A Leisurely Drive around a Deserted Mall - Mall of Louisiana - Baton Rouge

[@Diecast_and_Cars_RRR]

I was just there on February 15th! That was of course when it was still running. Nice drive!

[@midnightmystery544]

I ho up there and drive around quite often... It's a nice mall... I had no idea it was so new!

[@504RoadTrips]

Midnight Mystery I think it was the final nail in the coffin for Bon Marche and probably what did Cortana in also.

[@midnightmystery544]

@@504RoadTrips Yeah. Cortana area as well as Bon Marche are on Florida Blvd. and Goodwood Blvd. Pretty far into the inner city... Look at what happened to Lake Forest Plaza. I don't think malls in less desirable areas do that well. Surprised Esplenade has so little activity, but otherwise, it seems out malls down here do pretty well. Kind of like NO East... Cortana flodded for the August 2016 floods, I believe... It's sad, really...

[@504RoadTrips]

Midnight Mystery Esplanade was the big new mall, back in the mid-80s. Opened shortly after they’d just put a roof over Lakeside, which was previously not enclosed. What killed Esplanade was probably its location on the very edge of the metro area. The Esplanade will draw people from Kenner and maybe the western edge of Metairie. Otherwise, people can’t be bothered to drive all the way out there because Lakeside is on the way. Same thing happened with Belle Promenade. It was just too deep into the Westbank and only catered to people in Marrero and Westwego. People in the area east of the Harvey Canal, where all of the money was at the time, didn’t cross the Harvey Canal unless they had to. I remember making that trek to Belle Promenade a few times on the weekends, once I was old enough to drive, and it still seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Oakwood was closer for almost everyone.

[@midnightmystery544]

@@504RoadTripsYep... It's a shame because Esplenade has an excellent layout in a very good neighborhood. Belle Promenade had a sad ending too. I think the area for best growth potential is the metro Morerro area... If only crime would go down there. I think Esplenade does have relevance or will one day... It's in a good area and there is still tons of space to develop in North Kenner. I don't mind a drive honestly... I guess a lot of people are different. I had a teacher at Riverdale years ago who said it was "way too far" for her to go to Lakeside Mall because she lived uptown, yet worked in Jefferson. That's maybe a 15 minute drive. Pretty interesting to hear her take on that. Really? Are people that not willing to drive a few minutes? It's just funny because I drive around the city just to drive and enjoy the ride. Since I've lived in Mississippi, I've come to appreciate Louisiana a lot better. There are tons of places to go and nothing is more than an hour away. I have a theory... It's pretty funny... But miles in Louisiana are (seem) longer than what they really are because of the population density. For instance, when I lived in Gulfport, it was 6 miles from Dedeaux Rd (where I worked) to Highway 90. Not very far in terms of distance. However, in Metairie, 6 miles would get you from the airport to Lakeside Mall or "way the heck on the other side of town" as the locals say... It's weird how population density does that.

[@dreamdisturber]

Wow. I didn’t know that bit of trivia about the carousel. Learn something new everyday.

[@504RoadTrips]

Darren Hubbard I’ll have to make an effort to get up there and get video of the inside of the mall. I’ve been to The Boulevard to go to the Apple store a few times and eaten at the Red Robin outside of the mall, but I’ve only been in the big building once and I was only vaguely aware of the carousel.

[@dreamdisturber]

504RoadTrips My niece used to ride it every time back in the day. It’s in the food court on the second floor.

[@mikioni]

Excellent video

[@601TRAVELS]

Great vid. I was thinking about going through the mall in Gulfport and Hattiesburg and now that I've seen this, I think I will copy you and do it haha.. Seriously though, great documentation.

[@redstickham6394]

Odd seeing it this way. At Christmas getting in or out takes forever!

[@saab23]

Whoa! I am thoroughly impressed by this massive behemoth of a mall, and for as long as I've lived in Louisiana I've never been to that mall. It certainly puts New Orleans area malls to shame. Now pause! That's the only credit I'll give Baton Rouge for now lol! I can't wait for this 💩 to pass I got some shopping to do.😂😂😂

[@dreamdisturber]

saab23 The mall I went to in New Orleans has more big name stores than Mall Of Louisiana. This one does look bigger though.

[@saab23]

@@dreamdisturber Oh, I see so looks are deceiving I see.😂😂😂

[@504RoadTrips]

Darren Hubbard what mall was that? Lakeside? (There really aren’t any others.) Lakeside is about half the size of Mall of Louisiana and only has 3 anchors. It’s a linear mall, so it’s probably a longer walk from one end to the other but it’s not very wide. It is the last mall in the New Orleans metro that’s worth going to.

[@dreamdisturber]

504RoadTrips Must be the one I’m thinking of. I had to make a special trip to the Disney Store last December because we don’t have one in BR.

[@saab23]

@@504RoadTrips I have to agree with cha homeboy lakeside is the only major mall in the area that is worth going to and I certainly hope that they continue to invest in the mall. And by the way, it's such a shame that the esplanade has fallen to the wayside it used to be the place to be back in the day. I wish we could just get the best and brightest minds in the area to come up with a plan to redevelop esplanade but I guess that's just wishful thinking on my part.

[@CamGlamorous]

out of living my whole life going to this mall i’ve never seen it so empty

[@pyrabrown1246]

I been over there!

[@jimmybee7966]

Done any evening or night driving lately? Here in Memphis, the freeways are (sometimes) almost deserted at night, which is eerie.

[@504RoadTrips]

Jimmy Bee I really haven’t gone anywhere after dark in the last month.

[@RichardFelstead1949]

Great video as always Jason. Starring a cast of...............................................................................no one.

[@504RoadTrips]

Richard Felstead: Creating tomorrow's history. Hopefully this one won’t be too badly damaged by the upcoming recession. This was one of the last truly nice malls in southeastern Louisiana.

[@jimmybee7966]

The music fit, big time...

[@walkietalkienoah]

I’m just crushed, I love that mall.

[@504RoadTrips]

I’m sure that one will come back. No competition. Just have to wait for everything to reopen.

[@GrantGamingYT]

This mall is still operating just fine. Yes, corona might've taken a hit on the mall, but as of 11/10/2020, the mall is far from closing.

[@chavan30]

Gosh, that’s my favorite mall. Sad.

[@dreamdisturber]

chavan30 it’s my go to mall!

[@randomgamevideos4455]

I not a person for malls but it is immense and expensive

[@TransCanadaPhil]

I haven't been in a mall all year. :-O

[@504RoadTrips]

I've been in our local mall several times to make deliveries. They reopened in June I think. Can't remember the last time I actually bought anything at the mall...except for cookies. I always have to hit the Great American Cookie Company when I go to the mall.

[@chavan30]

Main Event recently opened. Hate to know how much $$$$ they are losing

[@504RoadTrips]

I had only seen that once, about a month ago. I have a background in bowling, and I’d really like to see how they have the place set up.

[@JohnnieV]

U been getting around lately.

[@504RoadTrips]

See John Vlog had to make a trip up there, and had a couple of hours to kill. Other than that, we haven’t been anywhere in a couple of months.

[@henselmolina3977]

What a dead mall.

[@ddnaomi]

After this mess is over I think many Mall's will look the same

[@randomgamevideos4455]

It makes me not wanna visit even more

[@randomgamevideos4455]

I like commenting on this channel

[@MacGuffinExMachina]

Abandoned? Being empty at the start of the pandemic isn't exactly the same as abandoned.

[@GiveHerFlowers]

Exactly. This was during COVID and everyone was quarantined. I lived within walking distance during this filming. It wasn’t abandoned.

[@TABTheAdventureBound]

MORE ABANDONED STUFF!

[@donaldstrain1367]

Mall of America in Bloomington Minnesota has a theme park in doors and it's has four floors and Mall of America is sizes of a football field I know because I live in st.paul Minnesota I been at the mall of America two times.