*****ATTENTION EVERYONE PLEASE READ****** Please mute your TV's for 1 second at these times.... 4:22 7:28 11:23 For some unknown reason, there is a very quick sound spike, and TH-cam will not allow me to edit the video, apologies for this! Thanks!.....Ace
Thank you for the clarification. Quick question. Do you think it is possible to edit the footage of this episode and then re-upload it to YT, and then private or delete this version of the video once you have confirmed that the new version is working?
@@alyxgraff9121 That'd be nice. It would suck for him to lose the views but it's tough having to remember to mute at three spots or risk blowing my tweeters out. Can't read comments on my TV TH-cam app to see timestamps.
I enjoy these videos although they're quite sad. Someone in the comments has probably already covered this. Just in case... Horseheads or Big Flats? The Arnot Mall is located in the unincorporated part of the Town of Big Flats, but the mailing address (the post office that covers it) is Horseheads. If you're being a stickler, it's Big Flats, but we're not hung up about that. I was impressed you knew that it was originally called "The Mall." One of the two original anchors when The Mall opened was Iszard's, Penney's was the other. Iszard's was an Elmira department store that was a little more upscale, a little pricier, than JC Penney's. Think Lord & Taylor's. Iszard's gave up the ghost a long time ago, about 1988, and was replaced in the mall by Bon-Ton. Finally, Arnot is pronounced by most of the locals (like me) as "AR-nit" not "are-NOT."
McCurdy's came after Izards....I think 1989 was the last year for Iszard's (that was the year I got married and I remember shopping there for China). After McCurdy's came the BonTon.
Thank you for doing this one. I used to work here and always went to this mall and it amazes me how bad it has become. There was a time you couldn't walk through there without bumping into people.
Thanks for sharing. Grew up loving this mall as a girl visiting her grandmother in Elmira heights...coming from a small town, this mall was always my favorite!
I remember my parents driving up the exit ramp, on a chilly rainy afternoon. I was amazed when we got to the top of the ramp. I was 6 years old. We moved to Big Flats/ Horseheads in 1970. I use to ride my bike there in the summer. Spend all day Saturdays hanging out with my friends during the school year. I saw so many movies there. What an amazing place to be growing up. I have many fond memories. The 3rd anchor store was a Grocery store, Loblaws. In the late 80s, i worked for Sears. What a great bunch of people to work with. The Mall was always Busy. Christmas was wonderful. You could shop all day and then go to the flaming pit for drinks. I took my daughter there as she grew up. The Mall was always Busy . Thank you for the Video. It brought back fond memories.
Living in northcentral PA from 1970 to 2010 this was the primary shopping destination, as both malls for us were roughly 45 minutes from home. The Arnot Mall in NY and the Lycoming Mall (another dead mall now) southeast of us beyond Williamsport, PA. My family moved to Mid-Michigan in '10 so I've been out in the midwest for nearly a dozen years -- but still remember this as the place to go to do something while growing up. Sam Goody was my music destination for years. While shopping options often can grow by expanded opportunities -- my family shared an opinion that the Big Flats Consumer Square on the south side of Rt 17/ Southern Tier Expressway nearby to the mall, would someday kill the Arnot Mall. Whether that's ultimately what led to those hard times, or simply the online shopping trends and other shopping changes -- I'm not certain. This may not be universally true for all viewers of this video, and your pronunciation is perhaps actually more correct... However, for regional dialect, for myself and most people, I know -- we say "Arn-ott" Mall, rather than "Are-Not" Mall. This is a subtle and minor point, but it certainly caught my ear when you said the name of the property during this video.
The clouds. Definitely the clouds 😂. Tbh Upstate really is beautiful if your in the right place. The finger lakes? Stunning. Amazing hills and mountains and gorges and waterfalls and just amazing natural scenery. What kills us? The clouds and snow. It’s brutal.
@@DAatDA ah Clifton Park! My girlfriend is from Troy so I’ve spent a Huge amount of time in the Capitol Region as well as the springs when she’s not in college. It does have a little bit of Wilton I completely agree. More then any other mall in the state I can think of it looks like Wilton. That ones very dead too. I was there last summer and it was on lifeline. I can only image what it’s like now...
I'm actually really excited for this. This is my hometown mall and I haven't been there in around a decade, it was still fairly active then. We went there all the time when I was a kid, because honestly there wasn't much else to do in such a small town. So many of the locally owned stores still exist in their original spots, that were there around 25ish years ago when I was a kid. My aunt used to co own the pet store, and I visited the Gamestop (used to be an Electronics Boutique) every time we'd go. The Burlington Coat factory also used to be a Bradlee's, I used to get Legos there. The furniture store near the end with Sears used to be 4 different stores, including a DEB, Radio Shack, Payless, and Dollar Tree. I also used to get pizza from the Picnic Pizza upstairs, and Bills Bullpen is where I got most of my basketball cards. I can pretty much tell you what every single unit in that place used to be back in 96-98.
Remember KB toys? Good memories there. That was back when KB was over there. Waldenbooks was a few stores down. I feel like shoe depot was there before it became in encore in between the two but not positive. Edit: lamo the ending shows a picture that answers my own question! It was a shoe depot there next to KB. And there’s Walden over on the end. Glad my memory didn’t fail Me.
@@spencermaddox5898 Oh yeah my sister and I used to frequent the Kaybee. If I wasn't at Electronics Boutique, I was there while my mom was browsing other stores. Both the Kaybee and the Waldenbooks where definitely over behind the stairs up to the food court.
Where I live their was a " south park mall" opened in 76' lasted about 20 years till the thugs got so much in the customers way and stores started closin
@@bigalsretroroom I spent most of my time and quarters in Time Out upstairs. I haven't been in this mall in years, I grew up 5 miles up the road, I was there all the time in the 90's.
It didn't look open, but still operational, but that Picnic Pizza there was great. Seriously, some of the best NY Greasewheel you could ever find. There used to be good chinese there, too. But I'm not sure if the one there was the same place. There also used to be a cool indoor mini golf course up in the food court. Used to drive from Binghamton to this mall because of the better stores, the pizza, and the golf. Nice day trip when you were a kid. Don't know if you have checked out Oakdale Mall in Johnson City, but its been teetering for a while. They are building a huge new brewery and brew pub there in one of the old anchor spaces.
Hi! Great video! I am an Elmira native and have been going to that mall all my life. I used to work at the Bon Ton and Burlington Coat Factory. God, it's so sad to remember all the stores that have long since been shuttered. I think it was at it's peak in the late 90's and early ought's.
This mall was so beautiful!!!! I love the lighting and the fountains!!!! I love the clock and the food court too!!! Thanks as always for a wonderful video Anthony!!! Take care and stay awesome!!!! 👍🏻😬🙏🏻
@Ace’s Adventures I grew up going to this mall and then later working at this mall. Aèropostale, Journeys, Bath & Body Works, B. Moss, and American Eagle Outfitters. My sister worked at the Charlotte Russe and my brother worked at Hot Topic briefly. I’m from Horseheads. Chemung County is definitely part of the Southern Tier Region of NY State.
Thanks ACE for taking the time to create these videos. I've binge watched every one. I'm from Vermont and I can tell you that there are several dead malls in this State, so I'm looking forward to seeing your perspective on those. GREAT CHANNEL!
Craaap! My local mall made it into a dead mall video! I still love this mall, weekend shopping and black Friday binges were amazing here back in the day! back about 10 or so years ago this place was still hoppin! so sad to see it in this context....Fantastic video though!!!
You nailed the feeling of a mall big, bright pastel and shiny, a place where the weather is always perfect. I think we are really losing something with the malls. The future just doesn't feel like it is going to be big, bright, pastel, or shiny.
Grew up near this mall.. Lots of great memories, including working at JCPenney after high school. Camera work was good, but I wish I could have seen more of the shop names as we passed by. Enjoyed it.. thank you!
Awesome. I havent been there in 10 years! This was really really cool to see. Ive walked 100s of miles through that place. It was the place to be in the 90s and esrly 2ks. Done so many donuts in the giant parking lots!
Hey Ace. I grew up, going to work there. I went there as a kid and I worked there from late Fall of 2001-2006, I worked the night shift. I was the floor man, running a scrubber on the Food Court. Reason why that mall is dying, because the former owners Arnot Realty, not keeping the cleaning equipment fixed at the end of my time there. Also I was there the night that, the floor scrubber for the main common area that ran on propane gas, exploded in 2004, it was the night after Santa came and start the holiday shopping season that year. It was a scary scene. I mean the scrubber blew up so bad it damaged MACY's door when they were still there, that's how the percussions were. I don't going in there often anymore.
I’m a local and this mall started dying roughly 10yrs ago. Before the pandemic. The pet shop is completely closed down due to covid, and some shops have closed permanently due to bankruptcy. There’s been talk about turning into a hotel and rumors about turning it into a super mall. None of which has happened over the years of it dying. Seems it just gets worse and worse. It is very sad bc it used to be an after school hangout and fun time for families. Even the arcade is normally dead if not only 3 people at most. Movie theaters never fill their seats more than 10ppl it seems
1982- 82 -84 i lived in that mall. arcade rocked! saw rocky horror picture show there . during the remodel we drove dirt bikes through the new end lol. oh the good times.. miss that place miss that time in life...
My Grandparents Local Mall. I went to this mall in June of 2018. Ate at the Burger King in the Food Court with the awesome 80’s Neon Sign and it was the only time that I ever went into a Bon-Ton store (I’m from Florida BTW). The Mall looked like it wasn’t doing well back then, but still, not really dead either.
I worked at the Santa photo station there last December! Close to Christmas, the mall hosted a ton of craft vendors; that was the last time I've seen it so full like it was when I was a kid :')
It's so surreal seeing this place in a video. Almost heartbreaking to look at the sad state of the place now. It'd been going downhill for a while before Covid.
i still live in this town and still go to the mall every few weeks, its honestly sad to see how much it's died since my childhood. I remember being so excited to go here early 2000s and see lots of bright colors and shops, now it just feels dead.
Before COVID, it was a really nice place to go for a movie, or just to spend some time. My dear friend opened his restaurant there just two months before everything was shut down. It was starting to take off, slowly but surely, but COVID killed his business, and several other business at the Mall. The closing of the movie theatre signed the death warrant. And the people at the end: the one in the wheelchair, are also a good friends of mine, who lives for Halloween. She and her friend wheeling her, get their jobs every year at the Halloween Warehouse. Great people. :) P.S. Southern Tier, not Central NY
Ace, if you make it to Vermont, check out the Mall in Berlin. Only one of two Malls left with a Walmart as the only anchor store. Very small but never less a “Unique” property to say the least. Stay well.
I grew up going to the Mall. It looks so different than it used to, and not for the better. Aside from the empty storefronts, the aesthetic was beiged out in a big way. Of special note was an intricate hanging platform with stairs and various levels that you could climb on. It literally hung from the ceiling -ca. 1979. There were far more fountains. Before they added on the other end of the mall, the hallway stopped at the twin theater. I remember seeing ET there. It was the place to be on the weekends. Roaming around with your friends and hanging out in the arcade. Makes me sad. P. S. It’s pronounced “AR-nut” rather than “AreNOT.” 😎
I remember those gliders/model planes when i was a kid in the late 80's. also remember seeing Dances with Wolves and that Christmas movie with the reindeer and a little girl sorry forgot the name. great memories my dad grew up in Elmira.
I grew up going to that mall whenever we would visit our relatives in Horseheads but since the pandemic I haven't been able to visit from Canada and check up on my favourite small town mall :). I was also sad to see the Toys R Us close up years before on the lot behind the mall too.
You gotta make a trip up to Massena, NY. That mall was on it's way out but I haven't been there in years so it must be worse. Keep up the good work, Ace!
I remember when so many people where going to this place. So many families, the theaters where packed. When I went there a couple weeks ago it was empty. Barley anybody was at the place, it was sad seeing a place with so many people before this just die out.
Local here. The area in which the mall and other plazas in that area are in either Big Flats, Horseheads, or Elmira. The three all run together in that area. Also, not trying to be condescending, but the area this mall is in isn’t Central NY, we are considered to be in the Finger Lakes area. If you decide to do the day trip as suggested, I would highly recommended staying in Corning. There are a lot of shady people who frequent the hotels near the mall. If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to help to the best of my ability.
I grew up in this area and always went to this mall and used to be full of people, and I haven't been there in years and looking at it now on this video I am really in shock, how it has really went down hill.
We just went there last Saturday and there was a decent amount of people there. Although there was a good amount of empty stores. It’s just not a good place anymore.
It’s crazy! My current closest mall to me is known to be one of the most upscale and sought after malls. But with such a big anchor space and a HUGE middle city complex (which was built around this mall many years after the malls huge growth and continued growth through even through the recession) with power center stores right across from it, this mall is now dying as well even though it made it through the 2000’s and 2010’s. It lost sears back in 2018 but it did not have much effect on this wing oddly. Now it lost a Lord and Taylor. This may kill off the whole side of the mall eventually IF they do not find a tenant to fill the lord and taylor. I see the sears eventually being demolished.
As someone from the area it's a real bummer. Had memories of Arnot Mall all growing up and making the drive up and back was always an adventure. But it was struggling before the pandemic and is even more dead now. Also I *think* it's technically in Horseheads, just to clarify. I'm from about an hour away so the exact lines it falls on I'm not super clear on
Local here. Horseheads is the more residential area and the armor mall target best buy that place is big flats. It’s also pronounced Are-Nut Arnot. Head up to harris hill if you’re in town but our mall definitely isn’t dead.
The mall isn’t as good as it was but it does still have a lot of stores in and around it with three giant plazas in the big flats general area but there’s no shortage of cool shit around big flats you just gotta be there long enough
in fact there used to be a regal cinemas sign out front that showed listings and i watched a movie at the mall one day during a bad storm and the electric went out in the mall a few times and when we went home the sign fell over
They still have their Ruby Tuesday; mine's been gone for over a year. It was in a small strip of stores. I haven't been inside a mall in years so have no idea how the local ones are doing.
I am a Electrician and traveled from Nj to work at Burlington in this mall it was very unique I noticed a saddle shop in there and a store to buy tombstones I enjoyed this mall sad to see it go.
So the Arnot Mall isn't dead. You went in October, during a pandemic, when everyone is staying home. If you went December, you would have seen the wall to wall shoppers that showed up. This mall is far from dead.
its so sad. The so many of the mall's stores have closed in the last 2 years. Me and my friends use to go all around it. But now we really just go to hot topic, fye, And upstairs. Its just so sad to me to see my childhood mall dying. :/
I remember going in this mall back around 2007-2008 and the place was jammed with people. Doesn't look that way now. A lot of the retail seems to have dispersed to all the development on the south side of the interstate.
I know this is years late and not sure if it’s been covered but you asked about the municipality the mall is in. It is technically in the Town of Big Flats but has a Horseheads mailing address. Additionally a couple years later this mall is now close to maybe 20% occupancy. The American eagle, Victoria’s Secret, Kay jewelers and a number of other stores have since closed. I
Very sad and depressing for any mall. Only the strong will survive. Without the anchor stores of Sears, JC Penny’s and Macy’s the malls as we used to know it are doomed. Before the internet and online shopping the malls used to be packed with foot traffic. Times has definitely changed. Online shopping has put an end to the malls.
Went to this mall a few times as a kid, mostly in passing through on our way to Canandaigua during summer trips. Probably have not been there since Christmas time of 1980, maybe 1981; remember it being wintertime and decorated for the holidays, along with buying a couple of 45s from a record store. Back then, Recordland and/or Listening Booth were in most malls, but it may have been something else entirely at Arnot. Also hard to believe that it didn't expand until 1980 as my strongest memories of the mall were from when it had a Bradlees. 🤔🤷♂️
Grew up just across the border in the 80s/90s. Signature of the mall was the giant toy soldiers outside the entrance and the smell from the fountains when you walked in. Before the movie theater was added there used to be a coin op remote control car track outside the hallway to the bathrooms in the food court. Picnic Pizza was iconic. Great arcade. When I was old enough to walk around alone with friends we’d always sneak into Oriental Gifts to look at naked posters. Straight pimp if you owned every color of Blue Zone jeans from Chess King. Covid was more of a final nail in the coffin as the writing had been on the wall for a decade or more. For years the main halls have looked worse than exit wings in more prominent malls. Massive retail development across the highway and the anchor stores (Sears, JCP, May company) complete failure to stay relevant with Millenials/Gen Z and adapt to modern commerce models and overlap with other big box chains. Hell, it probably started back when Toys R Us went in around the corner.
To me this is sad.... this used to be such a fun place to go to. That last picture of the brick flooring I miss no end. I didn't like the new flooring and felt that the complexion of the Arnot Mall changed in 1998 when they put that in. The strip Malls didn't help this Mall any, but the Owners always charged Stores WAY TOO MUCH for lot rent, and they got some 17%-20% of store profits too. No wonder why this Mall is on Life Support. I do appreciate the vintage pictures at the end of this video
The skylights and some of the floor designs in that mall seem very similar to Hickory Ridge Mall. I wondered if they were developed by the same developer or they bought the construction supplies from the same manufacturer.
"Headed out to another mall today?" "Yeah, Arnot." "What? But you've got your camera and walking shoes on, you're going to a mall!" "Arnot." "Don't lie to me!" sorry.
Anthony from what it looks like to me it looks like they cut the fountain in half and put up a wall with trees there I know you said it's still in the center court but is that what they did or did they move it to a different spot in the center court?
I am a local and have been going to this mall for almost 40 years. It is right beside the Elmira-Corning regional airport. While it is very close to the Big Flats town limits, it is definitely in Horseheads, NY. It is sad that this mall is now just a small shell of its former self. It is still well maintained, but soooooo many store fronts are now shuttered. The only thing I still go to the mall for is the Regal movie theater and The Great American Cookie Co for birthday cookie cakes.
@@AcesAdventures1 For retail, I go by the states definition for economic regions www.osc.state.ny.us/sites/default/files/local-government/documents/pdf/2019-01/economic_development_regions.pdf
Not sure exactly where you live, but another very dead mall is the Hudson Valley Mall in Kingston, NY. It lost almost all its anchors, including Macy’s, JCP, Sears and Best Buy. I think the only thing saving it is a Target that was built on the end. It used to be such an active, bustling mall - so sad to see it fade away.
I go there sometimes with my family, it isn't really that packed and the restaurants in the food court are constantly changing due to no one coming to the mall and not gaining enough money, a real shame
Looks like this mall is beginning the slide. A quick 3 anchor loss is too much to overcome. Lots of quirky businesses have moved in. The Sears court and food court area look awesome. This place has the 90's look and feel to it. I did notice 2 different Piercing Pagoda kiosks, so at least some businesses are doing well there.
So I can tell you it is in Big Flats NY. Everything in that retail area is considered big flats. Then magically when you get over to where that large Walmart plaza is (not sure if you saw that) that’s when it becomes horseheads. Funny enough everyone calls the area “horseheads”. It’s like a Mandela effect among Elmira and horseheads locals. Everyone seems to think it’s in horseheads. Also I remember the Neon. Ugh. Absolutely a crime that it’s gone. Thanks for giving exposure to this forgotten mall (and forgotten town for that matter)!!
The East end is located in the town of Horseheads. Western end is in town of Big Flats. 2/2020 update. Game stop, and several more stores closed now. Hard to imagine the place still being open in 2022. They close at 7pm now, so day shift people that work till 5pm don't get to go there in the evening much anymore. Same for Saturday, 7pm. Why not at least 8?? I remember when it opened in 1967, I was 7 years old. I think now, Spencer Gifts and Penny's are the 2 original stores left in their original locations.
As of this date a lot more stores have closed. The parking lot has open holes that can swallow a small car. What really did this in was high retail space rental cost and Consumer Square strip mall is right across the valley. We only go here for movies or for two stores we use once in a while. Consumer Square is busy.
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*****ATTENTION EVERYONE PLEASE READ******
Please mute your TV's for 1 second at these times....
4:22
7:28
11:23
For some unknown reason, there is a very quick sound spike, and TH-cam will not allow me to edit the video, apologies for this! Thanks!.....Ace
It made me jump
Wish I had read the warning beforehand. Scared the crap out of me every time. 😂 Another great video though. Thanks, Ace! 🙂
Made me jump each time. Lol
Thank you for the clarification. Quick question.
Do you think it is possible to edit the footage of this episode and then re-upload it to YT, and then private or delete this version of the video once you have confirmed that the new version is working?
@@alyxgraff9121 That'd be nice. It would suck for him to lose the views but it's tough having to remember to mute at three spots or risk blowing my tweeters out. Can't read comments on my TV TH-cam app to see timestamps.
I used to love Arnot mall when I was a teen
I enjoy these videos although they're quite sad.
Someone in the comments has probably already covered this. Just in case...
Horseheads or Big Flats? The Arnot Mall is located in the unincorporated part of the Town of Big Flats, but the mailing address (the post office that covers it) is Horseheads. If you're being a stickler, it's Big Flats, but we're not hung up about that. I was impressed you knew that it was originally called "The Mall."
One of the two original anchors when The Mall opened was Iszard's, Penney's was the other. Iszard's was an Elmira department store that was a little more upscale, a little pricier, than JC Penney's. Think Lord & Taylor's. Iszard's gave up the ghost a long time ago, about 1988, and was replaced in the mall by Bon-Ton.
Finally, Arnot is pronounced by most of the locals (like me) as "AR-nit" not "are-NOT."
McCurdy's came after Izards....I think 1989 was the last year for Iszard's (that was the year I got married and I remember shopping there for China). After McCurdy's came the BonTon.
Me, years ago: "Why would I want to watch someone else walking around filming malls??"
Me, 2020: "YES PLEASE! More of this!"
Thank you for doing this one. I used to work here and always went to this mall and it amazes me how bad it has become. There was a time you couldn't walk through there without bumping into people.
Thanks for sharing. Grew up loving this mall as a girl visiting her grandmother in Elmira heights...coming from a small town, this mall was always my favorite!
I remember my parents driving up the exit ramp, on a chilly rainy afternoon. I was amazed when we got to the top of the ramp. I was 6 years old.
We moved to Big Flats/ Horseheads in 1970.
I use to ride my bike there in the summer. Spend all day Saturdays hanging out with my friends during the school year. I saw so many movies there. What an amazing place to be growing up. I have many fond memories. The 3rd anchor store was a Grocery store, Loblaws.
In the late 80s, i worked for Sears. What a great bunch of people to work with. The Mall was always Busy. Christmas was wonderful. You could shop all day and then go to the flaming pit for drinks.
I took my daughter there as she grew up. The Mall was always Busy .
Thank you for the Video. It brought back fond memories.
Living in northcentral PA from 1970 to 2010 this was the primary shopping destination, as both malls for us were roughly 45 minutes from home. The Arnot Mall in NY and the Lycoming Mall (another dead mall now) southeast of us beyond Williamsport, PA. My family moved to Mid-Michigan in '10 so I've been out in the midwest for nearly a dozen years -- but still remember this as the place to go to do something while growing up. Sam Goody was my music destination for years.
While shopping options often can grow by expanded opportunities -- my family shared an opinion that the Big Flats Consumer Square on the south side of Rt 17/ Southern Tier Expressway nearby to the mall, would someday kill the Arnot Mall. Whether that's ultimately what led to those hard times, or simply the online shopping trends and other shopping changes -- I'm not certain.
This may not be universally true for all viewers of this video, and your pronunciation is perhaps actually more correct... However, for regional dialect, for myself and most people, I know -- we say "Arn-ott" Mall, rather than "Are-Not" Mall. This is a subtle and minor point, but it certainly caught my ear when you said the name of the property during this video.
It's very Upstate NY looking. I can't describe what I mean by that, it just is.
The clouds. Definitely the clouds 😂.
Tbh Upstate really is beautiful if your in the right place. The finger lakes? Stunning.
Amazing hills and mountains and gorges and waterfalls and just amazing natural scenery.
What kills us? The clouds and snow.
It’s brutal.
I grew up in Clifton Park, near albany. The interior of this mall reminds me of Wilton Mall near Saratoga.
@@DAatDA ah Clifton Park! My girlfriend is from Troy so I’ve spent a Huge amount of time in the Capitol Region as well as the springs when she’s not in college.
It does have a little bit of Wilton I completely agree.
More then any other mall in the state I can think of it looks like Wilton.
That ones very dead too. I was there last summer and it was on lifeline. I can only image what it’s like now...
@@DAatDA Wilton mall and Aviation mall are the malls I went to.
I grew up North of NYC in the Hudson Valley..... Don't know what that statement means.....
I'm actually really excited for this. This is my hometown mall and I haven't been there in around a decade, it was still fairly active then. We went there all the time when I was a kid, because honestly there wasn't much else to do in such a small town. So many of the locally owned stores still exist in their original spots, that were there around 25ish years ago when I was a kid. My aunt used to co own the pet store, and I visited the Gamestop (used to be an Electronics Boutique) every time we'd go. The Burlington Coat factory also used to be a Bradlee's, I used to get Legos there. The furniture store near the end with Sears used to be 4 different stores, including a DEB, Radio Shack, Payless, and Dollar Tree. I also used to get pizza from the Picnic Pizza upstairs, and Bills Bullpen is where I got most of my basketball cards. I can pretty much tell you what every single unit in that place used to be back in 96-98.
Remember KB toys? Good memories there. That was back when KB was over there. Waldenbooks was a few stores down. I feel like shoe depot was there before it became in encore in between the two but not positive.
Edit: lamo the ending shows a picture that answers my own question! It was a shoe depot there next to KB. And there’s Walden over on the end. Glad my memory didn’t fail Me.
@@spencermaddox5898 Oh yeah my sister and I used to frequent the Kaybee. If I wasn't at Electronics Boutique, I was there while my mom was browsing other stores. Both the Kaybee and the Waldenbooks where definitely over behind the stairs up to the food court.
Where I live their was a " south park mall" opened in 76' lasted about 20 years till the thugs got so much in the customers way and stores started closin
@@bigalsretroroom I spent most of my time and quarters in Time Out upstairs. I haven't been in this mall in years, I grew up 5 miles up the road, I was there all the time in the 90's.
Bills Bullpen was great!
It didn't look open, but still operational, but that Picnic Pizza there was great. Seriously, some of the best NY Greasewheel you could ever find. There used to be good chinese there, too. But I'm not sure if the one there was the same place. There also used to be a cool indoor mini golf course up in the food court. Used to drive from Binghamton to this mall because of the better stores, the pizza, and the golf. Nice day trip when you were a kid. Don't know if you have checked out Oakdale Mall in Johnson City, but its been teetering for a while. They are building a huge new brewery and brew pub there in one of the old anchor spaces.
Hi! Great video! I am an Elmira native and have been going to that mall all my life. I used to work at the Bon Ton and Burlington Coat Factory. God, it's so sad to remember all the stores that have long since been shuttered. I think it was at it's peak in the late 90's and early ought's.
This mall was so beautiful!!!! I love the lighting and the fountains!!!!
I love the clock and the food court too!!!
Thanks as always for a wonderful video Anthony!!!
Take care and stay awesome!!!! 👍🏻😬🙏🏻
You should have seen the fountains it had when it opened in 1967. Underwater lighting, foot bridges across the pools, etc. Long gone now.
@@funone8716 I remember those fountains! Before the mall expanded.
@@christopherlankenau6916 Right in front of McCorrys (sp) which is now Olympia sports.
They removed a lot of the charm, it used to have more fountains back in the day
@Ace’s Adventures I grew up going to this mall and then later working at this mall. Aèropostale, Journeys, Bath & Body Works, B. Moss, and American Eagle Outfitters. My sister worked at the Charlotte Russe and my brother worked at Hot Topic briefly. I’m from Horseheads. Chemung County is definitely part of the Southern Tier Region of NY State.
Coming here to post Southern Tier not CNY 😊
@@MaryellenDodge Right. Definitely not Central New York.
Thanks ACE for taking the time to create these videos. I've binge watched every one. I'm from Vermont and I can tell you that there are several dead malls in this State, so I'm looking forward to seeing your perspective on those. GREAT CHANNEL!
Craaap! My local mall made it into a dead mall video! I still love this mall, weekend shopping and black Friday binges were amazing here back in the day! back about 10 or so years ago this place was still hoppin! so sad to see it in this context....Fantastic video though!!!
Man when I was a kid it was such a treat going to that mall or Pyramid mall in Ithaca
It's Horseheads, NY and we are the Southern Tier not CNY ;)
It says horseheads right in the title and southern tier is part of CNY
@@youtubertoo CNY is considered Syracuse area NOT Southern Tier
@@Banach95 cny is much larger than you think
I guess shithole would have worked too. The most accurate description... 😂😂😂
You nailed the feeling of a mall big, bright pastel and shiny, a place where the weather is always perfect. I think we are really losing something with the malls. The future just doesn't feel like it is going to be big, bright, pastel, or shiny.
Grew up near this mall.. Lots of great memories, including working at JCPenney after high school. Camera work was good, but I wish I could have seen more of the shop names as we passed by. Enjoyed it.. thank you!
Awesome. I havent been there in 10 years! This was really really cool to see. Ive walked 100s of miles through that place. It was the place to be in the 90s and esrly 2ks. Done so many donuts in the giant parking lots!
Hey Ace. I grew up, going to work there. I went there as a kid and I worked there from late Fall of 2001-2006, I worked the night shift. I was the floor man, running a scrubber on the Food Court. Reason why that mall is dying, because the former owners Arnot Realty, not keeping the cleaning equipment fixed at the end of my time there. Also I was there the night that, the floor scrubber for the main common area that ran on propane gas, exploded in 2004, it was the night after Santa came and start the holiday shopping season that year. It was a scary scene. I mean the scrubber blew up so bad it damaged MACY's door when they were still there, that's how the percussions were. I don't going in there often anymore.
I’m a local and this mall started dying roughly 10yrs ago. Before the pandemic. The pet shop is completely closed down due to covid, and some shops have closed permanently due to bankruptcy. There’s been talk about turning into a hotel and rumors about turning it into a super mall. None of which has happened over the years of it dying. Seems it just gets worse and worse. It is very sad bc it used to be an after school hangout and fun time for families. Even the arcade is normally dead if not only 3 people at most. Movie theaters never fill their seats more than 10ppl it seems
1982- 82 -84 i lived in that mall. arcade rocked! saw rocky horror picture show there . during the remodel we drove dirt bikes through the new end lol. oh the good times.. miss that place miss that time in life...
The last time there was the last day Sears was open. Miss my Sears!😢 Haven’t been back since. Cute Mall tho. Nice Vid Ace
My Grandparents Local Mall. I went to this mall in June of 2018. Ate at the Burger King in the Food Court with the awesome 80’s Neon Sign and it was the only time that I ever went into a Bon-Ton store (I’m from Florida BTW). The Mall looked like it wasn’t doing well back then, but still, not really dead either.
Even mall of America in Minnesota is half empty . The days of the mall are past tence rent is to high profit in these places is non existent.
I love your narrative how you describe these malls
I worked at the Santa photo station there last December! Close to Christmas, the mall hosted a ton of craft vendors; that was the last time I've seen it so full like it was when I was a kid :')
I used to go to this Arnot Mall when I was a child, teenager and my beginning of the my adulthood.
It's so surreal seeing this place in a video. Almost heartbreaking to look at the sad state of the place now. It'd been going downhill for a while before Covid.
i still live in this town and still go to the mall every few weeks, its honestly sad to see how much it's died since my childhood. I remember being so excited to go here early 2000s and see lots of bright colors and shops, now it just feels dead.
Before COVID, it was a really nice place to go for a movie, or just to spend some time. My dear friend opened his restaurant there just two months before everything was shut down. It was starting to take off, slowly but surely, but COVID killed his business, and several other business at the Mall. The closing of the movie theatre signed the death warrant. And the people at the end: the one in the wheelchair, are also a good friends of mine, who lives for Halloween. She and her friend wheeling her, get their jobs every year at the Halloween Warehouse. Great people. :) P.S. Southern Tier, not Central NY
My beloved mall 🥺 almost all of my childhood memories revolve around this place.
Ace, if you make it to Vermont, check out the Mall in Berlin. Only one of two Malls left with a Walmart as the only anchor store. Very small but never less a “Unique” property to say the least. Stay well.
I grew up going to the Mall. It looks so different than it used to, and not for the better. Aside from the empty storefronts, the aesthetic was beiged out in a big way. Of special note was an intricate hanging platform with stairs and various levels that you could climb on. It literally hung from the ceiling -ca. 1979. There were far more fountains. Before they added on the other end of the mall, the hallway stopped at the twin theater. I remember seeing ET there. It was the place to be on the weekends. Roaming around with your friends and hanging out in the arcade. Makes me sad.
P. S. It’s pronounced “AR-nut” rather than “AreNOT.” 😎
I remember those gliders/model planes when i was a kid in the late 80's. also remember seeing Dances with Wolves and that Christmas movie with the reindeer and a little girl sorry forgot the name. great memories my dad grew up in Elmira.
It was 1986 I believe when those gliders were put up. I remember my brothers, my dad, and I were watching them being hung
@@ckulcavage oh wow great stuff thanks
Ace you have the best music and you know it buddy
went at the wrong time shits usually bussin
I grew up going to that mall whenever we would visit our relatives in Horseheads but since the pandemic I haven't been able to visit from Canada and check up on my favourite small town mall :). I was also sad to see the Toys R Us close up years before on the lot behind the mall too.
You gotta make a trip up to Massena, NY. That mall was on it's way out but I haven't been there in years so it must be worse. Keep up the good work, Ace!
6:55 right up there on the balcony in front of regal cinemas i used to bring a blanket in and eat lunch there with my dog i miss her a lot.
Thank God here in Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 we have a mall culture . People go a lot to malls . I enjoy your videos a lottt.
That's a really nice mall, ours is smaller and less stores open, very 😥 😔. I do miss them.
I just went here today and it seemed far from dead. Tons of shoppers and lots of stores were open. The arcade and fye were awesome.
I live locally and I can remember this mall in the 1990's and early 2000's. It was booming.
I remember when so many people where going to this place. So many families, the theaters where packed. When I went there a couple weeks ago it was empty. Barley anybody was at the place, it was sad seeing a place with so many people before this just die out.
No risk of covid-19 in that empty ass building.
This comment has me dying 🤣😂
I bought a NES game at Bradlees in this mall 1990. I went to Mansfield U in PA 45 miles away.
Looks kind of depressing, like the store knows it's on borrowed time like many other malls and retailers across the globe.
This mall looks like memories suspended in time
Local here. The area in which the mall and other plazas in that area are in either
Big Flats, Horseheads, or Elmira. The three all run together in that area.
Also, not trying to be condescending, but the area this mall is in isn’t Central NY, we are considered to be in the Finger Lakes area.
If you decide to do the day trip as suggested, I would highly recommended staying in Corning. There are a lot of shady people who frequent the hotels near the mall.
If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to help to the best of my ability.
I grew up in this area and always went to this mall and used to be full of people, and I haven't been there in years and looking at it now on this video I am really in shock, how it has really went down hill.
Yes it has gone downhill
was there once and saw a movie. really cool place
So sad. As a teenager I spent so much time there. 😥
We just went there last Saturday and there was a decent amount of people there. Although there was a good amount of empty stores. It’s just not a good place anymore.
take it back, rn!!!!
It’s crazy! My current closest mall to me is known to be one of the most upscale and sought after malls. But with such a big anchor space and a HUGE middle city complex (which was built around this mall many years after the malls huge growth and continued growth through even through the recession) with power center stores right across from it, this mall is now dying as well even though it made it through the 2000’s and 2010’s. It lost sears back in 2018 but it did not have much effect on this wing oddly. Now it lost a Lord and Taylor. This may kill off the whole side of the mall eventually IF they do not find a tenant to fill the lord and taylor. I see the sears eventually being demolished.
As someone from the area it's a real bummer. Had memories of Arnot Mall all growing up and making the drive up and back was always an adventure. But it was struggling before the pandemic and is even more dead now.
Also I *think* it's technically in Horseheads, just to clarify. I'm from about an hour away so the exact lines it falls on I'm not super clear on
Local here. Horseheads is the more residential area and the armor mall target best buy that place is big flats. It’s also pronounced Are-Nut Arnot. Head up to harris hill if you’re in town but our mall definitely isn’t dead.
The mall isn’t as good as it was but it does still have a lot of stores in and around it with three giant plazas in the big flats general area but there’s no shortage of cool shit around big flats you just gotta be there long enough
in fact there used to be a regal cinemas sign out front that showed listings and i watched a movie at the mall one day during a bad storm and the electric went out in the mall a few times and when we went home the sign fell over
They still have their Ruby Tuesday; mine's been gone for over a year. It was in a small strip of stores. I haven't been inside a mall in years so have no idea how the local ones are doing.
I am a Electrician and traveled from Nj to work at Burlington in this mall it was very unique I noticed a saddle shop in there and a store to buy tombstones I enjoyed this mall sad to see it go.
So the Arnot Mall isn't dead. You went in October, during a pandemic, when everyone is staying home. If you went December, you would have seen the wall to wall shoppers that showed up. This mall is far from dead.
Dying as more stores have closed actually.
its so sad. The so many of the mall's stores have closed in the last 2 years. Me and my friends use to go all around it. But now we really just go to hot topic, fye, And upstairs. Its just so sad to me to see my childhood mall dying. :/
As a Local I'm pretty sure it is Big Flats, we honestly don't know either
Halloween Superstore! Dope!
the are-not mall is dope af because of annie's pretzels
I remember going in this mall back around 2007-2008 and the place was jammed with people. Doesn't look that way now. A lot of the retail seems to have dispersed to all the development on the south side of the interstate.
I know this is years late and not sure if it’s been covered but you asked about the municipality the mall is in. It is technically in the Town of Big Flats but has a Horseheads mailing address.
Additionally a couple years later this mall is now close to maybe 20% occupancy. The American eagle, Victoria’s Secret, Kay jewelers and a number of other stores have since closed.
I
This mall looks more like the malls here in Australia than the ones you usually show. We’re still open in most states though.
It's in Horseheads and it's pronounced "r-knit", not "are-knot"
Back in the mid 80’s my favorite stores as a kid was fluff n stuff and World Of Science
The clock looks identical to the one at North Dekalb Mall in Atlanta.
Hometown mall... Back in the 90s early 2000 this mall was always the spot.. It's lost alot of great stores but great tattoo shop is there!!
Not anymore. Tattoo shop is gone
This is actually my hometown mall and it is intact in big flats, it is very sad that just a few years ago, this mall was so alive and fun
Ace, great video. It's in Big Flats, as the sign says, "Big Flats - Planned and Growing."
More like Restricted and GOing
It’s in Horseheads. The malls website says the address is Horseheads the post office says the address is Horseheads
@@Oksure420 Mailing address and physical address ........two different things.
Dead malls = perfect acoustics to sit on a bench and play your acoustic guitar.
Very sad and depressing for any mall. Only the strong will survive. Without the anchor stores of Sears, JC Penny’s and Macy’s the malls as we used to know it are doomed. Before the internet and online shopping the malls used to be packed with foot traffic. Times has definitely changed. Online shopping has put an end to the malls.
Went to this mall a few times as a kid, mostly in passing through on our way to Canandaigua during summer trips. Probably have not been there since Christmas time of 1980, maybe 1981; remember it being wintertime and decorated for the holidays, along with buying a couple of 45s from a record store. Back then, Recordland and/or Listening Booth were in most malls, but it may have been something else entirely at Arnot. Also hard to believe that it didn't expand until 1980 as my strongest memories of the mall were from when it had a Bradlees. 🤔🤷♂️
Arnot used to house a Sam Goody and a shop called Record Town which later morphed into FYE.
It's in Horseheads. Big Flats is close by, though. :)
Grew up just across the border in the 80s/90s. Signature of the mall was the giant toy soldiers outside the entrance and the smell from the fountains when you walked in. Before the movie theater was added there used to be a coin op remote control car track outside the hallway to the bathrooms in the food court. Picnic Pizza was iconic. Great arcade. When I was old enough to walk around alone with friends we’d always sneak into Oriental Gifts to look at naked posters. Straight pimp if you owned every color of Blue Zone jeans from Chess King.
Covid was more of a final nail in the coffin as the writing had been on the wall for a decade or more. For years the main halls have looked worse than exit wings in more prominent malls. Massive retail development across the highway and the anchor stores (Sears, JCP, May company) complete failure to stay relevant with Millenials/Gen Z and adapt to modern commerce models and overlap with other big box chains. Hell, it probably started back when Toys R Us went in around the corner.
To me this is sad.... this used to be such a fun place to go to. That last picture of the brick flooring I miss no end. I didn't like the new flooring and felt that the complexion of the Arnot Mall changed in 1998 when they put that in. The strip Malls didn't help this Mall any, but the Owners always charged Stores WAY TOO MUCH for lot rent, and they got some 17%-20% of store profits too. No wonder why this Mall is on Life Support. I do appreciate the vintage pictures at the end of this video
I WANT TO SEE MORE VINTAGE PICTURES
This was the mall I went to as a teen.
The skylights and some of the floor designs in that mall seem very similar to Hickory Ridge Mall. I wondered if they were developed by the same developer or they bought the construction supplies from the same manufacturer.
Is so sad to see all the malls are dead hopefully will getting better after corona virus 🦠 over
From Laos
"Headed out to another mall today?" "Yeah, Arnot." "What? But you've got your camera and walking shoes on, you're going to a mall!" "Arnot." "Don't lie to me!"
sorry.
"Arso!" "Arnot!" "Arso!" "Arnot!" etc.
Anthony from what it looks like to me it looks like they cut the fountain in half and put up a wall with trees there I know you said it's still in the center court but is that what they did or did they move it to a different spot in the center court?
Went to Elmira College next town over and went there with friends few times for movies
I am a local and have been going to this mall for almost 40 years. It is right beside the Elmira-Corning regional airport. While it is very close to the Big Flats town limits, it is definitely in Horseheads, NY. It is sad that this mall is now just a small shell of its former self. It is still well maintained, but soooooo many store fronts are now shuttered. The only thing I still go to the mall for is the Regal movie theater and The Great American Cookie Co for birthday cookie cakes.
Not in central NY, it's in southern NY near the PA border.
Yeah. The only thing "central" about it is it is nearly in the center of the Southern Tier! 😀
That's southern tier, not central New York. Practically in PA at that point. Lol
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Tier
I am a local, it’s not southern tier anymore and is more central to the state, The southern tier is Jamestown, Olean etc...
@@AcesAdventures1 I'm in Syracuse, so I thought I was closer to there than you. Guess not.
@@TheClockUpOnTheWall i guess it’s debatable but to me Horseheads area is close enough to central ish, south central maybe 🤣
@@AcesAdventures1 For retail, I go by the states definition for economic regions
www.osc.state.ny.us/sites/default/files/local-government/documents/pdf/2019-01/economic_development_regions.pdf
@@AcesAdventures1 Horseheads is very close to Elmira and next you are in Pennsylvania
I did not know this mall was near Watkins Glen, NY!!!
Same here. My FIL used to race there all the time.
Not sure exactly where you live, but another very dead mall is the Hudson Valley Mall in Kingston, NY. It lost almost all its anchors, including Macy’s, JCP, Sears and Best Buy. I think the only thing saving it is a Target that was built on the end. It used to be such an active, bustling mall - so sad to see it fade away.
This is not Central New York. This mall is located in the Southern Tier of New York State.
Why do you get random static in your audio...nvm saw your post about the spike
I go there sometimes with my family, it isn't really that packed and the restaurants in the food court are constantly changing due to no one coming to the mall and not gaining enough money, a real shame
Looks like this mall is beginning the slide. A quick 3 anchor loss is too much to overcome. Lots of quirky businesses have moved in. The Sears court and food court area look awesome. This place has the 90's look and feel to it. I did notice 2 different Piercing Pagoda kiosks, so at least some businesses are doing well there.
If you see it now, it a so depressing especially being a local.😢
So I can tell you it is in Big Flats NY. Everything in that retail area is considered big flats. Then magically when you get over to where that large Walmart plaza is (not sure if you saw that) that’s when it becomes horseheads. Funny enough everyone calls the area “horseheads”. It’s like a Mandela effect among Elmira and horseheads locals. Everyone seems to think it’s in horseheads.
Also I remember the Neon. Ugh. Absolutely a crime that it’s gone.
Thanks for giving exposure to this forgotten mall (and forgotten town for that matter)!!
Yes even the mall says they are in Horseheads even the post office says they are in Horseheads even their address says Horseheads
Big Flats does not start until you’re on the other side of the airport the mall is Horseheads
My heart hurts seeing Arnot Mall like this
The East end is located in the town of Horseheads. Western end is in town of Big Flats. 2/2020 update. Game stop, and several more stores closed now. Hard to imagine the place still being open in 2022. They close at 7pm now, so day shift people that work till 5pm don't get to go there in the evening much anymore. Same for Saturday, 7pm. Why not at least 8?? I remember when it opened in 1967, I was 7 years old. I think now, Spencer Gifts and Penny's are the 2 original stores left in their original locations.
As of this date a lot more stores have closed. The parking lot has open holes that can swallow a small car. What really did this in was high retail space rental cost and Consumer Square strip mall is right across the valley. We only go here for movies or for two stores we use once in a while. Consumer Square is busy.