They need to fill in the empty stores for sure but it’s one of the nicest malls in the Denver Metro area and it’s one that caters more towards families which is missing in the park Meadows mall Colorado Mills mall has that but that’s further away and it’s much busier and larger. The southwest Plaza has a nice cozyatmosphere, and I treasure it and hope that it stays around
This is just surreal seeing the mall I grew up with on a TH-cam video. I still go there for cinibon every now and then, but unfortunately there's no good stores there because no one wants to take a chance in a mall that's been slowly dying for a decade now. The makeover had no effect, and might have honestly made things worse since it took so long to be completed
@@ERA_Productions Even with four of the largest high schools in the county being 15 mins away, it's sad to see this staple of my own high school days slowly fade away into just memories.
Whoa! This one caught me off guard! I never would have thought Southwest Plaza would be this dead! I graduated from Columbine HS in '82, and our yearbook had an article saying that when the mall is completed, so many graduates will apply there! It was chic, it was hip, and always packed. I became assistant manager of Dreamz...Spencer's Gifts failed attempt at a clothing store, which had then been converted to selling typical Spencer's merch, and I felt so hip working in that mall. The movie theater was great, (saw "Footloose ", "Twilight Zone: The Movie", "The Breakfast Club", all those when they were first released!) the food court was great...everything. My friend worked at the Tuxedo Rental upstairs. This hurts almost as badly as when Cinderella City was demolished. You were a great place, Southwest Plaza.
It's definitely sad. These old style centers just seemed more appropriate for Colorado then the outdoor replacements popping up all over Colorado like Aspen Grove for instance. I've been in Colorado since the 70s and remember all the old ones. Thanks for the memories. I have to say, Cinderella city was the biggest loss.
I was a kid and lived in Southeast Denver, near the Denver Tech Center, when this mall opened. It was a huge deal. They had a K*B Toys AND a Circus World, not to mention the toy department in SEARS. About a decade later I worked at the Suncoast Motion Picture Company in the mall. It was one of the best jobs I've ever had. I haven't been to Southwest Plaza in at least two decades. I barely recognize anything in this video.
This is my local mall and it's been interesting seeing it change throughout the years. Definitely surreal seeing it being covered in a video lol. I used to work there too. The ceilings now have bags with tubes running into trash cans to catch water from the leaking ceiling. The remodel in my eyes is so ugly. Wouldn't consider it totally dead but definitely on its way out for sure
This was one of my favorite malls until they remodeled it several years ago - Now I rarely go. I was there this past Friday for the Escape Room and walking around, it made me nostalgic for how it used to look and feel.
It was the fact Macy's no longer sold there that killed it for my grandma. We had no more reason to go as we could get everything else but Dillards closer.
I lived in Colorado from 1981 and 2021 and remember attending the grand opening of this mall. It was new and full of shopping options and I visited it many times over the years. I remember visiting it when the 2nd remodel was being done and how in disarray it was. I visited once last time in 2019 before Covid hit and the Sears closing was going on. It definitely wasn’t the same and very sad to see all the changes that had been made. Over the years in Colorado, I saw many malls come and go, with only 3 that seem to have stood the test of time. Cherry Creek, Park Meadows and Aurora Mall. Thanks for presenting this video as it brought back so many memories of a place I miss so much!! Being I’m back in Florida, I realize why I left the first time…
@@djbille4283 i believe flatirons up north is still bustling too and colorado mills. Park meadows is probably the busiest…so much so theyre building a massive new parking garage. Business is only increasing. I think what changes a mall are the clientele in the area. Maybe its that more and more people who live by southwest plaza now may be working 6 days a week or multiple jobs not to mention the crunch in the economy whether it be housing costs or buying power. Things are getting worse. I dont mean to assume or anything, but I wouldnt doubt it.
@@cringecrew101asmr8 Perhaps, but they’re newer malls (2000 & 2002) and to me, Colorado Mills is more of an enclosed outlet center than the others. Those I mentioned above were opened in 1990, 1995 and 1975 so for the most part, 30+ years old. But 22 and 24 year runs are pretty good too 👍🏻
Cherry Creek is still going strong? Haven't been there in 20 years. I'm surprised it hasn't been torn down and converted to expensive high rise apartments.
@@cmfrancis1 I didn’t say Cherry Creek was going strong but they stood the test of time. Meaning the majority of storefronts are occupied and they haven’t gone down the tubes like the others. As long as Colorado houses rich and elite people, Cherry Creek will most likely always remain. I myself, did stop patronizing the mall once they started charging for parking. Absolutely ridiculous, IMO!!
I can not stress how awesome Southwest Plaza used to be. Catch a movie at Mann Theater, go browse Border's and/or one of the several department stores, then end it at Around the Corner restaraunt and get dessert at either the Dairy Queen or Mrs. Field's right next door. All of this slowly dissapeared throughout the 00's into the 10's. I think the 2014 remodel did help a little, at least now it has a couple good restaraunts and Round 1, which always seems to be bustling on the weekends.
I would say it is anything but fancy. This mall to me was the Macy's and Dillards Mall. I bought my dress pants for work there for a entire 25 dollars each in 2020. I would not call Macy's fancy.
I'm a gen z who grew up basically used to the mall being in the form it is now... interesting to hear how extravagant it was. My favorite mall is COLORADO MILLS
I went to school across the street & ate in this food court all the time back in 2015/16! It used to be so full & normal until COVID tbh. Now the only things bringing locals to it are Makers Market & Round 1! Thank you for covering my hometown + Much love 🖤
I used to go here all the time as a kid. I remember Cozzoli's Pizza, Disney store, there was a Taco Bell downstairs by one of the entrances, a pet store, Asian Gifts had airsoft guns and fake swords, lots of unique places. I worked at the JC Penneys for a while as a teenager, good times lol
Love going to Round1, that is the reason we go to that mall. When we do, I enjoy walking around and like that it’s not packed. Nice mall and food hall is good
Wow! I remember going here all the time as a kid in like 2010, it brought back so many memories watching this video. Awesome job and so sad to see this mall is dying.
Ah man. I still go to this mall a lot, specifically for round1. Heck I was there a few days ago playing claw machines. It’s always sad to see how empty the parking lots are (but I guess it’s nice to be able to park close.)
I love the southwest Plaza mall. It’s my favorite mall in Colorado Park Meadows has too many high-end stores not enough things for families and kids to do. I love the southwest Pam all caters to families with balance houses indoor kids play areas animals you can ride I want to see more of that come and stay at the mall because the southwest Plaza mall is a gathering point for the community it’s so integral and important. My daughter and I go here at least once a week
Nothing ages you like hearing someone narrate a short form documentary on the history of someplace you used to go to. But Southglenn Mall mentioned in there, yay!
My favorite mall Denver Metro Area was Cinderella City Mall. Very beautiful for Christmas!! The Aurora Mall has far more traffic. The area has more people from the borders in the area than anyone else now. They seem to love shopping there. I believe that is keeping the Aurora Mall alive! Sears is gone. Macy’s and Dillard’s is still there and JCPenny’s. If those stores leave, good-bye Aurora Mall. Not sure about Park Meadows in Lone Tree! Maybe inflation plays a pet in it all.
Beginning of summer this place is a chill. It gets decent business but its nothing like it used to be in the 90's. Lots of memories here. Cinderella City and Bear Valley were my other spots. Bear valley was a small strip mall that had a theater in the early 90's. Me and my friends would ride bikes all around. Then always end up at Brentwood til the street lights came on.
It looks like it was once a really nice mall. I loved the food court. At least they are taking care of it and it's clean and bright. I hope it makes it. What time are you here? It's so quiet, hardly anyone here walking around. Not a good sign. Fingers crossed that this pretty mall pulls through some how. Thanks for the video! Loved your music too
I was just there a few weeks ago and was so surprised at how dead it was. This mall used to be such a magical place filled with people when I was a kid! Cherry Creek Mall is worth going to as still has that old school mall feeling and isn't as dead.. that is if you don't mind paying for parking.
There are still many unique things about this mall. The makers store in the middle is all about community. Small local sellers can rent a booth and sell right next to the major stores. My favorite place to go Christmas shopping. Round 1 is a bowling alley and arcade you can walk around with a beer. It would not want to change locations even if the mall closes. If they change the mall into appointments they would still have Verizon store, Chili’s, Target and a bank. I mean I do get, most people go to Target and if it’s not there, Amazon. The American mall was always a meeting place, a family place. The pandemic not helping, people have been steered away from meeting in public places just to go shopping. Everyone wants instant gratification and not to be bothered. I for one go to this mall on the outside on Saturdays in the summer for the farmers market, and will continue to do so.
I live in metro Denver. This is kind of surreal. I worked in the mall back in 1991. Went there shortly after the remodel in 2018 I think. Can’t remember if it was 2018 or 2019…
There was a cool store in that mall (lower level) around 2004-ish that sold tons on import goods. Lots of anime/imports like cd soundtracks, magazines, snacks, beauty, etc. They were expensive so I don’t think it lasted long but it was a great place to buy that sort of stuff before online shopping became the norm
I got tons of memory's from this mall. From shopping for school clothes to haven lunch in the food court as a kid. Chasing girls, and later in life, We took my daughter here for her birthday and made build a bears and rode the electronic sit on scooters till she fell asleep. Its sad to see the state it is in today, but that entire area changed over the years. I wish people attended malls , it was such an amazing time when we all shopped at malls. I miss seeing the people walk around with the smiles of shopping ;) We moved to the Colorado plains a few years ago for a slow down and to let our kids thrive away from the big city of Denver, I was born and raised here and am enjoying the quiet away from all of this.
You're not wrong about Denver having too many malls. I'm somewhat close to Colorado Mills, and what I can't find there I can go down to Park Meadows to get. The only times I've gone to the SWP was either for Round 1, or for overflow parking for a nearby event.
As someone younger, it looks like the Southwest Plaza REALLY needs to pivot its focus. For the most part, my friends and I don’t ever go to SWP to shop, SWP is surrounded by a myriad of shopping places, but something that feels like a rarity in SW Denver is entertainment, anytime I’m going to SW Plaza, its to do something fun, never to shop around. A turn towards entertainment may be what the mall needs. Buts thats just from the point of view of someone young.
I agree! Entertainment is something that a mall like Park Meadows for example lacks. Bringing more entertainment venues to Southwest Plaza would really help it out.
Since about 2015 I have been a regular shopper at the Arc Thrift Store across the street, not because I'm cheap but because I like finding stuff not sold anymore and retro things, and I have only gone into the mall for eating lunch at Chipotle or Sbarro. Other times I walk through the mall for air conditioning as I cut through to go to the bus stop by Chili's, and anymore I only stay on the upper level since the lower level is the most vacant and ghostly, gives me early 90's Shamrock Mall vibes from when Cinderella City was still around. I got to say Southwest Plaza has had a good run, the mall's death is definitely a slow and painful one, one that started before covid and much of it is because the location is not along a major highway like Park Meadows, Town Center at Aurora, or Flatiron Crossing which gives them no visibility to people who haven't lived in Denver as long as others. The mall is also not centralized like Cherry Creek Mall which uniquely benefits from targeting higher income shoppers, something that Southwest Plaza can't do since the surrounding neighborhoods are mostly older unincorporated neighborhoods in Jefferson County that appeal to people who want to maintain a lower cost of living and lower taxes. And to be honest, I think the focus on entertainment has done more harm than good. People think of malls as places to shop at, amusement places can be fun but they have to be something people want to be in the mood for or they won't bother, especially if they don't start out as the primary reason to go to the mall. And while restaurants should do well since people like to eat, they can't become the only reason to go to a mall, especially at a time when the cost to eat out has gone through the roof. Whatever happens in the future, I think there will still be retail in this spot, if not a mall, probably something open air like Belmar in Lakewood might work, it's a lot of property to work with.
Lower cost of living!?!? That's funny. A fix and flip house, or a scrape-off and replacement property in the area will cost you $600,000-plus. Draw a circle with a 2.5 mile radius around SW Plaza and a huge percentage of the homes sell for $1M to $5M.
@@chiplangowski3298 If you take Bow Mar and Columbine Valley out of the picture and focus on west of Sheridan Blvd, the median home price in Columbine, Ken Caryl, Fort Logan, and Marston averages around $500,000, that's half the cost of Boulder and a quarter of the cost of Washington Park. Homes aren't cheap however you look at it, but it's still lower cost than other examples in and around Denver.
I do the exact same thing. I live in central Denver but make the trip to SP for the ARC, and then lunch at the mall. After I eat I like to walk around and reminisce about the good old days. I was mostly a teenager during the 80s, and remember fondly how much fun, and how excited I'd get when my parents would take me to the mall arcade. Nowadays some of my younger friends like to call me overly nostalgic and old, but more and more, I've become convinced that 'modern' life was really a better experience back then. Future generations are going to have to strive to find that magic again, and I genuinely worry it'll never happen when I see how young people act these days. Like the phoenix, we might just need to crash a burn first before something better arises from the ashes.
I grew up here. My mom worked at Foleys/ Macys and Dillards. She was at Joslins in Cinderella City now she is at Macys Park Meadows. Remember Sam Goody/ Disney store.. Doordash is also not as busy around here because of restaurants changing or closing.
I have a lot of fond memories of this place. I grew up in the area, used to go there a lot with my parents. I think unfortunately, it's just in a bad location. The Aurora Mall is objectively a far worse mall than Southwest Plaza, but that place is busy all the time, they have very few empty storefronts, they were able to replace the anchor stores they lost, and it is still a really popular place to go and shop and hang out on the weekends. I think part of it is demographics. The Aurora Mall is in an area with a lot of immigrants, and folks from a lot of the rest of the world still love big indoor malls. By comparison, the area around Southwest Plaza has a lot fewer immigrants, and I think a lot of Americans prefer shopping online these days. Even more successful malls around here, like the Cherry Creek Mall or the Park Meadows Mall, don't draw big crowds the way the Aurora Mall does.
TH-cam recommending me a video about the dying mall I go to every weekend is wild. Round 1 is single handedly the most successful business there that the owners of the mall thought they were doing something illegal with how much money they were bringing in
I didn't even know they had a Border's here, and didn't see anything about it when researching the mall. So I appreciate you sharing the info. Thanks for mentioning that!!
I am born and raised in Denver CO and still live here. My grandma used to go to this mall to shop at Macy's but once it no longer was selling things there we stopped going to Macy's there. I shopped at Dillards there in 2020 when starting my career at USPS as there was sizes at Dillards no one in the Mills had for dress pants and I only had 300 dollars in the bank but my pants were 25 dollars each. So I certainly think the Dillards there has a niche. You hit on it best with the vacancy rot statement though. My mother and I walk at the Colorado Mills so we see the stores at the Colorado Mills. The Colorado Mills mall has everything we could really need so why go elsewhere. They have Best Buy (electronics and appliances), Target (games, groceries, cast iron cookware like Lodge, holiday supplies, etc), Le Crueset (enameled cast iron), Alpaca World (alpaca clothing), during Christmas there are sellers that sell metal pictures and there is a guy who sells religious stuff like manger scenes or the last supper so art is covered during the winter, different clothing like Eddie Bauer Outlet/Brooks Bros/GAP/Victoria Secret/Pink/Forever 21, Cold Stone for ice cream, Barns and Noble for books, a different book store, a board game store, Jamba Juice, Whole Foods, Verizon/AT&T, Home Depot and DMV is down the road and there is likely so much more I am forgetting. Like I said there is very little reason to shop elsewhere from what the Colorado Mills has.
@@pinkworld9384 I have not been there since last March or April so it is possible those stores closed down. I will say that the Forever 21 did not get as many people in it as say Eddie Baur so that makes sense to not renew it. For Le Crueset I liked that it was a outlet store so when I bought from there I got hundreds of dollars off. I had to pay a lot on it still due to the public improvement fee though. I also found that there was really only 3 items I wanted from the Le Crueset outlet being the biggest Dutch Oven for Turkey or ham or mass making other items, the 7 inch Dutch Oven and the Wok. Those are warrantied for life so no real need to buy another. Also I found the employees in the Le crueset store to be kind of snobby. I was getting these for Christmas and the employees were happy to gift wrap for the lady ahead of us but it took some push and shove to have them gift wrap for us. When I inquired about different colors for the Dutch Oven at first they said they had 2 colors then it turned out they had one color. They said they could not offer the 30% store wide promotion that was going at the time for ordering a different color. Besides it was weird having a premium brand like Le Cruesett in a discount mall. I can see why Le Crueset closed down.
Whoa...I haven't been to this mall since 2001 - that was my senior year of high school and back when they were renovating it. I remember it being pretty busy, despite us visiting late in the evening...but with all the construction the floors were slick with sawdust, so my friends and I were 'speed-skating', sliding all around the main concourse until security kicked us out. I'm honestly surprised it's still around, I assumed it closed down long ago.
My childhood mall. Used to ride that train a lot. That sears has obviously been gone a long time. Round 1 is pretty cool though. If anything there will outlive the mall it'll be round 1.
I use to love coming here to this mall for Pet City and Toy Box, a store selling retro video games. But my family and I only come here for the Cheesecake Factory and sometimes Round 1 on special occasions like on our birthdays. I'd be very sad if this mall shuts down just like the Westminister mall did years back.
Went here with my friends in 2019 not long before the lockdown in 2020. The Christmas decorations were beautiful and we got to explore the inside of that Sears anchor which was in the process of clearing its remaining stock. Mainly, we went there to mess around in the Round 1 arcade
I was there all the time in the 90's. Literal mallrat. Gold Mine Arcade, EB Games, the pet shop, food court, catch a movie now and then, check out Hot Topic and Spencers, KB Toys, Clothes shopping with my mom at all the big stores. They used to have fountains there, but they're all gone now. It felt really weird last time I was there with everything carved out and made to look all new corporate chic. Place used to have character, like Cinderella City, but now it's bland. not surprised to see it on the rocks, but sad to see it go.
I’d been to this mall back in the mid 90s a few times. At the time it was the closest but still a 45 minute drive. I did Christmas shopping as well as pc games. It was a rather plain mall back then too
Can't forget Buckingham Mall in Aurora, CO. If I remember correctly, it started to go down hill during Clinton's Presidency after he shut down military bases around the country, including Lowry Air Force Base, which was only about 4 miles away.
@@jeffponcar391 True on both. Aurora Mall adapted, remodeled and is still going strong, although it has had its share of gang activity and shootings. The name was changed to The Town Center at Aurora. Years ago they implemented the rule that on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,, kids under 18 had to be accompanied by and in the presence of an adult and I think there was a limit to how many kids per adult there could be. I don't know if that particular rule still applies. I've not been there in over 10 years. I'm not comfortable being there. As a kid we'd go there quite often. Had you ever been to Aurora Mall? Do you remember the long ramp in the center of the mall that connected the first floor with the second floor? I thought that was so cool, as no other mall I'd ever been to had that design.
I always liked how Buckingham never updated - even in its latter years it stayed a time capsule until it was torn down. I used to go there for the Mile High Comics and Kay Bee stores, and to soak up the nostalgic ambiance. What I found amusing was after the Target was added next door to it, you could go straight from there into the mall and it was like an instant time warp.
I drive past this mall multiple times a day and come inside multiple times a week doing doordash orders. From the outside it looks like an abandoned mall, minus the small pockets of certain stores such as cheesecake factory. It's funny because doing deliveries usually I would never wanna go pick up an order in a mall. However at this mall, there is nobody there so I just walk right up to whatever food place I'm picking up from with no line and park right up front of the parking lot lol
It has a Dicks and the food court is pretty good, esp the Mod Market. I thought the last renovation was really well done. But it was slowing down before the renovation, then things shut down for COVID, and those two partial closures plus large chain dept. stores going away was a triple whammy. I still like it, there’s just not much there - so not much reason to go there. If Dicks leaves I personally won’t really have any reason to go there. Park Meadows is nice but still a bit of a drive through bad traffic and gets really crowded. I avoid Colorado Mills if I can. Also earlier this year they had major roof leakage issues all throughout the mall, so I guess that $75 mil was all cosmetic and not structural.
I actually think the 2014-2015 remodel was beautiful and still holds up today. It's a clean, modern, upscale look. I think it's one of the best looking interiors of any mall I've been to. I also love the local vendor section. It has two major issues: I think it's biggest problem is that anchors for the kind of mall it is don't really exist anymore. Macy's left. Sears is basically dead. Kohl's is struggling. Mervyn's, Wards, smaller chains like Foley's or Denver Dry Goods or Broadway Southwest are all either dead or absorbed by bigger entities. If mainstream, middle to upper middle level department stores still actually existed, they would fit perfectly into that mall and that neighborhood and it would still be thriving. And, honestly, getting to Park Meadows from that area is a pain in the neck. Getting to the Mills isn't as bad, but still a bit of a hike and honestly the Mills has had its own struggles. Conversely, though, getting from other parts of the Metro to SW Plaza is also rough. So, while it's surrounded by a fairly nice and affluent neighborhood that would happily support it if it had what they wanted, it's not ever going to be a super regional draw ever again. I think it can trundle along for a few more years, but I don't see it getting better.
My friend's mom would work at the Walden Bookstore and I remember my love for the place at Southwest Plaza, I hid there because DRHS students were bullies
It's sad. I grew up in Littleton and both my sisters and my first job was at Southwest. I think they need to try and reimagine what a mall could be. Focus less on clothing, a tough industry on it's own and focus on maybe adding newer "experience" based things. The Elvis theater nearby recently closed. Yes AMC is 5 minutes away but a smaller low cost theater I think would do great. Add a small micro center style store. Add a lucky strikes, something other then another clothing store.
I feel like Denver needs a Micro Center tbh, and I'm shocked they don't have one yet. I live less than 20 minutes away from a Micro Center and it's a great store. It would certainly do well here!
When Sears closed and Macy's closed to the public, it caused a lot of people to stop shopping there. I remember this mall since I was a kid and remember how lively it was before covid hit. Now it's a ghost town. It's just sad. Colorado Mills took a lot of business away as well once they opened. Colorado Mills mall is still very busy. Much better atmosphere.
That would be a great way to repurpose some vacancies in this mall! I've seen a skatepark at a mall in New York, and it was successful. So I'm sure it would work here too!
I need to check up on Citadel Mall next time I'm over in Colorado Springs. I haven't been there since last November, and it looked like it was hanging in there around then.
I go here pretty often. It's not dead.. it just looks like you went on a day when it's not very busy. I mean sure, it doesn't get packed, but lots of people still come to the south west plaza.
The 2014 remodel was a major fail. They should have converted at least a portion of SW Plaza to an outdoor mall and incorporated housing. That is what the did with SouthGlenn Mall (now called The Streets At SouthGlenn). I would say that SW Plaza was busier before the remodel. They tried to make it much more upscale but people just didn't buy it. It lost its "feel". There are a few corners of the mall that do well. Those corners have stores and restaurants with outside entrances. If they had converted the whole mall to an outdoor space, people would come and hang out. The Denver area has very mild weather more than 300 days each year so outdoor spaces do really well. But to be fair, the mall faces huge opposition from the NIMBYs in the residential areas that surround it. The people in the homes that surround the mall fight every proposal to redevelop the mall and the acres and acres of parking lots that surround it. There is a decrepit old sports bar in the parking lot than has been empty and boarded up for a decade. They tried to get approval for apartments and retail space at that location but approval was shot-down due to public opposition. The people that bought a house across the street from a shopping mall were concerned about the traffic that apartments would bring... Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.
I worked here in 2009. It was busier then but was still dying at the time. The renovation they did took so long that the customer base has never fully recovered.
It reopened some years back, it had to be remodeled after a massive rain and hail storm. During the store closures, peploe went to other malls, like Colorado mills
Southwest Plaza is actually in better shape than it was a decade or so ago. I worked there from 2010-2012 and would just watch tumbleweeds roll through most days. Mills and Aurora mall are both worse Imo, if you want a giant loop of 75 Chinese gift shops and quincinera dress stores they're thriving for sure!
Man.... a petition even for that crap, "Shut Down SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium at the Southwest Plaza Mall." Created in 2018, current goal of 50,000 signatures and has 47,625. I seem to remember a Bright Sun Films video about a zoo thing somewhere that mostly shut down and has a controversial history too.
Ever since they closed R-Taco I've seen no reason to go... Yeah Round One is fun to play Street Fighter at... But I can do the same thing at Akihabara Arcade in westminster and have people actually play competitively.
I really dont think the mall is that dead. Like most malls, its definitely not in its hay day. It is still busseling on the wèekends and reasonably populated during the weekday evenings. I feel like this had to have been shot early in The morning on a weekday, which makes sense for filming purposes, but doesnt accurately portray how dead or not dead the mall is.
When talking with the seaquest employees right before they closed, i was told that they were closing due to the mall not renewing their lease, so im not sure the real reason for them closing anymore
OMFG I'm a mall fan and this place is SO much more lively than my previous city. (Indianapolis has Circle Centre, the downtown mall which gets reasonable business some of the time but fell off during the covid and BLM riot) (Eastgate, which was an open air mall but turned indoor and was around until the mid 90s when the anchors started deserting) (Lafayette) (castleton square - still going reasonably strong over the years cuz the area was economy-proof) (Washington square - east side turned into extreme ghetto and it simply became infeasible except for churches, a book store and collectible place that is never open, and a few spanish eateries) and a few scattered places that are... more strip mall, less actual mall. I used to walk through a mall on my way to work every single day. Even in 2023. The ancient marble, the barely maintained restrooms.. call it a history museum for generation X, cuz we sometimes based our lives around the mall. Mallrats was a lifestyle, not a movie. But yeah, you've put this on my radar for future visits. Thank you, Andrew. You've made my day and given me a place to visit in the coming months/years. /edit after searching your channel /HOLY SH!T I'VE LISTENED TO YOUR LOFI SONG ABOUT WASHINGTON SQUARE MALL WHILE WALKING THRU IT!
I’ve never been there, living a walk away from Cherry Creek Mall. The wide corridors & space between stores while bright & airy seem very inefficient especially compared with Cherry Creek Mall, which is older but over 90% occupied by perception. Cherry Creek Mall does well despite being only 3 miles from downtown Denver Pavilion’s Mall with similar outlets. The rest of the metro certainly seems over retailed in that every mall is a ditto of the one down the stroad. Better uses would be vertical mixed use developments with residential to support the retail & food spaces instead of being a regional destination for thousands of cars.
Man even PETA getting upset. You know it's bad when even PETA, an entity with arguably questionable aspects, is getting involved and calling out this bad behavior.
What are your thoughts on Southwest Plaza, and what do you think it’s future holds?
I have some pictures from when they remodeled in 2014 if you’re interested
They need to fill in the empty stores for sure but it’s one of the nicest malls in the Denver Metro area and it’s one that caters more towards families which is missing in the park Meadows mall Colorado Mills mall has that but that’s further away and it’s much busier and larger. The southwest Plaza has a nice cozyatmosphere, and I treasure it and hope that it stays around
Over 15 years ago I shopped there all the time, so sad to see this. Don't like the most of the new stores there either.
This is just surreal seeing the mall I grew up with on a TH-cam video. I still go there for cinibon every now and then, but unfortunately there's no good stores there because no one wants to take a chance in a mall that's been slowly dying for a decade now. The makeover had no effect, and might have honestly made things worse since it took so long to be completed
@@ERA_Productions Even with four of the largest high schools in the county being 15 mins away, it's sad to see this staple of my own high school days slowly fade away into just memories.
Sea quest closed because of animal abuse
@greenbboos I was glad to see it go, it was smelly and they never took care of anything. I complained to the mall maintenance about it
Whoa! This one caught me off guard! I never would have thought Southwest Plaza would be this dead! I graduated from Columbine HS in '82, and our yearbook had an article saying that when the mall is completed, so many graduates will apply there! It was chic, it was hip, and always packed. I became assistant manager of Dreamz...Spencer's Gifts failed attempt at a clothing store, which had then been converted to selling typical Spencer's merch, and I felt so hip working in that mall. The movie theater was great, (saw "Footloose ", "Twilight Zone: The Movie", "The Breakfast Club", all those when they were first released!) the food court was great...everything. My friend worked at the Tuxedo Rental upstairs. This hurts almost as badly as when Cinderella City was demolished. You were a great place, Southwest Plaza.
Cinderella City❤
@@11mralman if you work at the mall you probably can’t pay your bills so there’s that
@@skater1191 I imagine if you get into management and you live within your means you could be alright.
I'm sorry the mall went downhill, but I'm glad you made a lot of good memories there.
It's definitely sad. These old style centers just seemed more appropriate for Colorado then the outdoor replacements popping up all over Colorado like Aspen Grove for instance. I've been in Colorado since the 70s and remember all the old ones. Thanks for the memories. I have to say, Cinderella city was the biggest loss.
Even Aspen Grove is dying now, there are a ton of vacancies in the retail spaces
@@Sentraman4 Things are tough all over 🙂
I was a kid and lived in Southeast Denver, near the Denver Tech Center, when this mall opened. It was a huge deal. They had a K*B Toys AND a Circus World, not to mention the toy department in SEARS.
About a decade later I worked at the Suncoast Motion Picture Company in the mall. It was one of the best jobs I've ever had.
I haven't been to Southwest Plaza in at least two decades. I barely recognize anything in this video.
This is my local mall and it's been interesting seeing it change throughout the years. Definitely surreal seeing it being covered in a video lol. I used to work there too. The ceilings now have bags with tubes running into trash cans to catch water from the leaking ceiling. The remodel in my eyes is so ugly. Wouldn't consider it totally dead but definitely on its way out for sure
This was one of my favorite malls until they remodeled it several years ago - Now I rarely go. I was there this past Friday for the Escape Room and walking around, it made me nostalgic for how it used to look and feel.
@@jenmichelle370 it’s so sad. When they “remodel” they take away all of the character.
It was the fact Macy's no longer sold there that killed it for my grandma. We had no more reason to go as we could get everything else but Dillards closer.
Can't forget about lakeside mall and the villa ❤
I loved hanging out at Villa Italia as a teenager, Merry Go Round was my favorite clothing store.
I lived in Colorado from 1981 and 2021 and remember attending the grand opening of this mall. It was new and full of shopping options and I visited it many times over the years. I remember visiting it when the 2nd remodel was being done and how in disarray it was. I visited once last time in 2019 before Covid hit and the Sears closing was going on. It definitely wasn’t the same and very sad to see all the changes that had been made. Over the years in Colorado, I saw many malls come and go, with only 3 that seem to have stood the test of time. Cherry Creek, Park Meadows and Aurora Mall. Thanks for presenting this video as it brought back so many memories of a place I miss so much!! Being I’m back in Florida, I realize why I left the first time…
@@djbille4283 i believe flatirons up north is still bustling too and colorado mills. Park meadows is probably the busiest…so much so theyre building a massive new parking garage. Business is only increasing. I think what changes a mall are the clientele in the area. Maybe its that more and more people who live by southwest plaza now may be working 6 days a week or multiple jobs not to mention the crunch in the economy whether it be housing costs or buying power. Things are getting worse. I dont mean to assume or anything, but I wouldnt doubt it.
@@cringecrew101asmr8 Perhaps, but they’re newer malls (2000 & 2002) and to me, Colorado Mills is more of an enclosed outlet center than the others. Those I mentioned above were opened in 1990, 1995 and 1975 so for the most part, 30+ years old. But 22 and 24 year runs are pretty good too 👍🏻
The columbine mall.
Cherry Creek is still going strong? Haven't been there in 20 years. I'm surprised it hasn't been torn down and converted to expensive high rise apartments.
@@cmfrancis1 I didn’t say Cherry Creek was going strong but they stood the test of time. Meaning the majority of storefronts are occupied and they haven’t gone down the tubes like the others. As long as Colorado houses rich and elite people, Cherry Creek will most likely always remain. I myself, did stop patronizing the mall once they started charging for parking. Absolutely ridiculous, IMO!!
I can not stress how awesome Southwest Plaza used to be. Catch a movie at Mann Theater, go browse Border's and/or one of the several department stores, then end it at Around the Corner restaraunt and get dessert at either the Dairy Queen or Mrs. Field's right next door. All of this slowly dissapeared throughout the 00's into the 10's.
I think the 2014 remodel did help a little, at least now it has a couple good restaraunts and Round 1, which always seems to be bustling on the weekends.
oh man Around the Corner! Was that the one where you ordered using the phone at the table?
@@Sentraman4 Yes it was!
@@gamefan06 I forgot about the dairy queen! Thanks for the memories
Round One is literally the only reason I still even go to Southwest Plaza.
Round 1 is a good reason to visit the mall at least!
This was the fancy mall when I was growing up. I'm surprised it's still around.
I would say it is anything but fancy. This mall to me was the Macy's and Dillards Mall. I bought my dress pants for work there for a entire 25 dollars each in 2020. I would not call Macy's fancy.
I'm a gen z who grew up basically used to the mall being in the form it is now... interesting to hear how extravagant it was.
My favorite mall is COLORADO MILLS
The best was Westminster Mall 😉
I went to school across the street & ate in this food court all the time back in 2015/16! It used to be so full & normal until COVID tbh. Now the only things bringing locals to it are Makers Market & Round 1! Thank you for covering my hometown + Much love 🖤
I grew up on this side of town in south Denver/littleton. This mall used to be POPPIN as a kid. It’s sad to watch it fade away
I moved to Colorado in 2017, this was the first mall I went too, and my first thought at that time was “its very nice, but completely empty.”
I used to go here all the time as a kid. I remember Cozzoli's Pizza, Disney store, there was a Taco Bell downstairs by one of the entrances, a pet store, Asian Gifts had airsoft guns and fake swords, lots of unique places. I worked at the JC Penneys for a while as a teenager, good times lol
Love going to Round1, that is the reason we go to that mall. When we do, I enjoy walking around and like that it’s not packed. Nice mall and food hall is good
Wow! I remember going here all the time as a kid in like 2010, it brought back so many memories watching this video. Awesome job and so sad to see this mall is dying.
Ah man. I still go to this mall a lot, specifically for round1. Heck I was there a few days ago playing claw machines. It’s always sad to see how empty the parking lots are (but I guess it’s nice to be able to park close.)
I can't remember what the old arcade was named from back in the day. Was it Tilt?
I love the southwest Plaza mall. It’s my favorite mall in Colorado Park Meadows has too many high-end stores not enough things for families and kids to do. I love the southwest Pam all caters to families with balance houses indoor kids play areas animals you can ride I want to see more of that come and stay at the mall because the southwest Plaza mall is a gathering point for the community it’s so integral and important.
My daughter and I go here at least once a week
Nothing ages you like hearing someone narrate a short form documentary on the history of someplace you used to go to. But Southglenn Mall mentioned in there, yay!
Makes me sad, we had some great times as a family there, now it's gone.
My favorite mall Denver Metro Area was Cinderella City Mall. Very beautiful for Christmas!!
The Aurora Mall has far more traffic. The area has more people from the borders in the area than anyone else now. They seem to love shopping there. I believe that is keeping the Aurora Mall alive! Sears is gone. Macy’s and Dillard’s is still there and JCPenny’s. If those stores leave, good-bye Aurora Mall. Not sure about Park Meadows in Lone Tree!
Maybe inflation plays a pet in it all.
Beginning of summer this place is a chill. It gets decent business but its nothing like it used to be in the 90's. Lots of memories here. Cinderella City and Bear Valley were my other spots. Bear valley was a small strip mall that had a theater in the early 90's. Me and my friends would ride bikes all around. Then always end up at Brentwood til the street lights came on.
It looks like it was once a really nice mall. I loved the food court. At least they are taking care of it and it's clean and bright. I hope it makes it. What time are you here? It's so quiet, hardly anyone here walking around. Not a good sign. Fingers crossed that this pretty mall pulls through some how. Thanks for the video! Loved your music too
I was just there a few weeks ago and was so surprised at how dead it was. This mall used to be such a magical place filled with people when I was a kid! Cherry Creek Mall is worth going to as still has that old school mall feeling and isn't as dead.. that is if you don't mind paying for parking.
There are still many unique things about this mall. The makers store in the middle is all about community. Small local sellers can rent a booth and sell right next to the major stores. My favorite place to go Christmas shopping. Round 1 is a bowling alley and arcade you can walk around with a beer. It would not want to change locations even if the mall closes. If they change the mall into appointments they would still have Verizon store, Chili’s, Target and a bank. I mean I do get, most people go to Target and if it’s not there, Amazon. The American mall was always a meeting place, a family place. The pandemic not helping, people have been steered away from meeting in public places just to go shopping. Everyone wants instant gratification and not to be bothered. I for one go to this mall on the outside on Saturdays in the summer for the farmers market, and will continue to do so.
Do you remember the fountain/pool thing in the middle of it, where people would toss in coins?
Perfect place to get some surreal/liminal footage. Gonna have to see when the least busy times are.
Used to work at shoe palace here in 2017! man the memories! I wish I could go back!
Thanks for showing. I haven’t been there in over 20 years. I’m south east of there in Castle Rock. Maybe I’ll go check it out this weekend?
I remember when this mall opened, it was awesome
This mall is beautiful! Those ceilings!! Amazing job Andrew, your content has improved so much over the years! This is so crispy!!!
I live in metro Denver. This is kind of surreal. I worked in the mall back in 1991. Went there shortly after the remodel in 2018 I think. Can’t remember if it was 2018 or 2019…
2013 they remodeled it.
There was a cool store in that mall (lower level) around 2004-ish that sold tons on import goods. Lots of anime/imports like cd soundtracks, magazines, snacks, beauty, etc. They were expensive so I don’t think it lasted long but it was a great place to buy that sort of stuff before online shopping became the norm
I got tons of memory's from this mall. From shopping for school clothes to haven lunch in the food court as a kid. Chasing girls, and later in life, We took my daughter here for her birthday and made build a bears and rode the electronic sit on scooters till she fell asleep. Its sad to see the state it is in today, but that entire area changed over the years. I wish people attended malls , it was such an amazing time when we all shopped at malls. I miss seeing the people walk around with the smiles of shopping ;) We moved to the Colorado plains a few years ago for a slow down and to let our kids thrive away from the big city of Denver, I was born and raised here and am enjoying the quiet away from all of this.
This mall has been on life support the past 20 years.
Round one is always popping
I've seen that. Its the same at the Round 1 in a mall by me.
You're not wrong about Denver having too many malls. I'm somewhat close to Colorado Mills, and what I can't find there I can go down to Park Meadows to get. The only times I've gone to the SWP was either for Round 1, or for overflow parking for a nearby event.
As someone younger, it looks like the Southwest Plaza REALLY needs to pivot its focus. For the most part, my friends and I don’t ever go to SWP to shop, SWP is surrounded by a myriad of shopping places, but something that feels like a rarity in SW Denver is entertainment, anytime I’m going to SW Plaza, its to do something fun, never to shop around. A turn towards entertainment may be what the mall needs.
Buts thats just from the point of view of someone young.
I agree! Entertainment is something that a mall like Park Meadows for example lacks. Bringing more entertainment venues to Southwest Plaza would really help it out.
Since about 2015 I have been a regular shopper at the Arc Thrift Store across the street, not because I'm cheap but because I like finding stuff not sold anymore and retro things, and I have only gone into the mall for eating lunch at Chipotle or Sbarro. Other times I walk through the mall for air conditioning as I cut through to go to the bus stop by Chili's, and anymore I only stay on the upper level since the lower level is the most vacant and ghostly, gives me early 90's Shamrock Mall vibes from when Cinderella City was still around.
I got to say Southwest Plaza has had a good run, the mall's death is definitely a slow and painful one, one that started before covid and much of it is because the location is not along a major highway like Park Meadows, Town Center at Aurora, or Flatiron Crossing which gives them no visibility to people who haven't lived in Denver as long as others. The mall is also not centralized like Cherry Creek Mall which uniquely benefits from targeting higher income shoppers, something that Southwest Plaza can't do since the surrounding neighborhoods are mostly older unincorporated neighborhoods in Jefferson County that appeal to people who want to maintain a lower cost of living and lower taxes.
And to be honest, I think the focus on entertainment has done more harm than good. People think of malls as places to shop at, amusement places can be fun but they have to be something people want to be in the mood for or they won't bother, especially if they don't start out as the primary reason to go to the mall. And while restaurants should do well since people like to eat, they can't become the only reason to go to a mall, especially at a time when the cost to eat out has gone through the roof.
Whatever happens in the future, I think there will still be retail in this spot, if not a mall, probably something open air like Belmar in Lakewood might work, it's a lot of property to work with.
Lower cost of living!?!? That's funny. A fix and flip house, or a scrape-off and replacement property in the area will cost you $600,000-plus. Draw a circle with a 2.5 mile radius around SW Plaza and a huge percentage of the homes sell for $1M to $5M.
@@chiplangowski3298 If you take Bow Mar and Columbine Valley out of the picture and focus on west of Sheridan Blvd, the median home price in Columbine, Ken Caryl, Fort Logan, and Marston averages around $500,000, that's half the cost of Boulder and a quarter of the cost of Washington Park. Homes aren't cheap however you look at it, but it's still lower cost than other examples in and around Denver.
I do the exact same thing. I live in central Denver but make the trip to SP for the ARC, and then lunch at the mall. After I eat I like to walk around and reminisce about the good old days. I was mostly a teenager during the 80s, and remember fondly how much fun, and how excited I'd get when my parents would take me to the mall arcade. Nowadays some of my younger friends like to call me overly nostalgic and old, but more and more, I've become convinced that 'modern' life was really a better experience back then. Future generations are going to have to strive to find that magic again, and I genuinely worry it'll never happen when I see how young people act these days. Like the phoenix, we might just need to crash a burn first before something better arises from the ashes.
I grew up here. My mom worked at Foleys/ Macys and Dillards. She was at Joslins in Cinderella City now she is at Macys Park Meadows. Remember Sam Goody/ Disney store.. Doordash is also not as busy around here because of restaurants changing or closing.
I think they should open up a rain forest cafe here. There aren’t any in the Denver area.
I agree! TBH it would be a great fit here!
There used to be one in Cherry Creek I think, but that's probably been 20+ years
....built upon the ashes of Sea Quest fr
Colorado Mills for life😅
I have a lot of fond memories of this place. I grew up in the area, used to go there a lot with my parents. I think unfortunately, it's just in a bad location. The Aurora Mall is objectively a far worse mall than Southwest Plaza, but that place is busy all the time, they have very few empty storefronts, they were able to replace the anchor stores they lost, and it is still a really popular place to go and shop and hang out on the weekends. I think part of it is demographics. The Aurora Mall is in an area with a lot of immigrants, and folks from a lot of the rest of the world still love big indoor malls. By comparison, the area around Southwest Plaza has a lot fewer immigrants, and I think a lot of Americans prefer shopping online these days. Even more successful malls around here, like the Cherry Creek Mall or the Park Meadows Mall, don't draw big crowds the way the Aurora Mall does.
TH-cam recommending me a video about the dying mall I go to every weekend is wild. Round 1 is single handedly the most successful business there that the owners of the mall thought they were doing something illegal with how much money they were bringing in
I didn't even know they had a Border's here, and didn't see anything about it when researching the mall. So I appreciate you sharing the info. Thanks for mentioning that!!
I worked at Wilson’s Leather around the year 2000. Sometimes I’d have to work at Villa Italia Mall to cover the closing shift.
I am born and raised in Denver CO and still live here. My grandma used to go to this mall to shop at Macy's but once it no longer was selling things there we stopped going to Macy's there. I shopped at Dillards there in 2020 when starting my career at USPS as there was sizes at Dillards no one in the Mills had for dress pants and I only had 300 dollars in the bank but my pants were 25 dollars each. So I certainly think the Dillards there has a niche. You hit on it best with the vacancy rot statement though. My mother and I walk at the Colorado Mills so we see the stores at the Colorado Mills. The Colorado Mills mall has everything we could really need so why go elsewhere. They have Best Buy (electronics and appliances), Target (games, groceries, cast iron cookware like Lodge, holiday supplies, etc), Le Crueset (enameled cast iron), Alpaca World (alpaca clothing), during Christmas there are sellers that sell metal pictures and there is a guy who sells religious stuff like manger scenes or the last supper so art is covered during the winter, different clothing like Eddie Bauer Outlet/Brooks Bros/GAP/Victoria Secret/Pink/Forever 21, Cold Stone for ice cream, Barns and Noble for books, a different book store, a board game store, Jamba Juice, Whole Foods, Verizon/AT&T, Home Depot and DMV is down the road and there is likely so much more I am forgetting. Like I said there is very little reason to shop elsewhere from what the Colorado Mills has.
I don't think Le Creuset is there anymore and Forever21 closed they didn't want to renew their contract.
@@pinkworld9384 I have not been there since last March or April so it is possible those stores closed down. I will say that the Forever 21 did not get as many people in it as say Eddie Baur so that makes sense to not renew it. For Le Crueset I liked that it was a outlet store so when I bought from there I got hundreds of dollars off. I had to pay a lot on it still due to the public improvement fee though. I also found that there was really only 3 items I wanted from the Le Crueset outlet being the biggest Dutch Oven for Turkey or ham or mass making other items, the 7 inch Dutch Oven and the Wok. Those are warrantied for life so no real need to buy another. Also I found the employees in the Le crueset store to be kind of snobby. I was getting these for Christmas and the employees were happy to gift wrap for the lady ahead of us but it took some push and shove to have them gift wrap for us. When I inquired about different colors for the Dutch Oven at first they said they had 2 colors then it turned out they had one color. They said they could not offer the 30% store wide promotion that was going at the time for ordering a different color. Besides it was weird having a premium brand like Le Cruesett in a discount mall. I can see why Le Crueset closed down.
The only redeeming quality here is Round 1. And ig having a Hot Topic and Spencers close to eachother is neat
Rip Dover Macy’s/strawbridges/legett 1984 - 2021 you will be missed
Whoa...I haven't been to this mall since 2001 - that was my senior year of high school and back when they were renovating it.
I remember it being pretty busy, despite us visiting late in the evening...but with all the construction the floors were slick with sawdust, so my friends and I were 'speed-skating', sliding all around the main concourse until security kicked us out.
I'm honestly surprised it's still around, I assumed it closed down long ago.
Loved this mall growing up! Its sad its a shell of it's former self.
I believe what killed it was the removel of the Disney Store and Sam Goodies.
My childhood mall. Used to ride that train a lot. That sears has obviously been gone a long time. Round 1 is pretty cool though. If anything there will outlive the mall it'll be round 1.
Yeah, I'm sure Round 1 will stay for a while!
That mall is too fancy to be a dead mall. How sad. 😕
I remembered I’ve came by with a friend of mine back in 2014 while being renovated.
I agree, It's to modern looking to be dying like this. If anchors didn't keep leaving, I believe it would still be doing well!
I use to love coming here to this mall for Pet City and Toy Box, a store selling retro video games. But my family and I only come here for the Cheesecake Factory and sometimes Round 1 on special occasions like on our birthdays. I'd be very sad if this mall shuts down just like the Westminister mall did years back.
No mention of Boarders (the book store) closing which made a huge difference as well, or the tear down of the parking garage. So many sad changes
Went here with my friends in 2019 not long before the lockdown in 2020. The Christmas decorations were beautiful and we got to explore the inside of that Sears anchor which was in the process of clearing its remaining stock. Mainly, we went there to mess around in the Round 1 arcade
I was there all the time in the 90's. Literal mallrat. Gold Mine Arcade, EB Games, the pet shop, food court, catch a movie now and then, check out Hot Topic and Spencers, KB Toys, Clothes shopping with my mom at all the big stores. They used to have fountains there, but they're all gone now. It felt really weird last time I was there with everything carved out and made to look all new corporate chic. Place used to have character, like Cinderella City, but now it's bland. not surprised to see it on the rocks, but sad to see it go.
Awesome!
Southwest plaza has been dying for decades. It will be torn down and condo's built there. They invested millions about 6 years ago, but for nothing.
I’d been to this mall back in the mid 90s a few times. At the time it was the closest but still a 45 minute drive. I did Christmas shopping as well as pc games. It was a rather plain mall back then too
Can't forget Buckingham Mall in Aurora, CO.
If I remember correctly, it started to go down hill during Clinton's Presidency after he shut down military bases around the country, including Lowry Air Force Base, which was only about 4 miles away.
In addition, Buckingham Square wasn't far from and had competition with Aurora Mall (that is still open) and it was also further away from 225.
@@jeffponcar391 True on both. Aurora Mall adapted, remodeled and is still going strong, although it has had its share of gang activity and shootings. The name was changed to The Town Center at Aurora. Years ago they implemented the rule that on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,, kids under 18 had to be accompanied by and in the presence of an adult and I think there was a limit to how many kids per adult there could be. I don't know if that particular rule still applies. I've not been there in over 10 years. I'm not comfortable being there. As a kid we'd go there quite often.
Had you ever been to Aurora Mall? Do you remember the long ramp in the center of the mall that connected the first floor with the second floor? I thought that was so cool, as no other mall I'd ever been to had that design.
I always liked how Buckingham never updated - even in its latter years it stayed a time capsule until it was torn down.
I used to go there for the Mile High Comics and Kay Bee stores, and to soak up the nostalgic ambiance.
What I found amusing was after the Target was added next door to it, you could go straight from there into the mall and it was like an instant time warp.
That and it had a 1979.feel.
I drive past this mall multiple times a day and come inside multiple times a week doing doordash orders. From the outside it looks like an abandoned mall, minus the small pockets of certain stores such as cheesecake factory. It's funny because doing deliveries usually I would never wanna go pick up an order in a mall. However at this mall, there is nobody there so I just walk right up to whatever food place I'm picking up from with no line and park right up front of the parking lot lol
It has a Dicks and the food court is pretty good, esp the Mod Market. I thought the last renovation was really well done. But it was slowing down before the renovation, then things shut down for COVID, and those two partial closures plus large chain dept. stores going away was a triple whammy. I still like it, there’s just not much there - so not much reason to go there. If Dicks leaves I personally won’t really have any reason to go there. Park Meadows is nice but still a bit of a drive through bad traffic and gets really crowded. I avoid Colorado Mills if I can. Also earlier this year they had major roof leakage issues all throughout the mall, so I guess that $75 mil was all cosmetic and not structural.
Great video, I live close by in Littleton. Black Friday 2022 I did a video and sent it Real Estate Agent Scott Walters. I still go to GNC.
I actually think the 2014-2015 remodel was beautiful and still holds up today. It's a clean, modern, upscale look. I think it's one of the best looking interiors of any mall I've been to. I also love the local vendor section.
It has two major issues: I think it's biggest problem is that anchors for the kind of mall it is don't really exist anymore. Macy's left. Sears is basically dead. Kohl's is struggling. Mervyn's, Wards, smaller chains like Foley's or Denver Dry Goods or Broadway Southwest are all either dead or absorbed by bigger entities.
If mainstream, middle to upper middle level department stores still actually existed, they would fit perfectly into that mall and that neighborhood and it would still be thriving.
And, honestly, getting to Park Meadows from that area is a pain in the neck. Getting to the Mills isn't as bad, but still a bit of a hike and honestly the Mills has had its own struggles.
Conversely, though, getting from other parts of the Metro to SW Plaza is also rough. So, while it's surrounded by a fairly nice and affluent neighborhood that would happily support it if it had what they wanted, it's not ever going to be a super regional draw ever again.
I think it can trundle along for a few more years, but I don't see it getting better.
I was there a few months ago. It certainly had some vacancy. It wasn't DEAD but it wasn't busy either.
My friend's mom would work at the Walden Bookstore and I remember my love for the place at Southwest Plaza, I hid there because DRHS students were bullies
It's sad. I grew up in Littleton and both my sisters and my first job was at Southwest. I think they need to try and reimagine what a mall could be. Focus less on clothing, a tough industry on it's own and focus on maybe adding newer "experience" based things. The Elvis theater nearby recently closed. Yes AMC is 5 minutes away but a smaller low cost theater I think would do great. Add a small micro center style store. Add a lucky strikes, something other then another clothing store.
I feel like Denver needs a Micro Center tbh, and I'm shocked they don't have one yet. I live less than 20 minutes away from a Micro Center and it's a great store. It would certainly do well here!
@ERA_Productions there is a micro center in denver, it's been there for years.
When Sears closed and Macy's closed to the public, it caused a lot of people to stop shopping there. I remember this mall since I was a kid and remember how lively it was before covid hit. Now it's a ghost town. It's just sad. Colorado Mills took a lot of business away as well once they opened. Colorado Mills mall is still very busy. Much better atmosphere.
Indoor exercise place for bycycling around would be awesome
That would be a great way to repurpose some vacancies in this mall! I've seen a skatepark at a mall in New York, and it was successful. So I'm sure it would work here too!
Does anybody remember the market survey company that used to be by the Sears store and the guy in the red vest who would ask everyone to do a survey?
This mall is one of the saddest malls to be in, the citadel in the springs is still more packed with barely any stores there. 😭😭
I need to check up on Citadel Mall next time I'm over in Colorado Springs. I haven't been there since last November, and it looked like it was hanging in there around then.
I go here pretty often. It's not dead.. it just looks like you went on a day when it's not very busy. I mean sure, it doesn't get packed, but lots of people still come to the south west plaza.
I spent a lot of time here when I was a kid in the 90s and 00s. It’s sad to see how dead it is nowadays
It’s ruined. The remodel years back totally sucked. I grew up over there, we went all the time as kids and teenagers. It’s sad.
The 2014 remodel was a major fail. They should have converted at least a portion of SW Plaza to an outdoor mall and incorporated housing. That is what the did with SouthGlenn Mall (now called The Streets At SouthGlenn). I would say that SW Plaza was busier before the remodel. They tried to make it much more upscale but people just didn't buy it. It lost its "feel". There are a few corners of the mall that do well. Those corners have stores and restaurants with outside entrances. If they had converted the whole mall to an outdoor space, people would come and hang out. The Denver area has very mild weather more than 300 days each year so outdoor spaces do really well.
But to be fair, the mall faces huge opposition from the NIMBYs in the residential areas that surround it. The people in the homes that surround the mall fight every proposal to redevelop the mall and the acres and acres of parking lots that surround it. There is a decrepit old sports bar in the parking lot than has been empty and boarded up for a decade. They tried to get approval for apartments and retail space at that location but approval was shot-down due to public opposition. The people that bought a house across the street from a shopping mall were concerned about the traffic that apartments would bring... Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.
There’s still a sears???
Seems like things went Colorado-wn hill...
But in all seriousness, I'm sorry for all the people that made a lot of really good memories there.
I was just at cherry creek yesterday and it was full of people and stores.
When I was at Cherry Creek in August, it is still very much thriving!
I worked here in 2009. It was busier then but was still dying at the time. The renovation they did took so long that the customer base has never fully recovered.
It reopened some years back, it had to be remodeled after a massive rain and hail storm. During the store closures, peploe went to other malls, like Colorado mills
Southwest Plaza is actually in better shape than it was a decade or so ago. I worked there from 2010-2012 and would just watch tumbleweeds roll through most days. Mills and Aurora mall are both worse Imo, if you want a giant loop of 75 Chinese gift shops and quincinera dress stores they're thriving for sure!
I will have a video on Town Center at Aurora coming soon!
Man.... a petition even for that crap, "Shut Down SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium at the Southwest Plaza Mall." Created in 2018, current goal of 50,000 signatures and has 47,625. I seem to remember a Bright Sun Films video about a zoo thing somewhere that mostly shut down and has a controversial history too.
Mr. Rags, and Gadzooks in the 2000's had cool clothes. The place is pretty sad currently unfortunately.
Ever since they closed R-Taco I've seen no reason to go... Yeah Round One is fun to play Street Fighter at... But I can do the same thing at Akihabara Arcade in westminster and have people actually play competitively.
used to visit here often with grandma as a kid. the crowd size difference fromw ay back then to now is jarring.
I really dont think the mall is that dead. Like most malls, its definitely not in its hay day. It is still busseling on the wèekends and reasonably populated during the weekday evenings. I feel like this had to have been shot early in The morning on a weekday, which makes sense for filming purposes, but doesnt accurately portray how dead or not dead the mall is.
No way this is the second most popular next to mills that’s crazy
If only we could turn the anchor stores into supermarkets and the smaller stores into condos
When talking with the seaquest employees right before they closed, i was told that they were closing due to the mall not renewing their lease, so im not sure the real reason for them closing anymore
Sea Quest was always an interesting place, felt a little Fishy to me…🤭
OMFG I'm a mall fan and this place is SO much more lively than my previous city. (Indianapolis has Circle Centre, the downtown mall which gets reasonable business some of the time but fell off during the covid and BLM riot) (Eastgate, which was an open air mall but turned indoor and was around until the mid 90s when the anchors started deserting) (Lafayette) (castleton square - still going reasonably strong over the years cuz the area was economy-proof) (Washington square - east side turned into extreme ghetto and it simply became infeasible except for churches, a book store and collectible place that is never open, and a few spanish eateries) and a few scattered places that are... more strip mall, less actual mall.
I used to walk through a mall on my way to work every single day. Even in 2023. The ancient marble, the barely maintained restrooms.. call it a history museum for generation X, cuz we sometimes based our lives around the mall. Mallrats was a lifestyle, not a movie.
But yeah, you've put this on my radar for future visits. Thank you, Andrew. You've made my day and given me a place to visit in the coming months/years.
/edit after searching your channel
/HOLY SH!T I'VE LISTENED TO YOUR LOFI SONG ABOUT WASHINGTON SQUARE MALL WHILE WALKING THRU IT!
I go there and it’s sad on how empty it is sometimes lol
I’ve never been there, living a walk away from Cherry Creek Mall. The wide corridors & space between stores while bright & airy seem very inefficient especially compared with Cherry Creek Mall, which is older but over 90% occupied by perception. Cherry Creek Mall does well despite being only 3 miles from downtown Denver Pavilion’s Mall with similar outlets. The rest of the metro certainly seems over retailed in that every mall is a ditto of the one down the stroad. Better uses would be vertical mixed use developments with residential to support the retail & food spaces instead of being a regional destination for thousands of cars.
How do you find all this information on the history of the mall?
This mall has been dying for over 25 years, yet it never closes.
Wow!
This is still open?
This was second only to Cherry Creek in the 90’s.
The best mall was the Westminster Mall! 😢💔
Man even PETA getting upset. You know it's bad when even PETA, an entity with arguably questionable aspects, is getting involved and calling out this bad behavior.
Exactly! But that's what happens when the animals in the aquarium get abused or they abuse the guests.