I had my first job here after graduating from Wittenberg in 1971. I was hired by Rike’s of Federated as manager of the boys and young men’s clothing department. As an all new staff, we departments heads were first trained at Rike’s downtown store in Dayton where we worked for about a month waiting for Upper Valley to open . Opening day was a thrill. It was a beautiful store and mall. I was just 22 then and yet now at age 74 it feels like yesterday. So sorry it had to come to an end.
I'm only six months away from turning 40. As a native of Springfield I spent my formative years with my friends hanging around this place. I can't even begin to recount all the memories I have from the Upper Valley Mall. If you asked me 20 years ago I'd have said there's no way this place will ever go belly up but here we are in 2024 and it's been converted into warehousing. Strange how life seems to accelerate with every passing year I experience. A little scary too. Like many other commenters have said thank you for this video. Although it does make me sad that the mall is gone I remind myself to relish the good times I had there while it existed. During youth we seem to have this feeling that everything will always be as it is in the moment until one day it's all vastly changed in what only feels like the blink of an eye.
Your statement about "the perilous gap between not being old enough to be vintage and old enough to be out if style" is brilliantly stated and so universally relevant to the whole deadmall/urbex world!
Some cities with the best preserved architecture are that way because they didn’t have the money to tear them down when they started looking “old”. Cincinnati and Pittsburgh come to mind. Places like LA and New York replaced those buildings back in the 80s
I grew up in Springfield and remember how bustling the Upper Valley Mall was because, as I'm sure you soon became painfully aware, there isn't much else to do in the city... Some of the stores were compelling as a kid: there was a dimly-lit video game arcade called, "Sultan's Castle;" a pet store with little puppies scrambling about in the store's front window; the best pizza ever to grace the Dayton area (Cassano's); the wonders of inadvertently learning about the birds and the bees through a series of risque gag gifts in Spencer's; trying on those awful "tough skin" pants from Sears; and an engrossing fountain in the center where kids would toss coins and wish they could move to a larger city. In the end, I'm not particularly sad about the mall closing so much as I'm sad I'm not still a teenager, back when the world seemed larger, (literally) cooler, and most of the best years lay ahead of me.
I lived in Piqua but I spent a lot of time there with my parents in the 80s. In the 90s my friends and I would come almost every weekend, followed by chuck e cheese/showbiz. I havent been to that part of ohio in over 20yrs at this point but seeing someplace closed that I spent so much time at in my younger days definitely makes me feel old.
This was wonderfully made! I have so many memories here, eating at the Friendly’s down the Penney’s wing, buying my prom dress at Lazarus, and getting my ears pierced at Claire’s with my Grandma for my 10th birthday. I also remember going upstairs at the B. Dalton to the children’s area to read. Thank you for documenting it so well. Wondering if the teddy bear at 16:00 is a Lazzie bear. Lazarus used to sell big white teddy bears with scarves and hats that they would release every year at Christmas time.
You know it's funny--among the things the historical society was wheeling out was a big cart full of stuffed animals and among them was a Lazzie Bear. the bear at the 16:00 mark would probably be about 4-5 feet tall if you stood him up!
I’m 23 now it’s crazy to think at 12 and 13 years old around 2012-2013 we would go here and just walk around for hours for fun and eat at the food places I also performed in the talent show in the middle of the mall before it used to be so packed!!! Lots of memories here
I have many many fond memories of this mall. I grew up in Springfield, and was the manager (and later DM) of the Battery One Stop kiosk that closed in the mid 90's. I also worked at the Nascar Store when it was there in the late 90's. I knew so many people that have just disappeared from Springfield like I did. Great video, Kristin! Thank you!
I live in Springfield. So sad we lost this great mall. My dad's parents owned the first house directly north of the Sears Automotive. My aunt retired from JCPenny. I remember watching this mall being built. I hope they repurpose this wonderful place.
Wow, Absolutely amazed by this video. The story telling and how you understood the best way to incapsulate a mall is with a simple video and calm music, nothing crazy. As an Ohioan, Thank You for bringing such beauty to a loved piece of the community.
I was just inside this mall. We are installing a new Fire sprinkler system for a new business that is going in part of it. As of today, there isn't anything except the floor tiles and the old fire sprinkler system left.
I guess the good news here is that the new owners followed through with what they said they were going to and got right down to business doing what they were planning to, which is great news.
It's one of those things about old malls- how incredibly dark many of them are at the end, like a tomb filled with the ghosts of commerce past- and how much light it really takes to even fill up a small space within one.
So glad I stumbled upon this video, albeit a few years after it was made. Lovely work, but so sad. This was my local mall. I had piano recitals in the center court area, many dresses for dances were bought here, going to the movie theater on the weekends, eating at Friendly's...so many memories. Gone, just like that. Thanks for treating this so respectfully and so well, even when it wasn't your local mall
OMG your summary at the end was so sad! All true, but sad nonetheless. I don't know if you've done this or thought about doing it, but a detailed history of specific "Mall Stores" would be interesting. Woolworth's and Burlington Coat Factory are two that come to mind. Also, have you ever seen a mall that didn't have a JC Penney's? The history of mall stores would be interesting I think. I love your channel!
I was so happy to be somewhere I could use whatever equipment we wanted and not have to worry about security telling us to pack it up! Sal and Ron were flying their drones in the mall lol.
I know, I've watched a ton of these videos and feel the same way. Haven't been to my local mall in 15 years or so. Yet I still have some element of surprise about mall's closing.
There will once again be brick and mortar stores constructed, but perhaps not to the same extent. We have seen market corrections before resulting in mass stores closures, but there'll most likely be a resurgence of some sort. I say that as a guy who is practically shopping 100% online (Ireland) due to the pandemic. Internet shopping has its merits, but can never substitute the social contribution to life that the mall can offer. Both bricks and clicks will IMO play a role in the future.
@j BINGO! You can't try before you buy, and if you need to return it's going to be expensive to ship items back, also a lot of the shopping experience is the social part of it. Going out with family and friends and enjoying the experience. I think people are already sensing a loss.
I’m 20 and feel this loss. Grew up going here w family.. was so excited. It was part of my childhood. Everything is turning to technology. So wish it was the early 2000s again
2d time watching, this video is a fitting swan song to a place the was so alive in the 70s and 80s! are memories of Woolworth, harvest house cafeteria, hot Sam, the blue fox at Rikes, wrens, gnc, cassanos, arcade and more!! rip thanks for the memories! and thank u for a great job!!!!
Imagining this place full of life at one point is crazy, now that it's dead. But I admit that I've done that before, and it's what keeps me going. When I visited Midland, MI and saw Midland Mall a couple weeks ago, my parents both remarked about when they first saw it back when it was new (ca. early-to-mid 90s), it was extremely lively, with the parking lot crowded, and the mall not far behind. But now, 30 years later, with ownership having changed hands twice and the mall now in decline due to its current owners, it felt sad. To think it was the mall that my parents described as crowded and busy. I was just at a loss of words. And that's what this video reminded me of. Thank you for your hard work.
I grew up in nearby Urbana. This mall was THE hangout place in the area. I had several dates here, and some of the best soft pretzels I've ever had. I bought some of my first handtools at the Sears and started tearing up when my wife and I went to their end of business sale. Just so many memories...
@@UniCommProductions My Grandmother worked in department stores for decades, so I spent way too much time as a kid in malls back in Grand Rapids, MI. Those white and brown speckled tiles are bringing back some 30 year old memories, haha. Real cool to watch.
Absolutely love this video. I’m only 20 but grew up coming here. Reminds me of my childhood & def makes me tear up.. running with my mom to cvs, having family outings and stopping in to shop, hitting middle school and finally being able to go to the mall alone with friends.. & the cinema out front.. I even have pictures with my friends on my first cellphone here, sang here for school choir, came to see santa when younger, went shopping with grandma in elder beerman during the holidays, went to friendly’s when it was still in the mall + there was actually a puppy shelter in the mall for a min by the old pretzel place… and lastly was obsessed with the Chinese place here… ate at the Chinese restaurant every time I visited the mall. Luckily my boyfriend from Venezuela got to try the Chinese restaurant too last yr before the mall closed, we loved it. Ask the owners if they were going to move out & open a new location but they were retiring:( should’ve asked for the recipe!! Loved this place and your video, brought back so many memories.
Dang it, who started cutting onions!!! Remembering how the mall I'm currently standing in use to be when I was little... not even the same mall anymore. My McCain Mall is gone, I don't know this one.
I LOVE the eerie vibe. Reminds me of going to my local mall for the Harry Potter book premiere for the last book. It was so dark and creepy. Interesting to see a different side of malls.
Its amazing what nice condition the inside of this mall is in, but it was done in by economic and financial considerations, as well as changes in the retail industry. Great story telling by the author.
Even though ive never been to this mall it feels familiar like I've been here before. I guess being a late 80 s and 90 s mall rat makes me feel sentimental about the state of malls. Happy 4th !!!!!
Phew that brought back so many memories! I grew up going here every weekend in the late 80s through 90s and really appreciate you taking the time to preserve such memories. Wonderful video and audio style! Someone else said it, but it bears repeating, the end of the mall with the Sears gives off incredible liminal spaces vibes. Subbed for sure :)
Loved it. It has a moody introspective feel. Gorgeous pull aways of fancy department stores forever frozen in time. The visuals combined with the music, perfect. It was really great.
Has anyone ever told you you sound just like Jane from Daria? That's a huge compliment coming from me though! And I think it really fits the videos, with the nostalgic tone, and how they were so often at the mall on Daria. Lovely video. But makes me sad I didn't get to see the mall. Chapel Hill was another bummer. I haven't gotten to go to many dead malls the past couple years, and it seems many on my list in the Great Lakes states, which are easiest for me to get to, have already closed.
Thank you for this great video. This was my mall. This is where I went to buy video games with my grandpa. This is where I went to see movies with my grandma. This is where I went to get new shoes every year for school. This is where I went to buy CDs when I got my license. This is where I went to hang out when I didn't have anything else to do. I took my kids to see Santa there. I used to go to Mark Pi's all the time. This place has tons of memories for me. It's a bummer to see it go but it's good you were able to get in there and get one last look around.
This is so surreal because I’ve been here so many times, and even went there the day before it closed. I remember not a single other person was there except for this older couple slow dancing together in the center, in front of where Macy’s used to be(not making this up). Incredible video, my friend!
Thank you for watching and that is so incredibly sweet-my grandparents walked in their local mall every morning for years and that’s something I can imagine them doing
This is an amazing video! I felt like I was walking inside that mall late at night and thought about all the old Louisville malls that exist no longer (Gallleria, Bashford Manor Mall, Raceland Mall, River Falls Mall)
I was Assistant Director of Security here in 2014 & 2015. You should have gone to the second floor of JC Penney's; they had a bank vault up there which was very bizarre. The roof was a nice place to catch beautiful views of the area that not many people ever got to experience. There was a death outside of Macy's when boosters ran over a man in front of his mother. Also, one of the security guards was the subject of a manhunt when he ran off with an underaged girl.
Wow! I should have tracked you down when I made the video; you’re full of stories! (Also, there are likely more videos coming out from this day from another creator who I happen to know did make it up there, so watch for it)
I was working at Macy's when that poor man was hit and killed. I was so furious about that incident. The "boosters" were not from the area. I think they got off on some technicality. Awful.
1971 it was so cool the first time I was there, and many memories made there for many years! 1971-2021 it's been real !! thanks fantastic job!! when's Westland meeting it's end, it was marked for demolishion 2 years ago. any update on forest fair?
Westland has been hosting drive-in concerts in their parking lot since COVID started, but I'm not sure what the plans are for the mall itself. Forest Fair is startlingly unchanged and there have been no announcements about its future. It's been on the market for several years and apparently the owners are in severe denial about how much they can get for it.
that was awesome! and what a sad feeling I got watching this.....malls were a part of my life too - fortunately we haven't had many die up here in Canada yet altho I sense its coming....great work as always! ♥ ♥
So sad to see Upper Valley Mall close for good, but I suppose it was pretty inevitable. Growing up, Upper Valley was just half an hour from where I grew up. Every weekend, my friends and I would go there, mall walk, hang out in the food court and the arcade, then maybe catch a movie later. I have some wonderful memories here.
Very good footage, and spectacular narrative as well. I grew up with the mall in the '70s, '80s, '90s, etc. Thankfully, my hometown mall (Grand Central Mall) is still alive and well. My Mom used to take me there, and it was a treat to walk out of the JCPenney anchor, and listen to the organ music from the nearby Singer store. Fast forward 30 years, and I started taking my Daughter there. She loved the escalator rides in Elder Beerman (now gone and replaced with H&M), and wandering the aisles of KB Toys to see what she was going to manipulate Dad into buying. Interesting that Sears still has the sign up and lit (mostly). They kept the signage on the GCM store until it was demolished. JCP is still standing as of today (2021). It's changed, but it's still up and running. Thanks again for the footage.
Thank you very much for watching! It kinda makes me sad thinking back on Kay-Bee and Toys R Us, going there and picking out christmas presents is a big memory for me and I guess kids don't really get to do that now do they?
Were all the stores with the exception of Sears open? I would've love to have gone inside the old Lazarus. We used to love to eat at the Blue Fox restaurant on the second floor. I remember how many times as a teen spending weekends at the mall. It was a social gathering of sorts. Thanks for sharing this!
You're welcome! I did not get in the Lazarus/Macy's; however another creator who went with us that day did! So there will be footage on its way when he gets around to putting his own video together.
I loved the round table in the back of the Blue Fox. My grandmother took me to there almost weekly, when it was open. She also used to take me to the candy store on the second floor. So many wonderful memories.
Sadly, I never did eat at the Blue Fox restaurant. I knew a few people who did. Some used to work in the store. My late father would go down to Rike's for the after Christmas sales and get his ornaments. I believe this is where (I know how) my Winnie the Pooh plushie came to be. By the way, I still have Winnie! By the way, Rike's was constructed as a 3 story building. Sadly, the third floor was never built out and was used as storage, or so I had been told.
Thanks Andrea for bringing up the name of that restaurant. I remember going there many years ago when I was little. I forgot all about it and for several years I couldnt remember the name of it.
Another great video,nice job,I feel reminiscent of a place that I’ve never been to after watching this.It’s a crime that this video doesn’t have a million views already.
My parents took me here when I was a baby and they lived in Springfield. I would see this whenever my brother had his birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, we may have went in a few times. But in Christmas 2018, we went to the Sears here and we walked the mall, it was sad.
I can tell you put a lot of thought and time into this one. Your best video yet. I have a lot of old memories of this place. Used to be one of my childhood malls and haven’t been there since the mid 90s. You don’t know what you’ve lost until you lost it 😔
You're right, I really agonized over this video, especially knowing chances were good the owners were going to see it when it was done. Thank you for watching! I'm glad I was able to memorialize one of your childhood malls for you.
I probably spent more time trying to decide what to do about the audio on this video than anything else. I haven’t done a lot of closed/abandoned stuff and the way I normally do the music just felt very wrong here.
All the power is off in the mainland and all the shopping malls are closed .day of dead qoute 😥😢😥 so sad to see so many beautiful malls like this abandoned and left to be destroyed by time and people who don't care about anything 😡
At the very least, I think this one is in little danger of becoming another Northridge or Rolling Acres--the new owners seem very motivated to get down to business both here and at Chapel Hill which they also recently bought.
Sadly the local mall of my younger days is only a Penney's now. Located right off I40 the exodus started over 25 yrs ago when major retail decided being by an interstate was not as profitable as being in a new subdivision area of town where they could have their own entrances but shared parking n
Thank you for making this. I haven't lived in the area for quite some time, but I went on my first date there and bought my prom dresses from JC Penney. It breaks my heart to see it go but I hope it does bring jobs to the area.
When you see the mall like that I just want to dig out the old roller skates and rip. I was lucky that Monroeville Mall was my go to mall. But, I'm 56 and is it basically unrecognizable now. Did a little time as Century III and we know it's fate.
Hi Kristin, This was beautifully done! I love your videos and hope you and Ron are still having date nights. Enjoy the rest of the summer before it is gone too.
Ouch. This one hurt. I didn't grow up in Springfield but my wife did. She first took me to Upper Valley in 1995. Every time she went back to Springfield, We would usually stop at least for a quick run through. I last stopped in 2020 right before COVID-19 shut everything Down to go to Epic loot. It was sad and I knew the writing was on the wall but still, sucks to hear. Hopefully they can use the property to financially turn Springfield around.
Great video...you can feel that sad vibe. And super random but 7:53 -- I wonder what's the premise of those Proactiv machines...I have seen these in many malls and never a single person making a purchase from them.
I don’t think I have either. I know a lot of malls had kiosks with employees before they started with the vending machines. At this point I don’t know if I’d buy something like that from a machine; there’s no telling how old it is
@@UniCommProductions Yeah. I used it in high school and had to buy it from a kiosk (this was back when the only other option was mail-order). Rodan & Fields has a bad rep too since goin' MLM. Yeah, the machines remind me of the random gumball and candy machines...shit is for sure aged or expired. Haha.
@@UniCommProductions Oh yeah. I'm pretty sure their sales have declined due to their expensive prices and MLM affiliation. There are gentler products out there now too. I remember their commercials w/ Diddy, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan. But always interesting to see those machines because they must cost a lot yet have zero action.
You folks nailed another one! Trying to figure what it is that sets your vids apart from the crowd… Your first class visuals combine with just the right amount of commentary. I want to learn about what I’m watching. Some probably stay away from commentary for artistic reasons, which is great, but I’m sure others do because they’re intimidated by the work to get it right, which clearly you aren’t….
Thank you Doug! I don't like talking over the entire video but I do feel like it's very important to get the story right behind the visuals. Otherwise there's no context, and it's hard to connect with the space as someone who's never been there if you have no background information.
Yes I agree about the right amount of commentary. Some dead mall posters give you this wall of commentary which is too much and detracts from what you are watching so you cant take it in. Some post such scant info you learn nothing. With UniComm you get the right balance
Was it during the JC Penney walkthrough? that's an instrumental version of Dont Cry Out Loud by Melissa Manchester that was on one of the K-Mart Tapes. :) Thank you for watching!
Kristen you made my Sunday I've been hoping for a new production. You did not disappoint this was wonderfully done really enjoyed the opening scenes. Hoping your doing well! I do have a question what is that song/music you had playing when you were in the old Woolworths? I hear it often in other videos.
Good morning and Happy 4th, Mark! It's from a compilation album called "Mall Music of 1974", and it's the first track off the album. You can find it on RUclips if you search for those words specifically! :)
Love your videos! I’ve lived in many places throughout my life, including different cities in Ohio. Have you ever been to the mall in Lancaster, OH? I haven’t been in years, but it was starting to empty when I moved away.
I was there a year or so ago...it’s weird because they’ve basically got one wing that was between the former Sears and Elder Beerman that is 100% empty but the main corridor of the mall still has some life in it. The main area was so busy I didn’t honestly feel very comfortable trying to film in there (people understandably get a little uncomfortable if they notice the camera and think you’re filming their kids). It might be due for a return visit.
@@UniCommProductions would love to see a video. I’m old enough to see the Lima Mall deteriorate, River Valley in Lancaster go down, and now that I live in Cincinnati I’m afraid of what COVID will do to the rest of the malls here.
@@TK-dt4nk oof. Other than Kenwood and maybe Florence the malls around Cincinnati are in a bad way. If Tri County survives through the end of the year it will surprise me
@@UniCommProductions I only go to Kenwood. Agree, the others are dying as well. I remember when Tri County was the mall to go to. My parents would drive down here from northwest Ohio because of the great shopping Tri County offered. Sad to see the shape it’s in now.
Love your vids, really relaxing and easy going, with such smooth video, Big Likes always Ps, I wish I could get the opportunity to vid a mall like this, out local mall banned me indefinitely from doing any more vids
Oh that sucks. I haven’t had fantastic luck with getting places onboard with what I do to get permission-however I think the fact I’m generally kinder to a lot of these older properties than some others probably helped my cause.
I wonder about this a lot. I want to think some of the ones that were struggling might recover, but you're probably going to see a lot of places that were already in dire straits pre-pandemic finally close their doors. It's just too costly to keep some of them open.
@@DeadMallWalking Thank you! Its a rare opportunity making these types of videos where you don't have to worry about other people ruining your shots and get to take your time.
I had my first job here after graduating from Wittenberg in 1971. I was hired by Rike’s of Federated as manager of the boys and young men’s clothing department. As an all new staff, we departments heads were first trained at Rike’s downtown store in Dayton where we worked for about a month waiting for Upper Valley to open . Opening day was a thrill. It was a beautiful store and mall. I was just 22 then and yet now at age 74 it feels like yesterday. So sorry it had to come to an end.
I'm only six months away from turning 40. As a native of Springfield I spent my formative years with my friends hanging around this place. I can't even begin to recount all the memories I have from the Upper Valley Mall. If you asked me 20 years ago I'd have said there's no way this place will ever go belly up but here we are in 2024 and it's been converted into warehousing. Strange how life seems to accelerate with every passing year I experience. A little scary too. Like many other commenters have said thank you for this video. Although it does make me sad that the mall is gone I remind myself to relish the good times I had there while it existed. During youth we seem to have this feeling that everything will always be as it is in the moment until one day it's all vastly changed in what only feels like the blink of an eye.
Your statement about "the perilous gap between not being old enough to be vintage and old enough to be out if style" is brilliantly stated and so universally relevant to the whole deadmall/urbex world!
Some cities with the best preserved architecture are that way because they didn’t have the money to tear them down when they started looking “old”. Cincinnati and Pittsburgh come to mind. Places like LA and New York replaced those buildings back in the 80s
Kind of like when I predicted a New Wave revival in 1991.
I grew up in Springfield and remember how bustling the Upper Valley Mall was because, as I'm sure you soon became painfully aware, there isn't much else to do in the city...
Some of the stores were compelling as a kid: there was a dimly-lit video game arcade called, "Sultan's Castle;" a pet store with little puppies scrambling about in the store's front window; the best pizza ever to grace the Dayton area (Cassano's); the wonders of inadvertently learning about the birds and the bees through a series of risque gag gifts in Spencer's; trying on those awful "tough skin" pants from Sears; and an engrossing fountain in the center where kids would toss coins and wish they could move to a larger city.
In the end, I'm not particularly sad about the mall closing so much as I'm sad I'm not still a teenager, back when the world seemed larger, (literally) cooler, and most of the best years lay ahead of me.
This tears my heart out,I grew up a Mallrat in the 80s/90s
I know how you feel!
I lived in Springfield when this mall opened. I never thought I would see it go out like this. Seeing stuff like this is starting to make me feel old.
I agree; 50 years is an awfully good run for this one but it's hard to see one of those 'timeless' places go away.
I lived in Piqua but I spent a lot of time there with my parents in the 80s. In the 90s my friends and I would come almost every weekend, followed by chuck e cheese/showbiz.
I havent been to that part of ohio in over 20yrs at this point but seeing someplace closed that I spent so much time at in my younger days definitely makes me feel old.
Please tell me how you moved away.. lol bc I’m 20 and still living in Springfield & trying to move 😂😂
This was wonderfully made! I have so many memories here, eating at the Friendly’s down the Penney’s wing, buying my prom dress at Lazarus, and getting my ears pierced at Claire’s with my Grandma for my 10th birthday. I also remember going upstairs at the B. Dalton to the children’s area to read. Thank you for documenting it so well.
Wondering if the teddy bear at 16:00 is a Lazzie bear. Lazarus used to sell big white teddy bears with scarves and hats that they would release every year at Christmas time.
You know it's funny--among the things the historical society was wheeling out was a big cart full of stuffed animals and among them was a Lazzie Bear. the bear at the 16:00 mark would probably be about 4-5 feet tall if you stood him up!
I’m 23 now it’s crazy to think at 12 and 13 years old around 2012-2013 we would go here and just walk around for hours for fun and eat at the food places I also performed in the talent show in the middle of the mall before it used to be so packed!!! Lots of memories here
I have many many fond memories of this mall. I grew up in Springfield, and was the manager (and later DM) of the Battery One Stop kiosk that closed in the mid 90's. I also worked at the Nascar Store when it was there in the late 90's. I knew so many people that have just disappeared from Springfield like I did. Great video, Kristin! Thank you!
It's just absolutely criminal that you don't have more subscribers than you do. Your production value is off the charts! I love your content!
I don’t think the algorithm likes me. Your comment made me smile though thank you 🙏🏻
Her content is good.
I live in Springfield. So sad we lost this great mall.
My dad's parents owned the first house directly north of the Sears Automotive. My aunt retired from JCPenny. I remember watching this mall being built.
I hope they repurpose this wonderful place.
The company that bought it seems to follow through with what they say, so hopefully it’ll be something that brings some prosperity to town.
Wow, Absolutely amazed by this video. The story telling and how you understood the best way to incapsulate a mall is with a simple video and calm music, nothing crazy. As an Ohioan, Thank You for bringing such beauty to a loved piece of the community.
I was just inside this mall. We are installing a new Fire sprinkler system for a new business that is going in part of it. As of today, there isn't anything except the floor tiles and the old fire sprinkler system left.
I guess the good news here is that the new owners followed through with what they said they were going to and got right down to business doing what they were planning to, which is great news.
OMG, did you see the old Sears?
The E was messing, so it means SARS now.
That is a hidden message! 🥶
The writing was on the wall the whole time!
It's one of those things about old malls- how incredibly dark many of them are at the end, like a tomb filled with the ghosts of commerce past- and how much light it really takes to even fill up a small space within one.
So glad I stumbled upon this video, albeit a few years after it was made. Lovely work, but so sad. This was my local mall. I had piano recitals in the center court area, many dresses for dances were bought here, going to the movie theater on the weekends, eating at Friendly's...so many memories. Gone, just like that. Thanks for treating this so respectfully and so well, even when it wasn't your local mall
So many good memories of that place. Christmas was the best. The train that went around the big tree... Geesh, I'm old.
OMG your summary at the end was so sad! All true, but sad nonetheless.
I don't know if you've done this or thought about doing it, but a detailed history of specific "Mall Stores" would be interesting. Woolworth's and Burlington Coat Factory are two that come to mind. Also, have you ever seen a mall that didn't have a JC Penney's? The history of mall stores would be interesting I think.
I love your channel!
The walk to the Sears through corridor was a favorite part of mine. Really like the Lights Out and access. 😎
I was so happy to be somewhere I could use whatever equipment we wanted and not have to worry about security telling us to pack it up! Sal and Ron were flying their drones in the mall lol.
@@UniCommProductions - Kristin, you mean "Signore Amadeo" right?
Damn, I’m not even from the area nor have any memory related and this one left me so depressed with the music at the end!
I know, I've watched a ton of these videos and feel the same way. Haven't been to my local mall in 15 years or so. Yet I still have some element of surprise about mall's closing.
Wow! Great job! That was my home town mall! Sad to watch as it died a slow death.
I grew up going to this mall. Although I haven't been there in years, this was very sad to see.
Thank you for taking the time to do this.
You're very welcome. It was an honor and a pleasure.
The Music, the visual representation and the narration… on point.
We are going to regret all the brick and mortar stores closing.
There will once again be brick and mortar stores constructed, but perhaps not to the same extent. We have seen market corrections before resulting in mass stores closures, but there'll most likely be a resurgence of some sort. I say that as a guy who is practically shopping 100% online (Ireland) due to the pandemic. Internet shopping has its merits, but can never substitute the social contribution to life that the mall can offer. Both bricks and clicks will IMO play a role in the future.
By the time Amazon was forced by law to collect and pay state sales taxes the fate of brick-and-mortar had already been sealed.
@j
BINGO!
You can't try before you buy, and if you need to return it's going to be expensive to ship items back,
also a lot of the shopping experience is the social part of it. Going out with family and friends and
enjoying the experience. I think people are already sensing a loss.
You can't replicated going to a real store online.
I’m 20 and feel this loss. Grew up going here w family.. was so excited. It was part of my childhood. Everything is turning to technology. So wish it was the early 2000s again
2d time watching, this video is a fitting swan song to a place the was so alive in the 70s and 80s! are memories of Woolworth, harvest house cafeteria, hot Sam, the blue fox at Rikes, wrens, gnc, cassanos, arcade and more!! rip thanks for the memories! and thank u for a great job!!!!
And I used to spend my Saturdays and holidays here!
Now it's dying!
We have no mall now!
Imagining this place full of life at one point is crazy, now that it's dead. But I admit that I've done that before, and it's what keeps me going.
When I visited Midland, MI and saw Midland Mall a couple weeks ago, my parents both remarked about when they first saw it back when it was new (ca. early-to-mid 90s), it was extremely lively, with the parking lot crowded, and the mall not far behind. But now, 30 years later, with ownership having changed hands twice and the mall now in decline due to its current owners, it felt sad. To think it was the mall that my parents described as crowded and busy. I was just at a loss of words.
And that's what this video reminded me of. Thank you for your hard work.
This was one of my childhood malls and I have so many fond memories there. Thanks for documenting it so well!
It's important to me to do right by people like you who grew up there. Thank you very much for watching!
It was a great place to grow up. I lived in Springfield in the late 70’s early 80’s 🥲
Excellent job!!! So sad seeing once thriving malls close.
It was a great place to be a kid in. I lived in Springfield in the late 70’s early 80’s
I grew up in nearby Urbana. This mall was THE hangout place in the area. I had several dates here, and some of the best soft pretzels I've ever had. I bought some of my first handtools at the Sears and started tearing up when my wife and I went to their end of business sale. Just so many memories...
This was really well done! Loved the music. Keep that walking backwards shot too - it’s your signature and it’s great.
My mom and I would go to Mark Pi's all the time since I was 3. It was sad seeing the mall slowly die as I got older
Cool intro accentuating the earth tones from the 70s
It feels like every film I watch that was shot in or takes place in the 70s has this golden tan look. I'm glad that came across in the final viewing!
@@UniCommProductions My Grandmother worked in department stores for decades, so I spent way too much time as a kid in malls back in Grand Rapids, MI. Those white and brown speckled tiles are bringing back some 30 year old memories, haha. Real cool to watch.
There is something about those tiles specifically that really take me back!
Absolutely love this video. I’m only 20 but grew up coming here. Reminds me of my childhood & def makes me tear up.. running with my mom to cvs, having family outings and stopping in to shop, hitting middle school and finally being able to go to the mall alone with friends.. & the cinema out front.. I even have pictures with my friends on my first cellphone here, sang here for school choir, came to see santa when younger, went shopping with grandma in elder beerman during the holidays, went to friendly’s when it was still in the mall + there was actually a puppy shelter in the mall for a min by the old pretzel place… and lastly was obsessed with the Chinese place here… ate at the Chinese restaurant every time I visited the mall. Luckily my boyfriend from Venezuela got to try the Chinese restaurant too last yr before the mall closed, we loved it. Ask the owners if they were going to move out & open a new location but they were retiring:( should’ve asked for the recipe!! Loved this place and your video, brought back so many memories.
Dang it, who started cutting onions!!! Remembering how the mall I'm currently standing in use to be when I was little... not even the same mall anymore. My McCain Mall is gone, I don't know this one.
I LOVE the eerie vibe. Reminds me of going to my local mall for the Harry Potter book premiere for the last book. It was so dark and creepy. Interesting to see a different side of malls.
Dreary parking lot and cheerful upbeat music...
Quentin Tarantino would be proud.
Its amazing what nice condition the inside of this mall is in, but it was done in by economic and financial considerations, as well as changes in the retail industry. Great story telling by the author.
Even though ive never been to this mall it feels familiar like I've been here before. I guess being a late 80 s and 90 s mall rat makes me feel sentimental about the state of malls. Happy 4th !!!!!
That's sort what I love about this mall: it looks like everybody's mall in the 80s.
This mall was incredibly musty smelling too, really fit the atmosphere
Seeing that mall brings back memories when I lived there..
I make these videos for people like you who remember the mall fondly!
Phew that brought back so many memories! I grew up going here every weekend in the late 80s through 90s and really appreciate you taking the time to preserve such memories. Wonderful video and audio style!
Someone else said it, but it bears repeating, the end of the mall with the Sears gives off incredible liminal spaces vibes.
Subbed for sure :)
Loved your ending narrative! Spot on!
Loved it. It has a moody introspective feel. Gorgeous pull aways of fancy department stores forever frozen in time. The visuals combined with the music, perfect. It was really great.
Thank you Kim!
Has anyone ever told you you sound just like Jane from Daria?
That's a huge compliment coming from me though! And I think it really fits the videos, with the nostalgic tone, and how they were so often at the mall on Daria.
Lovely video. But makes me sad I didn't get to see the mall. Chapel Hill was another bummer. I haven't gotten to go to many dead malls the past couple years, and it seems many on my list in the Great Lakes states, which are easiest for me to get to, have already closed.
No actually-but I’ve gotten Daria herself a few times (I always liked Jane better!)
We have another dead mall that was owned by the DeBartolos. The DeBartolos also owned the San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
I live a few miles from here. My friends and I would go every weekend just to wonder around. I graduated in 2010. After that I think it just died...
2010 was about the time they started having issues; it was when Simon put it up as collateral on a huge loan
Fantastic video! Thank you for preserving history in such an elegant and well edited way.
The random piano left in the old Woolworth! I liked the music from 7:54. to 13:52 Seemed apt with the quiet and stillness of everything
That space was last an antique store so I think that is who left it there
This video was so perfect! I cried at the beginning and at the end! Hate being so emotional 😭
Thanks for such wonderful content ❤️
Sorry for the unexpected feels! Thank you for watching.
The mall was still very nice and clean when it closed, i was there the last week open!
Thank you for this great video. This was my mall. This is where I went to buy video games with my grandpa. This is where I went to see movies with my grandma. This is where I went to get new shoes every year for school. This is where I went to buy CDs when I got my license. This is where I went to hang out when I didn't have anything else to do. I took my kids to see Santa there. I used to go to Mark Pi's all the time. This place has tons of memories for me. It's a bummer to see it go but it's good you were able to get in there and get one last look around.
This is so surreal because I’ve been here so many times, and even went there the day before it closed. I remember not a single other person was there except for this older couple slow dancing together in the center, in front of where Macy’s used to be(not making this up). Incredible video, my friend!
Thank you for watching and that is so incredibly sweet-my grandparents walked in their local mall every morning for years and that’s something I can imagine them doing
This is an amazing video! I felt like I was walking inside that mall late at night and thought about all the old Louisville malls that exist no longer (Gallleria, Bashford Manor Mall, Raceland Mall, River Falls Mall)
Really fantastic episode - loved it!!
I was Assistant Director of Security here in 2014 & 2015. You should have gone to the second floor of JC Penney's; they had a bank vault up there which was very bizarre. The roof was a nice place to catch beautiful views of the area that not many people ever got to experience. There was a death outside of Macy's when boosters ran over a man in front of his mother. Also, one of the security guards was the subject of a manhunt when he ran off with an underaged girl.
Wow! I should have tracked you down when I made the video; you’re full of stories! (Also, there are likely more videos coming out from this day from another creator who I happen to know did make it up there, so watch for it)
I was working at Macy's when that poor man was hit and killed. I was so furious about that incident. The "boosters" were not from the area. I think they got off on some technicality. Awful.
1971 it was so cool the first time I was there, and many memories made there for many years! 1971-2021 it's been real !! thanks fantastic job!! when's Westland meeting it's end, it was marked for demolishion 2 years ago. any update on forest fair?
Westland has been hosting drive-in concerts in their parking lot since COVID started, but I'm not sure what the plans are for the mall itself. Forest Fair is startlingly unchanged and there have been no announcements about its future. It's been on the market for several years and apparently the owners are in severe denial about how much they can get for it.
that was awesome! and what a sad feeling I got watching this.....malls were a part of my life too - fortunately we haven't had many die up here in Canada yet altho I sense its coming....great work as always! ♥ ♥
No we should count our blessings although the fashion outlet drive up in my area is semi dead
So sad to see Upper Valley Mall close for good, but I suppose it was pretty inevitable. Growing up, Upper Valley was just half an hour from where I grew up. Every weekend, my friends and I would go there, mall walk, hang out in the food court and the arcade, then maybe catch a movie later. I have some wonderful memories here.
Very good footage, and spectacular narrative as well. I grew up with the mall in the '70s, '80s, '90s, etc. Thankfully, my hometown mall (Grand Central Mall) is still alive and well. My Mom used to take me there, and it was a treat to walk out of the JCPenney anchor, and listen to the organ music from the nearby Singer store. Fast forward 30 years, and I started taking my Daughter there. She loved the escalator rides in Elder Beerman (now gone and replaced with H&M), and wandering the aisles of KB Toys to see what she was going to manipulate Dad into buying.
Interesting that Sears still has the sign up and lit (mostly). They kept the signage on the GCM store until it was demolished. JCP is still standing as of today (2021). It's changed, but it's still up and running. Thanks again for the footage.
Thank you very much for watching! It kinda makes me sad thinking back on Kay-Bee and Toys R Us, going there and picking out christmas presents is a big memory for me and I guess kids don't really get to do that now do they?
Were all the stores with the exception of Sears open? I would've love to have gone inside the old Lazarus. We used to love to eat at the Blue Fox restaurant on the second floor. I remember how many times as a teen spending weekends at the mall. It was a social gathering of sorts. Thanks for sharing this!
You're welcome! I did not get in the Lazarus/Macy's; however another creator who went with us that day did! So there will be footage on its way when he gets around to putting his own video together.
I loved the round table in the back of the Blue Fox. My grandmother took me to there almost weekly, when it was open. She also used to take me to the candy store on the second floor.
So many wonderful memories.
Sadly, I never did eat at the Blue Fox restaurant. I knew a few people who did. Some used to work in the store.
My late father would go down to Rike's for the after Christmas sales and get his ornaments. I believe this is where (I know how) my Winnie the Pooh plushie came to be. By the way, I still have Winnie!
By the way, Rike's was constructed as a 3 story building. Sadly, the third floor was never built out and was used as storage, or so I had been told.
Thanks Andrea for bringing up the name of that restaurant. I remember going there many years ago when I was little. I forgot all about it and for several years I couldnt remember the name of it.
Another great video,nice job,I feel reminiscent of a place that I’ve never been to after watching this.It’s a crime that this video doesn’t have a million views already.
My parents took me here when I was a baby and they lived in Springfield. I would see this whenever my brother had his birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, we may have went in a few times. But in Christmas 2018, we went to the Sears here and we walked the mall, it was sad.
I can tell you put a lot of thought and time into this one. Your best video yet. I have a lot of old memories of this place. Used to be one of my childhood malls and haven’t been there since the mid 90s. You don’t know what you’ve lost until you lost it 😔
You're right, I really agonized over this video, especially knowing chances were good the owners were going to see it when it was done. Thank you for watching! I'm glad I was able to memorialize one of your childhood malls for you.
@@UniCommProductions now if we only had a time machine to go back to the Salem mall and old piqua mall 👌
Literally made my day seeing a new video from you!
I’m glad I made your day a little better. Thank you!
Man, indoor lampposts coming from the floor. Rare sight to see!
They used to flank the fountains-I’m kind of surprised (and relieved) they left them there!
A very peaceful abandoned mall , may this mall R.I.P. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
You have great videos on the demise of our urban malls, keep up the great work! You have a very dreamy voice! :)
Awww thank you!
Excellent video! Thank you.
EXCELLENT JOB!!!!
YOU ROCK J TAY
Black friday in the late 80's people should to shoulder up and down whole mall both sides it was packed!
I loved your use of silence in this video even though I dig the usual Vapor wave. Your channel is awesome.
I probably spent more time trying to decide what to do about the audio on this video than anything else. I haven’t done a lot of closed/abandoned stuff and the way I normally do the music just felt very wrong here.
You are like is Sal and another horror RUclipsr came together and I'm just blown away. Subscribed.
Thank you very much! Welcome aboard!
All the power is off in the mainland and all the shopping malls are closed .day of dead qoute 😥😢😥 so sad to see so many beautiful malls like this abandoned and left to be destroyed by time and people who don't care about anything 😡
At the very least, I think this one is in little danger of becoming another Northridge or Rolling Acres--the new owners seem very motivated to get down to business both here and at Chapel Hill which they also recently bought.
Sadly the local mall of my younger days is only a Penney's now. Located right off I40 the exodus started over 25 yrs ago when major retail decided being by an interstate was not as profitable as being in a new subdivision area of town where they could have their own entrances but shared parking n
Thank you for making this. I haven't lived in the area for quite some time, but I went on my first date there and bought my prom dresses from JC Penney. It breaks my heart to see it go but I hope it does bring jobs to the area.
When you see the mall like that I just want to dig out the old roller skates and rip. I was lucky that Monroeville Mall was my go to mall. But, I'm 56 and is it basically unrecognizable now. Did a little time as Century III and we know it's fate.
Poor Century III. Things change but it shouldn't have gone the way it did.
The outro for this video was amazing. Well done.
Thank you. It took a lot of thought to figure out how to end it!
Exceptional job Kristen
Thank you!
Hi Kristin, This was beautifully done!
I love your videos and hope you and Ron are still having date nights.
Enjoy the rest of the summer before it is gone too.
Oh how sweet thank you Linda! We are doing our level best to enjoy our summer before it’s gone and I hope you are too!
Makes me sad I didn’t get to go in one more time ☹️
Great great great video like always
Thanks again!
Ouch. This one hurt. I didn't grow up in Springfield but my wife did. She first took me to Upper Valley in 1995. Every time she went back to Springfield, We would usually stop at least for a quick run through. I last stopped in 2020 right before COVID-19 shut everything Down to go to Epic loot. It was sad and I knew the writing was on the wall but still, sucks to hear. Hopefully they can use the property to financially turn Springfield around.
I’m being told Epic Loot is moving to another space in Springfield. I agree; it’s more important to have places for people to earn money than spend it
The Things Remembered kiosk in the beginning!
Great video...you can feel that sad vibe. And super random but 7:53 -- I wonder what's the premise of those Proactiv machines...I have seen these in many malls and never a single person making a purchase from them.
I don’t think I have either. I know a lot of malls had kiosks with employees before they started with the vending machines. At this point I don’t know if I’d buy something like that from a machine; there’s no telling how old it is
@@UniCommProductions Yeah. I used it in high school and had to buy it from a kiosk (this was back when the only other option was mail-order). Rodan & Fields has a bad rep too since goin' MLM. Yeah, the machines remind me of the random gumball and candy machines...shit is for sure aged or expired. Haha.
@@SLone3251 I wonder how much Proactiv they're even selling these days; I feel like skincare has changed a lot since they were running commercials.
@@UniCommProductions Oh yeah. I'm pretty sure their sales have declined due to their expensive prices and MLM affiliation. There are gentler products out there now too. I remember their commercials w/ Diddy, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan. But always interesting to see those machines because they must cost a lot yet have zero action.
You folks nailed another one! Trying to figure what it is that sets your vids apart from the crowd… Your first class visuals combine with just the right amount of commentary. I want to learn about what I’m watching. Some probably stay away from commentary for artistic reasons, which is great, but I’m sure others do because they’re intimidated by the work to get it right, which clearly you aren’t….
Thank you Doug! I don't like talking over the entire video but I do feel like it's very important to get the story right behind the visuals. Otherwise there's no context, and it's hard to connect with the space as someone who's never been there if you have no background information.
Yes I agree about the right amount of commentary. Some dead mall posters give you this wall of commentary which is too much and detracts from what you are watching so you cant take it in. Some post such scant info you learn nothing. With UniComm you get the right balance
There's a song that reminds me of separate tables or love is. A midi or karaoke sort of version. Melodically fitting though.
This was awesome.
Was it during the JC Penney walkthrough? that's an instrumental version of Dont Cry Out Loud by Melissa Manchester that was on one of the K-Mart Tapes. :) Thank you for watching!
Woolworth was so big that they actually had a stock ticker that was a single letter. It was Z.
awesome vid!!! really appreciated it :)
Kristen you made my Sunday I've been hoping for a new production. You did not disappoint this was wonderfully done really enjoyed the opening scenes. Hoping your doing well! I do have a question what is that song/music you had playing when you were in the old Woolworths? I hear it often in other videos.
Good morning and Happy 4th, Mark! It's from a compilation album called "Mall Music of 1974", and it's the first track off the album. You can find it on RUclips if you search for those words specifically! :)
@@UniCommProductions wonderful one mystery answered thank you haha. I appreciate your wishes and same to y'all!
i wanna see pics of this children's science museum in the department store.
If you can find the video of the Zoom call from Clark County Historical Society they had a few shots of it
Love your videos! I’ve lived in many places throughout my life, including different cities in Ohio. Have you ever been to the mall in Lancaster, OH? I haven’t been in years, but it was starting to empty when I moved away.
I was there a year or so ago...it’s weird because they’ve basically got one wing that was between the former Sears and Elder Beerman that is 100% empty but the main corridor of the mall still has some life in it. The main area was so busy I didn’t honestly feel very comfortable trying to film in there (people understandably get a little uncomfortable if they notice the camera and think you’re filming their kids). It might be due for a return visit.
@@UniCommProductions would love to see a video. I’m old enough to see the Lima Mall deteriorate, River Valley in Lancaster go down, and now that I live in Cincinnati I’m afraid of what COVID will do to the rest of the malls here.
@@TK-dt4nk oof. Other than Kenwood and maybe Florence the malls around Cincinnati are in a bad way. If Tri County survives through the end of the year it will surprise me
@@UniCommProductions I only go to Kenwood. Agree, the others are dying as well. I remember when Tri County was the mall to go to. My parents would drive down here from northwest Ohio because of the great shopping Tri County offered. Sad to see the shape it’s in now.
Gotta say, your ending bit got me a bit teary eyed. 😢
That ending 😭
Love your vids, really relaxing and easy going, with such smooth video, Big Likes always
Ps, I wish I could get the opportunity to vid a mall like this, out local mall banned me indefinitely from doing any more vids
Oh that sucks. I haven’t had fantastic luck with getting places onboard with what I do to get permission-however I think the fact I’m generally kinder to a lot of these older properties than some others probably helped my cause.
@@UniCommProductions you have a very good reputable channel that speaks for itself, Thanks for replying back to me, much appreciated
Hi Kristin! It would be interesting what the future of most malls nationwide will be as we transition to the Post-Pandemic era.
I wonder about this a lot. I want to think some of the ones that were struggling might recover, but you're probably going to see a lot of places that were already in dire straits pre-pandemic finally close their doors. It's just too costly to keep some of them open.
Beautiful
Holy crap, some of those shots around the 7 to 8 minute mark are REALLY haunting. Very liminal space-y...
The whole thing was very surreal.
@@UniCommProductions Well, you got some great results. Feels like a beautiful eulogy.
@@DeadMallWalking Thank you! Its a rare opportunity making these types of videos where you don't have to worry about other people ruining your shots and get to take your time.
Awesome!