A Visit to The Oaks Mall (FL)

[@pam8056]

Thanks for the walk through of my old stomping grounds in my high school days of the 1980's. I met my husband there- we were both working at JCPenneys in 1996. We celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary this year, so I have to say thanks to the Oaks mall for bringing us together.

[@kippaseo8027]

Although I don't think it's anywhere neanywhere near close to being a " Dead mall" But having lived here for a while I can tell you that mall is in steep decline. Demographic change as with most places is probably the biggest factor in the mall's decline along with newer more desirable shopping options just one exit South ( Celebration point). Just a few years ago people would avoid them all bepause It was too crowded especially on the weekends but now that's not a problem. The mall has actually fallen into foreclosure a couple times over the past few years.

[@connorschepke4353]

I will say, I live here, and this mall did just get a few new restaurants to move in to the outward facing parts in the past 3 months!

[@Pikamander2]

The Oaks Mall isn't dead, but it does feel very soulless compared to what it used to be. It used to have all sorts of cool things like a movie theater, two arcades, video game demo kiosks at Gamestop and that one music store, an indoor amphitheater that hosted small events, water fountains, super ball machines, Radioshack, Sears, a cool toy store with a train that circled around the room, and a small annual fair in the parking lot. Now it's mostly just a bunch of overpriced clothing stores that stay alive with the help of UF Health moving into the old Sears location. I'm glad it's not dead but it feels like a shell of its former self and I'm sad that so many people won't ever get to see it in its prime.

[@coldfirebeats1]

this is a nice mall

[@FunkyStudios]

Yeah, The Oaks isn't a "dead mall", it's still quite popular now. Regency Square Mall in Jax on the other hand is a disaster.

[@Ciborium]

Go Gators!

[@Ciborium]

I got a thrill finding your channel and a mall that I am reasonably aware of. When you filmed this was confirmed by the presence of the Shands/UF Health facility where the Sears used to be.

[@roselyncampisi822]

This is a nice mall!

[@coldfirebeats1]

the rise of malls will be the death of the internet who side are y,all on which Experian is best for you wonder if the rent is cheaper because of lack of customers

[@colbykistner3393]

Glad to see you go to my nearby mall! And GO GATORS 🐊

[@badreligionnc]

Burdines= bur dines. Like when we are hungry we go to dine at the diner.

[@djspicefla]

Thank you! The pronunciation was killing me throughout the video..lol

[@multiplepassions3694]

Why are you posting this video now? I know the oaks mall and from seeing which stores are open i know this video was recorded a year or two ago. A lot of stores have closed since then.

[@nole8923]

Thanks for doing malls in Florida. The rust belt malls in Pennsylvania and Ohio have been done ad nauseam. That being said, I believe the true measure of the beauty of a mall is after the sun goes down. I’ve never been a fan of malls that are too bright. It can be a strain on the eyes, especially when malls over do it with the sky lights.

[@youngloudandsnottytv]

ROCK N ROLL

[@robertmckean1784]

bro live in FL gainsville

[@ms.zelman3032]

I'm starting to notice that Florida builds some pretty nice malls. If I'm not mistaken, I have yet to see an ugly mall from this State. Also, I don't think this mall is dead. I think it's in limbo.🌓

[@TheRedDevil_NC]

great mall. Hope it survives. I really like Gainesville. go Gators!!

[@ms.zelman3032]

This mall is nice but also a little too plain. I wish the floor tiles had colour. Also, what an interesting Belk entrance/exterior. I never saw one that looks like that. It's pretty cool.😊💜💚

[@ElevatorWasher5000]

Wait your belk doesn’t look like that

[@SupraWes]

It used to be all brown tile with large tropical plants and fountains all over the place, it was nice in the 80s.

[@Mom2my4blessings]

It’s not dead to me. It does look nice but bland.

[@ms.zelman3032]

Yes Mel I agree with this comment completely.😊

[@TheNewgreatlife]

The Oaks Mall is a solid mall. It's just not quite at the level it used to be a few years ago. It used to lean slightly upscale with stores like Banana Republic and Williams-Sonoma, but all of that is over. They do however have an Altar'd State (perhaps the oddest location for one in the entire chain), which you passed by in this video. Btw, Burdines is pronounced Bur-D I N E-s, like you're "dining" out, not pronounced as BUR-DEENS.

[@Timcastcomedy]

It's not a dead mall Gainesville a college town during summer months them college crowd gone

[@WhittyPics]

1st. It doesn't look dead to me.

[@SupraWes]

Funny thing, I made a bet with someone in 2018 who said the Oaks Mall would be dead within 5 years. I won (obviously), not even a pandemic that none of us was aware of coming at the time could kill it.

[@SupraWes]

Also, the former Gainesville Mall site is now a Lowes, not a strip mall.

[@stefaninafla]

Fun fact: The Burdines/Macy's (now Dillard's) store was built into the sinkhole on the property, that's why it has an "underground" level. It was cheaper than a full fill & level, so Squiteri just went with it. I'm a Gainesville native, and really don't want to live anywhere else. Go too far out of the city and you get into white nationalist suburbs with a hint of "Dueling Banjos" in the background. I will say employment in this place is HARD, Alachua County is one of the poorest in the state. With a ready supply of desperate students to exploit, employers are not going to offer competitive wages, they don't need to. Crime stats are elevated because again, students make easy targets. Bicycle thefts are so prevalent it's a city joke.

[@dylanfarnum1488]

You're an awful person.

[@wiesejay]

Had 3 bikes stolen here, one of them twice, lol

[@stefaninafla]

@@wiesejay yep. I had a bike dumped in my front yard. Reported it to GPD and had then take it away, but they contacted me 30 later to take it back...LOL

[@ktchelseafamily3314]

Cute

[@Ciborium]

I will agree that if you ain't a Gator fan, Gainesville ain't the place for you. But, yeah, Gainesville is great if you are a UF student. Businesses may temporarily close or go on reduced operating hours between semesters and during breaks. But we have other, more systemic problems. There is a reason why Alachua County is called "the Blue pimple of North Florida". The high crime and high taxes are helped by a far-left city and county government. The high taxes being helped by the large number of tax-exempt educational and government (city, county, state) agencies and properties.

[@GrammySue0719]

Spot on!

[@lucindasanchez3803]

I gotta disagree with you on the housing market. Our stupid government keeps building apartments for the U.F. students when people like me need HUD housing. They don't care about us. You are right about the job market, it sucks. We used to be called "Tree City" that's no longer true.