DEAD MALL - CENTURY 3 MALL - IT'S OVER

[@joestewart8914]

You should have seen this place when it opened 39 years ago. I remember walking through a brand-new Gimbels and then into this mall. Thousands and thousands of people all just as amazed as me. Every one of these hundreds of stores had the most appealing presentation that brilliant retail minds could possibly come up with. It was perfection. It will never be duplicated, as there are now much cheaper ways to connect the public with merchandise than to envelop them in a fantasy world of air conditioned, masterfully-designed real estate.

[@LipstickGold]

I'm so glad I'm not the only person fascinated by dead malls. Thanks for making all of these videos!

[@jimkozub1515]

I Remember back in the 90's how busy it used to be around Christmas time.

[@northsidediva6465]

jim kozub That was a weekend destination for me! New outfit before going to the clubs in the Strip!

[@melesmeles2095]

I was a mall guard 91-92 and OMG yes !!! I remember Black Friday I worked the 2-10 pm shift... Took me almost an hr to find a parking spot !!!

[@sal]

That drone footage in the beginning was fantastic!! Loved the intro. I’m actually torn between how I feel about the sheriffs sale... on one hand, the new owner could come in guns blazing with a ton of ambition and revitalize the place. On the other hand...they may get a great deal because of very few bidders, and then just raze the place to make way something new. While the prospect of a white knight coming in to save the mall is what I *want to see*...at this point the mall has been through so much, it may just be time to put it out of its misery. Moonbeam killed this amazing mall that Eddie DeBartolo constructed. Eddie is rolling in his grave. Thanks for the shout out, man! I’ve loved your content since you started, and I appreciate the help you gave me when I was first starting out. Always a pleasure to talk to you!! Looking forward to much more content for years to come!

[@realazduffman]

Expect little, Pittsburgh Mills sold for $100.

[@sal]

AZDuffman yeah...while I do agree, many malls have sold at sheriffs auction...most wind up on the chopping block, but a few have survived. My hopes are low, as are my expectations, but time will tell!

[@realazduffman]

It is 40 years old and falling apart at the seams. For shopping it could be flattened and turned into one of those "main street" kind of shops, but I doubt it given how over-retailed the area is. Most likely becomes mixed-use after sitting for a decade. Look for the end to get crazy. I know of one game of nerf-ball and "capture the flag" being planned as a flash-mob.

[@frankyu553]

Sal Hey Sal love your work! You're way underrated right now and I can see people (like me) being drawn to your channel for a long time to come. Please keep it up and let me know if you're ever in California! We might not have a lot of dead malls but we got some urbex places 👍🏾

[@blahlbinoa]

Moonbeam didn't help, but the past few mall managers of the place embezzled A TON of money from it. Poor poor money management and no advertising meant it was doomed. South Hills Village mall is booming, and they're adapting with the times to stay afloat.

[@tylerfrederick246]

Anthony, I find your timing impeccable. Today, April 15, is not just another date. 106 years ago, at 2:20AM, the Pride of the White Star Line, RMS Titanic sank. 1500 lives were lost

[@jeee1074]

Moonbeam is the grim reaper for malls. They take malls that need a helping hand and push them into grave. It is a shame that nearly every mall they have is closing or dying quickly.

[@Launchpad05]

Just like how 'Jerry Springer', 'Maury Povich', and 'TMZ' push cartoon blocks into the grave.

[@endlessdrive8421]

7:05 - Song: Goodbye - Vanessa Williams

[@marisam9803]

Love your videos. Youve been improving leaps and bounds since I first discovered your channel a year ago! Keep being excellent!

[@fatcatboo]

Thanks for another wonderful but sad video. I remember going here as a kid in the 80's. It was always packed and something going on there.

[@chairmanwario]

A big reason that the indoor shopping mall model doesn't work anymore is, the garden-variety middle class family doesn't have the disposable income anymore. People work with much tighter budgets. Over the years that malls have existed, most incomes stayed the same, but prices everywhere else rose, so now the same incomes that could generate mall sales no longer have the capacity to do so. That's why, I think, the only malls still standing, and the only malls that will last, are those that appeal to the luxury market. Incomes of probably $150,000 and greater make up the meat of the mall customer base now. You could argue that malls which serve city hubs, like the Cherry Hill Mall or King of Prussia Mall, will last, but that's only because they also include high-end stores/restaurants like Louis Vuitton and the Capital Grille.

[@JahnoKestt]

Haha, awesome intro! I almost wanted to bust out my vintage dance move but then remembered this was about a dead mall and got sad. Great video work as usual!

[@sherryk.spicklerstein8337]

Particularly loved looking back at the carousel. Thanks for filming this sad but truly amazing video.

[@AtlantaGymFan]

It is sad that these once jammed malls are going to dust so fast. I have so many wonderful childhood memories of visiting Randhurst and the excitement of eating in a terrific restaurant and seeing Santa.

[@davidc.pierce9631]

Wow! Great vid! Super work on production details! Very sad to see this Mall's end😔... I have already become a fan of SAL, too. You are both, VIP. 😺👍

[@northsidediva6465]

This is so sad. 😢 I remember that place being PACKED on Friday & Saturday nights.

[@danefilander6306]

Thank you ace adventures for a the awesome mall walk the mall itself looks so beautiful and absolute shame it went down will. I really hope the future of the mall comes back alive again (well may be depends on the owners) and doesn't fall victim like the former Rolling Acers mall did falling in to a state of decay, disrepairs and vandalized but more important who ever purchases land be may rejuvenated the mall back it it's former glory. Ace Adventures i hope you can keep up to date with this absolutely Fabulous mall.

[@iteachgr8kids]

So sad. Brought back memories of our own malls in the Kansas City metro that have since been torn down. Change can be good. But it can really suck too.

[@nancydarling4918]

Great video. Love the footage. Thanks for uploading.

[@dondavis5633]

I also loved the drone footage, and wonder if some brave soul will ever fly a drone through an empty mall, like, say, the Irondaquoit Mall, ferinstance. Also, thanks for the shout out to Sal; he's one of the real rising stars in this business, and it's cool that you & he are communicating about dead malls, etcetera. Anyhow, many thanks for yet another instant Ace's classic...

[@redpillmale6518]

This is not just the end of an era, this is the continuation of what started in 07-08.

[@_chevy_stepside]

Me being a Pittsburgh native, it’s hard to see Century 3 go, bought lots of good things from there and hopefully it’ll be left as it is and they won’t destroy it, I still wonder when and why they walled off so much of it, last time I was there was around 1999-2002ish, man time flies when your having fun, only the future can tell us what is in store for this great mall, RIP CENTURY III 1979-2018.

[@taramcblakeshire8516]

I'm going to miss the zombie walk at Century 3. Anywho when I was growing up and hanging out in the mall in the early and late 80's the carousel was not in Century 3 Mall.

[@itrack4u]

Excellent! Very classy intro. You speak from your heart. I like that about you. It's the main reason I support you.

[@JenniferJones-qn6lg]

Suze Glesky me too! 💜

[@leatherman88ch]

I miss working at coffman's furniture gallery I hope you guys can get back into that part of the mall before it's gone because that store is huge

[@mereb29]

Awesome content man! I love your channel. Keep up the great work!

[@joshuastewart7236]

Thanks for the update video. This was my favorite mall as a kid when I lived in the Pittsburgh area. I was just at the mall last Christmas shopping and reminiscing. If you are ever in the Tulsa, Ok area there is a mall called the Promenade Mall that is a dying mall.

[@warnerd79]

Love the whole video but what's that song at the end on the 7:05 mark? Starts with "Do we really have to say goodbye?"

[@heathvaldez8941]

Yes, I want to know what this song is too. Sounds like a late 80s/early 90s slow jam.

[@pigeononbread5477]

As someone who loves all the malls in Pittsburgh it truly pains me how tgis mall died how it did, this and parkway centre mall were may faviorates and on pained to see another faviorate of mine to go.

[@pigeononbread5477]

Marshal Jim Duncan yeah I know and I'm glad for that to be open, but I remeber in the early 2000's when parkway centre mall and c3 were still alive.

[@GreatGarloo]

It's obvious why the owners of these particular malls is allowing them to fail: They'll simply sell off everything inside of the mall and then sell off the most valuable portion - The land these malls are on. They'll get redeveloped into something else like more retail space, industrial areas or homes.

[@NK029]

The owners of this mall were very invested in it's demise because they thought they were going to sell the property to UPMC. However, the UPMC South location is still up in the air because everyone who lives in the area seems to not want another hospital in the neighborhood with Jefferson only a few miles away. Also, some thoughts to mull over, if it weren't for Allegheny County's higher tax rates AND this new bill on the table that could force online sales to pay sales tax to the state in which it is being purchased, this would be a rather decent location for Amazon. Shipping routes aren't constantly congested south on Rte 51 and Rte 43 connects directly to I-70 without stop lights.

[@phil34nc]

That is so sad. Thanks for filming this.

[@CodaGardner]

Thanks for using the real version of a song for once! It made the intro really great!

[@CodaGardner]

@@dimattia11 Nu Shooz - "Point of No Return"

[@prismstudios001]

Even sadder: Even if there are open stores, the pending Sheriff`s sale signs would make shoppers circle like vultures waiting for the "final days" closeout/liquidation sales.

[@1rockcrawford]

Not surprised by this. Doesn't really have anything to do with Amazon, or Malls Dying, there are just too many places to shop in the area, or nearby. A lot of the stores this mall DID have were suffering already.

[@KittenChopsMom]

Such a pretty mall, and the decor is as beautiful as the newer ones. Such a shame it couldn't make it.

[@azmillion]

Ace- amazing song choices

[@Catmannj1]

Enjoy your films on Century III and this one is no exception. How could they owners let a great property like this decline? I"m surprised the JC Penney is still there hanging on. But all those stores shut. The Intro music was music I danced to in clubs (New Shoez?) Your hallmark episode was getting into the secret wing of Century III and seeing it looking virtually untouched. You always do unique toches for every video which makes each one unique. Hope you get back one more time to say GoodBye. Thanks for doing this even with working so many hours at your "real life job."

[@Blkskulz]

Great video again of this mall. It's a shame it's now come to this. I've been in the Pittsburgh area since 2005. I have enjoyed this mall for quite some time. I remember that the closed off wing had a few stores. Even a pet shop. Hopefully the new owner will be having some great ideas for the location. Even if it's tearing it down. Sad to see it go, but in today's world. It's all about the internet shopping.

[@erinbricker-urbanhistorian5803]

Our malls are all open still.... great video!

[@joey4life94]

I never shopped there cause i live in ny but sad to see how something once with so much life can die so fast rip to malls 😭

[@Hubjeep]

Awesome video! My Sears Hicksville (NY) (the Premier Sears on the Island) closed a week ago! I got plenty of content with my camera, now figuring out how to voice over like you do after I edit it. Going by you and Dan Bell for ideas.

[@WhittyPics]

RIP. Closing in June? Looks like it is about closed down already? What the hell is open?

[@ERIC-65]

Nu Shuuz?

[@danacantu6714]

Love the intro! Another great video!

[@juliakay6204]

And someday something will replace Amazon and we will all be nostalgic and the wheel of innovation will turn.

[@patsflysfan2]

I hope to go there sometime in May. I really meed to see this place.

[@Clement-xy9iv]

Reading trough comments, and everyone has souvenirs with this mall. I hope she won't get demolished. I think I would have loved to visit this mall.

[@lindagoreham2238]

Fabulous video as always! Keep up the great work!

[@KoubuPilot]

Fiesta is over at Century III as well. JC Penney facade is similsr to the one at Paradise Valley Mall. Metrocenter in Phoenix is a little slice of San Dimas, CA you need to see as it was the filming location for mall scenes in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

[@daltonbedore8396]

Enrique Cortez damn i never knew that. i loved going to metroncenter when id visit my grandma

[@frankyu553]

Enrique Cortez Sam Dimas CA? I never knew there's a mall in San Dimas.

[@KoubuPilot]

Dalton Bedore It's been remodeled so some interior elements seen in the movie are not thete anymore

[@KoubuPilot]

Frank Yu I don't know what they have aside from Raging Waters. Maybe they don't and that's why they had to film a mall elsewhere?

[@leatherman88ch]

Rip century lll we love u

[@jokerz7936]

You're right about the competition in Pittsburgh Ross Park Mall killed Allegheny Center Mall in the 90's and the renovation of South Hills Village Mall and opening of the Water Front in Homestead was the one two punch for Century 3 in the 00's.

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

Sad to see another MALL meet its end, we like Sals channel too, he is doing a superb job !

[@JenniferinIllinois]

Ahhhh Century III. Thank you Moonbeam for your excellent ownership and making sure no water pipes burst. 😉

[@BrookeAmber03]

I love the music at the beg of the video!

[@thecritic3710]

a lot of these places planned on this...but to rebuild. but the cost is just outrageous. most retail buildings in the last 50 or so years were meant to be replaced and modernized. many of the malls and even strip malls buildings even with the best of maintenance life expectancies are 20 to 30 years.

[@JenniferJones-qn6lg]

Awesome video, sad to see this one go.... But you are right, most of the east and midwest is malled and retailed to death, meanwhile get further west its suburbia....

[@billnumber3324]

Agreed about the Drone footage, that is so very cool! Very unique way to start the video. Also very sad to see the mall going downhill the way it has, considering many people have said that it was the place to be back in the day. This is very much what happened to Greengate Mall right before they closed.

[@teewilliams4272]

1:51 those handles remind me of my childhood. And the fountain was everything. ⛲️⛲️

[@ThatNateGuyOnYouTube]

wow love the drone footage! I really would like to make it out to this mall before it goes up for auction.

[@ThatNateGuyOnYouTube]

sho-nuff!

[@realazduffman]

Great video, hoping for that last meetup.

[@vintagebleachedblonde4322]

Yeah Sal has great content!!!

[@MrBugman2525]

U know what's sad is when greengate mall in Greensburg went out of business, buts what's nice people on Facebook group still get together and talk about the great times of the mall especially around Christmas time

[@stphinkle]

Wonder who will bid for it at the sheriffs sale. I also wonder if the date will be adaptive reuse or wrecking ball? I did see a couple of years ago that University of Pittsburgh Medical Center was eyeing Century III mall at one time for a possible expansion. Wonder if they will perhaps bid on it?

[@brunowskijr]

Man you have really good intros. I just finished the dead mall one with the Mr. Rogers intro. Amazing content my man!

[@Wagon_Queen_Family_Truckster]

I remember going here when I was a kid. Babbage's was a cool place to shop for video games. The Sears was awesome. Sad to see it go.

[@LindaFromSeaAtTull]

Cool opening, so retro!

[@KevinPlaysGuitar]

Great video! I love the intro!

[@johnwiesner9590]

This is like walking through the East Town Mall in Knoxville, TN. Wouldn't surprise me if that mall completely closes in the next few years.

[@popculturecreations9852]

I was just there today. They had a company board up all the entrances all around the mall, today. Pennys is the only store open. Do not know if they will be closing.

[@kennywoodjoe]

How did you get up to the 3rd floor??

[@bigbird51]

To my knowledge this is/was only 3 story mall ever built and had a 2 story carousel to boot. Perhaps someone with vision and money can convert to retail, residential, governmental, college mixed use development. Probably a pipe dream, but let us still dream something good will happen. Remembered when opened and still working at Gimbels downtown and loading merchandise for Century III branch.

[@Quit3Cut3]

Duane Hawk parkway center mall was a 3 story mall also.

[@turtleislandlac1490]

It's true many malls are failing. But there are some indoor malls that show zero signs of decline. One is the mall in Pentagon City in DC, always packed even on the weekdays. The Woodfield Mall minutes from Chicago's O'Hare airport is another. King of Prussia Mall in Philly.

[@garygansbrubaker]

I've been to King of Prussia. Nice place! HUGE!

[@samtron5000]

Your videos improve with each upload. Great job

[@garbage854]

Good video :) Rip Century 3 Mall

[@nicholaskurta]

Actually a sheriffs sale doesn’t mean it’s closing. Just a new owner

[@WallieB26]

nkurta0505 it was stated on KDKA news here in Pittsburgh the mall is in fact closing on June 4th.

[@ralphpastine4587]

I live in Pittsburgh...yes we have alot of malls but the majority of them are very vibrant...pittsburgh mills is dead...but it is built in the middle of nowhere....right off a highway that was so poorly designed it has constant multi hour traffic backups....and century 3 was brought down by crime/violence in the area....other than those 2 the malls here are still booming

[@garygansbrubaker]

Wasn't this Mall where they filmed one of George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead"? I remembered this Mall because of the Slag Mounds next to it.

[@shavonnestacia2865]

@@garygansbrubaker .....Nope, that was the Monroeville mall.....Ace has a good vid on it....

[@MrTsolar]

I've been trying since the announcement to make it back to Century III for another look around. I'm curious on what it would take to revive a mall like C3. Given how developed the surrounding area is, with South Hills Village and the waterfront within 10 miles, is it even possible? Should C3 be saved by the new owners, what would folks like to see in the mall (stores, attractions, events, etc.)?

[@PGskizzEs]

Still open! I got to take photos of it today!

[@Clement-xy9iv]

I really love the intro music (please, what is the name of it ?), it fits perfectly with the drone scenes.

[@ashitomarisu]

I just saw news about it while at Eat 'N Park yesterday and thought "I should tell Ace or Dan Bell about this"

[@norcabird2605]

Great job on the mall tours. This building is a beauty. And to reply to someone who said it was the only 3-story mall - it was not. There were several. The 3-story ones seem to be the most beautifully designed though, for sure.

[@teksal13]

I think there is (was) one in California that had 5 levels.

[@freesaxon6835]

I live in Britain........ What are sheriff sales!!????

[@melesmeles2095]

When an owner does not pay taxes or other debt, the place goes up for auction by the county sheriff...

[@freesaxon6835]

Meles Meles thanks, in Britain it's repossession

[@alberte.3059]

To recover county unpaid real estate taxes...a repossession is done by a bank holding a lien on the property for loan collateral...two totally different things.

[@user-ho3dx3od9y]

It’s hard to believe how a complex so big could fail. While Pittsburgh is over retailed, I think there’s more to the story. Middle America just doesn’t have the disposable income it had in the 70’s. They have stopped shopping at these malls. Now they frequent Walmart, Target and clothing stores such as Old Navy. Additionally malls are no longer viewed as an entertainment center with young folks amusing themselves there. They all have smart phones and tablet to fulfill that role. So this decline is both socio and economical. In any event, I fear more malls will soon meet with the wrecking ball. Thanks to Ace’s Adventures for documenting these places for us.

[@NK029]

For this mall, these are the main factors: Population decline, aging population that loved "brick and mortar" stores, "The Waterfront" and mismanagement. Western Pa has been declining in population since the 1960s. Mill and mine closures forced families to either adapt or uproot. Those who stayed saw a noticeable decrease in salaries. Add that to salaries not keeping pace with the cost of goods in the following years and...... The mean age of the population in the area is higher than the national average as there has been very few career opportunities for the youth who grew up here. In the last decade, this trend has been changing as medical and service sector jobs have made a large rebound but it hasn't fixed the problem fast enough for C3. The ending result is an older population on average. The older generations tend to prefer stores with physical locations but if they cannot physically go to the stores, delivery is a more convenient option. In the early 00s, the Waterfront opened up in Homestead, about 7 miles away. Although located in in a "drab" part of town (sorry Homestead and Hays), it offered new infrastructure, influx of youth as well as new housing developments to draw in patrons. A lot stores either moved here from C3 or lost out to the shops that did move here through competition. In recent years, the building and it's property has been locked in constant purchase negotiations. The ownership has changed hands a few times and has always been a toxic asset. The property has been falling in value and "buy high / sell low" has never been a great business model. So no one wants to seriously buy it but hangs around long enough in negotiations that the current owners never invested in the integrity of the structure. A little long winded but this pretty much covers it.

[@DesDiamondS]

Great video! What's the song that starts around 7:25?

[@collin4215]

Another fabulous video. Hopefully this structure can be repurposed into something good. Although with it being such a massive building, my guess it’s going to sit vacant for a while until finally being torn down. Much like Rolling Acres.

[@danbuckholz9228]

It isn't closing necessarily. Just going up for sale

[@WallieB26]

Daniel Buckholz it was stated on our local stations here in Pittsburgh including KDKA as seen in this video that the mall closes on June 4th.

[@RazielXSR]

So any chance the Century 1 and 2 malls are still around?

[@MrTsolar]

Honest question. Who would support a cause to buy Century III and transform it into mixed-use? Pure retail obviously won't work given how developed everywhere around the mall is, but what about some entertainment venues, community organizations, indoor events (car shows, live performances), perhaps even some apartments, all with minimal modification to the mall? Do the obvious roof and parking lot repairs as well as fixing up what the water damaged inside and a fresh coat of paint? Restore a bit of the DeBartolo charm and adapt to the changed business climate of West Mifflin. Late notice, I know, but the sale is coming up fast. It could be done.

[@izmzer0923]

Thats the old school 3rd floor Footlocker storefront at 4:49. How did you get to the 3rd floor without being kicked out?

[@AcesAdventures1]

Michael Klemer im elusive

[@crystalscan2002]

so sad but we knew it was coming

[@chaddeez8446]

What's the song towards the end of the video?

[@ladytron9188]

Very sad. You have to feel sorry for the people who work in the last few stores . Must be very depressing knowing you are going to loose your job😢🇬🇧

[@williamhaynes7089]

if your in a dead mall, you already know long before the store closes

[@A-RonHubbard]

It looks like the sheriff's sale was postponed until September, and from what I can tell from research, this mall is still open, correct? The girl at 11:30 in line with the blonde hair has a super nice body. Guess she came to see the rabbit!

[@BrettHornby]

Must of been a little brazen to capture some footage as mentioned in others videos said security is strict.

[@SkinnerIJA]

Much love for Nu Shooz! That's the mudafuckin' jam.

[@rathorclemenger6125]

So... he new guy's name is Sall?

[@robertgeary7520]

Great video most people are just to lazy to walk anymore

[@UltimateShadow10]

Wow, I didn't even realize they were finally closing it. It definitely was on it's deathbed for years.

[@MetalJoe101]

when i was a kid i used to hang there back in the 80s

[@RyanREAX]

despite working a few days at sapporo japanese steak house at 14 for a week before they told me to come back when I say 16 lol (under the table), my first job was at century 3 mall, I spent so many years at century 3, both working, and i even attended the mall school xD, i worked at flamers/manchu wok/la hacienda, I also worked at KB Toys for the season they closed, Gamestop, and Orange Julius (that was my first job before flamers).. All in all, 5 years of being a worker and mall rat, having done my fair share of stupid things there, it was a home away from home, and it will always have a place in my mind.

[@MRW2276]

I'm not defending Moonbeam, but Simon did major damage way before MB ever did (as long back as 00 when the entrance to Macy's Furniture was sealed off over fixing the road). Simon basically let the property rot while fighting with the Borough over taxes.