Christown Spectrum Mall: The Valley’s Oldest Dead Mall - Phoenix, AZ
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.พ. 2024
- Appreciate your malls while you’ve got them!
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Thankfully I got to visit this mall before the Costco shut down. It was a lot nicer place to visit before that happened because the food court was always full of people eating Costco pizza and hot dogs and it felt less creepy.
I will need to come back and watch this many more times. It is currently 108 degrees in July. The rainy parts are really comforting!
Glad you enjoyed!
Amen! I feel that
I grew up at this mall, soooo many memories! My dad was a bus driver so I could ride for free from 31st av and bethany to Christown. I remember as far back as Farrell's. The Sand Sculptures. I saw The Never Ending Story in the upstairs theater. I remember that place that sold huge TVs by montgomery wards, I think across from woolworth, anyway they were playing the beginning of top gun over and over to showcase the tv'd quality. With the jets taking off "hiiighway to the danger zone.."
Always loved the atriums and plants!
JCPenney was my first job there when I turned 16.
Good memories
Aww... sweet memories. I used to run that all about books and comics location many many years ago.. God bless you Alan and Marsha Giroux for all the great memories, and all the customers who would have us hold your favorite comics each week for you to pick up.❤
While I do agree that Christown's prime is in the past, I think the mall is really starting to make a comeback with its latest additions such as Burlington and Five Below! I much prefer that than what happened with Metro Center-- just completely dying and being deemed a lost cause. I absolutely love malls, they are a great place to shoot the shit (especially in AZ of all places where you need good AC 😭) and I'd honestly hate for malls to become extinct
Also, I'm sure you've already found out but the Bath and Body Works didn't leave, it just moved outside near the Target!
OH I LOVE A COZY RAINY MALL DAY W BENJAMIN ❤❤❤
Weeeeee
I grew up a few miles North from this mall. I used to bike here with my grandpa and brother as a little kid. We would walk around the mall during the hot summer days to cool off too. It used to be much bigger. I mildly remember the Montgomery Ward. The mall used to have the orange brick tile and they had a lot of decorative plants inside which I miss. I remember the dillards shutting down in the early 2000s and when Walmart and Costco moved in. That Costco was my go to Costco since it was so close and convenient. I miss having a Costco in this part of town. I never got to experience this mall in its prime but it was a prominent location in my life while I was growing up in the early 2000s. Especially the harkins and Costco. I think they also had a KB toys in this mall. My parents would often take me to Metro center and Paradise Valley Mall often as well.
Definitely remember the sand sculptures. And the old movie theater upstairs. The Miracle Mile; the Walgreens inside the mall.
I was still shopping at the Christown Costco during the pandemic in 2020 before they moved out.
Spent a lot of time here, at MetroCenter and Westridge in the early 90s. Maryvale Mall was already a dump back then.
Man....I grew up at Christown mall...back when the North entrance had the 2 stair cases that had all the military recruiting offices on the 2nd floor. Ferral's (sp?) Ice cream, Montgomery Wards, The Broadway, Sears, KayBee toys (I worked at the Christown location in the 90s), miracle mile, the food court that had the escalator to the movie theater (saw return of the jedi there).....the 80s and early 90s were that malls heyday for sure.
That’s awesome you saw a Return of the Jedi there and that you worked at KB toys!!! Definitely seems like the golden era there for sure at that point in time.
I member!😃
I remember going here as a kid and there was an R/C raffle give away, it must of been 2000 or so. I forgot about this place until one day while driving with my dad his car overheated and we hung out inside the mall and It all came back to me
Lived near this mall in the 80s. It was beautiful. Holidays had elaborate displays. There were sand sculptures set up like art exhibits and more. It was a lot of fun and so close to home. Metrocenter was more elaborate and amazing but this was in my backyard and I loved it.
I can't believe Metro and Fiesta are gone. Those were my childhood and teen hang out years. I thought they would always be around. Time capsules of my youth. Even the places I loved in my twenties have all been torn down. The Valley eats childhood memories. Nothing is allowed to age in the Phoenix Sonoran desert. Progress must be made and icons destroyed.
I am no luddite and I love shiny new things. I just wish some of these places were able to survive.
Agree with you 100%. Wish they could keep a few of these iconic spots. It’s odd to destroy them all. Vegas has the same bad habit unfortunately.
If it were up to me, Metro would be restored back to how it was circa 1985 and listed as a historic building. Same with Christown but try to bring it back to how it was in 1969 style-wise. Same with fiesta, maybe go for a more 90s vibe there. But either way I wish these places would be preserved and utilized.
I spent many a day, high, shopping shopping shopping...🎉 at this Mall for years. I lived close to it.
I lived across the street and spent a lot of time there in the 90s as a kid. Walmart was the kiss of death of that mall.
Agreed. Adding a Walmart and taking away the Costco was a brutal finishing move.
I did too. Grew up on 15th Ave and berridge
Oh shit, Chevelle 602, is that you Mike Smith?
@@az67mustang Hell yeah it is.
@@Chevelle602 how are you doing bro?
Holy moly, I forgot all about the sand sculptures! Memory unlocked. I used to go into the Miller's Outpost next to what is now Walmart quite often and a lil book store on that side too.
The outside is giving AMC 30 next to the Charley’s steakhouse, inside becomes a forgotten Arrowhead
quite sad, might have to drive down there soon
Man, those are some massive couches
Thanks I made them myself by hand with some tape and spare fabric.
Sad to see the MALLS DIE... I moved to Arizona in the Spring of 1992. My First Job here was at SEARS in LOS ARCOS MALL, Scottsdale. All of that was Demolished by the end of the 1990's. ASU SKYSONG is on that site now... Great Job on this, the end of an Era when THE MALL was the place to Hangout. 😊
Thanks for watching. Rip Los Arcos Mall!
When we came here to visit family (97?), my aunt took my sister & I here to see Dr. Doolittle. This was when the theatre was on the 2nd floor. Eventually, we moved to AZ and lived down the street from the mall (15th & Colter). I went to this mall so much.
I used to go there years ago, but after the hurricane in New Orleans it seems like that city just vomited it's inhabitants all over Atlanta, Houston,and Phoenix. The are around 19th and Bethany is where most of them wound up. So sad. Christown became a sewer after that.
That Boutique and Fashion near the entrance...didn't that used to be a shop for coffins and urns? (Not kidding...)
My best memories at Christown mall are all the sand art that they had. Also my family were eating at the Miracle Mile Deli, and my sister, about 10 years old, wanted to eat horseradish sauce. My parents warned her multiple times, but she insisted. So they gave her a very small protion on the fork. Her eyes got about 3 times big and covered her ears. She stormed off to the planters nearby and she said youre despicable as she was walking away.
Great memories haha
Went to a lot of baseball card shows here with my dad growing up. We did see a couple of teenagers fighting and one pulled a gun thankfully they all just took off. It was wild back then and even crazier now.
I miss the movie theater upstairs
Same❤
Wow! Haven't been there in years. I can remember going to see Santa every year and all of the Wallace and Ladmo stage shows in the early 70's.
Back when the Ladmo bags were grocery size bags. You got a box of Hostess cupcakes, and a 6-pack, of soda!
Do you remember going to the midnight movies there?
@@azpapa9347 I did from time to time at the UA 6 with the escalators. I went to most of the midnight movies at Metro. I also remember getting several shrinking Ladmo Bags through the years. Toward the end, most of them had gift certificates and coupons. I'll bet the last ones were Ladmo Envelopes!!! LOL!!
Oh wow, i used to go to Christown when i first moved to Phoenix in 1990. I'd forgotten all about it! Moved to the East Valley years ago and rarely go into Phoenix anymore. Great memories!
Good times
Nice exploration. It’s like they’re trying to hold on to that little piece of interior Christown Mall as an homage to the past-though except for maybe a few people like you I wonder if anyone cares or appreciates it in this absentee-aloof society we seem to live in now. I wonder how stand alone restaurants as a whole are doing these days, including fast food joints, as far as profitability. I wonder if any of these places actually ever get busy like back in the glory days-versus just hanging on! I also wonder what if anything is going on with the Metrocenter site.
Thank you! It does make you wonder about the purpose and future of the center of the mall! Would be great to see it revitalized. But most likely it will stay in this state for a while and either end up demolished or turned into some kind of medical campus or storage facility in a few years at best.
Word is that Metro Mall will be torn down in the spring sadly.
Thanks for watching as always!
There's a 60s-style fast-food joint near where I grew up-- that's been around since the early 60s, I believe-- called All American. It's a small stand-alone place, strictly walk-in (with a handfull of small tables and benches outside near the parking lot)-- the building itself looks like something right out of American Graffiti-- but come 6ish PM on a weekend and this place is packed with a line out the door-- nearly without fail. I don't even think the food is anything that special-- and most locals, if they were being honest, would probably admit the same-- but I think it's more the fact that this place is a local institution, with such a strong historical connection to the community, which encourages this almost rabid loyalty from local residents.
I have relatives who grew up in the area who moved out to different states, but everytime they come home to visit the first stop on the itinerary is All American for a burger, fries, milkshake and a knish. Which, btw, that's another little idiosyncracy about this place: they sell items like knishes and tuna salad (there's a big Jewish community in the area) which you don't typically associate with 1960s Americana fast-food. Their handmade French-fries, however, are legendary, and it's the local custom to dip the fries in milkshake (don't knock it till you try it).
It's kinda nice though; my opinion of the food aside, I'll probably be devastated if there ever comes a day where that place shutters for good.
I miss it all, Tilt arcade (and chinese restaurant next door), charlie's house of fun, miracle mile deli, kb toy store, the united artists theatre and montgomery wards (with music store attached).
Definitely miss KB toys!
Saw a movie there one time but I think that's my only experience with this mall. I don't recall actually going to see the rest of the mall
Solid theater! I remember seeing A perfect getaway at this one as a teen.
Thanks for the tour! It actually looks better than I imagined. I grew up around Christown back in the '60s and worked at Montgomery Ward in 1980. It was a whole different world back then. The main entrance was called the Court of Fountains because it had these big fountains in the middle. In the summer the main doors would whoosh open and you'd be hit by the cool air and the scent and sound of the fountains. Straight ahead was JCPenney. Christown was a lively place to hang out especially on the weekends. I found this video of the way it looked back in the day, if interested: th-cam.com/video/IQS-7A98vDQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=igsQeKzXfBfnzP9b
Really nothing in the interior of the mall but i do like the harkins there.
I miss the Costco they had here, that’s all
Used to love that mall. That rail train brought a bad element there and shop lifted it blind. That train is free transportation for criminals! Ruined every neighborhood south of Bethany home also.
My wife was the assistant manager of the Hallmark store there
the one thing i remember the most about this mall was the massive sand sculptures they used to display there.
Same! Magical.
I worked at Christown for my first job back in 2012. That mall STILL looks the same. Except now the Costco isn’t there, which is what had the most foot traffic.
If anyone remembers, my job was to stand at a kiosk and say “here you get one!” and hand you a rectangular card
Do you still have any rectangular cards?
@@unfazedreview3000 I don’t, got rid of everything from that job when I quit 😂
Never spent time at christown. Too far east for my family. We went to westridge mall, now desert sky mall. Then arrowhead mall once westridge went down hill. Kinda sad seeing the malls slowly going down hill.
The Sand Sculptures started as a promo for summer reading program. The big dragons was called Bookman the Dragon.(I think).
It was such a hit they extended it for a couple of years. It was a big draw. I took my
kids several times. They loved different sculptures. Each year they would change the main feature in the center of the mall.
That's when JC Penney's was right in front
of the center. Before Costco was there.
Went there lot too. 😕 Sad about all the malls.
That’s a fun fact! They were so great to see in person.
@@unfazedreview3000 Loved way them being built too. Good memories. 😊💕💕
There is a door on the side of that building that I opened about a year ago. I walked in and the inside felt larger than what the building outside looked like. It was completely pitch black but I could hear voices and what sounded like power tools. I got a heavy feeling in my chest and left a few seconds after. I tried to go back in a few weeks later but the door was locked and I’ve never seen another entrance to that part of the mall
You uncovered a time warp.
I remember there used to be a FARRELS ice cream shop at Christown
Yep
The good ol days at Rectom mall!
😂
Machete Azteca is hella good
I wonder why this happens? I never have seen one of our shopping centres close
Crime, junkies and crime! Sounds mean but it’s true. The area went downhill and the mall suffered. Once Costco and JCP moved out it really declined even more as there was much less foot traffic. Shops packed up and moved out.
@@unfazedreview3000 Malls were built to be re-purposed. It´s an agenda. Also, the idea is to remove natural land and seal it with assfault.
@@unfazedreview3000as an introvert this place is right up my alley, dont wanna get shanked tho 😅
I grew up going to the first indoor mall in Phoenix. Who cares if Costco moved. Walmart destroyed our neighborhood long before Costco moved in and retreated.
Was that the 43rd and Glendale? I went to KFC before!
Once cosco left, it died out
So true
Does anyone know why Costco moved from christown?
There is no official report on why they didn’t renew their lease, but I would venture to say it’s because the crime rate has gone up in the area. Plus an undesirable array of eclectic characters, homeless and otherwise in the parking lot, etc.
I personally wish they would’ve kept Costco there. But it’s not a huge surprise that they left.
Mall was asking for an outrageous renewal to rent. Plus the food court had problems with none members purchasing fast food.
@@unfazedreview3000An employee that worked there told me the mall was charging them a ridiculous monthly rent. Those were the rumors u heard. Don’t know why the mall wouldn’t make adjustments since Costco was helping it out a lot but I guess the owner was stingy. Also what happened to the renovation rumors? I thought the mall was going to be bulldozed and turned into a mixed use area.
Why would I waste my time in malls when the Internet is so much closer and no lines to check out! Even though I don't see a lot of people!
Your wish is granted it appears. In this case. The appeal of malls are about the social aspects and it’s a bummer to see them go.
@@unfazedreview3000 As someone who grew up in the 80's and 90s malls were a big part of my childhood! When Arcades and Toys store left the mall so did a lot of people just saying!
Internet shopping is certainly more confident. But going to the mall is all about the experience.
@@ShilohRules Yeah if you like people! As a intervert I order all my stuff on line!
The problem today is corporations forgot how to make real money. The ideas of the70's/80,s/90's where geared towards specific shoppers, the ones who bring in money. Kid's- bring parents to the mall. Teens- buy all sorts of food, shoes, clothing and also bring parents with money. The mall esthetics , fountains, kids play areas, REAL arcades, All help to harness the atmosphere of comfortable shopping. This is what you call revolving door revenue. The demand for malls is still there, boomers, GenX, millennials, and even some Gen Z want this. Time to get back to what works and abandon what does not work. Wake up corporate America, dull and boring is OUT.
Grew up going here and going to the theatre with my father
And Costco kept it alive, sucks how it left
Bro the theater part is fake I went there around a month ago and I went to watch the inside out 2 movie
I too saw a movie there. Actually included the theater in this video. If you watch the entire video, I actually walk inside of the theater.
What part is fake 😂???
The powers that be need this much needed land to change the landscape. Sick of, "so called, progress," that removes the iconic locations for land.
It’s not really a dead mall.
Depends on your definition. Compared to how it used to be, it’s dead. If you consider a dead mall fully closed than no, it’s not yet fully closed. Definitions vary, and “declining mall” doesn’t look as good on a thumbnail. I catch your drift.
@@unfazedreview3000 I’m just saying cause I’ve been in there recently and it’s still a little lively.
My wife and I walk the mall regularly with our girls. It's a shell of its former self unfortunately.