Exploring an Abandoned Mall with Power - Neon Still On!

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In this episode, we're exploring an abandoned shopping mall that opened in the 1980s. For years the mall has struggled to fill its storefronts, but with the onset of the pandemic the mall shut its doors for good.
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[@FightinFeenOh]

I grew up in this mall. My fiancee and I met in this mall at 13 years old and now we're 27 and still together. It's kinda sad and nostalgic seeing it like this.

[@FightinFeenOh]

@@leakesonasucs it's called Phillipsburg Mall on route 22 in phillipsburg NJ

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@FightinFeenOh]

@@iamshamtheman thats awesome dude. I used to be an abandoned explorer myself

[@XxAlphaWolfxX100]

@@FightinFeenOh i grew up going to this mall aswell i recognize it from the balls on the pillars in that pet shop

[@Cosmic-Bear.]

Can you explain the weird 9-11 museum? lol

[@dymaxion3988]

Big abandoned places like churches, asylums, theme parks etc. are awesome and there’s so much to learn from their stories, but abandoned malls give a particularly familiar, relatable, bittersweet kind of exploration experience that no other type of place replicates in exactly the same way.

[@natejennings5884]

I love those cyan/ice blue lights. Purple and red are cool, but cyan just makes neon and LED pop.

[@cmans79tr7]

Andrew - Agreed. Seen explorations of "Dead" malls before, but at 4:17, pointing out a specific store, for some reason, hit a nerve with me this time. Thinking of all the people who worked there, who punched out for the last time, and were told not to come to work there the next day, or forever, for that matter. Think of the concentration of business money gambled and lost in that one area.

[@boijamal2583]

Because with those hospitals, asylums, churches, theme parks, ect., they all have their own reasons for being abandoned, they all have their own stories. but with malls its almost always a foregone conclusion as to why theyre like that. you always know how the story goes; the mall opens with fanfare and love, and eventually people loose interest, stores close and the mall dwindles and dies. its familiar because its a story that's repeated itself over and over again.

[@siverfanweedo]

Malls are just a part of a better time. Malls like are still around but as someone from a small town that mall isn't the same as a bigger mall. Malls are just a thing that in some ways in some places are slowly dying. the 90s are over the 00s are over the 2010s have ended and we are now in the 2020s. The world changes the Mall does not and sometimes the mall will die

[@dymaxion3988]

Also, given that he namedropped liminal spaces, i’m pretty sure that when he also mentioned the backrooms, he was deliberately referencing The Backrooms

[@kroneyt1493]

Neon lighting is seriously a gem lost to time. It really added an unmatched vibrancy to an otherwise mundane places mood, and it's a damn shame it isn't as prevalent as decorative lighting anymore. Yeah I guess we do have LED's light strips, but even for as bright and customizable as those are, they aren't, nor could they really be used in a way to give off the same effect as being the single long tube of unbroken decorative mood lighting that neon lights were and I really wish more places would utilize them again.

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@tomchamberlain4329]

Problem is they give a lot of people headaches

[@JackReacheround]

@@tomchamberlain4329 i think you're thinking of Florescent lights

[@mikaylav395]

Neon lights should definitely be brought back, they kinda have the same vibes as lava lamps they are just fun lmao

[@brinkerlong5989]

@@JackReacheround neon lights are basically colored fluorescent lights

[@BusterMSC1]

I literally started crying my eyes out when I saw that Payless shoe store. My parents always worked really hard when I was a kid-but they were very young. I remember one year when they had some serious financial problems. I remember my mom taking me to Payless for school shoes that year- and of course I was being a total brat about it😪. I wanted Nikes. I remember complaining, and refusing to try any of them on. Then all of a sudden my Mom just broke down and started crying so hard in the middle of the store-she said- I’m really sorry honey that’s all I can afford right now. 💔I remember feeling horrible for how I acted, and then pretending to really like the shoes, just to make my mom feel better. So- I waited until I was 36 to have a kid-and seeing my mom cry in Payless that day was a big reason for that.

[@Njcellgeek]

I worked in the Sears in that mall years ago. I remember the bustle during the holiday season, the constant sounds of people talking. It seems surreal seeing the mall abandoned and silent. I was also at that mall for the grand opening as a child. When it opened, it was all neon and smelled of Cinnabon. It’s such a shame to see it like this.

[@RYMAN1321]

Were you working there in its final months ?

[@Njcellgeek]

@@RYMAN1321 no. The store I was working in had long since closed. The roof actually collapsed and the store needed to be demolished.

[@RYMAN1321]

@@Njcellgeek I’m sorry, I meant the last months of when Sears was at the Phillipsburg mall

[@Njcellgeek]

@@RYMAN1321 OH. No, I last worked there in 2009

[@WheresMyInhaler]

Who the fuck says “bustle” anymore

[@xliquidflames]

I was crossing this empty field with a friend. Nothing but green grass all around us for hundreds of feet. I suddenly smelled familiar scent. I said to my buddy, "Do you smell that?" He said, "Yeah, this empty field used to be a mall and this spot is where the Bath and Bodyworks was."

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@kaitlingrow5118]

when i tell you i laughed for a whole minute abt this

[@B2Delta117]

This made me laugh way to hard lol

[@sissysovereign1294]

That's so cool and surreal how after all that time passed with the mall and it's stores no longer physically existing, you could still smell the bath and body works! Almost as if the memory of what it once was still haunts the field you were in.

[@BlizzyGT-i7e]

Where was the field ? Because I kinda want to go there and try to smell the perfumes

[@m.m.i.9586]

What a surreal place, with the crickets sounding like alarms, the inconsistent lighting, and the disorienting layout. As always, the proper people captured it beautifully.

[@fluffhead14]

belive me, there's nothing disorienting about the layout of this mall. it's literally one long hallway.

[@m.m.i.9586]

@@fluffhead14 I was thinking of the back room/hall when I wrote that. 😂 I can get lost in a shoebox, though, so it’s probably not as disorienting for other people.

[@fonsworthhiggenbothim3680]

Don't worry Proper People, so long as Kohl's store corporate doesn't see this KZbin video, you're good.

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@iselfdevi]

I remember standing in kohl’s and starring into this empty mall and I immediately thought to myself “the proper people should be here filming this”. So weird watching this now and seeing where I stood from the abandoned side.

[@imakeumadLOL]

Dude I went to Spin me Round and walked through Kohl's to the mall entrance. I stopped dead in my tracks, I thought the place was closed. There were zero shops in the area, no people, it was dark. This young Kohl's cashier at that single stand by the entrance started laughing....I'm sure I wasn't the only one to think the mall was closed down before it actually was.

[@raedenmendiola237]

What mall was it ?

[@iselfdevi]

@@raedenmendiola237 there was a dead give away in a certain part of this video but they have blurred it out since it was first posted. Out of respect for the proper people, I can’t say.

[@bethy396]

I was just at Kohl's a few weeks ago and found myself standing at their window looking out on the rest of the mall. I can't believe they never walled that off, but happy they didn't. It was creepy cool to be able to see inside. So much time spent there as a teenager - such a shame to see it in the state it's in now.

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@Ranstone]

What a heartbreaking ending. These guys gave their all, trapped forever in liminal-space to give us this footage. We'll always remember you guys. RIPparoni.

[@felicitysmith5448]

Wdym

[@Triss_Joy]

This comment gave me serious SCP vibes…

[@trippyracks6837]

Lol they got me at first. I actually got anxiety with the part about eh walls. They spun the camera and it looked like a wall and they were stuck then i imagined myself being in there stuck.

[@jamiehughes5573]

They are stuck in the backrooms

[@RemoWilliams1227]

@@alanpetrus5052 that's just good advice in general

[@Spookdog]

I've ALWAYS wanted to explore a mall when it's completely empty. like not exactly abandoned like this, ideally with all of the stores and restaurants fully stocked. but even without that, just seeing a huge mall with the lights on and no one around is so cool and exciting. the dream.

[@WayneKeen]

Actually, one of those "if I were rich beyond the dreams of avarice" fantasies would be to buy a place like this, fix it up to "just like new" status, get the stores restocked, and then not reopen it, but simply make it my home. I know, terrible, evil and selfish, but to be able ro run naked through the mall, and shoplift from myself to get dressed in the morning....simply crazy.

[@Spookdog]

@@WayneKeen honestly same tho

[@Bababooey159]

They pretty much always remove the products from the stores and the food from the restaurants because people will go inside for the products and the food creates a large health risk when it’s rotting. But never say never, you could find one some day

[@opulentparadise1870]

Just go before the mall closes by like 10 mins or so on a very non busy weekday it'll be basically empty, i did this during peak covid and walked around one of the most popular malls fully empty with lights off

[@sissysovereign1294]

​@@WayneKeen Ahaha I think we've all had that childhood fantasy of having an entire mall for ourselves to play in. I can't tell you the amount of times I've fantasized about buying out all of my favorite stores inside the local malls in my area growing up😂😂😂😂the carmel corn in poppers? All mine peasants!

[@richardlangly4635]

You had me at 'Power'. There's something so eerie about abandoned places with power.

[@MegaBadgeman]

What I don't understand is who's paying for the electricity? Is it the owner (if there is one) if not it must be the energy supplier? Either way those responsible should be sacked>

[@ma0432]

@@MegaBadgeman my guess is that if they are correct about that one outlet store being still open, they are the ones paying or at least being the reason the powers still on

[@MegaBadgeman]

@@ma0432 That sounds familiar. Didn't The Proper People explore a Mall in Cincinnati which not only had power but had the same store as it's sole tenant?

[@playerroku4412]

Someone owns the mall. The one possible store front is not paying for the entire malls lighting. This is crazy talk.

[@joshuam6587]

@@playerroku4412 yeah my guess is legal requires it til the mall is completely closed

[@AstroNerdBoy]

It is always sad seeing abandoned malls. As a teen, malls were the place to hang out. As an adult, I worked in malls (bookstore) for years to earn extra money and to get deep discounts on books. That aside, I'm glad you guys still check them out.

[@kentparker1859]

It’s crazy to that it’s being demolished and replaced with a distribution center. The thing that caused it to close. Malls used to be so popular but now everyone orders online. It’s a shame

[@BeingMe23]

@@kentparker1859 Oddly enough Amazon is going on building retail stores now.

[@GameDjeenie]

@@kentparker1859 The plandemic did not help at all... It's actually one of the reason they started it, to kill small businesses..

[@FightinFeenOh]

Tell me about it bro. I grew up in this exact mall. Phillipsburg NJ

[@AstroNerdBoy]

@@kentparker1859 I admit, I'm guilty of never buying much at malls. But mall stores were more expensive than similar stores out of the mall. As a teen, I would sometimes buy a book or mag from the mall as the cost was pretty much the same there as anywhere else. And I spent money in the mall arcade, of course, followed by the food court.

[@boijamal2583]

Places that aren't very decayed yet you can still tell theyre abandoned have the best vibe.

[@TheEthanCowley]

No graffiti is also very important imo

[@CoolingLlama47]

The mall only closed 2 years ago ago the Kohl's is still operating. Only a few homeless people get in, and the area this is in, not many people graffiti unless they're doing artwork on buildings as opposed to tagging walls.

[@jasonellis4330]

@@CoolingLlama47 yeah they just mean that it adds to the vibe to not have graffiti

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@Helladamnleet]

Recently abandoned is def the best vibe. I think the saddest thing though is that squatters rights don't apply to commercial buildings like this, or they don't just let someone who could use it have it. Like, imagine if instead of it rotting and becoming a liability you just let someone take it for free/very little/way more than you'll get when it collapses.

[@nancyserrone8496]

Very cool. Grew up going to this mall - as did my children. Just a heads up though, this mall was defunct and empty well before the pandemic even happened. The pandemic had nothing to do with it. All the same so sad to see it defunct now. Was very cool when it was thriving with its big anchor stores; Sears, JCPenney, BonTon etc. The Kohls actually owns their section of the building separately which is why they are still there in business.

[@Mr.Sa33]

Where’s the mall at?

[@PeopleThatFallApart]

@@Mr.Sa33 Check the part in the mall office. You can see the name of the mall in the wall

[@stang1991]

@@PeopleThatFallApart So hard to read what it says at that angle

[@FreelanceDev4life]

@@PeopleThatFallApart You could post a time stamp or just what it actually says

[@porthokandenizen]

@@Mr.Sa33 It's the Phillipsburg Mall on the border of Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township (which is east of Phillipsburg ironically) in New Jersey.

[@geo3867]

It's funny how I as an Australian who has never been to the states instantly recognised the Sears storefront despite never having been in one. Even store architecture and design is a huge element of branding.

[@homunculusSZN]

Australia rules!!

[@FloppydriveMaestro]

There is nothing creepier than silence combined with a transformer humming.

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

Eh.. it is up there, but since it is a constant noise it tends to fade into the background after a while. I'd say the sudden unexpected sounds piercing the silence are worse. Just imagne you are walking down a poorly lit corridor in complete silence, just to suddenly hear the faint but distinct sound of a brass casing dropping onto the concrete floor not too far behind you...

[@skorpion1298]

I love this.. Gives me a warm feeling :)

[@kyleo6048]

I love the hum and when fluros flicker on and off verry creepy

[@mrtesticlease4638]

i think the creepiest thing i can think of aside from a murderer would be an old OLD computer in an underground or abandoned location that still works if you try to turn it on. hearing the room begin buzzing and coming to life after so long is not only bound to make some creepy noises but also when whatever dump terminal or interface turns on and you hear the degauss of whatever monitors are in the room fuck i would be pissing myself i don't know what it is with old tech im absolutely fascinated watching videos of them but if i were to ever encounter one in real life i would be genuinely afraid to go near it and i don't know why. unless someone familiar with the tech was with me in the room, i wouldn't be able to go near it and yes, the same thing happens to me even with macintosh classics. the oldest computer i was able to use without panic was an old powerbook from the early 90s. anything older than that would tip me over the edge

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

@@mrtesticlease4638 heh.. then you would have loved what I found in a room in an overgrown bunker at a former military base. Not only a very old still hooked-up computer, but also some of the datasettes (precursor to floppy disks) that came with it. I didn't dare try fire it up though, because I knew it used to be connected to some NATO-intel-network. And I very much preferred to not have that thing ring up that particular number...

[@VidGirl88]

The crickets are decidedly less annoying than the 'low battery' alarm.

[@obe_595]

That's actually a communication error alarm. When the fire panel loses its phone line it will chirp like that to let you know so it can be fixed. Otherwise it cant call out if there is a fire.

[@abpsd73]

Could have been any other supervisory trouble as well, there was a bit of scrapper activity by the looks of it which could have cut off something, or water leaks could have damaged a device. It's just wild guesses and speculation unless you can see what troubles the system is showing.

[@dylsmith2336]

That panel can easily be silenced too by opening the door and pressing the "ack" button to silence the trouble. It's a basic four zone conventional panel. Most likely it's the low battery trouble, AC loss, or circuit trouble from a missing device or cut wire etc.

[@fromthamedows106evergreen8]

🤣🤣🤣I kne someone would correct ya 🤦‍♂️😂🤧

[@dylsmith2336]

@@fromthamedows106evergreen8 I'm just a guy who happens to like urbex and also collect fire alarms, so I figured I'd chime in on that :)

[@erin750i]

I love that the DEB sign is still lit! That store says 80’s mall to me more than any other.

[@SuV33358]

Ikr!! They had the coolest tops!

[@CR7659]

That is the 80s design store face too.

[@kimatlastlooks2915]

Suddenly I'm a teen again seeing DEB. I didn't even know any were still around.

[@CR7659]

@@kimatlastlooks2915 They aren't, chain went bankrupt in 2015.

[@onesunnyday5699]

@@kimatlastlooks2915 I got my 2nd wedding dress from deb. I still have it 30 yrs later

[@ThisisDanBell]

This is awesome guys!!!!

[@yoshi4215]

Hi, Dan 🖤

[@zsandmann]

The OG!

[@AmberExpert]

Dan woohoo! Dan those were the loudest cricket I have heard that kinda scared me 😍🎃🍓

[@ayden1.]

😮‍💨

[@leesuschrist]

Oh Hey, my other favorite youtube urban explorer.

[@40KoopasWereHere]

8:54 - the light subtly flickering by the left side of the changing rooms in the DEB store - this totally nails the liminal feel. And those crickets! It gives you this feeling like if you were to ask "If crickets were in an abandoned mall and nobody was there to hear them, would they make a sound," the answer would be, "Yes they would." Now all it needs is some run-down distorted mall muzak feed to still be playing somewhere off in the distance.

[@brightax7502]

The whole mall feels like a liminal space, the only thing ruining the experience are the alarms

[@tammystuddard5087]

@@brightax7502 ther ckrickets😂

[@vandangerousinc7001]

It feels like a place I've visited in my dreams numerous times.

[@thickgirlsneedlove2190]

@High Paw it's not called that

[@BliNC1904]

It's a mall that is set to be demolished this year. Its located in Phillipsburg in NJ

[@RETIREDAMATUER]

@High Paw what does this mean?

[@alexei9591]

@@RETIREDAMATUER liminal spaces are characterized by places that are vague/empty, sparking nostalgia in viewers because of their generality. We’ve all been to malls n seen similar scenes to what we see in this video, but most of us have never been here. Still, we feel a sense of mourning/remembrance towards them. Liminal spaces can also be described as transitory because most of them involve places we’ve passed through in our past (like hallways, daycares, libraries, etc). I hope that’s a helpful explanation.

[@kandapasek]

@@alexei9591 thank you for the explanation

[@MegaBroski13]

I grew up going to this mall and I used to work at the Kohl's. I thought I heard that they blocked the view of the abandoned mall from the inside of Kohl's but maybe they decided not to go through with it. Also at 14:50, the store was once a Spencer's. Seeing the decline of this mall was heartbreaking but I'm glad you guys explore places like this to share with the rest of the world.

[@DarekKozbur]

Whats the name of the mall? Maybe there are some youtube videos of it when it was still functioning I would like to see.

[@ekassien]

Hey Marissa; Not that I'm going there but where is this mall? They usually never disclose the location of these places.

[@jaysmith179]

@@ekassien I agree. Dan Bell would always give us the name and the history.

[@karl.weaver]

@@DarekKozbur Phillipsburg Mall, Phillipsburg.

[@nickhall358]

@@karl.weaver That's false. I'm not going to drop the malls name but it's in New Jersey.

[@ashleywhitefield7187]

It should be turned into a skating rink. Those neons with the skylight showing the moon is soooo breath takingly gorgeous

[@sissysovereign1294]

It never ceases to amaze me looking at mall ruins. To think that not even a full two decades ago these were all businesses bustling with life, tasty food, and customers, and now they've become akin to grave yards. I had a full on nostalgia trip seeing that abandoned payless store. *In Rose's voice* It's been 84 years, and I can still smell the new shoes as you guys walked in 😌..I can't help but wonder though, do you guys ever get scared of possibly encountering any squatters while exploring these abandoned malls? I hope you go in there armed.

[@daltontorre5307]

Can't lie I teared up watching this. Grew up going here! So many bright memories in this decaying mess. Thank you guys for giving those around the 'burg one last chance to see inside this place before its torn apart!

[@spicydramarama852]

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16 and 17.

[@MrPNutt]

As you guys walked from store to store, I imagined that building with hundreds of shoppers…. All the laughter and background ambience that comes with crowds of people… all the fragrances from the stores …. And now just a shell of stagnant air and humming neon. Thanks for the trip through the mall one last time guys, truly amazing how this can spark such memories from the past! Loved it!

[@michaelpye2754]

It is a shame how things have changed so much in this country now.....I remember when going to the mall was something fun to do and malls use to be packed with people, especially during the holidays, but now with the internet people rather shop online.

[@mitchstake13]

I grew up in this mall going just about every weekend. I’ve seen a few video tours of it now and have been inside once since it closed. It’s very nostalgic.

[@DarekKozbur]

@@mitchstake13 Whats the name of the mall? Maybe there are some youtube videos of it when it was still functioning I would like to see.

[@mitchstake13]

@@DarekKozbur since OP makes an effort not to disclose their exact locations I don’t feel comfortable doing so myself.

[@DarekKozbur]

@@mitchstake13 What? I just wanted the name of the mall. Doesnt matter I already found it myself.

[@geenoh1s]

This mall is in the town I grew up in. Pretty cool to see Proper People do a video so close to home! This place used to be amazing with an arcade, food court, and a carousal back in the 90s.

[@AmandaKayHowell]

This looks so much like the mall in my home town! I don't know where this was filmed but it looks so much like it! It also had a carousel in it! But I THINK it's still open.... but I'm starting to wonder 🤔 I don't want to give out place names but at least can you tell what state is this in?

[@BliNC1904]

@@AmandaKayHowell it's in NJ

[@DeanWinchester1]

I saw the wawa bag in the start, i thought it was New Jersey🤣🤣 i thought ut was abother mall i used to go to but they nust tore that one down 😭😭

[@MrMentalSoul]

@@DeanWinchester1 torn*

[@stantonfamilytruckster7620]

It’s on the border of Pennsylvania and nj also in the town I grew up in lol

[@DatOneCat]

24:07 That is totally a liminal space right there. What makes it even more unsettling is that the doors on either side of that particular hall just have doors labeled "Not Accessible". Like if you didn't show the the two red doors on the other end, it would make it feel like you stumbled upon an area with no way out.

[@Equetix]

I like how they said “we’re gonna check out some of the backrooms now” at 22:35 and then they just enter these ‘not accessible’ door hallways with dead ends added to the sound of the humming lights. Such a liminal space vibe and I love it

[@mrgw98]

@@Equetix Love it? This is nightmare fuel!

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@RaincloudTheDragonXD]

not only are they "not accessible," but the handles are completely removed. definitely some powerful albeit accidental imagery

[@555technoboy]

The "banging" sound you speak of is generally only heard during the ignition process of a gas discharge lamp. Most of the time however it is only heard in preheat start fluorescent lamps. It is caused when current flows then drops in the inductive coil in the ballast. A special glow bottle switch closes allowing current to flow causing magnetic flux to build up around the coils. The actual thunk or bang sound comes from the sharp motion of the coils of wire vibrating around the core of the ballast once the starter lets go. This is the point in which high voltage is shot into the tube to establish the discharge. Look up inductive kick.

[@Claire-xn1cw]

You all should check out the st louis area. There’s abandoned schools, an abandoned library, abandoned brewery, abandoned factories, a building labeled as the St. Louis armory, an abandoned hospital, an abandoned Catholic Cathedral. There’s just a lot of abandoned stuff, some of it close to the riverfront. At it’s peak, the city had over 800,000 people. Today there are just over 300,000 people. So a lot of abandoned stuff.

[@DaxtonAnderson]

15:30 That mall will get torn down and there'll just be a random spot in the middle of the lot that smells like Bath and Body works 😂 it never goes away.

[@davek12]

You'll buy something from Amazon later, and wonder why it smells like Bath & Body Works, and it'll be because of the shelf being located on the same spot.

[@DaxtonAnderson]

@@davek12 Alright I chuckled aloud +1 😂

[@maxi-me]

31 miles above: a nine-thousand square foot patch of stratosphere is greasy and floral

[@xoxoxoxoxo7997]

Lmao

[@xoxoxoxoxo7997]

Or Yankee candles

[@tylersmith9686]

12:00 mark - I managed that Vitamin World location and was there to watch it close down. Seeing the Pburg Mall in this state is just unbelievable. A trip down memory lane for sure

[@therampagingnerd1706]

Probably shouldn't have said the mall name tbh, they did censor it for a reason to prevent vandals.

[@tylersmith9686]

@@therampagingnerd1706 lol unfortunately vandals have already overrun it to the best of their ability - but luckily the Kohls that is still attached to it bring enough traffic and the police that patrol quite often keep some people at bay. I’m actually surprised these guys got in so easily, but anyone on a mission will get in. Appreciate your concern for our local mall that’s in the works of being knocked down in the next year or so.

[@christopherkasebier7416]

The mall is gone now being prepared to build more warehouses

[@e5m956]

@@christopherkasebier7416 - No its not. I live right next to it. I even know the guy who does property management.

[@coco4273]

@@e5m956 still up? just curious.

[@SkumleBones]

Honestly loved this one so much, such a eerie vibe but nostalgic feeling, creepy yet relaxing.

[@kmelaine]

“Creepy yet relaxing” is exactly what I was feeling too! Thanks for saying that.

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@aprilleerose]

Me too. I spent every weekend here as a teen :(

[@theRPGmaster]

Yeah, very relaxing and a little bit eerie. I'm obsessed with places like this.

[@iamshamtheman]

Have same feeling when I explore! I do night solos. Been to places nobody else has. Unique perspective. Please check it out and subscribe! Tons of constant content coming. Dozens of hours

[@dianecarroccia2505]

I remember when this mall was built. My first job was at Hillary's Gourmet Ice Cream where I worked part time from sophomore to senior year before graduating and moving on to college. Worked at the Sears part time as well for junior and senior year. I don't live in the area anymore but it's sad to see the mall just sort of fell apart over time. It's happening in a lot of cities. I loved the mall in the 80's and into the 90's. It was the place to be as a teenager and so many good memories come from my time in that mall. At least I have my memories.

[@hel2727]

this is something else. I only ever get close to that feeling when I leave the cinema after a late-night movie. reminds me of liminal spaces a bit, but for me it's more of a nostalgia for a place you've never been to, a sense of derealization when you think about how it used to be.

[@Maddie-ys7eg]

I think these abandoned places should be preserved! It’s so cool and nostalgic! So awesome to watch

[@allanlindskoog]

There's something powerful about seeing an abandoned temple to commerce. Will we see abandoned Amazon distribution centers in a generation or two?

[@thebigerictbe5267]

“ hey Chris look, it’s the shit corner”

[@briannem.6787]

I hope so

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@DSPs_Swollen_Snort-Sacks]

@@thebigerictbe5267 And over here is the corporate mandated employee cry box

[@redsquirrelftw]

I can just picture it, the mostly empty shelves, the dead robots, and every now and then, run into a robot that's actually still turned on and just bumping repeatedly into a shelving unit that is toppled over. I can picture the title. "Abandoned Amazon warehouse, still has power, found active robot!"

[@OscarVaughn]

Seeing an abandoned mall is just sad. I was an 80s mall rat at our local mall and luckily for this area the mall is doing real good and even adding on. Eastwood mall might not be the biggest and best but its home, seeing your videos makes me feel lucky to still have such a nice place. Thanks for sharing this really oddly neat seeing that stuff.

[@morganblalock873]

The shots under the neon are just perfection.

[@KhaltoTheCollie]

There's something so eerie about the place, being half lit and half dark.

[@andrews6211]

I remember the good old days when going to the mall was a trip you looked forward to. Now I can’t remember when was the last time I went to the mall for anything.

[@michaelpye2754]

Quit shopping online!!!!

[@mopardude109]

whats the name of the mall or the city its located in ??

[@JeffDeWitt]

@@mopardude109 Phillipsburg Mall, there is a pretty good Wikipedia entry about it.

[@cumminssmoker2456]

The mall in my town is still operational except for sears

[@killelmo42]

Where the blue neon was in the middle of the mall, there used to be a big fountain there. It was empty all the time and they eventually covered it over.

[@aidand1428]

I’ve heard about that fountain but never got to see it, I wonder if somebody has a picture or video of it

[@tristanlaferriere5194]

@@aidand1428 I have a picture of the fountain.

[@blandmalls]

@@tristanlaferriere5194 I'd like to see that

[@tristanlaferriere5194]

@@blandmalls how can I show you? You can't send direct messages on KZbin anymore.

[@blandmalls]

It's blandmallscorp

[@frankb5693]

I SO look forward to Fridays, especially when there is a new Proper People exploration!

[@c117ls7]

Man this makes me sad. I really hate the whole amazon/online shopping thing now. It's destroyed countless malls and retail stores across the country. We're just dehumanizing ourselves more and more everyday.

[@zachduperron8543]

Yeah I agree, there’s a little less charm compared to buying something in person and seeing what you’re actually buying.

[@Rokaize]

@@zachduperron8543 Yeah man, I miss the good old days of bartering. You know, trading chickens for bread and stuff at the market. I really want to live in the past like you and not move on to a more convenient world.

[@caflee7801]

@@Rokaize 😂 LMAO

[@thewhitefalcon8539]

Malls are bad to begin with. There should just be retail stores on walkable streets. You can go from one store to another if you want. It doesn't need to be a special thing.

[@WheresMyInhaler]

@@Rokaize your not buying fucking essential items like bread on Amazon we all know your buying the latest cape hero shit movie or video game so you can forget how sad your life is .

[@JeoLuvsYou]

Abandoned Malls are literally my favorite thing on this damn planet. I just love the vibes they give off when you go into one

[@criticaldiamonds]

Amazing cinematography as always!

[@artofexp]

That blue neon atrium skylight is beautiful. Overall the mall is in great shape compared to most abandoned malls.

[@sarahlacorte1364]

Grew up going to this mall as it is in the next town over from my hometown in north west NJ, close to the PA border. Have fond memories Christmas shopping here with my mom, and witnessed it slowly decline throughout the 2000's while hanging out there with friends through high school. Haven't been back in a decade. Crazy to see it as an empty, ghostly shell now. RIP Gertrude Hawk

[@RYMAN1321]

I think it died twice. First back in the 2000’s to early 2010’s when the recession prevented it from getting updated. And finally in 2020 with the pandemic.

[@juliaparichuk4639]

This is the mall that I grew up going too. It’s so sad to see if abandoned. I have so many memories there, from prom shopping to my mom dropping off my friends and I. Crazy to see it like this. Loved the video guys.

[@Vapy590]

I love this, it reminds me of when times were better, I get home sick looking at this stuff take me back to 80s/90s

[@fionawallace8847]

I recognize this place from a Dan Bell video several years back. That cafe was absolutely horrifying before it was apparently ripped to shreds.

[@Misfit_Molly]

I came to the comments to see if anyone else noticed the cafe thing!

[@RYMAN1321]

@@Misfit_Molly User Vivian Makin documented a video of the interior items being sold off back in Summer 2020. The damage was done by someone who took the pizza oven. But at that point I doubt the damage mattered anymore LOL

[@Alex-RealApplebees]

If you ever get the chance again to explore a place with power and neon lights, shooting a film camera with some cinestill 800t or even ektachrome slide film would give you beautiful images

[@map3384]

Cinestill 800t is magic stuff. $20 a roll but worth every penny.

[@Alex-RealApplebees]

@@map3384 I have yet to regret shooting a roll of it! The same goes for ektachrome

[@trolojolo6178]

@@map3384 Buy a roll of Kodak vision 3, it's cheaper, you just have to remove the remjet by yourself. Cinestil is Kodak vision 3 without remjet btw.

[@map3384]

@@trolojolo6178 Thank you.

[@physkogamer7139]

That neon lighting is just all kinds of a mood. I don't care how good RGB LED looks it will never replace neon.

[@stevensims3342]

I don't know how to describe how I feel seeing and having known what was mall culture back in the 90s. It's kind of sad because most had really amazing vibes while they were booming only to fall into what they are today while we shop online but also yearn for something similar. Those places were really spectacular back in the day. Stroll around, nice calming music, shop and see a bit of people watching and admiring the atmosphere.

[@nickhall358]

This mall actually shut down before covid, or at least before the Pandemic. They already planned to close the mall after the 2019 holiday season and the few tenants left had to be out at some point before the end of January 2020.

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@RYMAN1321]

Last day I was in the mall was Sunday 03/01/20. There were still a handful of stores open, but they were all ready to close soon. The final stores were all closed on March 18, 2020 according to Wikipedia. By that time, it’s not surprising to think that the COVID-19 shutdowns guaranteed the closures by that point.

[@TheeMissingLinc]

@@iamshamtheman ok shuttup Jesus C

[@iamshamtheman]

@@TheeMissingLinc 😆

[@jakes.2544]

With current affairs. Your line of work is certainly secure and likely going to expand.

[@wonderbars36]

Reminds me of my local mall before they 'dozed it. Similar flat/wide single story layout like this with large skylights. Only thing different being ours had these "island" things down the middle of the hallways with a small fountain and benches around it which were basically grit pits for people to smoke and toss their butts in the fountains. Very 70s look that never was updated well past due. Stunk like smoke in there so bad. Smell never did fully go away lol.

[@KeppyKangaroo]

I love the slow panning shots you guys take. They do such a great job showing the scale or state of decay in the places you visit. The music you put to it and your gently spoken voiceovers make the whole watching experience so calm and pleasant

[@lavapix]

Toxic smells always linger. Bath and Bodyworks, Yankee Candle, etc.

[@marksmadhousemetaphysicalm2938]

Those stenches are metaphysical...that's why they linger...😁🤣

[@Karmy.]

There was a perfume store at Forest Fair that closed like a decade ago but you can still smell the perfume walking past

[@SynchroSk8]

Yes, I went to an abandoned cigar shop the other day and I could smell it THROUGH the window. It was so gross!

[@twizz420]

It has nothing to do with "toxic smells". They're perfumes. They're SUPPOSED to linger. That's the whole point. Fragrances don't have to be toxic. Xylene is toxic, and it doesn't last...

[@hon777]

toxic? it smells like heaven 😩

[@turismo4299]

Great video! Just saw Dark Exploration Films explore the mall a little bit ago. Near the end of his video he mentioned that he saw a couple of people in the mall late at night, it would be pretty funny if it was actually you guys lol

[@emu5088]

Yes! I wondered the same thing!!

[@L3G1TN3SSxFTW]

all you and @emu5088 had to do was watch the beginning of the dark exploration video... in his introduction they're literally walking right behind him 🙄

[@L3G1TN3SSxFTW]

@@emu5088 see my reply

[@emu5088]

@@L3G1TN3SSxFTW Do you mean the scene outside in the DEF video? Look closer, that is not the Proper People.

[@iamshamtheman]

I do Urbex Night Solos in huge abandoned places!

[@jagerdoorn9293]

The fact that more of that neon was functional than the stuff you see in most active places is kinda crazy

[@cmans79tr7]

Jager - Yes, and it is also a testament to whomever *manufactured* that neon with high quality materials and workmanship.

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

it also has to do with switching on and off the darn things. Those have been running for a while I suppose. If you switch on a light fixture, there tends to be a bit of a surge - which is why most lights fail when you try to switch them on.

[@stephaniegoode7314]

I grew up in Phillipsburg, NJ going to this mall. Moved to Austin, Tx in 2009 and going back to visit now is like a time capsule. Nothing has changed for the most part.

[@flazeanimations]

This place really captured the liminal space thing. With that light still being turned on just really adds the atmosphere of the place

[@sunnyjohnson992]

I love when you guys go to abandoned malls and movie theaters! 😃

[@kristenatkins5084]

I closed both of the Payless stores in my town so seeing this almost made me cry. I loved working at Payless.

[@tarasto8431]

Hey Proper People! I live in the area where this mall was located and regularly went from 1996 until it closed. It was the weekend hangout spot for us as teens. This mall also had concerts inside and the parking lot hosted the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for a time. Good memories!

[@RYMAN1321]

In the late 90’s I heard that’s when the food court began to go belly up. Granted I was too young to remember much (I do vaguely remember it and the merry go round). Is that why H&M took the space? Correct me if I’m wrong, but was that 2001?

[@dcp5071]

My son loves your videos. It’s our nighttime routine before bed. He now says “I wanna watch the creepy places.” I have always loved your channel thank you for the great content and your style of urbex. Keep up the great work

[@kennethrisner8648]

The word of the day is Eerie. That's the feeling I get when watching your videos. These huge places you explore, Hospitals, Airports, Amusement Parks, and Malls are symbols of civilization. They aren't just old buildings. To me that seems to have souls. It just doesn't seem right to see them empty like this. They were once thriving places and it's as though an ELE, ( Extinction Level Event) has happened and all the people have mysteriously vanished.I know this isn't the case but one can get the feeling. How cool it would be to save one of these places and shoot movies in it.

[@syntraight]

It's actually Eerie, but I feel you man.

[@kennethrisner8648]

@@syntraight i have been fishing in Lake Eerie as well lol

[@sphinxoforion7422]

Places like this are prime real-estate for Airsoft & other sporting activities like that. It would be crazy if a company bought the place and dressed it up/refurbished it. It would be a good use of the building, instead of letting it decay for years and years, forever suspended in a limbo like most of these abandoned malls are. EDIT: I posted this comment before finishing the video, after further analysis; The building suffers from health liabilities (such as black mold, potential compromised structural integrity) To be considered/reclaimable.

[@GodWeenSatan]

Or even making a huge skate park

[@androiduberalles]

It'd be cool but that would just be a moneypit. There's no way the revenue would outweigh the running costs.

[@wes5150.]

@@androiduberalles or 'Outweigh' the Liability !

[@aa-ronc7659]

I have been saying for years if i had the money id buy this particular mall and do half airsoft and paintball

[@wes5150.]

I don't know how you would be able to 'Out Weigh' the property tax ?

[@Valerie24810]

That 9/11 memorial thing was deeply weird. Actually that entire mall was unsettling.

[@IndaUrbex]

Love it. "The chosen trash bag" had me laughing.

[@christopherhamilton5557]

Same!

[@christopherneufeldt4035]

YES! It caught me so off guard and the dead pan delivery made it.

[@chrishuston4445]

Chosen trash bag Just Chillin…

[@Ueprincevegeta]

I haven't ever been to this specific mall, but I do realize how nostalgic it is for some people. For me, it does, remind me of the backrooms- quite a bit, as every other abandoned place does due to the lack of people, the decay, and etc. This is very interesting, and now I'm addicted to these kinds of videos due to how interesting and nostalgic it feels for me and others.

[@VincentTheGoat]

I grew up here and this was the best mall ever. They had a Spencer’s, and some other good stuff. The sears was knocked down because the roof collapsed from a storm, and bon ton just was knocked down.

[@Wampa842]

I can already tell I'm going to be obsessed with this for the next 10 to 15 days.

[@OneStepForwardOneStepForward]

Perfect timing, really needed this. Thanks guys.

[@ozarkmedia]

I still scratch my head over why indoor malls have failed or are failing. I live in San Antonio and we still have one viable indoor mall (North Star). There are a couple others that are dying. Meanwhile, we have an outdoor mall (La Cantera) that is all the rage. Indoor malls were great. They offered protection from the heat or cold and were vibrant, busy places. I can’t put all the blame on Amazon. It’s just a shame.

[@v8cool231]

I was thinking the same. People blame covid and internet shopping yet, I live the UK and we have Internet shopping and we had lock down, and we still have full shopping malls still in operation. However, I don't think its either to blame, as there are a couple of shopping malls like the one I work out that are struggling. Its mostly down to the demographics of the town. The people in the town where I work aren't interested and the town is quite boring, that hardly any outsiders visit. So it has to rely mostly on locals . Luckily the one I work at has new owners and they're planning on a total revamp of the center.

[@michaelclark2097]

20:57 hat world is owned by lids. It is a regional store but lids, a national hat chain, bought it.

[@lizmorris4202]

That’s Phillipsburg Mall in NJ. The mall has always struggled. I used to mall walk there. I know what every store was if if you’re interested.

[@endruv_2287]

5:13 I INSTANTLY recognized this as the "creepy cafe" mall that Dan Bell visited awhile back.

[@jessicas2379]

I love Dan Bell do you know when another dirty room is coming back found that channel in 2019

[@androiduberalles]

@@jessicas2379 He was struggling with depression and is just getting back to things.

[@jessicas2379]

@@androiduberalles yeah I saw the video title. Glad he is getting better

[@Rhambama]

100% it is that joint. Too bad about the loss of that ”fine art”

[@Kactus_Kris]

link to the video?

[@radwolf76]

20:12 I know that there's no correlation between when these videos get filmed and when they get uploaded, but given the fact that KZbin channel Dark Exploration Films uploaded their nighttime exploration of this mall exactly two weeks before you uploaded yours, I'm going to go with the theory that you both hit it the same night and it was their light you saw come on.

[@MelissaxoFuller]

Would be a cool coïncidence, but didnt proper people say in a Q and A that they film lots of videos in advance and upload later?

[@radwolf76]

@@MelissaxoFuller Every channel does that, it's just a question of how much in advance. But as it turns out, someone from the other channel saw where I was posting about this on reddit and said that after they filmed there, they told Bryan and Michael it was worth paying a visit to.

[@jank3844]

The DEB store brought back memories. It was one of those stores that had a decent plus-size section for teenagers and a halfway decent prom dress section. Especially teens on a budget

[@im_munted]

Crazy how just 10hz can make such a difference. Fluorescent ballasts once they're old and have been run for a long time, they become loud, but here where they are run on 240v 50hz, the ballast hum sounds different to 120v 60hz. Sounds more high pitch in the video

[@YourLocalFireAlarmTech]

18:19 I hear these FACP panels in my sleep lmfao, the beeping from a distance is def. eerie. I'm in the field for fire alarms and do it as a hobby too, and im glad to see a Gamewell FCI Panel. Don't see a lot of those, at least I don't or havent yet. But other than that, it's a treasure to find a place like this with power still on. I loved the Neon.

[@America-First2024]

Phillipsburg Mall!

[@map3384]

One by one these malls are coming down. The 80s and 90s was when malls peaked. They built a huge mall in my area, Rockland county NY back in 1997 which drove the old mall out and was demolished. Now the newer remaining mall lost all but one anchor store. Most of the decent stores have gone. Give it ten years and it will be gone too. Just another piece of America I knew growing up in the 70s and 80s disappearing.

[@rl8429]

Must be talking about Palisades Center. They have more than just one anchor, but I guess you're only talking about the department stores, which don't seem sustainable if they're the main attraction. This mall has a lot more entertainment options than many others, but it doesn't help that it's close to two other mega malls.

[@Peepaboo]

Crickets?! Those are some crazy loud crickets, I was convinced it was an alarm!

[@meganmystical6840]

omg youd be surprised how LOUD crickets can be! I keep them as feed for my reptiles and i can hear them chirping all night long, thru closed doors, even when im in the furthest room away from where they are! it blows me away how loud they are

[@romeINRI]

This video is so surreal it’s hard to put the words together. I’m not an expert in film or cameras or anything of that nature but I greatly appreciate the work you guys put into these shots and editing and everything else that goes into making a video like this.

[@leaf4881]

I grew up with this mall- seeing the state it's in is crazy,,,, I can't believe the power is still on

[@dieselbronco9247]

It's kinda sad to see all the malls going away, the mall nearest me is only about 21 years old and has been dying for the last 10 which is a shame because most of the area around it is thriving.

[@kurtismckemmie4850]

It's because Malls are more money hungry than your landlord is. I've seen HUNDREDS of stores opening and closing for the past 25 years at my mall since childhood.

[@Andy_Dines]

It was a series of abandoned mall exploration videos that originally led me to The Proper People, got me hooked on the channel. IMHO that clip at the beginning of that decaying truck in the overgrown parking lot is totally apocalyptic at its best! I'd add that to my TPP photo collection if I could. Great work as always :)

[@PrinceSnivy24]

One of my local malls!!! Phillipsburg Mall! This is awesome! Thanks for checking it out! :)

[@JohnAllsopp-jk2mn]

We had a mall called Karcher(renamed District 208)in Nampa Idaho that opened originally in 1965 and has gone through several changes over the years including a large couple of ares being demolished while still leaving the anchor stores intact. Construction on new seperate retail and residential areas is ongoing. I remember as a very young child (2 to 3 yrs old)when my parents took us to see the new mall. It was christmas time so we got to see Santa. Good times

[@seansmith9903]

I worked multiple jobs in this mall and spent a countless amount of hours and days hanging out there through high school. Sad to see it go, was tough watching it slowly crumble over years and years. Every time I would visit family there would be less and less open. Sign of the times.

[@AdmiralBlackstar]

If that area was a waiting room for a shuttle service to the actual memorial, my guess is that the Dora the Explorer TV was to play stuff for kids while families were waiting.

[@JounLord1]

Feel bad if any of the authors of those sports books see this, books so unwanted that the people who cleared out the store didn't take them and neither did the looters. Also definitely one of the creepier episodes. We all know malls, we've probably spent plenty of time in them. To see something that might have been a part if not an important part of many of our lives is bizarre and creepy.

[@AstroNerdBoy]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about the abandoned books, more so because they were in a sports collectable store.

[@coraldiamond1922]

I’m pretty sure most wouldn’t care as they have already made their money from these being published

[@AstroNerdBoy]

@@coraldiamond1922 I know what you mean, but there is an ego thing. Sure, you got paid to write a book, but if you see it left as abandoned rubbish, that's a smack to the ego. After all, if the books had any value, they wouldn't be left behind.

[@Defyreactz99]

Phillipsburg Mall in Nj, Used to go there all the time

[@luvjxnakajen]

Dan Bell did this one in ‘16 it’s so neat to see the change between now and then. The large whole in the wall with the creepy star at the top was a large brick oven. Great vid as always guys!!

[@itswompie]

At 0:42 you can see a poster in the background that says "Don't say goodbye-" which if I'm being honest gave me goosebumps. Nearly feels like the mall wants people to come back and walk it's halls one last time.

[@chantan9358]

Really big Stranger Things vibes coming from all the neon, love it

[@Netsuko]

This is so fantastic. And it is so strange that everything is still lit. This really is just so eerie.... I can't get enough of it. Also, surprising little signs of vandalism, all things considered.