A Visit to Newmarket North Mall

Newmarket North Mall. Some may see it as an office block that once had a Sears attached. Others see it as a once-grand shopping mall that met an unfortunate fate. Either way, I see it as a mall that adapted & survived.
Minds - www.minds.com/...
Ko-fi - ko-fi.com/doom...

[@shardaycc553]

I have so many early childhood memories in this mall! Eating at Morrison's which is now Piccadilly, riding the full size carousel, climbing on those weird pyramids out front, and shopping at Sears. The Sears photo department took all of my professional photographs(since birth), up until they closed their photo department. Sears was also the first store I ever got lost in. Scary!🤣😭

[@tangelogee]

I have so many memories of this mall back in the day. We used to drive from Surry over the JRB, and this would be the first big place you came to. I remember for a few years after Leggett (or Miller & Rhodes), that they used it for Halloween trick or treat, and our school choir coming and singing there once or twice. It was a lively place back in the '80s and early '90s.

[@DroDrizzy757]

The biggest thing i remember about it is sliding down the brick pyramid in the front and it had an arcade, back when arcades were popping.

[@kineticdreamer]

Wow. This brings back so many memories. Camelot Music, B Dalton, (Or was it Walden Books, I always get them mixed up), Orange Julius, the movie theater, Spencer Gifts and the arcade... These were my main haunts when I would visit my Grandparents. They lived on the Newmarket South part of town and I rebelliously crossed Mercury Boulevard when I wasn't really old enough to do so. It looks beautifully kept but so sad it isn't what it once was. Thank you for sharing!

[@mst3kanita]

They had both waldenbooks and b.dalton in the 80s. Wild!

[@schuey999]

It used to be such a beautiful place with a lot of character. I went there hundreds of times, especially to Sals Pizza. RIP Newmarket North.

[@jillscott915]

I don't think I've tasted Pizza like Sal's since

[@billconner4920]

This video was flattering, and accurate. A common misconception is that the mall was built in a bad location. It is true that it was built around neighborhoods that were already declining in 1975. However, the growth on the Virginia Peninsula in the 1970s was in Newport News, and this mall was on the Newport News - Hampton border. The city of Newport News blocked retail development until Patrick Henry Mall was developed in 1987. Thus, Newmarket North was as close to the bustling center of Newport News as 1970s zoning ordinances would allow. A generation of Newport News and Hampton families saw this place as the center of the region, and I was part of it.

[@MatthewWest0037]

See, this was the mall for my neighborhood when I still lived in Hampton as a child. I was only a few mins away, down from Orcutt and Todds ln. I still remember the breakfast with Santa and shopping for Halloween costumes there. Once we moved, our shopping became mostly Coliseum and Patrick Henry. Occasionally we would visit Newmarket, because their theater would have cheaper ticket prices and available seats. We kept going there for Sears, that is of course, until recently.

[@EddieFly00]

You can just feel the vaporwave coming off this mall.

[@mrsjexplore83]

Well now that the coliseum is a outdoor mall they should go ahead and make this a mall again and add Dave and busters! And more stuff for kids to do. Maybe like a big indoor water park

[@mst3kanita]

um, no. It's all offices now. Even the sears is now half storage unit.

[@JeffHoo13]

Hines and Carver middle school are/were across the parking lot and between some trees. Went there a couple times after school. The movie theater there was a good one, and if you saw an action film there, the kids would be sliding down those pyramid things. also had the yearly egg drop contest there. This seems to have survived relatively intact compared to Patrick Henry Mall which feels like Coliseum Mall used to: on its last legs

[@Joetime90]

I used to shop at the Sears all the time as a kid. That's where I got my school uniforms. I wish Newmarket was as it were as my mom used to tell me. Its my home, as much as it's deteriorated. The Sears has now been replaced by a storage company by the way.

[@kayleefrye8009]

I work here! Sad to see the abandoned sears, I used to go there all the time as a kid and even used to meet my dad in the mall after work, he worked there too!

[@urbanlegendsandtrivia2023]

I really enjoy your excellent narration skills. I live in Yorktown, Virginia. One point I'd like to mention is the fact that the mall wasn't right near an interstate wasn't too big a factor, as in those days traffic wasn't nearly as bad, and Mercury Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue are two of the main thoroughfares. The original mall looked amazing during the holiday seasons. The Sears store was so cool the way it was built onto that slope. Dad died in 2001 and mom died in 2018, so I guess it was fitting the Sears store closed in 2019. We spent a lot of family time at that location.

[@angelastippich1363]

Great video but I will say there were still some stores in 98-99. I graduated in 2000 and worked at the Athlete’s foot as a junior. There was still foot locker, hickory farms, some smaller music stores/clothing/etc. Still pretty empty and I remember walking around on one of my lasts days remembering my childhood.

[@mst3kanita]

yes! I remember all that was left at the end were shoe stores!

[@MelodyMaker151]

The renovation was part of what killed this mall. When they did that, the rents shot up - and one by one, the stores began to leave. It was very sad. My first job as a teenager was at this mall in the mid-90s. That was a fun time. Even though business was slower in those days, we still got a decent amount of foot traffic. I get sad when I visit the area now and go past there. But, nothing stays the same. It's crazy that the only mall left from the old days on the Peninsula is Patrick Henry.

[@jeee1074]

The former Westwood Mall in Houston has a similar story. The mall closed and was repurposed as an office setup very similar to this. The last anchor standing was also Sears. In 2018 the Sears closed. The Sears predated the mall by a few years and outlasted the mall by almost 20 years. They should turn the fountains back on, that would be such a perfect setting for the center court.

[@johnknox6490]

This is amazing!! Born and raised in Hampton ( Coliseum Mall was my home base lol) I use to hang out at this mall when I was a kid sometimes and buy Marvel cards lol. I still drive by this place everyday! Great vid!!

[@_Rockstar67]

I miss this mall, I was so sad when the tenants left 😢

[@wowhaha4871]

It’s weird to see a mall that big decline all the way back in the 90s. I’ve only seen one other mall this big decline back in the 90s (Prestonwood Town Center in Dallas). I found it strange that some of the storefronts at Newmarket North were kept.

[@brutalictesku]

That was a nice looking mall. It still is for sure, but not a mall anymore. All storefronts covered up except for Sears gives it new kind of vibe I cannot describe.

[@blandmalls]

Nice mall. Gives me some Vernon Park vibes.

[@blainestiller4152]

Fond memories here during the 80's. They had great animatronics for christmas decor, that were memorizing as a child. The original inside design was more reflective of the modernist angles on the outside. This is more a postmodern striping down of the original concept.

[@kymmirox]

My childhood

[@quincyclark8279]

I remember that from back in the day

[@NeoConNET7]

I wonder what Al Bundy did after the shoe store closed down 😆

[@mst3kanita]

I’m surprised you got this far. Usually security is there due to the nature of the offices inside. I guess due to Easter weekend it was a free for all.

[@DoomieGruntVentures]

Maybe so. There were at least two security guards. One of them was in and out of the various doorways where stores used to be. They could've stopped me at any time as my clothes alone didn't say anything about office worker.

[@TADison7]

Also, what was the background music you used?

[@nikkireeexplores407]

Very interesting video👍 great job!

[@nancydarling4918]

Interesting video. Thanks for filming.

[@fisitron7256]

Newmarket North reminds me of a better maintained Richland Mall. Don’t know why.

[@johnburke1317]

Wow, there is no stores open?

[@OLCtv]

Any security bother u?

[@jefffreeman2807]

Somehow a planet fitness would be perfect.

[@WhittyPics]

No pretzel for you today Doomie. Where is this mall?

[@TADison7]

Where is this? Is it still standing?

[@jefffreeman2807]

Yes ,it is, in the former Sears anchor spot there is a self storage facility now.

[@arturocuizon69]

If you say to use caution when you visit this place would you suggest watching this video if you visit this place or no because of security reasons since they don't like it if malls are filmed?

[@LethaWolfStudios]

Very bland boring mall but I just finished Stranger Things Season 3 and the stage vibrance of “Starcourt Mall” is fresh on my mind.

[@beckymerchant4678]

This mall originally opened in the late 70's and got renovated in 1989. At the time, it had vibrant teal accent colors, water fountains, and if memory serves me correctly, they installed a carousel. It was really pretty and modern looking. This mall was my mother's choice for school shopping until Patrick Henry Mall was built. That was closer and easier to get to, and I imagine it was the same for most everyone who lived on the other side of York River. Newmarket North was thriving throughout the 80's but started showing decline as stores up and left the building during the latter part of the decade and into the '90's. It was impossible for them to keep up with the competition. Not only was Patrick Henry Mall built, but there were several new shopping centers built over the years. Super K-mart and Super Wal-mart also entered the picture, as well. Newmarket was a fun place to go to and I enjoyed it while I was growing up. I actually enjoyed the video and its strange to see it as office space, but at the same time, I am glad they are using the building for something.

[@beckymerchant4678]

Good job filming the video, Doomie!! TY for posting it!!

[@Randomvids808]

Man, that mall was fun back in the day! They had a movie theater, arcade, and rides in the food court. Starcourt ain’t have nothing on Newmarket. 😂😂😂

[@alonzolane1092]

Why is it still.open

[@mst3kanita]

alonzo lane it’s offices for the shipyard. Has been for over 20 years.

[@kmartking7821]

BORNING!!!!!!!!!!!

[@DoomieGruntVentures]

Well what were you expecting?