Exploring an Abandoned Mall during Snowstorm - Decaying with Power Still On

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In this episode, we're exploring the abandoned Richmond Town Square Mall just outside of Cleveland. Originally opened in 1966, it was one of the largest of its time and was an early example of the American shopping mall. It closed in 2021 and is awaiting demolition for a new mixed-use development.
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[@snbala]

Abandoned malls and theme parks are really interesting, once a busy environment falling silent. More of these will be lovely.

[@Stand_By_For_Mind_Control]

It was really unexpected that the internet and giant retailers like Walmart would come in and take all their traffic away, but the prototype of the American shopping mall turned out to be a massively iconic-yet-short-lived staple of American life. It was everything in the 80s and nothing by the 2010s.

[@TheCoolDave]

It's sad, that one time they were a hub for people and pretty soon they will be all gone...

[@samuelprice2461]

Malls are still pretty busy in more rural/poorer states. Fayette Mall in Lexington, KY is still busy.

[@ifkn]

Exactly.

[@EV87_]

Abandoned stadiums are the best

[@AverageArtz]

Seeing abandoned malls makes me so incredibly sad inside. I grew up in the 90s and malls was always a place that was fun and exciting, not for the consumerism but for the fact that it was a place to hang out with friends in a busy place with a lot of other people around. A meeting point of my youth. It fills me with a lot of sadness to see that they are going away, inevitably as it is.

[@scottp4063]

Truth

[@x.y.7385]

I graduated high school in 77 so I had several decades of enjoying all the different malls from open air in milford, ct to all of the bigger better brighter malls. It was so much fun and I too miss it. I really miss Sears and the lowly KMart who had the best commercial about 10 years ago: " I shipped my bed" and " I shipped my pants"

[@sociallyineptsnapper]

A new one is opening rn around where I live

[@keiths2902]

@@x.y.7385 BRUH I worked at Kmart and forgot about the ’I shipped my pants’, wow what a blast from the past!

[@fintherebel5000]

I grew up in the early 2000s and i remember the mall near the town i grew up in “The great northern mall” But eventually like everything else it started to die off and the stores started moving to a more profitable mall called the “Destiny USA” theres not much left of the great northern the last time i visited it before i moved away but it was really sad to see the state it was in half abandoned most of the stores were gone the only things that were left was the food court, arcade, and the movie theater barely anyone went to.

[@palebeachbum]

Having grown up in mall culture in the '80s and '90s, it's surreal for me to see malls empty, quiet, and decaying like this. Very eerie and sad for me to see. I have many wonderful memories of fun times with my Mom, my sister, and my friends at various malls over the years. Checking out the latest gadgets and clothes. Having lunch in the food court. Hitting the arcade or picking up a new video game at Electronics Boutique. Buying a new CD at the music store. Seeing a movie. Great times and memories. I can still hear the constant dull roar of dozens of intermingled conversations almost drowning out the elevator music, and the smell of fresh retail stock and mixed aromas from the food court. It's so strange for me to think that this once hugely integral aspect of American pop culture will never be experienced by members of the younger generations.

[@Zoe-dr5ps]

Are all the malls gone over in America?

[@palebeachbum]

@@Zoe-dr5ps they're not all gone, but many are. Where I used to live, there were 4 malls within 30mins of my home. There is just one remaining. Where I live now, there were 3 malls. One closed recently and the other two are in decline.

[@kyles3488]

The malls collapse because people don’t have any extra spending money anymore.

[@palebeachbum]

​@@kyles3488 Malls have been on a decline since the early 90s. The advent of the internet and online retail has hurt a lot of brick-and-mortar stores, including malls.

[@jeffsmith2022]

You should have been around during the 50s-70s pal...

[@dougtemple8474]

As of last week, the Richmond Towne Square (formerly known as Richmond Mall before Simon bought it in the late 90's or early 2000's) was being demolished. This may be the final footage from inside the mall. Thanks for this! Some of my friends worked at this mall for their first jobs. 20 years ago, when I was a teenager, this was the hangout spot for my group.

[@SLICK8116]

Prove it loser

[@water6006]

Even though I kinda wish it was repurposed, although it is kinda understandable why they didn’t

[@jackargie1092]

me and my friends got some footage about a month after this and I know a bunch of people who went after also.

[@rwood1995]

@@jackargie1092 where can we see it at??

[@jackargie1092]

@@rwood1995 it’s in my phone lol, not uploaded

[@mikesadventures3605]

It's crazy how quickly this mall started decaying. It only closed in 2021 and it's rough

[@alexmason2763]

A lot of the mall was already abandoned.

[@ivanjakanov]

seems like there were either design flaws or a lot of vandalism that accelerated the decay. it was disappointing to see all the cinema screens destroyed, like someone went through and cut all of them

[@toejamr1]

If it’s anything like the mall in my home town, as the mall started it’s final decline they would just wall off whole sections of the mall. So, some parts of the mall were actually closed years before the last.

[@the_kombinator]

It was probably already pretty bad, just kept together by drywall and caulking.

[@redsquirrelftw]

I always find this interesting with abandoned buildings how that happens so fast. I guess lack of hvac causes things to deteriorate faster.

[@ThisisDanBell]

I absolutely love this video. The storm outside and the derelict mall. So perfect together. Miss you guys!

[@nickv4847]

What is the music used in your PA mall video? The one with the old lady with walker in thumbnail?

[@mollywalsh2860]

Hi Dan, I just finished your live chat. Have a great Sunday.

[@NathalieBaughman]

Of course Dan Bell would be here xD

[@Mizz.Person]

Woo hoo! Dan Bell!!🎉🎉🎉

[@Saintlawrence100]

Great vid…subbed.

[@atmartens]

Sears had dentists, hearing, optical, taxes and even some had roof departments. Sears really did have everything!

[@dvferyance]

And don't forget auto centers.

[@Tannerj50]

i feel like sears optical was the most well known one, or at least it was for me with how much i used to hear the commercial for it on the radio

[@Onj207]

Which they still sold houses in the 90s

[@Lexpatt]

And a little diner

[@CharlieRickman]

You could order a house from the catalog in the old days.

[@Oceanblue_Art_]

There's something about dead mall exploration videos that calm me down when I'm anxious and help me sleep. They have an almost otherworldly nature that makes me forget about the present moment and my bad feelings. Thank you for continuing to put out such high-quality content.

[@masterkitty]

It's pretty surreal to see these social distancing papers in an abandoned mall that's so decayed, it wasn't that long ago, but here it is in this state.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

It must have been pretty run down quite a while before it closed for good.

[@kurtwetzel154]

For a recently closed mall it looks like it has been closed a long time.

[@interwebtubes]

Yeah, I’m definitely sure that you know this, But please be very careful due to security personnel as well as structural integrity issues, Because no one wants you to wind up in. Jail or in the hospital either, This is a very nice piece though, Stay safe and everyone please remember to keep your hands clean and washed up at all times too, Peace out

[@WiiUniverse]

It snows a lot more in Cleveland than it does elsewhere so things will get damaged and decay faster. I used to live near Buffalo, there's a house on the street where I used to live that was abandoned around 2019 and its very much decayed now. The roof on the house I lived in lasted less than 20 years, when they should last 30, just for an example of how much the weather can cause wear and tear on buildings. The abandoned house in question is also around 20 years old and never had the roof replaced, which probably makes things worse.

[@sarasays...850]

@@WouldntULikeToKnow. you’d be surprised how fast a building falls apart when exposed to the elements.

[@christopherbeevor9315]

The falling snow outside is the perfect compliment to a mall exploration. The snow makes the town a quieter, calmer place just like this mall is now. Growing up in the UK in the early 90’s I’d only ever know malls from the few US TV shows that made it over here. Seemed like the coolest place you’d ever want to go. My nostalgia is built from my own imaginations of what it must of been like to have such places yet I still feel kinda sad that these places are disappearing. I am grateful for people like you documenting them so well. Thank you.

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

abandoned malls: power still on us missing one payment: immediate shutoff

[@skycloud4802]

I've only grown up with one localish mall in the UK. It was similar enough, with a gaming/play room, arcades, big retail shops and restaurants. But these days all UK malls I've been to lately are basically only containing restaurants and cafe's within them unless you go to a city. One has a cinema, but that's about it. The decline isn't quite as drastic as what it would seem in the USA, but it's a decline nevertheless.

[@beastabuelos6421]

Must have

[@thebboy1200]

Abandoned malls make my chest hurt more than most of your videos. Growing up in the 90's was a magical time and I really wish we could all go back. Thank you for your amazing videos, you two will always have my favorite KZbin channel.

[@marcussmith4913]

80s malls where even better =] Truly is sad to see everything from your childhood literally dying before your eyes.

[@sissysovereign1294]

It makes me so sad looking at abandoned malls. All throughout my childhood in the late 90s and early 2000s I swore I'd grow up to be one of those stereotypical valley girls at the mall dressed in early 2000s fashion with a flip phone when I grew up and had enough money to spend....now look...we're all broke adults with the whole mall culture lost to time.

[@Emily-mw2qu]

Same I wish we could go back in time to visit the malls that are no longer around. ❤

[@blackcraft3465]

Much better times.. now were adults and me personally don't enough life whatsosever like I use to

[@starwhisper7869]

That's my childhood mall!!! I can tell by 0:08! That's a mall my parents worked at for 30 years. I loved that mall so much. I went there often in mid 80's through mid 90's. I miss that mall so much!! Thank you so much for taking a video. This mall will always and forever hold a special place in my heart. If you want specifics about the mall. Memories that I have of the mall back in the day. Let me know.

[@TPAK-tb6gr]

I lived the same dream at the Westland mall in Westland Michigan 🤙

[@TIBVR]

I worked there and lived there too

[@Megamon0001]

please do I wanna know more about this place

[@ericbartol]

How bad do you miss the social interaction that took place in malls in the mid 80s? I don't know how kids today do it. I don't think they cruise their WalMart Super Center. (or do they?)

[@rooster3640]

The mall was the place to be. Painful nostalgia and heart ache rembering times gone, so far away now.

[@jerf2104]

I've lived in Cleveland my whole life and drive past this building every day on the way to my job. Despite not being the most exciting mall, the amount of childhood memories I have within these walls shows that something doesn't have to be overly captivating to be in your heart forever. Right now they're seriously trying to redevelop it into some modern outdoor hotel and shopping complex, but because of arguments with some third parties, I doubt the final approved contract will ever become a thing

[@roberthazelby4424]

Out of interest, is there another mall close by that locals now shop at or has online retail killed off mall store based retail in your neck of the woods? Where I am in the UK, one of the oldest malls local to me is about to be flattened while two newer ones have pulled the businesses and customers over to them and seem to be doing well.

[@jerf2104]

​@@roberthazelby4424 That's partially true. Most of Ohio as well as the Midwest have felt the decline of the shopping mall pretty badly. However, Cleveland seems to be the exception to that as a few miles down the road is a much more upscale development known as legacy village and adjacent to that is Beachwood Place. These are far nicer establishments that all but put the nail in the coffin for Richmond Town square. Despite that, online retail is unfortunately king in the US as well as probably most of Europe and the UK

[@muchmercy3449]

@@jerf2104 was gonna mention legacy village and beachwood place. I thought theyd close down as well during covid but it looks like theyre back to being fairly active now

[@DugrozReports]

Re: "seriously trying to redevelop it into some modern outdoor hotel" - but at the end of the video, they say it's set to begin demolition any day now. Were they wrong in the video? (or just overconfident in their "best guessing?"

[@imanijohnson4378]

@@DugrozReportsthey’re demolishing this building in hopes to build like an outdoor shopping/housing complex

[@justdave7520]

FYI…I live a few blocks from this mall..Planet Fitness has moved across the street and this development is in the process of getting torn down and luxury apartments will be going up. Last time I was active in the mall was pre-covid and went to the movies and did some shopping..it’s now totally abandoned except for the storage facilities but definitely a lot of memories here on date nights, going to the live jazz playings at the bar that was also here..definitely going to miss it as we don’t really have any more malls left besides Mentor Mall and Crocker Park. Great video guys!!!

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

As someone whose best years all came working in malls, these are always devastating to me. While a few of the malls I've worked at are still going, the one I loved most (where I made the most friends, met girls I dated and fell in love with, etc.) is now a dead mall too. I walked past my old store a few times, because the mall still has anchors that are open, but I can't do it anymore

[@billyyank1916]

This reminds me a lot about the mall Ellie explored in The Last of Us' Left Behind DLC. It would be utterly horrifying to be stuck in a place like this during a snow storm infested with infected individuals.

[@skycloud4802]

That was one of my favourite Last of Us locations. There should be more horror based games set in malls. The psychiatric hospital and haunted mansion, is getting to cliché for my tastes lately.

[@greek2550]

dude my exact thoughts lmao

[@mrnapolean1]

Yes.

[@jeremyschapstick]

exactly what i was thinking

[@barrydepree5385]

If anyone wants to know... The reason behind walls or pillars that are missing a foot or two at the bottomed usually means it flooded inside and they cut the wall like that so the water doesn't seem up the wall and they can save the wall instead of tearing it all down. If it's a higher cut on the wall then it means it seeped up higher on the wall. Worked at a fire and water restoration company.

[@zagnut48219]

I dont always watch urban exploration videos on youtube. But when i do, its always The Proper People.

[@robroy6374]

the best urbex channel on youtube methinks.

[@ImAuzi]

@@robroy6374 Definitely, and Bright Sun Films too, his stuff it pretty good. Wish there were a bit more explorations, but he is more of a documenter than an explorer.

[@SoapyDishPotato]

100% agree

[@jessicas2379]

who else? Been watching Proper People for 6 years. Such a treat when they upload

[@skeetrix5577]

I don't always leave a comment on KZbin, but when I do, I leave a comment

[@DrinkWhiskeyRaiseHell]

Every time I see a mall like this, I am reminded of going with my grandmother and great grandmother. Back when I was a kid and all I had to worry about was meeting up with friends, trying to buy something cool. The grandparents are long gone and these memories are all that are left. Cool to take a trip down memory lane.

[@VinMetal666]

My grandma worked at the Sears in this mall actually

[@HazeleighAmara]

There's something about the emptiness of an abandoned mall that eats at my soul. They terrify me.

[@k.b.5079]

I say the same thing. It’s interesting because you get a sense of history and you want to explore and learn about it. But you know that it’s forever gone and that part of life is just… gone.

[@carolinebergin4633]

I understand it’s haunting and really scary. But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope. Sure it’s not the same but life brings you new places and things in the future where you can remember the good times and make new memories and the more meaningful memories you have the less scary it will seem

[@suhailsurajpal]

Update if anyones wondering: This mall is set to be demolished on the 5th of Septemeber 2023 to make way for Belle Oaks Community Centre, a new luxury mixed-use development (retail and residential).

[@oswaldomorales8924]

hows it going?

[@sergie2822]

The mall was so beautiful, the signs of life it had decades before... just holds all types of memories. Makes it really sad.

[@jamesrock9446]

Don't forget to save before progressing to the next part of the mall just in case. If you end up at a spot with lots of items, make sure you stock up because it's a boss stage coming up.

[@raven4k998]

yeah you don't want to die without a respawn point close by🤣

[@XenoxGOWGODOFWINTER]

Like Silent hill 2

[@BenMarshall-nc4rk]

@@XenoxGOWGODOFWINTER3*

[@urbanteck]

I feel like you'd glitch into the Backrooms in one of these places.

[@omega3fatass61]

​@@BenMarshall-nc4rk definitely 3 lol

[@TheGameTrainzHD]

The snowstorm complemented this videos’s vibe nicely. Ohioan abandoned mall videos, especially from a channel like yours, gives the feeling of watching a movie TV special. Spectacular.

[@izzuhbelluh]

I literally thought “this is totally Ohio” two seconds in before they even mentioned the location.

[@Cornbread-gi6kt]

It’s so heartbreaking to see so many abandoned malls. I remember back in the 70’s and 1980’s when malls ruled throughout the country. Enjoyed walking back and forth up and down. A place to mingle and rest. Never had any fear of shootings. People were all smiles. Many job openings. Kmart with all those blistering colors.

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

everyone gangsta until nextbots start appearing in gm_mall

[@rjt135]

I'm always oddly comforted by how spaces once alive slowly succumb to nature. Something about entropy feels universal and makes the present feel more precious.

[@AaronShenghao]

Seeing these ambandomed places I can't help but imagine the last hour or last day of the space still being used normally. And how the people would be saying/feeling knowing they might never return.

[@user-yi2uv2rb7o]

That last sets of shoes walking in there for the last time

[@joeldowell5059]

It was like that when covid initially was an issue with my school. It was a Friday in early March, and we were told to get everything we had at school, as they didn't know if we'd be coming back the next week. Nobody knew how long we would be gone, but I ended up never stepping foot inside school again after that.

[@nala6898]

I have the same feeling...suddenly a place, so busy and full of noises, smells, lights and colors, becomes silent, empty, almost creepy..

[@chris1298100]

these videos make me sad. these places were built to bring people together, a whole community together. It once did at its peak just full of life and families spending time together, creating memories. And all of it is now gone...abandoned and forgotten

[@russellmurray3964]

I used to live in nearby Shaker Heights in the 90's/early 00's and went there a bunch of times. It was remodeled in the late 90's, was still going fairly strong when we moved away in 2002, and all-in-all a really nice place, especially for taking an indoor walk in on a snowy winter's day. Once Legacy Village was built just down Richmond Road, it couldn't compete with both that and Beachwood Place.

[@kdegray]

I love all the mall videos; it showcases a time we're not getting back. Nostalgic and eerie.

[@Iant333]

There are still tons of open malls out there.

[@happilyham6769]

Some malls are still thriving. The whole mall experience is still out there. It's mostly just small town/small city malls that are dying.

[@kdegray]

@@happilyham6769 I'm not lucky enough to live near still thriving malls; most of them in my area are long closed and/or demolished. There's still one within a half hour drive but it's an empty shell of what it used to be. I'm surprised it's still open.

[@AwesomeFish12]

Just a couple of years since it closed. It's amazing how fast things decay when maintenance stops and roof leaks aren't repaired.

[@jojivlogs_4255]

well, apparently it's common for certain wings to be closed off years before others. so parts of this mall have likely seen 5 -10 years worth of decay while others have only seen 2

[@JayConstantine]

26:22 "Its a nice feeling being in abandoned building when there's snow storm outside" That's exactly why I clicked on this video, to get that feeling. You got it spot on.

[@SteveRudzinski]

I thought I recognized this, I work for Marvel Live and some years ago I 100% did a meet n' greet there as Spider-Man. I vividly remember that unlike other malls, this one was especially slow. I had a line of maybe a couple dozen kids on my first set, then every following set I only met like 3 or 4 kids before standing around alone. Compare this to most other malls where the line is full non stop until at least the last set. When I finished the security guard handling me said he had not seen that many people in the mall for years so the event was a big hit, which was not something I'd call good news.

[@j.a.8224]

There's something simultaneously sad and hilarious about the "Wet Floor" sign under the leak in the roof... where the ceiling is collapsing and the roof is crumbling apart bit by bit. Hilarious in a "forest for the trees" sense but sad in a "Ok, we *know* it's leaking, we'll come back to fix it" and then it was just left to rot instead.

[@Fantastic473]

Yea😢

[@imsomewhatcertain1024]

Quiet urban exploration videos like this are more enjoyable than ASMR videos.

[@shaunspeers2656]

With hints of electrical buzz and vending machine compressor.

[@JCWM2]

Seeing that theater design made me almost tear up because it's identical to how my childhood Loews theater in Dallas was. My mom worked a 2nd job there when I was a kid, so I'd spend so many nights, weekends, and midnight releases there. I'd ride with her to work bright and early on a Saturday morning, head to the manager's station to get a copy of the schedule so I could see start/end times and just movie hop, only emerging on occasion for a drink refill, curly fries, or some popcorn chicken. It made me love movies of all kinds and left me with so many good memories.

[@sydneymarshall3204]

The mall here, White Lakes, used to be the place to be when my mom was younger. It was really pretty. Then it went abandoned for years and was demolished last year 😢 if you look up pictures, it was gorgeous. I wish I had had a chance to see it inside in its heyday. One of the main reasons it was demolished was because a massive fire started in 2021-2022 that destroyed so much of the interior. I bet our other mall, Westridge, will be next. 🥺

[@nascarjim0223]

I agree West Ridge is next

[@JounLord1]

This might be one of the most visually interesting Proper People vids so far. The snow blowing outside, the decayed interior still with power. Very post apocalyptic, kinda reminds of the video game The Division. I'm not a big fan of snow in person but darn if it doesn't make things seem beautiful.

[@fireshorts5789]

We're really starting to see the effects of the 2008 recession and the 2020 pandemic on suburban malls in the US and Canada lately. Crazy how many are just sitting around empty or abandoned.

[@lulzballz5352]

This mall was dying well before 2008. Mix of violence and just kids loitering didn’t help it at all. I know as I was one of them lol.

[@TheNilla2020]

Amazon killed the malls

[@AnonymousPhucker]

no, its people buying everything off Amazon

[@fergus247]

Thats not the cause of this. There are actual economic policies that are eroding away the middle class.

[@a.b.4052]

It has a lot more to do with online shopping then recessions and pandemics.

[@innercityprepper]

A friend of mine became the manager for a large suburban shopping center, and their JC Penney was closed for several years, and no tenant wanted to fill the space for quite a while. Finally someone leased the space, and my friend needed the JCP cleared out of everything that they left there (which was a LOT -- very little merchandise, but nearly all of the retail furniture and fixings, including racks of network servers and hardware, giant UPS's, security equipment, and untold amounts of brand signage, building maintenance equipment, etc etc etc. We got to explore it at-will, as we had keys (and full permission!) and got to keep anything we wanted. It was so much fun! Some of the highlights of the stuff we were able to take home was some unclaimed jewelry that was in for repair or return, and some high end designer hanging light fixtures that ended up being worth several thousand dollars (that were part of a brand display for one of the higher-end cosmetic brands that had a small area of space near the in-store Seophora). Also some neon signs, manequins, and super cool/lame "JC PENNEY LOSS PREVENTION" chain badges that the LP people would wear during "busts".

[@maggs131]

Watching these abandoned mall videos stings but i think every 80s kid know a mall like this. Thankfully theres a few around and one in particular i go all the time to in some small way support a childhood place i have nothing but great memories of ❤

[@collongoluba7059]

These abandoned mall explorations really give me the feeling of nostalgia. There are still a few malls out by me, but I'm not sure how much longer they'll last.

[@RaymondSmith-if6ge]

Hello Collon how are you doing today

[@XXLSSBBW]

Thanks to online shopping and the price of gas shopping malls will close down sooner.

[@MarcusDaGrand]

When I feel sad I put on Stanger Things Season 3 and it comforts me. It reminds me of the good times. Wish we could go back.

[@delailama736]

Australia still has heaps of them, they are really popular still.

[@cgimovieman]

As someone born in 1979, this feels like watching my childhood decay. 😣

[@user-yi2uv2rb7o]

89’ and I feel like it too like something has to give we came from real live times man this shit today is pitiful

[@stephaniefriend9912]

so sad!!! this looked like a beautiful mall. some of my fav memories are at the mall.. i was born in 1980.. & i remember going at christmas time .. the second you walked thru the doors .. the smell of caramel corn hit you & the decorations everywhere … great times 🥲 hate to see the malls disappearing

[@mrgw98]

If you can, it'd be cool if you all showed more of the backrooms of the malls. It's something that has always intrigued me since I was a kid considering it's the one part of a mall you can't see normally. Since none of the malls near me have been abandoned, I have never had a chance to go and see them myself.

[@RRC6490]

This video is such a great metaphor for life. This mall represents the life I grew up in. The old logos I still associate companies with. The way the world was when I grew up. A world before the internet. The mall is a relic of the past and so am I. The mall couldn’t stand the rest of time, the winds of change, the evolution of society. And neither have I. I and this mall are equally as left behind in this new world that I hardly recognize.

[@nojuanatall3281]

Change is the only constant in this world.

[@jamessummerlin9516]

You might be surprised at how cyclical change can be, to quote They Might Be Giants, “ Everything old is new again “. Fifty years down the road someone will have the brilliant new idea, let’s build an indoor shopping environment away from the pollution and excessive solar radiation…

[@Jason-rn4jk]

Nothing beats a building no matter the size in a blizzard or hurricane. The ambiance of being protected from the elements in the peace and serenity indoors while it’s brutal outside.

[@DugrozReports]

Good point. Even a tiny cabin has that feel, I imagine.

[@nelly4487]

that theater looks like the inside of the theater i used to go to as a kid. so nostalgic

[@FlyingCircusAct]

I see my youth there, full of people, smiles, excitement, and hope. It’s a sad world we live in today. =(

[@ericbartol]

Malls always awaken my teen memories. Being in high school in the mid 80s required mall attendance. Arcades, movies, shops. Groups of guys and/or girls traveling in packs, meeting or ignoring, but always noticing. I wonder what it would have been like without that environment for physical interaction.

[@singlecell2498]

Bit like now

[@LittleKitty22]

Cherish your memories! Without the mall, it would have been like it is now - meet online, hop for a five minute tryst behind the bus stop without knowing each other's names, and off to do the same with the next nameless, meaningless body. No wonder everybody is on antidepressants...

[@rayac578]

it's really lonely

[@ericbartol]

Maybe todays teens should embrace libraries. They are there, and always will be there in some form, unless the young ignore this resource.

[@ericbartol]

...and there is internet access. You can play your games side-by-side and, OMG, chat without typing! Well, quietly chat.

[@davidmlong63]

OMG, The first Proper People location that I been to. My mom would take us there once a year to shop for school clothes. I am 63, and even to this day when I think of Malls this one is my ideal model of malls. I was there 10, or 15 years ago, and even then there was not much left.

[@marcussmith4913]

sad to hear that... our way of life is slowly fading away. Who knows what the future will bring. More sadness I feel and empty malls.

[@videogeek24]

It's amazing to see how some malls are dying out and others are still thriving. We have three main malls around Pittsburgh, PA and surrounding areas that are still going strong. I will soak in every moment, hoping they will last for another few decades. We did lose Century 3 Mall but it was due to poor management.

[@abba9265]

These videos are so relaxing yet so anxiety-inducing

[@CowTown]

That theater lobby was awesome!! Another fantastic video! :)

[@fordguyjames]

the loews was rebranded to regal in 2006

[@flakky55]

Went through a still-open-but-practically-abandoned mall once, specifically the Stratford Square mall. It was SO WEIRD, there were only a few niche businesses open and we found a closed down rainforest cafe, bowling alley + arcade, and some weird liminal places as well. Closest we've ever been to exploring an abandoned place. it was super cool. Never really went to malls much when i was younger, but i kinda miss them. Getting lost and exploring them during christmas season was always really nice, with the pretty decor (and... dodging the perfume people).

[@JeffDeWitt]

There was a mall near me, "Cary Towne Centre", that was being built when I was in high school. Last time I was in it there was a lot of activity at one end by a Dave and Busters and Hudson Belk. The rest of the mall was totally, and I mean totally deserted. It's since closed, sold to Epic Games, the mall has been knocked down but the Hudson Belk building remains.

[@flakky55]

@@JeffDeWitt oh wow, thats interesting to have outlived an entire building!

[@ak2112]

Stratford is really dead

[@pguth98]

Ah, Stratford Square. The Mall that always seemed like an accident, rather than a deliberate attempt by real people to build a shopping center. No seriously, it was like if an AI had constructed something, and the people who discovered it tried to make sense of it by putting in some stores. It always felt so....surreal.

[@flakky55]

@@pguth98 yeah, the layout is... odd. Every room we found was completely different from the rest lol

[@gamingwithjohnrusso3385]

cleanest decayed mall Ive ever seen

[@TheEinu20g]

I used to go to this mall everyday as a kid probably 15 years ago, was not expecting to see it on KZbin. I remember sitting on Santa’s lap at the food court area. I remember when my Dad’s car would break down we’d take it to the Conrad’s attached to the malls and see a movie. I’ve seen dozens of movies at that theater. So many memories at this mall, thank you for making this video.

[@Bigredtower]

Pretty sure someone mentions this on every video, but just in case they don't, your audio methods are pure perfection. Nice work!

[@Andy_Dines]

Abandoned mall exploration, this is how I accidentally came across The Proper People! Just surfing through the endless KZbin suggestions after watching someone else's abandoned mall explore! So glad I stumbled across the channel and their mall explorations are a close second favorite after abandoned power plants :-D

[@SeptemberBlondie13]

I love abandoned malls! It's the fact that malls were a place to gather and now it's a hollow corpse. The movie theater makes me sad bc I just imagine all the memories from the movies that played.

[@ImExcalibastard]

Abandoned malls are my absolute favorite on this channel. This particular one reminds me a whole lot of the superstition springs mall in Gilbert AZ (Which is still open to this day thankfully) not sure how long it has left though! Thanks for the things you guys do and the risks you take to show us this content!

[@mariah8993]

Superstition Springs is actually in Mesa. It was my childhood mall and it's crazy to see how it has declined over the years. I still visit it.

[@ninjacats200]

I love how you guys document these places before they get taken down so we can always look back and remember them. The cincinnati mills mall was a part of my childhood and knowing that even once it gets taken down next year I can always go back and watch the video yall made on it. it means a lot to me. Thank you.

[@matthewspahn6828]

I went there as well, I thought it was supposed to be sold and used as a space again?

[@limlianhui9462]

Hi from Malaysia! We have converted some abandoned malls into private universities or international schools, self storage or even-urban farms! One or two are now outlet malls or small, semi-private hospitals. You can find a use for these, just that they may be super out there and super expensive.

[@toddthreess9624]

I am just old enough to remember my home town mall's last stage of construction when I was 5 (The facade of a G. Fox store). And I also saw it torn down. From my earliest childhood we used to hang out there. It was walking distance for me, my brother and my friends. It was smaller than any mall today, but it was were everyone went. I worked at three stores in that mall, McDonald's, Walden Books, and The Camera store. It was opened in 69/70. It was decorated in a rustic colonial style, with three fountains that represented different time periods in the area's history. One was a black-smith's shop with working water wheel. I don't really remember what the other two were, but they were all fountains. People would toss coins in them and the money went to some local charity. They're good memories.

[@georgeallen1654]

So sad. Thousands of memories made here. Malls are what made America great. 😢

[@RSSommers]

Imagine turning these places into low income housing for seniors. Imagine a whole community. Stores, clinics, entertainment restaurants. A safe inclosed environment for seniors to live.

[@Tree1237PS]

I've heard the original concept for shopping malls was an indoor community with everything you'd need

[@DugrozReports]

If it was cost efficient, I'm sure someone would have done it by now.

[@Obrut00]

​@@DugrozReportsagreed. I like how people say "they" should do this that or the other thing. Please tell me who is this they with an infinite amount of money.

[@bryantwilliams647]

Great Idea 👍🏾

[@skunyon6195]

@@Obrut00insert a cork in it…..

[@hobbitoftheshire3397]

I saw some many movies in that theater as a kid! Only now do I appreciate how retro and cool it was (except for the gray seats). Thank you for filming this. It's nice to relive nostalgia.

[@WaitsTV]

It's honestly beautiful to see how it was left as a time capsule since closing. Amazing that it wasn't vandalized with spay paint and broken glass

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

Somebody rich like Oprah needs to turn these into apartments. Wouldn't it be cool to live in one of these stores and have a food court open? And you could mall walk whenever you wanted to. It's just such a waste.

[@omega3fatass61]

​@@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews that would be epic lol

[@sammylane21]

I needed to see this because it's late July 2023, sweltering in a heatwave and I'm currently in Los Angeles CA. It's hot and I needed to see snow/blizzard to cool a bit.🥵

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

This video really shows the drastic negative effects the pandemic had on society. This is morbidly sad, but very well done. Thank you!

[@drno-xc1yt]

The snowy day gives this place such an interesting ambiance - I think we need more dead mall in a snowstorm videos.

[@symboly1042]

Imagine how apocalyptic this would look if it were recorded in the middle of a Finnish snowstorm.

[@lenajesse]

As a finn, I now wonder what a "Finnish snowstorm" means. 😮🤔😄

[@EphemeralProductions]

I presume they are pretty hefty storms??? 😊

[@symboly1042]

@@EphemeralProductions They are very hefty storms, especially up north.

[@symboly1042]

@@lenajesse It just means a regular snow storm from Finland.

[@EphemeralProductions]

@Boon2000 😂. That don’t sound fun at all!

[@jeffs3752]

There were no malls in my hometown. We had to drive at least 20 miles to get to one, so it was always a big deal. I loved those visits, which seem like a distant memory now.

[@ronnieeilert8491]

My local mall is sadly and slowing turning into this, mostly due to COVID making most of the stores, inside the mall go out of business. Recently stores, like Pacific Sunwear (PacSun), Windsor, Victoria’s Secret/PINK, VANS, Dry Goods, Journeys, and another shoe store have been vacated from the mall. Also, some fast food restaurants left too, like Panda Express, Subway, McDonald’s, and some other fast food restaurants too. I think mostly people go there to watch a movie at AMC or go to Dave and Buster’s and then just leave the mall.

[@remnantvoid.4647]

Is it still up?

[@inkman234]

It was nice that someone was mindful to put up a wet floor cone in the decaying and abandoned mall. Safety first.

[@troy2000me]

Someone still owns the building, and if someone broke in, like this, and slipped and fell, they could sue. It's crazy.

[@MoltenHelium]

Mall videos are always awesome!

[@SabinaThoy]

Yes 👏🏽

[@gracerodriguez2200]

It's so cool you showed the production room/ the room with the little mini window, I really wanted to see what those looked like, thank you!

[@stevenanthony199]

Hello Grace how are you doing today

[@lemonjoy19]

Worked in a mall similar to this. The ambience of the snow made this great. It's very melancholic. Loved the bustle of the holiday season.

[@kellyl7688]

You’re in my neck of the woods! I used to go the theater here sometimes. One of the reasons it closed was the high crime rate in the area…but it was a good mall. It’s so sad it’s closed…

[@Chris-vp1vs]

Yeah just like Euclid mall

[@DeeLuscious]

Your videos have always been superior but even more so now. The narration got even better and so did the filming, and also you kept that chill vibe that I love. When I go places, I try to imagine it closed down and you were to make a video about it. Great work!! ❤

[@RaymondSmith-if6ge]

Hello Dee how are you doing today

[@BA-ef4pr]

What I love about your channel is just simply speaking truth. There's no assumptions or fake stories. Crack on!

[@nolanschotanus2769]

You all just came from The Rolling Giant video didnt you?

[@ThePalskinator]

I did!

[@mafiasentry1532]

Yes

[@Fearborne]

Silent environments and a silent mall. I love it. Have you ever been in the center of a snowstorm before and it's just dead silent?

[@a.b.4052]

Yeah a couple times with your mom.

[@Fearborne]

@@a.b.4052 You're telling me you slept with your grandmother? I'm sorry Nicolas, it looks like I accidentally lost the directions to the grocery store to grab some milk and accidentally got directions to North Carolina, instead.

[@a.b.4052]

@@Fearborne Slept with her? No, a lot more then that. Hell we spoon fed each other Haagen Dazs, boy.

[@Fearborne]

@@a.b.4052 lol you're funny, man I'll let you win this one, good on ya

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

Ignoring the rest of the comments...it's such a peaceful feeling to be out in the middle of a snowstorm. Everything is still except for the snowflakes and hushed.

[@ajstimac2489]

This is one of my favorite explorations yet! There's just something peaceful about this video: the silence of the mall combined with the warm glow from the snow... Reminded me of being a kid and staying home on a Snow Day feeling protected by the walls of your house. Great vid, Proper People!

[@ENDTIMEsVideoLibrary]

It would have been Super Cool if there was only 1 restaurant still open in the Food Court with exactly what you guys wanted!!! Woulda sent you guys Runnin and Screamin!!

[@Riptides99]

I'm sure you guys have gotten this a lot, but I was part of Urban Exploration in the 90s and there was a loose ad hoc exploration group called "the proper people" that the naming convention was from same source (access only to the proper people) and it was slang for who you'd share this urban site info with. The newsletters used to show up on usenet for a bit, and then the urban exploration websites took over and "proper people" was always referenced about "who to tell" about how to access that place, etc. Some info that 20+ years later I'm trying to recall correctly.

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

How's this place not inhabited by homeless? I'd rather be in there than sleeping on a sidewalk

[@TheWolfiet]

I legit miss malls... Nothing really replaces the "feel" of hanging out at a mall.

[@basshead2003]

🎶Let’s all go to the lobby, let’s all go to the lobby, let’s all go to the lobby to get ourselves a treat. 🎶

[@Patriot64]

That's an old memory 🎼

[@MattyEngland]

Boomer brainwashing

[@jasonguzman564]

The simpsons version is good to

[@animeshock2006]

​@@jasonguzman564aqua.teen hunger force one is were it's at hehe

[@snarflatful]

That is a song for drive-in movies, not the mall, Nimrod.

[@Kai0nTheMoon]

I'm not sure younger people watching understand just how much of a staple mall's were to people growing up with them, especially in the 80's and 90's. At it's core it was a place to shop, but they were much more than that. It was a place to hang out, a place to eat, a place to people watch, a place to meet new people and more. You went on weekends, you went after school, and sometimes you even went during school. Growing up in NYC, a lot of the malls I hung out in are still around - Roosevelt Field, Green Acres, Queens Center, Kings Plaza to name a few. But thousands of them across the US were not so lucky. In Central Florida there are still a few thriving malls, like The Mall at Millenia, but for the most part new commercial property becomes strip malls, and I can't for the life of my figure out why people would prefer a strip mall, usually with the same exact 5 or 6 lame stores (Ross, Five Below, Ulta, etc) and have to walk out into the hot sun between stores when they could be inside a nice open air, air conditioned, aesthetically pleasing indoor mall, with nice plants and fountains and music. I really don't get it. And even strip malls are often populated mostly by older people, as young people today would much rather do everything from behind a screen, which is really a sad and unhealthy way to grow. Society has raised an entire generation of anxious, poorly educated, unbalanced hermits who sit behind a monitor or cell phone screen and live vicariously through people on KZbin.

[@timothys3119]

I was born in ‘84 so growing up they were still very well thriving in my time. Around 2005 is when things really started going downhill fast with malls.

[@LittleKitty22]

Yup, very well said. And because they do everything online now and hide behind the screen, they have zero social skills - hence they are riddled with anxiety and depression, for which they take tablets that turn them into stupefied zombies... it's a vicious circle, sadly encouraged by doctors and Big Pharma because it's more profit for them.

[@ozzgirlreacts]

I was born 94 and till about 2010till 2020 me and someone I use to know would go to malls/shopping centers if not going to our little cinema

[@BigFatBunions]

21:01 respect for lifes a trip and allty3 🔥

[@teresas8173]

This being filmed during a snowstorm makes it even more perfect as well as eerily sad. I don’t care about the retail stores themselves, just the memories of shopping in them and in a mall with friends and family. They were enjoyable times for me. These abandoned malls and other places should be turned into affordable housing. It’s such a massive and expensive waste that such construction is left to rot away and there are people who are homeless.

[@ckrtom2]

Nice you boys again throwing a shopping mall into the mix. Your channel is the gold standard for explorations. Snow makes this all the sadder. Snow is the great equalizer; making all seem timeless and beautiful-something we thought shopping malls were as we were growing up…

[@SillyWolfError]

Wish yall could come and see North Dekalb Mall here in Georgia. It's going to be demolished by the end of the year but its aesthetic was amazing. In fact, I'm going there right now to watch a movie at the amc there, the amc there is old and not renovated so the tickets are very cheap at only $5!

[@Susieq26754]

I grew up in the 80s. This is so sad. Before we had cell phones, teenagers would go hang out and play video games and eat at the food court. We had a all night lock in for our Senior dinner dance, at our local mall.

[@kdorko]

OMG!!! I wish I had known you were coming here. I could literally walk to this mall because it's so close to my house! My husband and I went just before it closed, and it did NOT look this bad. Dang - we would have "fangirled" had we seen you!😅

[@sylkates]

I left this area when I was 17, in 2006. I used to go here with friends. This was the one that had the Hot Topic, my favorite mall store at the time. We would shop there then get a giant Mrs. fields cookie. This is so sad. But thank you for doing such a good job documenting it before it's totally paved over.

[@marcussmith4913]

very sad indeed. Sorry your childhood is over. So is mine... nothing but empty malls are left.

[@fan4life345]

I ran the FAN 4 LIFE sports store across from Mrs fields cookies , we made it there from 1999 thru 2020. It was a great run in that center, we moved to great lakes mall in 2020 and are still going strong in that center. Shocked that Richmond mall lasted another 4 years after all the anchors left.

[@eastongaming6476]

14:55 I like how he just pretended like there was a wall there!😂

[@maylalyons677]

So sad! This mall would have normally been packed with people escaping the icy cold weather outside, peeling off layers of coats, scarves and hats, feeling the instant warm cozy environment. All lit up with Christmas lights, the sound of Christmas music of varying styles echoing throughout. You may find yourself at a Gloria Jeans first ordering a cappuccino or hot chocolate to warm your hands as you shop for gifts you've either saved up for (or charge them so you can pay later!) Or perhaps you're meeting your friends at Auntie Anne's or the food court for lunch showing them your new stuff you bought! Or to plan on meeting your crush. The mall was a special, magical place for me personally. It saddens me that my children will never experience malls in their glory days. They are quite literally shells of a former time in life.

[@DemonAngelSakina]

Watching this and every other abandoned mall vid, makes me think of the mall in my city that I practically grew up at: ear piercing as a toddler, shopping with my grandparents and by myself, just walking around, meeting friends, playing at the arcade before it shut down, events that the place held for holidays...and how one day, it'll turn into something like this.

[@tonyvn5817]

I can never get enough of your guys videos. Bryan and Michael, you both mean a lot to me like your my friends. Peace guys.

[@specialfamilyconnect]

I am so glad that you video-document these structures so they will be remembered.

[@davidhibbs6989]

This much decay in just 2 years wow! And no graffiti amazing 31:01