Just learned last week that White Marsh Mall in White Marsh MD has been purchased. Rumors of it going to be tore down. The mall still has decent traffic compared to most these days. But the parking lot is huge, so looks like condos may go up. Just a heads up if you want to see a mall, that's still has some life like in the video.
I used to go here with my parents as a kid . In its day , it was a great mall . It’s sad to see where we are headed . Everything will be digital. I’m guilty of buying on line as much as anyone . It’s just too dam convenient.
Yup...I can still hear my cousin Diane all excited about the opening of it. She would say; ya gotta move down to new london w me ( i was up in mass)...They just opened a brand new mall..and its B e a u t i f u l....she would go on and on ( like im doing now /lol)... so yeah, that was many years ago. She passed away in 2004 and it really does bring back memories...i try to keep it positive but sometimes it feels sad and i wish we could go into a time machine...😢
This one still has some decent stores in it, and it still seems clean and somewhat well maintained, at least in terms of the lighting and such. The elevators and escalators obviously didn’t work, but it was a lot brighter and cleaner than a lot of other malls. I think the issue is this space is so huge so there’s a lot of empty stores, but if it were smaller it wouldn’t be so bad with the stores that are still there.
@@deemoe7301 Other than the early labor dispute, I believe it was the elevator operators, the rest are mostly personal and from a 22 year olds viewpoint. Take care.
Some still are. I’m in western ny and we still have a few malls absolutely packed, with good business all year long and nightmarishly trafficked this time of year.
Even into the mid to late 2000s and early 2010s. I worked in a one-story mall in Central PA and we'd be packed all holiday-season long. Very sad what everything has come to.
Event is an understatement. On Tuesday we used to talk about going to the Crystal Mall for the weekend. Absolutely loved that mall. It's where I met my girlfriend of 9 years. That's where I had my first real fight. My first real job was there. Probably about 15 Christmases did all my shopping there. Definitely a lot of memories at that place
Great video but the lonely Santa broke my heart 💔 as a 70s / 80s kid all dead malls make me sad I remember the crowds 😢 merry Christmas to you and thank you for taking us along
I'm always a little saddened by mall or any business closure in my neighborhood in southern California. Feels like a little part of us has died economy-wise, but that's life....nothing lasts forever. 😏
Hey I was at the mall when u was recording, I have no idea who you are but I noticed the GoPro on you're chest and I figured you was doing a video about the mall. I didn't search you on TH-cam but you're video made my feed and I watch till I saw myself 25:45😂 I hit the follow button lol.
You guys remember how much better it looked back then with the plants in the center of the walkways? Kb toys was my favorite store as a kid and the main reason I loved going, and as I got older it was just a fun safe place you'd get dropped off to hang out with friends for a couple hours, maybe buy some clothes or video games, CDs and movies. Arcade wasn't total junk either haha. Good times, sad to see it like this.
100%. It was my first mall growing up. My dad worked at the base in Groton and we used to go here all the time. Spent many a quarter on Street Fighter in the arcades there back in the day. Kinda weird to see what its become.
What's depressing is also the hard work which went into these buildings. Not only the architecture but also the craftsmanship, for instance the chandelier or those nicely shaped columns.
Sure but every building ever was constructed with hard labor. Every thing thats ever been constructed involved labor. Not trying to make fun of you, just saying that's kinda an obvious and irrelevent comment
So sad. This was the mall I brought my kids to in the 80's. My son had his first haircut in the salon at JC Penney! He's turning 40 this year. This was a beautiful mall back then.
I used to love getting an Orange Julius and a soft pretzel with garlic at two small store when we shopped. I shopped at this mall for 20 years at least, they had everything and it was safe. Amazon killed everything in the way of brick & mortar stores. 😢
All of us that watch feeling nostalgia appreciate the videos you post. No doubt in my mind a time will come when only a few will exist. 80’s-90’s were truly the best
Very interesting. I'm up in MA, but stumbled across Danbury Fair Mall a while ago when I was looking for a spot to kill some time. I was amazed at how well it's doing and how many people, of all ages, were visiting. It was like stepping 35 years into the past. I hope they continue to do well.
I went into the This n That store the other day and was able to talk with the lady who owns it. She said they've tried a few things like car shows and renting out some of the parking lot, but stores continue to close. I purchased a couple items and the bag the lady put them into was from the former Shoe Department store, which she said gave her store their leftover shopping bags when they closed. Definitely check out This n That while you still can, it's actually a huge space with all kinds of older items, really a great store. Everything from furniture to clothes to books to tools, some very old.
Wow! I lived in New London for five years from 1990 to 1995 and this place was always busy! I remember one of those bad Winters when we got a LOT of snow and they piled it all in one parking lot. There was still a pile in June!
other malls in the same tiny state are THRIVING tho, the one he mentioned (buckland hills) was kinda crowded this past weekend not what it used to be for sure, but nowhere near this tragic, it was hard to find seating in the food court
No I don’t think they will. Economic realities aren’t lying to us. People don’t cry that they aren’t working in Industrial Revolution textile mills - the buildings still line the rivers of New England. They still cry about most of the steel and most of the automobile jobs, but those days are passing too. Economic realities.
Was at Crystal Mall once around '97 and used to go to Meriden a lot. It's stunning how quickly a lot of malls have gone downhill in the current consumer climate.
Everyone demanded cheap goods, so many set up shop in China, now Vietnam and especially Bangladesh, third-world countries. Ghetto Mart is to blame as well.
I remember when this mall first opened and I worked at a couple of different stores in the mid-90s. During the holidays, the parking lot was so packed you couldn’t move. We visited a couple of years ago and it was so sad to see it so empty and quiet. 😢
Being a kid of the 60's and 70's I remember when the malls in my area were first built and people would crowd into them just to be around other people. You could shop and spend a few dollars and see other people from the town. People would meet up at the mall, get some lunch and sit in the large seating area and visit. Then get some ice cream or a pretzel for dessert. You didn't have to spend a fortune to enjoy a day. And, where we live, people would enjoy the fact that it was air-conditioned to avoid the 100 degree temperatures. You were comfortable, and felt welcomed into a lovely place. Then, when the late 80's and 90's came, malls decided that they didn't want people hanging around. They didn't want young people hanging out, mostly because their parents don't teach them how to act in public. But young people need a place to learn to socialize and have time with their friends that doesn't cost a fortune. Malls want you to spend your money and get out. So they did away with the comfortable seating and the trees and flowers. They did away with the elaborate Christmas decorations that would spread throughout the mall like going to the North Pole. Especially when it is 70 to 80 degrees at Christmas. Most likely, this began because those things didn't put money directly into the pockets of the mall company. Who wants to walk down bland corridors with no place to sit when you get tired? There is no feeling of community. There is no feeling like the mall wants you there. You are just a commodity to be influenced into spending your money with minimal effort on their part. Unfortunately, most retail stores have adopted this practice. That is why people shop online. They are more comfortable at home where they are wanted. To rectify some of these problems, some malls have added apartments in them and added back common seating areas. Also tried to make their malls inviting so people would rent the apartments. But a lot of ridiculous zoning laws don't allow it. Until malls make themselves a place where people want to go, they have no future. Just offering a place to leave your money doesn't work. You have to compete on a different level than just having a collection of overpriced stores. You have to offer entertainment and community. People line up for miles and pay big money just to drive through a Christmas lights display. But the mall won't decorate because it cost a little money that they don't immediately recover. They only look at the numbers for the month. They don't look at investing in the future of the mall. People want to go to places that make them happy, and with the rate of depression in this country, they need it even more. No mall owner will ever see this analysis, and if they did, they would just say that I don't know what I am talking about. They would whine that it is too expensive and wouldn't work. But their old way of doing things is bankrupting them. So they go down with their ship.
Great to see your perspective. I agree sometimes I just went to the mall in the 80’s just to socialize. That was often discouraged by mall security per se. We never caused any trouble.
The type of use of the malls you are describing - hanging around to escape the heat and maybe buy a pretzel - doesn't help pay anyone's bills. If malls did what you suggested, then maybe they would attract more foot traffic. And maybe they'll actually see something they want in one of the stores. But then while they're enjoying those chairs and A/C, they'll all just whip out their phones and buy the exact same item on Amazon to save a few bucks.
@@erichsh58 You just defeated the point you were trying to make. Having more people in a mall creates a better vibe. A vibe for more people wanting to be there. Yeah, maybe they can get it online. But maybe they want the item TODAY ?!? All the malls needed to do was not be so greedy; from store rents, to store prices impacted by rent. It was a chain reaction that was self inflicted.
I like how the malls in the US always have those arcades that are just self serve, no staff. Seems efficient. There's nothing like those in Canada, at least not in British Columbia that I've seen. I'd love passing through a mall and taking 20-30 minutes to play some old games in a nice quiet arcade like that. Great video!
Thank you loving your videos. A friend mentioned always buy ing Christmas gifts at this mall and now nothing is left. This is so sad. This is such a beautiful facility. Heartbreaking Travis in KY
Great video! You should go back to Meriden Mall. They have only 1 food court option open, which is eerie. Boscovs is going to close off from the rest of the Mall early next year as well.
I can remember when that place opened. Next to Hollister was Abercrombie and Fitch. So sad,the crystal chandalier is worth more than the whole place. Great video, I enjoyed it. Brought back many memories. 😢
Wow…you were at this mall last Saturday…looks like Steeplegate in its final years. Funny, my husband and I were at the Mall of New Hampshire that same day. Needless to say, it was very busy there! Santa was busy too! Totally opposite of this! Just sad. 😢 If I was betting lady, that mall will still be there next Christmas. Maybe. It will be a lot emptier and sad unfortunately. Please keep us updated…still enjoy your videos! 💕
This is a cool video and I’m impressed how you know all the dates of when stores opened and closed, however, it’s so depressing. As a teenager in the 80s, we would go to the Milford Mall after school but before the night got going. It was fun to hang out with friends, buy the latest record, tape and sometimes a CD etc. Those days are long gone.
I’m glad the mall I went to every Friday in High school as a kid is still thriving today. Warwick Mall. It has a few empty spots but still is very busy. Keep up the great videos.
Hi, I'm from South Africa dunno why this was recommended to me but I watched! And over here malls are still bustling and busy. Our malls have been upgraded over the years to fit with the times. And they still build new ones. I am going Christmas shopping tomorrow and I was not looking forward to it but seeing this mall so empty and nearly no decorations and no music. I'm going to make the most of my trip to the mall. Heck guys for all of y'all who miss malls I'm going to ride the mall train too❤
This was so sad to watch. Takes me back to the days that you could not find a parking spot on a Saturday in December. It was an adventure when you chose to do some Christmas shopping and then get a bite to eat. I miss those days. So many memories. I remember when that mall was being built. Wish I could turn back the clock. 😢
Having worked in a business that was going down the tubes, it’s so depressing knowing that one day soon a chain will be on the door. It’s like you’re still working there but nostalgic for it even though it’s not actually closed yet. I can’t imagine how depressing working in one of the remaining stores in a dying mall would be. A place that used to be swarming with people and a place to just hang out for the atmosphere and it’s like a ghost town.
I was there when the mall first opened. We had our picture in the Day paper standing near the crystal chandelier. That mall was packed on the weekends and Christmas up until the 2000s. It was a very nice when it first opened. It had terra cotta tile and a bunch of trees. They remodeled it to all white and it never was the same.
OMG Hot Topic is still up there in the exact same place I remember it in the 90’s 2000’s! But everything else changed. I’m sad. It was great to see the chandelier still hanging up in the mall. This was the mall from my teen years!
I grew up 2 minutes down the road from this place and spent a lot of times school shopping, walking through with my parents to hanging out with friends throughout the years. Kind of gives of a sad/lonely vibe seeing it like this after knowing what it used to look/feel like in the prime.
Life is so interesting. Even if it's something like a old school Mall that served as once a new and hip mall. Thank you for sharing this. We have some close to 'dead malls' near my place too which I visit sometimes for good memories. I have to say, glad they were there. Always had a good time and reminds me of some good memories. I'll always remember the quote: "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Thank you
Malls were the place to be in the 80s and 90s....the 2000's and beyond they were still hanging on. Now they are just dying out. Soon we will have a couple physical stores left and everything else will be online. We lost interacting with people, we lost seeing random new ideas/ products, we lost a wonderful experience. Online shopping is great! You can find hard to find items. But shopping in person is a unique experience all it's own.
Fascinating, I've never seen much of this content type aside from a couple of the BIG malls being abandoned. Definitely going to subscribe, and turn on all notifications. Very glad TH-cam randomly recommended you 😊 I hope you have a happy holiday season!
Wiiiild. Watching this brought back a ton of memories. This was 'the' mall when I was a kid in the area in the 90s. I worked at the Sears and FYE in the late-2000s. I'm shocked that the FYE is even still there! This place used to be packed during the holidays. Crazy to see it just a total ghost town now. At least Sarku Japan is still in the food court!
Yes, the outside especially is falling apart! The inside of the mall seems fairly well maintained though, other than the escalators and elevator. Thanks for watching!
This mall holds so many special memories for me- it was the place where i had many birthday parties in elementary and middle school, and the place where my friends and i would hang out in high school. My sister and i came here on Black Friday and i was actually a little surprised at the amount of other shoppers! I was expecting it to be much more dead. While we were there however, they suffered a power outage, so sections of the mall were dark and only able to accept cash as payment. We went to This & That and got some cool stuff. The owner of This & That is so lovely. I hope he can find a new storefront somewhere else when this mall finally closes.
This one mall that I used to go to was a part of my childhood through my mid 20’s when I used to lived in Illinois. It was torn down in 2004. It was a big mall and was busy during the 80’s. It was dated when the last time that I went to that mall. I even remembered that the JC Penny’s in that mall had a nice restaurant inside and had an optical and a flooring store where the restaurant was. Even the store did screamed 1970’s inside. In my late teens the mall slowly went downhill in stores and restaurants in the mall. There was a newer mall close by that was busy that I went to during the 90’s. I remembered going to this one mall in Green Bay that I went to in the late 90’s with my sister and my mother to shopped at was busy with a lot of stores. I went to this mall in 2003 and it only had 2 chains stores and one restaurant. It was sad feeling for me. This mall was torn down shortly after. Green Bay has one other mall that is still busy and even one mall that is a dead mall with a few stores in it.
Thats so sad. We were just at one of our malls and we had a hard time finding a parking space lol. The mall was packed this weekend. Crazy how some malls are dead like rhis while others are just as busy as they day they opened.
Saturday at 1pm at the crystal mall used to be so crazy it was hard not to bump into people, seeing it now is just sad. You’d never believe there used to be like 2 GameStop’s and an EB Games in there 🤣
at least here in the Philippines the malls are very much alive though the effects of online shopping is showing because before department stores here will go up to the second floor but now they move everything to the first floor and the former second floor part of the department store turned into stalls for cafes and dogs. Worst part some malls here already shut down their cinemas.
I was going to go to the meriden mall in March of this year 2024 I called a few stores apparently they are no longer there another ghost mall however it's been quite some time since the 80s & 90s .
Dang. This is so sad to see. I spent countless hours there during the 90s and early 00s..it was like home away from home for my friends and I! Such a bummer to see it like this. And just a side note, the Cohen's Optical relocated to Waterford Commons, just up the road on rt 85 😊 Think I'll have to take my son there one more time to get some pretzels from Pretzel Time.. I could smell and taste them as soon as I saw the sign 😂
I remember when this one opened - my wife and I were newly weds living in Westbrook. I remember Christmas shopping with her at this Mall. 4:42 Very sad to stumble upon this and your Enfield Square one. I worked in the Kinney Shoe store there. We live in Florida now and were at an outdoor Mall today - our young adult disabled daughter and her friend went to a movie together and we enjoyed shopping together. Was amazed at how well the outdoor concept is doing - I wonder about the summer months though. We talked about our days going to Malls in CT. Thanks for the video.
I was there for the grand opening as a kid. This mall was such a a big deal for a very long time it's so sad to see it like this . I don't understand why other malls are doing at least ok in the state but not here. It'll be a bad day when this place closes for good. I have so many memories tied to this place
At the time the mall opened back in the 80’s, it was said that the Waterford Crystal was either a gift from Waterford, Ireland or it came from Waterford, Ireland. One of the two but I just don’t recall which one.
Wow. This gives me memories of going to our local mall in Ogden, Utah back in the nineties. Good times. The last time I went there was about 2005 and it was as dead as this one. A few years after that they tore the whole thing down. Sad to watch.
When you have blatant ADA violations like this, retailers should be able to break their lease. I can't imagine how much money is being lost due to the frustration of people not having access to escalators and elevators.
Hey there! I used to work in this mall in 2015-2016 whenever Foot Locker was open there! Both Bath and Body Works and Cohen's moved to the Waterford Commons since you were last there. A lot of the stores that have closed in there prior had moved to Tanger Outlets when they opened up in Foxwoods back in 2015. Seeing the mall in this state makes me sad, but unfortunately, I'm not surprised. Crystal Mall is the mall that just will not die 😅.
sad, i saw a sign on the H and M i believe the store was, in the window it said "Thanks for the memories". like many people have mentioned, when i was a child the mall were always crammed packed around Christmas, shoulder to shoulder people doing last minute Christmas shopping, the Christmas music loud on the speakers. now it looks like a post apocalyptic empty mall you see in the old zombie films. thanks for sharing!
For a few years now I’ve been coming back to the crystal mall. I figure it will be the last time, but it’s still open in late 2024. Some of my early memories take place in this building. I remember getting shoes every school year at Jc penny, getting so many band shirts for school at hot topic. I also remember 9.9.99 and getting the sega Dreamcast. My favorite memory was KB toys. I miss KB toys…Mr rags was cool too. ❤😅😂
I am from Waterford. I went in recently to go to a vintage store. It's haunting. You don't feel safe it's just empty and haunted. As a kid this was packed. They destroyed a HUGE forest to build the crystal mall. They need to take this out repurpose the space do something add some green back into this space.
I’ve noticed many times in the U.S when a building gets abandoned, it’s just left to slowly decay, that almost never happens here in NZ, building get knocked down pretty quick when they are no longer in use/abandoned.
@uhtred7860 You guys dont have the space we do. Also theres f'd up land stuff. A mall closes, ok. The owners want to sell it. But often times they want to sell it as a mall. But no one wants to buy a mall, so if someone was to buy the land theyd have to pay to tear down the structure and everything. Its insanely expensive. And where malls were put it would have to be rezoned for residential or industrial use meaning a bunch of reviews and permits and stuff. More cost. And even then where malls were put is outside of actual residential areas or other stuff like that, like the outer outer suburbs. The culture shifted, gas is real expensive and people dont want to have to drive to go to the city n go do things. They want things to be nearby. So a lot of times there just isnt a buyer due to how cost prohibitive it would be to buy up the old mall for the sole purpose of tearing it down and rebuilding a whole new project on it. So they often sit in limbo for a very very long time.
I watched this mall being built ... Later on, I spent many a day and many a "dollar"at Crystal Mall ... Now, that I'm living in North Carolina, it's nice to view your videos ... alot of memories ... (at the very beginning and located on the first level, just outside of the food court, was Illiano's' Pizza - a big treat was that they would handiout pizza samples) ...
Excellent video! My only minor critiques: slow down in arcades and give us some shots of the cabinets that are more centered, and more pauses in the mall walk throughs in general for establishing shots. Thank you!
Sad, sad, sad!!!!! Oh the glory days! Of our youth and beautiful fashion and fun restaurants! I bout many an item there, much that I still have. Worked at Filenes for a short time. Everything has gone downhill...... Thanks for the video!
Went and saw Christmas here last year. What a miserable experience. I was able to take pictures with nobody at all in the shots down towards the other end... It was brutal. I miss going here with my cousin when I was little. I never had any money to actually buy anything back then. I remember almost every shop. I ended up going to the Providence Mall for Black Friday to get a mall experience. Picked up a jacket from the Maceys there. Nice sale. Super warm. Best puffer jacket I've ever owned.
Wow, that just gave me so much nostalgia. I grew up in Connecticut and I always went to the Crystal mall. It makes me sad to see it like this unfortunately I’m sure you’re right. This is probably the mall’s last Christmas. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it gets the wrecking ball in a couple of years.
You never know. Enfield Square has somehow stayed open since it died sometime around 2017 or 2018, but yeah, I agree, this mall doesn't seem long for this world.
Me and my friends went to eat at the Buffalo Wild Wings about a year and a half ago, after we walked 5 minutes into mall and left, it was so depressing. I remember when I was a young kid back in 2006-2007 going to one of the restaurants there and walking around and it being packed its crazy how time flies.
I lived in Groton way back in 1995 and the Crystal Mall was much quieter than any of the malls in South Jersey where I came from. At least all the stores were open then.
This is so sad to see. During my childhood, the Crystal Mall was my lifeline for shopping. I worked at it's Hot Topic and Gap. Best wishes for your final months Crystal. I will always have fond memories of you.
Thank you for digitizing an era that will soon be archived in history. I’m sure 20 years from now, a 6yo will stumble upon this video and ask: What is a mall? Why would people go out to buy things when they can just order from the nearest distribution center??
Really just depends on the city or town as we built too many if you look at it, GSP mall and American Dream are booming while if you look at the Carolinas, Greenville and Spartanburg (about 30 mins apart) Spartanburg has been declining and so has their mall while Greenville improving with low crime rate and simply bigger population, their mall is popular with far more stores.
I worked at Record World, still sold albums and cassettes. CDs were just coming out and we threw them around the store to see how indestructible they were/are/ Billy Squier did not fare well.
I last saw this mall in maybe 2014, 2015; and it's jarring to see how the passage of time has changed it into a ghost of what once was. It used to be like a big community hotspot; couldn't go shopping without running into at least one familiar face. Kudos to the toy vault for hanging on.
Thanks to everyone for watching and commenting!
I'm guessing the Pink Victoria's secret thing they are just using one entrance
Just learned last week that White Marsh Mall in White Marsh MD has been purchased. Rumors of it going to be tore down. The mall still has decent traffic compared to most these days. But the parking lot is huge, so looks like condos may go up. Just a heads up if you want to see a mall, that's still has some life like in the video.
I used to go here with my parents as a kid . In its day , it was a great mall . It’s sad to see where we are headed . Everything will be digital. I’m guilty of buying on line as much as anyone . It’s just too dam convenient.
My mall, The King of Prussia Mall is the 3rd largest mall in the country and that shows absolutely zero sign of slowing down. Crazy busy all the time.
@@user-id4vx7ss1sWhich Country ?
Always get a sad / depressing vibe from a dead mall. Reminder of days gone by.
Yeah its depressing I couldn't watch the whole video
Life is unfair get used to it, now AI will rule the system
Oh my God You're like so freaking cool. The way you just don't care@@carlossebastiannecroticgot7232
Yup...I can still hear my cousin Diane all excited about the opening of it. She would say; ya gotta move down to new london w me ( i was up in mass)...They just opened a brand new mall..and its B e a u t i f u l....she would go on and on ( like im doing now /lol)... so yeah, that was many years ago. She passed away in 2004 and it really does bring back memories...i try to keep it positive but sometimes it feels sad and i wish we could go into a time machine...😢
This one still has some decent stores in it, and it still seems clean and somewhat well maintained, at least in terms of the lighting and such. The elevators and escalators obviously didn’t work, but it was a lot brighter and cleaner than a lot of other malls. I think the issue is this space is so huge so there’s a lot of empty stores, but if it were smaller it wouldn’t be so bad with the stores that are still there.
In 1983 I worked helping to build this mall.
I only know a handful of us that are still alive.
It was a privilege to work with these men.
@@JimsPub-ds3qs I was born that year
Wow! you have a lot of stories that could be told here. Did you reach out?
That's very impressive! Overall, physically, the mall seems to be holding up pretty well! Good work! Thanks for watching!
@@deemoe7301 Other than the early labor dispute, I believe it was the elevator operators, the rest are mostly personal and from a 22 year olds viewpoint. Take care.
@deemoe7301 its not that serious guy 😂😂
Malls were so jammed with people in the 80s and nineties. So sad to see most of them gone or nearly empty.
Especially near Christmas!
Some still are. I’m in western ny and we still have a few malls absolutely packed, with good business all year long and nightmarishly trafficked this time of year.
I wonder if Amazon is part of the reason malls are closing? 🤔
blame the internet and smart phones.
Even into the mid to late 2000s and early 2010s. I worked in a one-story mall in Central PA and we'd be packed all holiday-season long. Very sad what everything has come to.
@@patty109109 Just curious, which ones? I'm familiar with the area.
This is wild. I still can picture it in its glory in the early 90s. Coming here as a kid was an EVENT.
Did you meet the Red Ranger there too?
Event is an understatement. On Tuesday we used to talk about going to the Crystal Mall for the weekend. Absolutely loved that mall. It's where I met my girlfriend of 9 years. That's where I had my first real fight. My first real job was there. Probably about 15 Christmases did all my shopping there. Definitely a lot of memories at that place
Unfortunately the writing is on the wall. Our mall went through this and is now being torn down
Great video but the lonely Santa broke my heart 💔 as a 70s / 80s kid all dead malls make me sad I remember the crowds 😢 merry Christmas to you and thank you for taking us along
Imagine how much worse it must be during the week!
I'm always a little saddened by mall or any business closure in my neighborhood in southern California. Feels like a little part of us has died economy-wise, but that's life....nothing lasts forever. 😏
Hey I was at the mall when u was recording, I have no idea who you are but I noticed the GoPro on you're chest and I figured you was doing a video about the mall. I didn't search you on TH-cam but you're video made my feed and I watch till I saw myself 25:45😂 I hit the follow button lol.
wow you're observant!!
Going to the mall as a kid was a pilgrimage! It was incredible!
Yes, I went there in 1994 and it was super busy! It feels like a totally different mall. Thanks for watching!
It's so sad to see this mall like this. Too many memories hanging out here as a teen.
Thanks for watching!
I spent too much time there to in the 90's. Boardwalk fries was usually where you'd find me.
I also spent a lot of the eighties and nineties here...
You guys remember how much better it looked back then with the plants in the center of the walkways? Kb toys was my favorite store as a kid and the main reason I loved going, and as I got older it was just a fun safe place you'd get dropped off to hang out with friends for a couple hours, maybe buy some clothes or video games, CDs and movies. Arcade wasn't total junk either haha. Good times, sad to see it like this.
100%. It was my first mall growing up. My dad worked at the base in Groton and we used to go here all the time. Spent many a quarter on Street Fighter in the arcades there back in the day. Kinda weird to see what its become.
What's depressing is also the hard work which went into these buildings. Not only the architecture but also the craftsmanship, for instance the chandelier or those nicely shaped columns.
Sure but every building ever was constructed with hard labor. Every thing thats ever been constructed involved labor.
Not trying to make fun of you, just saying that's kinda an obvious and irrelevent comment
So sad. This was the mall I brought my kids to in the 80's. My son had his first haircut in the salon at JC Penney! He's turning 40 this year. This was a beautiful mall back then.
I used to love getting an Orange Julius and a soft pretzel with garlic at two small store when we shopped. I shopped at this mall for 20 years at least, they had everything and it was safe. Amazon killed everything in the way of brick & mortar stores. 😢
He's probably shopping Amazon with his phone these days rather than going back to the mall.
All of us that watch feeling nostalgia appreciate the videos you post. No doubt in my mind a time will come when only a few will exist. 80’s-90’s were truly the best
nah, 2000-2010 were the best
Amazon has killed the shopping mall.
The 60s and 70s were pretty awesome for malls, too!
Very interesting.
I'm up in MA, but stumbled across Danbury Fair Mall a while ago when I was looking for a spot to kill some time. I was amazed at how well it's doing and how many people, of all ages, were visiting. It was like stepping 35 years into the past. I hope they continue to do well.
Because of your video I'm going to buy an album at Fye! Didn't know it was open! Merry Christmas everybody!
Exactly!!! me too
Huge inventory, nice store.
I had no idea they were still around. You to refer to it as Fack You’re Expensive!
@@amgeezy_2709 They may be, but there aren't enough music stores around, so it's off to FYE!
Same to you
I went into the This n That store the other day and was able to talk with the lady who owns it. She said they've tried a few things like car shows and renting out some of the parking lot, but stores continue to close. I purchased a couple items and the bag the lady put them into was from the former Shoe Department store, which she said gave her store their leftover shopping bags when they closed. Definitely check out This n That while you still can, it's actually a huge space with all kinds of older items, really a great store. Everything from furniture to clothes to books to tools, some very old.
Wow! I lived in New London for five years from 1990 to 1995 and this place was always busy! I remember one of those bad Winters when we got a LOT of snow and they piled it all in one parking lot. There was still a pile in June!
LOL The Lot Glacier
That still happens there with snow 😊😊😊
I remember seeing snow in May a couple times in the mall parking lot.
The vibe is a notch above an apocalypse.
One man's apocalypse is another's soothing environment. :)
Literally. It looks like the Dead Center campaign in Left 4 Dead 2.
Oh damn you are right
Future generations will wonder why shopping malls became unpopular closed down. Good to have these videos so they can see what it was like.
It was the same 50 years ago when the malls killed the main st stores around the country.
Black violence?
other malls in the same tiny state are THRIVING tho, the one he mentioned (buckland hills) was kinda crowded this past weekend
not what it used to be for sure, but nowhere near this tragic, it was hard to find seating in the food court
No I don’t think they will. Economic realities aren’t lying to us. People don’t cry that they aren’t working in Industrial Revolution textile mills - the buildings still line the rivers of New England. They still cry about most of the steel and most of the automobile jobs, but those days are passing too. Economic realities.
A few will survive but online shopping took over.
Man, I feel bad for the mall Santa. Glad at least some kids came to visit him.
That was a sad sight to see him there by himself🙁
You realize that mall Santa gets paid either way. I wouldn’t feel that bad for him 😂
And this was on a Saturday afternoon! Imagine what it must be like during the week. Thanks for watching!
At least he had his elves.
Santa’s probably nursing a hangover. He doesn’t care lol.
Seeing a giant mall this empty just makes me sad. Thank you, as always for the videos and continuous content.
Was at Crystal Mall once around '97 and used to go to Meriden a lot. It's stunning how quickly a lot of malls have gone downhill in the current consumer climate.
Everyone demanded cheap goods, so many set up shop in China, now Vietnam and especially Bangladesh, third-world countries. Ghetto Mart is to blame as well.
I was stationed in new London, back in the 80’s. That place use to be hopping back in the day. Good times, sad to see its demise, lots of memories.
I remember when this mall first opened and I worked at a couple of different stores in the mid-90s. During the holidays, the parking lot was so packed you couldn’t move. We visited a couple of years ago and it was so sad to see it so empty and quiet. 😢
Thank you for capturing and sharing this.
Being a kid of the 60's and 70's I remember when the malls in my area were first built and people would crowd into them just to be around other people. You could shop and spend a few dollars and see other people from the town. People would meet up at the mall, get some lunch and sit in the large seating area and visit. Then get some ice cream or a pretzel for dessert. You didn't have to spend a fortune to enjoy a day. And, where we live, people would enjoy the fact that it was air-conditioned to avoid the 100 degree temperatures. You were comfortable, and felt welcomed into a lovely place. Then, when the late 80's and 90's came, malls decided that they didn't want people hanging around. They didn't want young people hanging out, mostly because their parents don't teach them how to act in public. But young people need a place to learn to socialize and have time with their friends that doesn't cost a fortune. Malls want you to spend your money and get out. So they did away with the comfortable seating and the trees and flowers. They did away with the elaborate Christmas decorations that would spread throughout the mall like going to the North Pole. Especially when it is 70 to 80 degrees at Christmas. Most likely, this began because those things didn't put money directly into the pockets of the mall company. Who wants to walk down bland corridors with no place to sit when you get tired? There is no feeling of community. There is no feeling like the mall wants you there. You are just a commodity to be influenced into spending your money with minimal effort on their part. Unfortunately, most retail stores have adopted this practice. That is why people shop online. They are more comfortable at home where they are wanted. To rectify some of these problems, some malls have added apartments in them and added back common seating areas. Also tried to make their malls inviting so people would rent the apartments. But a lot of ridiculous zoning laws don't allow it. Until malls make themselves a place where people want to go, they have no future. Just offering a place to leave your money doesn't work. You have to compete on a different level than just having a collection of overpriced stores. You have to offer entertainment and community. People line up for miles and pay big money just to drive through a Christmas lights display. But the mall won't decorate because it cost a little money that they don't immediately recover. They only look at the numbers for the month. They don't look at investing in the future of the mall. People want to go to places that make them happy, and with the rate of depression in this country, they need it even more. No mall owner will ever see this analysis, and if they did, they would just say that I don't know what I am talking about. They would whine that it is too expensive and wouldn't work. But their old way of doing things is bankrupting them. So they go down with their ship.
well said.
Great to see your perspective. I agree sometimes I just went to the mall in the 80’s just to socialize. That was often discouraged by mall security per se. We never caused any trouble.
The type of use of the malls you are describing - hanging around to escape the heat and maybe buy a pretzel - doesn't help pay anyone's bills. If malls did what you suggested, then maybe they would attract more foot traffic. And maybe they'll actually see something they want in one of the stores. But then while they're enjoying those chairs and A/C, they'll all just whip out their phones and buy the exact same item on Amazon to save a few bucks.
@@erichsh58 You just defeated the point you were trying to make. Having more people in a mall creates a better vibe. A vibe for more people wanting to be there. Yeah, maybe they can get it online. But maybe they want the item TODAY ?!? All the malls needed to do was not be so greedy; from store rents, to store prices impacted by rent. It was a chain reaction that was self inflicted.
I like how the malls in the US always have those arcades that are just self serve, no staff. Seems efficient. There's nothing like those in Canada, at least not in British Columbia that I've seen. I'd love passing through a mall and taking 20-30 minutes to play some old games in a nice quiet arcade like that.
Great video!
I agree! Thanks for watching!
Thank you loving your videos. A friend mentioned always buy ing Christmas gifts at this mall and now nothing is left. This is so sad. This is such a beautiful facility. Heartbreaking
Travis in KY
Thanks for watching!
I want indoor malls, drive in theaters, and blockbuster back😢
💯
There is one Blockbuster left in Oregon. I was there a few months ago and it is more of a museum and gift shop now
This mall used to have so much life. Such a fun place to go to as a kid.
Thanks for posting, brought back some good memories.
Great video! You should go back to Meriden Mall. They have only 1 food court option open, which is eerie. Boscovs is going to close off from the rest of the Mall early next year as well.
Meriden is also losing fye, finish line and tj max.
Yeah, the Charlie’s subs is still open, which is one of my favorite places.
Yes, I hope to get out there soon! I'm just worried about their security. They are very.... pro-active! Thanks for watching!
So many memories at themeriden mall...this time of the year it was so crowded which in itself made it feel like Christmas!
@@matrixman7706Charlie’s sub is not opened at this mall. They relocated to Walmart in Lisbon. Inside of course.
I can remember when that place opened. Next to Hollister was Abercrombie and Fitch. So sad,the crystal chandalier is worth more than the whole place. Great video, I enjoyed it. Brought back many memories. 😢
Wow…you were at this mall last Saturday…looks like Steeplegate in its final years. Funny, my husband and I were at the Mall of New Hampshire that same day. Needless to say, it was very busy there! Santa was busy too! Totally opposite of this! Just sad. 😢
If I was betting lady, that mall will still be there next Christmas. Maybe. It will be a lot emptier and sad unfortunately. Please keep us updated…still enjoy your videos! 💕
This is a cool video and I’m impressed how you know all the dates of when stores opened and closed, however, it’s so depressing.
As a teenager in the 80s, we would go to the Milford Mall after school but before the night got going. It was fun to hang out with friends, buy the latest record, tape and sometimes a CD etc. Those days are long gone.
I’m glad the mall I went to every Friday in High school as a kid is still thriving today. Warwick Mall. It has a few empty spots but still is very busy. Keep up the great videos.
It’s strange, I think having the Target really helps.
Same! I still go there regularly.
Hi, I'm from South Africa dunno why this was recommended to me but I watched! And over here malls are still bustling and busy. Our malls have been upgraded over the years to fit with the times. And they still build new ones. I am going Christmas shopping tomorrow and I was not looking forward to it but seeing this mall so empty and nearly no decorations and no music. I'm going to make the most of my trip to the mall. Heck guys for all of y'all who miss malls I'm going to ride the mall train too❤
Wow. It looks so sad. I haven't been there since I was in middle school. I'm 41 now. 😢 Thank you for this video.
This was so sad to watch. Takes me back to the days that you could not find a parking spot on a Saturday in December. It was an adventure when you chose to do some Christmas shopping and then get a bite to eat. I miss those days. So many memories. I remember when that mall was being built. Wish I could turn back the clock. 😢
Shocking that this is Saturday right before Christmas.
I get it, I"m still hurting over Bradlees and Kresge's! The biggest hurt of all, Al's Dugout! 😫
@@Leann-uj9rg What class are you? I am Fitch 1984.
Having worked in a business that was going down the tubes, it’s so depressing knowing that one day soon a chain will be on the door. It’s like you’re still working there but nostalgic for it even though it’s not actually closed yet. I can’t imagine how depressing working in one of the remaining stores in a dying mall would be. A place that used to be swarming with people and a place to just hang out for the atmosphere and it’s like a ghost town.
I was there when the mall first opened. We had our picture in the Day paper standing near the crystal chandelier. That mall was packed on the weekends and Christmas up until the 2000s. It was a very nice when it first opened. It had terra cotta tile and a bunch of trees. They remodeled it to all white and it never was the same.
Wow you have a good memory for details!
@magnumrex are you saying that they went from looking fun to looking sterile?
OMG Hot Topic is still up there in the exact same place I remember it in the 90’s 2000’s! But everything else changed. I’m sad. It was great to see the chandelier still hanging up in the mall. This was the mall from my teen years!
I grew up in Waterford. Such a treat to come here especially during the holidays decades ago
That was a really nice looking mall. Crazy how such a big place was once busy to just closing down
I grew up 2 minutes down the road from this place and spent a lot of times school shopping, walking through with my parents to hanging out with friends throughout the years. Kind of gives of a sad/lonely vibe seeing it like this after knowing what it used to look/feel like in the prime.
Life is so interesting. Even if it's something like a old school Mall that served as once a new and hip mall.
Thank you for sharing this. We have some close to 'dead malls' near my place too which I visit sometimes for good memories. I have to say, glad they were there. Always had a good time and reminds me of some good memories.
I'll always remember the quote:
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
Thank you
Grew up across from the Meriden Square Mall...was my hang out place in the 70's and 80's and worked at JCPenny in 82 great times, sad to see it now.
Same here. Born and raised in Meriden, and was at the mall all the time in the 80’s. Or as we called it, “The Square.” 😊
Malls were the place to be in the 80s and 90s....the 2000's and beyond they were still hanging on. Now they are just dying out. Soon we will have a couple physical stores left and everything else will be online. We lost interacting with people, we lost seeing random new ideas/ products, we lost a wonderful experience. Online shopping is great! You can find hard to find items. But shopping in person is a unique experience all it's own.
I remember going here in 1984, when the mall was brand new. I lived at Record World and Record Town / tapeworld
Strawberries
Fascinating, I've never seen much of this content type aside from a couple of the BIG malls being abandoned. Definitely going to subscribe, and turn on all notifications. Very glad TH-cam randomly recommended you 😊
I hope you have a happy holiday season!
It’s funny how I was there yesterday lol. It is dead but I got to talk to Santa and visit the toy vault!
tbh i would go there for the toy vault and fye
Wiiiild. Watching this brought back a ton of memories. This was 'the' mall when I was a kid in the area in the 90s. I worked at the Sears and FYE in the late-2000s. I'm shocked that the FYE is even still there! This place used to be packed during the holidays. Crazy to see it just a total ghost town now. At least Sarku Japan is still in the food court!
Who’d ever have thought this is what malls would come to… 😢 Should be some way to revive the culture and breathe new life into such great spaces.
Not all malls are dead. WestFarms mall in Connecticut is very popular and bustling still
@@matte5003 Same with the Holyoke Mall in Holyoke, Mass.
@@susant.1620 a lot of it has to do with the economics of it. It’s just not feasible anymore.
They'll get turned into apartments or a homeless shelter. 😝
I think they need to add things that you can't get on Amazon, like entertainment options, amusement parks, stuff like that.
Aww, this is so sad. At the same time, it makes sense with everyone ordering online. One thing we can always count on is change. Thanks for sharing.
Finally you are back here🎉
Thanks for watching! I'll try to get here about once every 6 months or so, until it close.
I was there a few weeks ago and thought of you. I was passing by and drove around. EMS has closed and the entire area looked run down. Such a shame.
Yes, the outside especially is falling apart! The inside of the mall seems fairly well maintained though, other than the escalators and elevator. Thanks for watching!
This mall holds so many special memories for me- it was the place where i had many birthday parties in elementary and middle school, and the place where my friends and i would hang out in high school. My sister and i came here on Black Friday and i was actually a little surprised at the amount of other shoppers! I was expecting it to be much more dead. While we were there however, they suffered a power outage, so sections of the mall were dark and only able to accept cash as payment. We went to This & That and got some cool stuff. The owner of This & That is so lovely. I hope he can find a new storefront somewhere else when this mall finally closes.
the mall in my city is packed open till close ,every day of the week .they need to make it bigger actually.
This one mall that I used to go to was a part of my childhood through my mid 20’s when I used to lived in Illinois. It was torn down in 2004. It was a big mall and was busy during the 80’s. It was dated when the last time that I went to that mall. I even remembered that the JC Penny’s in that mall had a nice restaurant inside and had an optical and a flooring store where the restaurant was. Even the store did screamed 1970’s inside. In my late teens the mall slowly went downhill in stores and restaurants in the mall. There was a newer mall close by that was busy that I went to during the 90’s. I remembered going to this one mall in Green Bay that I went to in the late 90’s with my sister and my mother to shopped at was busy with a lot of stores. I went to this mall in 2003 and it only had 2 chains stores and one restaurant. It was sad feeling for me. This mall was torn down shortly after. Green Bay has one other mall that is still busy and even one mall that is a dead mall with a few stores in it.
Thats so sad. We were just at one of our malls and we had a hard time finding a parking space lol. The mall was packed this weekend. Crazy how some malls are dead like rhis while others are just as busy as they day they opened.
I was stationed in Groton / New London , and was there for the Grand Opening in 1984 - WOW what a difference 4-decades makes 🎉
Thanks for sharing 👍
Good video! Just came across your channel and subbed. Enjoyed it. Looking forward to watching more videos.
Saturday at 1pm at the crystal mall used to be so crazy it was hard not to bump into people, seeing it now is just sad. You’d never believe there used to be like 2 GameStop’s and an EB Games in there 🤣
at least here in the Philippines the malls are very much alive though the effects of online shopping is showing because before department stores here will go up to the second floor but now they move everything to the first floor and the former second floor part of the department store turned into stalls for cafes and dogs. Worst part some malls here already shut down their cinemas.
Just went to the Meriden mall last week for the first time in probably a decade. It's even more depressing..
I recently read that Meridan Mall is the worst mall in CT.
@mariegeorge8865 it has to be! Hahaha, it's sad though, it used to take use several minutes to find parking there on the holidays.
So true no stores left in meriden mall
@@georgebouras1441 Fye was the only lively store, with Spencers fairly busy.. outside of those it was almost completely vacant
I was going to go to the meriden mall in March of this year 2024 I called a few stores apparently they are no longer there another ghost mall however it's been quite some time since the 80s & 90s .
It’s so sad to watch some of these malls slowly turn into indoor ghost towns. I have to wonder how some of the people who work there feel.
Never thought I’d see this happen. First saw it in Detroit 15 yrs ago. Now it’s all around this country..
Dang. This is so sad to see. I spent countless hours there during the 90s and early 00s..it was like home away from home for my friends and I! Such a bummer to see it like this. And just a side note, the Cohen's Optical relocated to Waterford Commons, just up the road on rt 85 😊
Think I'll have to take my son there one more time to get some pretzels from Pretzel Time.. I could smell and taste them as soon as I saw the sign 😂
I live about 10 minutes from this place and you've been there more times than I have recently. 'Nuff said.
You're not missing much.... Thanks for watching!
I remember when this one opened - my wife and I were newly weds living in Westbrook. I remember Christmas shopping with her at this Mall. 4:42 Very sad to stumble upon this and your Enfield Square one. I worked in the Kinney Shoe store there. We live in Florida now and were at an outdoor Mall today - our young adult disabled daughter and her friend went to a movie together and we enjoyed shopping together. Was amazed at how well the outdoor concept is doing - I wonder about the summer months though.
We talked about our days going to Malls in CT.
Thanks for the video.
I used to work at that Hollister, we closed it January 2021
I was there for the grand opening as a kid. This mall was such a a big deal for a very long time it's so sad to see it like this . I don't understand why other malls are doing at least ok in the state but not here. It'll be a bad day when this place closes for good. I have so many memories tied to this place
Haven't been there in 12 years since I had to move out of state. I had good times there.
I went to this mall during high school making the trek from Madison. Thanks for filming it!
At the time the mall opened back in the 80’s, it was said that the Waterford Crystal was either a gift from Waterford, Ireland or it came from Waterford, Ireland. One of the two but I just don’t recall which one.
Found this fascinating, hi from over the pond
It makes me really sad to see this, lots of good memories and fun times there over the years
Wow. This gives me memories of going to our local mall in Ogden, Utah back in the nineties. Good times. The last time I went there was about 2005 and it was as dead as this one. A few years after that they tore the whole thing down. Sad to watch.
When you have blatant ADA violations like this, retailers should be able to break their lease. I can't imagine how much money is being lost due to the frustration of people not having access to escalators and elevators.
This!
I agree. I wonder how they are getting away with it.... Some of those escalators have been down for literally over a year!
How can the mall legally be open to the public in that case?
@@racer7452obtuse.. own it. 🙄
@@racer7452that why the Americans with Disabilities Act exists
Hey there! I used to work in this mall in 2015-2016 whenever Foot Locker was open there! Both Bath and Body Works and Cohen's moved to the Waterford Commons since you were last there. A lot of the stores that have closed in there prior had moved to Tanger Outlets when they opened up in Foxwoods back in 2015. Seeing the mall in this state makes me sad, but unfortunately, I'm not surprised. Crystal Mall is the mall that just will not die 😅.
Man that carpeting on the 2nd floor is a rare and old sight indeed. Sad that this mall likely won't be around much longer short of a miracle.
sad, i saw a sign on the H and M i believe the store was, in the window it said "Thanks for the memories". like many people have mentioned, when i was a child the mall were always crammed packed around Christmas, shoulder to shoulder people doing last minute Christmas shopping, the Christmas music loud on the speakers. now it looks like a post apocalyptic empty mall you see in the old zombie films. thanks for sharing!
For a few years now I’ve been coming back to the crystal mall. I figure it will be the last time, but it’s still open in late 2024. Some of my early memories take place in this building.
I remember getting shoes every school year at Jc penny, getting so many band shirts for school at hot topic. I also remember 9.9.99 and getting the sega Dreamcast. My favorite memory was KB toys. I miss KB toys…Mr rags was cool too. ❤😅😂
Wow, a well stocked toy store! That alone is amazing! All of our toy stores are gone here in the Baltimore area.
I am from Waterford. I went in recently to go to a vintage store. It's haunting. You don't feel safe it's just empty and haunted. As a kid this was packed. They destroyed a HUGE forest to build the crystal mall. They need to take this out repurpose the space do something add some green back into this space.
I’ve noticed many times in the U.S when a building gets abandoned, it’s just left to slowly decay, that almost never happens here in NZ, building get knocked down pretty quick when they are no longer in use/abandoned.
Historic proof?
@uhtred7860
You guys dont have the space we do. Also theres f'd up land stuff. A mall closes, ok. The owners want to sell it. But often times they want to sell it as a mall. But no one wants to buy a mall, so if someone was to buy the land theyd have to pay to tear down the structure and everything. Its insanely expensive. And where malls were put it would have to be rezoned for residential or industrial use meaning a bunch of reviews and permits and stuff. More cost. And even then where malls were put is outside of actual residential areas or other stuff like that, like the outer outer suburbs.
The culture shifted, gas is real expensive and people dont want to have to drive to go to the city n go do things. They want things to be nearby. So a lot of times there just isnt a buyer due to how cost prohibitive it would be to buy up the old mall for the sole purpose of tearing it down and rebuilding a whole new project on it. So they often sit in limbo for a very very long time.
Omg u just made me think of a great idea. MEGA HAUNTED HOUSE. THE WHOLE MALL.
I watched this mall being built ... Later on, I spent many a day and many a "dollar"at Crystal Mall ... Now, that I'm living in North Carolina, it's nice to view your videos ... alot of memories ... (at the very beginning and located on the first level, just outside of the food court, was Illiano's' Pizza - a big treat was that they would handiout pizza samples) ...
Nice mall though not a large selection in the food court. ;) Good video tour, thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Excellent video! My only minor critiques: slow down in arcades and give us some shots of the cabinets that are more centered, and more pauses in the mall walk throughs in general for establishing shots. Thank you!
I used to go there all the time in the 90's 🙁
I was there once in about 1994. It was MUCH different back then! Thanks for watching!
I was hanging with ya back in the 90s. Got me into great milenko back then. And faygo. Circa when that album dropped.
Sad, sad, sad!!!!!
Oh the glory days!
Of our youth and beautiful fashion and fun restaurants! I bout many an item there, much that I still have. Worked at Filenes for a short time.
Everything has gone downhill......
Thanks for the video!
Went and saw Christmas here last year. What a miserable experience. I was able to take pictures with nobody at all in the shots down towards the other end... It was brutal. I miss going here with my cousin when I was little. I never had any money to actually buy anything back then.
I remember almost every shop.
I ended up going to the Providence Mall for Black Friday to get a mall experience. Picked up a jacket from the Maceys there. Nice sale. Super warm. Best puffer jacket I've ever owned.
I’d suggest going to garden city in Cranston!
Wow, that just gave me so much nostalgia. I grew up in Connecticut and I always went to the Crystal mall. It makes me sad to see it like this unfortunately I’m sure you’re right. This is probably the mall’s last Christmas. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it gets the wrecking ball in a couple of years.
I’m amazed it’s gone this long. Last time I was there was in the summer of 2023 and it was like a morgue back then.
Subscribed! Keep up the excellent work!
I'm guessing the remaining tenants are waiting out their leases at this point. I can't see the mall remaining open another 5 years.
You never know. Enfield Square has somehow stayed open since it died sometime around 2017 or 2018, but yeah, I agree, this mall doesn't seem long for this world.
Me and my friends went to eat at the Buffalo Wild Wings about a year and a half ago, after we walked 5 minutes into mall and left, it was so depressing. I remember when I was a young kid back in 2006-2007 going to one of the restaurants there and walking around and it being packed its crazy how time flies.
I lived in Groton way back in 1995 and the Crystal Mall was much quieter than any of the malls in South Jersey where I came from. At least all the stores were open then.
I went there once in 1994 and it was pretty busy, at least that's how I remember it, but that was 30 years ago... Thanks for watching!
I lived there in this time. My class mates from Fitch poured the local park.
This is so sad to see. During my childhood, the Crystal Mall was my lifeline for shopping. I worked at it's Hot Topic and Gap.
Best wishes for your final months Crystal. I will always have fond memories of you.
Thank you for digitizing an era that will soon be archived in history. I’m sure 20 years from now, a 6yo will stumble upon this video and ask: What is a mall? Why would people go out to buy things when they can just order from the nearest distribution center??
Really just depends on the city or town as we built too many if you look at it, GSP mall and American Dream are booming while if you look at the Carolinas, Greenville and Spartanburg (about 30 mins apart) Spartanburg has been declining and so has their mall while Greenville improving with low crime rate and simply bigger population, their mall is popular with far more stores.
This was our go-to mall back when I was a kid and teenager! Sad to see it so empty.
Bought my first albums here. Yes albums. It was 1985.. White album and the worst of Jefferson airplane
I worked at Record World, still sold albums and cassettes. CDs were just coming out and we threw them around the store to see how indestructible they were/are/ Billy Squier did not fare well.
I last saw this mall in maybe 2014, 2015; and it's jarring to see how the passage of time has changed it into a ghost of what once was.
It used to be like a big community hotspot; couldn't go shopping without running into at least one familiar face.
Kudos to the toy vault for hanging on.