Concord Mall (2021 Update!)(DE) - Raw & Real Retail
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ธ.ค. 2024
- This is our walkthrough of the Concord Mall in Wilmington, DE from March 9, 2021. This is a mall we have covered a couple times already, and will continue to do such because of its awful new owners, Namdar Realty Group. Despite the terrible reputation this realty company has, the Concord Mall seems to be doing at least as good or maybe a little bit better than just before the health crisis 14 months ago (during our last tour). We totally thought things were going to be far worse, but are happy to report things seem to be doing pretty okay at Concord Mall. Not woo-hoo awesome, but no one is doing awesome in retail this year. Enjoy one more installation of this cool aesthetic 90s mall.
Songs used in this video (in order):
William B. Tanner - Phazed Rock Theme
John Fiddy - Taste For Living
Geoff Bastow - Tomorrow's Fashions
David Marriott, Jr. - On the Seventh Day
Steve Gray - Wonder Groove
Steve Gray - Reach Out
Here are some links for further reading:
skycity2.blogsp...
en.wikipedia.o...)
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I'd like to say a few words about being an ambassador to your local malls. We have been taking the time to visit all the malls within a reasonable driving distance to check up on them and see how they are doing. Also filming an updated video every year or so, regardless of the lack of many changes, just so there is a video record of the health over time. We think this is an important thing to keep tabs on, especially in these wildly turbulent times. The current health emergency has accelerated the impending Retail Apocalypse we've all been talking about these last several years. This was already a big problem, but the shutdowns and restrictions have made the issue 5x worse and likely hastened the death of the enclosed shopping mall.
I know we've all been on pins and needles wondering how bad the fallout is going to be from all of this.
There really is no way to know exactly unless we ALL go and do our small part to make it known how it turns out. I implore you, if you have the means to pick an area you would like to be an ambassador for, and go document your local malls. Whatever your medium, it doesn't matter, any and all documentation is necessary and vital in this day and age. Whether it be on Social Media, Flickr, TH-cam, any platform gets it out there and preserves it for posterity. We can't paint this picture unless we all grab a brush...
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/ rawandrealretail
ITM
This mall has been going under for a long time and it makes me sad. Stores have been leaving it since early 2000s and moving into low quality shopping centers. The Macy's is still fairly good, better H&M than the one at Christiana imo but it has always been bad. It never had any place to just get a coffee, never had a real food court, its almost like it was made to fail. It does make me sad though, all the malls I grew up are dying.. this was the mall everyone went to before Christiana opened, then I moved to Exton and well you've see what has happened with that mall and now I'm living in Dover where at least the Dover Mall has a bit of life even though the anchor stores aren't great. My mother cried after I brought her to the concord mall during xmas time and it sucks.
I don't feel like I can ever move on from Concord Mall, I still call Macy's strawbridge's.
They did have the Coffee Beanery which had great coffee. Shame it’s gone.
@@Windsweptzariel There still is a Coffee Beanery at BERKSHIRE MALL in Wyomissing, PA (near Reading) Also there's a Coffee Beanery NOT in a mall (just a freestanding building in a strip center parking lot) in Ocean City, Maryland which has a drive-thru window!
@@trentpettit6336 Thanks for letting me know. If I am in either areas I will check it out.
I do believe that this particular former Strawbridge is one of two still in operation. I think unless I’m mistaken only Exton Square is still there. Any other former Strawbridge‘s have either been demolished/redeveloped or still sit vacant.
@@noahvoris3637 Yep. I mean, unless you count Strawbridge's that were former Wannamaker's. But original Strawbridge's currently in operation are Concord Mall and Exton Square Mall. Additonally, there's the Philadelphia Fashion District former Strawbridge's, but the interior is nothing similar.
A nice pleasant mall with its decor and fountains. Seems very cozy, I’d like to spend the day there sometime
I went here a couple of times in late August 1997 when I was visiting the US for the first time from Britain. I recall being excited to be experiencing a proper American 'mall', not a 'shopping centre', and I was especially excited to enter Sears - an American institution. I bought a black and white shirt for nights out from another shop and I remember a souvenir gift I got from a small goth-style shop. Days later, I met my to-be girlfriend, who lived in West Pittsburg/Bay Point, and we ended up going to Paris together.
Wow, this was nice to see. I have not been to this mall for almost 17 years. I love the fountain/waterfall feature, all the plants, and the old Strawbridge & Clothier seal outside of Macy's. Even Macy's there looks pretty good (and much better than the run-down Macy's at Exton Square Mall in Chester County, PA!!). Thanks for another great video.
Yep! This is actually my favorite Macy's store, much cleaner than Christiana. Home department here is a bit meh, but it's a stunning store.
I'm counting 47 businesses listed on the website. The mall is on the "dying" side but the massive hemoraging has slowed down, at least for now. One shocking development was that Namdar actually worked with Cafe Riviera to keep them open.
I go here all the time. Love this mall and hope it hangs on. The fountain/clock in the middle is gorgeous!
Fun fact: Cafe Riviera has been there since like the late 70's.
They opened in '81, so you're close.
Love "Cool Topic"
Its interesting to see a mall that doesnt have a food court! I love seeing sporadic restaurants on the main concourse.
Visited on October 31st:
Good news. Looking much better than it did in this video. Not only are there quite a few new stores, it was very lively. Yes, there was a Halloween event going on, but apart from that there were lots of general customers. There was also space for 2 new stores that were coming. Hoping for a better future for this mall, a multitude of rough patches, but progress.
Also, it’s somewhat humorous this mall has more seated-service restaurants than Christiana Mall.
The quality of this is amazing! Nice job!
Thanks a lot!
Concord Mall is located along US 202 (Concord Pike) immediately south of the Dealware/Pennsylvania state line. The mall is approximately 8 miles north of the center of Wilmington and 9 miles south of West Chester. It is interesting that there is not a food court as there is at so many other malls. This mall is located in a major center of population. With the exception of a few older low income neighborhoods, most of the area in proximity to Concord Mall is either middle class or upper middle class. There is a good bit of disposable income in the surrounding area. This mall has always had major stores. Delaware does not have a state sales tax which is attractive to shoppers from Pennsylvania (and New Jersey). This mall should be doing better than it is. It could be doing worse but it could be doing much better.
There is somewhat of a food court area-ish near Boscov's. No worry, because the restaurant at the other end of the mall, Cafe Riviera is all I need at Concord Mall. Best pizza shop I know of!
They’re opening a coffee shop in here. I can’t wait. Plus they opened this amazing Malaysian restaurant. The mall may not have a lot of tenants, but it’s great.
I agree fully! Concord Mall is one of my favorites.
Quite an aesthetically pleasing mall to be honest!
I opened a Sports Memorabilia store in Concord Mall in January 2021.
We're kicking ass and busy. A total of (5) new stores have signed leases. So, lighten up a bit on the negativity.
It's one of our favorite malls we're not negative just realistic.
Concord Mall Update:
Hi there, Wilmington local here. I went up here yesterday and its actually better than this (surprising ik) they added a new malaysian restaurant, some snack place, and 2 other stores I've never seen before. Additionally, I could see at least 2 different spots that had stuff coming soon, one was a BBQ place and I'm not sure which the other one was.
That's excellent news! We're totally rooting for this mall's success.
For everyone surprised this mall doesn't have a FOOD COURT, there's a good reason for that… malls didn't have food courts until the 80's. This mall opened in 1971 so it dates to a time before mall food courts had been invented!
Well, 1974 was the first food court with the Paramus Park Mall, and Oxford Valley Mall is from 73 and had a food court added in the 90s but it's a good point.
I swear though that for YEARS, this mall had the only Popeye’s for miles around in DE or anywhere near Chester Co., PA. Must have been kind of a single restaurant in the row of stores.
@@joshstabler3438 Are you familiar at all with the CHESAPEAKE HOUSE service plaza next to 95 in Maryland, near Elkton? There was a Popeyes inside it in the 90's... since Elkton is near the Delaware line (specifically near Newark) perhaps the Popeyes there was the closest Popeyes to parts of Chester County such as Oxford?
What happened to that round fountain with the splash coming from the top by Sears is that planter with a statue of a person sitting down on a bench where it used to be? But why did they get rid of it is it cause the malls water bill is too high?
Yes, that was where it was. The new owners, Namdar Realty Group, are well known for removing anything that costs extra money at a mall they purchase. This is why they filled in the fountain by Sears and turned off the fountain by Boscov's.
That was a beautiful fountain too it's a shame they got rid of it and turned the 1 by Boscovs off I wanted to go there to see that fountain by Sears now that defeats the purpose of me even going there now since its gone?
Hey apparently they found a vintage Burger King that was hidden behind a wall here just this year. Did you hear about this?
I did hear about this! That's pretty awesome I must say!
its behind that green wall at 6:21 on the right side
Great video as always.
7:43 I've actually been to that FYE twice. One time for a Pearl Jam vinyl and the other to just check the vinyl records.
This mall will always be the best mall in Delaware and by my standards the whole world. The people here are the sweetest, kindest, most loving people out of every mall I've ever been to. Yes, Namdar Realty Group is terrible. But the people who run the social media page, to the guy who cleaned the food court when I was there last Sunday. I've heard 'If there's a lot of small businesses the mall is almost dead.' Are people forgetting something? Concord Mall has ALWAYS had small businesses. Small businesses are the heart and soul of this mall
I'm scratching my head at all the comments about a dead mall. We love this place and do these videos for the love of the property. I don't think Concord Mall is dead, it's one of our favorites too. We often go here just to have a stroll around, get some fudge from Boscov's, and grab a pie from Cafe Riviera.
We love Concord Mall, but just know what a death sentence certain real estate companies will ultimately deliver.
I can not believe how dead the mall looks, I used to work up there in the late 80's up until the early 2000's!
They died because people go to Christiana instead.
Well...shit. I'm sad about this.
This was another mall I grew up going to as a kid in the 80s-90s. Sorry to see it turn into a dead mall basically, because that's where it's going it seems.
Are the store closings due to Covid19 (not Sears and Payless but the others)?
I don't think so. I think people would rather travel a few more minutes to go to Christiana Mall.
time to let it go....only Boscov's and Chick fil A draw traffic to the mall. I was there about 2-3 months ago and based on this video even more stores have closed. I would bet that Macy's will be the next big departure unless the PA residents keep going there to shop tax free.
To be fair, Namdar still isn't at bad as Kohan imo. I'm convinced that those guys go out of their way to kill all their malls.
You're right, Namdar seem to actually try, as evidenced with this mall specifically. Cafe Riviera serves the best pizza I know of (I would know, being from Philadelphia and spending a lot of time in south Jersey) and Namdar actually worked with them to arrange a rent situation that would allow them to stay in business at the mall. I think Kohan tries to play games with tax loopholes to make money. I can't see how else it would work, he's constantly getting sued for back taxes and utility non-payment.
Wow, that's sad. ☹
Hey y'all my cousin just open her own womens apparel store up in here Queeny's ayeee we just had our grand opening yesterday and we're so excited to be here!! Check out some of our sister stores up in this mall we love the people at Jacqueline's super cute clothes too and just opened a month ago purrrr so come on down we ain't dead we thriving