My childhood mall. It’s been falling apart since around 2017 when Sears closed. Elder-Beerman the following year. JCPenney might be on its last legs. Sephora is not helping imo.
My theory is that 9/11 obviously took a toll on the mall. Even with the president begging people to go out and buy a sweater, it had its lasting effects. When folks heard about the plotting to blow up malls in central Ohio, it scared them. The mall was going downhill when Kohl's went in. And Kohl's and Menards were always packed, the road was so bad to get to the mall - What was the point? Add in the bypass in the construction of the Easton Town Center - it's a wonder the mall didn't go faster. Everyone in my general area seem to go to Easton and never River Valley - It was more of an event and it was so easy to get to. I myself stop shopping at JCPenney's and Elder-Beerman's in favor of Kohl's.
@@ERA_Productions oh. It used to be very different in the '90s. Before they removed all the fountains and went through and just did a simplification of the mall. It just felt different after they did that.
@@craigoutdoors30 I wish I could’ve gotten to see it in the 90s, it probably looked a lot cooler! It’s always cool when you get to find cool gems In malls now that are relics to the past.
@@ERA_Productions it was impressive, at least to us. The highway system wasn't great, and many folks from Ross, Pickaway, Hocking, Vinton, Perry and Fairfield counties did most of their shopping at the mall. It was so busy - mom would hold my hand and I would be bumped into all over sometimes just walking. There really wasn't any crime to speak of, and teens would here there and everywhere around the fountains and theater. I think there's pillars have been redone. I don't think they used to look like that. I think they redid them when they put in new tables in the food court. Even the food court, I used to be so full of table so you could barely walk around to get to your table. When they started putting the little kiosk and oddball tables in the middle of the aisles to sell things - that's when you really noticed, there's a lot less people here. There just wasn't the quantity of booths in the aisle in the past.
This mall, maybe all malls never felt the same after 9/11/2001. ''See something say something." Increase security and being ever vigilant took something away from the shopping experience. Less teenagers seem to be roaming unattended. Many responsible parents didn't feel safe any longer. We had record gun sales. People were scared. And it had a lasting effect. The increase security, would drive around their vehicles and keep such a close eye on you, it didn't feel welcoming. It didn't feel like a place you really wanted to hang out with your friends. So you didn't. It took something away from Americans. The mall never seemed as packed, even in the following years. Steve & Barry's was cool as they sold great hoodies for a fantastic price. But you felt like the shopping industry was in great decline. You looked around and saw that this place was no Lazarus it was more like an oddball discount store. The only thing your mom could bring in was a discount store. And then, they went under.
Great video
Great video Andrew!
My childhood mall. It’s been falling apart since around 2017 when Sears closed. Elder-Beerman the following year. JCPenney might be on its last legs. Sephora is not helping imo.
My theory is that 9/11 obviously took a toll on the mall.
Even with the president begging people to go out and buy a sweater, it had its lasting effects. When folks heard about the plotting to blow up malls in central Ohio, it scared them.
The mall was going downhill when Kohl's went in. And Kohl's and Menards were always packed, the road was so bad to get to the mall - What was the point?
Add in the bypass in the construction of the Easton Town Center - it's a wonder the mall didn't go faster.
Everyone in my general area seem to go to Easton and never River Valley - It was more of an event and it was so easy to get to.
I myself stop shopping at JCPenney's and Elder-Beerman's in favor of Kohl's.
That Macy’s (formerly Lazarus) should not have closed in 2007, it could have stayed open until around 2010.
Bleached? What do you mean?
This mall looks bleached with all of the white and pretty much has no character. It looks terrible in my opinion
@@ERA_Productions oh.
It used to be very different in the '90s. Before they removed all the fountains and went through and just did a simplification of the mall.
It just felt different after they did that.
@@craigoutdoors30 I wish I could’ve gotten to see it in the 90s, it probably looked a lot cooler! It’s always cool when you get to find cool gems In malls now that are relics to the past.
@@ERA_Productions it was impressive, at least to us. The highway system wasn't great, and many folks from Ross, Pickaway, Hocking, Vinton, Perry and Fairfield counties did most of their shopping at the mall.
It was so busy - mom would hold my hand and I would be bumped into all over sometimes just walking.
There really wasn't any crime to speak of, and teens would here there and everywhere around the fountains and theater.
I think there's pillars have been redone. I don't think they used to look like that. I think they redid them when they put in new tables in the food court.
Even the food court, I used to be so full of table so you could barely walk around to get to your table.
When they started putting the little kiosk and oddball tables in the middle of the aisles to sell things - that's when you really noticed, there's a lot less people here. There just wasn't the quantity of booths in the aisle in the past.
I'm used to seeing vintage gems because my local mall is one
This mall, maybe all malls never felt the same after 9/11/2001.
''See something say something."
Increase security and being ever vigilant took something away from the shopping experience.
Less teenagers seem to be roaming unattended. Many responsible parents didn't feel safe any longer.
We had record gun sales. People were scared. And it had a lasting effect.
The increase security, would drive around their vehicles and keep such a close eye on you, it didn't feel welcoming. It didn't feel like a place you really wanted to hang out with your friends. So you didn't.
It took something away from Americans.
The mall never seemed as packed, even in the following years.
Steve & Barry's was cool as they sold great hoodies for a fantastic price. But you felt like the shopping industry was in great decline. You looked around and saw that this place was no Lazarus it was more like an oddball discount store. The only thing your mom could bring in was a discount store. And then, they went under.