Dead Empty Mall: Brookfield Square, Or Is It? My Favorite 80’s Mall Then & Now

[@ZodWriter]

Suncoast was such a great place! Great video Phil! You hit the nostalgia button with this one for sure! 👊

[@PDX7]

Best store at the malls :) Thanks Zod 👊

[@BlackArroToons]

Nice Mall tour PD7. It's good to see malls still going, but probably tough for the stores to pay the rent with low attendance in many malls since the 2015 to 2025 time frame so far, with a lot closing down. Some still doing well though. Enjoy the 2025 New Year!

[@PDX7]

I often wonder that myself, Happy New Year 👊

[@coreycoyle9548]

Wonderful Video!!! East Towne Mall in Madison near my Home is a Dead mall F+L, Corey

[@PDX7]

Hey Corey, I’ll have to head out there soon :) Thank you 👊

[@r.burger991]

When we moved to Stallis in 2004, that was the spot. Taking the kids to Toys R Us, going through the mall, and hitting Fuddruckers was pretty much a payday weekend event.

[@PDX7]

Yes we could make an entire day out of it :)

[@juliohernandez3668]

Hey Phil, man do I miss the mall in the late 80s, 90s even early 2000s. The places were packed during the weekend and specially the holidays. So many stores we grew up with and most of them are gone. Only ones that we have is JCPenney and Claire’s . Everything else is gone. Only thing we have is the memories. Kaybee toy store was amazing. We got our first PlayStation back in 95. Stores that no longer exist that I grew up were nutshack, goldmine, Aladdin’s castle, weiners, disk jockey, organ city, learners,Payless, Bealls, Kay’s, Gordon’s Jewelry, Charcoal Grill, Wyatt’s cafeteria just to name a few. Love these kinds of videos Phil. It’s a memory for us and a new beginning for future generations. Take care Phil👊🏼

[@PDX7]

Hey Julio, I’d give anything to walk through a kaybee again :) Thanks for hoping on last night 🐢🕹️👊

[@tedadamgreen]

Love seeing how the old is renovated and repurposed. First it was old downtown shopping areas and now it’s old malls. Thanks for a great trip down memory lane and also a glimpse into the future as well 👊🏻🕹️😎

[@PDX7]

Hey Ted, Thanks for going back in time with me 👊

[@digiprez77]

My mom took me here at least twice a week when I was a kid... Great memories. I still go pretty often but it is in a weird state now. Half new, half old, half gone.

[@PDX7]

It’s different every time I go back, I hope they can make this into something great for the next 10 years. We will never get it the way we remember, but they can give us something new. Thanks for watching :)

[@zackdreamcast]

Used to work at that mall back in 2006-2007. Was the backup to Mayfair for most people

[@PDX7]

Yes it sure was always the 2nd option and if Champs didn’t have something they’d call Mayfair those were the days.

[@markmyhowzin]

Having condos and apartments as replacements to dead malls is a good idea. The irony, with the addition of more people to that area they’ll look to create new malls….!

[@PDX7]

Unfortunately not, but maybe it brings new ideas to attract people who don’t live there.

[@Tom-cp6yj]

And how much are these new apartments going to be?? 1,800 a month?? Ridiculous....

[@PDX7]

At least, I could see them even higher

[@EmpireArcade]

Great nostalgic video Phil. Where I currently live, I had 5 malls all within a mile or 2 of me. 2 of which closed. The Source Mall, for some reason was built next to an existing mall, (Roosevelt Field Mall which is still going strong & is always a mad house). It did well for about 10 years & then eventually there were maybe 4 people in there at a time. It finally closed & they ended up building it into something else. Then there was the Sunrise Mall which closed this past summer. That was a favorite of my youth, but people just stopped going to it. A 3rd in my neighborhood, the Broadway Mall I hear will be closing within the year. I miss these places. Especially the arcades & KB they all had in them. I like the idea of turning these places into apartments. On a separate topic. I'm convinced Shaq might be following you. lol

[@PDX7]

Oh my gosh I think he is I’m cursed lol Thanks for sharing Empire Arcade 👊

[@flyingninja1234]

It's been many years since I have been there. Suncoast & Sam Goody were two of my favorite stores that are no longer around anymore.

[@PDX7]

Definitely my favorite stores too 👊

[@johnfritz1164]

It has been a while since I've been there. (Sears was still there). Thanks for the update. Is there anything left of the Grand Avenue Mall downtown? I know Northridge is gone, how about Southridge?

[@PDX7]

Grand Avenue has changed I’ll be back there soon and Southridge. Northridge I believe is leveled, I still watch a tv a purchased from Sears :)

[@craign8464]

Went to Grand Avenue for first time in maybe a decade the weekend before Christmas to pick up an item at Kohl's. Not really a mall anymore, has Kohl's, TJ Maxx, Walgreens and a large food area called Third Street Market that was busy. A number of apartments where stores used to be. It's an interesting area.

[@PDX7]

I’ve been there too, very different set up I’m going to go back there soon.

[@The_Bad_Guy.]

Its sad what most malls have become these days. Most of them in my area are either gone or practically empty. There's a few that are thriving still and others that are only hanging on because they put a casino in it haha. Malls around Christmas time back in the 80s and 90s was an amazing experience.

[@PDX7]

Nothing comes close to what we experienced in our childhood 👊

[@Holein1scott]

Man, I hate seeing malls close. I miss the culture of the 80s and 90s. It truly was the peak of American society, in my opinion!

[@PDX7]

We could spend an entire day there back then, things are so much different now.

[@Holein1scott]

@ so true!

[@jnniferhoffman8298]

Man that mall used to be hopping back in the 90s I miss shopping at KB Toys in Sears Brookfield Square is a ghost town now

[@PDX7]

It’s like another store is gone every time I go back, honestly this was the most people I’ve seen there in a long time :)

[@1upunderground]

As I understand it from local news: #Dillards was planned as a replacement for #BostonStore at Brookfield, Mayfair, & Southridge until the economy turned after the pandemic… Glad to see something going up opposed to empty buildings. Happy New Year!! 👊🏾💯

[@PDX7]

I never heard that Thank you for letting me know it’s too bad that could’ve happened. Happy New Year 👊

[@BoltZillaPlays]

Regency Mall in Racine might be worse then this. They recently tore down half the mall to build a Woodmans and theres probably still empty store fronts in the mall.

[@PDX7]

That’s so depressing, I’ve never been to the Regency Mall. I’ll have to swing by when I come back from IL next time.

[@mikeyyoon]

Hey Phil! Wasn't it not too long ago that the Castle Cade in that mall looked to be surviving? It's really unfortunate to see how dead the mall has become. But maybe creating condos will liven up the place once more.

[@PDX7]

Hey Mikey, you’re right it could bring in new stuff to attract people to come back.

[@steveherr450]

Parents took us there in the 70's and I use to go there alot in the 80's. it has been a good 30 years since i been there now. I am surprised Spencer is still there. always had to walk thru that store on every visit. at times it would actually be too crowded at times and we would just leave but looks like that isn't a problem anymore but very few stores now. Another mall I use to get to was Janesville mall in Janesville Wisconsin. i got there more often seeing i owned real estate down there. You could see it change over the years. was busy all stores open and rented, center full of vendors. then over the years you could see it die out. first you had a few closed stores but always had someone remodeling for someone new. Then it was full of empty stores and available for rent for a long time before they found anyone. I sold out down there and made it back twice after that and the first time back it looked like it was making a fairly good comeback with only a few stores closed but then i made it back like 7 years ago and it was like a ghost town inside. Wonder what is happening down there at that one?

[@PDX7]

I’ve been to Janesville too, Finish line was always a stop for me :) I’m going to go back there and check it out soon.

[@bradolson]

I went to Woodfield in Schaumburg the Saturday before Christmas and you would've thought it was still 1993 with the crowds. Definitely not a dead mall there. Wish we had one that healthy in the MKE area.

[@PDX7]

Wood field is a great mall :) I wish there was one out here too, but Mayfair is still doing ok not as big but it’s thriving.

[@BoltZillaPlays]

Gurnee Mills mall is still striving also.

[@endofline4460]

If that Castlecade place is downsizing, maybe ask them if they'll sell you that NBA Jam?

[@PDX7]

I was thinking the same thing :)

[@DW-ur4xt]

reminds me of A1up another year like last year than don't think there make it back like that mall

[@PDX7]

Not unless they give us something(s) new and retro gaming community interest not theirs.

[@carlo1132]

Alot of malls get repurposed for housing and thats not a bad idea, esp for the people that are homeless or where housing is super expensive. Amazon and Mac Bid use up mall space out my way. We have a huge Mall thats getting destroyed out my way, its called the Century 3 Mall. We also have Monroeville Mall where Dawn of The Dead was filmed. Angel been rowdy and Mr Spray Spray has been cooling her off!

[@PDX7]

Angel is getting ramped up for the New Year 🐈‍⬛ I agree they need more housing for people houses are too much and population is growing.

[@Larissa-le7dk]

I love Ann Taylor loft

[@unicron76]

Von Maur wanted to move into this mall but sears, jc penny, and Boston store nixed that. A year later sears was gone and boston store shortly after that. Then the corners opened up with Von Maur just down three road. The mayor should have fought harder for Von Maur.

[@PDX7]

I agree, maybe that’s what Brookfield Square really needed to go high end direction.

[@Larissa-le7dk]

Kinda sad our stores moved across the street in our old best buy. Because of dead mall.

[@PDX7]

Is it open concept inside?

[@Larissa-le7dk]

@PDX7 no small stores but they are very nice

[@PDX7]

I’m glad they were able to do something with Best Buy’s building

[@domeshtan1677]

Toys, games and calendars? I thought the store I was at was called Go! I went to that mall to pick up a Japanese calandar for 2025. Where else are you going to find one? (Well Half Price Books had them but it was Japanese Style artwork, not photos.) How does a place stay in business year round when half of their store is calandars? Building apartments? Maybe they can merge them with the mall. Perfect for a zombie appocolypse.

[@PDX7]

You’re right where will we find these calendars now lol I once got a Chuck Norris fun facts there. I think that was the Go store. Maybe it will make for a great filming location :)

[@greyshadow9498]

Living on the east coast, there are easily 20-30 indoor malls within an hour drive... 90% of them are "dead" and I bet within 5 years most of them will be gone, including some "super" malls. Look, I buy a lot of stuff one these says. But I still go out to go to clothing, shoes, game stores, toy stores sporting goods, card shops, comic stores... Those places NEED to be visited in person. An indoor mall is the best place to hit them all, doesn't matter the weather. Strip malls, shopping centers, etc are not my favorite, especially in rain and snow. But they are almost app that is left for physical stores.

[@PDX7]

I try to also, it’s difficult when we can’t find it so we result to Amazon. You have a ton of malls near you!

[@87TurboT]

Bring back Fuddruckers

[@PDX7]

Best place to get a burger 🍔 👊

[@PatCooper-i1f]

Sure looks bare. I used to just about live there

[@PDX7]

I remember being there on a weekend and seeing You and UD and he reached in his pocket and handed me a 5 :)

[@DuerstMania]

Mall revival movement when?

[@PDX7]

Referring to people still going to the mall and future changes bringing more reasons to go after everything that once was is gone.

[@bradley4385]

What on Earth??! .... I just went to this place yesterday ( January 14th ) .... There was no sign of any demolition like I'm seeing in this video.... They must have cleaned up that mess REALLY FAST. Anyway - I can't believe how much of a ghost town this place is!! It's just sad .... These pathetic zoomers and I pad babies wanna buy ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING online. It's depressing.... The food court has maybe 2 places open..... And that crappy arcade where GameStop used to be😂😂😂 Who's paying the property taxes here??.... Every square foot counts. I'm no economic expert but damn - I understand the basics.

[@PDX7]

It’s gotta be the highest area to rent, I can’t believe how the stores that remain are still open. Boston Store was ripped down and cleaned up within 3-4 weeks.

[@r.burger991]

When we moved to Stallis in 2004, that was the spot. Taking the kids to Toys R Us, going through the mall, and hitting Fuddruckers was pretty much a payday weekend event.