I recently visited Atlantic City twice and it was my first time visiting since 1999 at age 10. I’m 35 now. I walked inside The Playground Pier and noticed the emptiness of the mall. It’s a shame!
Wow I have not been here in 10 years. The memories of my father and I sitting on the Adirondack chairs staring at the city at night are priceless. Thank you for always bringing us back in time.
When I was a kid there was a giant arcade in the back that my mom would drop m eoff at for a few hours while she went to go gamble. So many memories here.
At one time this pier was called the Million dollar Pier, built by a man named Captain John Young, he even built his house (a Mansion) on the pier and used the mailing address of 1 Atlantic Ocean, hence when the Pier was rebuilt as a mall back in the 80s it was given the name Ocean One Mall! True story 😁
Good gosh this video is depressing! I remember it being a bustling place in the 90s! It's really sad to see what happened to not only this mall, but Alantic City in general!
Oh no, this is so sad. I had the opportunity to visit this mall back in 2008 when all the stores were open and got to see the amazing water show! since then I've always said this has been the best mall I've been to but now its dead just like my nostalgic past 😢
In the early 80's, this was just a regular mall with many shops. Then, when Caesars took it over, they made it very high end and named it "The Pier Shops". The first two floors had all high end stores, and the third floor had expensive restaurants and a fancy food court. At the end of the mall was "The Show", which was the water show. It ran ever few minutes and you can watch it from any of the three floors. It was a pretty nice show. I was actually there on the first day they ran it and talked to the technicians who were doing the programming and testing. It was totally automated and computerized. When Caesars sold the property to that developer form Philly (Bart something or other), many of the shops were already closed down. He renamed it "The Playground" and converted most of the first floor into all these different clubs that featured different types of music themes. I think that part of the place was called "T Street" and it was supposed to be like this famous street in Memphis or somewhere. At that time, The Show (water show) was dismantled and removed. That area was turned into another type of club that never took off. Also, many of the other shops started closing down. Also, the 4th floor is a huge catering hall. I think that also is closed now. I also believe that Caesars brought the property back again and they probably have some new plans for it (Hopefully)
Sal made a really good and informative video about this place. I wonder if they'll be able to revive it. I have my doubts considering how AC has really been struggling
I came there last Sunday. The last time I visited Atlantic City was maybe around seven years ago? I remember coming there to see the fountain show. I had no idea that almost everything had closed. People would come inside the mall and would leave almost instantly after entering. It felt very depressing. Anyway great video👍
I lived in Ventnor, NK down-beach and worked in the casino industry 1989-1998. I remember that as Ocean One Mall. It was a big deal for tourists and for me too until a lived there the first year and it all got old real quick.
I remember when this was Ocean 1 Mall. The. It was closed for years. When it was modernized and brought all the high end stores it was beautiful at first. Then stores started closing one by one. It was so sad
Was such a beautiful pier mall. I loved it there. Fountain show at the end was really cool.. which you could see from all three levels. Stairs were around it also. Found out about this mall when I needed a nearby Apple Store in Atlantic County 🤣
1996, I worked the summer at a hotel. That pier was then called Ocean One. The outside designed like the top half of an ocean liner. Had a food court in the circular back end, nice restaurants on third level. Various stores inside. Unique, one of the few places I liked in A.C.
I really enjoyed your video. I was just at this mall yesterday! I saw it in its hay day and my mother & father-in-law would go out to watch the light water show. I like that you could see the beach from above on multiple sides. The food court was nice. The mall is so unused now that when me and my friend went to use the bathroom, the water in the toilet was discolored from disuse. I hope if we can ever defeat Covid that places like this can make a come back.
Yeah this mall is really dead, there must be less than 10 tenants left in the entire pier which at this point, they should just close the pier and let it’s sugar stay open unless they are just waiting for the remaining tenants to leave. Great video!
Thank you! I don't think this place has any future as a shopping destination. I hope they are able to do something with it because the top view is really great.
Yeah I agree, maybe they can let it’s sugar stay open and turn the pier into an entertainment complex with some restaurants, something king of like an round one entertainment. The pier has an lot of potential, they just have to work it out the right way.
There was a storm back in 1990 and we went on the promenade deck to watch. I liked that part of the mall. Would be odd to stand out there right now remembering all the people I knew and worked with so many years ago who also went there.
is this was the ocean one mall? i use to work at Cesar's in the 80s. was my first job went I move to Atlantic City, i use to go there to by shoes and clothing. In the back on the 3 floor was a place we played golf, and a beautiful look to the water like if you was on a real boat. in the first floor was a lots of tee-shirts stores, on the second floor was a mackdonals fast food store. wow what a good memorys. I work in the boardwalk in a restaurant call the garden terrace buffet, one day I was walking on the boardwalk it was a lots of people out and I stepped on this old person foot, I keep walking with out saying excuse me. and a keep walking enter the mall and went up to the 2 floor went in this clothing store the old man found me and steep on mi foot and keep walking. wow and then I remembered that was the man I steep on his foot on the boardwalk. Ji ji ja ja. I started to laugh 😃 😀 😄 I life in Atlantic City for 10 years,
Why are these awesome older vids popping up now?! I could swear I watched this and other vids back when you posted them, but they are showing up as un-viewed and no thumbs up. YT is a pain. Good video! We actually purchased our first MacBook from the Apple Store here way back when they had the white plastic housing. This was a really nice place, but the AC boardwalk has been overrun with homeless and people begging for money for many years. No one wants to walk around that type of environment and spend big bucks at higher end retailers.
In early 2023 a studio production firm began to breathe new life into the pier, with most of the pier converted to soundstages as ACX1 during the spring and summer of the year.
The Tanger outlets on Michigan Ave took the business away. Its sad to see the vacant stores. I was there as a contractor to help build the Playground Pier.
The fountain and light show was really Cool and you could go outside at the end of the pier for an excellent view. The shops and eateries were all pretty expensive though and I don't think that was the right move. Seems that what killed it was the other chain stores that opened their own shopping area in midtown. It just didn't make any sense to have the stores on the pier after the other outfits opened and took all their business away.
A lot of these abandoned shopping centers in Atlantic City can easily be turned into condominiums (if located on/near the beach)🏖️ . There are many people who would buy one as a summer home but too many condos might put hotels out of business 🙄🤔
This used to be lively 5-6 yrs ago on all levels 1&2 with shopping and 3rd floor with the chairs and sand and many restaurants like Phillips Seafood, Souzai, etc. What the hell happened. I remember when they built it up from the old mall there and then it became "The Pier at Caesars" with so much stores.
Very sad indeed 😢, the views you get from this mall are very unique. I did like the restaurant with the river part what an unique that would have been. Thanks for taking us along.
Was just here last weekend and it looked like a zombie apocalypse. It was depressing because I was here 12 years before that and it was so lively. I don’t think Atlantic City will survive another decade unless there is some major cleanup of the area and bring in some investors to update their hotels and casinos. Add some nice nightclubs and some great food and shops on the boardwalk.
The Continental. They had a really creative menu and drinks (A Tang Martini for instance). Was a little on the pricey side but their happy hour made some things a bit cheaper. Great and creative food and drinks though. The deck is closed I'm sure because they can't pay anyone to watch over it and they don't want homeless making an encampment there.
My god i remember that mall i never cared about it though every time my mom and i went to playground pier i was like I WAS TO GO TO THE CANDY STORE and the candy store is bassacly making this mall still opened but its very sad also it makes me sad when malls close i remember there used to be a store selling phone cases and plugs there used to be an auntie annies but it closed before every store in the mall did but man i never even knew it was mall and was called playground pier i never went to the fast foods in there i mean there was a mcdonalds near by but its still so sad
Back in the 80's I used to work at Crabtree and Evelyn when it was Ocean One. I went back a few years ago for my son's wedding and took my Grandkids there. DEPRESSING! Plus we were the only people in the place. 😢 They were trying to go high end. Why not cater to the everyday people like it used to be?
This area's really going to shit I use to love having the apple store and brookstone was cool also Armani exchange 30min from my house Budakon was a really cool place to eat I loved they're crab fried rice. Now I have to travel almost an hour for an apple store
Its still open to the public, there's maybe two or three open stores inside. Of course they probably didn't want me filming inside, so I didn't let them catch me
I was in Atlantic city 2yrs ago, but didn't go inside the pier. The outside just a bunch of billboards. Looks ugly to me. If others like me, wanted to go there, was because of the outside ocean liner look. And added to the beauty of the city. Not now.
EVERY HIGHER END STORE USED TO BE THERE GUCCI, LOUIS VUITTON. TIFFANY, BEBE (MY FAV) TRUE RELIGION , GUESS I MEAN THE LIST GOES ON,,,YES THERE WAS A FOUNTAIN SHOW IN THE BACK WITH ALOT OF EATERIES,,,ITS A SHAME
I recently visited Atlantic City twice and it was my first time visiting since 1999 at age 10. I’m 35 now. I walked inside The Playground Pier and noticed the emptiness of the mall. It’s a shame!
That used to be Ocean One Mall, so many memories as a kid going there in tha 90s
I wish I could have seen it back then
Wow I have not been here in 10 years. The memories of my father and I sitting on the Adirondack chairs staring at the city at night are priceless. Thank you for always bringing us back in time.
Thank you for watching. At least you can still go here and enjoy the view
When I was a kid there was a giant arcade in the back that my mom would drop m eoff at for a few hours while she went to go gamble.
So many memories here.
My grandmother would drop me off at the big arcade at I think Trump Castle and the Marina. I can’t remember I’m getting so old! 😂
It was originally called the Ocean One Mall. I remember it vividly when I was there back in the mid 1980's.
At one time this pier was called the Million dollar Pier, built by a man named Captain John Young, he even built his house (a Mansion) on the pier and used the mailing address of 1 Atlantic Ocean, hence when the Pier was rebuilt as a mall back in the 80s it was given the name Ocean One Mall! True story 😁
Good gosh this video is depressing! I remember it being a bustling place in the 90s! It's really sad to see what happened to not only this mall, but Alantic City in general!
Wow how depressing is that mall. So sad. The beach looked awesome though! Great explore!
Thank you!
Oh no, this is so sad. I had the opportunity to visit this mall back in 2008 when all the stores were open and got to see the amazing water show! since then I've always said this has been the best mall I've been to but now its dead just like my nostalgic past 😢
same .. so sad..
In the early 80's, this was just a regular mall with many shops. Then, when Caesars took it over, they made it very high end and named it "The Pier Shops". The first two floors had all high end stores, and the third floor had expensive restaurants and a fancy food court. At the end of the mall was "The Show", which was the water show. It ran ever few minutes and you can watch it from any of the three floors. It was a pretty nice show. I was actually there on the first day they ran it and talked to the technicians who were doing the programming and testing. It was totally automated and computerized.
When Caesars sold the property to that developer form Philly (Bart something or other), many of the shops were already closed down. He renamed it "The Playground" and converted most of the first floor into all these different clubs that featured different types of music themes. I think that part of the place was called "T Street" and it was supposed to be like this famous street in Memphis or somewhere. At that time, The Show (water show) was dismantled and removed. That area was turned into another type of club that never took off. Also, many of the other shops started closing down.
Also, the 4th floor is a huge catering hall. I think that also is closed now.
I also believe that Caesars brought the property back again and they probably have some new plans for it (Hopefully)
Sal made a really good and informative video about this place. I wonder if they'll be able to revive it. I have my doubts considering how AC has really been struggling
ocean one mall was awesome the 2 story arcade at the rear was amazing!
I came there last Sunday. The last time I visited Atlantic City was maybe around seven years ago? I remember coming there to see the fountain show. I had no idea that almost everything had closed. People would come inside the mall and would leave almost instantly after entering. It felt very depressing.
Anyway great video👍
Thanks!
Halo my dear friend very beautiful video thank you for sharing New
Thank you!
I lived in Ventnor, NK down-beach and worked in the casino industry 1989-1998. I remember that as Ocean One Mall. It was a big deal for tourists and for me too until a lived there the first year and it all got old real quick.
I wish I could've seen it back then
that's crazy i used to come here as a kid and it was thriving
I remember when this was Ocean 1 Mall. The. It was closed for years. When it was modernized and brought all the high end stores it was beautiful at first. Then stores started closing one by one. It was so sad
I heard this place was really cool in its heydey. Sadly, I don't think this place will bounce back
Was such a beautiful pier mall. I loved it there. Fountain show at the end was really cool.. which you could see from all three levels. Stairs were around it also. Found out about this mall when I needed a nearby Apple Store in Atlantic County 🤣
I wish I had the chance to see the fountains
i dont know if you showed it in the video but i went today and there is black mold in the air vents all thorough out the building
Yikes
1996, I worked the summer at a hotel. That pier was then called Ocean One. The outside designed like the top half of an ocean liner. Had a food court in the circular back end, nice restaurants on third level. Various stores inside. Unique, one of the few places I liked in A.C.
Aside for Liberty Village, this is probably the most dead mall in NJ currently, even beating Voorhees.
I think there were two open stores inside, not counting It's Sugar.
I really enjoyed your video. I was just at this mall yesterday! I saw it in its hay day and my mother & father-in-law would go out to watch the light water show. I like that you could see the beach from above on multiple sides. The food court was nice.
The mall is so unused now that when me and my friend went to use the bathroom, the water in the toilet was discolored from disuse. I hope if we can ever defeat Covid that places like this can make a come back.
Unless Atlantic City as a whole can turn things around, I don't see this place recovering
Yeah this mall is really dead, there must be less than 10 tenants left in the entire pier which at this point, they should just close the pier and let it’s sugar stay open unless they are just waiting for the remaining tenants to leave. Great video!
Thank you! I don't think this place has any future as a shopping destination. I hope they are able to do something with it because the top view is really great.
Yeah I agree, maybe they can let it’s sugar stay open and turn the pier into an entertainment complex with some restaurants, something king of like an round one entertainment. The pier has an lot of potential, they just have to work it out the right way.
lived there from 1989-1998. in my 20s. I used to go there on days off from Bally's Grand/Hilton. Moved to Philly.
It's almost like an empty shell. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for watching!
I remember the indoor fountain show but I don't remember any of the stores with the exception of iTSugar and Wet Willies... both of which I LOVE
I sadly never got to see the fountain, I remember a few more stores being open but not many. I do also love It's Sugar
Fantastic video great work
Thank you so much!
There was a storm back in 1990 and we went on the promenade deck to watch. I liked that part of the mall. Would be odd to stand out there right now remembering all the people I knew and worked with so many years ago who also went there.
is this was the ocean one mall?
i use to work at Cesar's in the 80s.
was my first job went I move to Atlantic City, i use to go there to by shoes and clothing. In the back on the 3 floor was a place we played golf, and a beautiful look to the water like if you was on a real boat.
in the first floor was a lots of tee-shirts stores, on the second floor was a mackdonals fast food store. wow what a good memorys. I work in the boardwalk in a restaurant call the garden terrace buffet, one day I was walking on the boardwalk it was a lots of people out and I stepped on this old person foot, I keep walking with out saying excuse me. and a keep walking enter the mall and went up to the 2 floor went in this clothing store the old man found me and steep on mi foot and keep walking.
wow and then I remembered that was the man I steep on his foot on the boardwalk. Ji ji ja ja. I started to laugh 😃 😀 😄 I life in Atlantic City for 10 years,
Why are these awesome older vids popping up now?! I could swear I watched this and other vids back when you posted them, but they are showing up as un-viewed and no thumbs up. YT is a pain.
Good video! We actually purchased our first MacBook from the Apple Store here way back when they had the white plastic housing. This was a really nice place, but the AC boardwalk has been overrun with homeless and people begging for money for many years. No one wants to walk around that type of environment and spend big bucks at higher end retailers.
In early 2023 a studio production firm began to breathe new life into the pier, with most of the pier converted to soundstages as ACX1 during the spring and summer of the year.
The Tanger outlets on Michigan Ave took the business away. Its sad to see the vacant stores. I was there as a contractor to help build the Playground Pier.
The fountain and light show was really Cool and you could go outside at the end of the pier for an excellent view. The shops and eateries were all pretty expensive though and I don't think that was the right move. Seems that what killed it was the other chain stores that opened their own shopping area in midtown. It just didn't make any sense to have the stores on the pier after the other outfits opened and took all their business away.
Yeah those outlets definitely helped kill this place
A lot of these abandoned shopping centers in Atlantic City can easily be turned into condominiums (if located on/near the beach)🏖️ . There are many people who would buy one as a summer home but too many condos might put hotels out of business 🙄🤔
It was a nice mall at one time, I was lucky enough to be one of them to experience it in it's fullness
I wish I could've seen that. Its been dead for as long as I've been going
This used to be lively 5-6 yrs ago on all levels 1&2 with shopping and 3rd floor with the chairs and sand and many restaurants like Phillips Seafood, Souzai, etc. What the hell happened. I remember when they built it up from the old mall there and then it became "The Pier at Caesars" with so much stores.
I remember the fountain show it was freakin awsome
Very sad indeed 😢, the views you get from this mall are very unique. I did like the restaurant with the river part what an unique that would have been. Thanks for taking us along.
It used to be a really nice place. But like most of AC, its in decline. I really wonder whats going to happen to this place.
Sad mall. Good video
It is really sad!
Was just here last weekend and it looked like a zombie apocalypse. It was depressing because I was here 12 years before that and it was so lively. I don’t think Atlantic City will survive another decade unless there is some major cleanup of the area and bring in some investors to update their hotels and casinos. Add some nice nightclubs and some great food and shops on the boardwalk.
My mom just to work in the 3rd floor in a restaurant called captain Young don't know if still there? old memories thanks be safe
I don't think any restaurants are open anymore
It would be creepy going to that dead mall at night time before it closed! Walking through it by yourself lol
I know security is not letting people walk around too much here anymore.
The Continental. They had a really creative menu and drinks (A Tang Martini for instance). Was a little on the pricey side but their happy hour made some things a bit cheaper. Great and creative food and drinks though. The deck is closed I'm sure because they can't pay anyone to watch over it and they don't want homeless making an encampment there.
Thant makes a lot of sense
Covid absolutely ravished this place. I actually believed after covid it would open back up 😢
It was originally The Million Dollar Pier, a classy family attraction in days gone by.
so sad
.this place had such potential :-(
My god i remember that mall i never cared about it though every time my mom and i went to playground pier i was like I WAS TO GO TO THE CANDY STORE and the candy store is bassacly making this mall still opened but its very sad also it makes me sad when malls close i remember there used to be a store selling phone cases and plugs there used to be an auntie annies but it closed before every store in the mall did but man i never even knew it was mall and was called playground pier i never went to the fast foods in there i mean there was a mcdonalds near by but its still so sad
it's so sad. me and my family went here this past summer and the entire upstairs (5:23) was closed or abandoned.
Wow. I can't believe Atlantic City has a dead mall now too.
AC is looking pretty rough these days.
Back in the 80's I used to work at Crabtree and Evelyn when it was Ocean One. I went back a few years ago for my son's wedding and took my Grandkids there. DEPRESSING! Plus we were the only people in the place. 😢 They were trying to go high end. Why not cater to the everyday people like it used to be?
Was this due to the pandemic or was this mall in decline prior to Covid? Also, I lol'd @ "warm pee-pee ambience..." 😂
Lol thanks for laughing at my joke. This place was dead long before covid
The people screwed up. This was at one point in good shape. Now it sucks.
WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER IT WAS THE OCEAN ONE MALL IT WAS THE COOLEST THING BEFORE CAESARS GOT IT
Supposed there's plans in the works to revive it
This area's really going to shit I use to love having the apple store and brookstone was cool also Armani exchange 30min from my house Budakon was a really cool place to eat I loved they're crab fried rice. Now I have to travel almost an hour for an apple store
Ocean One
You can just go in there and just walk around with no problems?
Its still open to the public, there's maybe two or three open stores inside. Of course they probably didn't want me filming inside, so I didn't let them catch me
@@RayOutThere oh okay that’s great thanks. Thanks for responding
I was in Atlantic city 2yrs ago, but didn't go inside the pier. The outside just a bunch of billboards. Looks ugly to me. If others like me, wanted to go there, was because of the outside ocean liner look. And added to the beauty of the city. Not now.
EVERY HIGHER END STORE USED TO BE THERE GUCCI, LOUIS VUITTON. TIFFANY, BEBE (MY FAV) TRUE RELIGION , GUESS I MEAN THE LIST GOES ON,,,YES THERE WAS A FOUNTAIN SHOW IN THE BACK WITH ALOT OF EATERIES,,,ITS A SHAME
recently visited a couple of weeks ago still dead as a doornail pretty sad it makes me miss crowded malls abit