Dead Malls Season 5 Episode 16 - Southroads Mall Revisited

[@bluesheep2021]

Born in Omaha, completely forgot about Southroads. Still miss Crossroads and Family Fun Center. Westroads and Oakview will be gone soon enough.

[@boskostoybox]

I'm 50. I was born and lived in Omaha for a very long time. Southroads was always known as a lower end mall. Crossroads was the middle of the road mall and Westroads was the high end mall. Southroads actually had a cool arcade near the theater.

[@AngieHarding-k5j]

I have renamed that mall ....The Backrooms mall ... .the colours and layout and flooring give me a rather unsettling feeling ...

[@michaelfreydberg4619]

Sounds like a Minecraft game

[@coreyferreyra]

Not every mall without people in it is the Backrooms. Also, are you sure it's the design of the place and not the fact that nobody's there? That's what freaked me out when I went there.

[@drmicrophone33]

My wife and I went to high school in Bellevue and we used to hang out at the Southroads arcade. It was barely alive even then and that was the late 90s. I can't believe it's still open. I'm going to have to make the trip to wander around before it's gone forever.

[@missme3916]

I cried like a baby realizing that going to the mall with my Dad was one of my best memories, crying knowing those days are gone forever. RIP Dad. Little did I know going to Sears with you would mean so much to me.

[@SZS21]

my comfort channel

[@NorthCdogg22]

Love to hear it🫶

[@TheGuysYoutubeTV]

I honestly feel so awful for John. The man who's witnessed everything and yet still remains, open. As a food place they usually dissappear first because people don't specifically go to malls for food these days. I'm glad he's not alone with the gym and the vinyl store next door. It'd almost like the vinyl store came in and stayed to be with John's business. This mall looks like something you'd find over here in the UK. Props for the incredible video. I look forward to the Saturday midnight videos. Keep it up 😊

[@jonullom1877]

We as a community take excellent care of John and He, Us. Just recently he was worried about going out of business due to not being able to process credit cards. We all showed up with cash and completely sold out everything he had in two days.

[@TheGuysYoutubeTV]

@Jon Ullom that is amazing. Thank you so much for taking care of him. If I could I would come myself and try his food. A lot of respect for what you as a community have done.

[@andreaking2358]

@@jonullom1877that’s so cool!!!!

[@andreaking2358]

Turn it into a rave spot or something

[@andreaking2358]

Can someone water the plants? Also who pays to keep the electric on here? Isn’t it a loss?

[@siamesesnow]

As that mall began to die in the late 1900s I still remember spending so much time at the KB Toys as a kid all you would hear at the entrance it sat in front of it was the high pitched sounds of barks of the toy robot dogs that walked around a circular display table right in front of the front. My parents usually went to the music store and just kind of left me there sometimes XD

[@mavohq]

the layout of this mall is so interesting to me, so strange how the first floor is underground, i don’t think ive ever seen something like that. and the little food court/movie theater atrium area is unusual too, i’d love to walk through here with half the amount of lights on. this place is forgettable to some but such a spectacle all the same. little old run down malls are just wonderful to me. i don’t live anywhere near this place but i wish all the love and care in the world would go to that record store and john’s shop.

[@pattyannobbink6420]

The movie theater was a later add on, which is probably why it looks funky

[@karenlynch5684]

It was such a great place in the 70s. You would have loved it.

[@hiker64]

Videos are so much better when the creator has a personal story and memory of that which they're filming - This was sure evident with this one. I could feel the nostalgia and the music made it that much more poignant. Well done.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you!

[@MaxxRemKing1]

It’s 6:30 AM…the sun is coming up… I haven’t slept and it’s a perfect time for dead mall series!

[@pattyannobbink6420]

That covered hole in the floor near the old theater is covering the ceiling for Grace Bible Church. Those walls ‘covering old store fronts’ mentioned around 10:30 are new walls for the same church. Most of the mall is in use by Cornerstone Christian School

[@drmicrophone33]

My wife and I went to high school in Bellevue and we used to hang out at the Southroads arcade. It was barely alive even then and that was rhe late 90s. I can't believe it's still open. I'm going to have ro make the trip to wander around before it's gone forever.

[@szgproduction6233]

Your voice so soothing it lingos with the footages.

[@AnimeJSaysBah]

Another great job! I personally didn't get to frequent Southroads until I could drive and by that point, it was starting to die. Saw Batman Returns at that theater when the movie came out. The wood trimmed bay used to be the JC Penny's Custom Creation center. I have a pic of it with that sign on it, though it could have been a Master Cuts before that. Southroads is proof that not every mall closed because of online shopping. I don't think anything could have saved it once the interstate bypassed it. Also, long live John's Grecian Delight!

[@thecrippledrummer]

Master Cuts was on the south side of the lower level “theater entrance,” not too far in from the doors. GNC was on the opposite side, a little closer to the main mall. It might be the bay with the wood. I can’t quite recall based off the photo.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Always a winner vid!🎉🎉🎉

[@wesleypeters4112]

The opening music is very eerie and fits the atmosphere of a dying mall.

[@paulcasart7154]

Bellevue native here. I believe the wooden facade of the lower level store was a GNC. You nailed it.

[@alliemarie2005]

Amazing! Mind blowing how long it’s been operational in whatever capacity. That record store looks awesome. These older malls definitely give off a claustrophobic vibe to me even though this one is almost entirely empty. Definitely one of the spookiest.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Indeed! Especially the theater area, is quite creepy

[@HVACSoldier]

In the 1970s and possibly the 1980s, I think Bellevue PD had a substation on the lower lever in the Mall. The barbershop was also on the lower level. I also remember Woolworth’s. There was also a bar, in the mall, back in the 1970s. B Dalton, and The Book Nook, which mainly sold magazines.

[@tychh1720]

hoping this channel grows, we need more high quality content like this in the exploring side of youtube

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much!

[@stevendegner9916]

I've lived in omaha my whole life I still miss southroads kb Toys all the cool stores watched jungle 2 jungle was the last movie I saw in the theater got glasses at pearl vision

[@thecrippledrummer]

Great video. My best memories of the mall were in the 70s before the renovation. Spent a lot of time at Woolworth’s and Musicland. I also remember Meloni’s Lounge. As a little kid, I obviously never went inside but was intrigued by the narrow, dark bar with barstools. Just to clarify, over the life of the mall there may have been 200 different stores but there were never that many at one time. There aren’t that many bays. Westroads is a much larger mall and doesn’t even have 200 stores. I’m guessing at peak it probably had 50-60.

[@bonafidedisappointment]

I've lived in Bellevue my whole life and I'll add a story about this mall: my dad had quadruple bypass surgery in January of 2023 and was looking for a place to walk that was indoors to help with his recovery. I suggested Southroads and he did his first longer walk after coming home from the hospital there. He and I spent some time in the record store, were tempted to buy about 20 different things, but left. Still plenty of life in that old place if you look for it!

[@Daves-Not-Here-81]

I used to practically live in the "Game Gallery" and "Musicland" each week. The very first bank account I ever had as a teen was about $25 in the small Southroads bank which was next door to the Brandies if I remember correctly.

[@TheIndustrialphreak]

My family moved to bellevue in 93, we lived there till 97 when he retired from the USAF. I have so many memories there. The super walmart killed a ton of the businesses here are well online shopping. They had some cool haunted muralls in that corner with the floor cutout. I used to smoke with my high school buddys out there. Bought tons of software from kaybee toys and sam goodies. Also bought a ton of movies on laser disk. I recently bought a laser disk from a current record store that has strange hours.

[@Secondpeng]

Fantastic video, thank you! I will never forget the long hours (and quarter rolls) spent at the Game Gal'ry arcade as a kid in 1981-1982 - formative years to say the least! :)

[@NorthCdogg22]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!

[@edwardportell4955]

I liked the dark, dingy arcade that you had to walk down a really sketchy maintenance hallway to get to.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Escalators to a wall! Love it! 😂

[@nancydarling4918]

Great video! Loved the pastel colors and the music! Thanks.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chrissasandlin8344]

Something about the colors & the smaller footprint & the stairs by the windows gives the impression that this is would make a great walking mall. Or gallery space.

[@govdon08]

It is a great walking space and there was quite a few walkers in there.

[@ItsaRomeThingEverydayallday]

Fantastic as always! I feel a sad feeling from this mall

[@JoshYT1]

Excellent weekly video as always North! I'm so glad you came back to do an update on this mall! It is good to see that the owners were able to reuse the existing structure without demolishing it or leaving it abandoned. As much as it sucks to see the mall become altered almost to the point of being unrecognizable, the memories will always live on in those who have been and know of its history. At least you can still shop for records in this mall, they got that going for it all these years later! Can't wait to see the next one.

[@funecheeseofficial3576]

11:25 if anyone wondering about that weird futuristic store on the left, that was an old DEB Wait that record store has Aqualung and Face Dances? Count me in!

[@MelissaMeyer82]

East land Mall and Promenade Mall both in Tulsa, Ok should be next 😅 great videos. I love your content. It’s my favorite. The nostalgia hits with every mall you show us. Thank you😊

[@jsperb82]

If you're going to be near Tulsa, then Bartlesville and Muskogee are also must stops.

[@mikewenk2147]

Thanks for sharing. Was assigned to Offutt from 1990-1995 and would visit Southroads quite often. My wife actually worked at the Deb shop for a short time.

[@anfieldlegend]

another great episode. your content is second to none. lol, i have no idea where you would go next as i live in australia, so no chance of a shout out but thanks for documenting the decline of the american malls. i just hope that our shopping centres dont end up the same. stay safe.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much for watching, I’m glad you enjoyed!

[@sunsetrecords2548]

A liminal 90s fever dream that has been long forgotten. great video!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Couldn't agree more!

[@TrueDeadMallLegend]

Center Mall, Omaha NE??? Great Video!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Not quite but good guess! And thank you!

[@voidfilan5055]

Was stationed at Offutt AFB twice, 1980-82 and 1993-1997 and visited this mall often since it was closest to the base

[@govdon08]

The north anchor store has been turned into a Christian school and the south anchor has been turned into a temporary Omaha elementary school while they renovate a number of elememtary schools in the district.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Wow! 200 stores back in the day!

[@hotdog31227]

Can you provide me with where you found those images/ any articles? I live right by this mall and have been to it many times, would love to check out its history.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Of course! Most of the pictures came from the Southroads Memories Facebook Group, a lot of good stories and memories over there

[@hotdog31227]

@@NorthCdogg22 Thank you!

[@jonullom1877]

I love living so close to this place

[@laylal.6977]

Many memories there! I sure do wish they would renovate and bring back the mall. Bellevue is so boring

[@jerrymauro8873]

Reminds me of the movie Dawn of the Dead where the 6 or so survivors lived in a locked abandoned mall away from the flesh eating zombies 😂

[@lapservice25]

Another great video! I love how even though it's dead it still has so much of that early 80's vibe. Also, that mystery store front was definitely a 1986 GNC according to their logo history. It was the only time their logo font had pointed tips on the letters and the N had an image of a person with their arms stretched out incorporated into it😉

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much, I think your exactly right on that accord!

[@jakesawesomevids7908]

Very cool video

[@crowsandravens8998]

Good video!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thanks!

[@Daveomabegin]

I used to work in this mall, and I believe the wooden facade belonged to a picture framing store.

[@Peajay007]

Ok. It’s really hard to creep me out. This one…..this one creeped me out……..it feels like a subway……..the ceilings are so low

[@mollyheffernen]

Hoping for the best regarding the future. The damaged ceilings were sad though.

[@NorthCdogg22]

They really were, I hope this place can keep up

[@govdon08]

There was a lot of damage, but they recently did a complete reroof. Should hold up much better.

[@herroausw]

What a brathering video! ❤🎉

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you!

[@wendyjay]

With Crossroads and Mall of the Bluffs gone, and with the clues given, I’m guessing Southern Hills Mall in Sioux City is next.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Nope, but good guess!

[@robertmason7553]

@@NorthCdogg22 I think its Oakview. Oakview is a shell of itself anymore.

[@scottDchicago]

Great episode!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thanks Scott!

[@garrettsims1023]

Though I was not present for eithe revent, the Budweiser Clydesdales visited the mall in the 70s as did the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders - near the height of their popularity. A local Bellevue High graduate was a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader at the time.

[@codybk91]

I remember coming here as a kid to get a haircut and explore The Beanie Baby Store. ❤️ I was also traumatized by some 7 feet tall inflatable mascots that were there for some event. 😂

[@kitw76]

I’m surprised the interior is still open. You would if thought only the exterior doors to the church would be the only access, etc. John’s store and the record store could move by the church or outside stand alone building. They would probably get more business. I wouldn’t think they are doing booming business inside where no one knows they are there.

[@govdon08]

John recently lost their phone and internet. It took weeks to replace. Since he had no internet, he could not take credit cards. People lined up with cash to buy his gyros and hamburgers. John vows he won't move.

[@skipads8784]

😅😂 Stop in any day for lunch and see for yourself. John's is a destination for some of us. I've never seen it not packed at noon.

[@donnazeilinger709]

I love 402 vinyl! I go there alot

[@horrorbuff7803]

You know the daycare stuff and the kids toys is probably used for the kids during church. But that is a weird place to put it. I use to go to a church inside a dead mall and it started out well for a year and the church crowd kept the mall going. But a lot of stuff happened and the church had to move and then died out. It's a shame we were growing in attendance and members and it was fun to go to a church in my child hood mall.

[@skipads8784]

There's a daycare right inside the east entrance.

[@ReallifeBambiDeerattheFarm1]

Center. I think that's what's it's called. Something like that.

[@NoahRising-K7g]

Yup gnc and next door in the 2000s was a Nascar shop ..

[@1livewire1969]

Grand and elegant were probably never used to describe Southroads. 👀

[@kills9858]

You should definitely go to regency mall in Racine WI! Last time I was there it was dead, heard about plans of remodeling to try to get it back up on its feet, though.

[@jsperb82]

They've actually done an interesting remodeling job at Regency. They've walled over the vacancies and put up all these photos of Racine history. You can still tell beneath the surface that it's a dying mall, but at least it doesn't look too bad.

[@kills9858]

​@@jsperb82 yes! Whenever i go there it's usually just walkers, rarely any shoppers. It's just nice to take it all in before it's gone for good.

[@11474403a]

omg its like watching my dreams i didnt realize i was dreaming of southroads all this time...weird

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

How many boxes of 6x6 tiles were used for the floor? People need to know! 😂

[@315Mikel]

Hey me and my dad are hoping to win the lottery and bring back the Sandburg Mall in Galesburg IL. Which is in our hometown I have mostly forgotten all of my memories there but if we do win! We will buy it and pay for construction and if we do win you could make a vid on it Im sure you will see it on the news if it does happen Quads City’s news you will see it prob.

[@NorthCdogg22]

That would be pretty incredible if you did! Let me know how it goes, I would LOVE to go back there!

[@315Mikel]

Alright! Also, I forgot to mention if we do win we will be putting new stores and maybe a Toys “R” Us for an anchor store and I would love to be in a vid if I can!

[@TimfromMKE]

Westroads was my mall of choice when I lived in Omaha.

[@seabee73]

I can't believe that's still open. Sad. I like the record store though. I need to make a road trip when this cancer shit is done.

[@lukerosenkaimer5647]

Another mall to check out in the Omaha area is the Omni Center in Council Bluffs

[@freedom2295]

This is where I got Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation Album in the fifth grade. I had it for three days before Trisha Miller stole it from me. But she KNEW I couldn't report it because we weren't supposed to have tapes at school. It was in many ways the perfect crime.

[@skipads8784]

Debbie is that you?!

[@HenryRoss-wu4lo]

Man this is scary!😳😳😳

[@ninbendoyt3203]

Crazy editing thi

[@funkyfreshyt2824]

Just a question... What is the most Demolished/Destroyed/Abandoned mall youve ever seen?

[@NorthCdogg22]

Hmmm, I’d probably have to say Jamestown is the worst mall I’ve been to, with parts of the ceiling falling apart and walls crumbling, I’ve never seen anything else like it

[@VeraLucille]

How is there still a music store open there?

[@chrislemaster2695]

Was thta the MALLS R US Documentary opening entry from 2009.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Yessir

[@benb8407]

I can't believe that Southroads Mall had 200 stores. A very spooky place with the ugly pink & blue along with the bland white amazing that a record store and sandwich place is still open which should be on the outside of the mall than inside as no one can find it they want it to be a hidden gem in Omaha?

[@Jocelyn2017]

I think the wooden store front was a footlocker. The footlocker at the mall where I stay, still has the wooden front. Just my guess tho lol😊

[@NorthCdogg22]

It could be! Thanks for the info!

[@garrettsims1023]

That actually was a GNC back in the day.

[@DeeDubCee]

The Footlocker / Kinney's Shoes was actually upstairs. I can still remember it looking like the still picture that was taken in this video.

[@Steevscool]

Gold Mine Arcade.

[@Snookifan4life]

This mall has the same vibes as a church you’d go to for some random cousins wedding

[@NorthCdogg22]

I really does😭

[@ShelterCats]

The Muzak, and the fact that you record a voiceover instead of talking while filming makes your videos stand heads above the rest of the run of the mill abandoned malls videos.

[@NorthCdogg22]

I’m always trying new things to make my videos stand out, and for that effort to be recognized means the world. Thank you!

[@michaelfreydberg4619]

Two hundred stores?! Wow. Too bad. That would have been one of the larger malls in the country.

[@QuintusAntonious]

Boy, if you were every likely to encounter a Langolier, this is the place.

[@samuelbanya]

>Talks about John's Grecian Delight >Doesn't even show the store front or the dude working there Ok lol.

[@zorroglasses]

Visited there last summer, I wrote a song about it. I'll send it to you if I ever record it.

[@Vermhatwormhat819]

Shit I’ve driven past this place and never knew you could go inside

[@JacksonShredder138]

This would be the perfect dead mall backroom and the monster is a mall security guard and you have to avoid him or else you die if he catches you lol

[@NorthCdogg22]

I would totally play that game😂

[@NorthCdogg22]

I would totally play that game😂

[@NorthCdogg22]

I would totally play that game😂

[@MK_ULTRA420]

Tbh "Dead Mall" would be a cool CoD map.

[@NorthCdogg22]

They kind of have a mall map in Cold War with the pines mall, which is a great map

[@MK_ULTRA420]

@@NorthCdogg22 Yeah that's my favorite map besides Nuketown

[@nickto21]

When I first saw the thumbnail, I thought this was a Backrooms video. Lol

[@NorthCdogg22]

You’d be surprised just how much Backrooms this mall throws off!

[@ReallifeBambiDeerattheFarm1]

Omni Center Business park?

[@NorthCdogg22]

Yes sir that’s it! Nice job

[@jsperb82]

How did you get in there? I was there just two weeks ago and was immediately turned away by security. I wasn't even trying to film, just sightsee. Maybe because it was a Saturday.

[@EvansSt83]

There's 3 stores left if you count that gym.

[@nole8923]

Any mall that has that 1960s/70s brown tile flooring and the circa 1970s office style ugly ceiling panels isn’t going to make it. It’s hideous. I would eat at the Grecian delight though.

[@WhittyPics]

Sad

[@StunninglySteph46]

Sad mall of empty 😢

[@normlor]

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AMERICA WHERE MALLS ARE CLOSING WEEKLY. WE HAVE A MALL 15 MINUTES AND IT HAS NEVER FAULTERED??!!

[@BreakTime10101]

This does not look like the typical mall.

[@Steevscool]

Gold Mine video arcade.

[@TonyLikeGames2]

The movie theater had 4 screens.

[@brockthompson_]

this mall feels ai generated

[@NorthCdogg22]

Right?? Like every hallway is just rng

[@rosab7372]

This is creepy

[@JenniferinIllinois]

All that pink in the old theater. Too much pink!!!!