I used to work in this mall(94 to 96) and was SHOCKED to see the Cinamonster store front! At its height it had 5 major anchors (JCP, Hechts, Sears, Belks and Dillards). The Disney store was the largest on the east coast! TWO music stores, The Wall and Camelot. There was a Thomas Kincaid store! An insane number of jewelry stores...my wife and I bought our wedding rings at Reese Jewelers (I can still see the mural in my mind). For about a year an antique carousel was set up in the Sears wing. Santa's Village was a huge attraction every Christmas. I can remember the parking lot at 100% capacity and it was not a small parking lot! Radio Shack had everything an A/V nerd could want, the arcade was always busy and Ruby Tuesday's had the best bread sticks... The only thing left standing now is the American Family Fitness. It use to be the Belk location which actually opened as Leggett. So so so many memories...thank you for this one last look around!!!
I absolutely loved this mall, it was always on my radar as a must see and I’m so sad it closed down and I wasn’t able to see it. Thank you so much for capturing it in this beautiful video.
A professional Eulogy giver for malls is very apt because your vids that cover malls days before closing have a mournful, bittersweet quality that few other dead mall channels can conjure. I can’t put my finger on it, but something about your videos makes it feel like I’m not just listening to a video about a failed shopping center, but to an obituary detailing the memories of someone recently passed.
In a lot of ways, our local malls are like old friends; they saw us through many, many rites of passage. Because of that, if it’s closing and I know a lot of people have feelings about them, I try to be as respectful as I can. I think we might be due for a palate cleanser between all the sadness though.
I have the best childhood memories of going to this mall in the 90's of shopping with my younger sister and mom. Then I met my husband at the Ruby Tuesday's there in 2009 for our first date. Memories are the one thing that last forever.
Remember coming to this mall a lot as a kid and even then it had an empty feel to it. While it’s not surprising that it’s no longer around, it was sad to see it go. What’s replacing it sounds like it’ll be great for the area though so it’s nice to see that it’s not a total loss.
Thank you for this! I guess I'm finally starting to get old, I'm 30 now and it's eerie seeing something on google maps as a dirt pile now which once was so integral to your childhood. The nostalgia from watching this video killer. Thank you.
Thank you for this walkthrough, so many memories here. This was my place. Electronics Boutique, Spencer’s, so many others. What time. There are a few commercials from the mall that I haven’t been able to find. Saved only in my memory now.
I only recently discovered y’all in my recommended feeds, and I’ve been binge watching since. Kristin, I must say that I absolutely love your narration. Not only is your script very well written, with wording that tugs at the heart strings, but the intonation of your voice is intoxicatingly soothing and peaceful. Thank you and your entire team for your hard work and dedication! You’ve earned a subscriber. 🙏😊❤️
Woohoo! The BEST and the GREATEST on the tubez for dead malls and amazing history capturing is back with a new video and I'm stoked! The production is insane, the narration is second to none and the music always tops it off! Thank you for the awesome work and keep being you!
Stunning visuals along the drive! As usual the commentary, and mood are 💯. It's crazy that the newer malls are sometimes the first to go. Thank you for always capturing the spirit of once was in these malls. Congratulations on your 💑,!!!!
Was thinking about VCC today and stumbled upon this video. I remember going in here as a tween in the 2000’s when this mall still had some pretty good traction, but even then it was waning because of Short Pump. It put a smile on my face to see the arcade I would play DDR at, and that you also gave the perspective of the mall as if you were walking in from that entrance (I always went in that way!). Very nice trip down memory lane to a place I can’t visit anymore, so thank you.
Of course you went to see this one, the teal and salmon beckons. Some pretty views of the West Virginia Turnpike too. It's always the middle of the day when I go through there so I've never seen it like that.
I managed a store there and remember when the mall was sold in 2017. My assistant and I watched reps for the new owners walk through and it seemed obvious they had zero interest in improvement. So many leases were not renewed. We closed our doors in May 2017. My last visit to the mall was in August 2018 and it was sad to see how empty it was then.
It’s a shame VCC died because it’s in a nice area of town. Regency Mall is being redeveloped into mixed use. Stony Point is a spite mall. This mall used to be jumping back in the day. RIP. I’m glad you pronounced “Henrico” correctly 😂
You’ll have to return to Forest Fair Mall before demolition starts! I’ve been hearing around that the property “closes” at 7pm each night now (even though they never enforce it). News has been reporting the demo will start very soon :(
I grew up right on the other side of 95 from there, literally a 4-5 minute drive...the numbers of times i paused this and pointed at storefronts and said 'that was ___' is crazy. I cant believe the Bourbon St. Grill was still there 3 days before closing...cant even begin to tell you the number of times i ate there; sooo good! ...sad...
I think richmond was doing the same thing like their cousin 757 va hampton roads where we had multiple malls only to close tower, pembroke, military circle, hampton colliseum, new market and leave chesapeake square mall and greenbrier in limbo.
Amazing video as always. I know I have said a variation of this in the past but, your videos rival Sal's videos in both information, and production. Keep up the fantastic work.
I remember coming by here a lot when I was a kid. I always loved hitting up the FYE and Hot Topic. I also used to love playing in that little playground when I was super super young. Its so sad to see it go
So sad to see Vcc this way in the video. early 2010s I was middle schooler. And I remember this use to be the spot to be after school and on weekends. This place was packed and on holidays it was insane. The memories I have at Vcc are some of the best and I will never forget them sad that it had to end this way but it’s cool that a channel like this one went around and got footage and fotos of vcc.
I'm from Richmond. So much to say here. First off, loved the video! So I remember going to Regency or VCC back in 1999. I couldn't remember which one, but I knew it had a Disney Store. Thank you for answering that question for me! Yes Stoney Point has gone way down hill, and I remember when it opened. I think why it is plummeting while Short Pump Flourishes is that I think while Short Pump experienced massive growth. They were hoping for the same for Stoney Point and it just didn't happen. In my opinion what killed the VCC was crime. Yes I do think Short Pump siphoned off a lot of business but I think that is a small piece to the puzzle. One thing I heard was that they built a bus station that allowed people from downtown Richmond to come to VCC, but unfortunately that brought a lot of crime to the point where the bus station was removed. This brought forth things such as a few of the jewelry stores being robbed to even a peeping Tom in the bathroom. I do remember when Kohan bought the property and I said "Oh yea, VCC is done."
used to live right down the road from the place back in the early 2000s... it used to be popping back in the day. i remember when the mall started to go dead this makes me sad.
I used to go to this mall ALL THE TIME as a teenager. I cannot believe it has been shut down permanently. Spent many afternoons playing DDR in the arcade 😢
Ever considered or used OSC (Opus Science Collective) for background music as well? OSC has a good assortment of video game related music that you might like if not used nefore. I am a viewer who watches videos like yours regarding dead malls and I have seen OSC used at least a few times. Also, great narration again and I liked the humor you added despite the resignation of the situation to what has now happened. Thanks for sharing another great video for the mall museum lovers of America and beyond.
Thank you, and I'll need to look them up...A lot of the time these ideas for what music to use come from what game I've been absorbing while working on it, so I'm always looking for something new!
I saw some of the demolition of Macy's in progress. I had my cancer treatments in Richmond, and after treatment my dad and I would sometimes stop at the Red Robin there, and I'd get so sad seeing the mess left behind. I assume that Red Robin is gone now, too.
The piece of land it’s sitting on is usually in a desirable commercial area and they’re hoping someone will buy it from them for more than they paid for it
This one is pretty sad to see. I went to this mall over 20 years ago with my aunt and cousins and it was still doing pretty well back then with a full slate of stores.
Thanks, Ryan. There are still a lot of malls doing well nationwide but I have a feeling over the next couple years we're going to see a lot more closing.
@@UniCommProductions 100 percent, Fayette Mall is still doing quite well, and the last time I was in Kenwood I couldn’t move it was so crowded, but even my last visits to the indoor part of Liberty Center and Florence Mall have been alarming.
@@ryanfrisby7389 Florence is at a tipping point, and I don't have great faith in the current management. I'll admit that I've never actually been inside Liberty Center but it sounds like it's due for a look.
The exterior would’ve looked 10x better with a little elbow grease and a power washer. It’s funny, I was looking at pictures of Stony Point and they could use the same treatment. Speaking of, I looked at Stony Points current directory and it has to be the most “eclectic” line up of stores out there. You’ll see three mom and pop stores then Tiffany & Co. A CBD shop and local wireless dealer and then Anthropologie. I guess if it works. Love your videos! Can’t wait for the next.
I have a friend who is local to that area and she has strongly recommended I take a look at Stony Point for a video. It’s been a while since I’ve done a breakdown on a lifestyle center so you might see it here soon.
The main problem with enclosed malls is that, as America got heavier and heavier, NO ONE wanted to schlepp their purchases along from store to store. Open-air "malls" with direct-to-store parking became the way to go. This is why Willow Lawn, e.g., survived the change by unenclosing itself and returning to a direct-access mall.
Our population has also generally gotten older. Blaming the death of brick and mortar retail on weight is certainly a hot take; I’m not sure I entirely agree with it but it’s a topic for discussion for sure.
@@UniCommProductions Additionally, Va. Center Commons was laid out in a linear fashion, as opposed to a circular or U-shaped or two-story design. By the time you walked from Hechts to Macy's, you were prepared for the next Richmond 10k.
In 2005 one of my courses for a BS in business management was Economics. I read the entire textbook prior to class. The text said that the way to riches was to drive the company into the ground--shed customers, fire skilled employees, get rid of capital investments, sell off real estate for pennies on the dollar, alienate your supply chain, pile up unpaid debt and then bail with your golden parachute. I asked my professor if I was reading the text correctly--in the days prior to the housing bubble bursting--and he allowed that I was correct, but that's the textbook that he was required to use. I got an "A" in his course. Cohen sounds like the wrote my textbook.
@@UniCommProductions I agree about unlimited money--but what Cohen has is unlimited credit and unlimited "reputation." Cohen knows how to play the system. I wonder how long he will be able to carry out his legal scams--you were right "there's got to be a breaking point with this guy." Have you ever heard of C. V. Wood? Of Freedomland, USA? I found out about that place in the 20th Century. Never knew it existed. Parts of it still exist. The modern theme park is basically an open-air mall that draws in paying customers by offering rides and attractions but makes its bucks on dining and on merchandise. Knotts Berry Farm started out as a farm with a small restaurant. The chicken dinners were so popular that people would fill the parking lot waiting for an open table. So the Knotts' built a ghost town to entertain their restaurant guests and then found that a souvenir shop improved their revenue stream. Walt Disney used Knotts Berry Farm as one of the models for Disneyland--learning what they did successfully, learning from their mistakes. One financial lesson Walt Disney commented on was reminding Brother Roy when the banks wouldn't lend them a hundred dollars--and now they were in debt for millions! Modern malls exist to make money for different people. The city or county collects taxes and license fees. Contractors get paid (or stiffed for construction costs). Insurance companies rake in the profits. Banks handle finances. Realtors get their pound of flesh. Merchants set up shop and may actually turn a profit a few years later. The government inspectors get their money. Mall employees usually get paid. Then there are the suppliers. Malls fail a lot, but there's money to be had. How much money investors get back from their investment depends on how well they gamble--do they rake in their winnings and walk away from the table fast, or do they risk it all in the hope of winning the entire pot?
I think that's an excellent idea, one I've thought of doing in the past. It's probably a very timely subject considering, as you say, there isn't a whole lot out there.
Yeah that mall has had one foot in the grave for a long time. It's like 20 minutes from where I live now. I didn't think it would make it through 2020.
I was in Richmond 4-5 years ago and as it turned out this mall wasn’t too far from my hotel. Kicking myself for not checking it out on the free day I had.
the good news, if there is any here, is that they're being proactive about doing something with the property so it won't become a dangerous eyesore like several other malls have become over the years.
I thought this mall closed before this? I used to go there all the time in 2009 when I lived in Richmond and the mall was dying then. Security used to be really bad about running anybody taking videos out.
I've heard that too (firsthand, in fact. We used to have a former guard in our Discord server). I think other than the mandatory closures from COVID they have remained continuously open.
I grew up going to this mall,, such a shame. I remember in the 2000s it was doing pretty well but the new management ran it into the ground. Now they tore it all down and it’s a sports center and townhouses
I like the shot of her looking through her reflection on the glass into the rainbow store, some fans like patreon would probably enjoy a rainbow haul try on video
Hello, I am starting my own TH-cam channel where I explore dead malls in California and the west coast. Any recommendations or tips for beginner dead-mall videography? I’m starting with a canon rebel t7 with a weevil s gimbal
Welcome! There aren’t as many people doing those out West! Number 1, mall security will kick you out in a New York Minute if you bring a DSLR and a gimbal into an open mall. I use a similar setup (Sony a6500 and a DJI Ronin SC) when I am in a situation where I have permission to be there but ordinarily I film on a DJI Pocket 2 that is about the size of a Snickers bar. A lot of people use their phone but I like that the Pocket 2 has a tiny built in gimbal. Start simple if you’re new to editing, you’ll learn something new every time you make a video. I had never edited a video or filmed anything until 2018 when I started this channel and it’s been slow, incremental growth ever since. There’s a link to the Discord server Im a longtime member of in the video description; there are a lot of creators in there and we give great advice.
The lock downs really put the final death nail in a lot of retail that already had a foot in the grave. Not much sadder sight in a mall than a dead fountain that hasn't operated in a long time..
Of all the dead mall videos that I've watched, this one really hits home and makes me SO sad! I grew up in rural northeastern NC(right on the VA line) so my family would often go shopping in VA(Southpark Mall in Colonial Heights is another one we went to often). Virginia Center Commons became a go to for us in the mid 90s. So many weekend shopping trips for school clothes, shopping for prom dresses here, and Christmas shopping trips basically every year too. I have very specific memories of Cinnabon, The Limited, Dillards, the Disney store, Sears, Old Navy, Victoria's Secret, and Hecht's/Macy's. If I recall correctly, I think our last visit was in 2007 at Christmas time. I was in college by then, and was home for Christmas break when we went. We could notice a difference/decline in the mall then, but I never would've imagined this being its future. It was THE mall. So busy and alive, especially at Christmas. Depressing. :(
I can relate to this a LOT because “my” mall also closed last year, and it’s always so strange visiting a place you remember bursting with activity that’s completely empty like that.
Because it’s sitting on a piece of land that has frontage on a main, busy road and they’re hoping they can sell it for more than they paid for it to someone who wants to tear it down and build something else. They’re like house flippers but with malls.
This one is such an archetype of '90s malls and (good) '90s architecture in general, it's fantastic. It seems like just yesterday that this was the contemporary style. It was still so remarkably clean and original and was really rather subdued and sleek compared to the full-blown postmodernism movement of the time. It's really more like mid-'90s than early-'90s in that regard. I can think of a few other '91-'93 malls that look horribly dated now, this one not so much. The colors aren't insulting either. It aged well but it's crazy to think of everything that went into it and how new and modern it was -- all for it to last about 10 years as a success. 10 years. It likely took longer than that to plan, design and build it. What a waste. Like Bellevue Center levels of waste.
Kristin, I wonder how many malls that were built pre-1980 are still open. Seems like most of the malls you've done videos on, were built 1985 to 1991. Have you ever been to Richland Mall in Ontario, Ohio??? It's been dying a long death since the mid 80's but once was a regal place. It was supposed to open in 1965 but didn't open until 1968, although the separate theater with 2 screens did open in 1965. The hospital has been taking over the mall & I've heard they've bought the entire property. There's much info & pictures online, or at least there once was. It could be an interesting adventure before it's gone. A story of the Park Avenue Mall would be good too, although it would need to be told only thru pictures, sadly. I REALLY liked PAM when I was little, they had a karate shop which sold pet monkeys 😮 and I remember when it was an open air mall. I'd be happy to help, if possible.
@@UniCommProductions TYVM for your reply !!! There's not much left here in North Central Ohio. The malls in Marion & Tiffin are all BUT closed & the mall in Findlay is still open with lots of people but I doubt it'll make it until the end of the decade. The mall in Bowling Green could possibly be of interest but it would be a short video. Haven't been to BG in 10-15 years & really the only reason to go to BG, shopping wise, is Finders Records, The Corner Grill & Easy Street Cafe. Thanks again & CONGRATULATIONS on your wedding !!!
There were a total of 3 businesses open to the public inside the mall: a barber shop, a beauty salon, and the Bourbon chicken place. American Family Fitness was also open, but it doesn't have an entrance into the mall and I believe is staying open.
These kind are always a bit sad for me too. I think I need to find a quirky mall that’s staying open as a palate cleanser between all the doom and gloom.
I used to work in this mall(94 to 96) and was SHOCKED to see the Cinamonster store front! At its height it had 5 major anchors (JCP, Hechts, Sears, Belks and Dillards). The Disney store was the largest on the east coast! TWO music stores, The Wall and Camelot. There was a Thomas Kincaid store! An insane number of jewelry stores...my wife and I bought our wedding rings at Reese Jewelers (I can still see the mural in my mind). For about a year an antique carousel was set up in the Sears wing. Santa's Village was a huge attraction every Christmas. I can remember the parking lot at 100% capacity and it was not a small parking lot! Radio Shack had everything an A/V nerd could want, the arcade was always busy and Ruby Tuesday's had the best bread sticks... The only thing left standing now is the American Family Fitness. It use to be the Belk location which actually opened as Leggett. So so so many memories...thank you for this one last look around!!!
P.S. It hosted an African Violet show and an Orchid show every spring...
...and the HUGE bank of pay phones by the Food Court bathrooms!....
I absolutely loved this mall, it was always on my radar as a must see and I’m so sad it closed down and I wasn’t able to see it. Thank you so much for capturing it in this beautiful video.
A professional Eulogy giver for malls is very apt because your vids that cover malls days before closing have a mournful, bittersweet quality that few other dead mall channels can conjure. I can’t put my finger on it, but something about your videos makes it feel like I’m not just listening to a video about a failed shopping center, but to an obituary detailing the memories of someone recently passed.
In a lot of ways, our local malls are like old friends; they saw us through many, many rites of passage. Because of that, if it’s closing and I know a lot of people have feelings about them, I try to be as respectful as I can. I think we might be due for a palate cleanser between all the sadness though.
I grew up in this mall and this makes me sad. So many memories.
I have the best childhood memories of going to this mall in the 90's of shopping with my younger sister and mom. Then I met my husband at the Ruby Tuesday's there in 2009 for our first date. Memories are the one thing that last forever.
Ate at that ruby's many times
Remember coming to this mall a lot as a kid and even then it had an empty feel to it. While it’s not surprising that it’s no longer around, it was sad to see it go.
What’s replacing it sounds like it’ll be great for the area though so it’s nice to see that it’s not a total loss.
Thank you for this! I guess I'm finally starting to get old, I'm 30 now and it's eerie seeing something on google maps as a dirt pile now which once was so integral to your childhood. The nostalgia from watching this video killer. Thank you.
Thank you for this walkthrough, so many memories here. This was my place. Electronics Boutique, Spencer’s, so many others. What time. There are a few commercials from the mall that I haven’t been able to find. Saved only in my memory now.
When the Bath & Body is gone you know the mall is on it's last legs. FYI, I was last at Stony Point it there were a lot of vacant spaces.
Came from DMOD and subscribed to your channel here. I love these types of Mall Videos. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Welcome! I’m happy you found us!
I always preferred Regency over VCC but its still a key piece of my childhood and im sad to see it demolished.
I only recently discovered y’all in my recommended feeds, and I’ve been binge watching since. Kristin, I must say that I absolutely love your narration. Not only is your script very well written, with wording that tugs at the heart strings, but the intonation of your voice is intoxicatingly soothing and peaceful. Thank you and your entire team for your hard work and dedication! You’ve earned a subscriber. 🙏😊❤️
Welcome! Thank you so much. I put a lot into these videos and it always makes me happy to read comments like this.
Woohoo! The BEST and the GREATEST on the tubez for dead malls and amazing history capturing is back with a new video and I'm stoked! The production is insane, the narration is second to none and the music always tops it off! Thank you for the awesome work and keep being you!
That's an incredible mall, this might have the coolest asthetic of any mall I've seen. Amazing job documenting it.
Stunning visuals along the drive! As usual the commentary, and mood are 💯. It's crazy that the newer malls are sometimes the first to go. Thank you for always capturing the spirit of once was in these malls. Congratulations on your 💑,!!!!
Thank you Kim! It's always nice when the scenery does a lot of the work for me haha.
Forgotten land mall stage was amazing! Underrated.
It was like that game was MADE FOR ME!
Was thinking about VCC today and stumbled upon this video. I remember going in here as a tween in the 2000’s when this mall still had some pretty good traction, but even then it was waning because of Short Pump. It put a smile on my face to see the arcade I would play DDR at, and that you also gave the perspective of the mall as if you were walking in from that entrance (I always went in that way!).
Very nice trip down memory lane to a place I can’t visit anymore, so thank you.
Have so many memories at that mall! So many good stores back in the day
Congratulations on approaching 10k subs! and Merry Christmas!
Awww thank you!
I keep coming back to this dead mall video. I watch many BUT this was so beautifully done ✌️❤😮
Of course you went to see this one, the teal and salmon beckons. Some pretty views of the West Virginia Turnpike too. It's always the middle of the day when I go through there so I've never seen it like that.
Oh it was such a pretty drive down 64 that morning. All the fog.
Pretty mall.
I started watching your channel in the fall of 2020, and your videos are now holiday spirit vibes for me 🦃🎄🎁
Well Happy Holidays my friend we are getting ready to film some more videos very soon!
I managed a store there and remember when the mall was sold in 2017. My assistant and I watched reps for the new owners walk through and it seemed obvious they had zero interest in improvement. So many leases were not renewed. We closed our doors in May 2017. My last visit to the mall was in August 2018 and it was sad to see how empty it was then.
I love how all the "court" area look very cathedral-like with the arches and buttresses! such a shame it's being demolished.
Incredible video! Sad to see such a beautiful mall fade away.
It’s a shame VCC died because it’s in a nice area of town. Regency Mall is being redeveloped into mixed use. Stony Point is a spite mall. This mall used to be jumping back in the day. RIP. I’m glad you pronounced “Henrico” correctly 😂
You’ll have to return to Forest Fair Mall before demolition starts! I’ve been hearing around that the property “closes” at 7pm each night now (even though they never enforce it). News has been reporting the demo will start very soon :(
Oh you bet I am headed there again one last time
I shopped this mall all the time. I remember it being built and I also remember it being torn down. So sad to see. Thank you for a great video.
great muzak choice
I grew up right on the other side of 95 from there, literally a 4-5 minute drive...the numbers of times i paused this and pointed at storefronts and said 'that was ___' is crazy.
I cant believe the Bourbon St. Grill was still there 3 days before closing...cant even begin to tell you the number of times i ate there; sooo good!
...sad...
Can confirm on Bourbon Street Grill…that was where I had lunch that day too.
I think richmond was doing the same thing like their cousin 757 va hampton roads where we had multiple malls only to close tower, pembroke, military circle, hampton colliseum, new market and leave chesapeake square mall and greenbrier in limbo.
Amazing video as always. I know I have said a variation of this in the past but, your videos rival Sal's videos in both information, and production. Keep up the fantastic work.
Sal and I have sort of “grown up together” as creators (although he has quite the head start on me). That is a great compliment; thank you very much!
I remember coming by here a lot when I was a kid. I always loved hitting up the FYE and Hot Topic. I also used to love playing in that little playground when I was super super young. Its so sad to see it go
Your wonderfully cynical voice is a nice touch for this kind of video. Also top notch narration and music. Subscribed !
Welcome aboard! I'm happy you found us!
Sounds good❤❤❤ love your video, this was really nice.
So sad to see Vcc this way in the video. early 2010s I was middle schooler. And I remember this use to be the spot to be after school and on weekends. This place was packed and on holidays it was insane. The memories I have at Vcc are some of the best and I will never forget them sad that it had to end this way but it’s cool that a channel like this one went around and got footage and fotos of vcc.
I grew up near there. Went there when it opened, I was in high school and shopped there for years. It's so weird it's gone now.
My own childhood mall closed in May and I agree, it so weird that it’s just…not going to be a place you could see again, isn’t it?
Used to live close to that mall pity to see it go
You have an audiobook voice. If you’re not already working in that industry please start immediately.
I'm from Richmond. So much to say here. First off, loved the video!
So I remember going to Regency or VCC back in 1999. I couldn't remember which one, but I knew it had a Disney Store. Thank you for answering that question for me!
Yes Stoney Point has gone way down hill, and I remember when it opened. I think why it is plummeting while Short Pump Flourishes is that I think while Short Pump experienced massive growth. They were hoping for the same for Stoney Point and it just didn't happen.
In my opinion what killed the VCC was crime. Yes I do think Short Pump siphoned off a lot of business but I think that is a small piece to the puzzle. One thing I heard was that they built a bus station that allowed people from downtown Richmond to come to VCC, but unfortunately that brought a lot of crime to the point where the bus station was removed. This brought forth things such as a few of the jewelry stores being robbed to even a peeping Tom in the bathroom.
I do remember when Kohan bought the property and I said "Oh yea, VCC is done."
So aesthetically pleasing! Thank You for creating is for us
This mall was REALLY pretty.
used to live right down the road from the place back in the early 2000s... it used to be popping back in the day. i remember when the mall started to go dead this makes me sad.
I used to go to this mall ALL THE TIME as a teenager. I cannot believe it has been shut down permanently. Spent many afternoons playing DDR in the arcade 😢
i went here in 2011 after kings dominion on the way to myrtle beach and i didn’t think it was dead just not busy
In 2011 it would have just been beginning to have issues. Definitely not dead back then.
I do believe there's a mall being demolished soon in Cutler Bay, Florida called Southland mall. You might want to research it.
Always looking for an excuse to go to Florida!
Ever considered or used OSC (Opus Science Collective) for background music as well? OSC has a good assortment of video game related music that you might like if not used nefore. I am a viewer who watches videos like yours regarding dead malls and I have seen OSC used at least a few times. Also, great narration again and I liked the humor you added despite the resignation of the situation to what has now happened. Thanks for sharing another great video for the mall museum lovers of America and beyond.
Thank you, and I'll need to look them up...A lot of the time these ideas for what music to use come from what game I've been absorbing while working on it, so I'm always looking for something new!
@@UniCommProductions One upbeat and fun as heck video game song from OSC is "It Starts With A Chip" 🙂
Hello, I was was wondering what your guys filming setup is?
90% of my content is shot on a DJI Osmo Pocket 2. The exteriors were shot on a combination of a Sony a6500 cropped mirrorless camera and my iPhone.
@@UniCommProductions nice
I miss this mall. Once Dillard's became an outlet (before finally closing), I knew it was doomed. It was a nice mall.
I saw some of the demolition of Macy's in progress. I had my cancer treatments in Richmond, and after treatment my dad and I would sometimes stop at the Red Robin there, and I'd get so sad seeing the mess left behind. I assume that Red Robin is gone now, too.
@@judithmohr5265 Red Robin's still there as far as I know. Oddly, most of the stores around VCC are doing just fine.
Why do they buy the Mall's to close them?
The piece of land it’s sitting on is usually in a desirable commercial area and they’re hoping someone will buy it from them for more than they paid for it
@@UniCommProductions that totally makes sense.
@@marlenefannin6913 Think house flippers but malls. Get in, extract what you can, get out.
This one is pretty sad to see. I went to this mall over 20 years ago with my aunt and cousins and it was still doing pretty well back then with a full slate of stores.
Amazing video Kristin, sad to see what malls have became!
Thanks, Ryan. There are still a lot of malls doing well nationwide but I have a feeling over the next couple years we're going to see a lot more closing.
@@UniCommProductions 100 percent, Fayette Mall is still doing quite well, and the last time I was in Kenwood I couldn’t move it was so crowded, but even my last visits to the indoor part of Liberty Center and Florence Mall have been alarming.
@@ryanfrisby7389 Florence is at a tipping point, and I don't have great faith in the current management. I'll admit that I've never actually been inside Liberty Center but it sounds like it's due for a look.
@@UniCommProductions me either, they keep making promises and then not delivering on them. LC is very nice, but I sense a turn coming soon.
The exterior would’ve looked 10x better with a little elbow grease and a power washer. It’s funny, I was looking at pictures of Stony Point and they could use the same treatment.
Speaking of, I looked at Stony Points current directory and it has to be the most “eclectic” line up of stores out there. You’ll see three mom and pop stores then Tiffany & Co. A CBD shop and local wireless dealer and then Anthropologie. I guess if it works.
Love your videos! Can’t wait for the next.
I have a friend who is local to that area and she has strongly recommended I take a look at Stony Point for a video. It’s been a while since I’ve done a breakdown on a lifestyle center so you might see it here soon.
The main problem with enclosed malls is that, as America got heavier and heavier, NO ONE wanted to schlepp their purchases along from store to store. Open-air "malls" with direct-to-store parking became the way to go. This is why Willow Lawn, e.g., survived the change by unenclosing itself and returning to a direct-access mall.
Our population has also generally gotten older. Blaming the death of brick and mortar retail on weight is certainly a hot take; I’m not sure I entirely agree with it but it’s a topic for discussion for sure.
@@UniCommProductions Additionally, Va. Center Commons was laid out in a linear fashion, as opposed to a circular or U-shaped or two-story design. By the time you walked from Hechts to Macy's, you were prepared for the next Richmond 10k.
Another channel called ThePodcastDojo did a great job documenting VCC
I know exactly who you’re talking about, we follow each other on Twitter!
@@UniCommProductions You guys are all amazing
In 2005 one of my courses for a BS in business management was Economics. I read the entire textbook prior to class. The text said that the way to riches was to drive the company into the ground--shed customers, fire skilled employees, get rid of capital investments, sell off real estate for pennies on the dollar, alienate your supply chain, pile up unpaid debt and then bail with your golden parachute. I asked my professor if I was reading the text correctly--in the days prior to the housing bubble bursting--and he allowed that I was correct, but that's the textbook that he was required to use. I got an "A" in his course.
Cohen sounds like the wrote my textbook.
There's got to be a breaking point with this guy. He doesn't have unlimited money (if he did he might pay his bills)
@@UniCommProductions I agree about unlimited money--but what Cohen has is unlimited credit and unlimited "reputation." Cohen knows how to play the system. I wonder how long he will be able to carry out his legal scams--you were right "there's got to be a breaking point with this guy."
Have you ever heard of C. V. Wood? Of Freedomland, USA? I found out about that place in the 20th Century. Never knew it existed. Parts of it still exist. The modern theme park is basically an open-air mall that draws in paying customers by offering rides and attractions but makes its bucks on dining and on merchandise. Knotts Berry Farm started out as a farm with a small restaurant. The chicken dinners were so popular that people would fill the parking lot waiting for an open table. So the Knotts' built a ghost town to entertain their restaurant guests and then found that a souvenir shop improved their revenue stream. Walt Disney used Knotts Berry Farm as one of the models for Disneyland--learning what they did successfully, learning from their mistakes. One financial lesson Walt Disney commented on was reminding Brother Roy when the banks wouldn't lend them a hundred dollars--and now they were in debt for millions!
Modern malls exist to make money for different people. The city or county collects taxes and license fees. Contractors get paid (or stiffed for construction costs). Insurance companies rake in the profits. Banks handle finances. Realtors get their pound of flesh. Merchants set up shop and may actually turn a profit a few years later. The government inspectors get their money. Mall employees usually get paid. Then there are the suppliers. Malls fail a lot, but there's money to be had. How much money investors get back from their investment depends on how well they gamble--do they rake in their winnings and walk away from the table fast, or do they risk it all in the hope of winning the entire pot?
Beautiful architecture
Can you please make a video on "What should be done with dead malls?" There isn't very much available on this topic. Thank you.
I think that's an excellent idea, one I've thought of doing in the past. It's probably a very timely subject considering, as you say, there isn't a whole lot out there.
Used to go to this mall in the late 90s. So sad.
I remember when they built this place. 😢
Very Well done 👍 Liked
Yeah, I remember America's Funniest People when it was airing. I was a young kid and thought it was weird cause they already had AFHV.
Went through the area today in the mall is completely gone now
My favorite store in that mall was Harold Pener.
Yeah that mall has had one foot in the grave for a long time. It's like 20 minutes from where I live now. I didn't think it would make it through 2020.
It was so awesome back in the day
I was in Richmond 4-5 years ago and as it turned out this mall wasn’t too far from my hotel. Kicking myself for not checking it out on the free day I had.
It would have been quite empty even that far back.
this used to be the mall id always go to. its so sad they let it get down to this
the good news, if there is any here, is that they're being proactive about doing something with the property so it won't become a dangerous eyesore like several other malls have become over the years.
I thought this mall closed before this? I used to go there all the time in 2009 when I lived in Richmond and the mall was dying then. Security used to be really bad about running anybody taking videos out.
I have a set of dishes I bought in the JC Penny there back in 2009
I've heard that too (firsthand, in fact. We used to have a former guard in our Discord server). I think other than the mandatory closures from COVID they have remained continuously open.
I grew up going to this mall,, such a shame. I remember in the 2000s it was doing pretty well but the new management ran it into the ground. Now they tore it all down and it’s a sports center and townhouses
I like the shot of her looking through her reflection on the glass into the rainbow store, some fans like patreon would probably enjoy a rainbow haul try on video
Well thank you...just gotta end up somewhere with an OPEN Rainbow Shop haha
I used to live close to that mall but moved away 2015. It’s such a beautiful mall. It’s sad it’s officially closed.
I guessed Namdar. Oh well...
They’re not great either, to be sure.
This gonna be stony point in about six months save for the dillards and maybe the movie theater . 😹
Hello, I am starting my own TH-cam channel where I explore dead malls in California and the west coast. Any recommendations or tips for beginner dead-mall videography? I’m starting with a canon rebel t7 with a weevil s gimbal
Welcome! There aren’t as many people doing those out West! Number 1, mall security will kick you out in a New York Minute if you bring a DSLR and a gimbal into an open mall. I use a similar setup (Sony a6500 and a DJI Ronin SC) when I am in a situation where I have permission to be there but ordinarily I film on a DJI Pocket 2 that is about the size of a Snickers bar. A lot of people use their phone but I like that the Pocket 2 has a tiny built in gimbal. Start simple if you’re new to editing, you’ll learn something new every time you make a video. I had never edited a video or filmed anything until 2018 when I started this channel and it’s been slow, incremental growth ever since. There’s a link to the Discord server Im a longtime member of in the video description; there are a lot of creators in there and we give great advice.
The lock downs really put the final death nail in a lot of retail that already had a foot in the grave. Not much sadder sight in a mall than a dead fountain that hasn't operated in a long time..
Of all the dead mall videos that I've watched, this one really hits home and makes me SO sad! I grew up in rural northeastern NC(right on the VA line) so my family would often go shopping in VA(Southpark Mall in Colonial Heights is another one we went to often). Virginia Center Commons became a go to for us in the mid 90s. So many weekend shopping trips for school clothes, shopping for prom dresses here, and Christmas shopping trips basically every year too. I have very specific memories of Cinnabon, The Limited, Dillards, the Disney store, Sears, Old Navy, Victoria's Secret, and Hecht's/Macy's. If I recall correctly, I think our last visit was in 2007 at Christmas time. I was in college by then, and was home for Christmas break when we went. We could notice a difference/decline in the mall then, but I never would've imagined this being its future. It was THE mall. So busy and alive, especially at Christmas. Depressing. :(
I can relate to this a LOT because “my” mall also closed last year, and it’s always so strange visiting a place you remember bursting with activity that’s completely empty like that.
Very depressing to see it go
Ok, why buy the mall if you aren't going to do anything with it. Plus not pay taxes. I'm confused.
Because it’s sitting on a piece of land that has frontage on a main, busy road and they’re hoping they can sell it for more than they paid for it to someone who wants to tear it down and build something else. They’re like house flippers but with malls.
This one is such an archetype of '90s malls and (good) '90s architecture in general, it's fantastic. It seems like just yesterday that this was the contemporary style. It was still so remarkably clean and original and was really rather subdued and sleek compared to the full-blown postmodernism movement of the time. It's really more like mid-'90s than early-'90s in that regard. I can think of a few other '91-'93 malls that look horribly dated now, this one not so much. The colors aren't insulting either. It aged well but it's crazy to think of everything that went into it and how new and modern it was -- all for it to last about 10 years as a success. 10 years. It likely took longer than that to plan, design and build it.
What a waste. Like Bellevue Center levels of waste.
Kristin, I wonder how many malls that were built pre-1980 are still open.
Seems like most of the malls you've done videos on, were built 1985 to 1991.
Have you ever been to Richland Mall in Ontario, Ohio???
It's been dying a long death since the mid 80's but once was a regal place.
It was supposed to open in 1965 but didn't open until 1968, although the separate theater with 2 screens did open in 1965. The hospital has been taking over the mall & I've heard they've bought the entire property.
There's much info & pictures online, or at least there once was.
It could be an interesting adventure before it's gone. A story of the Park Avenue Mall would be good too, although it would need to be told only thru pictures, sadly.
I REALLY liked PAM when I was little, they had a karate shop which sold pet monkeys 😮 and I remember when it was an open air mall.
I'd be happy to help, if possible.
That part of Ohio is probably due for a look; other than a couple around Akron I haven't done any up that way.
@@UniCommProductions TYVM for your reply !!! There's not much left here in North Central Ohio. The malls in Marion & Tiffin are all BUT closed & the mall in Findlay is still open with lots of people but I doubt it'll make it until the end of the decade. The mall in Bowling Green could possibly be of interest but it would be a short video. Haven't been to BG in 10-15 years & really the only reason to go to BG, shopping wise, is Finders Records, The Corner Grill & Easy Street Cafe. Thanks again & CONGRATULATIONS on your wedding !!!
Was there anything open on this last day? I have to wonder how Kohan makes any money on these malls? Are they just a tax write off?
There were a total of 3 businesses open to the public inside the mall: a barber shop, a beauty salon, and the Bourbon chicken place. American Family Fitness was also open, but it doesn't have an entrance into the mall and I believe is staying open.
I hate what these companies do to these malls. These four companies( will not name ) will buy malls and let them run down and then close them.
Sad
I love your content, but I'd be lying if I did admit these particular kind of dead mall videos didn't make me a little sad...
These kind are always a bit sad for me too. I think I need to find a quirky mall that’s staying open as a palate cleanser between all the doom and gloom.
@@UniCommProductions I can make several recommendations...
Do tell!
@@UniCommProductions Or, or if you need a $25,000 tennis bracelet, there's the Galleria of Edina.