment! I see what you see, Anthony! Awesome video... Just, awesome!
Thank you for the video. Northridge was my hangout 88-92. Soooo many stories and adventures. I bet I know some people in those mugshots, I might even be in there. Wish I could've tagged along!
Thank you SO MUCH for the trip down memory lane!! I damned near grew up in NorthRidge in the 70's & 80's so I was lucky enough to see it during it's heyday. That opening list of stores at the beginning REALLY brought me back. I still remember the wonderful smell of Buddy Squirrel and we always came in right by Nutrition World. The polished concrete steps at the 17min mark(?) smacks of Woolworth's(?) to me but the mug-shots at 13min hint at why NorthRidge went tits-up. When I returned to that mall in early 2000 to get my pager retuned, I was one of two white guys in the entire mall. Boy, had the demographics flipped 180*. I never went back. Thank Christ the sister-mall, SouthRidge, still survives.
Glad you got to go back to Northridge and document more of the once great mall. You just keep topping yourself on these videos. This is one of your best on so many levels: touch on the history and show it when it was at it's peak. When the one spot listed the mall stores I said Dead, Dead, Dead, dying, surviving, dead, very dead (Gimbels.) on life support (Sears.) Following you and the other guys on the videos (and in other dead mall videos) major flashbacks of hanging out at these places as a teenager in the 80s maybe buying something to try to be hip like ther est of the kids. And also glad you finaly have an awesome intro. YOu deserve that. Love what you did for Wallies Intro too. I"m a day late to get to watch this but it's worth it.
Now I also Remember the store Lane Bryants was where the food court was built but trying to read the store next to it. I also remember the full McDonalds restraunt before the food court was there. I seen a lot of movies there too as a kid. Hell I remember seeing the first Home Alone movie there when it came out. I put a long story in the comments in the other video with too many memories of this mall as a kid.
Great 👍 vid Anthony. Such a great looking and big mall being unused when it so deserves a restoration and to come back from the dead to be back in its glory.
So sad how this mall has been vandalized just in the time since your last walk through. Anthony, I really appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos. The research alone is just amazing. Unlike some other RUclipsrs *ahem* that are all dramatic fades, repetitive images and endless self promotion. You're preserving a dying culture.
Thank you so much for exploring this mall in my hometown! I've always wanted to explore it myself, but could never find an opportunity! It's better than I could have imagined. So vintage!
@Ace's Adventures Anthony, 1:45 into watching the video old school intro on point 🤘🏻I'm phyced to watch the rest of the video. I will comment afterwards.
@Ace's Adventures Anthony, I adore all your film shorts, but for me this one is special. I think it's partially do to the fact, planning a road trip to the beautiful Northridge Mall (I reside in Central Jersey) sadly is no longer an option. Northridge volume 1 and volume 2 are both impressive and creative film docs. I applaud you guys for capturing the old girl's beauty perfectly one last time for us all to enjoy. Thanks so much for sharing. It's appreciated. RIP Miss Northridge.
Idk man.. just watching this video and having so many memories plus the music you have playing on top of the video got me over here bout to cry LMAO 😂😩
Wow this is one of the best videos you done to date love all of them though this one just felt epic and made me feel a little sad that malls are a dying breed in our reatail world thanks Anthony for this totally awsome video
Wow those Northridge commercials in the beginning gave me chills. Even though I wasn't born in the 80's it's still awesome hearing them. I have some memories of being at Northridge in the 90's and early 2000's. But I definitely remember it looking empty in the 2000's before it's closed especially when that SEARS got closed down.
The spiral staircase at the old United Artists "The Movies" theater was used by the projectionists to go between the upper and lower booths. Originally this was a tri-screen theater on the mall's lower level. Later three more screens were added on the second level. This multiplex had escalators on the inside for patron and staff use.
Thank you for making this! I grew up with this mall and it's a shame of its state today, regardless of the reasons why. While your out and about, keep your eye on Regency Mall in Racine, WI. It's slowly dying and with Boston Store and Sears closing, its days are likely numbered...
The mall itself looks to be in pretty decent shape considering it's been closed for 16 years. The thing is with what's going on in retail right now and the fact that the Milwaukee area isn't seeing much in the way of population growth I can't see Northridge ever re-opening. With all these vacant Sears and Boston Store properties around the area we're probably more likely to lose another major mall (Bayshore would be my guess) than we are to ever see Northridge re-open.
Thanks for another abandoned mall this is the first time I've Seen any destruction inside any abandoned malls , what's Wrong with people why do they have to do this, so sad . Awesome video Thanks Anthony be safe, God Bless you Love what you do.
iT's amazing that this closed in the 2000s, because a bunch of that decor screams 90s (when was Elizabeth Hurley last a rep for Estée Lauder?). Love the throwback, because this *was* my youth.
Karen O'Hagan I remember frequently shopping here whenever I would visit Milwaukee.i used to refer to it as the Woodfield of Wisconsin.actually it was designed by taubsman who had a hand in Woodfield as well before it was sold to Simon properties.
Thank you ace for these walks down memory lane.i appreciate your attention to detail.i know how hard all of you work.it isn’t easy.you have to keep hope alive.its fun to be 16 again.sometimes I wish that i was.
The security department looks like it was pretty active during the mall's operation. They had slips they would put on cars for being unlocked, which showed they had roving patrols in the parking lot. Most malls nowadays can't afford that. They also kept detailed logs of shoplifters. I assume the license plate binder had a list of cars connected to shoplifters or frequent parking violators.
as growing up went to Musicland, Spencer Gifts & Walden Book and while my girls were growing up used to his Kay-Bee toys was a great family day oh and don't forget Farrell's Ice Cream
Wow that "Limited EXPRESS'" sign..now express/expressmen.One of not even a handfull of those popular 80s mall stores still hanging on in a lot malls today
It was in area heavily populated by lower income miniroties. Crime was through the roof there by the mid 90's. People didn't feel safe going there anymore.
The Sear's store was demolished mid 200s for a Menard's lumber/home improvement big box store and a Pick 'n Save grocery store. The Pick 'n Save closed about five years ago. Menard's has repurposed the Pick 'n Save into a test market indoor self store operation.
Awesome. Thanks for credit on the video itself (you didn't have to do that)! Did you capture all that in a single visit or was it more than one day's videoing?
What a dive! At first I thought it was a Mall in Ohio near Cleveland or Akron. But that one was called Northland Mall. That's why I clicked on. Looks like the old Mall had a lot of businesses. Every letter of the alphabet was represented, nearly. Some 3 or 4 times over. I forgot about B Dalton books. Lot of businesses struggling to survive now. Since we cheapened everything through greedy Wal Mart(via China, too!). Many of those brand names must be from the upper Midwest mainly, as I'm not that familiar with them.
I am amazed to see so many stores just abandoned things like all of the store fixtures and display racks. You have to wonder how many of the better items have been stolen by vandals and scrapers. Sure, some fixtures and furniture are old, but for some small mom and pop stores, things like the display shelves and other items would be GREAT if they were sold on the cheap for someone to use for a modest start-up. And, just the light fixtures alone in some of those stores. Some of those racks would work in my basement or garage storage areas! Granted, things like track lights are kind of dated, but still, there are many places where these could be re-used and recycled. But, after saying all of that... it was a great trip down Memory lane. And thanks for including the mall photos of the individual stores and the store directory. As I get older, I have forgotten what was where, and with all of the changes (I was an employee at several of the stores in the 1970's--but am situation-ally challenged as I get older) its great to remember all of the stores and food places that were once part of my daily life/work.
Also...up until a few years ago, there were MASSIVE ficus trees that were thriving in the mall planters (the empty mall was partially heated for years, and the skylights provided lights, and the roots somehow were getting moisture from the ground under the mall concrete). Anyone know what happened to them?
Summer 1992 Northridge Milwaukee-area billboard advertising campaign: "For 20 Years, Milwaukee, We've Been Your Style!" Northridge, If I am mistaken, opened late July or August 1972. Back when Milwaukee was a booming industrial powerhouse city: "Machine Shop to the World." Then came the severe early 1980s recession, at the time the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. And the slow death of Milwaukee began.
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Seeing the old footage of the mall, makes me nostalgic for the 80's. The designs of the mall, the way of life. Too bad it all had to be ruined.
Loool over those secuity mugshots of people caught for theft or loitering...expecially the old ladies! 😜😂
Aesthetically this is one of the most interesting malls I’ve seen so far, also really like the vintage footage. Playing those VHS tapes in the security office would be so cool.
That is exactly what i was thinking it would be amazing if he could get a hold of the vhs and played them and made a video of just the footage.
Dude! Great job on this! I'm always a sucker for some great Northridge content!
You're still may favorite dead mall raider, Sal.
Same here bro....
TYME in the 70s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s was the ATM network in Wisconsin. It stood for Take Your Money Everywhere.
I still refer to ATM machines as TYME machines. Some who arn't from Milwaukee don't know the reference.
At time stamp 11:17 you captured a Mandela effect. Most remember it spelled Berenstein Bears but you captured it as Berenstain Bears. Parallel universe anyone? What a gem!
Used to go to that mall many times back in the early 80s and 90s it's a shame what happened to that mall
why did it shut down I'm a 2000 child and I love this topic but can't find the reason why it shut down
@@nayeli2869 a multitude of factors. But in short crime and the Internet dwindled the number of people going to the malls.
Loved the commercials, especially the one with the laundry list of Northridge stores. I remember many of the stores that no longer exist. Great video with more exploration!
County Seat, Chess King
Man, that security room was epic. Manuals, Suspect photos, old equipment. Looks like it was used last in 2002/2003 judging my the equipment and the calendar. Hard to believe no one has vandalised it or stolen anything.
Was there with Ace, went back several times throughout July because I live not far from here. Literally right after this was filmed the place exploded and I was constantly having to duck out because of scrappers and people WRECKING the place. MPD got involved (not with me) over one incident in particular, and I'm told they are now sealing it again.
jonrev wow, sucks when vandals, scrappers ruin things for the rest of us.
I wonder how many of those people in those security mugshots are still living....
jonrev I've heard for the past 2-3 years scrappers and vandals have been targeting this place (even the oldest videos of this place show broken glass and graffiti) Sucks to hear that it's still ongoing.
Patrick Fischer ah, the ghosts of northridge past, lol. I just wondered if they were wanted, dead or alive..... (See what I did there) 😂
Damnnnn... This trip the second time around is just epic. Love the music and the old footage. That happy meal display left over from Mc Donalds is late 80's I know because I had two of those toys. Pretty cool to see another mall had a Tinder Box. That Kaybee toys was just heartbreaking to watch, all empty and sad looking. Anyway, awesome af video, and from the bottom of my heart, a big thanks to all that helped with this one! You guys all rock! 💜
What used to be may someday be again. Maybe someday, but better. I'll probably be old and gray before we may see this happen again, but I'm glad I got to experience the joy of the mall when it was in the mainstream. They are certainly not like they used to be, if not gone like this one (Northridge). Thank you for uploading this amazing video and it's photos from back in the day. As someone who was born in the 80s, but was around long enough to see what malls were like (mine particularly) back then, I certainly appreciate the work that is put into every video! Great work!
The neighborhood is to bad to bring back this mall..
The Menards is just barely making it
It's good to see the Kay Bee's toys sign still there.
That old McDonalds stuff was cool esp. hamburgular!
Now that was an intro
Goddamn this was good. Those maintenance stockrooms are probably the only part of the mall I haven't seen yet.
That Berenstain Bears display is roughly 30 years old. I actually had the Papa Bear toy.
Incredible video. Probably one of my favorites. It’s truly a shame what vandals are doing to these properties. I’m only 15, so it’s sad to see what kids not too much older than me are doing to these gorgeous buildings. They don’t understand the millions upon millions of dollars that were put into constructing these buildings. They don’t understand the hundreds of hours that were put into designing these structures. The only thing they see is a large object that they can destroy. I️ just wish the owners of the properties would do a better job sealing up these malls. If they would block off all the entrances they could preserve these retail beauties for years to come.
Retail Ruins If you are 15, you have great maturity beyond your years! Do not ever loose it, please!
Retail Ruins - double edged sword because by sealing them tight yes they'd preserve their interiors, but chances are we then wouldn't get to see them on videos like this one.
Malls close for a reason -- lack of business. And lack of business means lack of rental revenue. Often by the time malls close their doors for good, they've been sold several times each at a reduced price. Chances are the final owner cannot afford to seal them up as Colin describes. If documentary videographers can easily get in so can vandals.
@@MsJamiewoods I lived about 3 miles from here and grew up in this mall. You are correct in they close for a reason. Milwaukee in its brilliance, decided it would be wise to allow low income and section 8 housing in the neighborhoods immediately around the mall. This sealed the mall's fate and brought on its extinction.
I will never forget this mall. Even though I would consider Mayfair my childhood mall this one will always have a special place as well
corey the nomadic maintenance guy I haven’t been there in years. I always wonder how much has changed.
It would be amazing if the stream filled with coy fish still survived, but I haven't been to Mayfair in over 20yrs, nor do I plan to.
The original Mayfair (1960s and early 70s) was an outdoor mall with stores on both sides of a walk way. The 70s/80s first edition single-level enclosed mall Mayfair was far better than today. They had little streams and ponds filled with gold fish and little wooden bridge you could walk over. The center court of Mayfair was an indoor, year-round ice skating rink. There was a large McDonald's where you could look down and watch the skaters while you ate. They took that all out in early 1986.
A group of Chinese investors bought Northridge about 10 years ago and has just sat on the property with empty promises of some sort of trade mart. They let the maintenance caretaker go and reportedly stopped paying the electricity and natural gas bill.Meanwhile the guy who owns Penzey's Spices tried to buy Northridge so he could relocate his offices, factory, distribution center and retail outlet there, but they Chinese will not sell at any price.
GoogyLeo3 -- The koy fish streams and the ice rink were taken out of Mayfair back in early 1986.
THIS INTRO IS AMAZING!!!!
Awesome! Awesome video! I don't live in this area but Im very big on Nostalgia and the old video and 80s music just melted my heart.
Thanks so much for making these. Back in 2000 I started working at a data services company further down the road, and visited Northridge frequently over lunch. Back then it was still mostly occupied, though it started emptying out in earnest over the next couple years. A weird sense of entropy and melancholy, for sure!
I wish Capital Court Mall was still around like this
This video was great. I am recreating the mall on Minecraft as accurately as I can from videos. This is the only video to show details on mall directory. Thank you.
Southridge Mall is still open and looks very similar to Northridge Mall.
Did you ever finish?
I really enjoyed this video Anthony. The old video footage and photos really helped show how nice this mall once was. Keep up the awesome work.
Words can't describe how awesome this video is!!! Its such a shame that low lifes had to wreck Northridge (the Anderson shooting and the more recent vandalism) and this is what it became.
Chinese investors own this mall and they are doing nothing with it. The city of Milwaukee has been trying to get the property rights to this mall, but the investors keep renewing their paperwork and pay the property taxes so the city can't do anything about it. This mall closed in 2002 because of the high crime and black population that makes up the majority of the north side. Many shoppers didn't feel safe coming to this mall in the 1990s and this eventually led to it's closing. People were afraid of getting robbed in the parking lot or having their car stolen while shopping and young blacks youths made this a popular hang out spot to pick up girls to have sex with and became a nuisance to mall patrons. Milwaukee has many malls that are still thriving. Southridge Mall, Mayfair Mall, Bayshore Mall, and Brookfield Square are still open and thrive with business. The entire north side of Milwaukee is becoming like the bad parts of Detroit, but the properties are nicer because most were built in the 1980s. The mall has a fence around the entire property and all entrances and windows are boarded up with plywood. This mall has been closed for 16 years and looks great still.
Michael Huebner you posted that comment at least twice. It’s definitely ripe with some middle-aged racism. Did you grow up in the area?
Vandals stink! That mall looks amazing. There is lots of sunlight coming in the mall too. Too bad they didn't use that mall to turn into a small community college.
Chinese investors own this mall and they are doing nothing with it. The city of Milwaukee has been trying to get the property rights to this mall, but the investors keep renewing their paperwork and pay the property taxes so the city can't do anything about it. This mall closed in 2002 because of the high crime and black population that makes up the majority of the north side. Many shoppers didn't feel safe coming to this mall in the 1990s and this eventually led to it's closing. People were afraid of getting robbed in the parking lot or having their car stolen while shopping and young blacks youths made this a popular hang out spot to pick up girls to have sex with and became a nuisance to mall patrons. Milwaukee has many malls that are still thriving. Southridge Mall, Mayfair Mall, Bayshore Mall, and Brookfield Square are still open and thrive with business. The entire north side of Milwaukee is becoming like the bad parts of Detroit, but the properties are nicer because most were built in the 1980s. In the mid 2000s UW-Milwaukee wanted to put campuses in this mall, but the deal never went through because the Chinese investors didn't want to sell the mall for the amount being offered. Why this mall looks so prestine still is because the entire mall has a fence around it and all entrances are bordered up with plywood.
Northridge has/had lots of skylights and plants/trees growing on the lower level. Until the Chinese investors took ownership, the ownership kept a full-time caretaker on payroll to look after the place, water trees/plants, etc.
Nice vaporwave music
In 1984 Mayfair was a single-level mal while Northridge had two levels. Mayfair only had Gimbel's and Marshall Field as anchors in 1984 while Northridge had Sears, JC Penny, Boston Store, Gimbel's and the soon-to-close TA Chapman junior department store (this space was converted to the food court). The second level was not fully added until the early 2000. However, in 1984 Mayfair still had the year-round ice rink in the center complete with a McDonald's where you could eat and watch the skaters. The ice rink was removed in late 1985.In addition, in 1984 Northridge had a six-screen United Artists Cineplex. The 18-screen theater at Mayfair did not open until circa 1999.
I like the instrumental music at the end of the video. Sounds like 70s jazz or R&B.
Thank you so much for posting this video. Northridge is part of my childhood. Many fond memories of this place.
Hey Ace Excellent video. Thank you for all the time and effort that you put into your videos. They just keep getting better and better.
Wow!!! Great videos. My mother, my brothers, and I all worked at Northridge, so I pretty much grew-up in this mall. This brought back so many memories.
Some of those seats in the public areas could be repurposed into great patio furniture!!
A lot could be repurposed. It's a shame so much has been left there.
Anthony, this is one of, if not the Best, Mall explore vids, of all time! Your intro is so cool... Old commercials giving a glimpse of the heyday, of the Mall, that's great stuff! I didn't want the explore to end! I often, think, I could sit in an abandoned mall, with screens playing abandoned Mall vids, repeatedly, with dinner and a soda, and that would be my evening entertainment! I see what you see, Anthony! Awesome video... Just, awesome!
Thank you for the video. Northridge was my hangout 88-92. Soooo many stories and adventures. I bet I know some people in those mugshots, I might even be in there. Wish I could've tagged along!
We used to hang out there in the early 80s as teenagers. loved it
Thank you SO MUCH for the trip down memory lane!! I damned near grew up in NorthRidge in the 70's & 80's so I was lucky enough to see it during it's heyday. That opening list of stores at the beginning REALLY brought me back. I still remember the wonderful smell of Buddy Squirrel and we always came in right by Nutrition World. The polished concrete steps at the 17min mark(?) smacks of Woolworth's(?) to me but the mug-shots at 13min hint at why NorthRidge went tits-up. When I returned to that mall in early 2000 to get my pager retuned, I was one of two white guys in the entire mall. Boy, had the demographics flipped 180*. I never went back.
Thank Christ the sister-mall, SouthRidge, still survives.
Wow...all those store names bring back so many memories. Great tour. Just came across this now need to find part 1!
Glad you got to go back to Northridge and document more of the once great mall. You just keep topping yourself on these videos.
This is one of your best on so many levels: touch on the history and show it when it was at it's peak. When the one spot listed the mall stores I said Dead, Dead, Dead, dying, surviving, dead, very dead (Gimbels.) on life support (Sears.)
Following you and the other guys on the videos (and in other dead mall videos) major flashbacks of hanging out at these places as a teenager in the 80s maybe buying something to try to be hip like ther est of the kids.
And also glad you finaly have an awesome intro. YOu deserve that. Love what you did for Wallies Intro too.
I"m a day late to get to watch this but it's worth it.
Now I also Remember the store Lane Bryants was where the food court was built but trying to read the store next to it. I also remember the full McDonalds restraunt before the food court was there. I seen a lot of movies there too as a kid. Hell I remember seeing the first Home Alone movie there when it came out. I put a long story in the comments in the other video with too many memories of this mall as a kid.
Great 👍 vid Anthony. Such a great looking and big mall being unused when it so deserves a restoration and to come back from the dead to be back in its glory.
Nostalgia. Pure nostalgia. Great doco.
amazing video, well documented and frozen in time retail history. Finding the old pictures made it awesome
So sad how this mall has been vandalized just in the time since your last walk through. Anthony, I really appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos. The research alone is just amazing. Unlike some other RUclipsrs *ahem* that are all dramatic fades, repetitive images and endless self promotion. You're preserving a dying culture.
Thank you so much for exploring this mall in my hometown! I've always wanted to explore it myself, but could never find an opportunity! It's better than I could have imagined. So vintage!
That old Mc. Donald's stock from the 90's is so cool. I would have been so tempted to snag it. Same goes for that Nothridge Mall cup from earlier.
@Ace's Adventures Anthony, 1:45 into watching the video old school intro on point 🤘🏻I'm phyced to watch the rest of the video. I will comment afterwards.
Great job Anthony!! Everything down to the music was awesome. Thankyou
Kudos to Jeff Block for ther excellent intro. This is your best work, Anthony. I loved every second. Perfection.
Suze Glesky If you like that, Jeff Block has his own channel. It’s called cre80s!
Very unique intro! I love his channel Cre80’s
Fantastic job Anthony!!! Amazing job!!
Thanks for sharing this video!
Thanks so much for showing this! I used to shop there as a teenager up until the final days of its closing.
Oh wow...
I'm joey
I lived on the border of mequon and brown deer
And you??
@Ace's Adventures Anthony, I adore all your film shorts, but for me this one is special. I think it's partially do to the fact, planning a road trip to the beautiful Northridge Mall (I reside in Central Jersey) sadly is no longer an option. Northridge volume 1 and volume 2 are both impressive and creative film docs. I applaud you guys for capturing the old girl's beauty perfectly one last time for us all to enjoy. Thanks so much for sharing. It's appreciated. RIP Miss Northridge.
Great video man..... Love the ending!!!! It was like saying goodbye to a long lost loved one that passed away!!! Wow...
Idk man.. just watching this video and having so many memories plus the music you have playing on top of the video got me over here bout to cry LMAO 😂😩
Wow this is one of the best videos you done to date love all of them though this one just felt epic and made me feel a little sad that malls are a dying breed in our reatail world thanks Anthony for this totally awsome video
Another great video! Those commercials were slightly creepy, but I loved it!
Excellent work ! You are a true master of your craft !
Wow those Northridge commercials in the beginning gave me chills. Even though I wasn't born in the 80's it's still awesome hearing them. I have some memories of being at Northridge in the 90's and early 2000's. But I definitely remember it looking empty in the 2000's before it's closed especially when that SEARS got closed down.
This is awesome I was in this mall quite a bit right up until it closed and for s short time after. It's crazy to see how it looks today
The spiral staircase at the old United Artists "The Movies" theater was used by the projectionists to go between the upper and lower booths. Originally this was a tri-screen theater on the mall's lower level. Later three more screens were added on the second level. This multiplex had escalators on the inside for patron and staff use.
I remember as a kid the penny fountain being my favorite part about this mall
Thank you for making this! I grew up with this mall and it's a shame of its state today, regardless of the reasons why. While your out and about, keep your eye on Regency Mall in Racine, WI. It's slowly dying and with Boston Store and Sears closing, its days are likely numbered...
Good video, I liked the photo's of the mall in the past :)
Excellent video!! 👍
Awesome work thank you
you scored shoplifting offender pics thats awesome !
That list of stores. I remember quite a few of the national ones. All long gone now.
Berenstain Bears? I thought it was Berenstein.
The mall itself looks to be in pretty decent shape considering it's been closed for 16 years. The thing is with what's going on in retail right now and the fact that the Milwaukee area isn't seeing much in the way of population growth I can't see Northridge ever re-opening. With all these vacant Sears and Boston Store properties around the area we're probably more likely to lose another major mall (Bayshore would be my guess) than we are to ever see Northridge re-open.
Thanks for another abandoned mall this is the first time I've
Seen any destruction inside any abandoned malls , what's
Wrong with people why do they have to do this, so sad . Awesome video Thanks Anthony be safe, God Bless you Love what you do.
iT's amazing that this closed in the 2000s, because a bunch of that decor screams 90s (when was Elizabeth Hurley last a rep for Estée Lauder?). Love the throwback, because this *was* my youth.
Karen O'Hagan I remember frequently shopping here whenever I would visit Milwaukee.i used to refer to it as the Woodfield of Wisconsin.actually it was designed by taubsman who had a hand in Woodfield as well before it was sold to Simon properties.
Thank you ace for these walks down memory lane.i appreciate your attention to detail.i know how hard all of you work.it isn’t easy.you have to keep hope alive.its fun to be 16 again.sometimes I wish that i was.
The security department looks like it was pretty active during the mall's operation. They had slips they would put on cars for being unlocked, which showed they had roving patrols in the parking lot. Most malls nowadays can't afford that. They also kept detailed logs of shoplifters. I assume the license plate binder had a list of cars connected to shoplifters or frequent parking violators.
Love the footage
That intro was bad ass!
I don't know what that opening sequence and commercial was, but I LOVE IT! Those are the sorts of parts I love in these videos!
Momentum was the mall's marketing program in the mid 80s. That tape was a recruitment vid to get store owners involved in the program.
as growing up went to Musicland, Spencer Gifts & Walden Book and while my girls were growing up used to his Kay-Bee toys was a great family day oh and don't forget Farrell's Ice Cream
So sad I would go there in the 80's the neighborhood changed and went downhill
Shades of Stranger Things. I love it! Well done, sir.
I used to go shopping there all the time. I lived right next to the mall. I would go there everyday after school. I miss that mall.
Where did you go to school Matt???
that was truly awesome!!
It was great. I shopped there all the time.
Wow that "Limited EXPRESS'" sign..now express/expressmen.One of not even a handfull of those popular 80s mall stores still hanging on in a lot malls today
Great job.
I love Northridge mall forever 4life in Milwaukee alot all way I'm big fan of it for ever I play this video alot drinking watching it
Looked like a beautiful mall in the 80’s/90’s, too bad it failed
It was in area heavily populated by lower income miniroties. Crime was through the roof there by the mid 90's. People didn't feel safe going there anymore.
That berenstain bears display can't be from any later then 1987. Did they throw nothing away at this mall?
The Sear's store was demolished mid 200s for a Menard's lumber/home improvement big box store and a Pick 'n Save grocery store. The Pick 'n Save closed about five years ago. Menard's has repurposed the Pick 'n Save into a test market indoor self store operation.
I love the intro on this video!
Awesome old coverage
wauw dude ! really nice video ! what an awesome mall ! are those all new car parts? Greetings from Holland.
😎 video Anthony man that is cazy how they left all that stuff behind WOW
Like the intro very cool man
This mall looked so cool, makes me sad that it's a dump now. Loved the mug shot book you discovered, hope that survives.
This place is so beautiful I really wish I could’ve seen it in its hay day
Your best video yet .Very sad to see retail dying like that 😟🇬🇧
Sad but true most mall's are getting abandoned due to internet shopping, as well as the movie theaters.
13:07 Kanye West is banned from Northridge Mall 🤣🤣🤣
Awesome. Thanks for credit on the video itself (you didn't have to do that)!
Did you capture all that in a single visit or was it more than one day's videoing?
Bermans...LOL..Got my favorite leather jacket there in 1985 or 1986. LOL...Still have it...
What a dive! At first I thought it was a Mall in Ohio near Cleveland or Akron. But that one was called Northland Mall. That's why I clicked on. Looks like the old Mall had a lot of businesses. Every letter of the alphabet was represented, nearly. Some 3 or 4 times over. I forgot about B Dalton books. Lot of businesses struggling to survive now. Since we cheapened everything through greedy Wal Mart(via China, too!). Many of those brand names must be from the upper Midwest mainly, as I'm not that familiar with them.
I am amazed to see so many stores just abandoned things like all of the store fixtures and display racks. You have to wonder how many of the better items have been stolen by vandals and scrapers. Sure, some fixtures and furniture are old, but for some small mom and pop stores, things like the display shelves and other items would be GREAT if they were sold on the cheap for someone to use for a modest start-up. And, just the light fixtures alone in some of those stores. Some of those racks would work in my basement or garage storage areas! Granted, things like track lights are kind of dated, but still, there are many places where these could be re-used and recycled. But, after saying all of that... it was a great trip down Memory lane. And thanks for including the mall photos of the individual stores and the store directory. As I get older, I have forgotten what was where, and with all of the changes (I was an employee at several of the stores in the 1970's--but am situation-ally challenged as I get older) its great to remember all of the stores and food places that were once part of my daily life/work.
Also...up until a few years ago, there were MASSIVE ficus trees that were thriving in the mall planters (the empty mall was partially heated for years, and the skylights provided lights, and the roots somehow were getting moisture from the ground under the mall concrete). Anyone know what happened to them?
Cut down by 2015, unfortunately.
Summer 1992 Northridge Milwaukee-area billboard advertising campaign: "For 20 Years, Milwaukee, We've Been Your Style!" Northridge, If I am mistaken, opened late July or August 1972. Back when Milwaukee was a booming industrial powerhouse city: "Machine Shop to the World." Then came the severe early 1980s recession, at the time the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. And the slow death of Milwaukee began.
Please google street view 838 Lafayette Rd. In Seabrook NH. Still has the old Ames sign up and the store is still there. Visit if you can!
Good grief I used to SHOP at that Ames, the one in Stratham too.