DAY 1246: Dead Mall, Olean NY

[@jonwoodard]

I was a 4-year old kid living in Olean in 1977. I remember when everyone was so excited because the Mall was going to open. It seemed so big, and vibrant, and new. Now this. Just heartbreaking!

[@TLeeDestiny]

I noticed your last name and am wondering if you have a Joan and a Linda Woodard in your family?

[@zebree3433]

I live in olean and I was so sad when auntie Annie's closed I loved the pretzels they had

[@christinanelson1985]

It just keeps getting sadder . Even just a couple years ago it was pretty decent . We had bath and body works and the shoe department, rue 21 , hallmark , fye , the arcade . Now it’s just nothing . 😢

[@twowordsmadeinamerica]

The funway freeway... pinball machines on the left side, arcade games on the right....derdog haught, denim depot, AM&A,s, Hills, KB Toys, it was pure magic,

[@SooSkiTzOYT]

Wow so many memories at the arcade there was i was younger. Crazy how fast time goes bye. Mids being a kid

[@blazer79]

It’s late November and it’s worse than ever. Walked into the Mall this week and it may as well shut down.

[@chapmanwendy219]

As a child I remember this Mall with all its stores and a fun place to be. sad to see

[@keegannunley5444]

Dang, would be cool if someone turned it into a giant indoor/outdoor mini golf course and walking trail, or huge escape room.

[@TheOfficialDB72]

It would be, but the city doesn't have the economy to support something like that.

[@mariew4422]

Hard to watch this. I grew up there I'm 27 now and my mom still lives there. Idk it's just sad

[@mototoad1242]

The old subway in the back corner....and the mom and pop dollar store...this makes me sad man. Id spend hours here

[@christopherwood8425]

We moved to Olean in 1976 and remember the mall vividly as a little kid. Had my birthday in the Mcdonalds and went to the arcade quite a bit while my mom shopped. We moved away in 1980 but I stopped in the mall a few years ago as I was traveling through and was surprised at how dead the mall was. But wow, this mall really has died!

[@TropicalLatitude]

First time I went there was 1979. It was called "the new mall." It was hopping. It killed the stores on main street. Then some years later Walmart appeared on the other side of town. And everybody went over there.

[@jens7898]

People are sheep. They should have stuck to main street. Now everyone will pay the price.

[@StudyMd667]

that's terrifying

[@letsgoyanetsko205]

I grew up here in this mall I spent my days after school in this mall I sat on those benches for hours this was a meet up spot renas was a dollar for cheese slice a buck and a quarter for pepperoni. It’s sad seeing the places of your child hood go to waste but it’s expected. Olean is a sad place to live.

[@jens7898]

Why is Olean a sad place to live? I am thinking of relocating there.

[@letsgoyanetsko205]

@@jens7898 no jobs and drugs are everywhere there is a high crime rate and more people leave then move there. The scenery is nice and the food is amazing but that’s the only thing going for it.

[@jens7898]

@@letsgoyanetsko205 I am very sorry to hear that. I read they were revitalizing the area.

[@nolanhewitt2563]

EB games used to be there

[@ewingtm]

Is it closed because of the pandemia, or simply because people have decided not to go? When I was a teenager, in in the 90's, this was where you met everyone... I think there was Renas pizza and an arcade... as well as Hills.

[@KellerNH]

ewingtm even though I’m sure they have been effected by the pandemic I was here a couple years ago and it didn’t look a whole lot different. I’ve heard similar stories that this mall killed the Main Street business and later Walmart killed the malls business.

[@nobody-im6tc]

covid, it is still pretty dead but more of the stores are open now

[@jens7898]

@@nobody-im6tc COVID = certificate of vaccination id WAKE UP PEOPLE

[@mfricano3418]

I had great memories here as well, school shopping, first date, first job…… I have not been home in years, so sad😢

[@kkhu4463]

I’ve been there 3years ago when I was a employee of Cytec Industry that a chemical company in Olean. That was my first time been to US , Olean was the first city i stayed. Happy to see this mall again , sad to it’s almost close...

[@admiralaokiji7889]

Wow. I lived in Olean as a kid who went to kindergarten for 2 years circa 2002/2003. Some of my earliest memories began here and I remember coming to this mall one year for Halloween for trick or treating when I was 5 years old it was poppin with so many people. I even remember playing with the coin donation thing at 1:06. Some great memories. Sad to see its pretty much dead.

[@mtnchick23a]

So this was recorded in 2021 (Covid-19 time). I don't know what time the mall was toured, it looks as if many of the stores weren't open for business yet (Could not have been recorded during business hours and before covid). Kay Jewelers, F.Y.E., Renna's, Bath & Body, Cindy's Craft Co-Op, JcPenney's, Kohl's, Cyberstation are all closed due to the pandemic (as seen in the end of the video). Anyone could record a video when stores are closed, either due to business hours or pandemic, and call a mall DEAD. Hell, many malls resembled this video due to covid resitrictions and Cuomo (Gov at the time). But there were a few stores that have their own entrances and were opened for business during this time (Cindy's Craft Co-Op is one of them). Cindy's was opened during this time and I am wondering why the other end of the mall (where Cindy's is located) was not recorded. Cindy's is a consignment shop with local artisans' wares. Why not support them advertise for them? What IS NOT being shown is when the mall is hosting a craft show or race car show. The mall is usually hoppin' then. BUT............I will admit the mall is in need of desperate repair. Some stores have heating problems, some stores have roof problems, the parking lot is horribly pot-hole ridden, and bathrooms are disgusting.

[@MiaRosenbloom]

This is really sad. I used to spend a lot of my teen years at that mall, back in the late 90s/early 2000s. 😞

[@bcsurvivor4713]

Walmart killed it. I used to work there, had two jobs at the time. Beer Stuff and a Dollar store. Worked a couple other jobs at different times there too. I remember when the country singer Lori Morgan walked past the booth I was working at, to go into CVS, right across from me. At the time I didn't know who she was. Anyway, very sad. Hopefully the new owner can bring it back to life.

[@neonrobin1702]

I’m lost how any business can survive In this mall. Last time I was In barely anyone was around. More of the stores were open tho. I might of saw 10 maybe 12 people total.

[@bollywoodspedup5493]

I still live in Olean and I’m really sad that most of the mall is closed:(

[@evangg1139]

It’s ok bud we have Walmart 💪

[@bollywoodspedup5493]

@@evangg1139 thanks bro fr

[@nicolehughes6285]

shoe department is gone now too

[@SearsCool]

so many closed stores..

[@housemouse26]

I believe this was before the remaining stores reopened due to the pandemic. Yes it is pathetic but I firmly believe a huge part of it's demise is the more management by the owners. They charge outrageous rent and expect tenants to do all the maintenance even to things like the roof, heating, and cooling. I am fairly certain they don't even turn on the heat or AC in the main part of the mall anymore. Kohl's and JC Penney do not have their indoor entrances open at this time as of this last weekend when I was in there. I grew up in that mall in the 80s and 90s, now it's just pathetic and either needs an owner that will revitalize it or bulldoze it.

[@jens7898]

Due to SCAMDEMIC & the INTENTIONAL destruction of the global economy. Time to wake up.

[@calliel4570]

Bro, literally didnt know they got rid of Auntie Annes... thats foul

[@TheOfficialDB72]

It was because of COVID

[@sofiasofiasofia666]

Ok yeah our mall is dead but did you really have to show it

Olean NY general hospitals are dangerous places filled with doctors who try to main and murder their patients.

[@mototoad1242]

Is the pizza shop still open?

[@prattmaster726u]

Yeah

[@susanforjustice5187]

It' Sunday and everything is closed

[@TheOfficialDB72]

I had my first kiss in that mall. So many memories.

[@kimfrank2417]

I want in the woman’s room no stall in one

[@cassthebody382]

This ws REALLY hard to watch-although I'm on the bandwagon that left olean and nvr looked back. Jst knowing such a integral part of my childhood/teen yrs is gone... It's like did it even exist? But that was the last time I almost remember my life/body NOT being hell 🙈

[@jens7898]

Why did you leave Olean?

[@sp33dyswhitness-10]

Wow that place is worse then the concord mall lol