ABANDONED AMES HQ - LONG VACANT CORPORATE OFFICES

[@bmstylee]

That last voicemail was creepy. Turn out the lights the party's over.

[@catdogcat3016]

wild bill Indeed creepy

[@bmstylee]

@@catdogcat3016 I think the voice mail in combination with the picture at the end puts a fine point on it. Within the next year someone at Sears/Kmart will have to make that same call. Not an enviable task.

[@MuneageDaydream]

Agreed. She sounded sad for the employees and resigned to the fate of Ames shuttering forever.

[@sailorsenshi4504]

You can hear the sadness and defeat in her voice. She genuinely felt sympathy and upset for the thousands of people about to lose their jobs.

[@Sarahlynn1304]

It’s more Sad than creepy. I mean, they are trying to close down and vacay neatly and efficiently, but as you can see even from this video, it’s turned into a shit hole. It’s really very very sad!!! I’d love to hear more voicemails or things from their closures and notifications. It wasn’t a gradual fall, it was abrupt and involved an insane amount of store!

[@joeb63]

So sad...I spent 13 years in that building (1987-2000)

[@jordandavis6635]

That's tough I feel your pain I worked for a financial company until the crash in '08.

[@PalaniRides]

Did you know this Cindy Daly, the woman supposedly on the voicemail?

[@joeb63]

@@PalaniRides Yes I did

[@WallieB26]

Can't believe its been 2 years already since we did this exploration. Still my favorite to date! And thats over the Ames in Kentucky that I explored and the one in Maryland recently. This was such a fun weekend and exploration.

[@cmdrshotgun8971]

I noticed someone mentioned how the wind down went on after all the stores closed. I might be able to answer a few of those questions, I spent 7 years with Ames in store level management, and then a little less that a year after all stores closed in the reality department as a facility maint manager.

[@government_costumes-ui5lx]

​@@cmdrshotgun8971yeah it's usually the legal people that are around a bit longer but with Ames it was over immediately! They told managers to store the leftover merchandise in the backrooms, yet most abandoned Ames proves no one ever came, they was over so no trucks!

[@sldl04]

Such a waste. Ames was the 4th largest retailer in the country at one time and they were unique in that they served small towns and communities. Our Ames store in Lowville NY was a profitable store even up until the corporation went bankrupt. Many residents in our area still miss that store. Sears and K-Mart are headed down this same path.

[@frothe42]

Sears owns both, the CEO owner of K-Mart has manage to destroy both iconic stores.

[@Thagesthoughts]

@@frothe42 That's what happens when your company is run by a sociopath who forces stores to compete for resources rather than attempting to support his brands and adapt to shifting consumer markets.

[@monkeyoperator1360]

well they are dead now

[@sldl04]

@@monkeyoperator1360 huh?

[@monkeyoperator1360]

@@sldl04 to sears and k-mart

[@WallieB26]

This was such a fun exploration with the man, Ace, as always! Wish we could do this exploration again. Well worth the time and trip we took!

[@user-ci9ri4fl5pBuckeyeChessie]

I was thinking, when I was watching it, Wallie would have love to be there, an I see you where, awesome!

[@julioanderson5680]

How’d y’all get in-there’s an abandoned movie theater here and there are fences and looks like no entry points once beyond those.

[@edeneverly2573]

Message from Joe Ettore August 14, 2002 To all Ames associates, customers and supporters: With deep personal regret, I have to tell you that Ames Department Stores has determined that in light of continuing business trends it can best maximize asset values for the benefit of creditors and Ames associates by terminating operating losses and winding down the business. Continued softness in sales, combined with tightening terms and slower shipments from our suppliers, have reduced our funds availability below critical levels. Management has resolved to pursue an orderly liquidation of the company now, rather than continue along a path that would lead Ames to default on its lending agreements. What this means is that subject to the approval of the Bankruptcy Court, the company shortly expects to designate a liquidator to conduct "Going Out of Business" sales at all Ames store locations. We anticipate that stores will remain open for approximately ten weeks during this process. Our associates and managers have worked long and hard, trying to restore the viability of Ames. But despite those efforts, and the efforts of management to control costs and restructure our operations, the difficult environment for discount retailing and the continued slowness in the economy have made it impossible for us to deliver the sales volume we need to meet our obligations. This is not a course that Ames management believed would be necessary. Pending the outcome of the liquidation process, there are many questions that we cannot answer for you with certainty at this time. However, we are committed to communicating as much information as we can, as swiftly as possible to you. We will use direct communications like this, our Chapter 11 website, and our Hotline [phone] to pass information along. At this time, we do know that: Store associates and managers can generally expect to continue reporting for work for a period of time while the "Going Out of Business" sales are conducted. Distribution Center personnel can also expect to continue working for the period of time needed to move inventory through to stores. At headquarters, most associate and managerial positions will not continue during the liquidation process. Approximately 420 of our headquarters colleagues were terminated today. A sharply reduced number of positions will be needed to help facilitate the liquidation process. Notification went out this morning to those headquarters personnel who are being asked to remain. Along with the "Going Out of Business" sales, our store and distribution facility leases will be remarketed. In addition, our store fixtures and equipment, owned real estate and other assets will be put up for sale. The company expects that these steps will increase cash balances and maximize creditor recoveries. I want to thank our associates for your hard work during this last trying year. Together, we tried to preserve a business with a proud history, one that played an important role in its communities, and offered a unique consumer option. I am sorry we were not able to succeed. On behalf of Ames' senior management team, I wish you all the best for your futures. Sincerely, Joseph R. Ettore Chairman & CEO

[@treavy1]

Ames coming back in 2023 a legend is reborn

[@SDChargers93]

@@treavy1that’s Bs it’s not confirmed ,

[@PacificNorthwestExploratio-k9j]

Especially the headquarters. Stores are still under construction because many have been abandoned for decades, some of which are still in terrible condition

[@ericfresh]

that 5 1/4 floppy on the floor says it all

[@davemau5e]

It’s amazing how time has eaten up there corporate offices.. it’s now a complete wasteland.. There are some great pieces of history in that office that need to be in a defunct retail museum.. Clearly remember going with my mom to Zayres and then Ames.. I still own a wall clock that I bought at Ames back in 1999.. it’s 2018 and clock 🕰 still works like a charm..✨

[@Karmy.]

Ikr

[@sldl04]

I have a small desk fan that I bought from our local Ames shortly before they closed and it still works great. Locals around here liked Ames far better than the local Walmart which is here now.

[@davemau5e]

sldl04 I dislike Walmart... rather hit Target 🎯 instead.. A lot of my childhood stores are almost gone.. 🥺🤷🏻‍♂️

[@sldl04]

@@davemau5e My mother liked Bradlees and Zayres stores. I wish those stores could come back along with Ames.

[@Karmy.]

@@davemau5e Walmart is horrid

[@star978]

That last voice mail was haunting to listen to.

[@shavonnestacia2865]

I remember watching this video when i worked at an Ames in Hyde Park, NY in 2000....That store was ran very disorganised.....And so many people used to call out, sometimes you had to leave your department and fix softlines and be a cashier at the front end. It was terrible.....

[@frothe42]

We had one in Catskill and Greenville, NY. The one in Greenville was built for them, the Catskill Store was originally a Jamesway, which also went bankrupt and out of business. I remember the Ames in Hyde Park, turned into a Shop Rite or Stop and Shop, I forget which.

So you time travled your phone in 2000 when Ames was around?

[@jc1979af]

It would be cool if someone could get an interview with Cindy Daly. She should still be alive. It would be interesting to hear how the closing processed wroked. Since corporate stayed open longer, they would be busy shutting down and closing things in a somewhat orderly fashion.

[@sailorsenshi4504]

James Carpenter That would be cool. Ms. Daly might not want to talk about it, even today, though. Delivering the final blow wasn’t her fault.

[@edeneverly2573]

Uh yea I doubt she was THAT old but who knows I guess. Wondering if you got the footage from the amesfanclub.com?

[@edeneverly2573]

The letter that went to the Ames employees. I don’t know why anyone would want to hunt down the woman. She was stuck with the shit job and as this letter says, 420 corporate employees were canned THAT morning. As in immediately. That hurts. In fact, if my name just happened to be on a card and on a voice message and someone tried to interfere in my life and privacy after all these years and I had to see this? I’d be pissed as hell. I definitely wouldn’t answer. Message from Joe Ettore August 14, 2002 To all Ames associates, customers and supporters: With deep personal regret, I have to tell you that Ames Department Stores has determined that in light of continuing business trends it can best maximize asset values for the benefit of creditors and Ames associates by terminating operating losses and winding down the business. Continued softness in sales, combined with tightening terms and slower shipments from our suppliers, have reduced our funds availability below critical levels. Management has resolved to pursue an orderly liquidation of the company now, rather than continue along a path that would lead Ames to default on its lending agreements. What this means is that subject to the approval of the Bankruptcy Court, the company shortly expects to designate a liquidator to conduct "Going Out of Business" sales at all Ames store locations. We anticipate that stores will remain open for approximately ten weeks during this process. Our associates and managers have worked long and hard, trying to restore the viability of Ames. But despite those efforts, and the efforts of management to control costs and restructure our operations, the difficult environment for discount retailing and the continued slowness in the economy have made it impossible for us to deliver the sales volume we need to meet our obligations. This is not a course that Ames management believed would be necessary. Pending the outcome of the liquidation process, there are many questions that we cannot answer for you with certainty at this time. However, we are committed to communicating as much information as we can, as swiftly as possible to you. We will use direct communications like this, our Chapter 11 website, and our Hotline [phone] to pass information along. At this time, we do know that: Store associates and managers can generally expect to continue reporting for work for a period of time while the "Going Out of Business" sales are conducted. Distribution Center personnel can also expect to continue working for the period of time needed to move inventory through to stores. At headquarters, most associate and managerial positions will not continue during the liquidation process. Approximately 420 of our headquarters colleagues were terminated today. A sharply reduced number of positions will be needed to help facilitate the liquidation process. Notification went out this morning to those headquarters personnel who are being asked to remain. Along with the "Going Out of Business" sales, our store and distribution facility leases will be remarketed. In addition, our store fixtures and equipment, owned real estate and other assets will be put up for sale. The company expects that these steps will increase cash balances and maximize creditor recoveries. I want to thank our associates for your hard work during this last trying year. Together, we tried to preserve a business with a proud history, one that played an important role in its communities, and offered a unique consumer option. I am sorry we were not able to succeed. On behalf of Ames' senior management team, I wish you all the best for your futures. Sincerely, Joseph R. Ettore Chairman & CEO

[@jc1979af]

@@edeneverly2573 Like I said in my post, it would be interesting to interview her as she had inside knowledge of the company. I would be interested in all the events that go on to close a company and how the process works. Part of my current job involves notifying someone that their relative died. Not a fun job, but i would have no problem if someone wanted to interview me.

[@PalaniRides]

After seeing this video and hearing her voicemail, I too thought of the same thing (an interview) and with some quick sleuthing I found a Cindy Daley (spelled differently) in the Ames Alumni page on Facebook and she appears to be based in Connecticut where this building is located soooooo ... ???

[@Sv-vb2fe]

Great video work. Kind of sad in a way. Ames still could’ve carved out a niche for themselves by presenting a more manageable alternative to WalMart and Target. I think it was the acquisition of Hills that did them in. They were given a second chance after the disaster of acquiring Zayre and recovered nicely but they blew it.

[@ryszard68]

Sv 2016 - no doubt upper management walked away with full pockets like usual while shop floor staff probably left with next to nothing, despite I'm sure their best efforts to turn things around.

[@edeneverly2573]

Actually there is still a site with old Ames history and it was first the acquisition of Zayre that tanked their profitability and drove them into the first bankruptcy. They finally did recover but this site is run by former employees and they say that Zayre was AWFUL and everyone hated it. I think Zayre had a totally different company ethos and it didn’t work but luckily they were savvy enough to successful navigate through bankruptcy and get back on track. But then came Hills. I think they had been weakened and I’ve worked for a similar company that never could seem to stop buying crap companies while they were ahead without thinking. It’s just greed and getting cocky as he said when he was talking in the other store video. Ames got way too damned cocky and should’ve thought phew! Got out of that Zayre mess so let’s just think of other ways to grow instead of gobbling up more chains! And this is exactly what happened. They went so long excelling until they bought a bad seed in Zayre and these guys never think far enough ahead or how the transition will work if at all, combined with the economic times and the way retail habits change. It’s really sad. Breaks my heart. So all those people went through hell because of cocky owners/executives and it’s the folks making low level wages and salaries that lose biggest. Being in any management position at store or corporate sucks. And we never get theseawesome gems back whike they lay to waste rotting.

[@jc1979af]

Good Point. Now that I think of it, did Wal-Mart ever buy up any other chains?

[@gabrielpaulsmom]

Don"t forget they also bought Murphy's Mart in the 80's and a couple of smaller chains.

[@uscgspawn2298]

Your best work, Anthony, hands down. Not easy to make an abandoned office building come alive even in death, but you pulled it off. It's also a reminder that companies aren't just faceless logos. That last voicemail is haunting.

[@mstiefan6996]

"The Quest To Be The Best" ...Yeah, guess Ames failed that quest. R.I.P.

[@davemau5e]

MSTie Fan Yep! They got greedy at the end! Didn’t learn the first time .. “Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me”..😑

[@brandon-wo9qz]

So haunting and a reminder of times gone by. An era gone by. And you capture it so well. Great job Ace

[@LakeHowellDigitalVideo]

The first thing they did after emerging from their first bankruptcy -- was buying Hills, a very expensive acquisition. I think Ames would have lived on without saddling themselves with all that debt.

[@sldl04]

Not sure they would have survived indefinitely...the economic collapse in 2008 might have been the end anyway but who knows.

[@jillsmith633]

This video was haunting. Excellent job. It struck a chord with me since I have been laid off 5 times since 2000, due to a combination of offshoring and technology. That last message was very sad. Great video Ace.

[@WallieB26]

Cant believe we're going on a year since we explored this. This will always be my favorite exploration.

[@Catmannj1]

This will go down as one of your most epic videos. NO narration needed. Just use the recordings from the training video and the closing voice message (that one was absolutely haunting.) Thank you for the viewer warning advisory about the poor dead Cat. I hope the Cat was just found dead and not hung (saw the noose over there) or murdered. If that happened i Hope the worse karma possible happens to whomever did it. You know my love of Cats. What I don't understand is how Ames failed (thank you evil Wally world.) I also don't understand why some other company/companies or a college or something took over these buildings quickly after Ames demise. What's the worse thing is just people bored with life would destroy the place!!!! Would they do that to their parents home? Makes me angry (like the dead Cat.) Anthony this video makes you and Wallie among the true masters of urbexers. I'm guessing you will do your version Wallie. And so happy you used the respirators. Needs you guys healthy so hopefully someday soon I can meet you both and say Thanks for all you do. You both get an Ames Aplus for your work!

[@WallieB26]

Yes, my version will be the way I saw this place in pretty much my raw format that I like to do. I love the touch Anthony put in this video as it sets our views of the same place in our own perspectives. So much fun to watch this and relive an amazing exploration.

[@joemancini327]

Where in the video was the dead cat?

[@brad9956]

Catman Mark Blanchard Ames was the victim of their own success - they tried to grow far too fast. Walmart (and Targét to a lesser extent), merely took advantage of their collapse.

[@elliet2006]

@@joemancini327 12:39 in the video

[@sherryk.spicklerstein8337]

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this vid, and it was well worth it! Truly amazing to see this building and the many relics left behind. Thank you for producing and sharing this awesome journey in Ames history!

[@VivianMakin]

So much black mold! Looks like the Upside-Down is here!

[@mikewhipkey6863]

I miss Ames I'm 33 so it was the popular place to shop in Mt. Pleasant PA where I'm from until Wal Mart arrived.. I always bought my CD's at Ames because they were unedited!

[@dennismanbook]

Awesome explore! Surprise there was 3 Ames carts and a hand basket still there and unbelievably a lot of mold everywhere. Strange an older Dollar General cart was in there too.

[@lizmoulton8628]

I have a lot of nostalgia for Ames, they were a large part of my childhood shopping memories. I was so excited to see this video and it was very much worth the wait, this was fantastically done!!! Thank you for all of the hard work, you really hit it out of the park!

[@spencelean]

Wow, that was like watching the company go belly up all over again. Well done sir.

[@robertsisson1262]

Video is awsome, love it

[@snomans]

I found an article in the Hartford Courant that the building was being put up for auction, but that was in 2014. Do you know who owns it, or what anyone is going to do with it? Clearly, it will have to be scrapped, because it overrun by mold and decay. But Connecticut real estate is at a premium. I'm surprised no one has jumped on the land.

[@alahollywood]

Seems like Ames hired a lot of older people, and perhaps got paid reasonably well. Today it is really hard for people over 50 searching for a job and get hired.

[@cm_x7235]

I feel like I’m now adequately trained to be a sales associate for a retail store

[@JenniferJones-qn6lg]

Excellent and amazing! That is a lot to go through, starting at the top floor and ending at the molding rotting away basement. I wonder if some of the former corporate employees are still alive including the CEO. Would be pretty cool to get an interview to hear what it was like to work there and close it all up back then. Just amazing this building is still standing after all these years. Not even a revitalization project in the works.

[@jillsmith633]

He is on the advisory board of Management Capital.

[@jqueen1380]

Watched it via Facebook, watching it for a second time. What a sad waste of a corporate office building. So glad you were able to experience this (and glad you were wearing that breathing apparatus for protection).

[@jason3fc]

Nice sync up with the note on the voicemail about shutting the lights off with the breaker while you were showing the breaker box.

[@WallieB26]

"CORNHOLIO"

[@VeXis101]

Please tell me you took that stuff you found! You know it’s just going to be destroyed. I understand people saying they don’t steal or destroy but that stuff are artifacts. You would be saving history!

[@crystalscan2002]

not any more now it just sits and rotts away

[@dallasbittinger8184]

This is just amazing. To think that this building is still standing after all these years. I am shocked of all the stuff they just left. Some of those binders need to be in a museum because it looked like the business plan that Ames operated under.

[@zaaz1471]

I worked in this building - i'd been to Ettore's office. I still have a couple "Star performer" mugs. 5:15 that section was known as the mezzanine. some IT teams were up there. I worked in the area below it (you didn't show a view, but from there you would have seen a door - to computer operations). 11:08 - burger bash IV - was there. held in side parking lot - execs would cook burgers for picnic style employee gathering - i have a burger bash 2 (july 7, 1995) still in my kitchen cabinet 14:41 - had one of those blue chairs (with arms) - they were pretty comfortable!

[@only1ydk]

I'll buy any Ames items you still got lol

[@devinmoran2660]

Anthony!!!! Absolutely love it!!! Fantastic job! Been waiting to see it since I saw you and Wallie! So worth the wait!! 😊😊👌🏼

[@Deltarii]

Crazy how that a piece of retail history is still standing to this day. Even though I never went to a Ames and I don’t even live in America this was interesting to watch. A fine video Ace!

[@elizabethorsillo7187]

Great video! I liked the echo-ey voices in the background, hearing that last voice felt kind of sad. And I remember one of those "store detectives" followed my sister and me around our local Ames store one time. We didn't take anything, we were just looking around!

[@BethanyB86]

Wow so haunting. Once again excellent job. Great video I miss Ames it was such a great store to shop at!

[@browserpower]

Brilliant video i loved the background tannoy announcements on shoplifting and corporate contacts etc it was a very cool way of transposing the past on to the current state of the building. A glimpse of what would become of the building eventually..very cool.

[@scottlillis4849]

Excellent video Ace. Its sad that the building has been sitting empty all this time.

[@BlueHuskyYT]

9:11 "Money is replaceable... You're not" The amount of times people have been fired because there was a robbery and money was stolen is WILD. You know companies don't hold up to that statement XD

[@kennethgorman4958]

That's true, and terminate you if you stop a shoplifter, it's a scenario of be damned if you do and be damned if you don't

[@mfchimichanga]

Dan Bell is shaking.

[@davemau5e]

mfchimichanga Wallie B as well..😂

[@BDBD16]

@@davemau5e But Wallie was there?

[@VeXis101]

Dan couldn’t give two shits

[@mfchimichanga]

@@Metalrails and murder parks.

[@WallieB26]

@@davemau5e 😂😂 yeah I dont know why I would be shaking as I was there with Ace. Lol 😂😂 Nice try, though!

[@KRhythm2013]

Great video. There are going to be many more corporate offices of retail firms that will end up that way. It is happening in the UK too, although the offices are usually smaller and quickly redeveloped. Very few places would stay up for 16 years or longer untouched. Thanks Anthony and co for going in, hope it didn't get too bad in there

[@leannbrooks218]

This is really good work Anthony! I love the voice overs.

[@johnwalsh7256]

Wow, deeply profound. Amazing how a building that was once thriving with life is left for so long just to be slowly given over to the ravages of time and nature. All things built by man finally succumb.

[@merfwriter]

My family used to shop at Ames back in the 80's. My Dad said he liked Ames better than K-mart because it had a better selection.

[@bmstylee]

I remember shopping at Hill's and Zayre's but don't remember my parents going to Ames. That was ever so long ago.

[@davemau5e]

My folks as well.. they made the switch from going to Kmart or Woolworth to go to Zayres which then became Ames.. 👍

[@taylorcharles9718]

I love this! Listening to the audio, especially the part that talks about switch ticketing or the film flam operator brings me back to my cashier days at my local grocery store!!! I experienced a film flam operator and my manager counted my drawer after I told her I was concerned about the transaction. Luckily, my drawer was 100% on the mark and I was told that customer has ripped off other cashiers. NEVER KNEW IT WAS A FLIM FLAM UNTIL THIS VIDEO 😂

[@ryans9557]

This has to be the top video of yours in my opinion.

[@A-RonHubbard]

You're quickly becoming the best, Anthony ☺️Thank you for doing this!

[@sarnow76]

At 10:52 the name at the bottom of the poster in HR (Gail Gagnon) I found her on LinkedIn and she’s a Director of HR for another company and lists Ames on her LinkedIn resume from 2001-2003!

[@AcesAdventures1]

Wow!

[@sarnow76]

@@AcesAdventures1 Yes it’s actually there. If you search for Gail Gagnon it says on her work History “Director Human Resources” Ames Department Stores, Inc. 2001-2003

[@AcesAdventures1]

@@sarnow76 part 2 coming soon!

[@sarnow76]

@@AcesAdventures1 Can’t wait I love your videos

[@ladytron9188]

Brilliant video.Very atmospheric at the end with the ladies voice.🇬🇧

[@jcc3279]

Ace. I saw those old servers at 16:55 in the video I'm like I wish I could have them because I would have loved to see what kind of Ames history they may still contain on the old hard drives. Too bad I'm not local I would have figured out who manages the property and see about snagging them. I'm the same way don't take stuff (unless given proper permission to do so) but leave footprints.

[@matthewreed1078]

Same thing I was wondering what was on them and why didn't they take them? Kinda like they thought they would make a come back and they didn't

[@thegoodybarn9060]

I wonder if info could be extracted from them?

[@egold1006]

My company supplied merchandise to Ames, mainly in the 80's. Even back then, payments were always late.

[@JenniferinIllinois]

Why do I feel I just went through new employee orientation and then told I'm losing my job all within 19 minutes? 🤣

[@user-ci9ri4fl5pBuckeyeChessie]

AWESOME coverage, so much good artefacts remain! I know Wallie would love to have in his collection!

[@twalker1773]

Really great . Now i'm well versed in the "Flim-Flam" con.

[@jasoncarskadon6809]

This is crazy you would think someone would of moved in the building and set up shop instead of letting it rot.

[@sldl04]

And it's amazing how quickly that property has deteriorated in 16 years. Doubtful that anything will be done with that building now except demolition on some point.

[@JJMHigner]

Ames is long gone because of their own folly. Talk about a failure of 'procedure' and 'loss prevention'! Excellent video and a haunting tribute.

[@judypflughaupt6620]

Its really ashame these vandals did this to this building but great video. Thanks for a great program.

[@itrack4u]

This was well worth the wait, Anthony! Wow!!!

[@missjess82]

Thank you Ace! This is top notch!

[@TitaniumRhythm]

Im surprised that building hasn't been demolished given the condition it's in. I used to love the Ames we had in Dover, DE. It's an AC Moore craft store now.

[@nancyhicksgribble9799]

I've heard Kmart HQ In Michigan is really neat to go through too and sad. I would love to see you do a video on that! The voicemail at the end of this was creepy and sad. I went through a lay off recently and our boss did a fine goodbye voicemail :(

[@only1ydk]

I remember calling that phone number and got that "Ames department store is out of business" line, so sad.

[@heatherpayne8576]

pretty bad when even the corporate office is abandoned too lol

[@daraka1754]

Heather Payne ohhh why it should work when all the locations are closed, by the way the HQ was closed in 2003

[@stevejohnson1321]

Interesting find, although I had very little use for that store -- especially the final four years. They were better than mammoth mart..

[@SearsCool]

R.I.P ames

[@matthewjbauer1990]

As others have said: This was one of the creepiest expedition/exploration videos I have seen on YT. How is Ace gonna top himself when Sears Holdings inevitably goes bust? More sooner than that, how about The Bon-Ton corporation? They jut went Ch 7 (the new owner is not the same thing).

[@outkast40]

Ames had so many locations in Baltimore county, Maryland that they were competing with their own stores. 700 stores in just 20 states,an average of 35 each state is overkill .

[@enenao]

"Echoes from the past" achievement unlocked.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

I wonder if in the good years this was a great place to work versus the corporate retail world of today with non stop stress that no human can handle without medications?

[@SDChargers93]

Ames is where I got my 1st Nintendo 64 with NFL Blitz 2000 I’ll never forget Ames

[@lidsman2221]

Did you get to go to the place where they the store planning building? Thanks for the video.

[@danieloconnor4698]

Nicely done, a little creepy. Worked in that building from 1988 to 1995 did not recognize hardly anything. Have good memories though.

[@jobblyvids]

Nice video, hopefully somebody preserved that shopping basket...

[@mermanhellville]

Love the training tape playing in the background, although the part about not making change drives me feral because in the place I work in half of the customers only really come to try get change for the parking meter or vending machine 😂

[@DAatDA]

Ames is the abandoned retail gift that keeps on giving.

[@SHADOSTRYKR]

Spooky space. Imagine it bustling with office workers

[@randomobserver8168]

Haunting and poignant. Odd that the 1980s, or even 2002, can already be sufficiently ancient for this kind of video to work. Might as well have been a western ghost town or ancient ruins.

[@browserpower]

The phone number for this Ames corporate store still worked up to 2015. Does that mean the building still had some power and some lone telephone in a long abandoned room somewhere in this building kept ringing? Maybe before the power was pulled completely. Kind of creepy to think of, imagine exploring this place all on your own at night and the phone rang! I would run out of there!

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

*ring…. ring * “Hello?” “We’ve met before haven’t we? Don’t you remember? In the East, the far East when a person is sentenced to death they’re sent to a place where they can’t escape never knowing when an executioner might step up behind them and fire a bullet into the back of their head. It’s been a pleasure talking to you.” *click* 😮

[@billl1127]

'ol Joe Ettore the former CEO is 79 and doing just fine sitting on several boards and advisory groups. Hope the rank and file found new gigs.

[@joeb63]

Amazing that he ran multiple companies into the ground, yet continued to get more gigs

[@JStorm13]

Property was demolished 2021

[@VDoubleUVR6]

Crazy to see this video show up on my Google search. I once was able to see the roof line of the Ames building from my kitchen window but a row of arborvitaes I planted years ago now cover that view. The town of Rocky Hill just approved permits for 200+ apartments, mixed business front, etc which I hope not to be around to see... On another note, YEARS ago I did some carpet cleaning in that building for a company I worked for when I was high school.

[@fixman88]

7:25 A lot of people on the Internet should read that.

[@mjb6991]

Surprised it's still empty. Usually commercial properties get leased again quickly.

[@jille8270]

cool video! just wondered how you got the recording of the ames training that played throughout the video?

[@AcesAdventures1]

Jill E i got it from the amazing website amesfanclub.com

[@WallyTony]

Absolutely amazing video. Thank you for making this.

[@tman4915]

So sad what happened to this beautiful retailer!

[@euda_ar]

It would be really cool to walk the place with someone who actually worked there so he could tell how things were back in the days or how furniture was placed. Anyways i really enjoy your videos! Keep them comming!!

[@markstrouse3101]

Anthony this one great video but you aren't going to convince me that you didn't take some of the stuff home with you like the carry basket, the gift card and some papers with the Ames logo and a couple of the shopping carts. You will NEVER EVER convince me that you didn't after you stopped filming. I know I would and I never stolen anything in my 57 years.

[@Karmy.]

I would too

[@hellomcflyy]

I think at this point you are "saving things from imminent destruction" - and - if you are already "trespassing"...its not like some "legal" thing you are concerned about - you might as well do something useful and save things - that building is not a museum - it won't be there forever...or even much longer - they would be better suited in someone's display of old retail items....I would take every piece of signage I encountered...

[@AcesAdventures1]

Mark Strouse of course we took stuff, why wouldn’t we? We’re preserving history, this place is vandalized all to hell, and you bet your ass we took stuff to preserve and save for future generations

[@fixman88]

It's all discarded now, you can't steal something somebody threw away.

[@MuneageDaydream]

Yeah I'd love an Ames shopping cart. Kind of strange they had shopping carts in a corporate HQ though.

[@dolphinblue3138]

I think they should auction off those Ames shopping carts inside the Ames HQ Corporate offices then people would bid on a piece of nostalgia to keep in their homes to remember Ames by.

[@RangerRickTV]

You should do more abandoned as well.

[@nancydarling4918]

Good video. Very interesting. Thanks for filming.

[@elineff2791]

I didn't know Ames when it was open but the videos I saw and read about it seemed like it was a really proud and popular store

[@user-py6td6kg5w]

Another great video.

[@jordanwalker5243]

This was done very well, it's wild living in the era of the retail collapse of America.

[@anthony_greco]

i live in rh and the ames building still hasn’t changed

[@MichaelBatesCNY]

The cart you show at 6:04 of from our Ames in Rome NY. Very funny.