It’s crazy how this mall was the place to be in the 2000’s it used to be popping. Got A lot of good memories here growing up. I think they officially closed it this place couple months ago for good, crazy smh.
My mom and Dad both worked in this mall when I was a baby. My dad sold suits in JCPenny in the early 90’s. When I was in middle school I’d walk to the mall with my friends. We’d go to Sees Candy and there was this old lady that always gave us whatever free sample we wanted, we called her “Mrs Sees”. Hella memories in this mall from almost every era of my life. RIP.
I used to work at the movie theaters in the mall back in its heyday. Had cinemas 1-4 on the lower level between Macy's and Sears right next to the military recruiting offices. And Cinemas 5-8 on the upper level on the other side of the mall where 24hr Fitness would eventually be (if its still there). The theaters were first owned and ran by Cineplex Odeon. Cinemas 1-4 was a discount theater tickets were $1.00 they played movies that had been out for a while and left main theaters. Cinemas 5-8 played first run movies and eventually went to discount rates as well. Eventually the theaters were bought by Sony and called "Lowes Cineplex" Sony then shut the theaters down soon after and then opened the Metron theater in San Francisco shortly after.
Yep lived at the movies use to work for jcpenys then sears my friends and I would meet after work.. I still live in San Pablo. Went to Walmart last week. Everything is almost closed Walmart hanging by a thread.
This is a sad sight. :( I grew up right near this mall in El Sobrante back in the 80s and 90s. It is barely a shadow of it's former glory. Amazon is killing everything..
Me too! Spent soooo much time there as a pre-teen and teen...especially after school. We'd get dropped off by friends that had cars after Pinolve Valley High let out. Soooo many nostalgic memories. Sad
Wow. Picture this 1995....I stayed in this Mall especially during my college years when I attended Contra Costa College, This video literally took me back in time. So many memories. How times have changed.
I grew up in Hilltop, it used to be so nice especially in the 80s and early 90s. My Uncle worked at Crescent Jewelers. I got spanked with a switch outside Emporium Capwells because I didn’t wanna leave McDonald’s playplace lol 😂
It’s so weird how these dying malls will still be full of all the athletic/ shoe/ sports stores and phone stores. I hope this one gets revived, but I think the Macy’s is expected to close by 2021. Sears is gone now too.
reading everyones comments about all the great things that use to be at this place breaks my heart, i definitely miss all the families during the holidays hanging out in the center of the mall near the fountain under the spiral ramp
I remember it thriving as a kid Then as a teen there was a dude shot at the $1 movie theater That was the start of the end Used to be two movie theaters there
Back in 1984-85 Durring the holidays since my close friends lived in Rodeo, CA, we'd go shopping there. I wore my break dancing gear. The thing to do then!
Wow. Thx for the memories. I remember when those hills were full of sheep and new tracts of houses in the 50s & 60s. Later I worked at the Hilltop DriveIn Theater in the early 70s until they sold off the land to build this Mall. Later I worked at one of the "new" car dealerships on Auto Plaza for several years. My, my, how times have changed the area!
I used to love going there every other weekend with my family. I would go straight to Suncoast to buy new dvds 😅 Last time I went which was about 2 years ago was a bit of a shocker seeing how dead it was. Really sad to see.
This was one of my favorite places to go with my family during childhood. I miss going to this place because I have so much memories from taking photos with the Easter bunny and Santa to putting my hand in the water to see how cold it was. I remember present shopping her with my parents or one of them. It's so sad that it's no longer a place to go to anymore.
I am 52 --- I remember the ice-skating rink. Fell and hit my head twice (once and then as I as getting back up) when I was about 8 or 9 and have never been ice skating since. I remember the knife store and my sisters got their ears pierced at Bedazzle and shopped at the Gap. When I was 16 I worked at a store called Basic Elements on the second floor that sold mens clothes with the identical toddler boys through youth boys sizes and designs The owners thought that men would buy for their sons the same outfits (father and son twins I guess). Hilltop was busy as hell back in the 80's and there were no vacancies.
I remember as a kid watching the mall being built. The round center was built first and I couldn’t wait to see what was going in. Hilltop Mall was the place to go in the 1980’s. It was hoppin’ every day, especially after schools let out for the day. Weekends were jam packed with parents and kids went. Lots of teens and older kids by themselves too. The mall was decorated beautifully at Christmas. I don’t remember $1 movies. I remember the AMC there. I remember going to the movies there and seeing Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1978, 2 years after the mall opened.
I remember HT had a Ice Skating Rink Taco Bell, Sabrrios, Musicland, Shirtique, Gap, Millers Outpost, Copelands, Olan Mills, King Norman's I got my first Atari 2600 from there. Outside the main mall there was a Olive Garden, Chevys, and a Red Lobster too! I grew up in El Cerrito in the 80s great times.
The Kay bee toy store, the movie theaters, the McDonald’s, suncoast, arcade, Cinnabon, EB games, Disney store, radio shack, Walden books, Mrs fields and so much more. Many memories here
It was never a drive in movie location, that was down the road a piece on San Pablo. This was a thriving mall and the community just could not support it. There are numerous malls in the country that a still going strong. They need to level it and build a neighborhood.
I was a little kid when that mall first opened. There was an ice skating rink and movie theater. Saw the very first Star Wars movie there. Strange seeing it empty now. Sun Valley mall in Concord is where all the business went. Over the years the Richmond area wasnt the place people wanted to visit so all the shoppers flocked to the Sun Valley mall in Concord. Even locals went all the way to Concord. They will have to make some huge changes to intice people to come back. Not just new housing because theres a ton of housing already there and nobody goes to that mall anymore.
Thanks for comfirming the ice skating rink. In my early teens, around 1983, I use to go there. I moved to southern CA since the mid 80's so I was not sure if I had the right mall. Sad it's gone.
I remember the movie theater , i seen the movie Pulp Fiction there when i was a kid lol mall used to be so dope back in the days lol i still go to Walmart lol 🤣😂 Georgio's was my spot lol only place u can find red robbin jeans
I miss them all to the left it alone it was always somewhere for family or just to go somewhere if you needed something go pick up something it was just really really a nice smile specially during the summertime and the winter too as well really really miss thousand miss it
I loved Emporium Capwell's. I haven't been to that mall in forever. Not likely to return. I do remember when it was busy though- I used to pop in when I worked near the area. How is Southland mall doing in Hayward?
In a way, internet clothes shopping doesn't replicate going into an actual store. I don't how many times I've ordered something and thought "this looked better in the photos" or "this doesn't fit right". I like being able to search for exactly what I'm looking for but hate not being able to try it on. I only buy jeans in person because the sizes are so inconsistent.
I remember stopping by at this mall with friends on our way to visit a friend in Vallejo. It was mid eighties and our group consisted of 3 Hispanics and 3 whites....GOOD LORD we were SO out of place and unwelcomed by the black youth loitering/ hanging out there! This was always a dangerous place to be especially if your weren't black!!! These idiots began threatening us and chased us out of the mall!!! We were from the avenues in San Francisco and completely oblivious to these scary areas....taught us a lesson - Beware!!!
In the 70’s and 80’s there was a movie theater and an ice skating rink there. Also, the mall didn’t used to be a drive in the drive in was there long before the mall and then It was Next to the mall for years
I used to work out at the Hilltop YMCA. (My membership was in Oakland) We bought the 2007 iPhones at the ATT store at Hilltop. That place was rife with malevolency. The YMCA was an excuse to go to Cinnabon. When Cinnabon left Hilltop, so did I. This mall was dying way before Amazon and Shopify. Great vlog.
Used to love thos place as a child before it got ghetto. 85-2005 after that turned into a real toilet and brought the worst kind of people. Some of my favorite stores were the dollar movies, KB toys, camelot music. Walmart really was the begining of the end for that place.
Greetings from Northern California to San Francisco Bay Area Richmond the hood to be exact, they just made mention that they're going to close Macy's for good just to update all y'all who read comments, and that's hella smerkish
I stole so many cassette tapes/Cd's from sam goody in that place. Halloween spent there. $1 movie theater. The fights. That's real sad to see. Save Hilltop mall.
I used to live in montalvin neighborhood not far from Hilltop Mall back in 1987 back then the mall was thriving exciting to go to to buy shop around to eat at not to mention simply to hang around with your friends and family, looking at this video now it's pretty pathetic the mall does not look like a mall it looks more like a ghost town what the heck happened did the whole place become ghetto? If that's the case wow what a shame to me Richmond it's not what it used to be too many things have changed not for the better hopefully one day it will but as for now? what a shame
BRO I GO TO THAT DAMN MALL EVERY FUCKING TIME I SEE MY DAD. But it’s dead now. It use to be hecka shoe stores in there. Me and my dad still go to that Walmart.
*The Grand structure has gone from exciting shopping center to Masoleum of memories. Financed by all you wonderful GM employees. Who were laid-off without your golden pensions. After GM filed for bankruptcy due to planned mismanagement of your funds. While they purchased this shopping center with your money. So you could spend money on the site. Where your money was taken for construction. As, GM made money from your purchases. At the site built by your money. Isn't that nice?* 🤣
It's done for. They boarded it up when Covid hit and at this point they don't intend on ever opening it up again. Sears closed last year and Macy's is leaving next month. Walmart is probably staying but a logistics company is buying up the rest of the site if I recall correctly.
Tell me about it. It seems like the only mall that’s going to survive is the Solano mall in Fairfield. It seems like everyone Has to come from Richmond to Fairfield to do their Christmas shopping and what not. There goes my childhood. Well, at least I had a chance from a little girl to an adult during the 80s and most of the new millennium to go to that mall.
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Watching this is almost like dying a little bit if you've experienced the place.
My Father worked on the plumbing on that mall,the mall is gone, and so is he now.
It’s crazy how this mall was the place to be in the 2000’s it used to be popping. Got A lot of good memories here growing up. I think they officially closed it this place couple months ago for good, crazy smh.
I actually grow up going to this mall all the time. I lived super close to the mall too.
Me too I grew up on Roosevelt Street in East Richmond
Same the houses near Walmart is my house
I'm from North Richmond and it was the place to meet girls and they had movies theatre's and even an ice skating rink as well.
@@Bullishconvict ders no east richmond lol dats damn near el cereito. Since u said "east" though i think u referring to central
@@koollaidman9594 No I ment east bay I lived there for 15 years
My mom and Dad both worked in this mall when I was a baby. My dad sold suits in JCPenny in the early 90’s.
When I was in middle school I’d walk to the mall with my friends. We’d go to Sees Candy and there was this old lady that always gave us whatever free sample we wanted, we called her “Mrs Sees”.
Hella memories in this mall from almost every era of my life. RIP.
I used to work at the movie theaters in the mall back in its heyday. Had cinemas 1-4 on the lower level between Macy's and Sears right next to the military recruiting offices. And Cinemas 5-8 on the upper level on the other side of the mall where 24hr Fitness would eventually be (if its still there). The theaters were first owned and ran by Cineplex Odeon. Cinemas 1-4 was a discount theater tickets were $1.00 they played movies that had been out for a while and left main theaters. Cinemas 5-8 played first run movies and eventually went to discount rates as well. Eventually the theaters were bought by Sony and called "Lowes Cineplex" Sony then shut the theaters down soon after and then opened the Metron theater in San Francisco shortly after.
Yep lived at the movies use to work for jcpenys then sears my friends and I would meet after work.. I still live in San Pablo. Went to Walmart last week. Everything is almost closed Walmart hanging by a thread.
I remember watching “Big” and “Phantasm” there. I miss the 80”s 😢
This is a sad sight. :( I grew up right near this mall in El Sobrante back in the 80s and 90s. It is barely a shadow of it's former glory. Amazon is killing everything..
Me too! Spent soooo much time there as a pre-teen and teen...especially after school. We'd get dropped off by friends that had cars after Pinolve Valley High let out. Soooo many nostalgic memories. Sad
RIP Hilltop, had lot good memories i will never forget. Born n raised Rich Town 😢
Wow. Picture this 1995....I stayed in this Mall especially during my college years when I attended Contra Costa College, This video literally took me back in time. So many memories. How times have changed.
Went contra costa college as well
I remember that the 74 bus would take you from CCC to the mall.
You had to know how to fight to go to this mall
😂
So many memories in this mall.
I grew up in Hilltop, it used to be so nice especially in the 80s and early 90s. My Uncle worked at Crescent Jewelers. I got spanked with a switch outside Emporium Capwells because I didn’t wanna leave McDonald’s playplace lol 😂
It’s so weird how these dying malls will still be full of all the athletic/ shoe/ sports stores and phone stores. I hope this one gets revived, but I think the Macy’s is expected to close by 2021. Sears is gone now too.
reading everyones comments about all the great things that use to be at this place breaks my heart, i definitely miss all the families during the holidays hanging out in the center of the mall near the fountain under the spiral ramp
I remember it thriving as a kid
Then as a teen there was a dude shot at the $1 movie theater
That was the start of the end
Used to be two movie theaters there
Marcel Thomas (Baker) was shot the opening night of Harlem nights the theater upstairs the theater down stairs was the dollar movies
Back in 1984-85 Durring the holidays since my close friends lived in Rodeo, CA, we'd go shopping there. I wore my break dancing gear. The thing to do then!
Wow. Thx for the memories. I remember when those hills were full of sheep and new tracts of houses in the 50s & 60s. Later I worked at the Hilltop DriveIn Theater in the early 70s until they sold off the land to build this Mall. Later I worked at one of the "new" car dealerships on Auto Plaza for several years. My, my, how times have changed the area!
I used 2 get all my school clothes there when I was a kid in the 90s and early 2000s
Mr rags lol
Tell me hilltop wasnt the spot bro
@@jfresher925 its was man them days are long gone
Thank u guys for these hilltop memories. Yal should've had me with u so i can narrate every store and event. I use to be at this mall all the time.
I used to love going there every other weekend with my family. I would go straight to Suncoast to buy new dvds 😅
Last time I went which was about 2 years ago was a bit of a shocker seeing how dead it was. Really sad to see.
Nice video! Thanks for documenting this endangered Taubman property.
Thanks, we've seen all your videos also. Great work!
The “plans” have since fallen through it just stores Amazon vehicles in the parking lot which is extensive as you see.
that was the place I learned to drive and I'm sure a lot of others did to
My dad thought me about 4 years ago and his.dad thought him as well.there at Hiltop sucks that they closed it
This was one of my favorite places to go with my family during childhood. I miss going to this place because I have so much memories from taking photos with the Easter bunny and Santa to putting my hand in the water to see how cold it was. I remember present shopping her with my parents or one of them. It's so sad that it's no longer a place to go to anymore.
I lived in Crockett and would take the 78 bus to Hilltop after school many days. It was a booming place back then. Sad to see it closed now.
2024 still waiting for that renovation....
I remember I met Tiffany Garcia there as a young man love you tiff and rest in peace baby!
The center courtyard with the sculpture and waterfall so key.
I actually worked at the mall in 1997 At Frederick's of Hollywood. And you were spot on with the location
R I P to my good memories we want the mall
Damn it really used to be the spot.... Smh
MrDeviDev Walmart is the only thriving spot there
MrDeviDev right
I'm telling my age I remember when there was an ice skating ring in that mall, and a knife store
I am 52 --- I remember the ice-skating rink. Fell and hit my head twice (once and then as I as getting back up) when I was about 8 or 9 and have never been ice skating since.
I remember the knife store and my sisters got their ears pierced at Bedazzle and shopped at the Gap. When I was 16 I worked at a store called Basic Elements on the second floor that sold mens clothes with the identical toddler boys through youth boys sizes and designs The owners thought that men would buy for their sons the same outfits (father and son twins I guess). Hilltop was busy as hell back in the 80's and there were no vacancies.
gotta throw a penny in the fountain to make a wish
Didn't there use to be an ice skatting place there? I remember in my early teens I use to take the bus there. Im talking back around 1984. Memories 😌
I remember as a kid watching the mall being built. The round center was built first and I couldn’t wait to see what was going in. Hilltop Mall was the place to go in the 1980’s. It was hoppin’ every day, especially after schools let out for the day. Weekends were jam packed with parents and kids went. Lots of teens and older kids by themselves too. The mall was decorated beautifully at Christmas. I don’t remember $1 movies. I remember the AMC there. I remember going to the movies there and seeing Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1978, 2 years after the mall opened.
I remember HT had a Ice Skating Rink
Taco Bell, Sabrrios, Musicland, Shirtique, Gap, Millers Outpost, Copelands, Olan Mills, King Norman's I got my first Atari 2600 from there. Outside the main mall there was a Olive Garden, Chevys, and a Red Lobster too! I grew up in El Cerrito in the 80s great times.
The Kay bee toy store, the movie theaters, the McDonald’s, suncoast, arcade, Cinnabon, EB games, Disney store, radio shack, Walden books, Mrs fields and so much more. Many memories here
Coffee place was cinnabon
It was never a drive in movie location, that was down the road a piece on San Pablo. This was a thriving mall and the community just could not support it. There are numerous malls in the country that a still going strong. They need to level it and build a neighborhood.
Man I remember this mall in the early 90s. It used to have movie theater,and I used to love KB toys and the big water fountain 😢😢😢
I love California, that’s beautiful mall.
Thank you for the Great video
1980s my friends and I used to meet up here all the time
I was a little kid when that mall first opened. There was an ice skating rink and movie theater. Saw the very first Star Wars movie there. Strange seeing it empty now. Sun Valley mall in Concord is where all the business went. Over the years the Richmond area wasnt the place people wanted to visit so all the shoppers flocked to the Sun Valley mall in Concord. Even locals went all the way to Concord. They will have to make some huge changes to intice people to come back. Not just new housing because theres a ton of housing already there and nobody goes to that mall anymore.
Thanks for comfirming the ice skating rink. In my early teens, around 1983, I use to go there. I moved to southern CA since the mid 80's so I was not sure if I had the right mall. Sad it's gone.
Does anyone remember the Disney store at Hilltop
I remember the movie theater , i seen the movie Pulp Fiction there when i was a kid lol mall used to be so dope back in the days lol i still go to Walmart lol 🤣😂 Georgio's was my spot lol only place u can find red robbin jeans
I worked here! It was 1979 and I worked in a bank that just opened. Back then it was a thriving mall.
There used to be 2 movie theaters on opposite sides
I miss them all to the left it alone it was always somewhere for family or just to go somewhere if you needed something go pick up something it was just really really a nice smile specially during the summertime and the winter too as well really really miss thousand miss it
I come this mall every day since 1998
There was an ice skating rink on the bottom floor once.
Wait ice rink
There was an ice cream place called Scoopys next to the rink with porthole windows so you could watch people skate.
@@janelleblarg OMG! I remember the portholes. I think there was an off-name Pizza place across the way.
I loved Emporium Capwell's. I haven't been to that mall in forever. Not likely to return. I do remember when it was busy though- I used to pop in when I worked near the area. How is Southland mall doing in Hayward?
There used to be an ice skating rink here in the 1980s also
I remember before It was built. The farmers yard...late 70's.
next to the Sears, that was a Fredricks of Hollywood
In a way, internet clothes shopping doesn't replicate going into an actual store. I don't how many times I've ordered something and thought "this looked better in the photos" or "this doesn't fit right". I like being able to search for exactly what I'm looking for but hate not being able to try it on. I only buy jeans in person because the sizes are so inconsistent.
The dollar theatre's!!!!!!!
I remember stopping by at this mall with friends on our way to visit a friend in Vallejo. It was mid eighties and our group consisted of 3 Hispanics and 3 whites....GOOD LORD we were SO out of place and unwelcomed by the black youth loitering/ hanging out there! This was always a dangerous place to be especially if your weren't black!!! These idiots began threatening us and chased us out of the mall!!! We were from the avenues in San Francisco and completely oblivious to these scary areas....taught us a lesson - Beware!!!
This was the spot in the early and mid 90s
I grew up here. There was a farm where the mall is now. Hilltop Drive was county Road 24.
Wow, that mall was packed with people back in 2007.
In the 70’s and 80’s there was a movie theater and an ice skating rink there. Also, the mall didn’t used to be a drive in the drive in was there long before the mall and then It was Next to the mall for years
Lmao I was there when the sears was closing, stocked up on a lot of stuff😂😂
I worked at the champs sports store back in the early 2000s this mall was poppin back then.
I used to work out at the Hilltop YMCA. (My membership was in Oakland) We bought the 2007 iPhones at the ATT store at Hilltop. That place was rife with malevolency. The YMCA was an excuse to go to Cinnabon. When Cinnabon left Hilltop, so did I. This mall was dying way before Amazon and Shopify. Great vlog.
Vallco (demolished) was the very first dead mall I visited. Then goes the second one to Hilltop.
My family and I use to come to this mall just to occasionally get red velvet cake from this one bakery that's now in San Lorenzo, CA
Damn this crazy I’m just finding out it’s closed
That coffee place was a Cinnabon
It's a shame I grew up there
Good luck
Damn the memories
Used to love thos place as a child before it got ghetto. 85-2005 after that turned into a real toilet and brought the worst kind of people. Some of my favorite stores were the dollar movies, KB toys, camelot music. Walmart really was the begining of the end for that place.
Greetings from Northern California to San Francisco Bay Area Richmond the hood to be exact, they just made mention that they're going to close Macy's for good just to update all y'all who read comments, and that's hella smerkish
Looks like those “plans to renovate it” failed! LOL
rolling acres!
No the pretzel place u were referring to was before R&R coffee was called cinnabon.
I stole so many cassette tapes/Cd's from sam goody in that place. Halloween spent there. $1 movie theater. The fights. That's real sad to see. Save Hilltop mall.
I stayed 2 blocks up tha street from hilltop mall
Use come here all the time
thats my mall i use to love to hit up the dollar movie
There was graffiti on the truck they showed! LOL
One of the oldest store there is photos magic lol
I used to live in montalvin neighborhood not far from Hilltop Mall back in 1987 back then the mall was thriving exciting to go to to buy shop around to eat at not to mention simply to hang around with your friends and family, looking at this video now it's pretty pathetic the mall does not look like a mall it looks more like a ghost town what the heck happened did the whole place become ghetto? If that's the case wow what a shame to me Richmond it's not what it used to be too many things have changed not for the better hopefully one day it will but as for now? what a shame
Wonder how it's doing after the pandemic.
I used To Do Security Here At This Mall
BRO I GO TO THAT DAMN MALL EVERY FUCKING TIME I SEE MY DAD. But it’s dead now. It use to be hecka shoe stores in there. Me and my dad still go to that Walmart.
The Richmond mall haven’t been here in years
Wow I haven't been there since the late 80's, how about that one in Hayward CA?
The mall in Hayward isn't quite dead yet, but not doing great.
Southland Mall- used to go there a lot! Haven't been over there either. I hear it is not really safe.
@@debbiestherapy you must be paranoid, I only see families walking around
Does anyone remember the name of the Chinese restaurant that was there in the late 70's?
Looks like Macy's is the next Sears.
its now close in 2024
I used to go to this mall on occasion 15 years ago. It was a crappy mall back then.
*The Grand structure has gone from exciting shopping center to Masoleum of memories. Financed by all you wonderful GM employees. Who were laid-off without your golden pensions. After GM filed for bankruptcy due to planned mismanagement of your funds. While they purchased this shopping center with your money. So you could spend money on the site. Where your money was taken for construction. As, GM made money from your purchases. At the site built by your money. Isn't that nice?* 🤣
2023 this mall is still dead lol
Why the horrible music??????
So sad
Is that close now
yes, i just recently came there. and i mean recently as by few minutes ago lol. but it’s dead and closed. i kinda want to go in there tbh
So how is it now
It's done for. They boarded it up when Covid hit and at this point they don't intend on ever opening it up again. Sears closed last year and Macy's is leaving next month. Walmart is probably staying but a logistics company is buying up the rest of the site if I recall correctly.
@@Rubycon99 yeah walmart is still up.
Man this is sad
Tell me about it. It seems like the only mall that’s going to survive is the Solano mall in Fairfield. It seems like everyone Has to come from Richmond to Fairfield to do their Christmas shopping and what not. There goes my childhood. Well, at least I had a chance from a little girl to an adult during the 80s and most of the new millennium to go to that mall.
I live right up the street from this mall now Issa ghost mall
Did they change name
@@angelarene5744 the mall?
@@angelarene5744 no
Yiiiii dollar movie theater
Meanwhile, people buy bootleg and stolen things from Amazon