Dead Mall ||| Hutchinson, Kansas

[@continuallyblessed44]

Dying malls depress me. They used to be so full of life and were fun to go and hang out.

[@thisshouldbeentertaining3386]

Same , But now they resemble a dead ghost town that you see in a western movie. Only thing missing is the hanging saloon door blowing in the wind creaking.

[@PolPotsPieHole]

growing up 80s ad 90s , spent so much time in the malls, this is so sad. Glad I got to live through it

[@coderexe30]

Times change. The way people shop changes also. It’s interesting but not sad IMO

[@MasonA1702]

This mall was pretty filled up to the early 2010’s then started to dwindle from there. Lots of childhood memories at this mall.

[@robertfinnegan1829]

When I was a kid, this place was poppin’ 🥲

[@TNTTruth1]

Born in Hutch, I will probably die here. I love this place! Lived in LA California for a while, so glad I moved back to good Ol Hutchinson Ks! I have fond memories of our mall, but downtown is Kool too!

[@marisa5359]

Yep. Our dead mall. Like Vintage Market very much as well as Game On. Sad to see so much emptiness. Also, used to work at Towne West in Wichita back when it was a busy place. Been there in recent times and felt sad there too.

[@troyjenkins2332]

It was great in the 80's and 90's. Would take my Grandma when we went to visit. Had a good Orange Julius I enjoyed.

[@arcanerefrain]

The shop shown around 2:03 used to sell giant pretzels. The food court still had operating restaurants in it up until a year or two ago. There was also an Aladdin's Castle in the food court in the early-mid 90s. I think the "M" in T.J. Maxx just broke earlier this summer when we had some bad storms blow through.

[@blueponygt]

I live in Hutch. I remember the mall in the 90s. It was the place to be in town. I wish it could go back to then.

[@anderander5662]

We all do

[@emanon2794]

I went there 2 years ago, I asked what happened to it. I asked five people, they all said that the mall price gouged and the businesses couldn't afford the rent. I would drive an hour to come here, I had so many good memories here. Saddens me.

[@Babbitz]

Explains what happened to Rue21

[@kvanbinki]

​@@Babbitz yeah but the issue started well before Rue21 had been there.

[@jessirarara]

Yup and it started forever ago. The way the Mall looks in this video is about what it's looked like for the last 10 or so years.

[@crystalvinduska7717]

It's lack of customers coming to the mall that hurt the stores. People buy online or go to bigger cities to shop and it's killing the malls.

[@emanon2794]

@@crystalvinduska7717 I'll trust the business owners over you.

[@JohnnyUtah13]

I live about an hour away in central kansas. This was THE mall to go to for us in the late 90's - early 00's. Went back last year and it was shocking lol. I like malls. Wish they would make a comeback!

[@thisshouldbeentertaining3386]

As someone who grew up going to malls in the 80's and 90's I'd love to see that happen. But there are several reasons why that most likely will never happen. Online shopping is a big reason. But one that doesn't get mentioned hardly is , Most of the stores that filled the malls have either closed entirely or have reduced their store count significantly. Such as SEARS , Radio Shack , Circuit City , Best Buy , The Gap , Border's, GameStop , Fye , Sam Goody , Tower Records , Panda Express , Payless Shoes Hallmark, Sabbaro. And dozens more.

[@crownofthecrow7368]

The story I've heard is that Hutchinson was considered too small for a mall even at the time that it was built. It was some sort of a test mall and the original anchors were Walmart, Sears, Dillard's and JCPenney with a KB Toys placed strategically in the center. The mall was consistently packed until Walmart moved to its own location on the same property. Then when internet shopping picked up and the remaining anchors treated their stores more like a clearance outlet for bigger locations it dwindled until all those anchors left town. I remember as a kid for the launch of the TMNT movie they did a promotion with fox Kansas for a race between the tortoise (Michelangelo) and the hare (the easter bunny.) That food court was so packed you could barely move through it and the line for the movie was over a 100 yards long outside the door for the 4 screen theater.

[@Kyle-0262]

You are exact right. 90s and early 2000s the place was PACKED all the time.

[@BurgundyBrundley]

not to mention they charged out the ass for rent on the outlets

[@AtriumPrime]

From what I remember there was a long wall of plastic models at the KB store back in the early 90's. Of course the best place for cheap values in that hobby in Hutch was 'The Dock44"

[@WeAreAllStardust79]

Maurice's and The Buckle have been there forever. I grew up in Hutch... I remember when it was built. (now I live in Wichita and I love Town East Mall. It's thriving and I am grateful for that.)

[@ronniehunt4106]

Love seeing my home town and what was once a awsome place on KZbin! Very cool

[@lindafreeman1687]

Another thought I have on the Hutchinson Mall is...I like how they are revamping and giving the few remaining stores an outside entrance instead of having to go in a specified entrance and then walking a long way to the store of choice. It's making it more like a strip mall where you can park and enter the store you want to shop at directly from the parking lot. I think that is a plus for a lot of people...me included.

[@Thi-Nguyen]

That’s what they did for the Wichita Mall in Kansas back in the 1990s. It didn’t help and by the early 2000s it was pretty much a ghost mall. Now, the building has been repurposed as a strip mall where there is a community college office, a branch of our sheriffs office and a Big Lots. I think there’s also a jail in there as well. It’s a small one (about half of the building) and serves more as a transitioning location I think.

[@CaptainSeamus]

@@Thi-Nguyen yeah Wichita Mall is sure different these days... weirdly we drove around it on Friday night (the same night this video was made) after eating at Shanghai out front - hadn't been there in several years, so we drove all the way around it. Times have changed.

[@Thi-Nguyen]

@@CaptainSeamus Most definitely! I remember when there was a Montgomery Wards on the west end. There was a drug store called Osco. There were a bunch of other fun little shops inside too.

[@rebarnes2215]

I'm disabled and haven't been to a mall in years. I can't walk long distances without pain and there are no electric carts in malls. Having to walk through a huge courtyard to reach the store I need is impossible, so strip malls, places that have electric carts (like Walmart, Target, and grocery stores), or stand-alone stores are my only option.

[@rickfowler273]

When I was a little kid the mall here in Salina used to be not bad to go to. We went every Saturday after my guitar lessons and got something to eat and walked through Sears and JC Pennys. My Dad would always buy me a flannel or something or a game at GameStop. And people would go see movies all the time. Used to be fun.

[@TerryKirk]

I was a "day one" employee of Dillard's when the mall first opened. Then when Hastings opened in the mall, I took a job there and worked there several years. The mall, even in it's hay day, was never completely full. There were always several spots that were never rented. But it was still a hoping place back in the late 80's and early 90's.

[@janicelabuda8540]

Lived in Hutchinson many years ago. Saw snow for the first time there! Thank you for posting this; we always enjoy your low key vlogs. ..🌻🌻🌻

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks - always enjoy visiting Hutch!

[@angrytexan666]

I'm originally from Hutch and used to go there often. I would also sometimes go to Towne West and Towne East in Wichita. The last time I was in Hutch the entire city seemed to have less traffic than I remember from 20 years ago when I lived there.

[@juanitagarcia958]

"I do all my shopping at the Vintage market". Great sign 😊 This mall was sparkling clean and I saw a lady mopping as you walked by. 😂 This mall is huge. Thanks for documenting it.

[@brendacejda7069]

I'm planning a trip to Hutch in the near future, just to shop at the Vintage shop. Thanks for the endorsement!

[@xTakumEx]

@@brendacejda7069 Check out the Salt mine, and Cosmosphere.

[@Bastermater]

@@brendacejda7069what a waste of time.

[@DASHwithAllen]

King Wok was awesome, I miss their food. The mall used to be a great place when I was a kid, used to be 2 arcades, 2 theaters and every place was filled with stores and people. Very sad!

[@DASHwithAllen]

Side note about population: Prior to the gas leaks of the underground storage we were pushing 50k I think, it dropped close to 38k-40k shortly after but recent (2022) data shows that we are actually over 61k. The mall needs new management, an entity that realizes raising prices too high reduces your income very quickly.

[@roberteltze4850]

A friend was considering moving his store to the Manhattan Mall but the lease was insane. The base rent was reasonable to entice stores to move in but they also asked for a percentage of gross sales and the percentage increased as sales increased. He did the math and it was far beyond his reach to sell enough just to break even on the rent. If that kind of lease is typical it's clear to see why malls are dying.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Really good comment - thank you

[@ronfullerton3162]

So well kept and so clean! Seems like such a crying shame to have this quality of a building going to waste. But there are so many sayings and songs about how time marches on, and time has seem d to leave "The Mall" behind as a social & commercial gathering place. Our local mall slid down hill to where there were just a workout places, a museum, and possibly another similar shop or two. It was bought, and is under a complete work over. Part of it was demolished, and an apartment building erected in that area. The part left has been refashioned as a strip mall. And a few other buildings erected as small shops strip malls. We will see how that works out once it is opened.

[@cecec00]

There used to be a good Mexican place in there, an Orange Julius, a Chinese place that had $2 delivery, the pretzel place, an interactive children’s museum in the old movie theater, a Claire’s, a Deb dress store… Sigh. Good times.

[@metimoteo]

Two-dollar delivery? That's highway robbery!

[@illthuggin]

I spent countless hours in "game on" growing up. Glad to see its still open!

[@Babbitz]

Dunno how their prices are outrageous

[@Minos_Prime_King_Of_Men]

Yuh I like going there too

[@naturetrails8357]

I grew up in Hutchinson the mall was built after I moved in 85 , I have gone back to visit, I love the Cosmophere ! The mall is a beautiful mall and the pizza ranch is great place to eat nearby. Hutch just doesn’t seem to have a strong economy, I look forward to next time to come and visit salt city.

[@jenc7017]

I remember when that mall was opened. Then in the early 90s I would go and walk the mall every morning. I sure miss it

[@badbirdkc]

Damn. That is a big mall for such a small town. I know it's nostalgia, but, man, it is so sad to see the death of these.

[@Rurik_Luci]

It's because Hutchinson is basically the satellite city off of Wichita when you're headed West. Only about an hour away, but after us there isn't much and there isn't much.

[@TheHaloBlader]

Hey, that’s my dead mall! It makes me sad to think about some of the stores that used to be there when I was a kid. That storefront with metal gateway about halfway through the video used to be a Hot Topic, which was used for several unfitting things after that, including some kind of exercise studio. My emo friend mourned seeing that every time we passed by, lol. There was a hobby shop near that Makerplace area that I have fond memories of, it was called Whippersnappers, it was run by a picturesque kindly old man and me and dad would buy packs of Yu Gi Oh cards there and open them up on the bench outside. Such a big part of my childhood and early teenage years, I pass through to reminisce and check out the Game On still.

[@emanon2794]

Hastings falling too sucked.

[@raysplays1312]

Sad to see it but I honestly love coming here just to enjoy the general aura of such a liminal space. Very calming, very back room vibe

[@Dumaboy5933]

Fr

[@kvanbinki]

I live in Hutch, grew up atound here and go to the mall from time to time. But watching it through your eyes made me nostalgic and a bit sad. Because i so badly wanted to tell you how it use to be just a couple decades ago. I wanted to tell you how it became magical at Christmas with a giant moose that would "talk to you." It was anazing for a small town mall....none of us understand why the owners don't let it go to someone who could turn it around. But if they did, it probably would turn into a warehouse like every other big building in Hutch does.😒

[@CaptainSeamus]

CHRIS MOOSE!

[@WMSJacob]

The last time I visited the Hutchinson mall had to be back in 2005 or 2006. That place was jam packed. Plain sad.

[@PaulP1982]

Really like the 'dead' mall videos from time to time! Nice (literal) change of scenery. Again, cheers from your biggest fans out of Rotterdam, Netherlands

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Wow thank you for watching from so far away! Much appreciated!!

[@jamesnall6462]

I actually went to school in the learning center there. It's the glass door right by the entrance. Feels weird seeing it here.

[@AdventuresMadeFromScratch]

I remember having to search for a place to sit in the food court even when they had a million tables. The middle part with the daylight had a pretzel shop by it and tables there in the middle to eat at. Last time I was in that mall was probably 10 years ago when the dmv was there. It was dead even back then.

[@IOSALive]

Travel with a Wiseguy, Yay! I liked this video so much, it made me smile!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@theNoobmaster69]

Man dude back in the early 2000's my uncle and I would hang out at the mall here in Hutchinson and it was a blast. There was the arcade, the theater, the food court, and some really awesome shops. I haven't been since like, 2014, lol. Sucks to see this.

[@1959Edsel]

I've lived in Hutchinson most of my life, and I can remember when this mall was a lively place. Their radio ads used to say "things are really hummin' at the Hutchinson Mall." Yeah, the fluorescent lights, which you can hear because nothing is happening. King Wok was the last holdout in the food court, but even they had to call it quits.

[@erichernandez6386]

It's truly sad to see the condition of our mall. I remember when I moved here in 1999 and it was always busy, depressing

[@davelew1]

My entire family lives there, what’s left of my family I guess. Haven’t seen them in a years. I did goto this mall as a kid. My cousin worked at Lerner… I did goto a movie there as well. Thanks for the memories!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for sharing!

[@curiousjon]

Since you are in Kansas, I'd be interested in you checking out the mall in Manhattan. It's not exactly thriving, but it's holding its own. Wonder if because it is located downtown instead of on the edge of town. The irony being that when it opened, it destroyed most of downtown, but it's surviving now because it is in downtown.

[@douglaswinze699]

Lot of reason why our mall is so dead is due to rental space prices

[@jakehildebrand1824]

I miss the pretzel shop

[@stout8807]

My aunt owned sharp and shiny

[@nooneshott]

@@jakehildebrand1824same!

[@tomcat-tango]

I was there memorial day weekend! Was leaving Hutch after visiting the cosmodome, saw the dead mall and immediately knew I had to go. Seeing the totally empty (and boarded up) food court was an experience. It was kinda peaceful end to the little day trip....did leave with 3 games for my old 360 lol.

[@paulcuellarnews4166]

i was dying when i saw the thumbail and saw it was my hometown!! BEEN LIKE THIS FOR YEARSSSS!!!! businesses try to start up insdie like personal training, group fitensss, baseball practice areas and all end up going out of business. This mall use to be so lively when i was a kid. (im 30 now) still have the memories but get soo depressed when i go in. Only barely step in when my wife wants to go to the attached and only thriving business of TJ max LOL

[@rockingamer100]

My grandma and my dad both worked at dillards when we had one years ago growing up here in hutch 25 years ago it was packed and always fun to goto the arcades we had!

[@davidabernathy4553]

Well now this is a interesting video and I have been a long time resident of Hutchinson Kansas. When the mall first came to town. It killed our once. Vibrant downtown shopping area. Now the mall itself is dead. It is hard to say what is going on with the mall that had many businesses and seemed to be prospering. I think part of the problem is that the rent is very high at the mall.

[@edwinreece438]

I was raised in Hutch, left in 1962 to go to college. I still have relatives there. I was aware that all the businesses were downtown and all the merchants were complaning about the taxes they had to pay. I guess the mall was started out of all that. I assume shifting politics has affected the mall.

[@speedbuggy16v]

That and needing a monster truck to avoid suspension damage in the parking lot.

[@CaptainSeamus]

@@speedbuggy16v I won't say I broke a ball joint in the mall parking lot... but I won't say I did NOT break a ball joint in the Mall parking lot (and did $2k worth of body damage to my fender)

[@DallaS.88]

I was in high school in mid 2000s, and many of my classmate families would drive to Wichita on the weekends to get their fill of mall shopping. The development of west wichita and maize makes it an even easier trip to major retailers all while vehicles have gotten more fuel efficient over time. I also think sales tax has generally been lower in wichita (now 7.5%) than hutch (now 8.6%) which majorly factors in your bigger ticket item purchases as well.

[@jasonworthington4458]

@@speedbuggy16v There was a rumor going around that Superman got lost in a pothole there on his way to the Hutch Comic Con a few years ago.

[@nickbrim7902]

You should go to the Central Mall in Salina, KS next! It's only in a slightly better state than this one is.

[@CaptainSeamus]

I got to drive through this mall a few times... literally... the car dealer I worked for used to display new cars there... and yeah, I got to change displays out. Felt like the Blues Brothers! I still get by there nearly every week or 2 - mostly to Harbor Freight (who has an outside entrance next to TJ Maxx) and yeah, credit to the new owners of the mall, at least they are keeping it clean and maintained - the AC is back working - which was part of why Dillards pulled out a few years ago...

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Wow that would be interesting driving through a mall!

[@SGIABC]

I live just north of here and our mall is heading in this direction as well. Every weekend I would go hang out as a kid, whether it'd be a movie, or checking out the latest video games at KB Toys or GameStop, buying new clothes at JC Penney for the new school year, or hanging out in the arcade playing some Time Crysis or Killer Instinct. Man. Such great memories. But now everything is dead and the online world is king. It's sad.

[@AngryGamerGirl]

Thank you for sharing this video...💜

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

No problem 😊

[@Jason-fb5gs]

Born and raised in Hutch, was a great mall in the 80's and early 90's. I worked at the Sears for a couple years. It's just depressing to see every time I go back to Hutch now.

[@paulcuellarnews4166]

and the food or snack area that you mentioned used to be my favorite spot... it was a fresh pretzel making area! watching the employees make fresh pretzels was the best as a kid!

[@tinman7130]

On line shopping, to the door delivery and the fact a lot of people have made their lives so busy on line has made malls anachronisms. Just like large dinosaurs with climatic change they were bound to become extinct. In my large metro area with several million people to draw from, several malls have succumbed. You are right John, this one is kept clean. If it were in my metro area, they would scrape it and build several hundred two story tacky people boxes

[@Rurik_Luci]

5:48 It's only 40,000 in Hutchison, proper. If you include the population of South Hutchinson, which is just Hutchinson, but south of the river It's more like 50k Not the biggest city of big enough to sustain what needs to be there.

[@Chuboi256]

i live here and this mall i visited thousands of time. and i'm gona be honest this literally makes cry. 4:32 i ate here i was sad to see it closing, there food was actaully the fucking best.

[@masonpoepperling4450]

Fun fact: That first empty store that you see across the hall in that entrance he used is host to a Spirit Halloween around October

[@doddseman3]

Yeah, it used to be here in Manhattan >:[ you bastards lol!

[@jackstandmafia8611]

Thanks for covering the mall at Hutch!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

You bet!

[@talesfromthetoiletseat8295]

We had three malls where I live (a city of roughly 300k) Two have closed but one is still full and always packed (thankfully) The two that closed have become call centers and stuff like that so the building can be used and not fall into disrepair. Something both sad and magical about the mall the way it is. Empty quite and has a vibe of it own

[@belairvlogs3800]

I was born and live in hutchinson currently. Sometimes ill just go there to walk around, although the relatively new vintage market is fairly cool. Overall I think Hutchinson is a dying town with poor infrastructure, kinda sad to see it crumble. It will always hold a special place in my heart though... Would love to move out to the Pacific Northwest in my lifetime.

[@SK-bb6ms]

I've lived most of my life in the PNW (2 years in Hutch), things are completely opposite here, with it's own problems. Heat/chronic drought, forest fires/smoke all summer long, garbage, drugs, homeless people living on the streets (not even Portland). It's expensive but people keep moving here, traffic is unbearable and comes with much road rage. Honestly if my family wasn't here I'd probably move back to Hutch, I actually loved it!

[@jazzmynmartinez1189]

I grew up in Hutchinson and I remember this mall actually having life to it. But over the last decade or so, stores started closing and new ones never opened. There will be a new store every few years but it never lasts. Its basically a place for people to get their steps in a this point. Might as well make it a gym or something.

[@evieschultz5230]

I spent a lot of time with friends at this mall, just people watching and walking around. We had our high school after prom party there. Fun memories.

[@HashBrownes]

I used to love coming here when I visited my Brother that went to school in hutch.

[@travis303]

I'll be interested (assuming you haven't already said something and I missed it) in finding out what road trip you're going to be taking us on this summer! Those summer road trips with you are always fun!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

No long 2 weeks road trips but I’m gonna be in Alaska for 11 days in July. That’s my big trip!

[@DerekWitt]

Hurts to see Hutch Mall like this. Coming from an hour away in central Kansas growing up, this was a hopping place. Last time I was there was in 2010 to see the King's Speech at the theater.

[@Aztec73]

Back in the 80s in my skateboarding days.I would have given anything to stumble across an empty mall like that.😊 6:26

[@NR-gp2il]

THps map for sure

[@speedbuggy16v]

It was full then, and if I recall correctly boards were not allowed, if they were I would have been skating in there every day, the giant trash can/ash trays would have been awesome to pop up on.

[@sapphire56695]

I grew up about 20 miles from here. This was a very popular place back in the 80s when it opened, until around the mid 2000s. I can remember waiting in line for a snack at the food court, and spending an entire Saturday afternoon walking around browsing stores. It’s sad.

[@extra_fries_4209]

Ok, so I live in Hutch and have gone to the mall quite frequently, but that empty store connected to the hibbets sports was a knife shop called sharp and shiny and now I'm sad cause this is how I figure out it is closed (also really like your videos)

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you 😊

[@mellow_fren]

Current resident of Hutchinson, and while I'm a bit young, I've seen it slowly deaden. The left wall to where you entered used to be the entrance to the JCPenney's which has now been sealed completely, there used to be a pretzel place (that first snack spot you saw), and the food court had an Orange Julius, a Greek place, and a Chinese place. Those were some good times just 10 years ago

[@Waizzerrr]

Went to Hutchinson for my wisdom teeth removal lol, I live all the way in independence, I can't remember were the mall is, but I know there's a mall in a nearby place that's got like a plane statue outside, the fountain is literally padded up and off, but there's a Claire's, a sports shop, an antique shop that I and my friends get our DND dice from, its a dead mall, but overall still a pretty good place, and I do believe that they have some carnival rides in the parking lot now, but I may be thinking of a different store lol

[@CaseyRHarper]

The very late 90s and Early 2000s was such fun in the mall. There used to be a toy store and candy shop that I remember going to often with my grandma. Every Tuesday we'd eat at he Pretzel Place before going into stores. Her favorite was Angels Among Us. And the foodcourt used to be bustling! So sad that there's hardly anything still there

[@sueelliott3206]

Nice mall! Too bad it's so empty. Thanks for sharing.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊

[@elbmiKtnarg]

So weird to see now. My grandma lived near Hutchinson and I've been there probably about 30 years ago. I remembered the floor patterns. Just wild to compare with memories.

[@geronimo5537]

I grew up always traveling to this mall from living outside of town. It was doing fine until sears and JC pennies left around 2015. After that most people only go to the movie theatre there. What destroyed the mall was increased taxes and a unique higher tax the mall had to pay itself. All relating to funding for the new local jail. Most business left the mall at that place as local tax is already 11% among the highest in the nation. Real shame. I have many childhood memories of getting big slices of pizza at the food court then walking into the arcade. There was also a radio shack the only place in town to get parts or kits for my robotics class back in 2008. One of my favorite places in high school was the airsoft sports store. Along with a footlocker and army recruitment segment all located in the food court. The game store shown in the video somehow still exists its been there since like 2005 along with a second store in town. There is also a hobby lobby for crafting supplies or when I was a kid the biggest store for any train set possible with two full isles dedicated to train hobbies. Was my favorite spot when grandma went to town for sewing supplies. Lastly there is a farming tractor supply where my family has bought manys coats and jeans. Along with baby chickens. Real shame the mall has become another urban wasteland due to local city council choices. It felt like a little town. Was the best place to go in an otherwise boring town. Now kids go to walmart to hangout.

[@andianderson3017]

I lived in Hutchinson and so left when this mall was still in its heyday. I have no idea why this hurt so much. My memories left it unblemished. Ouch. My childhood.

[@rachelkrug6761]

We have a mall in my town and it's very full of life. It makes me happy to see it thriving and see young kids going there on a Friday night. Some malls are still going strong. But it's so sad to see malls like this.

[@bertholini2810]

Sadly, it's an exact photo of the 80's. But, I like a dead mall and goodness there are a lot of them. Very nice video, thank you for posting !! Be good, be safe. I was hoping for a Merry-go-round in there but no luck.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! It’s a strange and interesting place to visit!

[@oyerkproto]

i was here a few years back. it was dying, but not yet dead. there were still some stores that were active, but not nearly as dead to the degree of it right now. its really sad to see this happen to this mall.

[@korloq8968]

Used to live here. Last year I was in there, there was a lady mopping and sweeping the "food court" floors. The floors were perfectly clean, there were no food either. It was depressing.

[@rgreed20081]

The father of the American Mall had wanted the malls to mix-use areas which focus mainly social centers. The true American should be like a lot of European mall, Third Places. Unfortunately the main focus of American Malls are strictly retail. While malls may have set aside sections for social and entertain, they continue to mostly focus on RETAIL. The focus primary on retail is one of the reasons why there are lot of dead malls and dying malls. Yet as usual, there will be malls who are survivors. Right now, one of the problems for many survivors is that many people continue to believed them to believed to be dying malls. The mall in Hutchison can become a survivor if its owners focus on transforming the mall into a third place. A quarter of the mall can be torn down and set aside for affordable apartments. Or for entertainment. offices and social areas. Wichita's Town West Square can become a survivor if its owners notice who are coming to the mall. Oddly hobbyists are among the people who are coming to the mall. While Town West Square attracts Hobbyists, it can still evolved into a third place. The surviving malls are going to become third places. Oddly the best ways of a survivor mall to really survived are focus on image and LOCATION, LOCATION & LOCATION.

[@CaptainSeamus]

One of the interesting things they have used the Hutch Mall for (but Coach didn't mention it, though he showed it) was the Essdack center and their Makerspace. Essdack is an educational cooperative, and they use that space very well. They just happened to be shut down after 5 on a Friday night. But to my mind, that is a use plan like you are mentioning.

[@charlesyell6318]

It's sad . Malls pretty much put downtowns out of business , now the malls are being abandoned.

[@brendacejda7069]

Your videos are always well done, always! But I have to admit, this makes me sad. I grew up in an era that appreciated seeing products in person, and the socialization that shopping offered. Hutchinson is a wonderful community, with much to offer. I encourage folks to shop local as much as possible. It's up to us to keep our communities going. Thank you, Coach.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! It’s definitely a sad situation.

[@jerrilynhenson9024]

I’m tired of not being able to go to actual physical stores to look for what I want. I bought a wire shelving rack. Had to get “silver” because they didn’t have chrome. Silver looks more gray and I’m not happy with it. But sending it back is a hassle. I’m sure they count on that. I may not be a people person, but sometimes being in a store with other people is nice. I live alone. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not lonely.

[@colingeorgeh]

I used to shop there. It is about 25 miles from my home. I will have to visit it next time I am in Hutchinson. I like to eat at Carlos O’Kelly restaurant in Hutch. Great video and thanks for sharing.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you!

[@gamewizardks]

I visited this mall in the 90's on several occasions. It wasn't a particularly large mall, but it was kind of nice for being in Hutchinson of all places. The entire walk is linear. There really aren't any branches off the main concourse but it was a 'modern' mall for it's time and probably sized right for the community. Hutchinson itself has it's own issues as it is a stagnant town and also 'dying' in it's own right for many reasons. Rural areas like this in flyover country are basically no-growth zones. The only growth in Kansas is in and around the 2 major metroplexes, KC and Wichita. Pretty much everywhere else is stagnant economically.

[@maxwellhowig510]

I live in A town 20 miles south of Hutchinson, but my mom and I would visit my grandparents living in Hutch every month or so. I remember going to this mall when I was a little boy, from 4 years old (in 1990) to the present day. The food court had 3 or 4 restaurants as recently as 2018, I think. "Game On" has been in the mall since 2007-08, and I think ght the movie theatre was still there...maybe not. Anyway, I remember this mall was a pretty happening place up until 2009-10ish. I think the videogame store has been there the longest now, weird...

[@jasonworthington4458]

The original movie theater was in the food court. They built a new one on the NE side near Dunham's Sports (formally Sears). There is no inside entrance to the mall from it.

[@pamelacrowe4971]

That's ashame about malls. I remember back in the day going to the mall. It was so busy and packed. And lots to see. I don't see how they stay open now days. Thanks John.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Agreed!

[@unioncityman63]

I remember when it opened in 1986, it was a very nice mall, lot of business. Used to be a NuWay in food court way back. Don’t know how it stays open sometimes. Salina Mall about same age, but as lot more going on compared to Hutch Mall

[@speedbuggy16v]

Is the old mall still there in Salina as well? There was one both on the east and one on the west of old 81 down on the south end. I have not been back in years.

[@grantcoleman8547]

@@speedbuggy16v The mall in Salina on south 9th is still there, but it's dying too.

[@speedbuggy16v]

@@grantcoleman8547 sounds like they all are

[@jason197920]

I live in Hutchinson, haven't been inside the mall in a few years, that's definitely more empty! I remember going to that mall as a 6 or 7 year old with my grandparents when it first opened. Parking lots all filled too.

[@jeffsmith846]

What a shame to see so much empty space in such a well kept mall. When I lived in Marysville California the local mall was shut down after it had been under water during the 1986 flood. They tried to make a comeback but just couldn't make it. Here in Kansas City when they finally close a mall it is usually about 100 gunshots too late.

[@ronalddailey5208]

Malls all over the country are closeing. In my town of Port Huron has a storage business as an anchor. I believe it's going south all over. Have a great weekend

[@mikerocks56]

I live close to Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights MI, which is the biggest mall in Michigan. It is closing July 1.

[@jakehildebrand1824]

This place was pretty full up until the early 2010s. The best thing to ever be in that mall was a pretzel stand in that center area.

[@mtnjak]

My family passes thru Hutchinson every once in a while headed to Texas. We usually stop at the Cosmosphere. I didn't realize or remember that there was a mall here. Some malls here in Illinois look the same. It's sad to see them as ghost towns. Every time I see one I think of my childhood when we got our mall (Decatur). It was a mecca for many and my family would often go there on a Friday night if for nothing else than to go for a stroll. Memories.

[@nicholascabral]

My home town mall, we love to see it. So many memories

[@coltonbrown3282]

When I lived there back in 08 it's was close to being dead. They still had Sears Radioshack Dillard's and a few other places.

[@philwhite5815]

Off the subject but you should visit Hendricks Zoo between Hutchinson and Nickerson Kansas on Nickerson Blvd. It was also 96 highway but in the last 2 years 96 goes north of Nickerson so you have to exit off 96, go south to Nickerson Blvd. I think. Don't quote me on it. But it's a cool private owned zoo and BnB

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Sounds interesting!

[@HarveyFunkenstein]

Wow, think it was 25 years ago when I visited and it was very busy. Amazing how they are dying. I was just at West Ridge Mall in Topeka that was on the way out but appears to be holding on better than most.

[@papabear562]

Wow. There is a mall in N/W Indiana called Southlake Mall that I frequented a lot when I was a teenager. I don't know if it's open or closed but the most recent images on Google Maps shows several cars in the parking lot. Would love to find out what kind of shape it's in. Great video John!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you!

[@mlane48]

i swear as a kansan we have so many liminal space type malls. it's creepy.

[@AtriumPrime]

As someone who as a kid lived across the street in the early 90's, I was sad (but not surprised) to see the state of the mall during my recent trips back. My last trip to the mall was in 2022. The situation isn't helped by the fact that a number of the remaining stores are cut off from the inner concourse, isolating the remaining stores inside from the main consumer traffic. They might as well tear down the inner hallway and turn it into retail park like they have here in Colorado.

[@retrogamermann]

They still had their last arcade until 2022. It was last most active around 2010, with most places open

[@anonymouspeanut88]

I worked there in 2001. It was a cool place then.

[@blackknightdavesgarage6918]

I spent many a day in this mall as a kid, there was an Arcade with video games such as Killer Instinct and Mortal Kombat. My wife and I would have date night there in the late 90's.