THE REAL TOURS: #6 Exton Square Mall - Raw & Real Retail
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- This is the 6th tour of our new series, THE REAL TOURS, in which we provide an in the moment glimpse into a place with off-the-cuff commentary completely intact! No research, no script, just RRR letting you in on their insights and observations walking the malls.
If you've been watching our channel, you know this is a mall we keep close tabs on and visit often. We decided to visit this property on this day specifically because it was when a deal was finalized to sell the mall by PREIT to a developer named Brandywine Realty Trust, who are not known for maintaining malls, rather specializing in mixed use properties. Rumors are already circulating that half of the property will be converted into medical lab facilities. This seems to be the winning formula at this mall, with much of the first floor being used as outpatient doctor's offices. The mall currently sits in a dismal state, with an occupancy rate under 20%. A tragic state of affairs, considering how beautiful the mall is, with the 90s wood grain renovation dazzling you at every turn. Hopefully the property remains accessible and relatively unchanged, but at least we now have a record of its decline and renovation to come.
This tour was recorded on April 26, 2022 at around 7pm
The Gertrude Hawk space was also a bakery called Au Bon Pain in the 90s.
Yep. My daughter worked there. Sad about the mall dying.
I couldn't remember the name. Thanks
The robotics space at one point was a Sam Goody and FYE.
I thought the FYE was next to the KB Toys
My second childhood mall. Coventry was closer, but in the 80s this one had some stores that Coventry Mall didn't. The main one I remember was a PC Software store. I want to say it was Electronics Boutique, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Lower level, near one of the corners. Also at one point there was also a gallery selling high-end Holographic Art Prints but that store was short lived.
One of these days, a Retail Chronicler is going to include the Zook House in their visit to Exton Square Mall, a farm house that was built in 1790 near where the Boscov's anchor is currently (But it is not this day.). When the mall got built, they moved the historic structure about a US Football field's length to the southwest, putting it on the outside of the perimeter road surrounding the parking lot. It's been used for various things since then, and would be a neat addendum to any video on this mall.
I know this is a stretch, but I think it'd be cool if at some point, coverage of this mall would hit up the Chester County Library/District Center that's *also* on the mall's perimeter road. I know it's not retail, but 5-year-old to 14-year-old me thought it was a pretty bomb-ass library with some awesome architecture. Pretty much any visit we had to Exton Square also meant hitting up this library.
I need my 70s fix with all 70s music lol
My local mall. This mall died what seems like overnight. So sad. I’m gonna miss it when it’s gone, I believe the property just got bought.
Yeah, PREIT finally sold to Brandywine
Before the renovation, the space where Kay and Time after Time is was actually an open free standing Chick-Fil-A. And there was always a little old lady handing out samples of nuggets on toothpicks.
Awesome video! Great to get another update on this beautiful mall, and learn a little about it too. Man I do wish both of those fountains were still there.
when I lived in West Chester back in the day-- I remember going to this mall pre-renovation... it was a great mall back then. Sad to see what our malls have become :(
The store on the right at 7:00 was the second Electronics Boutique store the company opened. Their first store was in the KOP Mall across from the Plaza food court.
Great video...I was there 4 years ago and it was dead then.
Wow, what an impressive mall architecturally and it's huge! Sad seeing these places in decline..If those walls could talk!!
I remember when the town square was being built and everyone said it would kill the Exton mall. First it killed borders, then it chipped away at the clothing retail with Walmart. The fountain I heard got stopped because of someone dumping bubbles.
Good tour of this unique mall, thanks RRR. I wonder if any of these malls elect to be Convention centers? There are major event convention centers in places throughout the US, and the mall design would be great if they include movie theater arenas for some of the panels and movies. Then in the mall, have all the booths lining the halls.
I worked at Baskin-Robbins in this mall in 1978, my junior year of high school. It’s a beautiful mall now. Amazon and inflated rent killed all these malls.
I disagree. Poor management and shifting customer trends killed most indoor malls. This mall is located in an area with many thriving outdoor shopping centers and lifestyle centers all around it. If Amazon was to blame then they all would be hurting too. Instead, the same stores in the mall move out and into the huge strip center next door.
@@RawRealRetail they’ll be next. It all takes time. It’s a big picture.
If you only knew the people who are buying up all the malls, you would not have the same opinion. Take a moment to look this term up: Mike Kohan Electric Bills. Kohan, along with Igal Namdar and a few others are literal slumlord managers who purposely ruin indoor malls for the tax breaks and hardship subsidies.
It a shame what has happened to this mall - it's architecturally impressive and is just stunning to look at. The 90's renovations really helped. I must think that local tough competition - especially from the KoP Mall - only hastened its demise (in the same way it had a negative effect on Franklin/Philadelphia Mills).
thanks for your guys work on this. I'm interested to see how quickly things change. I don't believe the transaction actually closes until June, 90 days from date of entering into the purchase agreement. I've heard a few different things. some say that the mall will potentially be converted into lab space, and half the mall will be closed off with all tenants being pushed to one side. i also talked to another store who said that they can't convert to residential because of something with the sewer system under the mall. time will tell...
This mall died fast. Was planning a trip right before the Lockdowns started.
Guess they tried to raise rent after renovating and the tenants weren't having it.
Eons ago, my local mall did the same. Renovated, then jacked up rents. It was already dying, and they only sped it up.
Beautiful mall. I hope they can keep it mixed use and not let it decay.
Beautiful! Best wishes for its new future!
2000-2001 renovations expanded the size by 50%. It still looked like the brick and terracotta 70s up to the 2001 re-opening.
Wow, I used to shop there... it always felt a little empty even in the early 2000's ( when i think malls still were relevant?? )
Do you have pictures of what it looked like during the 80s?
I only have an old postcard from the late 1970s. You can view it here:
i.imgur.com/yf37YIY.jpg
@@RawRealRetail Yeah, that's the only old pic I can find online. I was born in 98, so I don't remember what it looked like before. I do remember the Disney Store, KB Toys, and the fact that the children's play area used to be an actual playground.
Probably going to the King of Prussia mall now.
Those soda machines bottle cost about around $3 dollars now.
This is the Cheyney University of malls. It's 20 minutes away from King of Prussia but the reality is the mall management really screwed this place up. Looking around the mall, especially across the street, the retail environment is pretty good.
The Boscov's owns the building it is in (and very rarely leases) and from talking to some of the management, they don't want to move.
About 3 years ago the food court was shut down
@@loocpoc There were rodent problems. I think there may have also been a food-borne illness outbreak (?).
Same with Round 1
You people saying this is sad only have yourself to blame for this.
No that's not accurate at all. Mall management jacking up rates is mostly to blame.
@@RawRealRetail Not directed directly to you, I'm talking about anyone that participates in E-commerce IE Amazon etc.
The mall owners saw what was coming from a mile away and are just course correcting as retailers are dying at an alarming rate. At this point the lands these malls are on are worth mall than the structures themselves.
@@naughtysauce4323 I'm guessing you haven't seen our community post about that very topic. E-commerce only accounts for about 14% of all retail and Amazon only accounts for 46% of all e-commerce. That isn't what is killing the malls.
@@RawRealRetail That's why I also stated the lands the malls are on are worth much more than the structure and tenants themselves. If I was a mall owner, I would try my best to push all of these businesses out and sell the land to a developer ASAP.
@@naughtysauce4323 yeah that sounds kind of exactly what they did.