I'm intrigued by the dead mall, but then I watch the footage and get so depressed! I was born in 1978, so I know what it was like when the mall were still thriving! I like how you give the history of the malls and you totally keep it real and professional! You respect the history! Keep up the good work!
I'm from Toledo Oh. We used to have 4 malls, but we are down to 1, Westfield aka Franklin park mall! We lost Northtown, Southwick, and Woodville malls! Plus we just lost a Sear, Toys R Us, and Elder Beerman is in its last weeks!
Same here. I know us ‘78ers are almost all 40 now (WHAT?!?!) but I still feel like it was only a few years back that I hung out at our mall. And then worked at quite a few of the stores for years. To have lived through the “mall hey day” and then it’s fall is very very surreal.
The absolute silence in the beginning is amazing. I didn't realize how noisy these places can be until I saw this contrast. Great decision to put that in the video without any additional sound other than your voice.
I love your driving intros too! Great way to establish the surroundings of the location, and interesting to watch for someone who has lived in the western U.S. their whole life.
Watching the first video on the Schuylkill mall and finishing up with this video hit me very deeply. It reminds me that life is very impermanent and is subject to change within the passage of time. I got a very odd sensation of closure and happiness seeing this video. The mall clearly had a good life. The destruction contrasted with the bright and sunny sky dotted with a few clouds is such a stark side by side comparison. I don't know if you'll read this comment Sal, but I want to thank you very much for reminding me to be more appreciative of life. Watching your videos has oriented my perspective in a more positive light.
Great follow-up! 👍 To all of those complaining about the name: Schuylkill is the name of the county where Frackville is located; the county also is the location of the source of the river of the same name, which was named that by Dutch settlers (Schuylkill roughly translates as "hidden river"). Could there have been better research on naming 40-some years ago? Possibly. However, the mall simply was named after its geographical location: Schuylkill County. No different than the Columbia Mall near Bloomsburg (Columbia County) or the Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre (the region is known as the Wyoming Valley because of the Wyoming River).
My heart is broken! I've been to this mall a few times in the past.. I ate at that small Italian spot.. browsed in the Black Diamond. So sad! Thank you so much for gathering the last few moments of what is left. Amazing job.
I visited this mall a few times passing through back in the mid to late 90's to mid 2000's. I remember buying a couple compact discs at the music store. I think one thing that really made this mall special is how somewhat desolate the surrounding areas were, miles of interstate. Thanks for the great video!
A sad ending for a once great mall. A shame that so much of that building material is not salvaged for use elsewhere. Glad to see your site growing. 6K coming up.
Mall manager reached out to Knoebels and they came to pick it up. I was walking though the park one night last summer and was like "Is that the Sku Mall statue?!?!" It was done pretty quietly at first.
Thanks for filming this Sal. It's really interesting to see followups like this and i'm sure the opportunity won't come around often. It's surreal to see an indoor place like this, that was once so vibrant with activity, abandoned, half-destroyed, and open to the elements like that. I'm glad the statue was saved!
This is… something. A feeling I didn’t know I needed. Remembering the unappreciated joys of being a 90s kid. Validation that it wasn’t just my mall that got weird over time and understanding the mechanics behind the changes. Thank you for documenting, sharing, and creating this very cool, niche content.
I remember as a kid this mall was awesome but as i got older it got worse and worse the susquehanna mall is starting to go down too Seeing the china palace buffet makes me sick all over again
Great video sal. Sad looking place but you did a great job documenting it. And glad they saved the statue.and hopefully they save pedals. Thank you sir
Thank you so much for documenting this mall in its state. I was up there thee final day it closed. That mall meant a lot to the people around that area. Including myself, who went there as a kid, and have fond, gentle, wonderful childhood memories that are buried in that rubble...
Thank you Sal, for getting such great footage of The Schuylkill Mall. As a resident of Schuylkill County i have many fond memories of this mall. Most of my childhood and teenage years were spent as a mallrat, shopping, looking for girls, and a few mischievous things I probably am better off NOT to mention. I never thought i could hold such a place so dear to my heart, Something so dated and mismanaged. Yet, every visit was a travel back to a simpler time in my life, regardless of how sad it may have been to see its once crouded halls reduced to a few stragglers and mall walkers, it was always a personal time capsule. Thanks for capturing MY mall and preserving it on film for me to revisit whenever I want.
Thank you for another great vidumentary. I remember spending my teen years in malls just like this. This one got to me, Sal. So sad watching an era pass. Great job.
I just got back into watching dead mall series, and glad I found your channel. I’m an 80’s and 90’s mall rat. The Schuylkill Mall was “my mall”. I was 7 years old when this mall opened. So many memories of going here with my grandparents, almost every Saturday with my mom and my two little kids in tow throughout the early 2000’s. This was a great mall and had a Chick Fil A! So many great stores, I remember the original McCoreys store, Fashion Bug, Lerner, Barbara Moss, Taxi, Jean Nicole, The Gap, KB Toys. I feel like I grew up there and my kids, who are now 26 and almost 24, spent a lot of time there with me and my mom. The Chinese buffet in this video, used to be a Bonanza, I ate many times there on a Friday night and then shopping with my friends. So sad still and it’s over five years it’s gone now. Ironically, the warehouse built there is now also vacant. 🤷🏼♀️
@Sal Visting the Schuykill's Mall once last time before it fades to aches is a really nice treat to celebrate your 5,000 subscriber milestone. Nicely played 👏🏻 Here's to you and the Schuylkill Mall. Salute! ☕️Following you on Patreon now. Have a great week.
When this mall was opened in 1980 it was a great source of regional pride for the surrounding portion of the PA Anthracite Region. This is an area where. people who stayed are very proud of its anthracite mining heritage and history. Some of my ancestors lived approximately 15 miles away until they moved in the 1930s. Although I am three generations removed I am proud of my family's Anthracite Region heritage. It is a shame that the mall died out and was torn down.
I had elderly relatives in this part of the state too. Even though their adult children all moved away decades ago, I still feel an attachment to this place.
Northeastern PA's Anthracite Region is a place of scenic beauty and a rich history. Although I live in Philly, I have friends in the refion and visit a few times a year. It is something to be proud of!
It is a sad to see a place that was so prominent in the community mostly knocked down! Things change and move on. Maybe it teaches us to treasure each moment! Lastly I find channels like this so fascinating visiting by video camera buildings wherever it is in the world!
It must have been surreal walking through an area which used to be lined with storefronts on both sides with planters and fountains in the middle and being able to see sky.
Sal, thanks for producing these videos. I grew up in PA, but left in '98 after graduating college. Seeing the stark contrast of how I remember these malls (in particular, Century III, Camp Hill, Capital City, Indiana Mall, etc.) is very moving. I have very vivid memories of these places and stores... I'm glad you're taking the time to document all that you can. I'm especially glad that you're taking a slightly different approach to your expeditions, whereby you're continuing to research some of the creative, cultural and social significance that is coming about as a result of this (the statues, the history, the connections and the people involved). Keep up the excellent work! It is much appreciated!
I recall a Bonanza Steakhouse and a Chick-Fil-A. McDonald's was right outside the Mall. Sears was there. Walden Book store. There were a large amount of elderly mall walkers as well as older folks sitting in the mid court area. I had business in the area and though not from Schuylkill County visited the Schuylkill Mall. many times. I even got a haircut there at the Holiday Hair business. In the early 80's it was the hot spot for the holidays. Locals would know better but my sense is that the Schuylkill Mall took away some businesses from downtown Pottsville. My strongest sense was that it had been a gathering place, a community center, for the aging population of Pottsville and Schuylkill County. It was always nice to visit and if I wanted a quick bite I went to the Schuylkill Mall. I recall the winding road that lead into the Mall from Route 81 and how the Mall was off of Route 61 on the way to Pottsville and Reading. I'm sorry to see it's demise as it had always been a friendly place to visit.
I think this is a fantastic video. I used to live in Southeastern Pa where most of the malls are doing fine now. So sad to see what has become of this one. Thank you for sharing.
Like anything conquered by a stronger entity, what’s left behind are microcosms of a former glory. Your documenting and shining an all encompassing narrative on this subject certainly pulls the fragments together. For me this re-ignites a kaleidoscope of memories. We have all spent different stages of our lives in these rather hallowed, former spaces. I don’t think it is overstating the significance of the memories we are left with. I find this video particularly sad. Growing up at the Jersey Shore, the Schuykill Mall was widely known, even from a far distance. Sad, but impressive imagery.
Excellent vid, Sal! One of the best. This is my favorite kind of vids, even though, I love Malls and want them all, to survive. The soundtrack is absolutely, perfect!! 👊👏👏
I'm so glad the miner statue is now in the museum and the boy on the elephant is saved. Not everything needs to be destroyed just because the mall is gone. Great video, but maybe a before and after in the same shot would be good to see what was there.
I came across your video in a Reddit post and have many fond memories of going to Schuylkill and Fairlane Village Malls when I lived there in the 90s. The mall was pretty busy when I was there - I guess in the age of Amazon and Walmart (and online shopping in general), this was bound to happen. It's still heartbreaking to see/hear that the mall was demolished. I am glad to hear that the statue was relocated rather than demolished. There are two malls within striking distance where I live now (I left PA in 2002), and both of them are dying as well. I hope I don't see your series coming down here to GA, but after learning that one of the anchor stores - Macy's - has decided to close, I get the feeling we'll be seeing you here as well. Thank you Sal - I agree with the other commenters here that you've done top-quality filming and editing, and your research is fantastic. You've got yourself a new subscriber.
You know it's interesting. I remembered something I talked about years ago when I was talking to friends who visited abandoned hospitals. As I saw the old Schuylkill Mall sign on the ground, it reminded me of seeing castle ruins when I lived in (West) Germany. Malls/hospitals/factories are OUR castles. They were built by people with vision, utilized through the years, fell into disrepair when they were no longer deemed relevant and finally demolished to make way for something more modern and useful. I have a ways to go still through your current library (have watched a few videos before thanks to YT recommendations). Have really enjoyed it though. Glad I finally subscribed.
Thank you posting this. Lots of memories there... damn. Back in the early 90s they had a jam packed arcade. Nirvanas Closet was hands down the best Rock Tshirt store. It’s such a unique area for a giant Mall.
Absolutely fantastic job on your videos! I'm glad people like you are out there recording these picecs of retail history before it's all gone and some ugly commercial building takes its space. Great background music also!
I really appreciate the effort you put in to this, your's is a serious last look at Schuylkill Mall, with proper tone and music. Another TH-camr tried a similar video, they failed pretty badly. While in the area, rolled by today. No Trespassing signs are up everywhere now and DaVita has fully finished the move. Those doors being open were pretty sweet. Only minor complaint I would say...you weren't even close on Knoebels pronunciation. Otherwise, excellent work.
@@sal LOL Thanks Sal! I was going off of the pronunciation of a friends last name Knoble which is pronounced something between no-bul & no-bel. Great video Saly I'll sub you bud.
Im blown away at how perfect your videos are, this one is beautifully done, i love the detail and how you showed footage driving to the mall. Perfect narrating voice, and right at the best times in the video. I miss this mall even though i was only there twice...really upsets me seeing it torn down
Glad you got to see the remains of the mall. It’s amazing how much alike all of the 80s crown American malls looked and seeing this one looking like a time capsule reminds me of my mall the west Manchester mall in York which was converted a few years ago into a shopping center. Thanks for doing this and always be careful. Never know what might happen!
I've been recently watching various abandoned videos from multiple people, and yours are my favorite. I wish you could have done a tour of Northland Mall in Columbus, Ohio, before it was demolished, but it was gone by the early 2000s.
I’ve said it before but it makes me grateful that someone bought our local mall and is TRYING. I have a hard time not being a little cynical about the whole thing but at least if/when it’s shuttered I’ll have known they tried hard to keep it going. It’s so empty. The new owners spruced it up a lot and it looks much better. I don’t know many people who go there. There are other malls 30-60 minutes away that stay busy though! Thanks for a great follow up.
Sal, great last time visit to this place! I haven't had a chance to see the previous videos you've posted on this mall yet, I just subscribed to your channel a few days ago. But being in a once great mall when most of it has already been torn down yikes, I can see that being emotional for some people especially the locals. Since the deal has gone down with this mall instead of speculating on what happened and what went wrong with the mall I have the time to thank you! Sal brother man thank you for all that you do, it doesn't go unappreciated! Thanks for all of your hard work across the board, you make a close to dead mall video so damn interesting and you do it so professionally. You do these videos in a way that informs yet gives plenty of wiggle room for the viewers to draw their own conclusions and speculate while at the same time letting the locals who frequented these malls chime in with their personal experiences and that's really cool! You are literally the Dan Rather of dying and dead malls on TH-cam! Thanks once again, I'll keep watching if you keep them videos rolling.
Sal, its Keh-No-Bells Knoebels Anthracite Museum. Also, its Cen-Trail-EYa Centralia. I was able to visit the Schuylkill Mall at the very end of the demolition. It was from the main lot on the McDonalds side I had to go all the way to the left around the fencing. Only that very left end and a large loading dock was standing. July 2018.
I have a lot of fond memories of this mall. Been there many times at its highest and lowest moments. To see it being demolished is very sad, but with online shopping, malls charging outrageous ren't to stores, which in turn costs customers so much more than online shopping, that a lot of these malls killed off themselves. As for the Steamown mall, three major malls within 8 miles of each other was not cost efficient after the Shopped at Montage opened to add a mall to a ski resort. It sucks for the Steamtown mall because it was the one in the middle and everyone was moving from it to either the SaM or Viewmont in Dickson City. And the Steamtown mall had a garage to keep customers out of the weather vs. the open parking lots of the other two.
Steamtown at construction made sense and that's what many don't want to admit in the area. The Arena came to WB, area blew up, and Wyoming Valley Mall got an overhaul. Viewmont blew up, and then the Shoppes At Montage came and left Steamtown as you said, in the middle. The changes never came to Scranton to make that section of the city better too.
That was a really nice mural on the pizza restaurant wall. The round arched skylights were very nice. The metal star-like frames really give it a nice shape
You have very interesting documentaries. The background music & old commercials are a great touch. It reminds me of a few video games that have post apocalyptic themes.
Sal, you created a really fine mini-documentary ... excellent images, photography, editing, and commentary. This piece speaks volumes about a part of American history - changing shopping habits, the rise and fall of retail establishments and consumerism. Thank you for creating this!
Sal you are a true professional with your video series What makes you different from all other explorers is your detailed research on the history of all the malls. In my opinion your work is the absolute best keep up the good work 🤙🤙🤘
Knobels is pronounced Kuh-no-bulls. (the K is pronounced). It never ceases to amaze me how these incredible, man-made structures are used and discarded. I share that nostalgia for the days when the malls were packed on any given day. I've seen some of the malls around me dwindle and get torn down only to be replaced by a Lowes. Keep up the great work. New sub here.
Do you have downloads of the old Seeburg or Muzak library to dub to your videos ? So period perfect for cruising the mall in better days ! Reminds me of the almost abandoned Amon Carter Airport terminal in Ft Worth TX years ago before it was closed & demolished. We stopped by to see if the restaurant was still open & found no one in the place but heard "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" echoing through the place! I knew it was a Seeburg system because there was always a slight delay between songs when the player changed records. Love the old "elevator music" !
Hello Sal love you blogs on old Malls in the US, They must of built loads of them out there how some of the shops make money I don’t know.All the mall I’ve seen you blog seem to be in the middle of nowhere.Here in the Uk we have many Indoor shopping centres (as we call them ) The Town I live in called Luton had the biggest in Europe built back in 1975 still going strong ,Back in the eighties a new City was built Called Milton Keynes which took the record for biggest mall in Europe now we have massive ones in London called Westfield Shopping centres all massive all nearly full occupancy keep blogging mate love them👍👍👍👍
Wow this is spooky... You should check out The Exton Square Mall, in Exton PA, it seems like it's on it's way out, Kevin Smith was going to film Mall Rats 2 there
Incredible musical selection... Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor. Wow! Great video and overall presentation. Keep it up! Awesome work my friend.
I was in that mall when I lived in the area around 20 years ago. The China Buffet was a either a Ponderosa or a Bonanza a steak restaurant across from K-Mart. The only anchor stores were K-Mart and Sears and scattered shops through the mall.
Its so funny I had taken pictures of dead malls way back before TH-cam was big and I remember people making fun of me. I was just so eerily fascinated by it. I love that so many people are filming them with music and historical facts. This music reminds me of a Salute your shorts episode lol
You are amazing! I can’t believe you’re at 5,000 subscribers now. I’ve been following you for a few months I love your work and I love your videos. This made me so so sad because your video back in 2017 of this mall how much has changed I still am shocked. It reminds me of Rolling Acres and I’m not just saying that. It’s because I grew up outside of Akron Ohio and spent most of my weekends from 2001-2005 at Rolling Acres with my band of misfit friends. So many malls are dead and dying now it’s hard to believe. I do follow you on Instagram too. Please keep up the good work I love what you do!
Oh I believe it. I’m sure they’re super reputable...but it was crazy to me for such an place to stay open amidst a demolition, and all that goes with it.
I saw your views of those beautiful domed skylights and I was taken back by a feeling empathy to those that lost their employment. It’s been 10 years since I was last in the USA, and my sister lives with her family in Elton, not far from this location and highway, which my sister told me that it was known as the “Sure-Kill” due to the dangerous conditions of the highway.
Nice camera work! It's so frustrating to watch abandoned videos but still not be able to see anything because the explorers pan so fast, or spend no time showing me anything. So I really don't know what it is I've not seen. Your videos are informative and clear!
Hey thanks! I can’t take the praise without saying this though...not all of my videos are as smooth as this. I had full reign and freedom of the Schuylkill ruins, and most of the time I have security guards chasing me around...and not all of my videos are 100% clear, especially the early ones...I always strive to keep a steady hand and to have the patience to make methodical and purposeful shots...but again, it’s tough most of the time. Thanks for watching!!
I just subscribed. Thanks for all your efforts covering mall history. Great early footage even with the 70d's legendary moire and all, heh, just kidding :) Thanks for the video. It's haunting. Great choice of music and narration. The background music volume is just right. It reminds me a bit of Dan Bell's style.
Whoa! I just watched the old 80s commercial for this mall and the Dan Bell video tour from 2015. And now it looks like a set piece from a post-apocalyptic video game like Fallout or Bio-mutant. Those demolition crews wasted no time from 2016-2018 tearing this place down. As I'm writing this comment on July 4th 2021, that lot were these ruins were has been completely leveled. I've heard someone has already bought the land and is building something new on top of it but I have no idea what it is (hopefully not another Amazon warehouse). If anyone in the comments knows what's being built please to share. Anyways, thanks Sal, love the videography and have a happy and safe Merica day.
The “mall music” playing in the background is like the band playing while the Titanic is going under. Love these vids
Best analogy I’ve ever heard.
😆 The Titanic...
😲
I follow a few dead mall channels, but your voice, cadence, delivery, and deep research put you at the top for me.😊
yeah, a lot of dead mall channels I can't listen to b/c they always have nasally know it all voice.
From meeting Bill Elliot as a kid there, to painting the warehouse that now stands there....... I'm glad these memories still remain. Thank you🙏
I'm intrigued by the dead mall, but then I watch the footage and get so depressed! I was born in 1978, so I know what it was like when the mall were still thriving! I like how you give the history of the malls and you totally keep it real and professional! You respect the history! Keep up the good work!
Thanks J Baller! I was born in the wrong era...
I'm from Toledo Oh. We used to have 4 malls, but we are down to 1, Westfield aka Franklin park mall! We lost Northtown, Southwick, and Woodville malls! Plus we just lost a Sear, Toys R Us, and Elder Beerman is in its last weeks!
It depresses me too
Same here. I know us ‘78ers are almost all 40 now (WHAT?!?!) but I still feel like it was only a few years back that I hung out at our mall. And then worked at quite a few of the stores for years. To have lived through the “mall hey day” and then it’s fall is very very surreal.
‘74 here. It’s like watching the funeral of my childhood. Beautiful, fascinating, and soul-wrenchingly sad.
3:26 door opening sounds like a goat.
The absolute silence in the beginning is amazing. I didn't realize how noisy these places can be until I saw this contrast. Great decision to put that in the video without any additional sound other than your voice.
I love your driving intros too! Great way to establish the surroundings of the location, and interesting to watch for someone who has lived in the western U.S. their whole life.
Watching the first video on the Schuylkill mall and finishing up with this video hit me very deeply. It reminds me that life is very impermanent and is subject to change within the passage of time. I got a very odd sensation of closure and happiness seeing this video. The mall clearly had a good life. The destruction contrasted with the bright and sunny sky dotted with a few clouds is such a stark side by side comparison.
I don't know if you'll read this comment Sal, but I want to thank you very much for reminding me to be more appreciative of life. Watching your videos has oriented my perspective in a more positive light.
Life is precious. Memories are important, and legacy is eternal. Thank you so much for watching, Keith!
The single greatest Dead Mall video I've ever seen. Your videos are pure art.
9:34 Wild that the power is still on as they demolish the place.
Great follow-up! 👍
To all of those complaining about the name: Schuylkill is the name of the county where Frackville is located; the county also is the location of the source of the river of the same name, which was named that by Dutch settlers (Schuylkill roughly translates as "hidden river"). Could there have been better research on naming 40-some years ago? Possibly. However, the mall simply was named after its geographical location: Schuylkill County. No different than the Columbia Mall near Bloomsburg (Columbia County) or the Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre (the region is known as the Wyoming Valley because of the Wyoming River).
My heart is broken! I've been to this mall a few times in the past.. I ate at that small Italian spot.. browsed in the Black Diamond. So sad! Thank you so much for gathering the last few moments of what is left. Amazing job.
Sarah Stemrich like your heartfelt comment. I agree. 👍👍
omg Sarah I know ....me to at black diamond..
I visited this mall a few times passing through back in the mid to late 90's to mid 2000's. I remember buying a couple compact discs at the music store. I think one thing that really made this mall special is how somewhat desolate the surrounding areas were, miles of interstate.
Thanks for the great video!
A sad ending for a once great mall. A shame that so much of that building material is not salvaged for use elsewhere. Glad to see your site growing. 6K coming up.
Congrats on 5,000 subscribers!
Thank you!!!
Hey, No Hamburgers... love your channel name!!! :)
Thank you! 😁
I went to this mall my entire life! It will be missed! :( Great video!
Glad to hear that the miner statue was relocated....hopefully Petals finds a new home too
Mall manager reached out to Knoebels and they came to pick it up. I was walking though the park one night last summer and was like "Is that the Sku Mall statue?!?!" It was done pretty quietly at first.
epic footage, great editing
Thanks for filming this Sal. It's really interesting to see followups like this and i'm sure the opportunity won't come around often. It's surreal to see an indoor place like this, that was once so vibrant with activity, abandoned, half-destroyed, and open to the elements like that. I'm glad the statue was saved!
This is… something. A feeling I didn’t know I needed. Remembering the unappreciated joys of being a 90s kid. Validation that it wasn’t just my mall that got weird over time and understanding the mechanics behind the changes. Thank you for documenting, sharing, and creating this very cool, niche content.
Good job sal 👍
I remember as a kid this mall was awesome but as i got older it got worse and worse the susquehanna mall is starting to go down too
Seeing the china palace buffet makes me sick all over again
So sad..and the signage at the beginning made me sigh and say "oooooh" out loud.
:(
The colored icon, and faces of the letters have been preserved :)
Great video sal. Sad looking place but you did a great job documenting it. And glad they saved the statue.and hopefully they save pedals. Thank you sir
Thank you so much for documenting this mall in its state. I was up there thee final day it closed. That mall meant a lot to the people around that area. Including myself, who went there as a kid, and have fond, gentle, wonderful childhood memories that are buried in that rubble...
Thank you Sal, for getting such great footage of The Schuylkill Mall. As a resident of Schuylkill County i have many fond memories of this mall. Most of my childhood and teenage years were spent as a mallrat, shopping, looking for girls, and a few mischievous things I probably am better off NOT to mention. I never thought i could hold such a place so dear to my heart, Something so dated and mismanaged. Yet, every visit was a travel back to a simpler time in my life, regardless of how sad it may have been to see its once crouded halls reduced to a few stragglers and mall walkers, it was always a personal time capsule. Thanks for capturing MY mall and preserving it on film for me to revisit whenever I want.
My name is Sal, not Dan.
Thank you for another great vidumentary. I remember spending my teen years in malls just like this. This one got to me, Sal. So sad watching an era pass. Great job.
Glenn Gehringer my thoughts, exactly! 👌
I just got back into watching dead mall series, and glad I found your channel. I’m an 80’s and 90’s mall rat. The Schuylkill Mall was “my mall”. I was 7 years old when this mall opened. So many memories of going here with my grandparents, almost every Saturday with my mom and my two little kids in tow throughout the early 2000’s. This was a great mall and had a Chick Fil A! So many great stores, I remember the original McCoreys store, Fashion Bug, Lerner, Barbara Moss, Taxi, Jean Nicole, The Gap, KB Toys. I feel like I grew up there and my kids, who are now 26 and almost 24, spent a lot of time there with me and my mom.
The Chinese buffet in this video, used to be a Bonanza, I ate many times there on a Friday night and then shopping with my friends.
So sad still and it’s over five years it’s gone now.
Ironically, the warehouse built there is now also vacant. 🤷🏼♀️
Amazing. Congrats on your 5K subscribers, you do some really great work.
@Sal Visting the Schuykill's Mall once last time before it fades to aches is a really nice treat to celebrate your 5,000 subscriber milestone. Nicely played 👏🏻 Here's to you and the Schuylkill Mall. Salute! ☕️Following you on Patreon now. Have a great week.
When this mall was opened in 1980 it was a great source of regional pride for the surrounding portion of the PA Anthracite Region. This is an area where. people who stayed are very proud of its anthracite mining heritage and history. Some of my ancestors lived approximately 15 miles away until they moved in the 1930s. Although I am three generations removed I am proud of my family's Anthracite Region heritage. It is a shame that the mall died out and was torn down.
Its an incredible shame. But...your family and community have a ton to be proud of!
I had elderly relatives in this part of the state too. Even though their adult children all moved away decades ago, I still feel an attachment to this place.
Northeastern PA's Anthracite Region is a place of scenic beauty and a rich history. Although I live in Philly, I have friends in the refion and visit a few times a year. It is something to be proud of!
You'll always have your wonderful memories, William.
I've only been here once. Why do I miss it so much?
It is a sad to see a place that was so prominent in the community mostly knocked down! Things change and move on. Maybe it teaches us to treasure each moment! Lastly I find channels like this so fascinating visiting by video camera buildings wherever it is in the world!
It’s incredibly sad...I will keep working to preserve them as much as possible!
Thank you so so much. I wish I could give you a hug. You are on hell of a guy to do this for us.
Sal, thank you for all you do. Much appreciated. Please keep going!! Dean from Minnesota
It must have been surreal walking through an area which used to be lined with storefronts on both sides with planters and fountains in the middle and being able to see sky.
Awesome video!!! I love watching them - thank you for your expeditions
Sal, thanks for producing these videos. I grew up in PA, but left in '98 after graduating college. Seeing the stark contrast of how I remember these malls (in particular, Century III, Camp Hill, Capital City, Indiana Mall, etc.) is very moving. I have very vivid memories of these places and stores... I'm glad you're taking the time to document all that you can. I'm especially glad that you're taking a slightly different approach to your expeditions, whereby you're continuing to research some of the creative, cultural and social significance that is coming about as a result of this (the statues, the history, the connections and the people involved). Keep up the excellent work! It is much appreciated!
I recall a Bonanza Steakhouse and a Chick-Fil-A. McDonald's was right outside the Mall. Sears was there. Walden Book store. There were a large amount of elderly mall walkers as well as older folks sitting in the mid court area. I had business in the area and though not from Schuylkill County visited the Schuylkill Mall. many times. I even got a haircut there at the Holiday Hair business. In the early 80's it was the hot spot for the holidays. Locals would know better but my sense is that the Schuylkill Mall took away some businesses from downtown Pottsville. My strongest sense was that it had been a gathering place, a community center, for the aging population of Pottsville and Schuylkill County. It was always nice to visit and if I wanted a quick bite I went to the Schuylkill Mall. I recall the winding road that lead into the Mall from Route 81 and how the Mall was off of Route 61 on the way to Pottsville and Reading. I'm sorry to see it's demise as it had always been a friendly place to visit.
uncleelmer at one point there was also a mcdonalds in the mall!
I think this is a fantastic video. I used to live in Southeastern Pa where most of the malls are doing fine now. So sad to see what has become of this one. Thank you for sharing.
Like anything conquered by a stronger entity, what’s left behind are microcosms of a former glory. Your documenting and shining an all encompassing narrative on this subject certainly pulls the fragments together. For me this re-ignites a kaleidoscope of memories. We have all spent different stages of our lives in these rather hallowed, former spaces. I don’t think it is overstating the significance of the memories we are left with. I find this video particularly sad. Growing up at the Jersey Shore, the Schuykill Mall was widely known, even from a far distance. Sad, but impressive imagery.
Excellent vid, Sal! One of the best. This is my favorite kind of vids, even though, I love Malls and want them all, to survive. The soundtrack is absolutely, perfect!! 👊👏👏
I'm so glad the miner statue is now in the museum and the boy on the elephant is saved. Not everything needs to be destroyed just because the mall is gone. Great video, but maybe a before and after in the same shot would be good to see what was there.
I came across your video in a Reddit post and have many fond memories of going to Schuylkill and Fairlane Village Malls when I lived there in the 90s. The mall was pretty busy when I was there - I guess in the age of Amazon and Walmart (and online shopping in general), this was bound to happen. It's still heartbreaking to see/hear that the mall was demolished. I am glad to hear that the statue was relocated rather than demolished.
There are two malls within striking distance where I live now (I left PA in 2002), and both of them are dying as well. I hope I don't see your series coming down here to GA, but after learning that one of the anchor stores - Macy's - has decided to close, I get the feeling we'll be seeing you here as well.
Thank you Sal - I agree with the other commenters here that you've done top-quality filming and editing, and your research is fantastic. You've got yourself a new subscriber.
You know it's interesting. I remembered something I talked about years ago when I was talking to friends who visited abandoned hospitals. As I saw the old Schuylkill Mall sign on the ground, it reminded me of seeing castle ruins when I lived in (West) Germany. Malls/hospitals/factories are OUR castles. They were built by people with vision, utilized through the years, fell into disrepair when they were no longer deemed relevant and finally demolished to make way for something more modern and useful.
I have a ways to go still through your current library (have watched a few videos before thanks to YT recommendations). Have really enjoyed it though. Glad I finally subscribed.
I did some checking, and the Chambersburg Mall is a zombie while apparently the Hagerstown Valley Mall is flourishing.
Thank you posting this. Lots of memories there... damn. Back in the early 90s they had a jam packed arcade. Nirvanas Closet was hands down the best Rock Tshirt store. It’s such a unique area for a giant Mall.
Great video...I have a lot of great memories at this Mall. I will definitely miss it. It was worth the 90 mile drive every weekend
Sal, I'm sure your family is so proud of you! Excellent video!
One of my favorite places to go all the time...i miss this place alot...good video great job thanks for making it
Was litterally just binging on your videos and then this comes out!
Just for you :)
Same here 😀
Absolutely fantastic job on your videos! I'm glad people like you are out there recording these picecs of retail history before it's all gone and some ugly commercial building takes its space. Great background music also!
Going through your videos slowly but surely. Great job man. 👏
Song at 5:51?
Also really good video, I never knew I would find abandoned malls so interesting.
I really appreciate the effort you put in to this, your's is a serious last look at Schuylkill Mall, with proper tone and music. Another TH-camr tried a similar video, they failed pretty badly.
While in the area, rolled by today. No Trespassing signs are up everywhere now and DaVita has fully finished the move. Those doors being open were pretty sweet.
Only minor complaint I would say...you weren't even close on Knoebels pronunciation. Otherwise, excellent work.
Well we have two so far lol. Did I butcher it that badly?? I’m not a local :(
Let me have a crack at it. Knoebels, pronounced No-buls. ?
Nope. The locals pronounce the K. Kuh-nobels
@@sal LOL Thanks Sal! I was going off of the pronunciation of a friends last name Knoble which is pronounced something between no-bul & no-bel. Great video Saly I'll sub you bud.
Thank you!
Im blown away at how perfect your videos are, this one is beautifully done, i love the detail and how you showed footage driving to the mall. Perfect narrating voice, and right at the best times in the video. I miss this mall even though i was only there twice...really upsets me seeing it torn down
Wow... great video. It makes me so sad. I grew up in this mall. So many memories. Thanks for this. I subscribed. I like your style.
*So awesome! I wish I was into TH-cam when the Rolling Acres Mall was being demolished. Thanks for sharing this in the group!*
Glad you got to see the remains of the mall. It’s amazing how much alike all of the 80s crown American malls looked and seeing this one looking like a time capsule reminds me of my mall the west Manchester mall in York which was converted a few years ago into a shopping center. Thanks for doing this and always be careful. Never know what might happen!
this was awesome - can't tell you how much I enjoy your vids - informative and entertaining....love it!! ♥
I've been recently watching various abandoned videos from multiple people, and yours are my favorite. I wish you could have done a tour of Northland Mall in Columbus, Ohio, before it was demolished, but it was gone by the early 2000s.
I’ve said it before but it makes me grateful that someone bought our local mall and is TRYING. I have a hard time not being a little cynical about the whole thing but at least if/when it’s shuttered I’ll have known they tried hard to keep it going. It’s so empty. The new owners spruced it up a lot and it looks much better. I don’t know many people who go there. There are other malls 30-60 minutes away that stay busy though! Thanks for a great follow up.
Sal, great last time visit to this place! I haven't had a chance to see the previous videos you've posted on this mall yet, I just subscribed to your channel a few days ago. But being in a once great mall when most of it has already been torn down yikes, I can see that being emotional for some people especially the locals.
Since the deal has gone down with this mall instead of speculating on what happened and what went wrong with the mall I have the time to thank you!
Sal brother man thank you for all that you do, it doesn't go unappreciated! Thanks for all of your hard work across the board, you make a close to dead mall video so damn interesting and you do it so professionally. You do these videos in a way that informs yet gives plenty of wiggle room for the viewers to draw their own conclusions and speculate while at the same time letting the locals who frequented these malls chime in with their personal experiences and that's really cool! You are literally the Dan Rather of dying and dead malls on TH-cam! Thanks once again, I'll keep watching if you keep them videos rolling.
Sal, its Keh-No-Bells Knoebels Anthracite Museum. Also, its Cen-Trail-EYa Centralia. I was able to visit the Schuylkill Mall at the very end of the demolition. It was from the main lot on the McDonalds side I had to go all the way to the left around the fencing. Only that very left end and a large loading dock was standing. July 2018.
Thanks for that. I’ve been corrected on how locals pronounce it many times, I’ve got it! Thanks for watching!
I have a lot of fond memories of this mall. Been there many times at its highest and lowest moments. To see it being demolished is very sad, but with online shopping, malls charging outrageous ren't to stores, which in turn costs customers so much more than online shopping, that a lot of these malls killed off themselves. As for the Steamown mall, three major malls within 8 miles of each other was not cost efficient after the Shopped at Montage opened to add a mall to a ski resort. It sucks for the Steamtown mall because it was the one in the middle and everyone was moving from it to either the SaM or Viewmont in Dickson City. And the Steamtown mall had a garage to keep customers out of the weather vs. the open parking lots of the other two.
Steamtown at construction made sense and that's what many don't want to admit in the area. The Arena came to WB, area blew up, and Wyoming Valley Mall got an overhaul. Viewmont blew up, and then the Shoppes At Montage came and left Steamtown as you said, in the middle. The changes never came to Scranton to make that section of the city better too.
That was a really nice mural on the pizza restaurant wall. The round arched skylights were very nice. The metal star-like frames really give it a nice shape
You have very interesting documentaries. The background music & old commercials are a great touch. It reminds me of a few video games that have post apocalyptic themes.
Sal, you created a really fine mini-documentary ... excellent images, photography, editing, and commentary. This piece speaks volumes about a part of American history - changing shopping habits, the rise and fall of retail establishments and consumerism. Thank you for creating this!
Hey Thanks! This was a special project for me, and I’m so glad I was able to get those last few images recorded!
Sal...you do an excellent narration in yourvideos. Keep up the good work!
Thank you!!!
Sal you are a true professional with your video series
What makes you different from all other explorers is your detailed research on the history of all the malls. In my opinion your work is the absolute best keep up the good work 🤙🤙🤘
Hey thanks! I’ve been working on the latest episode for months, and I hope to finally release it this weekend. Stay tuned!!
@@sal thanks for all your efforts!! You totally rock and I'll be looking forward to seeing it 😀
Knobels is pronounced Kuh-no-bulls. (the K is pronounced).
It never ceases to amaze me how these incredible, man-made structures are used and discarded. I share that nostalgia for the days when the malls were packed on any given day. I've seen some of the malls around me dwindle and get torn down only to be replaced by a Lowes. Keep up the great work. New sub here.
Thanks Chris! Terribly sorry about the pronunciation faux pas...I’m learning as I go :)
Ha! No apology necessary. You should go next time you're in the area.
Aww so very sad..Job Well done Sal..Stay Safe..
did any one hear in the background the super Mario super show coming form the speakers in the mall or did he add that in?
😎
Great stuff, man!
Kudos to you for helping save the Petals statue!...again, you need to make a full documentary on this subject!
And the Musak is still running...amazing.
Do you have downloads of the old Seeburg or Muzak library to dub to your videos ? So period perfect for cruising the mall in better days ! Reminds me of the almost abandoned Amon Carter Airport terminal in Ft Worth TX years ago before it was closed & demolished. We stopped by to see if the restaurant was still open & found no one in the place but heard "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" echoing through the place! I knew it was a Seeburg system because there was always a slight delay between songs when the player changed records. Love the old "elevator music" !
Hello Sal love you blogs on old Malls in the US, They must of built loads of them out there how some of the shops make money I don’t know.All the mall I’ve seen you blog seem to be in the middle of nowhere.Here in the Uk we have many Indoor shopping centres (as we call them ) The Town I live in called Luton had the biggest in Europe built back in 1975 still going strong ,Back in the eighties a new City was built Called Milton Keynes which took the record for biggest mall in Europe now we have massive ones in London called Westfield Shopping centres all massive all nearly full occupancy keep blogging mate love them👍👍👍👍
Wow this is spooky... You should check out The Exton Square Mall, in Exton PA, it seems like it's on it's way out, Kevin Smith was going to film Mall Rats 2 there
Nice plug for the Super Mario Brothers Supershow!
The Mall song is amazing. Gets stuck into your head.
We used to drive up from Baltimore to visit Black Diamond. I'm glad the miner statue is safe at Knoebel's.
Incredible musical selection... Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor. Wow! Great video and overall presentation. Keep it up! Awesome work my friend.
Stalker Stomper3 thank you! The music is haunting.
Great video. Loved the filming. Thanks so much for posting this. Hope you do more soon.
I was in that mall when I lived in the area around 20 years ago. The China Buffet was a either a Ponderosa or a Bonanza a steak restaurant across from K-Mart. The only anchor stores were K-Mart and Sears and scattered shops through the mall.
Its so funny I had taken pictures of dead malls way back before TH-cam was big and I remember people making fun of me. I was just so eerily fascinated by it. I love that so many people are filming them with music and historical facts. This music reminds me of a Salute your shorts episode lol
that place was lit on a friday back in the 90's
Great vid I like it keep up the great work and this is my second time watching this vid one 2 years ago and now
For lack of anything else to say...this was just Amazing !!!
Thanks!!! One of my favorite pieces...
You are amazing! I can’t believe you’re at 5,000 subscribers now. I’ve been following you for a few months I love your work and I love your videos. This made me so so sad because your video back in 2017 of this mall how much has changed I still am shocked.
It reminds me of Rolling Acres and I’m not just saying that. It’s because I grew up outside of Akron Ohio and spent most of my weekends from 2001-2005 at Rolling Acres with my band of misfit friends. So many malls are dead and dying now it’s hard to believe. I do follow you on Instagram too. Please keep up the good work I love what you do!
Davita is actually running a pretty good location at the North Hanover Mall in Hanover, PA.
But that's nuts that they stayed.
Oh I believe it. I’m sure they’re super reputable...but it was crazy to me for such an place to stay open amidst a demolition, and all that goes with it.
Sal yeah. That seems not exactly sterile.
I saw your views of those beautiful domed skylights and I was taken back by a feeling empathy to those that lost their employment. It’s been 10 years since I was last in the USA, and my sister lives with her family in Elton, not far from this location and highway, which my sister told me that it was known as the “Sure-Kill” due to the dangerous conditions of the highway.
Nice camera work! It's so frustrating to watch abandoned videos but still not be able to see anything because the explorers pan so fast, or spend no time showing me anything. So I really don't know what it is I've not seen. Your videos are informative and clear!
Hey thanks! I can’t take the praise without saying this though...not all of my videos are as smooth as this. I had full reign and freedom of the Schuylkill ruins, and most of the time I have security guards chasing me around...and not all of my videos are 100% clear, especially the early ones...I always strive to keep a steady hand and to have the patience to make methodical and purposeful shots...but again, it’s tough most of the time. Thanks for watching!!
I just subscribed. Thanks for all your efforts covering mall history. Great early footage even with the 70d's legendary moire and all, heh, just kidding :) Thanks for the video. It's haunting. Great choice of music and narration. The background music volume is just right. It reminds me a bit of Dan Bell's style.
Very nicely done.
Thanks for the final stop. Wonder what people think of the medical tenant still up and running while the demolition is happening.
Whoa! I just watched the old 80s commercial for this mall and the Dan Bell video tour from 2015. And now it looks like a set piece from a post-apocalyptic video game like Fallout or Bio-mutant. Those demolition crews wasted no time from 2016-2018 tearing this place down.
As I'm writing this comment on July 4th 2021, that lot were these ruins were has been completely leveled. I've heard someone has already bought the land and is building something new on top of it but I have no idea what it is (hopefully not another Amazon warehouse). If anyone in the comments knows what's being built please to share.
Anyways, thanks Sal, love the videography and have a happy and safe Merica day.
i just want to thank you i came here to see this in hopes you would cover the old arbys as i used to work there and it gave me some closure
Excellent video and the music is perfect!!
Glad to hear Knoebels got the statue!!
Love the video Sal!!!
I went there on July 1 last year. It was an experience I will never forget.