It was a nice mall back in the 80's when it had all of the original brick, massive planters built in to the sunken seating pits, the massive center court mirrored clock tower and the fountains. All of the upstairs railings were lined with live Pothos vines that hung down. They have fake vines in some of them that are left. The whole place was full of live plants and giant sculptures. Two music stores one over the other on the Sears end. Radio Shack, Aladdin's Castle, Garcia's Pan Pizza, Chess King.
I can speak from experience as I just did a Quad Con comic book and toy show at that mall within the last couple months. That mall is thriving quite well. The Round one store has been replaced with a furniture store on both floors. Most all of the stores were rented and operating. The food court was full. Activity in the mall was very busy. Much of the past problems have been essentially eliminated by a larger increased security detail for the mall. My main question for you is when did you film this video? What day was it. What time of day? Most activity in malls happen on weekends. If you go in during the middle of the week during the middle of the day, of course it is going to look empty. Go during the weekend when people are not working, and they have time to go to a mall and shop. Then you will see the real activity in this particular mall. This cannot be said for all malls. It all depends on the rental occupancy and what anchor stores are attached and how well they draw the public. There was a lot more to Round 1 closing than just mob violence and a criminal activity. Maintaining the videogames and keeping them running was quite costly. The same could be said for the bowling alley. There was also a financial factor that led to the closing of the place.
Ol' Northwoods Mall.... used to bum around here with buddies back in high school (from 2007-2011) Off the Wall, Hot Topic, Hollister, Spencer's....think there was a BBQ joint and arcade in here too. Mom would take me here when I was even younger back in the mid-late 90s (Famous Barr, Garcia's Pizza-in-a-Pan, and the Original Cookie Company, classic joints! As well as the roasted almonds around Christmas). Heard it's gone downhill though... went to RoundOne once, it was fun but there was some trouble there. The mall makes me sad these days, won't even go there whenever I come back to Peoria. Thanks for the content - taking me down memory lane (and I'm only 30). Will always love Peoria... can't trash the crib.
Occupancy looks substantially better than is typical for a Kohan property. It could be that the company is trying to shake off its slumlord image, as Namdar's been doing.
Said before that this was one of my childhood/teen years mall a long with the Pekin and Galesburg Sandburg mall. Northwoods decline has been in the making for years, Kohan or not. You alluded to it quite well. The Burlington IA gear ave mall is also a Kohan property but it's decline was before he bought it. Side notes the Sears was Montgomery Ward before, round one was a Carson's before it eventually became Macy's.
This place now is even more empty. The Room Place filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2024 Round 1 closed a year in 2023 and Sears closed in 2019 Sears Auto Center closed in 2019 Firestone Compete Auto Care closed sometime around 2003. The Limited and Linted II closed when they went bankrupt in 2023. Abercombie and Fitch closed this location when it filed bankruptcy as well. This mall is thug land patrons get held up robbed and shootings on the news at least twice a month now. All is left is Bath And Body works and a few mom and pop stores a church and last I heard a Dollar General and Dollar Tree are moving in. I give this mall another 2 years it will be closed by December 2026. Mile Kohan is a dirt bag. Kohan will drain all the assets of this mall and then let it get run down and high crime then abandoned the mall and leave the city od Peoria to demolish this 1973 eyesore. Thsi place maybe has 15 to 20 stores left. Also Hallmark store closed inn here after they too went bankrupt around 2015-2016.
What’s sad is that the Peoria area is dying fast now! The malls and retail were already very oversaturated anyway. The demographics of the region just barely support it anymore.
Definitely a victim of the collapse of its previous owners Washington Prime Group along with rising crime rates and the departure of Caterpillar's headquarters in 2017
Such a shame that they couldn't attract the nice anchor store for the empty Bergner's. I couldn't believe they couldn't attract a Dillard's or a Von Maur to the outdoor mall shops at Grand Prairie
The Caterpillar move has nothing to do with it. The one and only reason is it's not safe, especially on a weekend night. Round 1 had a major brawl that spilled out into the rest of the mall on opening night for crying out loud! Even during the day, the thugs & bangers stare at people & try to intimidate.
Thank you for this video
3:40 agreed!
It was a nice mall back in the 80's when it had all of the original brick, massive planters built in to the sunken seating pits, the massive center court mirrored clock tower and the fountains. All of the upstairs railings were lined with live Pothos vines that hung down. They have fake vines in some of them that are left. The whole place was full of live plants and giant sculptures. Two music stores one over the other on the Sears end. Radio Shack, Aladdin's Castle, Garcia's Pan Pizza, Chess King.
Jokers Wild!
I can speak from experience as I just did a Quad Con comic book and toy show at that mall within the last couple months. That mall is thriving quite well. The Round one store has been replaced with a furniture store on both floors. Most all of the stores were rented and operating. The food court was full. Activity in the mall was very busy. Much of the past problems have been essentially eliminated by a larger increased security detail for the mall. My main question for you is when did you film this video? What day was it. What time of day? Most activity in malls happen on weekends. If you go in during the middle of the week during the middle of the day, of course it is going to look empty. Go during the weekend when people are not working, and they have time to go to a mall and shop. Then you will see the real activity in this particular mall. This cannot be said for all malls. It all depends on the rental occupancy and what anchor stores are attached and how well they draw the public. There was a lot more to Round 1 closing than just mob violence and a criminal activity. Maintaining the videogames and keeping them running was quite costly. The same could be said for the bowling alley. There was also a financial factor that led to the closing of the place.
Memorial Day weekend on a Saturday
Ol' Northwoods Mall.... used to bum around here with buddies back in high school (from 2007-2011) Off the Wall, Hot Topic, Hollister, Spencer's....think there was a BBQ joint and arcade in here too.
Mom would take me here when I was even younger back in the mid-late 90s (Famous Barr, Garcia's Pizza-in-a-Pan, and the Original Cookie Company, classic joints! As well as the roasted almonds around Christmas). Heard it's gone downhill though... went to RoundOne once, it was fun but there was some trouble there.
The mall makes me sad these days, won't even go there whenever I come back to Peoria. Thanks for the content - taking me down memory lane (and I'm only 30). Will always love Peoria... can't trash the crib.
Yay my hometown mall!!!
Cool video Thanks for taking me to a place that I've never been
7:00 that BBQ joint is pretty good.
A mall in Iowa also got acquired by Kohan...There isn't much at that one already
And "Pound the Pavement " is what I plan to do this summer, how cool, that's my theme too
Occupancy looks substantially better than is typical for a Kohan property. It could be that the company is trying to shake off its slumlord image, as Namdar's been doing.
It was announced that the mall would be closing in by October 1 2023.
Said before that this was one of my childhood/teen years mall a long with the Pekin and Galesburg Sandburg mall. Northwoods decline has been in the making for years, Kohan or not. You alluded to it quite well. The Burlington IA gear ave mall is also a Kohan property but it's decline was before he bought it. Side notes the Sears was Montgomery Ward before, round one was a Carson's before it eventually became Macy's.
9:40 this used to be a Hollister
Now the room place is closing their Northwoods mall location. Leaving JCPenney as the only anchor store.
This place now is even more empty. The Room Place filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2024 Round 1 closed a year in 2023 and Sears closed in 2019 Sears Auto Center closed in 2019 Firestone Compete Auto Care closed sometime around 2003. The Limited and Linted II closed when they went bankrupt in 2023. Abercombie and Fitch closed this location when it filed bankruptcy as well. This mall is thug land patrons get held up robbed and shootings on the news at least twice a month now. All is left is Bath And Body works and a few mom and pop stores a church and last I heard a Dollar General and Dollar Tree are moving in. I give this mall another 2 years it will be closed by December 2026. Mile Kohan is a dirt bag. Kohan will drain all the assets of this mall and then let it get run down and high crime then abandoned the mall and leave the city od Peoria to demolish this 1973 eyesore. Thsi place maybe has 15 to 20 stores left. Also Hallmark store closed inn here after they too went bankrupt around 2015-2016.
I hope they open a Westfield mall
What’s sad is that the Peoria area is dying fast now! The malls and retail were already very oversaturated anyway. The demographics of the region just barely support it anymore.
It used to be such a nice city.
worked there in 79
It's sad to see this mall is on it's way out, there is multiple reasons why it's dead in there this new owner has a plan for the land around it.
They need a mall bad
I live in this town and I love this mall
Definitely a victim of the collapse of its previous owners Washington Prime Group along with rising crime rates and the departure of Caterpillar's headquarters in 2017
Such a shame that they couldn't attract the nice anchor store for the empty Bergner's. I couldn't believe they couldn't attract a Dillard's or a Von Maur to the outdoor mall shops at Grand Prairie
The Caterpillar move has nothing to do with it. The one and only reason is it's not safe, especially on a weekend night. Round 1 had a major brawl that spilled out into the rest of the mall on opening night for crying out loud! Even during the day, the thugs & bangers stare at people & try to intimidate.
Roumd 1 closed because of thugs and gangbangers
I was born and raised in Peoria…..unfortunately Peoria is going the same way as the mall…..the jungle is reclaiming it’s own, bye bye hellinois
I’ve been in that mall and I was not impressed at all