DEAD MALL - CHAUTAUQUA MALL - JAMESTOWN NY

[@Saibot79]

It hurts to see that mall look like that. I grew up in Jamestown. Back in the 1980 and 1990 I used to love to visit that mall. The arcade right outside of sears. Jamesway, Woolworth, the Quality markets with the conveyor belt to transport your groceries out to your car. Hey as an adult I know that isn't very practical, but as a kid it was cool. So sad.

[@MakennaMarieB]

My childhood mall 😞

[@VRplay86]

That's awesome 😎👍🏻 I said that this Mall is dying. But I still go there 😃 to get stuff 👍 great video 📸

[@lynnswanson7591]

I thought this was in Lakewood NY

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

The mall is in Lakewood, which is a suburb of Jamestown. Few people have probably ever heard of Lakewood though. Kind of on the same principle as the NFL team calling itself the "Buffalo" Bills, despite the team playing in a suburb called Orchard Park.

[@CharlesSnyder-u9d]

@@mayavenuemisfit814it is not in a suburb of jamestown😂. Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua ny that actually has NO suburbs. I live in the county myself and Lakewood is a SEPARATE town. Jamestown is a very small city too. This was also my childhood mall.

[@Macrolomax]

THE MOVIE THEATRE CLOSED ) :

[@DrMikey-17]

The mall opened the year I graduated from high school, and it was a bustling noisy and wonderful place. Sadly, it destroyed the downtown Third St shopping district and now it's meeting the same fate it delivered to downtown Jamestown. There is no way these malls can be salvaged when online shopping is so much more convenient.

[@cindyolson5849]

remember this stroll years ago

[@Macrolomax]

sad but one thing i hate about it THE BLACK SIDE ON THE BIG CHESS BOARD IS MISSING THE QUEEN AND KING GRRR

[@teddybear4020]

i was just there a couple hours ago . i was surprized at what is still there and some new biz there to, i think it has been roughly 20 years since i was there . i just move back in jamestown .ny in jan . this year . HOPEFULLY SOON some one decent get this mall and gets it up and flowing soon today is oct 29.2024 at 12013pm

[@steves_retail]

@teddybear4020 well I can happily say the mall is not longer under the grips of KOHAN. It's now owned by Summit Properties USA.

[@maryellenshock]

This is in Lakewood NY, not Jamestown - trust I know,

[@grendelthewise1971]

You can tell this guy isn't from western New York

[@Saibot79]

Come to think of it, your right. A very short drive though

[@brysonmyers4319]

I still go sometimes

[@maryellenshock]

My first job was at zayses, little down the road, but not by much - I was 16..

[@DarkAssassin274]

Born and raised in Jamestown. I can confirm the K mart did NOT close in 2019 lmao, that's been dead and empty since I was a child. I'm 28 now 😂😂

[@Scorpio45Libra]

There was the Kmart next to Wegmans on Fairmount, that just closed like a year or so ago.

[@DarkAssassin274]

@@Scorpio45Libra Not saying your wrong. Just don't think I've seen anyone go there in something like 10 years.

[@Scorpio45Libra]

@@DarkAssassin274 Yeah, Kmarts business tanked years ago.

[@criticalt1637]

My wife worked at Kmart next to Wegmans for over a decade. I can assure you it closed in 2019.....I lived it. Now there is a Target there sinse ladt week.

[@Macrolomax]

i remember it back in 2018 or smth

[@YTMurdocsocks]

This place was booming when I was a kid. Crazy how times change

[@maryellenshock]

I used to walk to that mall back in the 70/ early 80",s. Graduated from Southwestern high School in 1980.

[@yarbsfpv]

As a kid, I worked a couple of christmas seasons at Electronics Boutique, did some time at the food court (the Orange Julius continued to do sandwiches and stuff after no longer being Orange Julius)... and a year or so at Office Max as well. The place was bustling around the turn of the millennium. Also : just a week or two ago the movie theater in there closed because the current owners would not make necessary building repairs. Also, the mentioned Target store up the street did open a couple weeks ago as well.

[@susaneichelberger4770]

It doesn't help when the mall has outrageous space prices and they refuse to maintain it properly.

[@grendelthewise1971]

Kay jewelers has been there since the 80s. I remember the hot Sam's, Walden books, kaybee toys, radio shack, and so much more

[@darlenedarlene8227]

Claires and Rue 21 are both gone now too

[@joannetaft1729]

My husband and i thought if they took the sears store and turned it into a skating rink and possibly a skate board rink. It might bring business into the mall. Just a thought.

[@snoppitt2]

anyone have a video of the grocery conveyor belt?

[@maryellenshock]

My second job was Woolworth. We got our paycheck in cash. Can you say I'm old?

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

Jamestown in general is a "dead" city. That said, the mall goes as the city goes.

[@johnthomas2255]

i WAS UP THERE LAST WEEK, NOT MANY STORES LEFT IN THE MALL BUT i THINK THIS IS HAPPENING TO ALL THE MALLS EVERY WHERE ?

[@joeblowe7545]

Sure . Thank yourselves and your neighbors for all the Amazon, FedEx, and UPS trucks that you summon to your doors multiple times a week. I miss malls and touching something before I buy it. Rarely will I ever order something online.

[@snoppitt2]

😢

[@Scorpio45Libra]

The economy took a huge nose dive due to Covid, prices of almost everything went sky high, including gas. Its much cheaper and more convenient to order online, sadly. I still frequent some mall stores such as JoAnns, and with the new Ollies in there. Five guys is good food, and there's Sakuras. But again, economy had alot to do with the decline of Chautauqua Mall. I believe Target is open now.

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

Not to mention that Erie is an hour straight shot on highway 86, Peach Street has everything Jamestown has and more, plus no sales tax on clothing in Pennsylvania.

[@Scorpio45Libra]

@@mayavenuemisfit814 No sales tax on clothing in NY up to $100. I was born in Erie. One of my favorite spots on Peach since I was old enough to remember was Millcreek Mall.

[@Joelisamarierodgers815]

My husband and I worked for hot stuff pizza and mean genes and orange Julius in fact we worked under tom hurley he also ran cinnamon street and orange julius

[@VincentJenks]

Sure, it’s dying from a lack of anchor stores, but they’ve left because there aren’t enough local consumers left to support a mall. NY state politics is bleeding upstate dry. People are leaving and so goes jobs, investment, and the local economy. In the 80’s and 90’s this mall was the place to be. I’m guessing it’ll be another nursing home by the end of the decade.

[@solotron7390]

Malls simply cannot compete in 2023 with online shopping, which often has free shipping. A few computer clicks and whatever the consumer desires will arrive on the doorstep within a few days--no crowds, no driving, no wasted time searching, no brainer.

[@maryellenshock]

My mom used to shope at quality markets - she found a mouse in our dogs food and went to the store waving this mouse by the tail - my sister and I were teenagers do you how mortified were to hear my mother tell this story at the dinner table?!

[@kingyuonobryant1416]

Yea. I remember. Some the store in there and thay all went out business long time ago it use to have alot of people walking around not no more dead shit

[@11.dean.cave.11]

I still go their for FYE. Honestly, i noticed the place start to die as soon as Hot Topic closed.

[@Macrolomax]

yea thats where my mother worked back then lol the people there were conserned when i bought all the 2 dollar goku soda

[@gardenwalker3767]

Where did the vintage photos come from?

[@steves_retail]

They're all over google

[@steves_retail]

They're all over google

[@wamblygorrila134]

Kinda crazy seeing a video of a place that I've been in a hundred times plus o dont live that far from it

[@cazererrah]

I go here on weekends, fairly dead. They got rid of the stores people truly liked and everything is incredibly expensive. Sakura still slaps, but y'know. Still not the same.

[@teddy2596]

What are your suggestions for how malls can make it in this day and age? Would love to see a video of what you think the future of malls will be!

[@katzap4494]

Hello! You live very close to where I do and I have to say, you are living my dream! If you ever have small groups to make these adventures through dying or dead retail, lmk

[@CoolCatProductions-365]

Great video Steve! By the way, what is the name of the song you used in the intro?

[@steves_retail]

Ceremony by Betamaxx

[@CoolCatProductions-365]

@@steves_retail thanks!

[@willstjjohn9481]

Hibbots sports is still there it's a seasonal store since the guy that owns it travels from fair to fair during the summer months and September and October. He reopens end of October and closes about end of March every year

[@hmt5oo]

Even if they give your free rent include utilities, you can never make in empty mall like this

[@daniellewolf3697]

BTW I Go To This Mall,Fav Sore Is FYE And They Have New Owners

[@j.p.a5318]

Is that your voice? :O

[@DATA-qt3nb]

yeah this is shity, it was overpriced locations for stores to move into and online shopping.

[@billsmith2217]

Nice

[@danielfife348]

How dead?

[@joevin-tosis8886]

Very dead. .ast time I went in, there were barely any people in it and not to many stores are still open

[@douglasbrown9440]

Another fine democrat union outcome.