Miss this place. Was the hang out spot after school. The Tilt Arcade, The Sav-on that was STRANGELY loaded with comic books in there magazine aisle, the Game Quest where id buy my SNES games. I think there was a Hot Dog on a Stick and The Toy Box toy store. There was also this store that sold nothing but stickers. They had a Carls Jr also. Ahhh nostalgia
I remember going to the arcade too with my siblings and cousins. My grandma lived on Locust near Anaheim and we would walk to the mall all the time 😊 and catch the trolley to Shoreline.
I remember the Long Beach Mall was supposed to serve as an anchor for the redevelopment of Downtown Long Beach. The development of the surrounding areas stalled and the Mall was left all alone as a major retail space. You did have the car dealerships further up on Long Beach Blvd but the Mall couldn't do it on its own. What's interesting and probably not remembered is that the Mall served as the headquarters for the National Guard during the LA riots. The storefronts closed off to the streets is what made that possible. That mall was a virtual fortress. I remember when it opened it had a: pet store, tuxedo rental store (I got my Prom suit there), eateries on the top and bottom, two book stores (B. Dalton & Walden Books) both chains long gone now. There was also an arcade on the top level while Montgomery Wards, Buffums and JC Penney served as anchors. I find the mall history fascinating. Is there anyway to find pictures of the inside of the mall? I've only ever been able to find that one black & white photo you used and the outside of the mall showing the then new Blue Line train.
Yes indeed! I got my prom tux from there also the store was called Gingiss. The arcade was upstairs The Gold Mine next to Wards. There was a surf shop there upstairs I went to all the time and can't remember the name.
@@vistalite-ph4zw I think The Gold Mine held on the longest out of all the original stores. I remember it being open and operating until at least 1995. It was sad watching the mall turn into basically a community center where anyone who could afford it could rent space.
@@GreatGarloo I agee. I had some many friends that worked at LB mall and not just the major stores. It really amazes me how Cerritos, Lakewood, Del amo, and Stonewood malls have the ability to stay open when malls are on the decline. LB mall had so much potential, ironically that area gets a upgrade after the mall closes down
@@vistalite-ph4zw I agree. Lakewood Mall never ceases to amaze me. When Robinsons May, Montgomery Ward and I believe Buffums closed they had CostCo, Target and Macy's waiting to take their place. I've been to Cerritos and Del Amo malls and it shocks me how packed they are. There's no decline there. Why? Because their city councils make deals to get stores in there. It's ridiculous I can't go into Downtown Long Beach and shop a mall. A mall could be put back on the existing site but, they would need to absorb what's to the North and South of them to have more stores and parking. It could be done.
That mural is something I did remember when scanning for this mall on Google Maps. Me and my brother used to frequent that mall's arcade there in the late 80's and play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Street Fighter 1 with the big buttons you would have to hammer down on with your fists after we'd hustle for quarters carrying folks grocery bags when we were young boys. That arcade atmosphere and feeling inside this mall was unmatched.
When I was public safety officer for IPC mall security at the Long Beach plaza Mall everyday there was always something new from Car burglary at Christmas time shoplifters and a whole lot of fights and dealing with upset customers . I worked there to the very last day I was sad to see it go
I'm 1994 and me too lol I only remember there was this horse carousel. I literally lived one block away too I don't remember any construction or anything as I started growing up I just saw a Walmart in its place with surrounding stores.
Nostalgia. My dad would take me to the Arcade upstairs. My mom would buy me Sees Candies and Toys. Sucked it closed down and worse they didnt rebuild it.
When I was young during summer, my grandfather and I would ride Long Beach Transit, route 1 to Downtown. We would walk to the mall and walk around, sometimes eat. Then we would walk and ride the free tram to Shoreline Village. Those were the days.
Omg 😍 i miss the long beach plaza. Damn. Those were the days. I used to cut through the mall to get to school. It was called International elementary at the time before they changed locations and the name. Much love Long Beach ❤
Yes I remember when that mall opened. It was indeed an uninviting big concrete box from LB Blvd. I went there with friends one time, that’s it. I fondly remember my mom taking me to the old Buffums on Pine, she loved the sale rack there!
Got my 1st job there at Foxmoor Casual & Buffums. Great memories. It had its bad too. When a lady was stabbed to death near food court area. Sadly this mall did last too long.
Long Beach is where I lived for a while and it is certainly an outdoor experience going all the way back. Shopping malls in Orange County and Los Angeles did well because they were big and better than what was nearby. I felt that the Westminster Mall was the ultimate mall experience with Del Amo and South Coast Plaza being next.
@@HeyLongBeachYes much like the mall in Pasadena on colorado blvd, was it there to deny the surrounding businesses their customers? Only to be destroyed by online shopping? We need to go back to the great depression era when things were better. For a good view of Long Beach Pike in 1933 watch the Little Rascals trip to the beach with the Truant officer and the blonde school teacher. Spanky ends the show with "Aw go kiss her already I want to get some sleep". Take a ride on the Cyclone and off in the distance you can see catalina island. th-cam.com/video/3Lyi_hqPtLs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=NF3cgbihPOK49CyQ&t=665
I have a traumatic memory and scar from the mall. I was running unsupervised and busted my knee and started gushing blood. I still have the scar on my knee. i remeber the floor were like tiles and they were filled in with (gold looking) plastic or metal.
I grow up a few blocks from where the mall use to be. I remember going there with my parents a lot when I was like 5. My elementary school use to be across the street from the mall International elementary school it got closed down and relocated
Originally there were entrances to the shops from LB Bl but because of the rampant theft they experienced from the unimproved surrounding neighborhood all those entrances were closed off so you had to finally ditch the convenient street parking and use the parking structures on the other side. When all the shops you'd go there for closed that was the end of shopping in LB at lunch & after work for everyone with an area job. Sad.
This is true. I remember that CVS was the first to actually shutter its outside doors because people would run in, grab then run out. Montgomery Ward had the same problem. A lot of Grab & Runs.
This was the spot so many memories me and my cousin got caught up stealing jewelry back then it was easy that’s one of the reasons why the mall closed because everyone took what ever they wanted but arcades man oh man this were a blast
Very interesting. I have lived in LB for 8+ years and always wondered why there was no mall. It seems like LB is surrounded by smaller towns that all have malls. I have driven through the City Place area, but never got out of the car because the people there looked less dangerous. I wonder why it is so bad in downtown? It's the only place I know of in LB that you actually need a security escort to take you from your car to a restaurant. You go to Belmont Shore and there's no problem.
I'm a long beach native boring & raised. And you're right the surrounding cities does have their own malls. Lakewood, Carson, and Los Cerritos. I dont know what it is but that whole downtown area doesn't attract business well.....As far as shopping. It's only a matter of time before the pike meet the same fate... AGAIN!!!!.
Long Beach Plaza was the first Mall I went when I come from Mexico. City leaders took a bad decision and try to cover it with stories telling us What they did was for Good. Se equivocaron Gacho, Now Rebuilt The Mall.
The Long Beach Mall was way better then City place. I remember going there with my old brothers in 1998 when I was 15 years old Demolished The Mall was a Bad decision.
Dang,Good ol memories right? :) & Yes it was a bad desision despite all the memories it had behind it,They shoulded keep the building as a museum history & ever since that mall was torn down I've never visit that new outlet were the mall was once standing :( By the way, You still live in Long Beach ? If u don't mind me asking :)
When the mall opened, a Middle Eastern man was upset that his wife was divorcing him. She had taken a job at one of the food stations. As he was talking to her at a table in the food court he pulled out a large knife and attempted to decapitate her. She died, and he went to jail. Everything after that seemed cursed.
Can you do a story about white castles that was by the circle Drive-In I tell people about it but they don't remember used to be in the jacker Lanes and the sir George's parking lot with the Burger King was
When I was 11 yo I used to be inside that mall almost all the time my mom will get us clothes and shoes from Montgomery wards and l go play at the tilt arcade oh what good memories 😊😊😊😊😊😊
I was stationed on two ships in Long Beach from 1985 to 1989. I went to the mall quite often. Also, the AMC theatre in the Marina Pacifica Mall was my home away from the ship. Also, the mall to the right and across the street had a theatre, too. The drinking establishments I frequented were Panama Joes, Mars, and Michelangelo's--at the end of the Marina Pacifica. I saw Motorhead, Poison, Guns n Roses, and a bevy of other acts at Fender's Grand Ballroom. The one thing I didn't like about Long Beach was the gays. When they'd hit on me, I'd get mental pictures and become very nauseous. However, I did befriend two gay fellows and told them my dilemma. They understood and we became fairly good friends. I didn't hesitate to let them know I was a lesbian trapped in a man's body. From then on when we met up, we'd always have a drink or two.
I was to young to remember what it looked like. I was born 1994. I had a chance to go a few times my mom would take me. My sister was born 1999 so she didn't get to go or see it.
I also remember a random memory from Halloween me and my family went trick-or-treating in the mall. I was probably like 5 so 1994 I remember seeing a guy dressed up in a gorilla costume I remember he scared a lady working in a jewelry store. Lol
Sad that the Fresh and Easy at City Place is gone, but was happy to see the closing of WalMart. There is construction in the lot across from both of these sites - interested in learning what's going up. Since there's two adjacent parking garages, I'd LOVE to see a Trader Joe's here! It will do well after the construction of the CSLB Student Housing Complex on 5th and Long Beach Blvd.
Really you were happy that Walmart left you do realize that Walmart was what kept all those businesses alive and now it's practically a ghost town oh btw Fresh and Easy what a joke why should I pay $15 for a sack of potatoes when I can buy a sack of potatoes for less than $5 anywhere else I'm not a Walmart fan or anything like that but it was the main anchor chain store to keep traffic coming thus feeding the other smaller stores it be nice to see a big chain store move in to get traffic coming through again last time I heard Target was in the talks but I guess it was just not possible specially whit how much the lot owner wants for someone to move in well only time will tell what will become of our DLB shopping experience and if so be it well we will just keep giving our shopping money to Lakewood Center Mall, Cerritos Mall or Del Amo Fashion Center oh btw The Pike Outlets it's another big joke and failure maybe we should have left DisneyByTheSea get built but I guess there's alot more mula in the shipping import and export business Long Beach CA is a very beautiful city whit lots of riches from it's oil to it's ports and all in between but for the love of it's citizens please give a great place to leasure that's all, good day sir. 😌
Disney By The Sea would have done Long Beach very well, jobs, a booming economy, and tourism. At that time Disney owned the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose so they thought they had the upper hand on the deal. Nope! City of Long Beach pulled the rug out, so Disney upgraded Anaheim instead and got rid of the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose was sent to Oregon. The plans were a hotel circle, airport, cruise ship docks, retail shops, restaurants, housing, aquarium, Epcot Center, and a amusement park.
@@vistalite-ph4zw Long Beach City Council seems to love losing potential money don't they? Seems like the projects meant to jump start the area always get bogged down. The Mall was the first. Then Pine Avenue was supposed to do it. Then Disney by the Sea was supposed to be in conjunction with the revitalized LB Arena/Convention Center but that didn't happen either.
@@GreatGarloo Yup, exactly! Truthfully the city of Long Beach didn't want the Metro rail either . I heard the city didn't want rival gangs from Los Angeles come to Long Beach, commit crimes, and jump on the train back home. Orange county fell for the hype and notice the trains go to Long Beach circle around and go back to LA. The proposed idea was supposed to go to Orange county, now they regret it. I am really surprised Long beach approved the Metro rail.
I was born and raised in Long Beach. I remember going to the mall with my family and hanging out in the arcade. I even went to the school they built directly across the street from it. Eventually, they moved the school to another location, long after I had graduated. I miss going down to the mall. Such an awkwardly built building, especially the back part that connected the mall to the parking structure.
Great memories in Long Beach mall me my sister and cousin did community service for stealing hahaha one of the reasons it closed was because there was no discipline you can easily steal anything
The took the mall and they took the downtown promenade walk through waterfall / stage where bands would play at the farmers market. Entire childhood gone 😞
They took the promenade and the music stage out I used to live down there In the 90s and and worked as security at the Long Beach plaza Mall till it closed they also closed the AMC theatre I haven't be in downtown long beach for over 10 years to bad things have to change it's sad
heres the problem with that whole area they made the streets too small and you have to pay for parking theres a gang of sketchy homeless drug addicts everywhere. Because of all this i will drive 20 minutes away to anywhere safe to shop this area will never be good until the city does something about their homeless addict problem.
January 14, 1987 - I was visiting from Texas and went to this mall to do some birthday gift shopping. Got mugged right outside the mall and never returned. Good riddance.
I was in my teens when Long Beach Plaza opened up. It was a crime magnet. From muggings to even homicide. When word got out, people stop coming. Long Beach officials really were too timid to deal with the crime and gang violence. Failed project and failed city. I moved away from Long Beach in 1997. Never had regretted the decision to leave that cancer behind.
Do you remember that just 2 or 3 weeks after the mall opened a Middle Eastern man wanted to discuss with his wife their pending divorce. Sitting at one of the tables in the food court on her break he pulled out a knife and attempted to behead her. She died and it seemed to have cursed the future of the center.
I miss the gold mind the arcade it was awesome but that was then but unfortunately as they got closer to its closing it was just getting shady in that place
Me and my little buddy used to go there all the time to the gold mine arcade unfortunately my friend was abducted his name was bobby Smith curious as to whatever happened to him.
Murder Mall. Soon after it opened, an ex boyfriend entered the food court upstairs and practically decapitated his girlfriend - who was working there - with a knife.
@@realitycheck1092 People we’re throwing there trays and whatever they could grab at him,he kept stabbing her until the police showed up and he just dropped his knife and put out his hands.
@@gnarbyq4667 A lot of local cities had skate parks; Lakewood, Paramount, Carson, and a little further was Upland. Unfortunately these skateparks were closed because of lawsuits.
Anybody remember The Tilt arcade in there? Good old days for sure.
Sure do
Yes many memories in Long Beach Mall
me too espescially the arcade "the goldmine"
Dog on a stick was my favorite spot!!!
Me too 😭 the arcade was the spot
So many great memories :) Thank you for watching!
Miss this place. Was the hang out spot after school. The Tilt Arcade, The Sav-on that was STRANGELY loaded with comic books in there magazine aisle, the Game Quest where id buy my SNES games. I think there was a Hot Dog on a Stick and The Toy Box toy store. There was also this store that sold nothing but stickers. They had a Carls Jr also. Ahhh nostalgia
LOOOOLLLLL I forgot about all of those places. I was in the 4th or 5th grade when my bother used to bring me there. I loved going to the tilt.
Loved going to the Carl's Jr. there. I remember those chairs being sooooo uncomfortable but worth it for those Superstars! Thank you for watching!
City place was a bad move bring back long beach plaza!!!!
I remember going to the arcade too with my siblings and cousins. My grandma lived on Locust near Anaheim and we would walk to the mall all the time 😊 and catch the trolley to Shoreline.
Even if I had a dream while asleep that I was back in Long Beach plaza mall. I miss TILT, Game Quest, Montgomery wards, KB Toys, Sav-On,
I remember the Long Beach Mall was supposed to serve as an anchor for the redevelopment of Downtown Long Beach. The development of the surrounding areas stalled and the Mall was left all alone as a major retail space. You did have the car dealerships further up on Long Beach Blvd but the Mall couldn't do it on its own.
What's interesting and probably not remembered is that the Mall served as the headquarters for the National Guard during the LA riots. The storefronts closed off to the streets is what made that possible. That mall was a virtual fortress.
I remember when it opened it had a: pet store, tuxedo rental store (I got my Prom suit there), eateries on the top and bottom, two book stores (B. Dalton & Walden Books) both chains long gone now. There was also an arcade on the top level while Montgomery Wards, Buffums and JC Penney served as anchors.
I find the mall history fascinating. Is there anyway to find pictures of the inside of the mall? I've only ever been able to find that one black & white photo you used and the outside of the mall showing the then new Blue Line train.
Yes indeed! I got my prom tux from there also the store was called Gingiss. The arcade was upstairs The Gold Mine next to Wards. There was a surf shop there upstairs I went to all the time and can't remember the name.
Me too back in 1993 tux for my prom ploy high
@@vistalite-ph4zw I think The Gold Mine held on the longest out of all the original stores. I remember it being open and operating until at least 1995. It was sad watching the mall turn into basically a community center where anyone who could afford it could rent space.
@@GreatGarloo I agee. I had some many friends that worked at LB mall and not just the major stores. It really amazes me how Cerritos, Lakewood, Del amo, and Stonewood malls have the ability to stay open when malls are on the decline. LB mall had so much potential, ironically that area gets a upgrade after the mall closes down
@@vistalite-ph4zw I agree. Lakewood Mall never ceases to amaze me. When Robinsons May, Montgomery Ward and I believe Buffums closed they had CostCo, Target and Macy's waiting to take their place. I've been to Cerritos and Del Amo malls and it shocks me how packed they are. There's no decline there. Why? Because their city councils make deals to get stores in there. It's ridiculous I can't go into Downtown Long Beach and shop a mall. A mall could be put back on the existing site but, they would need to absorb what's to the North and South of them to have more stores and parking. It could be done.
That mural is something I did remember when scanning for this mall on Google Maps.
Me and my brother used to frequent that mall's arcade there in the late 80's and play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Street Fighter 1 with the big buttons you would have to hammer down on with your fists after we'd hustle for quarters carrying folks grocery bags when we were young boys. That arcade atmosphere and feeling inside this mall was unmatched.
When I get rich I promise to build this again
Deal! ;)
I still have pictures of this place as a toddler. Was way better then what they have now.
When I was public safety officer for IPC mall security at the Long Beach plaza Mall everyday there was always something new from Car burglary at Christmas time shoplifters and a whole lot of fights and dealing with upset customers . I worked there to the very last day I was sad to see it go
How cool. I'm sure you must have a ton of other stories to tell from the mall.
That I do it was never a dull day
I was born in 93 and only remembered blurred memories of being in this mall with my parents and sis before it was destroyed in 99 :(
I'm 1994 and me too lol I only remember there was this horse carousel. I literally lived one block away too I don't remember any construction or anything as I started growing up I just saw a Walmart in its place with surrounding stores.
Nostalgia. My dad would take me to the Arcade upstairs. My mom would buy me Sees Candies and Toys. Sucked it closed down and worse they didnt rebuild it.
It's sad the city didn't rebuild or make something to equal the original but at least we have our great memories :) Thank you for watching!
When I was young during summer, my grandfather and I would ride Long Beach Transit, route 1 to Downtown. We would walk to the mall and walk around, sometimes eat. Then we would walk and ride the free tram to Shoreline Village. Those were the days.
Thanks for sharing that memory Jeff :) Thank you for watching!
Omg 😍 i miss the long beach plaza. Damn. Those were the days. I used to cut through the mall to get to school. It was called International elementary at the time before they changed locations and the name. Much love Long Beach ❤
Yes I remember when that mall opened. It was indeed an uninviting big concrete box from LB Blvd. I went there with friends one time, that’s it. I fondly remember my mom taking me to the old Buffums on Pine, she loved the sale rack there!
Thanks for sharing that memory Dave :)
I just to LOVE LOVE LOVE this mall. It was underground and I liked that concept about it.
Damn this take me way back to park lunches and JJ Newberrys and Woolworth on Pine St
Good times right :) Thank you for watching!
@@HeyLongBeach you got the town in your videos I’m watching fo sho !
Went there many times, miss it. And I remember when Madonna was filming there
That's awesome! She filmed a music video there? Do tell :)
@@HeyLongBeach I went to the Long Beach mall in the 80's and saw Madonna skipping out of the music sore with a crowd all around, they were filming 🎥
As a kid, I remember going down the escalator on the north-western part of the mall and the first thing you'd see was the Pet store...
This made me nostalgic and I wasn’t even born when the mall was around
Thank you for watching!
My sister used to work in Montgomery Ward
I miss that place
us too! Thank you for watching!
Use to always be in the tilt arcade lol man miss this place fosho.
We also had a theater where the kohls use to be on carson and another by where the 24 hour fitness is by lakewood mall
Got my 1st job there at Foxmoor Casual & Buffums. Great memories. It had its bad too. When a lady was stabbed to death near food court area. Sadly this mall did last too long.
Long Beach is where I lived for a while and it is certainly an outdoor experience going all the way back. Shopping malls in Orange County and Los Angeles did well because they were big and better than what was nearby. I felt that the Westminster Mall was the ultimate mall experience with Del Amo and South Coast Plaza being next.
Those malls definitely beat Long Beach in size and influence. But as a local, there was a certain charm you couldn't deny :)
@@HeyLongBeachYes much like the mall in Pasadena on colorado blvd, was it there to deny the surrounding businesses their customers? Only to be destroyed by online shopping? We need to go back to the great depression era when things were better.
For a good view of Long Beach Pike in 1933 watch the Little Rascals trip to the beach with the Truant officer and the blonde school teacher. Spanky ends the show with "Aw go kiss her already I want to get some sleep". Take a ride on the Cyclone and off in the distance you can see catalina island.
th-cam.com/video/3Lyi_hqPtLs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=NF3cgbihPOK49CyQ&t=665
Damn, I wish I could've gotten to see it, I was only 5 when it shut down.
Me too 😢
It was a great place to go! Thank you for watching!
Basically like Lakewood but two stories. Lol
I used to work security there just before it was closed and torn down
I was there at its opening and was saddened by its closing.
As were we :(
GOLD MINE was the spot 😎👍🏼
Does anyone know what happened to the natural health store on the first level? Been trying to find it for years?
I have a traumatic memory and scar from the mall. I was running unsupervised and busted my knee and started gushing blood. I still have the scar on my knee. i remeber the floor were like tiles and they were filled in with (gold looking) plastic or metal.
I grow up a few blocks from where the mall use to be. I remember going there with my parents a lot when I was like 5. My elementary school use to be across the street from the mall International elementary school it got closed down and relocated
Originally there were entrances to the shops from LB Bl but because of the rampant theft they experienced from the unimproved surrounding neighborhood all those entrances were closed off so you had to finally ditch the convenient street parking and use the parking structures on the other side. When all the shops you'd go there for closed that was the end of shopping in LB at lunch & after work for everyone with an area job. Sad.
This is true. I remember that CVS was the first to actually shutter its outside doors because people would run in, grab then run out. Montgomery Ward had the same problem. A lot of Grab & Runs.
I remember the arcades when I was bullied we go to the mall and settle our differences with street fighter
This was the spot so many memories me and my cousin got caught up stealing jewelry back then it was easy that’s one of the reasons why the mall closed because everyone took what ever they wanted but arcades man oh man this were a blast
Very interesting. I have lived in LB for 8+ years and always wondered why there was no mall. It seems like LB is surrounded by smaller towns that all have malls. I have driven through the City Place area, but never got out of the car because the people there looked less dangerous. I wonder why it is so bad in downtown? It's the only place I know of in LB that you actually need a security escort to take you from your car to a restaurant. You go to Belmont Shore and there's no problem.
I'm a long beach native boring & raised. And you're right the surrounding cities does have their own malls. Lakewood, Carson, and Los Cerritos. I dont know what it is but that whole downtown area doesn't attract business well.....As far as shopping. It's only a matter of time before the pike meet the same fate... AGAIN!!!!.
Long Beach Plaza was the first Mall I went when I come from Mexico. City leaders took a bad decision and try to cover it with stories telling us What they did was for Good. Se equivocaron Gacho, Now Rebuilt The Mall.
Rebuilt Long Beach Plaza Mall
The Long Beach Mall was way better then City place. I remember going there with my old brothers in 1998 when I was 15 years old Demolished The Mall was a Bad decision.
Dang,Good ol memories right? :) & Yes it was a bad desision despite all the memories it had behind it,They shoulded keep the building as a museum history & ever since that mall was torn down I've never visit that new outlet were the mall was once standing :( By the way, You still live in Long Beach ? If u don't mind me asking :)
@@pdswrld5200 How are you ? Yes I still live in LBC
When the mall opened, a Middle Eastern man was upset that his wife was divorcing him. She had taken a job at one of the food stations. As he was talking to her at a table in the food court he pulled out a large knife and attempted to decapitate her. She died, and he went to jail. Everything after that seemed cursed.
Anyone remember the RadioShack, that was my place (for some reason idk)
Can you do a story about white castles that was by the circle Drive-In I tell people about it but they don't remember used to be in the jacker Lanes and the sir George's parking lot with the Burger King was
When I was 11 yo I used to be inside that mall almost all the time my mom will get us clothes and shoes from Montgomery wards and l go play at the tilt arcade oh what good memories 😊😊😊😊😊😊
Me too! Great memories of the mall.
I was stationed on two ships in Long Beach from 1985 to 1989. I went to the mall quite often. Also, the AMC theatre in the Marina Pacifica Mall was my home away from the ship. Also, the mall to the right and across the street had a theatre, too. The drinking establishments I frequented were Panama Joes, Mars, and Michelangelo's--at the end of the Marina Pacifica. I saw Motorhead, Poison, Guns n Roses, and a bevy of other acts at Fender's Grand Ballroom. The one thing I didn't like about Long Beach was the gays. When they'd hit on me, I'd get mental pictures and become very nauseous. However, I did befriend two gay fellows and told them my dilemma. They understood and we became fairly good friends. I didn't hesitate to let them know I was a lesbian trapped in a man's body. From then on when we met up, we'd always have a drink or two.
I was to young to remember what it looked like. I was born 1994. I had a chance to go a few times my mom would take me. My sister was born 1999 so she didn't get to go or see it.
That's too bad. But it's great you had the chance to visit :)
I also remember a random memory from Halloween me and my family went trick-or-treating in the mall. I was probably like 5 so 1994 I remember seeing a guy dressed up in a gorilla costume I remember he scared a lady working in a jewelry store. Lol
Sad that the Fresh and Easy at City Place is gone, but was happy to see the closing of WalMart. There is construction in the lot across from both of these sites - interested in learning what's going up. Since there's two adjacent parking garages, I'd LOVE to see a Trader Joe's here! It will do well after the construction of the CSLB Student Housing Complex on 5th and Long Beach Blvd.
Really you were happy that Walmart left you do realize that Walmart was what kept all those businesses alive and now it's practically a ghost town oh btw Fresh and Easy what a joke why should I pay $15 for a sack of potatoes when I can buy a sack of potatoes for less than $5 anywhere else I'm not a Walmart fan or anything like that but it was the main anchor chain store to keep traffic coming thus feeding the other smaller stores it be nice to see a big chain store move in to get traffic coming through again last time I heard Target was in the talks but I guess it was just not possible specially whit how much the lot owner wants for someone to move in well only time will tell what will become of our DLB shopping experience and if so be it well we will just keep giving our shopping money to Lakewood Center Mall, Cerritos Mall or Del Amo Fashion Center oh btw The Pike Outlets it's another big joke and failure maybe we should have left DisneyByTheSea get built but I guess there's alot more mula in the shipping import and export business Long Beach CA is a very beautiful city whit lots of riches from it's oil to it's ports and all in between but for the love of it's citizens please give a great place to leasure that's all, good day sir. 😌
Disney By The Sea would have done Long Beach very well, jobs, a booming economy, and tourism. At that time Disney owned the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose so they thought they had the upper hand on the deal. Nope! City of Long Beach pulled the rug out, so Disney upgraded Anaheim instead and got rid of the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose was sent to Oregon. The plans were a hotel circle, airport, cruise ship docks, retail shops, restaurants, housing, aquarium, Epcot Center, and a amusement park.
I met my wife at that Walmart. 5 years ago.
@@vistalite-ph4zw Long Beach City Council seems to love losing potential money don't they? Seems like the projects meant to jump start the area always get bogged down. The Mall was the first. Then Pine Avenue was supposed to do it. Then Disney by the Sea was supposed to be in conjunction with the revitalized LB Arena/Convention Center but that didn't happen either.
@@GreatGarloo Yup, exactly! Truthfully the city of Long Beach didn't want the Metro rail either . I heard the city didn't want rival gangs from Los Angeles come to Long Beach, commit crimes, and jump on the train back home. Orange county fell for the hype and notice the trains go to Long Beach circle around and go back to LA. The proposed idea was supposed to go to Orange county, now they regret it. I am really surprised Long beach approved the Metro rail.
I was born and raised in Long Beach. I remember going to the mall with my family and hanging out in the arcade. I even went to the school they built directly across the street from it. Eventually, they moved the school to another location, long after I had graduated. I miss going down to the mall. Such an awkwardly built building, especially the back part that connected the mall to the parking structure.
My very first job was there! At the Montgomery Wards.
I remember you babe
KB Toys and the Arcade upstairs with the Simpsons game. Memories
Great memories in Long Beach mall me my sister and cousin did community service for stealing hahaha one of the reasons it closed was because there was no discipline you can easily steal anything
Gold Mine arcade!!
The took the mall and they took the downtown promenade walk through waterfall / stage where bands would play at the farmers market. Entire childhood gone 😞
Man that place was a bum magnet. Bums all up through there sleeping behind the main waterfall lol.
They took the promenade and the music stage out I used to live down there In the 90s and and worked as security at the Long Beach plaza Mall till it closed they also closed the AMC theatre I haven't be in downtown long beach for over 10 years to bad things have to change it's sad
heres the problem with that whole area they made the streets too small and you have to pay for parking theres a gang of sketchy homeless drug addicts everywhere. Because of all this i will drive 20 minutes away to anywhere safe to shop this area will never be good until the city does something about their homeless addict problem.
January 14, 1987 - I was visiting from Texas and went to this mall to do some birthday gift shopping. Got mugged right outside the mall and never returned. Good riddance.
I was in my teens when Long Beach Plaza opened up. It was a crime magnet. From muggings to even homicide. When word got out, people stop coming. Long Beach officials really were too timid to deal with the crime and gang violence. Failed project and failed city. I moved away from Long Beach in 1997. Never had regretted the decision to leave that cancer behind.
Do you remember that just 2 or 3 weeks after the mall opened a Middle Eastern man wanted to discuss with his wife their pending divorce. Sitting at one of the tables in the food court on her break he pulled out a knife and attempted to behead her. She died and it seemed to have cursed the future of the center.
That’s located on BST4ST hood
I miss the gold mind the arcade it was awesome but that was then but unfortunately as they got closer to its closing it was just getting shady in that place
Yea now you have closed down stores like walmart for years
The goldmine arcade. 😂😂
Me and my little buddy used to go there all the time to the gold mine arcade unfortunately my friend was abducted his name was bobby Smith curious as to whatever happened to him.
Wow that’s sad
@@tikaroxanne7286 yeah it was a national case in 1983
@@JRMcCabe1 I heard about that
@@realitycheck1092 yeah it was pretty fkd up
Surprised you didn't get harassed standing at that corner at Long Beach.
Got my first job there at Montgomery Wards. The mall sucked by that time.
Murder Mall. Soon after it opened, an ex boyfriend entered the food court upstairs and practically decapitated his girlfriend - who was working there - with a knife.
😮
Watched that happen at 8 years old
I remember, front page headlines in the Press Telegram. I was working at The Joint on Pine Avenue at the time. The place attracted some scuzzy people.
@@JRMcCabe1 tell me more
@@realitycheck1092 People we’re throwing there trays and whatever they could grab at him,he kept stabbing her until the police showed up and he just dropped his knife and put out his hands.
Lakewood wasn't an indoor mall.
Stonewood mall wasn't an indoor mall either
I didn't know that. I wish I was alive when the skate park was in Lakewood.
@@gnarbyq4667 A lot of local cities had skate parks; Lakewood, Paramount, Carson, and a little further was Upland. Unfortunately these skateparks were closed because of lawsuits.
How old are you
Kurt is eternal :) Thank you for watching!
Bad decisions city leaders.
I agree.