A Visit to Asheville Mall

Рет қаралды 12,419

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 60

@viceroyofcosmos 2 жыл бұрын

Visited this mall with a friend in the mid-2000's. Struck me as rather run down at the time, it was also kind of boxy and uninteresting. The store lineup seemed lackluster, (a dollar store was one of the tenants) so I was surprised to see the mall doing this well in 2022. I think this might be one of the few instances where a modern remodel provided a real boost to the property's fortunes.

@eth39232 2 жыл бұрын

We moved to Asheville in 1972 about when I turned 8 and left in 1981 when I was 17. When we moved to Asheville, only a freestanding new Sears store was open. Construction on the mall started soon after, and small sections of the mall gradually opened in 1973. I remember the Thanksgiving Day 1973 issue of Citizen-Times had two special sections on the grand opening of the mall. It had about 60 stores at the time. Around 1975, a twin circular movie theater opened in the back parking lot, and we often saw Disney movies there. Dunham's Music Store had a big two story store outside Belk. We bought a piano there, and I briefly had piano lessons on the second story of the store. But Dunham's left the mall around 1979 to reduce costs and relocated to a shopping center with an Ingle's on East Tunnel Road. There was also a two story S & W cafeteria outside Ivey's where the Verizon store is. After we left in 1981, I did not see the mall again until late 1999, which was the first time I saw the expansion and the Penney's. Penney's was in downtown Asheville when we lived there, but I don't recall ever going to it. I do remember reading newspaper articles about the proposed Biltmore Square Mall and also a proposed downtown mall around 1978, but neither opened before we moved. My understanding is that malls located in wealthy areas with much tourism still do well, so I think Asheville Mall will be OK for at least a few years. I traveled to Asheville in 2017 and walked around the mall, which is the last time I saw it.

@colleenearnest5973 2 жыл бұрын

I enjoy your videos keep up the good work

@Branson720 2 жыл бұрын

Dang, it’s changed a lot since I last visited. Excellent video!

@MH-br3th 2 жыл бұрын

This place used to have one of the best steakhouses called Annabelles. It was kind of hidden in a corner but it was a great place to eat. This was back when you could get decent food in a mall.

@jazzbutters 2 жыл бұрын

I live around here now and I recently visited this mall, it's a pain to find honestly lol, and it was so boring I had been following you recently. I told my boyfriend Doomie should come here and I can't beleive you did! The amount of empty store front is crazy. I haven't finished watching the video but there is another mall in this town as well. Ps the food court only has 4 food options 1 being a Sbarro which was closed when I visited due to staff. But the amount of foot traffic would have your prediction seem true Doomie. This mall is still pretty busy

@ladonnahenry6748 5 ай бұрын

Loved Asheville Mall! Worked for Lerner New York in the 80's. Now live in GA but miss Asheville and the mountains very much.

@jeee1074 2 жыл бұрын

The floor plan of this mall makes it seem much larger than it really is. I have been about 30 minutes away from here, but I didn't have enough time to travel there and back to Greenville SC that day. I really like the layout of this mall. The mall reminds me a bit of Alexandria Mall in Alexandria Louisiana with all of the turns and dimly lit corridors. That mall also give the appearance that it is much larger than it is. Thanks for sharing this place Doomie!

@bjv93 2 жыл бұрын

I really like the look of this mall. For a modern design, it's got some pleasing aesthetics.

@Sampler19 2 жыл бұрын

Just what i need right now!

@leisapertesis4206 Жыл бұрын

I love the Asheville Mall. My Nana work there at Iveys when the downtown store closed.... loved the downtown store better tho, lol! Loved going to Dunhams Music house, got my clarinet and sax there from Mr. Proffitt! Wonderful man and Famiy friend!

@vistatiger7493 2 жыл бұрын

If I remember correctly there was a bookstore back in the day on the mezzanine level where Verizon is now. Bon Marche (pronounced Bon "Mar-shay" not "marsh") was a local department store that had a second location at the Westgate Shopping Center across town. Meyers-Arnold was a Greenville SC based department store chain.

@danielbelisle2817 2 жыл бұрын

yup! B Dalton was the name of the Bookstore. I believe Barnes and Noble bought that bookstore right before moving into the mall. Cannot forget Annabelles restaurant where Barnes and Noble is at (Mall Entrance between Belk and Hallmark)

@brettany_renee_blatchley Жыл бұрын

Yes, I really liked that bookstore!

@cecuniversity 2 жыл бұрын

This mall has such a unique mix of aesthetic. Great remodel from the Kmart-carpet.

@Ubexurbanexporers Жыл бұрын

I live about 15 minutes from this mall so Quick update it’s more run down now it’s struggling to keep tenants and coustomers and I believe either bellks or jc penny while leav soon. It’s also struggling to keep reaustraunts in the food court as Chick-fil-A and many others have left. I grew up going to this mall so even though I would really like to say it has many Years left I can’t say that with confidence. And also factoring in that im pretty sure the condo plan fell through I may be wrong but I think this mall has 5 years left at the very best.😢

@nancydarling4918 2 жыл бұрын

Good video and commentary. Mall seemed dreary but interesting and unique. The mall seemed huge. Thanks for filming.

@caden_1916 2 жыл бұрын

This mall can be very busy some days and really quiet. Can you do the blue ridge mall in Hendersonville.

@SynchroSk8 2 жыл бұрын

What a strange looking mall, layout wise. Thank you for capturing it.

@CoolCatProductions-365 2 жыл бұрын

A quite pleasant modern mall with some vintage taste. I would say that this mall has a hopeful future if that apartment building works out. Even though it is kind of a odd concept. That would give the mall plenty of more shoppers.

@iworkout6912 2 жыл бұрын

I expect other mall owners are watching this and wondering if it would work in their area. I like the concept and when the apartments are built a smaller area near where people are living could feature a few small shops selling local food, restaurants, more along the European style shopping area. Now if only the USA economy cooperates, and we stay somewhat out of a deep recession.

@Team7channel 2 жыл бұрын

This mall hasn’t changed since Ive been there in early 2021. Great vid

@Mapmaker1559 2 жыл бұрын

An interesting mall for sure. The janky corridors definitely give the mall an unusual feel. I'm honestly quite surprised a second floor was never constructed, given how many stores are either multi-level or have their own partial second floor serving just them.

@danielbelisle2817 2 жыл бұрын

i remembered there used to be an elevator between the old starbucks (at the time it was a Barnies Tea and Coffee) and where that Jewelry store was further down the hall toward Bath and Body Works. There was also a First Union Bank on the top floor between Dillards and Auntie Annes with a stairway entrance in that location. Below where Verizon Wireless (Was at the time was a B Dalton), was a home store and a Piccadilly Cafeteria.

@andy1147 2 жыл бұрын

There used to be some stuff on the second floor. There was an escalator that went up to an arcade and t-shirt store, and there was a restaurant called Annabelle's that had an entrance near Belk that went upstairs. This was in the 80's and early 90's, so I wonder what's up there now.

@danielbelisle2817 2 жыл бұрын

@@andy1147 hmmm the only escalator in the mall at the time went up to B Daltons, that i remembered. Missed that Candy shop and KB Toys that used to be there :/

@andy1147 2 жыл бұрын

@@danielbelisle2817 It was right outside the old Pipes Ltd shop, went up to Take 10 (arcade). Probably got taken down when the mall got expanded.

@danielbelisle2817 2 жыл бұрын

@@andy1147thats where it was! Thanks. Couldnt remember which shop had the elevator.

@andyasumtneer1978 2 жыл бұрын

Grew up near Asheville. For the longest time, this mall/Tunnel Road (US 74) was the only significant shopping area, especially in the 1980s. Enter Biltmore Square Mall in the 1990s (south side of Asheville). It reaked of a wannabe Florida mall and as Dommine pointed out, is now an outlet center. This mall is a mismatch of updated floors and a mix of ceilings. It does look so much better than the dark accent/brick/carpet tones of yesteryear. However, the real threat to this mall is Downtown Asheville. Over the past ~20 years, there has been somewhat of a cultural renaissance (among other movements) where "shopping local" has become a very big detractor from places live Asheville Mall.

@vistatiger7493 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. It was odd that Biltmore Square didn't do more of a mountain lodge look but it was very trendy in early 90's for malls to do a southwestern or a Florida w tile floors and Palm trees look. That decor was popular in home decor too.

@judithmohr5265 2 жыл бұрын

Good video. It does seem odd for an anchor to be demolished for apartments, but that is happening to the demolished Sears at my local mall. Spotsylvania Towne Center, near Fredericksburg Virginia. It's still weird to see signs saying "luxury apartments coming soon" where there once was a dreary, dead Sears.

@timothywalker4563 10 ай бұрын

The mall did have a refit let’s see in a year if that works work worked🤓

@KJSvitko 2 жыл бұрын

Residential, commercial, grocery stores, restaurants, parks and open space all need to blend together and be within walking distance of each other if you want to have a livable, vibrant area. Without street traffic most businesses and communities can not survive.

@Prof_Jeff 2 жыл бұрын

It is interesting that Montgomery Ward didn't enter this mall until 1994. Most mall-based MW, in my experiences, were original anchors from the '70s (when most of those malls opened). You mentioned that through two expansions, Belk was ultimately surrounded by the mall on three sides; I wondered if that meant that one had to either go outside the mall or pass through Belk to get from one end to the other. I found a map of the mall, and at least one can get traverse the mall without doing either. One of the strangest things I ever saw was at the Fayette Mall in Lexington, KY: to get from one end of the mall to the other, one HAD to either walk through Sears or go outside; at one point, Sears probably was the "end of the line".

@21stCenturySpaceOdyssey Жыл бұрын

*"Overall, it seems like Asheville Mall is doing quite well"* Honestly, it still seems way to empty, even on a day what could be considered a slow day for the mall. Sadly, one can kinda sense it's days are numbered.

@zeebakagee 2 жыл бұрын

Fun fact: I vaguely remember as a kid that kind of cramped corridor was intentionally narrow and dark because its where most of the restaurants were at the time, and there were neon designs including a giant neon guitar along the ceiling. It was pretty wild. This was back in around the late 90s

@ms.zelman3032 2 жыл бұрын

Sounds really cool. I love everything neon when it comes to malls. Also anything with pastel colours. I would put those two in my top three favourite types of colours when it comes to malls.

@brettany_renee_blatchley Жыл бұрын

Wow, this is a shell of what it was only six years ago. I have a lot good memories of this place. Lost many pounds walking around it for a few years. 😔

@nevadasestamibi Жыл бұрын

Looks more lively than our dying mall in this part of Florida. Nothing to buy there--the only reason we go is to walk when it's too hot outside to go to the beach.

@jimdavis5849 2 жыл бұрын

The malls could make a group effort to promote themselves as places to spend time, especially for families and groups of friends. When I was kid in the 70s and early 80s the arcades, food court, and record stores were really something to look forward to. The arcades and record stores might never be as big a deal in the future, - but if they could come up with some replacements that aren't just a drain on your wallet.

@Person930 2 жыл бұрын

Crazy! Chick fila on Sunday? The company didn't even serve patrons at the recent Superbowl at Sofi stadium.

@GaryBoyd02 2 жыл бұрын

They need a Grocery Anchor to attract food shoppers as well. Good idea for the old Sears place.

@blairb1869 2 жыл бұрын

The Woolworth's that you mentioned was a very large store, especially in a mall, and in that time period. It was almost as large as BonMarche.

@eth39232 2 жыл бұрын

I remember going into Woolworth's when I was 9 in 1973 and being tempted to swipe some Wacky Packages (stickers).

@Mr.TylerSC 2 жыл бұрын

Decent basic functional mall for the region. Nice Belk. But a bit disappointing they have never added a Macy's. As you must drive down the mountain to Haywood Mall in Greenville, SC which was the former Rich's or all the way to Charlotte where Macys acquired Hecht's.

@AJ-bp9th 2 жыл бұрын

Ahhhhh yes, one of the few GNCs still in existence in the mall?! ☠️

@FESPerson2974 9 ай бұрын

I went to this mall I did remembered this part of the food Court Sign on ones of those pillers were the food court But unfortunately They I think they been taken down during the renovation

@pheerbeard 2 жыл бұрын

The layout and construction of the mall reminds me of an airport terminal. Kind of bland and characterless but still bustling. By today's standards for a mall, that's not a bad thing at all.