I was getting ready to say looks ok to me for this time. Now maybe if you’re comparing to the hay days of the 80s and 90s then yes but for a Tuesday not bad.
This mall is far from dead. Go on a weekend or around a holiday. It’s packed. I wish it were less busy most of the time. The mall in Kingston you showed really is dead.
I was an assistant manager at the second WaldenSoftware in this mall back in 1987... was an amazing store right where the Unisex/hollister store is now.. first of its kind with computers in store to try out software, an amazing selection of tech books and magazines and top notch variety for IBM, MAC, ATARI and AMIGA computers.. This brought back some amazing memories.. bought my wife's engagement ring at that Kay's.. Used to take my lunch break in that food court eating .49 .69 .89 cent tacos, pintos and cheese at that Taco Bell.. along with cheap fried rice next door at the chinese take out. My Parents bought all their appliances at Montgomery Wards and Lechmere ... The Galleria was the "upper end" shopping while the South Hills Mall is where you went to get your hair cut and buy junk at Spencer's... lol.. Good Memories. thx for filming! It is suprisingly still a busy mall mainly because Macy's and the movie theater bring in foot traffic.. nice to see it thriving still!
The nostalgia hit me hard, I used to go with my parents in the 90's, the fountain was amazing throwing coins in making wishes, and Time Out arcade had real games. Thank you for the video!
This was my early teen "mallrat" mall in the late 80's. Used to bike ride the 5 miles with my buddy to hang out, eat cheap hotdogs, and go to that one head shop. Haven't been there in years... barely recognize it now!
i go to this mall all the time! gamestop, the movie theater, and of course auntie anne's pretzels. i never thought of it as a dead mall in the slightest
I went to college nearby in the late 1980s and this was our "goto" mall. The movie theater was the best of the 4 within 20 miles. I think this mall is not dying but will never have the luxury brand stores due to the area it's in. It has adapted to the economic level of the Hudson Valley- very middle of the road.
The RPM race track has changed companies a few times but before that around 2011 it was a Mini Golf if memory serves me right. And that Regal movie theater has been there for decades BUT they updated it to have stadium seating..maybe mid 2000s-ish and thats when you got what it is now. Thanks for the video, I'm a Poughkeepsie Native but moved 2021 so it's nice to see a piece of home!
Hi! I really love your mall walkthroughs! Growing up, I went to the Poughkeepsie Galleria sometimes and the Newburgh Mall fairly often, but the mall I went to the most was the Galleria at Crytal Run in Middletown. I would really love if you could do that mall since there's very little footage of it on TH-cam. It always seemed like it was close to dying when I was a teenager, but now it may be improving (from what I've heard, since I don't live in NY anymore). Anyway, great job on these videos! And I would love to see arcade videos! I always take a peak inside them when I go to the mall too lol
I'm from the area, and I can tell you that Crystal Run is very much still alive; thanks in part to the addition of some "Entertainment" venues like Urban Air & Round1 Bowling & Arcade. Crowds are pretty healthy on the Weekends (Probably quieter on Weekdays)
Grew up with this mall, going often in the 90s and early 00s. The interior looked and felt so much better with all the large fointains and planters that have since been removed
An additional note on my first comment. The flashback photos were awesome! I'm feeling old now! G Fox actually made me gasp! I was just a kid, but remember it all so vividly! Thank you.
The old movie theater was called Hoyts. You use to be able to look down from the food court down on concessions. Where Best Buy is now its a small version of what it was. All of H&M and Old Navy were also a part of Lechmere. You did some good research.
And remember the huge chandelier? Used to stare at it going down the escalator to the Hoyts. It used to have little theaters upstairs too before it changed over to stadium seating.
The Poughkeepsie Galleria was our closest mall. I went most right around the time that they implemented the "must be 18" rules and I was just turning 18. I remember them being especially anal about it, and being ID'd three or four times every time I walked around that mall, even into my 20s. Seems like it was a good business move on their part, making enemies of all the younger people with poor money habits. I see the MB18 signs are still up too. Seems to be working out for them.
Omg that was such an annoying time. I believe they started it because supposedly there was a huge brawl with Poughkeepsie High kids?? But I went one weekend to hangout with friends and Didn't know they implemented that rule and we all got dropped off. That was a great day (sarcasm lol). I remember the specific security guard who took his job VERY seriously lol. Even when with my parents he'd follow me from Best Buy or wherever to where they were if we split up and then he'd wait outside the store to make sure I wasn't lying. When I turned 18 in 2008 I was so excited to put my ID in his face lol.
I am from auburn massachusetts i went to college in the Poughkeepsie area back in 1991 1992 and went to this mall often. It was always busy from what i remember and it had a really cool arcade and a nice food court.
I love this mall. I remember going when it had its grand opening, and we were all so excited to go shopping and walk around. JC Penny's was one of my favorite stores. It's nice to see it being noticed and I hope it stays around for a good long time. Great memories shopping here during the holidays and my kids visiting Santa.
The regal has been there as far back as I can remmebr. When I was little it was much smaller. You'd enter to the lobby which then had a staircase leading down to the snack area. You'd snake around the snack bar to a hallyay leading to the theatres. Regal when through this big expansion, adding more projectors and redoing the layout. They also were palnning on installing an IMAX, but didn't go through with it due to lack of funds.
I last visited Poughkeepsie Galleria in 2020 and it seemed to be quite busy for a weekday afternoon. Does anyone remember Fishkill Mall? That was a dead mall walking when I visited in the late nighties. It closed soon after.
Tom, your vids and voiceovers are ultimate relax and enjoy mode. You remind me a bit of the guy that does the “Rhetty for History” channel. Thanks for the vids!
Again, very nice! The ads on the escalators and the home improvement ads at the entrance to the mall are kind of tacky, but overall seems like a nice place. Funny you mention about the cost of the indoor gokart track-when I saw it I said to myself that I bet it was expensive to do, thus almost never used by people.
Lol, if you guys think this is dead then you have wayyy to high of expectations. Went there my first time today and what a beautiful mall. Compared to my usual visits to Crossgates mall, this was pleasant. It actually felt like a mall, and there were very few stores closed. They definitely should do something with the JCPenny and Sears building!! And the Target attached to the mall is unique!
At 31:33 the picture you show was taken on top of the parking deck on the other side of the mall. The glass atrium had escalators inside it. It was removed.
Yeah, if anyone out there has photos of what the theater looked like before it was renovated, would love to see those 🥺 Like the inside of it. That was my childhood 😭
Pyramid built a Whole lot of these in a cookie cutter design in the Northeast between 1985-95 ( very similar to the Middletown Galleria in Middletown, NY and a couple of malls I used to visit in the early 1990’s in western Connecticut)
The lines on the elevator window are most likely for more than just decoration, but also for some privacy If you get close enough to one of the gaps, you'll see just fine, like learning to "read between the lines"
I don’t think it’s a dying mall but maybe a struggling mall. However it does have Macys, Target and Best Buy as anchors and the food court was open and seemed to be doing well.
This is a beautiful mall. Lots of natural light. I like all the nooks and crannies, makes the walk interesting. Ownership has kept it in tip top shape.
i went to marist college back in the mid-2000s, and the galleria was a regular weekend trip for my friends and i. we loved wandering around, flirting with the dudes in local bands who worked at h&m, zumiez, and the cell phone kiosk, eating at ruby tuesday or at nathan's in the food court, and i even had a celebrity sighting once (ric ocasek from the cars walking around electronics boutique - he had the sunglasses on and everything!), the mall was obviously much busier back then, but still looks like it's doing okay. thanks for the trip down memory lane!
I remember Arthur’s Treachers Fish and chips. It was on the right side as you come I the food court. I also remember the Kmart that was attached. I wanna say Montgomery Ward took over that spot. I remember that hallway when you showed the MW clip.
I remember when it was built. The development company put a lot of money in the campaigns of politicians who were in favour of it. It got built and they were all thrown out of office at the next election. I could never figure out why a new mall was needed when South Hills Mall was next door. But, South Hills was already dying by the time this place was built. In Middletown the Orange County Mall was totally dead when the Galleria was built there.
Regarding the JC Penney fountain photo, there's a bucket of adhesive in the foreground which would mean they are constructing. I wonder if that's the original fountain or a remodel occurred.
The mall close to where I live used to have a Sears. It had an Overstock for a while where the Sears used to be but now that's gone too, and some of the stores around the anchor area are vacant. It's kind of sad, and I hope another anchor comes in someday...
The big arcade on the upper level is a repurposed Abercrombie & Fitch. The Hollister location is likely not long for the world since it still has the original beach house design
I went to this mall in 2022 while on vacation, and the whole place seemed like it was out of a mid-2000s fever dream. Went to the build a bear store at 3:50 and my dad made a frog (yes, the tiktok meme lol). He’s currently in my lap as I watch this-legends never truly die.
Wow! I miss the Poughkeepsie Galleria. I moved away almost two years ago and it was the same. During the week it was always quiet but during the weekends and Christmas season there’s a lot of hustle and bustle. Now! The outdoor strip mall next to it is dead. The Anchor store there is now an At Hone. Poughkeepsie Galleria lives on. I miss it.
I was Poughkeepsie in the 2000s working for IBM. I liked South Hills Mall better, even at that time even though that was a dead mall then. I don't remember the layout of this mall for some reason.
The area where it is located is fairly prosperous. I''ve lived hear it since 87, but I'm probably like many people. I don't go to malls anymore. When the mall was new, my wife and I were there every week. She shops online now. We also used to buy appliances at Sears. We bought our last washer and dryer at Home Depot.
Great video I have been watching a few u tubes on dead & its seems like the one store that stands strong is Bath and body Works. I noticed that my favorite store Build a Bear was there.
Pancake Factory is a local family owned restaurant with another location about 15 minutes north of the mall. It used to be Ruby Tuesdays. Poughkeepsie Galleria is the mall I grew up with, it definitely is a dying mall with constant rumors of it being closed and sold. There are not to many vacant stores, but with two anchors closed and the quality of the stores not being great it doesn't have much to offer. When I lived in the area we would go to either Danbury or Westchester Mall if we needed to really shop.
Its right on the border of dying, but compared to the South Hills mall (which is right next door) its thriving lol. This is more people than the last couple times I was there, but I haven’t been there in a few years. The target stays pretty busy, but people usually just go there and don’t actually go into the mall.
@@fleabittenadventures i forgot that they tore it down and replaced it with individual shops. It was dead as long as i can remember and the galleria killed it.
Try the Jefferson valley mall, Yorktown that’s a dead mall most stores boarded up macys is the anchor store Sears was the other, along with a J.C. Penney
@@fleabittenadventures just finished watching the jv mall, while there are many closed stores, there are many that are open . Some stores, particularly on the first floor that are seasonal, particularly Christmas time, not sure if they have a Halloween themed store. Usually I go into macys , encore shoes, as seen on tv some shopping for my wife at bath and body works, used to like the Sears at that mall. Victoria secret and a store for older teens closed years ago. My wife said the mall used to be hopping back in the 80s going to the movies with friends of hers. She’s sad to see how few people are there even on weekends.
Wow this was great to watch even though I actually visited back in July. My first job was at Montgomery Wards and then I worked at that JCPenney for nearly 10 years. Btw the fountain wasn’t spectacular, but the old art displays they had hanging from the ceiling there and in the middle were pretty cool. In February 2006 the parking deck collapsed which why there are a lot of those 7 foot clearance things all gathered in one area.(you went under in the video so you cant see) Snow plows piled too much snow and the thing was built like sh** so boom… no one was hurt but at least one car was destroyed. Oh man I loved this place growing up. Btw this mall has triple the arcades it had when I worked there. At one point it was just the “time out” Also random memory of a giant wooden Indian statue being near the smell of cinnamon but not auntie annes.
I haven't been to that mall in over a decade. I remember that and the (now defunct) South Hills Mall it essentially replaced. When I worked out in Wappingers Falls I'd sometimes go in there after work before commuting back home to CT. It doesn't look as lively here as when I was last there, but a far cry from some of the other malls in CT, NY, and MA.
In the summer of 1988 I worked at a stereo/music store that was on the 2nd level across from the food court. For the life of me, I can’t remember what it was called. Does anyone remember?
Oh my, this is my mall! Living only a few miles away, funny thing is, haven't set foot in there so many years now. I have visited the property to shop at some anchor stores or see a movie, but that's it.
This was the “new” mall growing up. From a kid, to a teen, to an adult on Xmas eve shopping last minute, now a dad who takes his three kids here their whole lives. Idk how I feel about it.
I worked at a mall a few years back in Washington State. Everyone kept saying malls were dying. While some are dying, many malls are doing well, including the one I worked at and most of the malls owned by the company. In the spring, summer, and fall weekends are very busy. On a Friday and Saturday night during summertime it was packed. It was also not a very safe environment, with gangs of punk kids, drugs, fights, shoplifting, etc.... I do enjoy "mall walking" in the morning before it opens to the public.
Looks like a dying mall. I haven't been there in over 5 years due to illness. Sad to see all the malls going under. But Amazon IS a letting me get what I need without traveling on Rt. 9 which is a total mess and getting worse every year.
The original Filenes and Jordan Marsh were too fancy for our town. Pancake Factory is a local diner/breakfast shop, the original location is 12 or so miles away
I have been here a few times. It doesn't have a ton of foot traffic but when I have been there there have been a decent amount of people. The movie theater is very nice. For me it is a good place to kill an hour if you need to but, nothing great.
As a radio disc jockey at WKIP I once was the person that told others in our group of 3 where to hide the $2000 check for The Amazing Kreskin in 1989 to try to find after doing a mental show in the center court of this mall.and indeed he did find it upstairs at G Fox in a thermos bottle that we put his check of $2000 in the thermos bottle …that was a lot of fun. Anyone remember that show or me as a weekend radio announcer?
i went through just before september around 4. it had about 2-3 times as much foot traffic and the food court was packed. i went again in september on a weekend to pick up something from best buy. didn't go through but, i did have to park halfway down the parking lot. as for whether it's dying or not. i would say it's more in a stagnate state just avoiding go over the cliff atm.
Any time a mall has an advertisement for home improvement company at the entrance door , along with about 10 empty stores may be an indication that it’s beginning to see some tough times.
Yeah, I thought that advertising was very strange. The Galleria at Crystal Run has the exact same advertising (video coming soon(ish)). For a second I thought I was at the same mall.
Considering how many malls I have seen that are in poor shape, the Poughkeepsie mall looks pretty good. I remember when is was sometimes hard to find a parking spot especially during the holidays. My brother and family lived near by and I often stopped there, especially to visit Lechmere's and just walk around. The mall is located on a very busy highway, and kind of on a raised hill and easy to get to. They had good parking lot security, which you can't say for many malls of that era. Not a lot of competition, as there was nothing in the city of Poughkeepsie you would want to shop at, and downtown poughikee0s8e is (was) a mess. The area is home to Marist College, which my nephew graduated from and went to work at IBM, which has a large location in the Poughkeepsie area. The Newburgh Mall was the next closest mall, I wonder how that mall is doing.
It's doing better than others, but compared to when I was in high school it's on the slow side. We spent many Friday nights there in the early 00s. There used to be some cool stores that I miss.
Some signs of rot near the closed anchor stores and the "stores" that show up when a mall is dying. It does seem to be struggling to survive with low to mid end stores. The mall itself looks well maintained inside if a bit bland.
I am not shore about the price of the one lap.never priced it but I watched a lot of the so-called races while waiting. and I never seen any one do 1 lap. It was always at least 5 laps or more
Looks like it's doing pretty well to me. Don't think it's dying at all. It obviously will take some time to fill the spaces of the former Sears and JCPenney. I could definitely see Primark going in one of those.
Dude I like your videos.. funny thing is theirs a really dead mall right next to this. The south hills mall is really dead, and if you drove 20 minutes south on Rt 9 you’ll see the remains of the dutchess mall
The “shoppes at south hills” and up until i wanna say maybe less than five years ago the last store that was apart of the indoor mall finally left and moved further into town of poughkeepsie (Burlington) the cheap movie theater closed shortly before that because lack of working heat. But yeah at one point South Hills was the very much like the galleria in so much as it put the original Dutchess mall put of business by the 90’s. (That mall was actually the first mall built in the county)
The thing i dislike about that mall now, is that there are no music or book stores there any longer. The same goes for the old South Hills Mall, no music, or book stores at all, and i love book stores, as well as music stores, where i can get good records, CDs, or cassette tapes.
If the Barnes and Noble on Rt9 moved to the Galleria both would be better off. BN would get more customers and the mall would get a new anchor. I also think that Kohls should move there.
Used to have a Walden Books upstairs… i wanna say just after sears towards filenes/macys. Also Barnes and Noble was originally where the petco is next to what used to be bugaboo creek/tilted kilt/whatever restaurant that is now… not Technically apart of the malls but right at the inbetween entrance and also in front of the sears auto center.
The mall isn’t dead, but is certainly dying. Core tenants are leaving in favor of smoke shops and weird bootleg shops. It seems to be a more popular destination in the latter half of the year. The theater is probably the best in the area, Target and Best Buy are always busy, and the Macy’s end has a few decent shops (Pro Image to name one). Sometimes I go there and it’s desolate, other times it’s very busy, but I can say it’s tapered off in recent years, especially since the renovation 10-12 years ago.
This mall is not dead. Weekends are busy. Weekdays quiet like most malls are anyway with school and work.
thats a lie because pretty much no one works
@@kimilsungthefirst6840 sigh you poor naive little child
@@eddiew2325 🤣
I was getting ready to say looks ok to me for this time. Now maybe if you’re comparing to the hay days of the 80s and 90s then yes but for a Tuesday not bad.
This mall is far from dead. Go on a weekend or around a holiday. It’s packed. I wish it were less busy most of the time. The mall in Kingston you showed really is dead.
I agree. Not dead yet..... yet. I look at all indoor malls though, live and dead. Thanks for watching.
its died just target and hair palace dick sports
I was an assistant manager at the second WaldenSoftware in this mall back in 1987... was an amazing store right where the Unisex/hollister store is now.. first of its kind with computers in store to try out software, an amazing selection of tech books and magazines and top notch variety for IBM, MAC, ATARI and AMIGA computers.. This brought back some amazing memories.. bought my wife's engagement ring at that Kay's.. Used to take my lunch break in that food court eating .49 .69 .89 cent tacos, pintos and cheese at that Taco Bell.. along with cheap fried rice next door at the chinese take out. My Parents bought all their appliances at Montgomery Wards and Lechmere ... The Galleria was the "upper end" shopping while the South Hills Mall is where you went to get your hair cut and buy junk at Spencer's... lol.. Good Memories. thx for filming! It is suprisingly still a busy mall mainly because Macy's and the movie theater bring in foot traffic.. nice to see it thriving still!
The nostalgia hit me hard, I used to go with my parents in the 90's, the fountain was amazing throwing coins in making wishes, and Time Out arcade had real games. Thank you for the video!
You are thinking of thedutchess mall. I grew up going to that mall.
@@mineduck3050 Poughkeepsie Galleria had a fountain up until the 2000s. And a Time Out by the food court
This was my early teen "mallrat" mall in the late 80's. Used to bike ride the 5 miles with my buddy to hang out, eat cheap hotdogs, and go to that one head shop. Haven't been there in years... barely recognize it now!
i go to this mall all the time! gamestop, the movie theater, and of course auntie anne's pretzels. i never thought of it as a dead mall in the slightest
I went to college nearby in the late 1980s and this was our "goto" mall. The movie theater was the best of the 4 within 20 miles.
I think this mall is not dying but will never have the luxury brand stores due to the area it's in. It has adapted to the economic level of the Hudson Valley- very middle of the road.
The RPM race track has changed companies a few times but before that around 2011 it was a Mini Golf if memory serves me right. And that Regal movie theater has been there for decades BUT they updated it to have stadium seating..maybe mid 2000s-ish and thats when you got what it is now. Thanks for the video, I'm a Poughkeepsie Native but moved 2021 so it's nice to see a piece of home!
Hi! I really love your mall walkthroughs! Growing up, I went to the Poughkeepsie Galleria sometimes and the Newburgh Mall fairly often, but the mall I went to the most was the Galleria at Crytal Run in Middletown. I would really love if you could do that mall since there's very little footage of it on TH-cam. It always seemed like it was close to dying when I was a teenager, but now it may be improving (from what I've heard, since I don't live in NY anymore). Anyway, great job on these videos! And I would love to see arcade videos! I always take a peak inside them when I go to the mall too lol
Thanks
I'm from the area, and I can tell you that Crystal Run is very much still alive; thanks in part to the addition of some "Entertainment" venues like Urban Air & Round1 Bowling & Arcade. Crowds are pretty healthy on the Weekends (Probably quieter on Weekdays)
my hometown of wappingers right near this mall is the only place I know still trying to hold onto those early 00s “go out and do stuff” vibes.
Grew up with this mall, going often in the 90s and early 00s. The interior looked and felt so much better with all the large fointains and planters that have since been removed
Yes. I think all malls look better with fountains and plants.
An additional note on my first comment. The flashback photos were awesome! I'm feeling old now! G Fox actually made me gasp! I was just a kid, but remember it all so vividly! Thank you.
GFox was a big deal when I was a kid.
this mall is very popular compared to kingston mall lol
The old movie theater was called Hoyts. You use to be able to look down from the food court down on concessions. Where Best Buy is now its a small version of what it was. All of H&M and Old Navy were also a part of Lechmere. You did some good research.
Thanks! I was lucky that there was a lot of history for this mall online. Some malls have almost nothing posted about their history online
And remember the huge chandelier? Used to stare at it going down the escalator to the Hoyts. It used to have little theaters upstairs too before it changed over to stadium seating.
**I REBEBER HOYTS!!! AND YEAH, U COULD LOOK DOWN FROM THE FOOD COURT AND THEY HAD ""ESCALATORS FROM THE FOOD COURT**
The Poughkeepsie Galleria was our closest mall.
I went most right around the time that they implemented the "must be 18" rules and I was just turning 18. I remember them being especially anal about it, and being ID'd three or four times every time I walked around that mall, even into my 20s.
Seems like it was a good business move on their part, making enemies of all the younger people with poor money habits. I see the MB18 signs are still up too. Seems to be working out for them.
Omg that was such an annoying time. I believe they started it because supposedly there was a huge brawl with Poughkeepsie High kids?? But I went one weekend to hangout with friends and Didn't know they implemented that rule and we all got dropped off. That was a great day (sarcasm lol). I remember the specific security guard who took his job VERY seriously lol. Even when with my parents he'd follow me from Best Buy or wherever to where they were if we split up and then he'd wait outside the store to make sure I wasn't lying. When I turned 18 in 2008 I was so excited to put my ID in his face lol.
Crazy cause I was never ID’d, and I just turned 18. I’ve been going there late for years.
@@BrianBurkeProd did you turn 18 before 2009ish? That’s when they were heavy on implementing that rule. Now they don’t care and haven’t for years
@@prescotthancock5907 nah, I just turned 18 this past month
@@prescotthancock5907 when I was 16 however, a security guard did follow me and my buddy around after a movie. It was only 3:00 on a Friday.
Thanks for the video; I look forward to it each week!
Thanks for watching!
I am from auburn massachusetts i went to college in the Poughkeepsie area back in 1991 1992 and went to this mall often. It was always busy from what i remember and it had a really cool arcade and a nice food court.
I love this mall. I remember going when it had its grand opening, and we were all so excited to go shopping and walk around. JC Penny's was one of my favorite stores. It's nice to see it being noticed and I hope it stays around for a good long time. Great memories shopping here during the holidays and my kids visiting Santa.
The regal has been there as far back as I can remmebr. When I was little it was much smaller. You'd enter to the lobby which then had a staircase leading down to the snack area. You'd snake around the snack bar to a hallyay leading to the theatres. Regal when through this big expansion, adding more projectors and redoing the layout. They also were palnning on installing an IMAX, but didn't go through with it due to lack of funds.
I live very near this (under 2 miles away). I think the Montgomery Ward was a combo of the DSW/RPM and Dicks Sporting Goods.
I think so. It was kind of hard to be sure from what I read online.
I last visited Poughkeepsie Galleria in 2020 and it seemed to be quite busy for a weekday afternoon. Does anyone remember Fishkill Mall? That was a dead mall walking when I visited in the late nighties. It closed soon after.
Tom, your vids and voiceovers are ultimate relax and enjoy mode. You remind me a bit of the guy that does the “Rhetty for History” channel. Thanks for the vids!
Thanks. I just need his slight southern accent.
Again, very nice! The ads on the escalators and the home improvement ads at the entrance to the mall are kind of tacky, but overall seems like a nice place.
Funny you mention about the cost of the indoor gokart track-when I saw it I said to myself that I bet it was expensive to do, thus almost never used by people.
Lol, if you guys think this is dead then you have wayyy to high of expectations. Went there my first time today and what a beautiful mall. Compared to my usual visits to Crossgates mall, this was pleasant. It actually felt like a mall, and there were very few stores closed. They definitely should do something with the JCPenny and Sears building!! And the Target attached to the mall is unique!
At 31:33 the picture you show was taken on top of the parking deck on the other side of the mall. The glass atrium had escalators inside it. It was removed.
Ok. Thanks for the info!
Yeah, if anyone out there has photos of what the theater looked like before it was renovated, would love to see those 🥺 Like the inside of it. That was my childhood 😭
Pyramid built a Whole lot of these in a cookie cutter design in the Northeast between 1985-95 ( very similar to the Middletown Galleria in Middletown, NY and a couple of malls I used to visit in the early 1990’s in western Connecticut)
The lines on the elevator window are most likely for more than just decoration, but also for some privacy
If you get close enough to one of the gaps, you'll see just fine, like learning to "read between the lines"
I don’t think it’s a dying mall but maybe a struggling mall. However it does have Macys, Target and Best Buy as anchors and the food court was open and seemed to be doing well.
This is a beautiful mall. Lots of natural light. I like all the nooks and crannies, makes the walk interesting. Ownership has kept it in tip top shape.
I lived in wappinger falls when this opened , saw Batman here and my mom worked at Bombay company ! This mall was amazing when it opened .
i went to marist college back in the mid-2000s, and the galleria was a regular weekend trip for my friends and i. we loved wandering around, flirting with the dudes in local bands who worked at h&m, zumiez, and the cell phone kiosk, eating at ruby tuesday or at nathan's in the food court, and i even had a celebrity sighting once (ric ocasek from the cars walking around electronics boutique - he had the sunglasses on and everything!), the mall was obviously much busier back then, but still looks like it's doing okay. thanks for the trip down memory lane!
7:09 I was never book smart I'm money smart
I remember Arthur’s Treachers Fish and chips. It was on the right side as you come I the food court. I also remember the Kmart that was attached. I wanna say Montgomery Ward took over that spot. I remember that hallway when you showed the MW clip.
I remember when it was built. The development company put a lot of money in the campaigns of politicians who were in favour of it. It got built and they were all thrown out of office at the next election. I could never figure out why a new mall was needed when South Hills Mall was next door. But, South Hills was already dying by the time this place was built. In Middletown the Orange County Mall was totally dead when the Galleria was built there.
It’s been dead for years 🤣😂
-The 845
That movie theater 😍 such a throwback
As someone who’s home mall is this one, it’s essentially the only mall around for 50 miles and it’s actually pretty busy most days
7:18 Jay Eazy ain't drop yet, bruh!
Regarding the JC Penney fountain photo, there's a bucket of adhesive in the foreground which would mean they are constructing. I wonder if that's the original fountain or a remodel occurred.
The mall close to where I live used to have a Sears. It had an Overstock for a while where the Sears used to be but now that's gone too, and some of the stores around the anchor area are vacant. It's kind of sad, and I hope another anchor comes in someday...
I'd say compared to your other videos this mall is hopping!
I agree!
The big arcade on the upper level is a repurposed Abercrombie & Fitch. The Hollister location is likely not long for the world since it still has the original beach house design
I went to this mall in 2022 while on vacation, and the whole place seemed like it was out of a mid-2000s fever dream. Went to the build a bear store at 3:50 and my dad made a frog (yes, the tiktok meme lol). He’s currently in my lap as I watch this-legends never truly die.
Wow! I miss the Poughkeepsie Galleria. I moved away almost two years ago and it was the same. During the week it was always quiet but during the weekends and Christmas season there’s a lot of hustle and bustle. Now! The outdoor strip mall next to it is dead. The Anchor store there is now an At Hone. Poughkeepsie Galleria lives on. I miss it.
My hometown mall! Loved going here as a kid
I was Poughkeepsie in the 2000s working for IBM. I liked South Hills Mall better, even at that time even though that was a dead mall then. I don't remember the layout of this mall for some reason.
I remember this mall from my childhood.
Soo much time spent at the arcade it had back a few decades ago.
The area where it is located is fairly prosperous. I''ve lived hear it since 87, but I'm probably like many people. I don't go to malls anymore. When the mall was new, my wife and I were there every week. She shops online now. We also used to buy appliances at Sears. We bought our last washer and dryer at Home Depot.
Great video I have been watching a few u tubes on dead & its seems like the one store that stands strong is Bath and body Works. I noticed that my favorite store Build a Bear was there.
Pancake Factory is a local family owned restaurant with another location about 15 minutes north of the mall. It used to be Ruby Tuesdays. Poughkeepsie Galleria is the mall I grew up with, it definitely is a dying mall with constant rumors of it being closed and sold. There are not to many vacant stores, but with two anchors closed and the quality of the stores not being great it doesn't have much to offer. When I lived in the area we would go to either Danbury or Westchester Mall if we needed to really shop.
I was there in 2007 ! I was homeless in Poughkeepsie NY it was thriving and busy then
I was recently at this mall. It’s not a dead mall.
The food court is very busy during the week.
Its right on the border of dying, but compared to the South Hills mall (which is right next door) its thriving lol. This is more people than the last couple times I was there, but I haven’t been there in a few years. The target stays pretty busy, but people usually just go there and don’t actually go into the mall.
Is South Hills Mall an indoor mall or outdoor mall?
@@fleabittenadventures i forgot that they tore it down and replaced it with individual shops. It was dead as long as i can remember and the galleria killed it.
@@fleabittenadventureswas indoor, but is now a poorly run big-box open air strip mall
Try the Jefferson valley mall, Yorktown that’s a dead mall most stores boarded up macys is the anchor store Sears was the other, along with a J.C. Penney
Yes, I've actually did a video there last year. It didn't look that good at the time. I may be a follow-up video in a year or two.
@@fleabittenadventures just finished watching the jv mall, while there are many closed stores, there are many that are open . Some stores, particularly on the first floor that are seasonal, particularly Christmas time, not sure if they have a Halloween themed store. Usually I go into macys , encore shoes, as seen on tv some shopping for my wife at bath and body works, used to like the Sears at that mall. Victoria secret and a store for older teens closed years ago. My wife said the mall used to be hopping back in the 80s going to the movies with friends of hers. She’s sad to see how few people are there even on weekends.
That Arcade on the second floor next to American Eagle used to be Abercrombie and Fitch
WE used to come here from albany ny at christmas time in the late 80s early 90s was always crowded from friday to sunday
Wow this was great to watch even though I actually visited back in July. My first job was at Montgomery Wards and then I worked at that JCPenney for nearly 10 years. Btw the fountain wasn’t spectacular, but the old art displays they had hanging from the ceiling there and in the middle were pretty cool.
In February 2006 the parking deck collapsed which why there are a lot of those 7 foot clearance things all gathered in one area.(you went under in the video so you cant see) Snow plows piled too much snow and the thing was built like sh** so boom… no one was hurt but at least one car was destroyed.
Oh man I loved this place growing up. Btw this mall has triple the arcades it had when I worked there. At one point it was just the “time out”
Also random memory of a giant wooden Indian statue being near the smell of cinnamon but not auntie annes.
This mall kind of reminds me of my old mall in Pittsburgh PA Town Center at Robinson. Robinson Mall was built around 2003.
In the 90's we spent so much time in this mall and South Hills Mall down the street.
The developer of the malls was the Pyramid Co out of Syracuse.
I haven't been to that mall in over a decade. I remember that and the (now defunct) South Hills Mall it essentially replaced. When I worked out in Wappingers Falls I'd sometimes go in there after work before commuting back home to CT. It doesn't look as lively here as when I was last there, but a far cry from some of the other malls in CT, NY, and MA.
I haven't been inside the mall in five years. When I go there, I only go to Best Buy, and enter and leave through the roof parking lot entrance.
In the summer of 1988 I worked at a stereo/music store that was on the 2nd level across from the food court. For the life of me, I can’t remember what it was called. Does anyone remember?
Oh my, this is my mall! Living only a few miles away, funny thing is, haven't set foot in there so many years now. I have visited the property to shop at some anchor stores or see a movie, but that's it.
This was the “new” mall growing up. From a kid, to a teen, to an adult on Xmas eve shopping last minute, now a dad who takes his three kids here their whole lives. Idk how I feel about it.
Nice video 😊
Thanks!
Pancake Factory was a TGIFs and Ruby Tuesdays for a while. The food is big draw for the local workers in the area.
Looks good!
7:26 no one gonna bring up mega man drops Jan 7th?
I worked at a mall a few years back in Washington State. Everyone kept saying malls were dying. While some are dying, many malls are doing well, including the one I worked at and most of the malls owned by the company. In the spring, summer, and fall weekends are very busy. On a Friday and Saturday night during summertime it was packed. It was also not a very safe environment, with gangs of punk kids, drugs, fights, shoplifting, etc.... I do enjoy "mall walking" in the morning before it opens to the public.
this mall looks near identical to the walden galleria in Buffalo, NY which opened 2 years later in '89, same development company I would imagine
Yup. Cookie cutter mall.
Looks like a dying mall. I haven't been there in over 5 years due to illness. Sad to see all the malls going under. But Amazon IS a letting me get what I need without traveling on Rt. 9 which is a total mess and getting worse every year.
Not a dead mall. Unlike some of the other malls in your videos, the management keeps it in pretty good shape.
The original Filenes and Jordan Marsh were too fancy for our town. Pancake Factory is a local diner/breakfast shop, the original location is 12 or so miles away
Thanks for the info!
I have been here a few times. It doesn't have a ton of foot traffic but when I have been there there have been a decent amount of people. The movie theater is very nice. For me it is a good place to kill an hour if you need to but, nothing great.
This mall is a mirror image of the Walden galleria mall in Cheektowaga NY.
As a radio disc jockey at WKIP I once was the person that told others in our group of 3 where to hide the $2000 check for The Amazing Kreskin in 1989 to try to find after doing a mental show in the center court of this mall.and indeed he did find it upstairs at G Fox in a thermos bottle that we put his check of $2000 in the thermos bottle …that was a lot of fun. Anyone remember that show or me as a weekend radio announcer?
i went through just before september around 4. it had about 2-3 times as much foot traffic and the food court was packed. i went again in september on a weekend to pick up something from best buy. didn't go through but, i did have to park halfway down the parking lot. as for whether it's dying or not. i would say it's more in a stagnate state just avoiding go over the cliff atm.
Any time a mall has an advertisement for home improvement company at the entrance door , along with about 10 empty stores may be an indication that it’s beginning to see some tough times.
Yeah, I thought that advertising was very strange. The Galleria at Crystal Run has the exact same advertising (video coming soon(ish)). For a second I thought I was at the same mall.
Considering how many malls I have seen that are in poor shape, the Poughkeepsie mall looks pretty good. I remember when is was sometimes hard to find a parking spot especially during the holidays. My brother and family lived near by and I often stopped there, especially to visit Lechmere's and just walk around. The mall is located on a very busy highway, and kind of on a raised hill and easy to get to. They had good parking lot security, which you can't say for many malls of that era. Not a lot of competition, as there was nothing in the city of Poughkeepsie you would want to shop at, and downtown poughikee0s8e is (was) a mess. The area is home to Marist College, which my nephew graduated from and went to work at IBM, which has a large location in the Poughkeepsie area. The Newburgh Mall was the next closest mall, I wonder how that mall is doing.
Half of the Newburgh mall is a casino now, it opened about a year ago.
I love this mall I love Poughkeepsie its a lot If good food there
Sidney Crosby was born in ‘87
I want to see you go around the RPM racetrack
I would love to. Too bad it would probably cost more than the money I would make on that video....
It's doing better than others, but compared to when I was in high school it's on the slow side. We spent many Friday nights there in the early 00s. There used to be some cool stores that I miss.
I went here before Christmas and it was busy and packed with people
I was there a few weeks ago. I wouldn't consider it dying at all although i don't know the financials of each store.
Some signs of rot near the closed anchor stores and the "stores" that show up when a mall is dying. It does seem to be struggling to survive with low to mid end stores. The mall itself looks well maintained inside if a bit bland.
If you go on the weekend it’s pretty busy, more so the food court and Best Buy. During the week it’s kinda dead tbh… it’s the best time to shop lol
Good to know. Thanks
also the Montgomery ward auto center is still there in its old design
My home mall since 1998 and still is..
I am not shore about the price of the one lap.never priced it but I watched a lot of the so-called races while waiting. and I never seen any one do 1 lap. It was always at least 5 laps or more
Ok. I'm not sure how many laps it is. $30 or so still sounds expensive to me for even 5 laps.
@@fleabittenadventures so true
Looks like it's doing pretty well to me. Don't think it's dying at all. It obviously will take some time to fill the spaces of the former Sears and JCPenney. I could definitely see Primark going in one of those.
Compared to the Hudson Valley Hall, this is one happening place.
That is true.
this mall stays busy on the weekends
We'll all remember this mall as the mall where mega man by jay eazy was filmed
he was never booksmart, he was moneysmart, which made him more intelligent.
Shout out to kirwans game store, love of Magic began here.
Dude I like your videos.. funny thing is theirs a really dead mall right next to this. The south hills mall is really dead, and if you drove 20 minutes south on Rt 9 you’ll see the remains of the dutchess mall
Is South Hills Mall an indoor mall? Is it still open? I didn't see it when I was looking for malls in this area. Thanks for watching.
@@fleabittenadventuresSouth Hills is gone. It’s next to the galleria and now there’s a ShopRite, Bob’s Furniture and some other stores.
@@fleabittenadventures it used to be an indoor mall but that changed a long time ago. The Galleria killed it.
@@fleabittenadventures South Hills Mall was there from 1978-2008. Would have been a great mall to document if it was still open.
The “shoppes at south hills” and up until i wanna say maybe less than five years ago the last store that was apart of the indoor mall finally left and moved further into town of poughkeepsie (Burlington) the cheap movie theater closed shortly before that because lack of working heat. But yeah at one point South Hills was the very much like the galleria in so much as it put the original Dutchess mall put of business by the 90’s. (That mall was actually the first mall built in the county)
The thing i dislike about that mall now, is that there are no music or book stores there any longer. The same goes for the old South Hills Mall, no music, or book stores at all, and i love book stores, as well as music stores, where i can get good records, CDs, or cassette tapes.
If the Barnes and Noble on Rt9 moved to the Galleria both would be better off. BN would get more customers and the mall would get a new anchor. I also think that Kohls should move there.
I agree, but the problem is that very few people still buy physical media. It's too bad though.
Darkside Records on Rt 44 in Pok!
Used to have a Walden Books upstairs… i wanna say just after sears towards filenes/macys. Also Barnes and Noble was originally where the petco is next to what used to be bugaboo creek/tilted kilt/whatever restaurant that is now… not Technically apart of the malls but right at the inbetween entrance and also in front of the sears auto center.
O forgot about the parking garage collapsed a few years ago under weight of snow. That kinda made the news
lol I live 5 mins away. The mall ain't shutting down anytime soon.
The mall isn’t dead, but is certainly dying. Core tenants are leaving in favor of smoke shops and weird bootleg shops. It seems to be a more popular destination in the latter half of the year. The theater is probably the best in the area, Target and Best Buy are always busy, and the Macy’s end has a few decent shops (Pro Image to name one). Sometimes I go there and it’s desolate, other times it’s very busy, but I can say it’s tapered off in recent years, especially since the renovation 10-12 years ago.