I was born in Galesburg. This mall used to be packed and was the "spot" on Saturdays. Almost too busy. Used to be a good town during my childhood in the 80s...then by a strange set of circumstances, I wound up back here about 5 years ago. You're right, it's bleak. Nothing here. Retail and service jobs are about all there are. So when someone like me, who is in their mid-30s needs a job a retailer is less likely to hire me because I have no retail experience. Finding a decent job is hard unless you are a truck driver or a nurse.
It's like this all over the country thanks to NAFTA and other outrageous trade deals...Galesburg lost Maytag in 2004 when they went to Mexico, losing thousands of jobs not to mention all the support businesses that were lost...
I lived near here in a town called Victoria IL and would come to this mall on a regular basis back in 1990-1991. Many a quarter where spent at the Aladins Castle arcade playing games and also looking at that little model train they had. Also went to the movie theater and saw the first ninja turtle movies here also Bill & ted's excellent adventure. I was in Galesburg yesterday and was kinda shocked at how little it had changed. Stopped in the downtown area and got some food at a local natural market and it wasn't half bad. I miss the small town vibe since I currently live in Chicago its quite a bit different. Never want to move back but I hope to travel back more often! It really has a certain charm that I can't quite explain to people.
What happened in the 80’s?? Reagan was elected. If you live in Galesburg and you voted for Reagan, then you have to accept the blame for four decades of economic downturn.
0:18 Sears looks great! I am very thankful for your footage! I saw that same Sears today (2021). It has changed in a big way. Abandoned malls are heartbreaking but it was important to film this location at the many stages of its existence. I’ll be posting my footage soon. Again, thank you friend.
I moved here about a year ago, and the first week we went to the mall to find new stores, and the minute i stepped foot in that mall I knew how popular the mall used to be and I thought it’s was very depressing. Today I look at the mall (Feb 3, 2018) and I only see JCPennys, Karmac Tire, and Bergeners. The rest is a depressing pile of brick.
I grew up in that town and also traveled the country building stores in malls. That mall started dying a slow death years before malls even began to start dying off. A few factors killed it such as the town being so small and that mall becoming outdated. 30 mins either direction we had bigger modern malls with more choices. Ours lacked a food court and a lot of big name stores. The town wouldn't have been able to support a huge modern mall anyway so it was just doomed.
![ไข้ขึ้นเลย! เมื่อแฝดโดนจัดเต็มวัคซีนครบ2เดือน🤒 [cc] แดนแพทตี้ SS2 | EP.54 |](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/z2VHItnyyvY/mqdefault.jpg)
it's so sad to see this. I shopped here as a student at Knox College back in the early 1980s.
I was born in Galesburg. This mall used to be packed and was the "spot" on Saturdays. Almost too busy. Used to be a good town during my childhood in the 80s...then by a strange set of circumstances, I wound up back here about 5 years ago. You're right, it's bleak. Nothing here. Retail and service jobs are about all there are. So when someone like me, who is in their mid-30s needs a job a retailer is less likely to hire me because I have no retail experience. Finding a decent job is hard unless you are a truck driver or a nurse.
It's like this all over the country thanks to NAFTA and other outrageous trade deals...Galesburg lost Maytag in 2004 when they went to Mexico, losing thousands of jobs not to mention all the support businesses that were lost...
I lived near here in a town called Victoria IL and would come to this mall on a regular basis back in 1990-1991. Many a quarter where spent at the Aladins Castle arcade playing games and also looking at that little model train they had. Also went to the movie theater and saw the first ninja turtle movies here also Bill & ted's excellent adventure. I was in Galesburg yesterday and was kinda shocked at how little it had changed. Stopped in the downtown area and got some food at a local natural market and it wasn't half bad. I miss the small town vibe since I currently live in Chicago its quite a bit different. Never want to move back but I hope to travel back more often! It really has a certain charm that I can't quite explain to people.
What happened in the 80’s?? Reagan was elected. If you live in Galesburg and you voted for Reagan, then you have to accept the blame for four decades of economic downturn.
0:18 Sears looks great! I am very thankful for your footage! I saw that same Sears today (2021). It has changed in a big way. Abandoned malls are heartbreaking but it was important to film this location at the many stages of its existence. I’ll be posting my footage soon. Again, thank you friend.
I moved here about a year ago, and the first week we went to the mall to find new stores, and the minute i stepped foot in that mall I knew how popular the mall used to be and I thought it’s was very depressing. Today I look at the mall (Feb 3, 2018) and I only see JCPennys, Karmac Tire, and Bergeners. The rest is a depressing pile of brick.
I grew up in that town and also traveled the country building stores in malls. That mall started dying a slow death years before malls even began to start dying off. A few factors killed it such as the town being so small and that mall becoming outdated. 30 mins either direction we had bigger modern malls with more choices. Ours lacked a food court and a lot of big name stores. The town wouldn't have been able to support a huge modern mall anyway so it was just doomed.
Can theories of supply side economics explain the failure of the Sandberg Mall?
Internet Killed The Retail Star.
Lol
I miss that mall
They used to have an aisian resturant in there an it was reall good.went back the neaxt year and it was gone
I’m headed down there the weekend of October 28, 2017
It’s so sad to drive by the mall now and see all the weeds in the parking lot and no signs on it
There's still a sign on it and there mold growing inside already!
Me and my friends just got done exploring the completely abandoned mall now, February 4th, 2023. It is very very very destroyed and filled with mold.