I lied! I was able to make one last trip here. It suffered a RAPID decline and is in its final hours. Watch the new video here! th-cam.com/video/Axv0LQoyZ6M/w-d-xo.html
How sad! I had a blast hanging out here every Saturday as a teen in the late 80's and early 90's! We had a way better arcade then the one in this video. Thank you for the great video! Where do teens go now when their parents do not want them and their loud buddies around for the afternoon? Eastfield and surrounding malls were perfect, representing a touch of the real world but lightly supervised, so our parents felt it was safer then wandering. Oh, The Hardees! Oh, Spencer's Gifts, how I miss thee. I really do. Support your local mall!
So I actually went back yesterday and you can’t even imagine how much worse it is! I just put the video out a few minutes ago. It’s wild. What a rapid decline it took. I’m glad Spencer’s gifts is still around these days at some malls like the Holyoke mall, but man… it doesn’t have the same appeal it did 20 years ago. Lol. Unfortunately, it seems like teens just want to sit on their phones all day these days… oh well. I’m glad I had a fun childhood and teen years! Thank you so much for the support and for watching!
Worked at the original Sears automotive before the mall was built. Worked in the automotive tire department. Drove a 1960 VW Beetle with no heat. Went to the Parkway Drive In. I lived right down the road and got to be there during the grand opening. It was so great. So sad to see malls close. It's like the end of the world sometimes.
It’s definitely an end of an era. I remember buying so many things at this mall, and the Sears in particular. I used that grill for years! It’s great that you have all of these memories though. I’d love to drive a 1960’s Beetle today 😊 thank you for sharing!
Thank you for documenting this mall and sharing it here. Amazing how disposable eveything is today. In a few months this whole mall will be in a landfill sadly. Hopefully all of the employees that have been displaced from the mall closing land on their feet somewhere.
I really wish the best for everyone who worked there and shopped there. I was lucky enough to make one more trip yesterday (just put the video out) and the decline was rapid and massive. It was a ghost town. I imagine the final 48 hours will look very similar but with more people coming to mourn the loss of this mall. Thank you for the support and for watching! ❤️
Thank you!! I am sad that it’s come to this myself- I will enjoy the good memories I have of this mall, but… I wish we had TH-cam back in the 80’s and 90’s… I’d love to see people enjoying this mall in its prime!!
Had a similar experience a few years back . Went back for one last visit to a mall in its last days, one which I used to frequent as a kid growing up, throughout my teens and basically throughout early adulthood. Moved away from the area after I got married. It felt sad, emotional, i had a knot in my stomach throughout the entire last visit because a place that held so many memories was soon going to disappear completely. (It was demolished to make way for a new metro station) . I guess I thought that it'd always be there for me to come back to. Something familiar and to which you have attached some roots (had my first date there, had my first fist fight there 😂, its where i bought my first watch , my first soccer boots, etc) .
Central MA. resident here... Even though I'm not a fan of malls, think the last time I was in one was back in the late eighties, I still think it's sad that so many are closing. I also understand that not everything lasts forever, everything has a beginning and an end... still sad to see them come to their end.
Crazy seeing all these malls go the way of the dinosaur it used to be the thing to do with friends go to the mall and get food in the food court.. and as a young kid we used to go to a mall that isn't even open anymore a lot of good memories there... Coolstuff like seeing these videos like this
I miss the good old days!! Take me back! Let’s go to the mall and get an N64 game, get a pizza, hang out with friends all weekend and just live life! 😢😓
"Shop local!"...a little late for that. 55 years meaning it was open during the heyday of video games and saw many Christmas rushes pre internet. Probably one of the many malls that had trouble getting Super Mario Bros. 2 and Zelda II in 1988 due to the chip shortage.
I wonder what some of the old storage rooms look like. I would love to rummage around there and find some vintage stuff. When I went back yesterday I had a flashback to the Radio Shack. Lol. They did do broadcasting on the local news showing off things you could buy there around Christmas time. I liked watching some of the old clips on TH-cam, but there really aren’t many. I wish I couldn’t have seen this mall in the 80’s.
It was a bit busier when I went yesterday. People were really going to mourn the loss of this mall. It has so much personality in my opinion. Such a shame. I’m so glad I was able to make one more trip (just put the video out) but wow it was a really rapid decline over just a few weeks!
hi the confusingwords I absolutely love all your videos on the eastfield mall & this very last video I grew up right up the street off north branch parkway I always went to eastfield mall my parents always took me & my one & only younger sister there when we were just baby's & when we were little kids & even now I drive there with some friends cause I don't live in Springfield anymore me & some of my friends just went there just a few days ago its just so sad that eastfield mall will be closing for good very soon my mom father my grandpa worked on the eastfield mall back in the 1960's when it was first being built sadly my grandpa is no longer around he passed away back in November of 2007 on veterans day & he is also a veteran he served in world War 2 my grandparents lived around Boston road back in the day so lots of great family memory's of Boston road & going to eastfield mall that mall was so nice when I was younger back in the 1990's there were actually two malls on Boston road back then the Springdale mall & the eastfield mall but there is hardly no info & no videos on the Springdale mall which is weird that was another mall I went to growing up across the street holyoke mall is basically the only mall still doing good I would say but go check out the hampshire mall in hadley that's another dead mall sort of hampshire mall is owned by the same company that owns holyoke mall there was another mall here in western ma the berkshire mall but that mall closed back in 2019 chicopee had the Fairfield mall but closed & was torn down a few years back there was a mall in downtown Springfield tower square which is still open today but that's not much of a mall anymore
Thank you so very much Matt, I had some health things come up and was relaxing for a few weeks and now I am feeling better and just went back to the Eastfield Mall yesterday actually I am so glad I go to go back for one very last time!
Honestly I have never heard of the Springdale mall! I’m going to have to look into that one! I still go to the Holyoke mall once in a while even though I live an hour away but the Hampshire mall in Hadley is high on my list to go and visit! I lost my grandfather around the same time you lost yours, he was also in WWII and they will live in our hearts ❤️
I took a last walk through there on July 14th. Bought some food from Pretzel Twist one last time. Had some kids riding around on their bikes. Of course Donavan's was packed!😂
Everyone who has fond memories of the mall, I hope they got one last walk through in! I am already missing it a ton! I’m glad there’s a list of where the good places are relocating too! I think I read Donovan’s is going to Holyoke! I miss Pretzel Twist too! 😔
I don't know why they don't attempt to add a grocery store in one of the closed anchors and build apartments in the parking lot similar to what they do with lifestyle centers at some of these dying malls. I would think it would be a successful concept in colder parts of the country like New England.
There is an open retail shops parcels across the street that is like 90% closed shops also. There's like 4 businesses in the across the street plaza and a dozen closed stores. So brilliant they think. Let's invest in another open retail shop like that. Enclosed roofed ac shopping beats open retail plaza anyday . I don't like this future world.
Oh yeah! I went back yesterday (just put out an updated video!) and it was insane how bad it was. I imagine the final 48 hours will look similar but with more people. There was really a sense of community and mourning when I was there yesterday
It really does feel like America is going out of business in many ways. I feel like we’ve lost too many iconic stores and malls over the past decade. It hurts to watch. Also, currently wishing TH-cam was a thing decades ago. I’d love to watch people enjoying this mall in its prime
This is why I left Western Massachusetts back in '94. I actually used to live directly behind JC Penny back in '90. The whole state is a shit hole. Period. You are looking at the direct results of voting blue. I told people DECADES ago that this would happen. You asked for it, and you CERTAINLY got it. Every time I have to visit family in that area, all I can think about is Venezuela.
@theconfusingwords We had to drive through the North End of Springfield to get to a wedding reception at the Springfield Country Club and I had the windows rolled up with the doors locked. My wife was looking around with her jaw in her lap. "You LIVED here?!" Yup. No more though.
I lied! I was able to make one last trip here. It suffered a RAPID decline and is in its final hours. Watch the new video here! th-cam.com/video/Axv0LQoyZ6M/w-d-xo.html
Crazy for a mall to get demolished so soon after closing. One of my local malls was closed for like an entire year before they demolished it.
I really hope this mall doesn’t sit here for a year before getting demolished. What an injustice to the community if that’s the case. :(
It's best if it gets demolished quickly. Abandoned malls are notorious havens crime and drug use. Not to mention potentials for fire.
How sad! I had a blast hanging out here every Saturday as a teen in the late 80's and early 90's! We had a way better arcade then the one in this video. Thank you for the great video!
Where do teens go now when their parents do not want them and their loud buddies around for the afternoon?
Eastfield and surrounding malls were perfect, representing a touch of the real world but lightly supervised, so our parents felt it was safer then wandering.
Oh, The Hardees! Oh, Spencer's Gifts, how I miss thee. I really do.
Support your local mall!
So I actually went back yesterday and you can’t even imagine how much worse it is! I just put the video out a few minutes ago. It’s wild. What a rapid decline it took. I’m glad Spencer’s gifts is still around these days at some malls like the Holyoke mall, but man… it doesn’t have the same appeal it did 20 years ago. Lol.
Unfortunately, it seems like teens just want to sit on their phones all day these days… oh well. I’m glad I had a fun childhood and teen years! Thank you so much for the support and for watching!
Worked at the original Sears automotive before the mall was built. Worked in the automotive tire department. Drove a 1960 VW Beetle with no heat. Went to the Parkway Drive In. I lived right down the road and got to be there during the grand opening. It was so great. So sad to see malls close. It's like the end of the world sometimes.
It’s definitely an end of an era. I remember buying so many things at this mall, and the Sears in particular. I used that grill for years! It’s great that you have all of these memories though. I’d love to drive a 1960’s Beetle today 😊 thank you for sharing!
Thank you for documenting this mall and sharing it here. Amazing how disposable eveything is today. In a few months this whole mall will be in a landfill sadly. Hopefully all of the employees that have been displaced from the mall closing land on their feet somewhere.
I really wish the best for everyone who worked there and shopped there. I was lucky enough to make one more trip yesterday (just put the video out) and the decline was rapid and massive. It was a ghost town. I imagine the final 48 hours will look very similar but with more people coming to mourn the loss of this mall. Thank you for the support and for watching! ❤️
Love these videos. Interesting to imagine what it might’ve been like in it’s heyday!
Thank you!! I am sad that it’s come to this myself- I will enjoy the good memories I have of this mall, but… I wish we had TH-cam back in the 80’s and 90’s… I’d love to see people enjoying this mall in its prime!!
Had a similar experience a few years back . Went back for one last visit to a mall in its last days, one which I used to frequent as a kid growing up, throughout my teens and basically throughout early adulthood. Moved away from the area after I got married.
It felt sad, emotional, i had a knot in my stomach throughout the entire last visit because a place that held so many memories was soon going to disappear completely. (It was demolished to make way for a new metro station) . I guess I thought that it'd always be there for me to come back to. Something familiar and to which you have attached some roots (had my first date there, had my first fist fight there 😂, its where i bought my first watch , my first soccer boots, etc) .
Central MA. resident here... Even though I'm not a fan of malls, think the last time I was in one was back in the late eighties, I still think it's sad that so many are closing. I also understand that not everything lasts forever, everything has a beginning and an end... still sad to see them come to their end.
Crazy seeing all these malls go the way of the dinosaur it used to be the thing to do with friends go to the mall and get food in the food court.. and as a young kid we used to go to a mall that isn't even open anymore a lot of good memories there... Coolstuff like seeing these videos like this
I miss the good old days!! Take me back! Let’s go to the mall and get an N64 game, get a pizza, hang out with friends all weekend and just live life! 😢😓
@@theconfusingwords I miss that too!
"Shop local!"...a little late for that. 55 years meaning it was open during the heyday of video games and saw many Christmas rushes pre internet. Probably one of the many malls that had trouble getting Super Mario Bros. 2 and Zelda II in 1988 due to the chip shortage.
I wonder what some of the old storage rooms look like. I would love to rummage around there and find some vintage stuff. When I went back yesterday I had a flashback to the Radio Shack. Lol. They did do broadcasting on the local news showing off things you could buy there around Christmas time. I liked watching some of the old clips on TH-cam, but there really aren’t many. I wish I couldn’t have seen this mall in the 80’s.
Even for a Thursday afternoon, it is extremely dead in there. What are they going to be building after they knock it down?
Redevelop it into a mixed use center. Shopping, dining, entertainment and possibly housing of some kind
It was a bit busier when I went yesterday. People were really going to mourn the loss of this mall. It has so much personality in my opinion. Such a shame. I’m so glad I was able to make one more trip (just put the video out) but wow it was a really rapid decline over just a few weeks!
I worked at Steiger’s,Filene’,then Macy’s until it closed about 9 years ago.
I worked at the mall for over 25 years. So sad!
hi the confusingwords I absolutely love all your videos on the eastfield mall & this very last video I grew up right up the street off north branch parkway I always went to eastfield mall my parents always took me & my one & only younger sister there when we were just baby's & when we were little kids & even now I drive there with some friends cause I don't live in Springfield anymore me & some of my friends just went there just a few days ago its just so sad that eastfield mall will be closing for good very soon my mom father my grandpa worked on the eastfield mall back in the 1960's when it was first being built sadly my grandpa is no longer around he passed away back in November of 2007 on veterans day & he is also a veteran he served in world War 2 my grandparents lived around Boston road back in the day so lots of great family memory's of Boston road & going to eastfield mall that mall was so nice when I was younger back in the 1990's there were actually two malls on Boston road back then the Springdale mall & the eastfield mall but there is hardly no info & no videos on the Springdale mall which is weird that was another mall I went to growing up across the street holyoke mall is basically the only mall still doing good I would say but go check out the hampshire mall in hadley that's another dead mall sort of hampshire mall is owned by the same company that owns holyoke mall there was another mall here in western ma the berkshire mall but that mall closed back in 2019 chicopee had the Fairfield mall but closed & was torn down a few years back there was a mall in downtown Springfield tower square which is still open today but that's not much of a mall anymore
Thank you so very much Matt, I had some health things come up and was relaxing for a few weeks and now I am feeling better and just went back to the Eastfield Mall yesterday actually I am so glad I go to go back for one very last time!
Honestly I have never heard of the Springdale mall! I’m going to have to look into that one! I still go to the Holyoke mall once in a while even though I live an hour away but the Hampshire mall in Hadley is high on my list to go and visit! I lost my grandfather around the same time you lost yours, he was also in WWII and they will live in our hearts ❤️
I took a last walk through there on July 14th. Bought some food from Pretzel Twist one last time. Had some kids riding around on their bikes. Of course Donavan's was packed!😂
Everyone who has fond memories of the mall, I hope they got one last walk through in! I am already missing it a ton! I’m glad there’s a list of where the good places are relocating too! I think I read Donovan’s is going to Holyoke! I miss Pretzel Twist too! 😔
I don't know why they don't attempt to add a grocery store in one of the closed anchors and build apartments in the parking lot similar to what they do with lifestyle centers at some of these dying malls. I would think it would be a successful concept in colder parts of the country like New England.
What did you find outside the mall?
Trash. When I went yesterday I found a couch. Lol
@@theconfusingwords damn how do you find my living room set out there? Can you just bring it to me?
Its a shame to see the malls of yesterday turning into little towns. I like the setups of the new malls, But sooooo many great memories. 😢
So many memories getting torn down… out with the old, and in with the new 😭 I will have to film more malls before they are all gone!
There is an open retail shops parcels across the street that is like 90% closed shops also. There's like 4 businesses in the across the street plaza and a dozen closed stores. So brilliant they think. Let's invest in another open retail shop like that. Enclosed roofed ac shopping beats open retail plaza anyday . I don't like this future world.
Sad ....
It sure is. I went back yesterday and it had a RAPID decline 😟
Old navy. The shoe dept. And bath and body works are gone
Oh yeah! I went back yesterday (just put out an updated video!) and it was insane how bad it was. I imagine the final 48 hours will look similar but with more people. There was really a sense of community and mourning when I was there yesterday
Great video of the mall gonna miss it. I just did a few videos today.
Nice! I just went back and filmed today myself. Wow, what a decline between today and a few weeks ago
Nice video as always and hope everything is good
Thanks so much Ben! I am doing better now 😊❤️
@@theconfusingwords that’s good I’m glad you’re doing better now
@@benlogel1095 thanks so much Ben I hope you’re doing great and have been having a wonderful summer!
👍
🥰❤️❤️❤️
America is going out of business. Like Apollo 13 crew said after .'' And farewell Eastfield Mall , She sure was a good ship. ''
It really does feel like America is going out of business in many ways. I feel like we’ve lost too many iconic stores and malls over the past decade. It hurts to watch. Also, currently wishing TH-cam was a thing decades ago. I’d love to watch people enjoying this mall in its prime
What happened to this place or administration to go this route
Incredible this was a big deal when it was inaugurated...who would have thought
This mall had more life to it before it closed than some dead malls I know that have been sitting for years.
I agree. This is really sad. I don’t think it was time to force the closure of it like this.
I remember when Steve and Barry's were in there.
Oh my goodness me too!! That was the name of the store I couldn’t think of. Isn’t there where Hannoush Jewelers is now?
So weird seeing a mall thats soooooo empty.
It got way worse! I went back yesterday! Lol 😆
@@theconfusingwords lol Why don't you go to one that has the stores open sister? Lol way more fun. Lol
@@cloudsey420sufccards lol I do that too it’s just not as interesting for TH-cam 🤣😆
@@theconfusingwords lmfao
Ok u got me there...... lol
Haven't seen a payphone in awhile
I’m very attached to that pay phone for no good reason! It doesn’t work but I’m really going to miss it! Lol 😆
I grew up going to that mall. Rip
This is why I left Western Massachusetts back in '94.
I actually used to live directly behind JC Penny back in '90.
The whole state is a shit hole. Period.
You are looking at the direct results of voting blue.
I told people DECADES ago that this would happen.
You asked for it, and you CERTAINLY got it.
Every time I have to visit family in that area, all I can think about is Venezuela.
You’re not wrong 😢
@theconfusingwords We had to drive through the North End of Springfield to get to a wedding reception at the Springfield Country Club and I had the windows rolled up with the doors locked. My wife was looking around with her jaw in her lap.
"You LIVED here?!"
Yup. No more though.
Yea that was t-mobile
I thought so!
Cinema 😢
Reminds me of the backrooms
Oh it’s so much worse now Doc you have to see it to believe it! I am glad I got to make another trip up there to see it in its final hours!
Hopefully they do something better or something for entertaining 😅
I hope they do, time will tell!!
Sad to see this place go. How about I fill you up to make you feel better Beautiful?
Thank you Dep that would make me feel much better 🥰🥹❤️
@@theconfusingwords tell me time, place, and favorite position. I’ll make you feel things you never felt before. I have a way with my tongue.