I went to Prescott for rehab. I’m a recovering heroin addict and have been clean for 2.5 years now. When I got out of rehab I went to this mall and bought myself a pair of shoes with the little money I had before making my way back to New Mexico. Thank you for the trip back in time and the good memory my friend!!!
congrats on the 2.5 years,I'm a teetotaler so I never had to struggle with that sort of thing but whenever I hear someone has been sober or dry and has done it successfully I always make sure I let them know they're doing a good job.peace....
Going to this mall is sad enough as a native Prescottonian, but hearing and seeing someone’s outside perspective really is defeating. Makes me wanna support some of those stores.
I remember walking this mall very pregnant with my first two kids. That cute little merry go round got lots of our money and my littles played in the play place. My favorite thing is when they had a place called Go Bannanas and you could pay them to watch your kids and let them play while you shopped the mall
I owned and ran all the games in nates arcade and pulled them out to move to downtown and expand into a much better and bigger location called Hideaway Arcade. I would fill it back up tho.. if it made even $100 a week, but sadly it may not be able to ever do that again.
@Michael S. I tried to stay at the mall and had a hard time working things out, AND if you read my comment I would be happy to bring games back but, sadly wont even make rent. It would cost more for the power than what the games at the mall makes. I ran nates for a long time and never made more than $250 in a week. The mall is dead and it would take miracles to make business worth it again up there 💯
It is weird to see the death of a mall in Prescott. I am old, PHS in 71. My Prescott years, my parents would stuff the kids into the wagon or Suburban and do a mini-vacation to the malls of Phoenix twice a year. During the early 70's, Prescott was starting to emerge as an industrial community but it was the last gasp of that type of development in the Western US. The JC Penny was the anchor downtown store, the Sears Store was more a rural catalog center, and we had a few California based retailers. The hardware stores still sold blasting agents and mining equipment.
I was at this mall on opening day! I spent so much time at this mall when it opened. It was such a novelty for Prescott to have a mall and Gateway Mall was the place to be..lol so sad to see it deteriorate like it has. Thanks for the video!
I grew up here during my middle and high school years and would go to this mall a lot and spent a lot of times at the barnes and noble. I'm kinda sad to see it this dead too 😢
Prescott and the area around it grew like a weed in the ‘90s and the aughts. I have no idea how it’s done since the real estate bust. A big problem is that a lot of its population growth was lower-income retirees. They just don’t consume all that much to begin with, and they can’t really afford to pay for the overhead of a mall unless you have a huge population of them. Seniors are also avoiding malls entirely due to COVID. I’d be surprised if that mall survives the next year - failure to pay the light bills is a strong sign they aren’t long for this world.
sunspot42 senior citizens are notoriously known to be tight wads, cheapskates and skinflints. If your business model depends on old farts opening their wallets you are doomed to failure. Unless you are a funeral home or Viagra salesman.
IPO Yup. I think the developers were probably banking on the population there in Prescott exploding like it did in Phoenix during the ‘60s and ‘70s and like it had been growing in Prescott (45% growth in the ‘70s, 33% in the ‘80s, a similar 28% in the ‘90s). Even tightwads can keep a mall going if there are enough of them. But Prescott’s growth since then has been comparatively anemic - 17% during the aughts thanks to the dot com bust and then the start of the Great Recession, and just 11%, this past decade. If Prescott had kept growing at 30% the past 20 years this mall would probably scrape by, but given Amazon, WalMart and Target plus the collapse of the middle class and now COVID? I don’t see how it’s going to recover.
trump is into real estate so many he knows what he's doing. too much money in all the wrong places i'd say. all the goods in these stores were shipped there from china. american should be making just as much product, just from a logical stand point.
The Prescott area is growing massively. Most seniors that move to Prescott are not low income as the average home in town costs well over $400,000. But, seniors don't shop. Also, this mall has suffered a downward spiral as shopping has moved online. The first major store to go was Barnes and Noble. That was terrible loss that precipitated the general downward spiral of the mall. I think it should be repurposed into a 55+ condo area. There is a very expensive one purpose built across the Hwy.
I wonder why a large outdoor mall out in Arizona like this just doesn't add some solar panels to the roofs and generate their own electricity or resell the juice to others
They're not that big on sustainability like that here. They'd call it communism or something, get mad at them not paying APS lol. The people who bought the mall don't have a good success rate though and the retirement community would rather walk around the food court for 4hrs a day like weirdos than actually spend money anywhere.
This mall brings back so many memories. Greenday on the radio, Friday and Saturday nights cruising the Square, 3 am trips to Denny's with friends. I couldn't have asked for a better place to spend my teenage years. Prescott, circa Y2K. Thanks for posting this!
As soon as you walked in and showed the anchors as Sears, JC Penny, and Dillard's, you know the mall isn't doing well. Lol Sears is gone and JCP not doing much better.
Well the Sears at the mall near me has been shut down now for a few years. I think JC Penny is still open. I'm going to have to take a look around. I can walk over the mall. They do have Tesla Charging Stations as the far end of that food court parking area. Charge up and get something to eat. Some of the food businesses are still shut down like Panda.
@Michael S. its not funny that they closed, its just an ironic sign of a dead mall. You know a mall isn't doing well when those troubled stores are the anchors.
There's so much that they can do with that mall. Definitely drone racing tournaments, build an indoor running track, grab one of the larger stores and turn it into an indoor gun shooting range, or even into rental living spaces like up in Boston in an old mall. Or even middle, high school or college classrooms. They just need to think out of the box. Good video!
I remember when they built this mall. It is one of the reasons I left Prescott. Corperate interests ruined Prescott. It should be noted that this mall was built on Bullwhacker hill. The top of the hill was leveled to build this eyesore. The material was used to fill in a valley for a highway. Disgusting. I lived in Prescott for many years and watched its rapid deterioration through the 90s and early 2000s. It used to be a wonderful place but now a shadow of its former self and has turned into a place people used to come there to get away from.
Prescott Valley put out some videos in the 90ies indicating their plans for the future and you can smell the greed while you watched them. Since I've left the area there are now Phoenix style cookie cutter houses popping up all along Glassford Hill road and I guess now the Pronghorn that used to roam there freely are gone which makes me sad. The massive influx of mostly California retires pushed the pricing of housing up so many of the locals who are not connected to some government job or established family business have left. I was encouraged though being back just the other day and seeing some younger families out and about. I'm not sure what they all do for a living as decent jobs are scarce but somehow they are making it. The Prescott Metro area is still a nice area but yeah not what it once was at all. The views from where the mall is located are amazing, I wouldn't be surprised if 20-30 years from now it is replaced by retirement condos which have sprung up on two mountain peeks near it.
@@infocyde2024 The condos and apartments keep coming. They just recently started breaking ground for apartments on Glassford Hill and the land the pronghorns used to graze is gone. All housing development.
Has anybody seen any recent news on Sears? Since Fast Eddie bought it out I haven't been able to find any news. They can't be doing any good in this enviroment
@@WhittyPics So glad that more and more people know Eddie Lampert for what he is a "Fast" talking a con man. It is weird that the financial media outlets have gone silent about Sears over the past year or so way before the virus came along. But there is no question that endless mismanagement has made a US icon a walking zombie in retail. Such a shame.
I’m honestly shocked they haven’t packed it up entirely by now. I read KMart was doing better with COVID, but that what they stock is very limited due to the bankruptcy and vendors not wanting to deal with them.
@@SearsCool I think it's because Sears is more than retail. My Master Card is from Sears, so I know they do financial services as well. If they've restructured away from retail, that may be why they're still around.
@JOHN Q LUNCHBUCKET Our local mall "Granite Run" in Lima, PA (western burbs of Philly) had a satellite supermarket that was separate but at the opposite side of mall parking lot and that was back in the mid 1970s...that mall is also gone now. But it was crime and loitering that killed it. The fact is that women with money don't want to visit a place where you are not safe. Lots of "fellas" creating havoc there for years...
Pretty much every mall in Australia has a supermarket built within the mall, sometimes two or three. The way we set up our malls means they are still thriving as we have a mix of stores. I've noticed in the USA either they are high end stores or low end stores, rarely mixed. And things that bring customers inside such as banks, supermarkets and cinemas in the USA are built outside the mall whereas in Australia they are built inside it
@@bobroberts2371 @Bob Roberts Exactly the man that developed the concept of the modern indoor mall even said that the primary function was to create a social environment that was inviting to the folks that go there, the consumer aspect was actually secondary! Surprise. They were designed to be a the substitute for the old town center with shops, restaurants, and even community agencies and services. Online shopping might be cheaper but it isn't as satisfying, socially.
Memorial City Mall in Houston TX has a model train place too. However Memorial City is one of the top thriving malls in Houston. Sears left but that did not really effect them. They are tearing it down to build an outdoor extension. Even since covid that mall continues to be really busy.
Yeah we lost the Sears at Park Place Mall here in Tucson and it didn't hurt the mall in the slightest. Round 1 Entertainment quickly moved into the vacant lot.
Same here, they ended up having to move shop due to a pet store wanting the bigger space. So they were in the middle of redoing the train model when covid hit.
Any mall built after the year 2000ish should have know that the internet and the abundance of other malls would spell disaster for long term investment but the people with the capital to build them are often too old to really understand the implications of new technologies/consumer trends. Obviously seeing how much its killed off the retail sector in general is hard to predict but not that the segment was likely to grow at the pace it did for the 20 years prior.
We try, but there's just a cluster of nonsensical stores in there now. Besides the mall walking, there isn't much to do. We really did try to keep this alive, because we don't want a depressing dead mall, but we can only do so much.
There are two walmarts and a target (with a cheap, clean and large movie theatre next to it) super close to each other in Prescott/Prescott Valley area, while this mall was a little off from any of them.
This mall looks really awesome. I wish it wasn't dying. The model train place, and Games People Play are two stores I would love to check out if I lived in the area.
The model train place is not a store. The space is probably donated to the hobbyists that run it as in the hope that it may bring in some traffic. The Games People Play does seem interesting, but I just can't see how that works here.
A small, relatively young mall that was doomed from conception. It's existence is just the result of developer hubris. It's unfortunate they leveled a small mountain for it.
I used to visit Prescott nearly every summer as a child to visit my Grandparents who retired there. I miss it a lot and may retire there if the housing prices don't get too bad. My Grandfather has a park in Prescott named after him which I have visited near his old house.
Man, you wanna talk time warps, the Dead Mall that I used to go and visit (before it shut down earlier this year) had a Spencer's with the old Neon signage on the storefront, but the last time I was in there, that Spencer's was in the process of closing, unfortunately.
3:40 The big empty spot with the Christmas trees USED to be a Barnes and Noble Bookstore. It was probably the best store in the mall. Once that closed down, most of us locals agree that was the start of the mall's death. There's a few spots that are still worth checking out, namely the staples like Hot Topic, Game Stop, and Sepncer's but there's also a few local shops like The Cosmic Potato and Raven's Relics that are fun spots to stop. But as far as the overall mall goes, well... It's not so much on its last legs as it's on the stumps that were once legs.
I agree that the wooden ceiling (and skylights) looks just amazing. I have seen this same architectural style in several churches, though they were much older than this mall. Maybe it was the camera's perspective, but the main hallways all looked to be unusually narrow, as compared to other malls I have visited.
In Australia they do these kinds of things right. I visited family in Sydney, and a mall we went to was called Macquarie Centre. Public transportation stopped right there in the mall. Also, aside from the normal Mall type stores, there was also a post office, grocery stores, liquor stores, Medical Offices, and I think even the equivalent of a Department of Motor Vehicles. Any sort of Center like this has to be diverse and have essential Services there. I was really quite impressed.
Prescott doesn’t have any effective public transportation. Also those things would be useful, but the location of the mall isn’t quite great. It’s much faster for residents to do this in town, as the Prescott Mall is kinda in the middle of Prescott and Prescott Valley, not very close to either
I'm Australian and have watched a lot of these videos, and it was only yesterday that I noticed that none of the malls have grocery stores! They are the anchor stores here. Big malls have both major supermarkets, plus Aldi, plus all department stores (which we don't sell groceries or alcohol in). Smaller malls and strip malls have one big supermarket and one department store (Big W, Target, Kmart), plus smaller shops and food. I can think of only one mall that doesn't have a supermarket anchor (anymore), and they are an outlet mall. Our malls would struggle too if they were stand alone retail. Some still do struggle with vacancy rates... largely due to exorbitant rent
I live in Prescott and frequent this area a lot. When I moved here 16 years ago, the mall was always busy. The big empty spot near Spencer's was a Barnes and Noble. More stores close each month. Dillards and JCP own their stores but I feel our JCP will soon close. The people who own it now are actually known for bankrupting their own properties.
The sports store was a Just Sports location. I'm not saying the owners are cheap, but the store was so slow that they didn't even invest in proper slat wall to hang items properly. It was a pain to merchandise and a long work day. Also, the food court has been sad since 2013. I could never get a decent meal without leaving the mall. If you want to do a video about a similar dead mall, Cascade Mall in Burlington, WA just closed recently too. Similar sadness, being built in a market that couldn't support it.
A nice looking mall. Here in GB my local shopping centre is full of phone shops,cheque-cashing places,pawnbrokers,betting shops,fast food places,charity shops and shops selling cheap,in all senses of the word,clothing.
Prescott and Prescott Valley are such cool places to go explore and get away for the day! I can’t imagine this mall stands much of a chance unfortunately tho. You should do the outlets at anthem too!!
When my parents moved to Prescott in 2010, this mall was thriving. Yet a year later Barnes and Noble shuttered (where the Christmas trees were stored). It wasn’t because B&N was underperforming, just the opposite. Yet corporate had to choose between two locations in AZ to close and this location was selected. Since then, there’s been a rapid domino effect of other store closings like the Hallmark store near Dillards and a significant drop in foot traffic. Like other struggling malls and changing consumer trends, PGM is just a sign of the times.
I am so glad you went back. I love the ceilings as well, the look is very Prescott for sure and its not mall ‘cookie cutter’. Crazy how ‘new’ this mall is though.
Don't build a mall AT ALL! Except for extreme climates, malls are an obsolete 1950s concept. They are resource-intensive, cannibalistic, wasteful, ugly, and an all-around insult to the built environment. Take off the nostalgia goggles and shout "Good riddance!"
In the sense that malls kill other malls, yes. So many malls were built in the 80s and 90s that there was no possible way for them all to be financially viable.
That mall is a sore thumb. It's nice to get a picture with Santa there in the winter, but asides that there is nothing going on there ever. Mall hasn't had very much love since Amazon became a powerhouse. Nobody shops in person at malls anymore.
"...that's not classy at all. That doesn't match this place. It's kind of gross looking..." -Trump2020 sign in middle of flea market. 78 million americans would agree with that.
The foodcourt area used to have TVs where you could pick music videos, it really declined when Barnes & Noble left. I can't understand why they didn't give them a break on rent.
The ceilings and light fixtures recall the "Craftsman" bungalows from the early 1900s that were popular all over the West. The design was part of the greater Arts and Crafts movement that included furniture and interior design as well.
@ora et labora get a grip dude, I don’t hate God, it was a comment based on commercial economics of a dying retail space. If you had any education in economics you would understand that.
Kind of interesting that Kb's toys sign was still there considering they ceased operations in 2009. I did some research and the company that bought them from Toys R Us was actually planning on bringing Kb's back but didn't due to lack of funding. Kb's declared bankruptcy twice...
There was a boom when it was built. New homes, freeways, Costco, Sams Club, two Home Depots, and Lowes came. Prescott Valley was exploding with a new city hall. Big stadium for concerts was built in PV. Opening night was like rush hour at a major subway station in Manhattan.
One of the things I have always advocated for was turning dead malls into combined retail and residential real estate. One of the things that could be done is to turn them into schools or nursing homes, especially for baulk immigrant refugee groups. Instead of having a nursing home feel like a hospital or even just an apartment complex you can actually feel like living in a community complete with retail and restaurants.
I love these mall tours you do...Some say theres almost a relaxing feeling coming ot of it. In reality its documenting failing stores and malls which in reality can be depressing. ,I love all the information, history and trivia you provide when touring the mall.The background music is always perfect when you are touring.
I've lived in Prescott for most of my life. I remember the old Ponderosa Plaza Mall back in the 90's. As a kid I frequented After Thoughts (similar to Claire's) and Fuzziwigs (a candy store). It was sad to see it torn down and replaced by a Walmart. I also remember the drama surrounding the Prescott Gateway Mall. It was once a thriving place for shoppers, mall-walkers, and school kids. I grew up thinking that was an impressive mall. It wasn't until I went to Scottsdale Fashion Square in high school that I realized our mall was so small. Then I lived out in DC for 4 years, and the malls out there (Tyson's Corner, Potomac Mills) made Fashion Square look as big at Prescott Gateway Mall. I moved back to Prescott in 2015 and it's sad to see PGM in such a pitiful state. But Prescott, or even the Quad Cities, are not enough to sustain something that large. Anyone who wants to do any mall shopping drives down to Phoenix.
Damn the intros lately have been giving me massive nostalgia. Maybe malls will become nostalgia destinations in the future and will prop up some of them.
@Parker Lupine Indeed I think people will get bored with internet shopping eventually and it is still gratifying to actually get to see what you are buying in person and being able to actually touch and see it in front of you. Internet shopping can lead to BIG disappointments, and of course you have to ship returns back which can cost quite a bit, when you can simply return by driving a few minutes down to the mall and no charges.
I grew up in Prescott and left to live in Fairbanks alaska for about a decade and recently just moved back and went to this mall and wow it was much different before I left! The place was usually pretty full and rarely a closed shop, and now it's such a ghost town... There's trash all over in the streets and it's just dead... It's sad to see the place like this nowadays I had alot of good memories in there growing up.
There are certain areas where the 90s did last an extra two or three years tops. If you ask me how long the 90s lasted, I would say even though it ended on night of the new millenium, it actually lasted until 9/11.
The Christmas trees that you see there in storage is for the "Enchanted Christmas" indoor tour of lights that they have. Pretty cool, I think admission is 4 bucks per person - or if you donate 4 canned food items admission is free.
I’m going to miss the indoor malls as a kid of the 80s, Hopefully the mall owners get it together and figure out they can’t charge top dollar for leases. Oh and yes those ceilings are sweet.
This is such a memory I did most of the layout and and and concrete work at this mall if you look at the out side concrete ring around the tree planter there are layout marks I purposely left in the wet concrete.
I lived in Prescott from 2002-2009 and I can tell you a lot of what the vacant stores used to be 3:00 to the left of gamestop was a JustSports store, across the way was a Barnes & Noble until around 2011, and was briefly converted to an indoor minigolf course. The Verizon store on the corner past the Barnes & Noble was actually a Wetzel's Pretzels for a brief period of time when it opened in 2005, but quickly turned into a mobile phone store. 4:35 immediately to the right of the door, was Flaming Wok, Subway, and Villa Pizza. The bakery on the right used to be a Sonic (my personal favorite place as a kid going to this mall) 5:07 to the left of Bath & Body works was Hot Topic, not sure if it's still there 5:38 was American Eagle I believe? 5:52 was a PacSun, although the BlueNote store looks a lot more interesting than PacSun ever was 5:57 on the close left was a Fuzziwigs candy store! Much larger than the one currently at Arrowhead mall, probably triple the total space. It turned into a Sleepnumber store in probably about 2010, not sure when it changed from that. The barber on the close right was a Kay jewelers I believe. The water store on the further left corner used to be Raskins jewelers, a local family business that still operates downtown I believe. 8:09 Macayo's mexican restaurant and Wildflower bread company respectively 9:20 You mentioned it but yeah sadly that was a KBToys, but it shut down long before the bankruptcy of the whole company. You were right, THAT part of the mall was incredible with Gamestop and Barnes and Noble as a kid. 10:37 Games People Play used to be Aeropostale, another upgrade imo 12:17 That memorial used to be a Foot Locker but was closed for several years before the tragedy. Very great use of the space. Growing up in the area and with this mall (I am old enough to drink however!) the biggest problem honestly was the location. I think Prescott could support a mall closer to downtown, but this mall was off of a highway on top of a really steep hill. It's very hard to drive in foot traffic if you can't see the mall from the road, which you really can't. This is shown by the fact that the stores at the foot of the hill (Trader Joes & Five Guys) are absolutely thriving. Not to mention Costco and Walmart are both within a quarter mile of this place.
We have a Gateway Mall here in Lincoln, Nebraska. I believe it was built in 1960. It has undergone renovations and additions over the years, as well as closings and openings of many anchor stores. I only go there about once or twice a year, but last time I was there, there are vacant shops. Sears of course closed awhile back, as well as Younkers. Dillard's and Penney's are still there. It actually has a lot of similarities to the Prescott one in the set up and decor. I didn't know there were other Gateway Malls besides ours.
I don't even feel bad about it. This mall should NEVER have been built at that time. The Californians began coming in and trying to take over, Walmart destroyed the little original mall in town "Ponderosa".... EVERYBODY LOVED that place. They put many Townspeople out of business. When the displaced businesses tried to relocate to Frontier Village, they would have survived if this mall wasn't built. When the mall opened, Frontier village became a ghost town because everybody then picked up and moved again to this mall. After a couple of months everyone realized it was a fail. The rents were too high for the small businesses. The Tri-city wasn't ready to support a mall of this kind. Not only that, but they were lacking in what the young people wanted, so most of them continued to travel to Phoenix shops or malls or even New River Mall. Between the Californians, Walmart and the Gateway mall... they ruined many Town businesses, and that is what made the town so quaint. That was also when all the construction began, blocking cars from entering streets filled with restaurants, shops etc. They would say that the construction would be finished in 3-4 months... and then take 9months (an example) to actually finish. It was actually an ambush and broke the already established restaurants etc. For all I care, they can all shut down... then the Californians would become unhappy and leave. They increased rentals and real estate by at least 200-300%. The more I think about it, the more I think we'll be better off without all of them. HA! 👍👍👍
same designer that designed the Park Meadows Shopping Resort in LoneTree Colorado, all foresty and ski lodge with a giant fire place in the middle. just like Park Meadows, PM had to expand their retail to include 'outdoor' shopping to try to cash in on the 'Lifestyle Centres' that came when malls were redeveloped into outdoor shopping streets like an instant 'downtown'
This is a beautiful, clean Mall. BTW the view from up there is wonderful especially on the North side. This somewhat snide sounding narrator is too negative, it's seems like he is a little gleeful that Malls are failing. If anything he should be promoting this Mall. It has a lot going for it. The beautiful fireplace in the food court is one. Some of the vendors in the food court look to have food menus that are healthy and delicious. As a musician I can tell you the newer music store is truly amazing. This Covid thing has hurt ALL businesses and to blame the Mall for Sears leaving is very unfair. That corporation has been struggling for many years. Of course buying on line is extremely convenient but it seems to me people of all ages should get out in the fresh Prescott mountain air and stretch their legs walking the Mall. This narrator forgot to mention the surrounding Restaurants. Also there's a store that he completely passed by, called "Raven's Relics" (in what he rightly called "The Villages") It's full of interesting rocks, collectible toys, comic books and more along with a large collection (probably 2,000) of popular vinyl records in one of the back corners. I would totally disagree that the Prescott area can't support this Mall. The surrounding population is probably around 120,000 and the economy is really booming. Also with cold weather coming it's nice to be shopping in probably the only indoor Mall in the area. Please visit this Mall and spend a little money, let's help keep it going. It would truly be a shame to see it fail. Thank you.
I remember taking day trips from Phoenix just to go to this mall when it was new. It was always so pretty with the wood and the fireplace. I’d visit the outside shops more than the inside.
Im just an Indiana man, hoosier through and through. But I love that we connect through our admiration of malls and retail, and nostalgia for that shopping experience all but extinct right now. I just visit the malls around me sometimes just to walk around and impulse buy because its such a cherished tradition. If youre ever in Indianapolis, check out Circle Centre Mall and the Greenwood Mall. If you need a place to stay, youre always welcome at my home. As a side note, Ive noticed a lot more shopping/lifestyle centers popping up. I feel as if these are the new malls of the time. Whether they're successful or not remains to be seen.
The IX-CENTER here in Cleveland is set to close at the end of the year, due to covid 19, IX-CENTER was originally built as a G.M tank plant during WW2, and was converted to a large event venue. Probably some neat stuff there, even a huge ferris wheel which goes through the roof
Fun fact. When I was in 4th grade my sister had me do a modeling thing for The Buckle back in the mid 90s. I don’t remember much of it except that it was really cold and we were wearing Spring clothing. Nothing came if it and I don’t think they used the photos the took of me or whatever. We still have The Buckle though in our mall.
Great video as always! The interior of this mall reminds me a lot of the Supermall in Auburn, WA before it was remodeled, especially the white walls, steps and ramps between areas, and the windows along the top of the walls. Always neat to see model railroad stuff in your videos too. -Aaron
I grew up in the “Valley” and I remember there was a time my parents were looking for a “summer house” type place to jet up to now and then. I think it was between Prescott and Payson. I remember being told Prescott has a mall, so as the teen/preteen I was.. I wanted Prescott. Just for a mall. However.. it was another hour and a half in the car. My parents thought that was too far for a quick jaunt “up north” , so no go. Only been here a few times. I’m sad about this.
I lived in The Ranch 2 minutes from Gateway. Dillard's and Penney's seem to do well there. I've spent TONNES of cash at that Gamestop. I'd get my hair cut at the barbershop on the right at about 6:00. The mall did OK when first built but the Recession and now Covid hit it hard. A lot of businesses around the mall, like Best Buy, Trader Joe's and Walmart are quite busy. I miss Prescott. Thanks for the video!
This mall is so similar to the South Hill Mall in Puyallup, WA where I used to live. The ceiling, much of the layout, the food court; its not exactly the same but it evokes the same feeling and feels familiar to me, even though I've never been to PGM.
Funny I was working at the dillards the day you filmed this which I know because it was Saturday and we have to be there. I work in the mall entrance so its funny to see no employees around. It has been dead for weeks and employees are struggling to make goals even on Saturdays. Today was my last day working there because i’m moving to a different state. At least i’ll have this video to memorialize my time there lol
There is something very melancholy about walking around dead malls. Really sad our local mall across town got torn down. It was a great place to go during winter if you needed to walk around a bit. Always kept it well heated and there was at least two sandwich shops that stayed open till the very end. I wish I had the foresight to go around and take pictures. It was a really beautiful mall. Built back in the 70s so it had a pretty unique look to it. Good memories going there as a kid. Its called Westdale. I think they were originally planning on turning it into an outdoor mall after the demolition but that was years ago. Now it just sits as a giant section of empty wasteland and a massive parking lot.
When I was a kid in the 80's....the mall was THE place to be. We used to have two of them here in our city, then one died off, and they did the smart thing and tore it down before vandals got into it. Strip Malls and big retail now adorn the property. The other mall in town just spent millions a few years ago to "revamp", but as soon as Sears and Younker's closed (they promised to stay as part of the deal).....the mall now is really dying off. It's a cursed location. Used to be PACKED on Saturdays, the smell of Kettlecorn and chocolate (Fanny Farmer) wafting through the air. We had a Happy Joes pizza downstairs, a deli....and a huge arcade. Now it's just a quiet empty place. Never thought I'd see the death of malls, but with the internet and big box retail.....it's happening before our eyes.
It's so strange. I don't live anywhere near Prescott (I don't even live on the same continent) but the strangeness is not being able to put my finger on what it is I feel when I see dead malls. Is it sadness? Is it disappointment? Is it despair? Is it nostalgia? May e it's a mix of all of the above. I think "the high street" in general has had its day though. Is it the end of frivolous consumerism? Who knows but thanks for the upload. We have a mall near where I live (Ashford, Kent, UK) which has been on its knees for years. They brought in a load of budget stores. A new Picturehouse cinema and things started looking up... Then covid happened
Funny you should point out the model trains. We used to have our model train show the Gadsden Mall here in alabama til the management of the mall said it brought the wrong type clientele and we were no longer welcome. Would have tables full of dealers and layouts the entire length of the mall and into the side runners in the end and center. Free to the public which was always nice and brought in a lot of families. this was 25 years ago. Since she took over the mall has been slowly dying. It might be worse than the Prescott mall at this point.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
I went to Prescott for rehab. I’m a recovering heroin addict and have been clean for 2.5 years now. When I got out of rehab I went to this mall and bought myself a pair of shoes with the little money I had before making my way back to New Mexico. Thank you for the trip back in time and the good memory my friend!!!
congrats on the 2.5 years,I'm a teetotaler so I never had to struggle with that sort of thing but whenever I hear someone has been sober or dry and has done it successfully I always make sure I let them know they're doing a good job.peace....
Congratulations on your sobriety! 🥰
Keep the good job!!!!
There's just something so relaxing about being taken on a virtual tour of dormant and depressed shopping environments..
Ikr?? One of my favourite things to do to unwind after getting home from work lol
History and the knowing that everything is bound to the same ending
I wonder if there's a channel about malls during their heydays.
@@DEFkon001 There is. It's a music genre called vaporwave.
Time has frozen. Interest rates confirm this.
Going to this mall is sad enough as a native Prescottonian, but hearing and seeing someone’s outside perspective really is defeating. Makes me wanna support some of those stores.
I remember walking this mall very pregnant with my first two kids. That cute little merry go round got lots of our money and my littles played in the play place. My favorite thing is when they had a place called Go Bannanas and you could pay them to watch your kids and let them play while you shopped the mall
"Go Bananas" what a great name for daycare 😂
Pregnant woman going to mall to have 2 children babysat while she shops. Hopefully they were having fun.
Go Bananas is still there but they wont keep kids without a parent present anymore.
@@garthkelly1668 I don't see the problem.
@@woeisme9891 then what’s the point?
I owned and ran all the games in nates arcade and pulled them out to move to downtown and expand into a much better and bigger location called Hideaway Arcade. I would fill it back up tho.. if it made even $100 a week, but sadly it may not be able to ever do that again.
@Michael S. I tried to stay at the mall and had a hard time working things out, AND if you read my comment I would be happy to bring games back but, sadly wont even make rent. It would cost more for the power than what the games at the mall makes. I ran nates for a long time and never made more than $250 in a week. The mall is dead and it would take miracles to make business worth it again up there 💯
@@Unpopularity Thank you for that👊 and your understanding. 💯💯💯
You can have high score competitions and increase your flow
@@SP-rx4tb We have been out of the mall since Jan 2020, Not sure if we will ever want to return when we are doing so well downtown 🤷♂️
It is weird to see the death of a mall in Prescott. I am old, PHS in 71. My Prescott years, my parents would stuff the kids into the wagon or Suburban and do a mini-vacation to the malls of Phoenix twice a year. During the early 70's, Prescott was starting to emerge as an industrial community but it was the last gasp of that type of development in the Western US. The JC Penny was the anchor downtown store, the Sears Store was more a rural catalog center, and we had a few California based retailers. The hardware stores still sold blasting agents and mining equipment.
I was at this mall on opening day! I spent so much time at this mall when it opened. It was such a novelty for Prescott to have a mall and Gateway Mall was the place to be..lol so sad to see it deteriorate like it has. Thanks for the video!
Before the Gateway, Prescott had Ponderosa Mall on Iron Springs Rd. That was a proper mall back in the 80s when I went to PHS
In the end, it turned out to be just that - a novelty.
@@singrdave I remember Ponderosa Mall! There was a big Osco and a Boston Store and a really strange Footlocker. The whole place is a Walmart now.
@@kendalson7100 I used to bag groceries at AJ Bayless (85? 86?) then later I worked at the B Dalton Bookseller next to JC Penneys
I grew up here during my middle and high school years and would go to this mall a lot and spent a lot of times at the barnes and noble. I'm kinda sad to see it this dead too 😢
Prescott and the area around it grew like a weed in the ‘90s and the aughts. I have no idea how it’s done since the real estate bust. A big problem is that a lot of its population growth was lower-income retirees. They just don’t consume all that much to begin with, and they can’t really afford to pay for the overhead of a mall unless you have a huge population of them. Seniors are also avoiding malls entirely due to COVID. I’d be surprised if that mall survives the next year - failure to pay the light bills is a strong sign they aren’t long for this world.
sunspot42 senior citizens are notoriously known to be tight wads, cheapskates and skinflints. If your business model depends on old farts opening their wallets you are doomed to failure. Unless you are a funeral home or Viagra salesman.
IPO Yup. I think the developers were probably banking on the population there in Prescott exploding like it did in Phoenix during the ‘60s and ‘70s and like it had been growing in Prescott (45% growth in the ‘70s, 33% in the ‘80s, a similar 28% in the ‘90s). Even tightwads can keep a mall going if there are enough of them. But Prescott’s growth since then has been comparatively anemic - 17% during the aughts thanks to the dot com bust and then the start of the Great Recession, and just 11%, this past decade.
If Prescott had kept growing at 30% the past 20 years this mall would probably scrape by, but given Amazon, WalMart and Target plus the collapse of the middle class and now COVID? I don’t see how it’s going to recover.
trump is into real estate so many he knows what he's doing. too much money in all the wrong places i'd say.
all the goods in these stores were shipped there from china. american should be making just as much product, just from a logical stand point.
@@IP0Monsturd your probably not talking about Florida
The Prescott area is growing massively. Most seniors that move to Prescott are not low income as the average home in town costs well over $400,000. But, seniors don't shop. Also, this mall has suffered a downward spiral as shopping has moved online. The first major store to go was Barnes and Noble. That was terrible loss that precipitated the general downward spiral of the mall. I think it should be repurposed into a 55+ condo area. There is a very expensive one purpose built across the Hwy.
I wonder why a large outdoor mall out in Arizona like this just doesn't add some solar panels to the roofs and generate their own electricity or resell the juice to others
$$$. That's why.
@@SamnissArandeen if they have millions of dollars to buy the mall? The investment pays for itself fairly quickly.
I dont think a mall fits into the kind of place prescott is. Probably should never been built.
They're not that big on sustainability like that here. They'd call it communism or something, get mad at them not paying APS lol.
The people who bought the mall don't have a good success rate though and the retirement community would rather walk around the food court for 4hrs a day like weirdos than actually spend money anywhere.
Arizona... one of the places where solar would work the best and it's use has been de-incentivized... smh
This mall brings back so many memories. Greenday on the radio, Friday and Saturday nights cruising the Square, 3 am trips to Denny's with friends. I couldn't have asked for a better place to spend my teenage years. Prescott, circa Y2K. Thanks for posting this!
It still looks brand new! So weird to see it with all those empty boxes, hope it's able to reinvent itself.
They put up a bunch of ugly boxes, and Jesus, people bought em. - - the Eagles, The Last Resort, from the album Hotel California
As soon as you walked in and showed the anchors as Sears, JC Penny, and Dillard's, you know the mall isn't doing well. Lol Sears is gone and JCP not doing much better.
It's been predicted that Sears will be around longer than JC Penney. I don't doubt it.
JCPenney is being bought out and debt paid off. I think they’ll be around a lot longer than Sears....
@@brianc5537 who knows....? Sears and Kmart have actually outlasted many others, like Lord and Taylor etc.
Well the Sears at the mall near me has been shut down now for a few years. I think JC Penny is still open. I'm going to have to take a look around. I can walk over the mall. They do have Tesla Charging Stations as the far end of that food court parking area. Charge up and get something to eat. Some of the food businesses are still shut down like Panda.
@Michael S. its not funny that they closed, its just an ironic sign of a dead mall. You know a mall isn't doing well when those troubled stores are the anchors.
You in my opinion are the best and the only mall reviewer I watch. Entertaining and informative.. Keep up the good work
Thank you so much!
There's so much that they can do with that mall. Definitely drone racing tournaments, build an indoor running track, grab one of the larger stores and turn it into an indoor gun shooting range, or even into rental living spaces like up in Boston in an old mall. Or even middle, high school or college classrooms. They just need to think out of the box. Good video!
Yes providence has those great mall apt
@@amazingabby25 YES! It wasn't Boston. Providence was it. I saw it on a TH-cam video. Looked like the perfect place.
They’re adding an indoor skatepark
I lived in Prescott for many years. An indoor shooting range would be hugely successful there.
So is everyone is gonna gloss over the name of the clothing store at the start being "Foot Fetish and Beyond Clothing Co."?
🤣🤣🤣🤣
I’d watch a whole video just about that place.
Marissa Stryker 😆 yup me too
It's just a shoe store you freaking creep loser!
It's like a joke in GTA but in real life!! lol
I remember when they built this mall. It is one of the reasons I left Prescott. Corperate interests ruined Prescott. It should be noted that this mall was built on Bullwhacker hill. The top of the hill was leveled to build this eyesore. The material was used to fill in a valley for a highway. Disgusting.
I lived in Prescott for many years and watched its rapid deterioration through the 90s and early 2000s. It used to be a wonderful place but now a shadow of its former self and has turned into a place people used to come there to get away from.
Prescott Valley put out some videos in the 90ies indicating their plans for the future and you can smell the greed while you watched them. Since I've left the area there are now Phoenix style cookie cutter houses popping up all along Glassford Hill road and I guess now the Pronghorn that used to roam there freely are gone which makes me sad. The massive influx of mostly California retires pushed the pricing of housing up so many of the locals who are not connected to some government job or established family business have left. I was encouraged though being back just the other day and seeing some younger families out and about. I'm not sure what they all do for a living as decent jobs are scarce but somehow they are making it. The Prescott Metro area is still a nice area but yeah not what it once was at all. The views from where the mall is located are amazing, I wouldn't be surprised if 20-30 years from now it is replaced by retirement condos which have sprung up on two mountain peeks near it.
@@infocyde2024 The condos and apartments keep coming. They just recently started breaking ground for apartments on Glassford Hill and the land the pronghorns used to graze is gone. All housing development.
“ Sears is closed” lol you don’t say.....
Has anybody seen any recent news on Sears? Since Fast Eddie bought it out I haven't been able to find any news. They can't be doing any good in this enviroment
Dennis W I don't understand how they're not bankrupt yet. Other department stores have filed for bankruptcy but Sears isn't one of them.
@@WhittyPics So glad that more and more people know Eddie Lampert for what he is a "Fast" talking a con man. It is weird that the financial media outlets have gone silent about Sears over the past year or so way before the virus came along.
But there is no question that endless mismanagement has made a US icon a walking zombie in retail. Such a shame.
I’m honestly shocked they haven’t packed it up entirely by now. I read KMart was doing better with COVID, but that what they stock is very limited due to the bankruptcy and vendors not wanting to deal with them.
@@SearsCool I think it's because Sears is more than retail. My Master Card is from Sears, so I know they do financial services as well. If they've restructured away from retail, that may be why they're still around.
Hey just to let you know as july 15th 2023 the tacky store closed, the arcade reopened and the Sears is a sports complex thing
LOVING THAT INTRO!!!!!! Makes me feel nostalgic!!
When will these malls learn that they need to put grocery stores in the malls like in Europe? 🤓
@JOHN Q LUNCHBUCKET
Our local mall "Granite Run" in Lima, PA (western burbs of Philly) had a satellite supermarket that was separate but at the opposite side of mall parking lot and that was back in the mid 1970s...that mall is also gone now. But it was
crime and loitering that killed it. The fact is that women with money don't want to visit a place where you are not safe. Lots of "fellas" creating havoc there for years...
Pretty much every mall in Australia has a supermarket built within the mall, sometimes two or three. The way we set up our malls means they are still thriving as we have a mix of stores. I've noticed in the USA either they are high end stores or low end stores, rarely mixed. And things that bring customers inside such as banks, supermarkets and cinemas in the USA are built outside the mall whereas in Australia they are built inside it
In the US, mall shopping is an escape from day to day chores like grocery shopping.
@@xr6lad US malls are destinations where the shopping experience is part of the mall.
@@bobroberts2371 @Bob Roberts
Exactly the man that developed the concept of the modern indoor mall even said that the primary function was to create a social environment that was inviting to the folks that go there, the consumer aspect was actually secondary! Surprise. They were designed to be a the substitute for the old town center with shops, restaurants, and even community agencies and services.
Online shopping might be cheaper but it isn't as satisfying, socially.
Memorial City Mall in Houston TX has a model train place too. However Memorial City is one of the top thriving malls in Houston. Sears left but that did not really effect them. They are tearing it down to build an outdoor extension. Even since covid that mall continues to be really busy.
Oh yeah. I used to go memorial city years ago and it was shoulder to shoulder packed. I don't see that mall die any time soon.
Yeah we lost the Sears at Park Place Mall here in Tucson and it didn't hurt the mall in the slightest. Round 1 Entertainment quickly moved into the vacant lot.
6:48 Interesting. A mall near me that is dying has had a model railroad club for years now.
Same here, they ended up having to move shop due to a pet store wanting the bigger space. So they were in the middle of redoing the train model when covid hit.
Pittsburg Mills Mall (a Mills Mall) opened in 2005 and has been struggling ever since. This dying mail is about to lose its JCPenney
Any mall built after the year 2000ish should have know that the internet and the abundance of other malls would spell disaster for long term investment but the people with the capital to build them are often too old to really understand the implications of new technologies/consumer trends. Obviously seeing how much its killed off the retail sector in general is hard to predict but not that the segment was likely to grow at the pace it did for the 20 years prior.
One of the most unfortunate malls built in the area, hands down (Hi from the Burgh!)
Prescott and Prescott valley residents should show more love to this place.
The locals don’t even leave the house. Too much traffic and out of towners
Prescott area wages could never support people to pay the mall prices... Besides Wal Mart has a choke hold on the whole county!
Why should they?
We try, but there's just a cluster of nonsensical stores in there now. Besides the mall walking, there isn't much to do. We really did try to keep this alive, because we don't want a depressing dead mall, but we can only do so much.
There are two walmarts and a target (with a cheap, clean and large movie theatre next to it) super close to each other in Prescott/Prescott Valley area, while this mall was a little off from any of them.
This mall looks really awesome. I wish it wasn't dying. The model train place, and Games People Play are two stores I would love to check out if I lived in the area.
It's a nice mall to be honest. It's so sad to see it dying
The model train place is not a store. The space is probably donated to the hobbyists that run it as in the hope that it may bring in some traffic. The Games People Play does seem interesting, but I just can't see how that works here.
Heartbreaking seeing these once vibrant malls dying slow deaths.
A small, relatively young mall that was doomed from conception. It's existence is just the result of developer hubris. It's unfortunate they leveled a small mountain for it.
I used to visit Prescott nearly every summer as a child to visit my Grandparents who retired there. I miss it a lot and may retire there if the housing prices don't get too bad. My Grandfather has a park in Prescott named after him which I have visited near his old house.
We drive from Phx once a month to shop at Blue Note. LOVE!!!! The owner hand makes crazy guitars.
When it panned to the nice ceilings to the classless flea market with the moving mannequin holding a trump2020 sign 😂. God isn’t that fitting 😂
Was that a mannequin?! 😂😂😂 The mannerisms make more sense now lol
Man, you wanna talk time warps, the Dead Mall that I used to go and visit (before it shut down earlier this year) had a Spencer's with the old Neon signage on the storefront, but the last time I was in there, that Spencer's was in the process of closing, unfortunately.
3:40 The big empty spot with the Christmas trees USED to be a Barnes and Noble Bookstore. It was probably the best store in the mall. Once that closed down, most of us locals agree that was the start of the mall's death. There's a few spots that are still worth checking out, namely the staples like Hot Topic, Game Stop, and Sepncer's but there's also a few local shops like The Cosmic Potato and Raven's Relics that are fun spots to stop. But as far as the overall mall goes, well... It's not so much on its last legs as it's on the stumps that were once legs.
I agree that the wooden ceiling (and skylights) looks just amazing. I have seen this same architectural style in several churches, though they were much older than this mall.
Maybe it was the camera's perspective, but the main hallways all looked to be unusually narrow, as compared to other malls I have visited.
In Australia they do these kinds of things right. I visited family in Sydney, and a mall we went to was called Macquarie Centre. Public transportation stopped right there in the mall. Also, aside from the normal Mall type stores, there was also a post office, grocery stores, liquor stores, Medical Offices, and I think even the equivalent of a Department of Motor Vehicles. Any sort of Center like this has to be diverse and have essential Services there. I was really quite impressed.
Prescott doesn’t have any effective public transportation. Also those things would be useful, but the location of the mall isn’t quite great. It’s much faster for residents to do this in town, as the Prescott Mall is kinda in the middle of Prescott and Prescott Valley, not very close to either
I'm Australian and have watched a lot of these videos, and it was only yesterday that I noticed that none of the malls have grocery stores! They are the anchor stores here. Big malls have both major supermarkets, plus Aldi, plus all department stores (which we don't sell groceries or alcohol in). Smaller malls and strip malls have one big supermarket and one department store (Big W, Target, Kmart), plus smaller shops and food. I can think of only one mall that doesn't have a supermarket anchor (anymore), and they are an outlet mall. Our malls would struggle too if they were stand alone retail. Some still do struggle with vacancy rates... largely due to exorbitant rent
I live in Prescott and frequent this area a lot. When I moved here 16 years ago, the mall was always busy. The big empty spot near Spencer's was a Barnes and Noble. More stores close each month. Dillards and JCP own their stores but I feel our JCP will soon close. The people who own it now are actually known for bankrupting their own properties.
The sports store was a Just Sports location. I'm not saying the owners are cheap, but the store was so slow that they didn't even invest in proper slat wall to hang items properly. It was a pain to merchandise and a long work day. Also, the food court has been sad since 2013. I could never get a decent meal without leaving the mall. If you want to do a video about a similar dead mall, Cascade Mall in Burlington, WA just closed recently too. Similar sadness, being built in a market that couldn't support it.
A nice looking mall. Here in GB my local shopping centre is full of phone shops,cheque-cashing places,pawnbrokers,betting shops,fast food places,charity shops and shops selling cheap,in all senses of the word,clothing.
Prescott and Prescott Valley are such cool places to go explore and get away for the day! I can’t imagine this mall stands much of a chance unfortunately tho. You should do the outlets at anthem too!!
When my parents moved to Prescott in 2010, this mall was thriving. Yet a year later Barnes and Noble shuttered (where the Christmas trees were stored). It wasn’t because B&N was underperforming, just the opposite. Yet corporate had to choose between two locations in AZ to close and this location was selected. Since then, there’s been a rapid domino effect of other store closings like the Hallmark store near Dillards and a significant drop in foot traffic. Like other struggling malls and changing consumer trends, PGM is just a sign of the times.
Agreed. This place was busy. Barnes and Noble closing was the start of it all.
I am so glad you went back. I love the ceilings as well, the look is very Prescott for sure and its not mall ‘cookie cutter’. Crazy how ‘new’ this mall is though.
3:36 that space use to be a Barnes and Nobles book store but it closed some years back.
don't build a mall too late is probably the lesson, a lot of the newer malls struggle
Don't build a mall AT ALL! Except for extreme climates, malls are an obsolete 1950s concept. They are resource-intensive, cannibalistic, wasteful, ugly, and an all-around insult to the built environment. Take off the nostalgia goggles and shout "Good riddance!"
@@colormedubious4747 Cannibalistic?
In the sense that malls kill other malls, yes. So many malls were built in the 80s and 90s that there was no possible way for them all to be financially viable.
@@BusStopProductions. He didn't take his meds, its okay
That mall is a sore thumb. It's nice to get a picture with Santa there in the winter, but asides that there is nothing going on there ever.
Mall hasn't had very much love since Amazon became a powerhouse. Nobody shops in person at malls anymore.
March 8th 2002? Kinda weird to share a birthday with a mall, same year and everything!
You're right those ceilings are gorgeous.
Sign twirling... on her own to nobody to see inside a dead shopping centre 3:50 (clicks full screen) OH ITS A ROBOT
Lol I didn't notice that until I read your comment and went back to look
"...that's not classy at all. That doesn't match this place. It's kind of gross looking..." -Trump2020 sign in middle of flea market.
78 million americans would agree with that.
I gave thumbs up just for the intro alone. Nostalgia overload!!!
The foodcourt area used to have TVs where you could pick music videos, it really declined when Barnes & Noble left. I can't understand why they didn't give them a break on rent.
The ceilings and light fixtures recall the "Craftsman" bungalows from the early 1900s that were popular all over the West. The design was part of the greater Arts and Crafts movement that included furniture and interior design as well.
I love your content, I love large/small retail and hospitality and your videos perfectly fit it! Keep it up! 😃
Nice play on Stephen j cannell lol
Thanks, I couldn't remember which 80s TV producer used that intro - kept thinking it was Bellisario or Larson.
Please do a follow up on the Seville Mall in Scottsdale on Scottsdale Road.
I love these videos its like going everywhere without going everywhere and the history is fun too!!!
As soon as the "churches" show up you know its dead mall
@ora et labora get a grip dude, I don’t hate God, it was a comment based on commercial economics of a dying retail space. If you had any education in economics you would understand that.
It's the same with dead small town Main Streets. When the storefornt churches show up, put a fork in it.
Kind of interesting that Kb's toys sign was still there considering they ceased operations in 2009. I did some research and the company that bought them from Toys R Us was actually planning on bringing Kb's back but didn't due to lack of funding. Kb's declared bankruptcy twice...
The convenience of online shopping and kids too busy with their noses buried in games and phones has killed malls.
There was a boom when it was built. New homes, freeways, Costco, Sams Club, two Home Depots, and Lowes came. Prescott Valley was exploding with a new city hall. Big stadium for concerts was built in PV. Opening night was like rush hour at a major subway station in Manhattan.
One of the things I have always advocated for was turning dead malls into combined retail and residential real estate. One of the things that could be done is to turn them into schools or nursing homes, especially for baulk immigrant refugee groups.
Instead of having a nursing home feel like a hospital or even just an apartment complex you can actually feel like living in a community complete with retail and restaurants.
I used to work at the sears here for a few months till it closed. The Christmas tree place was a tree maze or something for people to look at.
I love these mall tours you do...Some say theres almost a relaxing feeling coming ot of it. In reality its documenting failing stores and malls which in reality can be depressing. ,I love all the information, history and trivia you provide when touring the mall.The background music is always perfect when you are touring.
I remember when this place used to be packed. I used to play in the play area as a kid. Part of my childhood. Very sad.
That memorial is awesome.
I've lived in Prescott for most of my life. I remember the old Ponderosa Plaza Mall back in the 90's. As a kid I frequented After Thoughts (similar to Claire's) and Fuzziwigs (a candy store). It was sad to see it torn down and replaced by a Walmart. I also remember the drama surrounding the Prescott Gateway Mall. It was once a thriving place for shoppers, mall-walkers, and school kids. I grew up thinking that was an impressive mall. It wasn't until I went to Scottsdale Fashion Square in high school that I realized our mall was so small. Then I lived out in DC for 4 years, and the malls out there (Tyson's Corner, Potomac Mills) made Fashion Square look as big at Prescott Gateway Mall. I moved back to Prescott in 2015 and it's sad to see PGM in such a pitiful state. But Prescott, or even the Quad Cities, are not enough to sustain something that large. Anyone who wants to do any mall shopping drives down to Phoenix.
Damn the intros lately have been giving me massive nostalgia. Maybe malls will become nostalgia destinations in the future and will prop up some of them.
They should embrace it and remodel with that in mind
@Parker Lupine
Indeed I think people will get bored with internet shopping eventually and it is still gratifying to actually get to see what you are buying in person and being able to actually touch and see it in front of you. Internet shopping can lead to BIG disappointments, and of course you have to ship returns back which can cost quite a bit, when you can simply return by driving a few minutes down to the mall and no charges.
Yes I worked at Bon Worth for years and the mall was not doing very well then. We still had stores open,, very sad to see it now.
Lol I’m old enough to remember that intro and different versions of it from numerous shows... nice twist
Those "sky lights on the wall" the technical name for those is windows.
clerestory windows - in general he does not let facts interrupt the story.
I grew up in Prescott and left to live in Fairbanks alaska for about a decade and recently just moved back and went to this mall and wow it was much different before I left! The place was usually pretty full and rarely a closed shop, and now it's such a ghost town... There's trash all over in the streets and it's just dead... It's sad to see the place like this nowadays I had alot of good memories in there growing up.
Awesome! I'm from Phoenix and I never knew Prescott had a mall LOL.
I will definitely be checking this out hopefully in the near future.
For a property that opened in 2002, it already looks 10 or 15 years older than it should be.
There are certain areas where the 90s did last an extra two or three years tops.
If you ask me how long the 90s lasted, I would say even though it ended on night of the new millenium, it actually lasted until 9/11.
@@wolfgang1097 i feel like if that never happened, the 90s influence would've stuck around longer
@@M50A1 at least until the 2008 recession, perhaps. Unless 9/11 played a possible factor in the long run. But you're definitely correct.
You didnt even look at Ravens Relics or Game On. They have the best comic/game selection for miles and miles.
The Christmas trees that you see there in storage is for the "Enchanted Christmas" indoor tour of lights that they have. Pretty cool, I think admission is 4 bucks per person - or if you donate 4 canned food items admission is free.
I’m going to miss the indoor malls as a kid of the 80s, Hopefully the mall owners get it together and figure out they can’t charge top dollar for leases. Oh and yes those ceilings are sweet.
That ceiling is gorgeous, reminds me of a classy cabin but looking down its ugly and tacky. Doesn't match at all
This is such a memory I did most of the layout and and and concrete work at this mall if you look at the out side concrete ring around the tree planter there are layout marks I purposely left in the wet concrete.
I lived in Prescott from 2002-2009 and I can tell you a lot of what the vacant stores used to be
3:00 to the left of gamestop was a JustSports store, across the way was a Barnes & Noble until around 2011, and was briefly converted to an indoor minigolf course. The Verizon store on the corner past the Barnes & Noble was actually a Wetzel's Pretzels for a brief period of time when it opened in 2005, but quickly turned into a mobile phone store.
4:35 immediately to the right of the door, was Flaming Wok, Subway, and Villa Pizza. The bakery on the right used to be a Sonic (my personal favorite place as a kid going to this mall)
5:07 to the left of Bath & Body works was Hot Topic, not sure if it's still there
5:38 was American Eagle I believe?
5:52 was a PacSun, although the BlueNote store looks a lot more interesting than PacSun ever was
5:57 on the close left was a Fuzziwigs candy store! Much larger than the one currently at Arrowhead mall, probably triple the total space. It turned into a Sleepnumber store in probably about 2010, not sure when it changed from that. The barber on the close right was a Kay jewelers I believe. The water store on the further left corner used to be Raskins jewelers, a local family business that still operates downtown I believe.
8:09 Macayo's mexican restaurant and Wildflower bread company respectively
9:20 You mentioned it but yeah sadly that was a KBToys, but it shut down long before the bankruptcy of the whole company. You were right, THAT part of the mall was incredible with Gamestop and Barnes and Noble as a kid.
10:37 Games People Play used to be Aeropostale, another upgrade imo
12:17 That memorial used to be a Foot Locker but was closed for several years before the tragedy. Very great use of the space.
Growing up in the area and with this mall (I am old enough to drink however!) the biggest problem honestly was the location. I think Prescott could support a mall closer to downtown, but this mall was off of a highway on top of a really steep hill. It's very hard to drive in foot traffic if you can't see the mall from the road, which you really can't. This is shown by the fact that the stores at the foot of the hill (Trader Joes & Five Guys) are absolutely thriving. Not to mention Costco and Walmart are both within a quarter mile of this place.
We have a Gateway Mall here in Lincoln, Nebraska. I believe it was built in 1960. It has undergone renovations and additions over the years, as well as closings and openings of many anchor stores. I only go there about once or twice a year, but last time I was there, there are vacant shops. Sears of course closed awhile back, as well as Younkers. Dillard's and Penney's are still there. It actually has a lot of similarities to the Prescott one in the set up and decor. I didn't know there were other Gateway Malls besides ours.
I don't even feel bad about it. This mall should NEVER have been built at that time. The Californians began coming in and trying to take over, Walmart destroyed the little original mall in town "Ponderosa".... EVERYBODY LOVED that place. They put many Townspeople out of business. When the displaced businesses tried to relocate to Frontier Village, they would have survived if this mall wasn't built. When the mall opened, Frontier village became a ghost town because everybody then picked up and moved again to this mall. After a couple of months everyone realized it was a fail. The rents were too high for the small businesses. The Tri-city wasn't ready to support a mall of this kind. Not only that, but they were lacking in what the young people wanted, so most of them continued to travel to Phoenix shops or malls or even New River Mall. Between the Californians, Walmart and the Gateway mall... they ruined many Town businesses, and that is what made the town so quaint. That was also when all the construction began, blocking cars from entering streets filled with restaurants, shops etc. They would say that the construction would be finished in 3-4 months... and then take 9months (an example) to actually finish. It was actually an ambush and broke the already established restaurants etc. For all I care, they can all shut down... then the Californians would become unhappy and leave. They increased rentals and real estate by at least 200-300%. The more I think about it, the more I think we'll be better off without all of them. HA! 👍👍👍
same designer that designed the Park Meadows Shopping Resort in LoneTree Colorado, all foresty and ski lodge with a giant fire place in the middle. just like Park Meadows, PM had to expand their retail to include 'outdoor' shopping to try to cash in on the 'Lifestyle Centres' that came when malls were redeveloped into outdoor shopping streets like an instant 'downtown'
This is a beautiful, clean Mall. BTW the view from up there is wonderful especially on the North side. This somewhat snide sounding narrator is too negative, it's seems like he is a little gleeful that Malls are failing. If anything he should be promoting this Mall. It has a lot going for it. The beautiful fireplace in the food court is one. Some of the vendors in the food court look to have food menus that are healthy and delicious. As a musician I can tell you the newer music store is truly amazing. This Covid thing has hurt ALL businesses and to blame the Mall for Sears leaving is very unfair. That corporation has been struggling for many years. Of course buying on line is extremely convenient but it seems to me people of all ages should get out in the fresh Prescott mountain air and stretch their legs walking the Mall. This narrator forgot to mention the surrounding Restaurants. Also there's a store that he completely passed by, called "Raven's Relics" (in what he rightly called "The Villages") It's full of interesting rocks, collectible toys, comic books and more along with a large collection (probably 2,000) of popular vinyl records in one of the back corners. I would totally disagree that the Prescott area can't support this Mall. The surrounding population is probably around 120,000 and the economy is really booming. Also with cold weather coming it's nice to be shopping in probably the only indoor Mall in the area. Please visit this Mall and spend a little money, let's help keep it going. It would truly be a shame to see it fail. Thank you.
I remember taking day trips from Phoenix just to go to this mall when it was new. It was always so pretty with the wood and the fireplace. I’d visit the outside shops more than the inside.
Im just an Indiana man, hoosier through and through. But I love that we connect through our admiration of malls and retail, and nostalgia for that shopping experience all but extinct right now.
I just visit the malls around me sometimes just to walk around and impulse buy because its such a cherished tradition.
If youre ever in Indianapolis, check out Circle Centre Mall and the Greenwood Mall. If you need a place to stay, youre always welcome at my home.
As a side note, Ive noticed a lot more shopping/lifestyle centers popping up. I feel as if these are the new malls of the time. Whether they're successful or not remains to be seen.
The IX-CENTER here in Cleveland is set to close at the end of the year, due to covid 19, IX-CENTER was originally built as a G.M tank plant during WW2, and was converted to a large event venue. Probably some neat stuff there, even a huge ferris wheel which goes through the roof
So cozy with those wood ceilings. Love the ski resort look 🙂
Fun fact. When I was in 4th grade my sister had me do a modeling thing for The Buckle back in the mid 90s. I don’t remember much of it except that it was really cold and we were wearing Spring clothing. Nothing came if it and I don’t think they used the photos the took of me or whatever. We still have The Buckle though in our mall.
You know your mall is in trouble, when Gamestop is one of your premium stores.
Great video as always! The interior of this mall reminds me a lot of the Supermall in Auburn, WA before it was remodeled, especially the white walls, steps and ramps between areas, and the windows along the top of the walls. Always neat to see model railroad stuff in your videos too.
-Aaron
I worked in the rental car industry. We were open on Saturdays until 12.
I grew up in the “Valley” and I remember there was a time my parents were looking for a “summer house” type place to jet up to now and then. I think it was between Prescott and Payson. I remember being told Prescott has a mall, so as the teen/preteen I was.. I wanted Prescott. Just for a mall. However.. it was another hour and a half in the car. My parents thought that was too far for a quick jaunt “up north” , so no go. Only been here a few times. I’m sad about this.
I lived in The Ranch 2 minutes from Gateway. Dillard's and Penney's seem to do well there. I've spent TONNES of cash at that Gamestop. I'd get my hair cut at the barbershop on the right at about 6:00. The mall did OK when first built but the Recession and now Covid hit it hard. A lot of businesses around the mall, like Best Buy, Trader Joe's and Walmart are quite busy. I miss Prescott. Thanks for the video!
This mall is so similar to the South Hill Mall in Puyallup, WA where I used to live. The ceiling, much of the layout, the food court; its not exactly the same but it evokes the same feeling and feels familiar to me, even though I've never been to PGM.
Funny I was working at the dillards the day you filmed this which I know because it was Saturday and we have to be there. I work in the mall entrance so its funny to see no employees around. It has been dead for weeks and employees are struggling to make goals even on Saturdays. Today was my last day working there because i’m moving to a different state. At least i’ll have this video to memorialize my time there lol
There is something very melancholy about walking around dead malls. Really sad our local mall across town got torn down. It was a great place to go during winter if you needed to walk around a bit. Always kept it well heated and there was at least two sandwich shops that stayed open till the very end. I wish I had the foresight to go around and take pictures. It was a really beautiful mall. Built back in the 70s so it had a pretty unique look to it. Good memories going there as a kid. Its called Westdale. I think they were originally planning on turning it into an outdoor mall after the demolition but that was years ago. Now it just sits as a giant section of empty wasteland and a massive parking lot.
When I was a kid in the 80's....the mall was THE place to be. We used to have two of them here in our city, then one died off, and they did the smart thing and tore it down before vandals got into it. Strip Malls and big retail now adorn the property. The other mall in town just spent millions a few years ago to "revamp", but as soon as Sears and Younker's closed (they promised to stay as part of the deal).....the mall now is really dying off. It's a cursed location. Used to be PACKED on Saturdays, the smell of Kettlecorn and chocolate (Fanny Farmer) wafting through the air. We had a Happy Joes pizza downstairs, a deli....and a huge arcade. Now it's just a quiet empty place. Never thought I'd see the death of malls, but with the internet and big box retail.....it's happening before our eyes.
Omg, that intro is everything!!
It's so strange. I don't live anywhere near Prescott (I don't even live on the same continent) but the strangeness is not being able to put my finger on what it is I feel when I see dead malls. Is it sadness? Is it disappointment? Is it despair? Is it nostalgia? May e it's a mix of all of the above. I think "the high street" in general has had its day though. Is it the end of frivolous consumerism? Who knows but thanks for the upload. We have a mall near where I live (Ashford, Kent, UK) which has been on its knees for years. They brought in a load of budget stores. A new Picturehouse cinema and things started looking up... Then covid happened
I remember when there was so many stores here. I went back to here recently and a lot more stores are gone, It’s really sad what it’s become
They need to turn these into senior citizens housing with bingo in the food court and big box stores for the things they need, etc.
I love it when I turn these old malls into living facilities. Either homeless shelters or apartments.
Yeah, imagine those pristine hallways littered with meth addicts and alkies. It would be lovely.
Funny you should point out the model trains. We used to have our model train show the Gadsden Mall here in alabama til the management of the mall said it brought the wrong type clientele and we were no longer welcome. Would have tables full of dealers and layouts the entire length of the mall and into the side runners in the end and center. Free to the public which was always nice and brought in a lot of families. this was 25 years ago. Since she took over the mall has been slowly dying. It might be worse than the Prescott mall at this point.