A Visit to Frontier Mall (Cheyenne, Wyoming) : Is it a Dead Mall?

[@jaytitus902]

It is still in good repair and clean. I worked the construction crew that built it and helped get Sears ready for business. It is a good place to exercise on crappy weather days.

[@ERA_Productions]

Great Video man! Frontier mall is definitely one that I don’t think is going to be going anywhere anytime soon. Which is a good thing! It gives the city of Cheyenne a great place for people to hang out when it’s cold outside, and shop!

[@DeadMallWalking]

Agreed! And, from what I read, it definitely gets cold there 🥶

[@krylonflatwhite]

I can assure you that it's never busy at the mall along with most of Cheyenne. I have been here a bunch of times and it's always empty. For being a state capital, this place is a ghost town most of the time with the exception of Frontier Days. It's great that you made a video here. Thanks for visiting!

[@WYO_Dirtbag]

I perfer the ghost town.

[@Kronicdice23]

So back in 86 through 90 my mom worked at the Frontier mall. We lived in Greeley down in Colorado and she would drive there and back often. I would cruise up with her whenever I could to meet chicks and just mob in the mall. Bon Jovi living on a prayer came out at that time … good times

[@angelogarcia2189]

It reminds me of the Foothills Fashion Mall in Fort Collins.

[@Kaoelia]

I used to work in Frontier Mall. First, I worked retail for Roley's Hallmark store. At the same time, I also worked directly for the mall at their customer service booth renting wheelchairs and strollers, answering questions about stores, giving directions, etc. And then I was moved from customer service to receptionist for the mall's office so I had to stop working in the card shop.That feels like forever ago. I still live in Cheyenne, but embarrassing to say, I haven't been inside the mall in a long time. Thank you for the walkthrough.

[@werewolf7897]

I was just in there today and it was jam packed with people do to the holidays

[@susansackrison3139]

We had Dillard & Dillard for a time when Twin Peaks Mall still excited in Longmont Colorado. It’s been gone for years now. Opened in 1984 I worked at SoFro Fabrics that year.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Love seeing these malls in low population areas! We don’t have many KZbinrs in these areas to document these places. The locals are very lucky to have this place and hopefully it continues on! 🎉

[@mattz4229]

It usually is a little busier earlier, but was never very busy. Some of the locations took up primarily or exclusively outside access helping it feel more empty.

[@obsoletevalues6209]

My wife and I are "mall walkers" (for the indoor exercise). In the past few years it has not been unusal for over 20 of the 66 indoor stores to be vacant. One of the problems is mall management (CBL Properties in Chattanooga TN). When the lease of Chick-Fil-A expired, one of the employees told us the mall raised their lease amount by 30%. I have not been able to confirm that, but lease costs could definitely be why the vacancy rate is as high as it is.

[@jeffs9850]

I’ve lived in Cheyenne since 2003 & remember my kids playing on the playground many times when they were little. As with many malls, it hadn’t been the same since Covid. I hope can revive & thrive. The 2 Dillards wasn’t weird. This is a one level mall. In larger malls, Dillards is a two story building. One was mostly women’s & kids items. The other was men’s, bedding, luggage, etc.

[@WYO_Dirtbag]

The mall in Albuquerque at least used to have two Dillards, not sure these days. One was all mens clothes, and the other for women.

[@GrizzledSurvivor]

If only you had seen it 20 years ago…..used to be THE spot for teens in Cheyenne

[@WYO_Dirtbag]

I can believe it, where else would teens go? Hang out on top of the water tank and drink?

[@nicholasharvey1232]

So many malls have died around here in Mississippi and Louisiana in the 2010s and 2020s, it's surprising that this one is hanging on in 2024, of course in a place like Wyoming there isn't much competition when you're the only game in a 100-mile radius. Also this place is definitely catering to local tastes with western and ranch themed shops. Have there ever been any malls in the Cowboy State besides ones in Cheyenne, Casper, and Rock Springs? One would think that Evanston, Sheridan, Laramie, or even Jackson or Cody would be big enough to support a mall, at least back when American malls were at their peak in the 80s/90s. In Mississippi, the majority of towns over 10k have or have had a mall: McComb, Natchez, Laurel, Oxford, Meridian, Greenville, Columbus, and Tupelo all have or did have a mall and are all smaller cities than Cheyenne or Casper. We're not exactly a densely populated state ourselves, but we're no Wyoming. (I guess you COULD say we're the Wyoming of the Deep South...) So it stands to reason that many of Wyoming's larger towns could have had a mall, have been considered for a mall (but it wasn't built), or have (or used to have) retail chains more typically found in malls.

[@momoyome]

I live in Cheyenne and this mall for this time is unusually slow because of the game. I grew up in Los Angeles and watched every mall die. Frontier mall is busier than the malls I haunted in the Valley growing up in the early 00s. Even on a Monday night now it’s crawling with high schoolers eating at 5 Guys and then heading to get Crumbl cookies.

[@chestyvulva]

Go to the Mesa Mall in Grand Junction, Colorado, if you want to experience the 90s. That mall is still alive and well.

[@DeadMallWalking]

Interestingly enough, I hit up Mesa Mall on this same trip! Was too busy to film, but I did enjoy an evening wander around it 🙂

[@joyinthenw2652]

Soooo sad that Jax is leaving. Cutest little coffeeshop in the middle of Jax. Bomgaars is moving in instead. Camp Kitchen in the mall has great food including homemade cabbage burgers (Runzas).

[@baylieevans]

I've lived in Cheyenne for 14 years. My 10-year-old, 13-year-old and I enjoy our mall frequently, especially on the many cold and windy Wyoming days. It's... fine. Much like most of Wyoming, if you're expecting glitz and glam, you'll be disappointed. If you're expecting quiet and practical, you'll love it here.

[@wingedtrish]

I grew up in this mall! Spent many a weekend afternoon there. It used to have a Chick Fil A, and I think since they got their stand alone location, the mall has been much less busy.

[@zgsrandomnesshub7561]

An actual shame about that food court, because just 10 years ago, it felt like an actual food hall instead of a loosely strung together collection. Anyways, great vid about our Frontier Mall, and while I'm not in the "tear it down" pack, I think if they could find a way to mix-use zone it with the Staybridge hotel, and some apartments, and a park, and maybe the Target, then it could thrive better. Also, as a local, yep, Jax is out, Bomgaars (or however you spell it, lol) is in.

[@kevinohare9216]

Boy, the KZbin algorithm must be smart, because I've never heard of this channel, and I happen to live in Cheyenne. I only visit this mall maybe once a year, for Dickey's Barbecue Pit. As a layman, glancing at the list of tenants, Frontier Mall seems to be in decent shape. I'm sorry to see that a pet store is still there in the mall, selling puppies. :( (I volunteer a ton in animal rescue, and can see shelter euthanasia lists daily if I want...)

[@WYO_Dirtbag]

I watched a video from this channel a couple weeks ago that I was recommended, and then got recommended this video, and I happen to also live in Cheyenne. I only go to the mall when my wife wants to get some B&B three wick candles on sale.

[@georgemichael9106]

Don’t remember the year exactly but was lucky enough to attend Frontier Days The Oak Ridge Boys were the headliner they had just come out with their hit Elvira yeah I’d love to visit Wyoming again.

[@richardchargingcloud6590]

remind me of the mall in rapid city sd

[@FerrumAnulum]

Damn... What a coincidence. I literally just got back from Frontier mall from a bit of last minute Xmas shopping. Edit to add JAX will be moving out sometime next year. And a Bomgaars supposedly is already lined up to take it's place.

[@WYO_Dirtbag]

Pretty much every time I'm there (when there's a sale on the 3 wick B&B candles and my wife wants to go), there are more people. Typically 11am - 3pm on weekends. I've actually often been surprised that there was so many people in this mall given it's 2024 in Cheyenne. Still not hordes of people by any means. The thing to remember about Cheyenne is in general the highs are not as high and lows are not as low when it comes to economic trends. Which, can actually be a good thing. Lately there has been a handful of big data centers that have begun construction coupled with more people looking to move to Cheyenne from down South on the CO front range due to cost of living/politics. I'm seeing apartment complex projects suggested/under construction I never thought I would see in this place.

[@FoxtrotDelta-u4s]

As a local - I'd say one thing to take into consideration is that most of the stores in the mall also have a public storefront - So for example, you could walk into JAX from the front as if it were a regular store, but you could also go out the back of that store, into the mall, and into JC penny from there. That kind of thing has kept the mall alive for a while.

[@johnnydfred]

Feels like the 90’s, which in Wyoming - it is.

[@javaguyaz]

Back in the 80s, the Five Guys location was a Wyatt's Cafeteria.

[@spaghettiboi3174]

The love we have for the mall is like the love you have for a bad drawing your child shows you, the kind that you know isnt good in any way but you still smile and congratulate them

[@zekeabercrombie1242]

I haven't been in that mall for at least fifteen years. Went in Five Guys a couple of years ago and left when i saw the prices.

[@avgjoeavglife]

I like this mall, it's smaller and looks dated in a good way.

[@SUCHMISH]

I used to live in Cheyenne when I was younger and I remember the mall being a much busier place than this, back when there was a movie theater and more outlet stores to go to... Though, watching this video, I feel that Eastridge mall has more excitement than this, and even then it isn't as busy as it used to be...

[@CynthiaSusanOrtiz]

Jax sold out to Bomgaars and is closing. Up until Covid, the mall was still doing extremely well with huge crowds every weekend. The movie theater was Carmike till it was bought out by AMC. The theater was a huge draw till Covid and closed down that year. That was pretty much the beginning of the end.

[@joyinthenw2652]

I love the cute coffeeshop in Jax. So sad it might be going away.

[@Viper31300]

I live in Cheyenne. The mall is busy as heck on the weekends.

[@cara3055]

Lived in Cheyenne from 1990 to 2003. The only thing I recognized in the video that was there since the beginning is JCPenney

[@ExquisiteRainImports]

It all went downhill once the arcade Time Out was gone

[@distortions1]

Frontier mall used to be busier before the pandemic. In the video, it looks busier than most times I've been in recent times...

[@pittster57]

You did it. Nice

[@experimentdark4692]

Person from Cheyenne here Yea our mall sucks to be honest it was way better when dillards and Sears was here but because of online shopping our mall is quiet. It was also better when the movie theater was in the mall.

[@RumoredAtmos]

Bro I moved to Casper a few months ago, that mall is dead. The buffet there is good though.

[@andysorensen1737]

Frontier feels like they’re playing the hand they’ve been dealt pretty well considering, and there’s no shame in that.

[@sircampbell1249]

Born in Cheyenne, only time i would go out there was for Radio shack....

[@scottgreer1951]

Like people don't have their own abandoned malls to look at? Ì can check out malls myself and get exercise too.

[@VikingHaakensen]

It is a lot more full on some weekday afternoons.

[@travislong3884]

I’ve been to the five guys there a few times and it’s a little wierd

[@hologramhouse729]

Its undead... a ghostly promenade

[@danielgriffith8911]

All indoor malls will fail due to Amazon, rising business property rental cost, and Amazon. Then there is Amazon and Amazon, besides Amazon. Yep, brick and mortar cannot compete with Amazon.

[@JEEPDadXJ]

Any time I go to this mall, I'm thinking DAWN of the Dead. Thankfully with JAX there, guns and ammo are available.

[@joyinthenw2652]

Sadly, Jax is closing. Bomgaars is moving in.

[@momsnoteatingbugs1919]

Mall management should donate those now showing cases to Wyoming artists to display their work. You know, little known artists and then maybe set up kind of a gallery feel out in that end of the mall: some tables and chairs and maybe some handcarts or food trucks, semi-permanent displays. I don't know, something like that...