I grew up going there too. I actually miss the Suncoast store, looking for Halo 3 toys back in 2004. I had no idea that behind one of the old dry walls was an old McDonald's, untouched since the 70's. It's now demolished, and so depressing when driving past what used to be. :-/
I could see so much in there that could have been reused/donated. Furniture, stretcher, fire extinguisher, cleaning supplies, and all those plants could have been rehomed instead of sitting there to die.
This actually made me cry. Seeing a place that was so dominate in my life growing up, a place I worked security at, the people I met because of this place.... It makes me so sad, like a part of my life and memories had been left to rubble and are now just empty shells... 😢😢😢😢
I remember growing up and the biggest excitement was my great grandmother taking us shopping in this mall. We would drive from Kankakee, IL to Lincoln Mall on a Saturday and shop for hours. It so sad to see not only this mall but many long standing buildings throughout Matteson all the way south to Kankakee being left to crumble and then bulldozed over. These buildings have character, style and beauty that are left to be forgotten. Thank you for sharing these images. The world is so wrapped up in BIG & NEW that they are losing history left to be destroyed.
I noticed a change in the malls taking place by the mid to late 90's. They were still thriving, but there were changes that started small and became more noticeable as time went on. It started with the smaller retailers. As technology progressed, long-term fixtures in the mall like Radio Shack, Musicland, and Camelot Music were the first to disappear. People just weren't shopping at those stores anymore. Next were the smaller book retailers like B. Dalton. As larger retailers like Barnes and Noble sucked business away from those chains, they disappeared too. What moved in to those vacant spaces were usually cheaper, lesser known retailers, or local businesses that came and went, eventually leading to renovations within those stores that made them unrecognizable, and unattractive to shoppers. Changing fashions and tastes affected the small clothing retailers. There were some that didn't survive beyond the mid 90's. Coda, Jeans West, and Chess King were prime examples of stores that thrived in the 80's with their outlandish fashions and club wear. They couldn't change or shed that image in the more subdued 90's and disappeared. The parent company that owned those eventually filed bankruptcy and some of their still successful stores like J. Riggings and Oaktree also disappeared. Again, cheap businesses moved into those spaces and For Lease signs would be in those storefronts every few months as they just had no appeal. Eventually, even the large anchor stores became casualties of online shopping and changing trends. JC Penney was nearly run into the ground because of poor business decisions from their CEO. Sears became a ghost of its former self and will soon join Montgomery Ward which closed its doors by 2000. Eventually, the loss of money on these large structures would show in things like the large fountains that seemed to be a centerpiece to all of them would either not be in operation, or filled in with plants. The overall appearance of these malls would look run down as the money just wasn't there to make decent upgrades. There were as many empty storefronts as there were businesses, and the businesses that were there weren't the ones that people wanted to shop at. These things don't symbolize the "beginning of the end of America", so much as they reflect changing times and an era that has passed. It happens.
This is fascinating! It seems that the economy of the area took a downturn & people stopped going to the mall. The music is very unsettling too. The photographer takes great fascination with the lighted areas and the dead trees. What I wanted to see was the dark hallways and empty stores. These areas are more frightening. The chair and gurney seem strangely out of place. You can almost image the mall bustling with people.
I don't really see the mall decline as the end of America. I just see malls as a phase of America that was doomed to wear out sooner or later. The rise of the Internet and the overabundance of malls led to their decline, but while some like Lincoln continue to rot and sit abandoned, others are being redeveloped into more useful purposes like neighborhoods and lifestyle centers.
Exactly.The Main street USA shopping areas died as suburban malls sprung up in the 70's and 80's. Now, Amazon and other online shopping is killing the retail mall. And the land they sit on is usually very valuable as they are generally sited near interstate access and busy areas. 70 square acres of prime Developable land in one big slab. Big money. I hate to see them go, though. Misspent a fair portion of my teenage years hanging around a mall Arcade.
I saw the shell of the Sam Goody I used to work in but that was 14 years ago and that place closed long before the mall. Once the anchor stores went, the name brands followed. It was a long, slow death. They had been talking about "how to turn the mall around" since 2002/2003. What makes this really sad is seeing all the optimistic banners advertising the efforts to revitalize the mall. I think that the slow death of Lincoln Mall is connected to the gentrification in Chicago. A lot of the mall's slide started in the late 90's when they were tearing down the Robert Taylor Homes, a housing project on the south side. (And I don't think they did it with the intent of building new homes for the people who were there) A lot of the people who had lived there previously were moved out to the suburbs like Matteson, Country Club Hills, Flossmoor, etc. Which have been ethically diverse for a while (part of what I loved about living there). However, a lot of the middle-class started moving out towards developing areas like Frankfort or Naperville. Many of the people left in the area couldn't afford to shop at the mall (malls have higher rent, therefore higher prices), and so it started its slow decline. And without the mall to draw people from out of town in, the surrounding businesses began to fail as well. So over the course of about 20 years a thriving center of commerce is basically a ghost town.
Where was Sam Goody located? Wasn't there also a Musicland here at one time? Or did they simply rebrand it as a SG? I seem to recall a competing record store chain here back in the early 90s (Recordtown?)
James Ward It was at the top of the escalator by the elevator. by the Sears. Musicland owned Sam Goody and Suncoast which sold movies. while Sam Goody sold both music and movies. There was a Discount Records in the plaza by the Dominick's. But that's all I remember.
Kyle Decker, I just want to point out that Flossmoor is still on the more prosperous/well-to-do-off side and has not suffered a decline in socio-economic status the way that many of the other south suburbs of Chicago have. I just needed to point that out. Good observations, though.
Oh for sure. I grew up in Flossmoor. I still have family and friends there. I even worked at the high-school there for five years. Heck, my name is on the barrel at the Brewery. I remember a lot of "white flight" (as they say) in the early 2000's. I had classmates and worked with students that had formerly lived in the projects who had Flossmoor addresses. But, yes, Homewood and Flossmoor have not experienced the socio-economic decline that the surrounding towns have. I've actually heard that some areas are even on the rise.
I used to work at that mall. You walked right past Dakota Watch Co. where I worked, which was across from Suncoast. The other place that I worked. Currently the only place still open in Carson Pirie Scott, which was an anchor store. I loved AND hated working at that mall.
this hurt me. i live 10 minutes away from matteson and spent a lot of time at this mall when i was little, and watching this hit me hard. i remember the play area, the bouncy castle area they had open for a while, and running through sears looking for toy story dolls. seeing another part of my childhood destroyed broke me
I spent many a childhood dollar at that mall....watched it get built. Grand opening was in like 1975 or 76.All locals posting here---remember LeMans Arcade?? Goooood times!
Was there really a Theatre attached to the mall at one point? That, or right outside of the mall? I've heard a lot about it, but can't find any information on it.
@@Yeiyn343 The Target Store sits in the very spot where there used to be a movie theater on the Southwest side of Lincoln Mall. I think the Target Store in now permanently closed? The Target Store used to be between Menards Store, Sams Club, and Walmart. There was a Best Buy Store kind of in the same area West of Lincoln Mall. The abandoned Best Buy Store is still there. The Sam's Club, Walmart, Circuit City closed down permanently. J.C Penny has there own store near Lincoln Mall. J.C Penny used to be part of the mall.
@@CSullivanmeerkatmandude I was just rolling around in the boarded-up Target parking lot about two days ago, haha. That Target never had a chance (only there for maybe two years). Thank you for the information! :-)
I remember all the excitement when that mall opened. It put the Park Forest open air shopping center out of business. Makes me sad, I shopped there a lot.
It’s so haunting. No sign of life. The trees are dead. The malls were my haven, my getaway, my happy place. I never thought that malls would one day be replaced or die out.
This is just so sad. As I kid I used to go to Aladdin's Castle every Sunday. They had it where you would pay $5 from noon-2 I believe and you got unlimited tokens. Also the Circus World/K.B. Toys there. I had so many great memories at this mall. It really is a shame. 😪
I live in the Kankakee County area and yes our mall here wont last at the rate its going. Which is sad because its a beautiful building. But shop owners will tell you they pay an astronomical amount to rent space, everyone shops online these days and the stores there constantly change. Society likes familiarity!
You are kidding right? My mom lives very close to the mall and has watched the neighborhood take a turn for the worse. Matteson and adjoining cities like Park Forest and Richton Park have seen a slew of businesses abandoning the area. Mall security can't fix a problem like that.
I saw a guy fall down an escalator before. Old guy too. He slipped and fell down the up escalator. So, he just kind of stayed in place for a moment. He got up. Was probably bruised up a bit, but nowhere near dead. This was in Korea, though. And old Korean people are tough as nails.
Very eerie and sad - I grew up in the 70s and 80s in the Matteson area, and Seph is correct - the Lincoln Mall was far bigger in it's glory days...the story of it's decline and collapse is a great example of corporate stupidity...it was part of your family, and not just because of the shopping - you could do so much there, literally make a day out of exploring and even catching a film at a theater connected to the Mall.... Speh, thank you for doing this, but it was very difficult to watch more than once - I have so many happy memories there from childhood, to actually working in the Mall for several years until my family moved to Dayton, Ohio in 1988 - and seeing it in this condition when it could have been avoided is heartbreaking...
I used to work at 3 stores in this mall but the neighborhood got bad and once my car got stolen, then we got robbed. Mall security did nothing but call the real cops who also did nothing. . .no "job" is worth risking your life for sorry/not sorry.
Melissa Beth I am sad but not shocked that those crimes happened to you. I'm in my 30's. I grew in that area. I am a white male. To me living in that area as, a white person was a living hell. What is the white population there now? Were the people who committed crimes against you black?
I'm glad this video is out here. I grew up in Country Club Hills in the late 80s and early 90s and my grandmother used to work a part time job here. So many fond memories visiting her in the afternoons and shopping on weekends and during the holidays back in the day. Thanks for getting this.
i loved coming to Lincoln Mall as a child... it was a really great mall from the early 90s up until 2013 they just couldn't keep up. but there are talks of reconstructing this mall...but talk is talk.
So Very SAD... Such A Beautiful Mall, So Many Happy Memories and So Many Happy Hours Spent There Especially At Christmas .... All Lost Because Of Gang Activity...
I lived in that area for over 50 years... from 1952-2002. Lincoln Mall followed the same path that the Park Forest Plaza did. Each met the same fate. Having watched that area since its very beginning times changed, business fell off and the rest is history. Both the Plaza and this Mall were really wonderful when they were both in their prime.
It was a cycle. Chicago Heights was prosperous and Park Forest stole business away. Matteson stole business away from Park Forest and now people headed west to places like Tinley Park, Orland Park and Mokena.
So I went out to Matteson recently and all this is dust now. Demolished and gone. I was hoping someone documented what it looked like and thankfully you did. I had a lotta memories in that mall so very sad to see it go.
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Lincoln Mall was already dying when I went there in 2003. When I moved to Matteson in 2008, it was already far from about to Die. Now R.I.P entire land, Carson's was the last remained store and just closed last week.
And now the whole damn thing is gone. So sad. That whole area is a sad sight. Walmart, BOTH Targets, Sam's club, Toys R Us, Staples, Wendy's... GONE.
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@@djstephlove Its why I had no choice but to sell my house and moved out of Matteson in 2017, I'm not going to keep paying higher Property taxes in an Abandoned So called Higher- middle class Suburb. I'm at Glenwood which it ain't much there but close to Homewood and I am happy. I just hope that Xsport which where I have my membership at and left over JC Penney will make it through it, I doubt it for Office Max only store left at that Strip
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@@djstephlove I remember been to that Old Target in the 90s.
qwandiddy oh, that's what I meant, Office Max, not Staples. It's gone. I think the only thing over there is Fudruckers and Charles Edward Cheese(Chuck E Cheese), if that. There's only the new stuff they just built, on the South side of Lincoln Highway, then Pepboys and Menards, in the background. It's just Corruption.
Seph I love you man, your photos are badass! ..and I mean no offense, but is there a reason why you stayed in this one area and filmed the trees and escalator so much? I understand it's interesting, but is there more behind it, like were you documenting something specific for yourself that we aren't seeing?
Gotcha :) I filmed the abandoned Rubber Bowl in Akron Ohio yesterday, it was AMAZING! I felt like I was filming too many full sweeps of the stadium, but in the final cut it ended up great cause I had plenty of close up stills and tried to really mix up the footage. That'll be posting December 1st at 6pm on my channel if you'd like to check it out!
SEPH LAWLESS they tore down in section when change owner they were planning to add on and put in more store but they should have focus on bringing store back
Growing up near the neighborhood, I had heard many stories about how Lincoln was the hot spot in the late 70's and 80's. However I don't think it ever caught on with my generation; the milliennials. I have quite a few childhood memories here, but I think the downfall started somewhere around the 2000's, the mall just began to see less and less activity and businesses began to pull out left and right. A few friends who worked in the department stores, often joked about only getting 4 or 5 customers per day. Many of my peers always chose to go to Orland Mall; which was a much further drive. Lincoln was closer; basically just down the street but Orland was bigger in size and had much more variety to choose from. There had been talk to rejuvenate Lincoln since around 2003, but that never seemed to take off and being faced with multiple building code violations, they decided to close it in January 2015. I also read the mall's owners still owe more than $10 million in unpaid fines and taxes. Seems like it all came down to the money. They kept Carson Pirie Scott though! It's still out there and open for business, though the entrance to the mall from the store has been completely paved off.
Another option is (or was) River Oaks in Calumet City; I remember having to drive or be driven to these malls from Hazel Crest. But Orland Mall was the place to be in the 2000's.
The Target Store sits in the very spot where there used to be a movie theater on the Southwest side of Lincoln Mall. I think the Target Store in now permanently closed? The Target Store used to be between Menards Store, Sams Club, and Walmart. There was a Best Buy Store kind of in the same area West of Lincoln Mall. The abandoned Best Buy Store is still there. The Sam's Club, Walmart Circuit City closed down permanently. J.C Penny has there own store near Lincoln Mall. J.C Penny used to be part of the mall.
Worked at Children’s Place here from 1984-87. Also sold fruit and nuts downstairs in a center kiosk right off the main court. We were all friends working at the shops like Limited Express and Chess King. merry Go Round was THE store for cool clothes. We were sorta separated by cliques because of the wing you worked in. No food court. McDonalds was a few doors down from me. Gyro place down by Alladin’s castle that back in the 70’s has a racetrack in the back with bumper type cars.
Really eerie - 1. it has not been closed very long but looks like it was empty for years. 2. Can't believe all the stuff left there - can't they use it/ sell it? 3. I used to go there in high school. 4. Stop at 3:49 - notice the sadly hopeful banners - "building, growing, working" : (
My parents met at this mall near Athens, We got my wedding ring here at Zales. I had friends who worked at Subway, Spencers, and Hallmark. A lot of great memories here. What you see at 7:25 is a false wall. There's probably another 12 stores behind that wall and another anchor store. As the mall began to lose business they sectioned off this whole area and put up the false wall.
This is heartbreaking to see. So many wonderful memories from my childhood through taking my children to see Santa and The Easter Bunny...I still think the developer that chopped off JC Penny & let the mall deteriorate to its pre-closure state should be prosecuted. It really was a crime what they did.
Man I used to work at the Software Etc and Suncoast Motion picture store in that mall. Also remember when Aladdin's Castle and Noah's Ark used to be in the mall.
I ride my bike there all the time. I went there on Halloween this year, and was too creeped out. I rode away fast. This would be a great set for the walking dead.
By day these abandoned malls would be an ideal place for a chess game that requires full concentration. If I lived around an abandoned or dead mall I could enter I'd likely use it for that purpose alone, otherwise use it for exercise or a private walk or occasion. It's the fact there's no noise or motion that makes them ideal places for activities or moments that require deep concentration. Crazy as it sounds they might be good for prayer, spiritual building or meditation as well.
An interesting mix of natural decay and man made decay simply left.I feel like people left abrubtly with some entrances to stores half closed and some not bothered to be gated off at all.All I wanted was to find the plug to the light strands,plug them in and leave it as ghostly as was found...
The mall had an auction several months after it closed. Most stores were open because some fixtures (counters/tables/light fixtures) were sold. I think a few of the gates may also have been sold. Those small yellow tags seen on the planters were the auction lot numbers. Once the stuff was removed, why bother closing the gate?
This is America. No attempt to convert these huge spaces into community centers, indoor arboretums, healing centers, learning facilities, technology showcases, convention centers, etc, the list goes on. Throw away society run by defilers. I grew up going to this mall and to see it in this state is highly uncool.
Me and my pals cut school and spent many days here back in the 80's those were some good times. I bought many things there back then even a red and black Michael Jackson jacket from Chess King. I sold it on ebay 10 years ago and got a lot for it.
I worked at the McDonald's there years ago. We used to get so busy. Back then I'd never believe that LM could end up this way. Kind of sad. Then again, life marches on.
I think the most eerie part of Lincoln Mall wasn't even shown. There's so many sections of the mall that are just abruptly cut off because of construction that was cut off. It's safe to say that 1/3 of the mall was demolished. Obviously people living close to it know this, but for those that don't it should have been shown. The plot of land is the most eerie to me. The great mall plan that never happened. The sign outside by the sears that says "It's happening now!". The sign is still there! I don't know the exact numbers, but there are acres of abandoned land outside the mall that were supposed to be built/rebuilt on and developed. Hopefully someone does a video on Lincoln Mall's history and failed plan. It used to be a great suburban mall that actually put a local shopping center on life support. To see it get hit by the recession mid-construction was sad, and this is a great untold "what if" story. The whole village got hit because of this one, and it's been very hard to find developers to bring big business to the 'forgotten' Matteson.
The Target Store sits in the very spot where there used to be a movie theater on the Southwest side of Lincoln Mall. I think the Target Store in now permanently closed? The Target Store used to be between Menards Store, Sams Club, and Walmart. There was a Best Buy Store kind of in the same area West of Lincoln Mall. The abandoned Best Buy Store is still there. The Sam's Club, Walmart Circuit City closed down permanently. J.C Penny has there own store near Lincoln Mall. J.C Penny used to be part of the mall.
Seth, I have been watching videos on abandoned malls for the last few years. I too, am from Cleveland and grew up hanging around all the malls in the area. It was Randall Park Mall for me. I did go to Rolling Acres quite often back in the day. I just want to say that I think you are doing a fantastic job at documenting all of these places. All of these malls represented a time when the economy was flourishing. Sadly, these and others are either dead or shadows of their former selves. Keep on filming, brother!!!
Another thing that is sad to see with this mall closing is the amount of seniors that would come here to just mall walk for exercise. It got to be a popular way to get fit. River Oaks mall in Calumet City, IL has the MALL WALKERS too but it won't be long before that mall closes .once an outside mall when it first opened decades ago River Oaks transitioned to an enclosed mall I think in the late 1970s however with the cook county taxes so high and all of the big name retailers pulling out or now gone this mall is dying a slow death. I wouldn't be surprised if Seth will be exploring it soon as it will be abandoned too JUST SO SAD😢
@@SEPHLAWLESS that would be a boring explore though RIVER OAKS MALL IN CALUMET CITY,IL. is only one floor although JCPenney,Carson's, Sears, Macy's had a second floor of their own
The mall walkers are a huge reason Lincoln Mall declined. The young kids would terrorize them so they started going to Orland. I remember River Oaks being under construction, to turn it into an indoor mall!
The reason why these beautiful establishments didn't last was because we have been importing and exporting goods from all over. We make nothing here in the U.S. We have been set up to fail ....... Look at how our steel mills declined.... people who are in their mid 50s know what going on.....one day foreign investors come in and our US machines were sent overseas.
Reminds me a bit of the torn down Lakehurst Mall in Waukegan. The last store there was a Carson Pirie Scott and eventually that closed and it was torn down. People in northern climates have no where to go really except the mall. Too bad the owners of such malls cant keep up with the times and repurpose some things and now these buildings just sit there
viyau actually the mall was developed by the randhurst corporation.which also had a hand in the development of Lakehurst mall in Waukegan and the late randhurst mall.good call.
I'm always left asking what there isn't a "content sale" when one of these malls is about to close. Surely there must be merchants and individuals who would find a home for display cases, kiosks, signage, large potted plants and trees etc. The absolute waste is so very disheartening. Thank you Seph...
You do realize that malls have been abandoned since before you were born right? I would hardly say this is the beginning of the end of America, but I do see how that line would make your work more appealing to a minority of people who want to see America fall. I do commend your work though, cause yes, these places need to be recorded and documented.
@@SEPHLAWLESS awesome video man I've liked and subscribed I'm 54 years old and my wife and I used to go here all the time in the early 80s when we were probably in our late teens. In 1985 the Chicago Bears Dan Hampton came to Lincoln Mall to sign autographs at Merle Harmon's fan fair a sports store. This was before a game against GREEN BAY. I had a green and white baseball cap made up with the words PACKER'S SUCK that I wore and DAN HAMPTON LOVED IT AND SIGNED THE BRIM. i still have it today. Later that year we won the super bowl in Jan 1986. So I have alot of memories of being here with my wife at that time she was my high school girl friend. It's weird to look at the video because although it's abandoned at points my imagination puts all the people walking laughing and the place hopping as it did back in it's hay days. Maybe it's just a part of me that don't want to accept it has all but vanished a good song for this would be DUST IN THE WIND!! THANKS FOR SHARING and letting us relive our past.
So sad! This mall doesn't look that old but judging by some comments it is older than it looks. Cannot understand how a whole mall can go under??? Why didn't the city do something to help out. Sorry not from your beautiful country (but am a close neighbor) so don't know the circumstances but still such a shame. Wouldn't take much to revive it if a developer could invest.
They finally tore it down! So sad how the history of that mall played out. Once all the "white stores" left, it was all down hill. I grew up in Dolton, IL and this was one of the malls we shopped in. We moved to Country Club Hills, in 02 and literally live right down the street. Penny's outlet left, Sears left. They tried to hold onto Carson's, but it eventually closed, but, they had already torn the rest of the mall down. So so sad what that entire area looks like, now. RIP Lincoln Mall!
I purchased many Levi's from that Gap store... It's just a shame that Mall was left in such disorder and damage... broken glass, busted escalator... I do hope those people responsible for that damage was proud of themselves... ugh!
As someone who used to shop and hang out at this mall occasionally in the mid-80s through the early 90s, I remember then this mall was thriving with a huge arcade on the lower floor and a full-size McDonald's on the upper level as well as a ton of cool, diverse stores throughout the mall. It would be great to see the building repurposed as something useful tp the community since it's still probably structurally sound...
this is what happens to malls and neighborhoods when gangs move in and take over. People who would normally shop there stopped going. I once got sandwiched between two gang members and the guard came to help but I never went back again. Look at the area, which is declining now
Very interesting. But could someone tell me if the mall is still there and still abandoned? I do some urban exploration when I get the chance. So this place would be perfect! I do live about 40 minutes away from here. So it's not even that far away. Thanks!
This is what happens when you stop taking care of business and decide to neglect a perfectly good piece of property. They should have repaired the place and turned it into something everyone would enjoy again.
I don't understand why these malls couldn't be used for something else....homeless shelters, or food banks, or animal shelters...even a nursery with lighting installed. Nothing against these kinds of businesses just some folks complain about having the homeless or animals making noises near their homes so I would think with this being so enclosed and all it would make sense to me....but then I'm no social scientist....just wonder why this wouldn't be used unless the idea is to show that we are a wasteful people.....smh
worlddomin623 I have the other day. There's a huge fence around it now so I'm 100% is gonna be demolished soon. Im sure there's a homeless person in there too.
Wow! I haven't been that far south in a long time. Wasn't the mall under construction at one point? Is that why there's so much debris? It's weird to see a place that used to have so much life lie vacant and abandoned. Thanks for the video.
As I understand it (haven't been back in almost three decades), about the time that it shut down because there wasn't enough cash to keep things going they were starting a renovation to try to revive attention.
whats with the weird fixation on dead trees? you should make a loop, slowly of each floor. no need to keep going back and forth to the same abandoned stores. next time, skip the dead trees.
Could this mall end up being the new Rolling Acres you think? Rolling was so well known as a post apocalyptic type mall that decade for years... Anyway great video.. i'm hooked on this channel..
I grew up going to this mall. i remember when it was THE place to go on weekends in the 80s and 90s. i think i was in there fairly recently (when it was a sad sad near dead place). when was this footage taken?
Videos like this show the REAL state of the US and are a great window into our future! All that is missing is some bodies of dead druggies and and a couple of elderly Baby Boomer Consumers who misplaced their heart medicine...
This is sad to see. As a young family we lived a mile away and watched this mall being built. We enjoyed many hours just walking around window shopping, Christmas and school shopping and even sitting on Santa's knee.
Hi Seph very interesting indeed. Just out of curiosity here. Since I am living in Canada. It might be different completely with laws and all that. How did you ever find out about these different shopping centers being abandoned? If it is alright to ask about it.
what would be really sad if after walking all through this mall you came across 1 open store, like a GNC, and inside is a man sitting behind the counter with a vacant, blank stare just waiting, waiting for a customer
I could be doing this as well but no, I'm not. What was taking place here before? Declining mindless consumerism? Good work although this isn't a short film as much as it is trespassing and showcasing what happens when mall doors close for good.
As someone who grew up shopping at Lincoln Mall and worked in Lincoln Mall during my late teens, this is so sad to me. :[
RogersBase You and me both. I miss working at Suncoast.
Growing up we went for the arcade!
I grew up going there too. I actually miss the Suncoast store, looking for Halo 3 toys back in 2004. I had no idea that behind one of the old dry walls was an old McDonald's, untouched since the 70's. It's now demolished, and so depressing when driving past what used to be. :-/
This breaks my heart and takes my breath away. I grew up at this Mall. Thanks for sharing.
Me too. It was the place to shop and hang with friends in my day!
I could see so much in there that could have been reused/donated. Furniture, stretcher, fire extinguisher, cleaning supplies, and all those plants could have been rehomed instead of sitting there to die.
I was thinking the same thing. Those plants need to be replanted.
***** Not really. I am just very efficient and hate to see waste in any way.
This actually made me cry. Seeing a place that was so dominate in my life growing up, a place I worked security at, the people I met because of this place.... It makes me so sad, like a part of my life and memories had been left to rubble and are now just empty shells... 😢😢😢😢
Don't cry we must conquer our past
You did this you leftist scum you destroyed the state with your leftist politics NOW THE REVOLT BEGINS! BURN!
I remember growing up and the biggest excitement was my great grandmother taking us shopping in this mall. We would drive from Kankakee, IL to Lincoln Mall on a Saturday and shop for hours. It so sad to see not only this mall but many long standing buildings throughout Matteson all the way south to Kankakee being left to crumble and then bulldozed over. These buildings have character, style and beauty that are left to be forgotten. Thank you for sharing these images. The world is so wrapped up in BIG & NEW that they are losing history left to be destroyed.
Yes! I'm from k3 too and it was a big deal to drive to Lincoln Mall before they built Northfield Square.
I noticed a change in the malls taking place by the mid to late 90's. They were still thriving, but there were changes that started small and became more noticeable as time went on. It started with the smaller retailers. As technology progressed, long-term fixtures in the mall like Radio Shack, Musicland, and Camelot Music were the first to disappear. People just weren't shopping at those stores anymore.
Next were the smaller book retailers like B. Dalton. As larger retailers like Barnes and Noble sucked business away from those chains, they disappeared too. What moved in to those vacant spaces were usually cheaper, lesser known retailers, or local businesses that came and went, eventually leading to renovations within those stores that made them unrecognizable, and unattractive to shoppers.
Changing fashions and tastes affected the small clothing retailers. There were some that didn't survive beyond the mid 90's. Coda, Jeans West, and Chess King were prime examples of stores that thrived in the 80's with their outlandish fashions and club wear. They couldn't change or shed that image in the more subdued 90's and disappeared. The parent company that owned those eventually filed bankruptcy and some of their still successful stores like J. Riggings and Oaktree also disappeared. Again, cheap businesses moved into those spaces and For Lease signs would be in those storefronts every few months as they just had no appeal.
Eventually, even the large anchor stores became casualties of online shopping and changing trends. JC Penney was nearly run into the ground because of poor business decisions from their CEO. Sears became a ghost of its former self and will soon join Montgomery Ward which closed its doors by 2000. Eventually, the loss of money on these large structures would show in things like the large fountains that seemed to be a centerpiece to all of them would either not be in operation, or filled in with plants.
The overall appearance of these malls would look run down as the money just wasn't there to make decent upgrades. There were as many empty storefronts as there were businesses, and the businesses that were there weren't the ones that people wanted to shop at. These things don't symbolize the "beginning of the end of America", so much as they reflect changing times and an era that has passed. It happens.
Very well expressed.
This is fascinating! It seems that the economy of the area took a downturn & people stopped going to the mall. The music is very unsettling too. The photographer takes great fascination with the lighted areas and the dead trees. What I wanted to see was the dark hallways and empty stores. These areas are more frightening. The chair and gurney seem strangely out of place. You can almost image the mall bustling with people.
I just can't believe how much that mall has decayed after being closed only since last year.
I don't really see the mall decline as the end of America. I just see malls as a phase of America that was doomed to wear out sooner or later. The rise of the Internet and the overabundance of malls led to their decline, but while some like Lincoln continue to rot and sit abandoned, others are being redeveloped into more useful purposes like neighborhoods and lifestyle centers.
Exactly.The Main street USA shopping areas died as suburban malls sprung up in the 70's and 80's. Now, Amazon and other online shopping is killing the retail mall. And the land they sit on is usually very valuable as they are generally sited near interstate access and busy areas. 70 square acres of prime Developable land in one big slab. Big money. I hate to see them go, though. Misspent a fair portion of my teenage years hanging around a mall Arcade.
I saw the shell of the Sam Goody I used to work in but that was 14 years ago and that place closed long before the mall. Once the anchor stores went, the name brands followed. It was a long, slow death. They had been talking about "how to turn the mall around" since 2002/2003. What makes this really sad is seeing all the optimistic banners advertising the efforts to revitalize the mall.
I think that the slow death of Lincoln Mall is connected to the gentrification in Chicago. A lot of the mall's slide started in the late 90's when they were tearing down the Robert Taylor Homes, a housing project on the south side. (And I don't think they did it with the intent of building new homes for the people who were there) A lot of the people who had lived there previously were moved out to the suburbs like Matteson, Country Club Hills, Flossmoor, etc. Which have been ethically diverse for a while (part of what I loved about living there). However, a lot of the middle-class started moving out towards developing areas like Frankfort or Naperville. Many of the people left in the area couldn't afford to shop at the mall (malls have higher rent, therefore higher prices), and so it started its slow decline. And without the mall to draw people from out of town in, the surrounding businesses began to fail as well. So over the course of about 20 years a thriving center of commerce is basically a ghost town.
Where was Sam Goody located? Wasn't there also a Musicland here at one time? Or did they simply rebrand it as a SG? I seem to recall a competing record store chain here back in the early 90s (Recordtown?)
James Ward It was at the top of the escalator by the elevator. by the Sears. Musicland owned Sam Goody and Suncoast which sold movies. while Sam Goody sold both music and movies. There was a Discount Records in the plaza by the Dominick's. But that's all I remember.
Kyle Decker, I just want to point out that Flossmoor is still on the more prosperous/well-to-do-off side and has not suffered a decline in socio-economic status the way that many of the other south suburbs of Chicago have. I just needed to point that out. Good observations, though.
Oh for sure. I grew up in Flossmoor. I still have family and friends there. I even worked at the high-school there for five years. Heck, my name is on the barrel at the Brewery. I remember a lot of "white flight" (as they say) in the early 2000's. I had classmates and worked with students that had formerly lived in the projects who had Flossmoor addresses. But, yes, Homewood and Flossmoor have not experienced the socio-economic decline that the surrounding towns have. I've actually heard that some areas are even on the rise.
Ahh, I see. Yeah I currently live in Flossmoor now so I just felt the need to comment. :) And is your name really on the barrel at the brewery? Lol :)
I used to work at that mall. You walked right past Dakota Watch Co. where I worked, which was across from Suncoast. The other place that I worked. Currently the only place still open in Carson Pirie Scott, which was an anchor store. I loved AND hated working at that mall.
this hurt me. i live 10 minutes away from matteson and spent a lot of time at this mall when i was little, and watching this hit me hard. i remember the play area, the bouncy castle area they had open for a while, and running through sears looking for toy story dolls. seeing another part of my childhood destroyed broke me
It makes me sad to see the place looking like this. I used to live within walking distance and spent countless hours there as a kid.
sugrnspyce4 me too ☹️
I remember the Grand Opening of this mall! I wish someone would have at least saved the trees!
Right…. I used work there and frequent there a lot
I spent many a childhood dollar at that mall....watched it get built. Grand opening was in like 1975 or 76.All locals posting here---remember LeMans Arcade?? Goooood times!
Carl Sylvester 1973
Was there really a Theatre attached to the mall at one point? That, or right outside of the mall? I've heard a lot about it, but can't find any information on it.
Kendall A Yes there was. I saw a number of movies there as a kid.
@@Yeiyn343 The Target Store sits in the very spot where there used to be a movie theater on the Southwest side of Lincoln Mall. I think the Target Store in now permanently closed? The Target Store used to be between Menards Store, Sams Club, and Walmart. There was a Best Buy Store kind of in the same area West of Lincoln Mall. The abandoned Best Buy Store is still there. The Sam's Club, Walmart, Circuit City closed down permanently. J.C Penny has there own store near Lincoln Mall. J.C Penny used to be part of the mall.
@@CSullivanmeerkatmandude I was just rolling around in the boarded-up Target parking lot about two days ago, haha. That Target never had a chance (only there for maybe two years). Thank you for the information! :-)
I remember all the excitement when that mall opened. It put the Park Forest open air shopping center out of business. Makes me sad, I shopped there a lot.
It’s so haunting. No sign of life. The trees are dead. The malls were my haven, my getaway, my happy place. I never thought that malls would one day be replaced or die out.
This is just so sad. As I kid I used to go to Aladdin's Castle every Sunday. They had it where you would pay $5 from noon-2 I believe and you got unlimited tokens. Also the Circus World/K.B. Toys there. I had so many great memories at this mall. It really is a shame. 😪
Same here. It was the closest mall to us, and spent a ton of Saturdays there.
DUDE! I have an Alladin's Castle t shirt!!!!!
I remember the racetrack in the back of Alladin’s Castle.
Sad :( How would you expect it to survive when the gangs that hung out there drove everyone off? Orland park mall is next.
Bearwoofie 1 more like the mall in bradley area
I live in the Kankakee County area and yes our mall here wont last at the rate its going. Which is sad because its a beautiful building. But shop owners will tell you they pay an astronomical amount to rent space, everyone shops online these days and the stores there constantly change. Society likes familiarity!
If "gangs & thugs" were a problem .... why couldn't mall security deal with them? Most malls I've been to have security teams that patrol the area.
You are kidding right? My mom lives very close to the mall and has watched the neighborhood take a turn for the worse. Matteson and adjoining cities like Park Forest and Richton Park have seen a slew of businesses abandoning the area.
Mall security can't fix a problem like that.
So it's not just the mall, but the neighborhood going bad
i tripped a dude running down that escalator. he stole bunch of stuff from when there was a sam goody electronics store. was too funny
I used to work at that Sam Goody. haha
I saw a guy fall down an escalator before. Old guy too. He slipped and fell down the up escalator. So, he just kind of stayed in place for a moment. He got up. Was probably bruised up a bit, but nowhere near dead. This was in Korea, though. And old Korean people are tough as nails.
Was he a 13%er?
Very eerie and sad - I grew up in the 70s and 80s in the Matteson area, and Seph is correct - the Lincoln Mall was far bigger in it's glory days...the story of it's decline and collapse is a great example of corporate stupidity...it was part of your family, and not just because of the shopping - you could do so much there, literally make a day out of exploring and even catching a film at a theater connected to the Mall....
Speh, thank you for doing this, but it was very difficult to watch more than once - I have so many happy memories there from childhood, to actually working in the Mall for several years until my family moved to Dayton, Ohio in 1988 - and seeing it in this condition when it could have been avoided is heartbreaking...
I used to work at 3 stores in this mall but the neighborhood got bad and once my car got stolen, then we got robbed. Mall security did nothing but call the real cops who also did nothing. . .no "job" is worth risking your life for sorry/not sorry.
And no this doesn't show the whole mall you didn't even show the 3 stores I worked at :(
Melissa Beth I am sad but not shocked that those crimes happened to you. I'm in my 30's. I grew in that area. I am a white male. To me living in that area as, a white person was a living hell. What is the white population there now? Were the people who committed crimes against you black?
Melissa Beth if you want you can talk to me on Facebook. I'm interested to know what happened to that area
just let me know on here if you want to do that
I'm glad this video is out here. I grew up in Country Club Hills in the late 80s and early 90s and my grandmother used to work a part time job here. So many fond memories visiting her in the afternoons and shopping on weekends and during the holidays back in the day. Thanks for getting this.
i loved coming to Lincoln Mall as a child... it was a really great mall from the early 90s up until 2013 they just couldn't keep up. but there are talks of reconstructing this mall...but talk is talk.
So Very SAD... Such A Beautiful Mall, So Many Happy Memories and So Many Happy Hours Spent There Especially At Christmas .... All Lost Because Of Gang Activity...
I lived in that area for over 50 years... from 1952-2002. Lincoln Mall followed the same path that the Park Forest Plaza did.
Each met the same fate. Having watched that area since its very beginning times changed, business fell off and the rest is history. Both the Plaza and this Mall were really wonderful when they were both in their prime.
It was a cycle. Chicago Heights was prosperous and Park Forest stole business away. Matteson stole business away from Park Forest and now people headed west to places like Tinley Park, Orland Park and Mokena.
So I went out to Matteson recently and all this is dust now. Demolished and gone. I was hoping someone documented what it looked like and thankfully you did. I had a lotta memories in that mall so very sad to see it go.
Lincoln Mall was already dying when I went there in 2003. When I moved to Matteson in 2008, it was already far from about to Die. Now R.I.P entire land, Carson's was the last remained store and just closed last week.
And now the whole damn thing is gone. So sad. That whole area is a sad sight. Walmart, BOTH Targets, Sam's club, Toys R Us, Staples, Wendy's... GONE.
@@djstephlove Its why I had no choice but to sell my house and moved out of Matteson in 2017, I'm not going to keep paying higher Property taxes in an Abandoned So called Higher- middle class Suburb. I'm at Glenwood which it ain't much there but close to Homewood and I am happy. I just hope that Xsport which where I have my membership at and left over JC Penney will make it through it, I doubt it for Office Max only store left at that Strip
@@djstephlove I remember been to that Old Target in the 90s.
qwandiddy oh, that's what I meant, Office Max, not Staples. It's gone. I think the only thing over there is Fudruckers and Charles Edward Cheese(Chuck E Cheese), if that. There's only the new stuff they just built, on the South side of Lincoln Highway, then Pepboys and Menards, in the background. It's just Corruption.
qwandiddy oh god!! Same! Idk why they needed to build a new one. It was more of a shit store than the first one!! SMH
Seph I love you man, your photos are badass! ..and I mean no offense, but is there a reason why you stayed in this one area and filmed the trees and escalator so much? I understand it's interesting, but is there more behind it, like were you documenting something specific for yourself that we aren't seeing?
+Skatemaster Nate the mall is very small the video shows the entire mall the most interesting was the center like most malls that's all thanks!
Gotcha :) I filmed the abandoned Rubber Bowl in Akron Ohio yesterday, it was AMAZING! I felt like I was filming too many full sweeps of the stadium, but in the final cut it ended up great cause I had plenty of close up stills and tried to really mix up the footage. That'll be posting December 1st at 6pm on my channel if you'd like to check it out!
SEPH LAWLESS the mall used to be bigger
+Brett S Yea in the video I walk through the entire mall it's kinda small now in fact one of the smallest malls I've ever seen
SEPH LAWLESS they tore down in section when change owner they were planning to add on and put in more store but they should have focus on bringing store back
I almost cried watching this.. I have so many fond memories there and basically grew up with that mall :')Thanks for uploading!
Growing up near the neighborhood, I had heard many stories about how Lincoln was the hot spot in the late 70's and 80's. However I don't think it ever caught on with my generation; the milliennials. I have quite a few childhood memories here, but I think the downfall started somewhere around the 2000's, the mall just began to see less and less activity and businesses began to pull out left and right. A few friends who worked in the department stores, often joked about only getting 4 or 5 customers per day. Many of my peers always chose to go to Orland Mall; which was a much further drive. Lincoln was closer; basically just down the street but Orland was bigger in size and had much more variety to choose from. There had been talk to rejuvenate Lincoln since around 2003, but that never seemed to take off and being faced with multiple building code violations, they decided to close it in January 2015. I also read the mall's owners still owe more than $10 million in unpaid fines and taxes. Seems like it all came down to the money. They kept Carson Pirie Scott though! It's still out there and open for business, though the entrance to the mall from the store has been completely paved off.
Another option is (or was) River Oaks in Calumet City; I remember having to drive or be driven to these malls from Hazel Crest. But Orland Mall was the place to be in the 2000's.
The Target Store sits in the very spot where there used to be a movie theater on the Southwest side of Lincoln Mall. I think the Target Store in now permanently closed? The Target Store used to be between Menards Store, Sams Club, and Walmart. There was a Best Buy Store kind of in the same area West of Lincoln Mall. The abandoned Best Buy Store is still there. The Sam's Club, Walmart Circuit City closed down permanently. J.C Penny has there own store near Lincoln Mall. J.C Penny used to be part of the mall.
I find this utterly fascinating, but can someone explain to me why I find that single red chair sitting beside the planters so damned creepy?
never mind the chair - what about the hospital/ambulance gurney?
Looks ike you guys having Dawn of the Dead flashbacks?? LOL!!
Thank you! Exactly what I was wondering.
Yeah, that's what I found most creepy. I can't think of what scenario would have ended up with it being there.
BigJoka OriginalTrumpKard
That's probably it. XD
Worked at Children’s Place here from 1984-87. Also sold fruit and nuts downstairs in a center kiosk right off the main court. We were all friends working at the shops like Limited Express and Chess King. merry Go Round was THE store for cool clothes. We were sorta separated by cliques because of the wing you worked in. No food court. McDonalds was a few doors down from me. Gyro place down by Alladin’s castle that back in the 70’s has a racetrack in the back with bumper type cars.
Really eerie - 1. it has not been closed very long but looks like it was empty for years. 2. Can't believe all the stuff left there - can't they use it/ sell it? 3. I used to go there in high school. 4. Stop at 3:49 - notice the sadly hopeful banners - "building, growing, working" : (
My parents met at this mall near Athens, We got my wedding ring here at Zales. I had friends who worked at Subway, Spencers, and Hallmark. A lot of great memories here. What you see at 7:25 is a false wall. There's probably another 12 stores behind that wall and another anchor store. As the mall began to lose business they sectioned off this whole area and put up the false wall.
Great video and coverage Seph
This is heartbreaking to see. So many wonderful memories from my childhood through taking my children to see Santa and The Easter Bunny...I still think the developer that chopped off JC Penny & let the mall deteriorate to its pre-closure state should be prosecuted. It really was a crime what they did.
Man I used to work at the Software Etc and Suncoast Motion picture store in that mall. Also remember when Aladdin's Castle and Noah's Ark used to be in the mall.
I did a few shifts at that Suncoast. I was "on loan" from the Sam Goody, but they were the same company so they had me float a few times.
I ride my bike there all the time. I went there on Halloween this year, and was too creeped out. I rode away fast. This would be a great set for the walking dead.
AWESOME eye for photography . I look forward to seeing more of your videos .
+mrthunderbird5 Thank you!
your material is the absolute best...
By day these abandoned malls would be an ideal place for a chess game that requires full concentration. If I lived around an abandoned or dead mall I could enter I'd likely use it for that purpose alone, otherwise use it for exercise or a private walk or occasion. It's the fact there's no noise or motion that makes them ideal places for activities or moments that require deep concentration. Crazy as it sounds they might be good for prayer, spiritual building or meditation as well.
An interesting mix of natural decay and man made decay simply left.I feel like people left abrubtly with some entrances to stores half closed and some not bothered to be gated off at all.All I wanted was to find the plug to the light strands,plug them in and leave it as ghostly as was found...
The mall had an auction several months after it closed. Most stores were open because some fixtures (counters/tables/light fixtures) were sold. I think a few of the gates may also have been sold. Those small yellow tags seen on the planters were the auction lot numbers. Once the stuff was removed, why bother closing the gate?
Aha! That makes sense.Thank you-very interesting!
This is America. No attempt to convert these huge spaces into community centers, indoor arboretums, healing centers, learning facilities, technology showcases, convention centers, etc, the list goes on. Throw away society run by defilers. I grew up going to this mall and to see it in this state is highly uncool.
Me and my pals cut school and spent many days here back in the 80's those were some good times. I bought many things there back then even a red and black Michael Jackson jacket from Chess King. I sold it on ebay 10 years ago and got a lot for it.
I worked at the McDonald's there years ago. We used to get so busy. Back then I'd never believe that LM could end up this way. Kind of sad. Then again, life marches on.
If you only knew the hours and all the Friday nights I spent hanging out at this mall as a teenager...
So at 12:33 and some point earlier in the video that appears to be a walled off anchor store. Is there still a business on this place?
carsons is still there.
I'm enchanted by this one too-something about the look and feel of it.I think we are drawn to the same vibe in these dead malls!Fun!
Kelli Cox yeah your probably right haha
That is so cool..
TheBrightlyFancyGamers that's awesome can you see them in the video? I only watched it once so far
I think the most eerie part of Lincoln Mall wasn't even shown. There's so many sections of the mall that are just abruptly cut off because of construction that was cut off. It's safe to say that 1/3 of the mall was demolished. Obviously people living close to it know this, but for those that don't it should have been shown. The plot of land is the most eerie to me. The great mall plan that never happened. The sign outside by the sears that says "It's happening now!". The sign is still there! I don't know the exact numbers, but there are acres of abandoned land outside the mall that were supposed to be built/rebuilt on and developed. Hopefully someone does a video on Lincoln Mall's history and failed plan. It used to be a great suburban mall that actually put a local shopping center on life support. To see it get hit by the recession mid-construction was sad, and this is a great untold "what if" story. The whole village got hit because of this one, and it's been very hard to find developers to bring big business to the 'forgotten' Matteson.
The Target Store sits in the very spot where there used to be a movie theater on the Southwest side of Lincoln Mall. I think the Target Store in now permanently closed? The Target Store used to be between Menards Store, Sams Club, and Walmart. There was a Best Buy Store kind of in the same area West of Lincoln Mall. The abandoned Best Buy Store is still there. The Sam's Club, Walmart Circuit City closed down permanently. J.C Penny has there own store near Lincoln Mall. J.C Penny used to be part of the mall.
The inside alleys that run behind the stores and the guts of the old Sears and JC Penny is where the action is at
Seth, I have been watching videos on abandoned malls for the last few years. I too, am from Cleveland and grew up hanging around all the malls in the area. It was Randall Park Mall for me. I did go to Rolling Acres quite often back in the day. I just want to say that I think you are doing a fantastic job at documenting all of these places. All of these malls represented a time when the economy was flourishing. Sadly, these and others are either dead or shadows of their former selves. Keep on filming, brother!!!
Another thing that is sad to see with this mall closing is the amount of seniors that would come here to just mall walk for exercise. It got to be a popular way to get fit. River Oaks mall in Calumet City, IL has the MALL WALKERS too but it won't be long before that mall closes .once an outside mall when it first opened decades ago River Oaks transitioned to an enclosed mall I think in the late 1970s however with the cook county taxes so high and all of the big name retailers pulling out or now gone this mall is dying a slow death. I wouldn't be surprised if Seth will be exploring it soon as it will be abandoned too JUST SO SAD😢
🙏🏼
@@SEPHLAWLESS that would be a boring explore though RIVER OAKS MALL IN CALUMET CITY,IL. is only one floor although JCPenney,Carson's, Sears, Macy's had a second floor of their own
The mall walkers are a huge reason Lincoln Mall declined. The young kids would terrorize them so they started going to Orland. I remember River Oaks being under construction, to turn it into an indoor mall!
The reason why these beautiful establishments didn't last was because we have been importing and exporting goods from all over. We make nothing here in the U.S. We have been set up to fail ....... Look at how our steel mills declined.... people who are in their mid 50s know what going on.....one day foreign investors come in and our US machines were sent overseas.
And Thank Amazon and others.....Planned obsolescence.
motion sickness!!! totally worth watching! great job sir!
+Raquel Garza Thank you!
Used to go there to ride the go carts at Lemans Speedway. Don't know how long they lasted but It was the first time I ever saw an indoor track.
I walked through this Mall many times, what a damn shame.
The Cook County Circuit Court just announced the immediate demolition of Lincoln Mall.
I frequented this place as a kid. Looks nothing like it did back then, keep up the good work!
Reminds me a bit of the torn down Lakehurst Mall in Waukegan. The last store there was a Carson Pirie Scott and eventually that closed and it was torn down. People in northern climates have no where to go really except the mall. Too bad the owners of such malls cant keep up with the times and repurpose some things and now these buildings just sit there
viyau actually the mall was developed by the randhurst corporation.which also had a hand in the development of Lakehurst mall in Waukegan and the late randhurst mall.good call.
wow so sad to see this place like this😢
this video just brought back alot of beautiful memories.
I'm always left asking what there isn't a "content sale" when one of these malls is about to close. Surely there must be merchants and individuals who would find a home for display cases, kiosks, signage, large potted plants and trees etc. The absolute waste is so very disheartening. Thank you Seph...
+Scott Hurst Thanks for sharing!
You do realize that malls have been abandoned since before you were born right? I would hardly say this is the beginning of the end of America, but I do see how that line would make your work more appealing to a minority of people who want to see America fall. I do commend your work though, cause yes, these places need to be recorded and documented.
+Hook74 thanks for sharing! 🙏🏼
@@SEPHLAWLESS awesome video man I've liked and subscribed I'm 54 years old and my wife and I used to go here all the time in the early 80s when we were probably in our late teens. In 1985 the Chicago Bears Dan Hampton came to Lincoln Mall to sign autographs at Merle Harmon's fan fair a sports store. This was before a game against GREEN BAY. I had a green and white baseball cap made up with the words PACKER'S SUCK that I wore and DAN HAMPTON LOVED IT AND SIGNED THE BRIM. i still have it today. Later that year we won the super bowl in Jan 1986. So I have alot of memories of being here with my wife at that time she was my high school girl friend. It's weird to look at the video because although it's abandoned at points my imagination puts all the people walking laughing and the place hopping as it did back in it's hay days. Maybe it's just a part of me that don't want to accept it has all but vanished a good song for this would be DUST IN THE WIND!! THANKS FOR SHARING and letting us relive our past.
So sad! This mall doesn't look that old but judging by some comments it is older than it looks. Cannot understand how a whole mall can go under??? Why didn't the city do something to help out. Sorry not from your beautiful country (but am a close neighbor) so don't know the circumstances but still such a shame. Wouldn't take much to revive it if a developer could invest.
They finally tore it down! So sad how the history of that mall played out. Once all the "white stores" left, it was all down hill. I grew up in Dolton, IL and this was one of the malls we shopped in. We moved to Country Club Hills, in 02 and literally live right down the street. Penny's outlet left, Sears left. They tried to hold onto Carson's, but it eventually closed, but, they had already torn the rest of the mall down. So so sad what that entire area looks like, now. RIP Lincoln Mall!
Man I just remembered Gloria jeans coffee house and Sun Coast(movies/memorabilia/cards) watching this.. Grew up at this Mall.. RIP
used to shop there as a youngster. wow. creepy. good location too, right off the expressway. what is america becoming? all government jobs?
busywl69 Automation and online retailers.
Man, the camera movement looks very blurry. You should really film in 60 FPS next time. Other than that, great video. Have a like.
I purchased many Levi's from that Gap store...
It's just a shame that Mall was left in such disorder and damage... broken glass, busted escalator...
I do hope those people responsible for that damage was proud of themselves... ugh!
Yea agree I hate seeing vandalism like that
Back when they sold Levi’s at the GAP. :) When it was upstairs, corner, outside Montgomery Wards.
8:07 What's with the stretcher-looking thing? Seems kinda out of place in a mall.
Alicia Swofford probably for massages you can get done at the booths. I thought the same thing at first too!
As someone who used to shop and hang out at this mall occasionally in the mid-80s through the early 90s, I remember then this mall was thriving with a huge arcade on the lower floor and a full-size McDonald's on the upper level as well as a ton of cool, diverse stores throughout the mall. It would be great to see the building repurposed as something useful tp the community since it's still probably structurally sound...
this is what happens to malls and neighborhoods when gangs move in and take over. People who would normally shop there stopped going. I once got sandwiched between two gang members and the guard came to help but I never went back again. Look at the area, which is declining now
Which is lawful Americans should always be allowed to carry a gun.....no gangs here....they know they would not win.
Very interesting. But could someone tell me if the mall is still there and still abandoned? I do some urban exploration when I get the chance. So this place would be perfect! I do live about 40 minutes away from here. So it's not even that far away.
Thanks!
+Ahmed khan it's being demolished
This is what happens when you stop taking care of business and decide to neglect a perfectly good piece of property. They should have repaired the place and turned it into something everyone would enjoy again.
I don't understand why these malls couldn't be used for something else....homeless shelters, or food banks, or animal shelters...even a nursery with lighting installed. Nothing against these kinds of businesses just some folks complain about having the homeless or animals making noises near their homes so I would think with this being so enclosed and all it would make sense to me....but then I'm no social scientist....just wonder why this wouldn't be used unless the idea is to show that we are a wasteful people.....smh
8:10 Why is there a treatment cart in a mall?
Personally think the music is more creepy than the mall itself.
What did it smell like in there? (and how did you get in?)
Imagine being inside the mall at night.
+worlddomin623 I've done that before ...crazy
worlddomin623 I have the other day. There's a huge fence around it now so I'm 100% is gonna be demolished soon. Im sure there's a homeless person in there too.
All those trees and plants, what a waste.
My favorite mall that I grew up going to is now gone I’ll miss you Lincoln mall.😭😢😔😞😖
Wow! I haven't been that far south in a long time. Wasn't the mall under construction at one point? Is that why there's so much debris? It's weird to see a place that used to have so much life lie vacant and abandoned. Thanks for the video.
As I understand it (haven't been back in almost three decades), about the time that it shut down because there wasn't enough cash to keep things going they were starting a renovation to try to revive attention.
I spent a lot of time at that mall growing up. Sad to see it like this.
whats with the weird fixation on dead trees? you should make a loop, slowly of each floor. no need to keep going back and forth to the same abandoned stores. next time, skip the dead trees.
How old was this mall ??
Tod Hovey about 41 years.
Opened August 9,1973. I worked there opening day
Wow only a year, that's eerie. I use to hang out there a lot as a teenager.
Could this mall end up being the new Rolling Acres you think? Rolling was so well known as a post apocalyptic type mall that decade for years... Anyway great video.. i'm hooked on this channel..
+Dasha Jean thank you!
I grew up going to this mall. i remember when it was THE place to go on weekends in the 80s and 90s. i think i was in there fairly recently (when it was a sad sad near dead place). when was this footage taken?
The vandals certainly waste no time destroying things.
Videos like this show the REAL state of the US and are a great window into our future! All that is missing is some bodies of dead druggies and and a couple of elderly Baby Boomer Consumers who misplaced their heart medicine...
I used to go in and out of this mall when I was younger... My god it looks like a shadow of the past now...
This is sad to see. As a young family we lived a mile away and watched this mall being built. We enjoyed many hours just walking around window shopping, Christmas and school shopping and even sitting on Santa's knee.
Same fate as Dixie Square,Park Forest plaza and soon to be Orland Mall."Thugs" enough said.
Hi Seph very interesting indeed. Just out of curiosity here. Since I am living in Canada. It might be different completely with laws and all that. How did you ever find out about these different shopping centers being abandoned? If it is alright to ask about it.
The spooky sound track is what really sets this apart from all the other pretentious bullshit on youtube.
what would be really sad if after walking all through this mall you came across 1 open store, like a GNC, and inside is a man sitting behind the counter with a vacant, blank stare just waiting, waiting for a customer
That happened at another mall Video I shot view all the videos to see it
aw come one you gotta tell me which video, I'm watching a lot of them I love them! Some of the best in the Mall series
When the area changed, the mall started to decline...and never could recover
what a waste! How many homeless would have shelter if it was used?
Gail Entwistle they don't need to sleep they need stores back to work at! This is America under Obama.
starmsjc WTF does he have to do this? It's online shopping that helped to end Malls, not Obama...
I could be doing this as well but no, I'm not. What was taking place here before? Declining mindless consumerism? Good work although this isn't a short film as much as it is trespassing and showcasing what happens when mall doors close for good.
how u get in thee
Wheres the Vaporwave at? No Palm Mall? No Hologram Plaza?
miss this mall. went there as a child :(
What about the second floor?
+Pat Narciso ...what about it? It's in video and from my images that went viral last week just google Seph Lawless to see more 👍🏼