Exploring The Abandoned Westland Mall (Columbus, OH)

[@DecayingAce]

We hope you guys enjoyed the video! Don’t forget to like the video and subscribe for more!

[@euko6876]

I live in Columbus, and I wanna say towards the end of this malls life, it was known as being very unsafe. There were always shooting over there and even heard of people getting shot inside of it. Glad your safe 🙏🏽 and thanks for your bravery getting some last footage 👍🏽

[@cmyers4443]

This isn’t true. 😅 I also live in Columbus. Quit fear-mongering about the west side of Columbus.

[@euko6876]

@cmyers4443 Really, fear mongering? There's a reason everyone knows about Hilltop/West side of Columbus. You can easily check on the statistics of shootings, crime & drugs on the West Side compared to other places in Columbus. I didn't say ALL of the West side either, but some parts are the worst in the state/city.

[@redbeard6220]

I've lived on the Westside for 38 years, and the only shooting I know of at the mall was the one talked about in this video. It was at a gun show at the old Sears building. I'm not sure where you are getting your info from?

[@mtzdotcom7260]

you should explore the movie theater behind the mall, its called the Westland dollar cinema

[@manya623]

In high school I loved job the apartment complex behind the mall and in the summer I would wait to the dollar theater and see movies at least twice a week.... Then go to the arcade in the mall before going back home. Good times

[@W4RM4T]

It was a regular theater way before that, I saw the enhanced original Star Wars trilogy there.

[@ladyharmoniccaitlyn6217]

I used to go there all the time as a teen 😢 so sad

[@lindamouery6417]

It used to be called General Cinema Westland 8. I worked there for 5 years.I trained people, sold tickets and concessions, and other upkeep jobs as well as creative art and cross marketing with channel19.

[@susanlippy1009]

Columbus had sone great malls back in the day. Not only the 4 corner malls but Continent with brick lined streets set up like a French village. Late on scene was Ciry Center mall down town. I personally dont like the big box store sprawled out shopping mess we have now with Polaris and Easton. Who wants to drive store to store and hike parking lot after parking lot in snow and cold or rain? I lived by Northland Mall which has already been redeveloped. No more arcades with all the home game systems, no need for record stores since we all stream music. Originally many had no A/C at home so a trip to the mall for the cold air and a few games was heaven. Sad to see the decay of Columbus.

[@kimberlyd5486]

Westland Mall was a hangout for me and my friends all through the 80s. It was a big part of my childhood. I know it was an eyesore and a magnet for crime towards the end. But, still sad that something that was a big part of my growing-up years is now gone.

[@jenxsonphox6121]

This is the first time I’ve seen one of these “explore abandoned place” videos of a place I used to actually visit often as a child. Words cannot express the visceral reactions I had to this video.

[@DecayingAce]

We’re so glad you enjoyed it 😁

[@joshuakrieg1467]

i find it so crazy how I've driven past the location so many times and I never even new it was a mall before, i always new it as the big sears downtown. this video explains a lot

[@clish1873]

Great video as always. Intro was great. I love hearing the history of how a place got started.

[@joshuapk9808]

This is a great video, I like how you guys included some photos and video of the early history of the mall. Brings back memories of when I hung out at that mall all the time when I was a kid in the 80's.

[@DecayingAce]

Thank you! We love talking about the history of the buildings

[@ChambersOfTheSouth]

Guys...I was raised in Columbus, I was born five years after it opened and began frequenting this mall when I was around 10 years old, with my friends and family. The West Side has ALWAYS seen its share of horrible crime because of gangs, etc. However, it didn't get really bad city-wise until the early 90's. The restaurant you weren't sure of was Orange Julius, where we ALWAYS took a break from playing arcade games a little ways down at Aladdin's Castle! I have told my wife that it is absolutely heartbreaking to see this mall fall away. Not because of the corporate bs, but because of the countless hours of lifelong memories I racked up with my friends.

[@ladyharmoniccaitlyn6217]

Oh and I forgot to mention I love how you put the history of the mall at the beginning! Your voice is soothing and I could go to sleep on it lol but I watched the whole vid!

[@toddwalters7638]

This hit me right in the feels. I couldn't even guess how many hours I spent in that mall-especially in the arcade (it was originally Aladdin's Castle). I kept a few of the tokens as mementos. I still recognized some of the storefronts like Walden Books, Original Cookie Company and Hot Sams. So sad to see it go.

[@stoneddestroyer9381]

I grew up extremely close to that mall and remember so many of the stores that were there. It’s now being torn down 😢

[@NellieBellie69]

This place holds A LOT of memories for me!

[@JustPlainSteve5372]

❤

[@JustPlainSteve5372]

That place is full of wonderful memories. For me & I'm sure many, many others. Sad to see what's happened to my old friend. THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES

[@DecayingAce]

Our pleasure! Glad you liked it

[@JustPlainSteve5372]

@@DecayingAce ❤

[@kathaleenamarie3803]

Hi Steve. 😊

[@JustPlainSteve5372]

@@kathaleenamarie3803 Hello there

[@henrynagel7175]

This honestly makes me kinda sad. I live in Ohio and i recently revisited a mall I went to as a kid and it’s so empty now. It’s unfortunate how malls are dying.

[@botboy6977]

This mall was everything to a 13-15 year old boy. Great memories but also very sad

[@ChambersOfTheSouth]

At the other end on the way to where the DMV took residency, which wasn't there until the 2000s and was the spot of Dimitrious Pizza, was Record Town, where I bought my VERY first copies of Use Your Illusion 1&2 by Guns N Roses, among many others.

[@geebes2112]

That was really cool. I loved the context of the intro.

[@DecayingAce]

The intro is my favorite part!

[@xwhitezebrax2990]

This is awesome man glad to see you progress in life and your amazing videos keep it up buddy your killing it

[@tp2487]

I grew up and live about 10 minutes from here and my parents would frequently take me here from 99 to 2005 had alot of memories here and across the street was Toys R us and Media play. Anyways just wanted to share some small memories from what i can remember.... -99 to early 2000s my mom would take me to the back of the mall and get me basketball shoes every year - i remember shopping for christmas gifts at the Macys, Sears and radio shack...mostly clothes for my grandparents and my mom would have me pick up work boots for when i worked in the summers at our warehouse - the front restaurant was a chilis when i was growing up but became other weird restaurants as i got older...usually some start up mexican joint - the arcade was awesome my dad took me a couple times and right across from it they sold french fries and normal fast food stuff - mom would buy cards and gifts at the hallmark card place in the center of it - i do rememeber as a kid getting photos at the back of sears at the rear of the mall Later on when staples closed(my Gf at the time sister worked there) and shortly after sears had their closing sale it really struck me how much has changed in a matter of 7ish years. This place wasnt booming when i was a kid because tuttle mall was only 12 minutes down the road and in a richer side of town meaning no closed stores and newer building. But overall the westside wasnt that bad until i would say the late 2000s. Alot of closed stores and no maintenance scattered everywhere. Hope anyone who lives over here had some great memories! Thanks for reading :)

[@RainbowLightWarrior365]

I grew up in shannon way!! Spent all my preteens here with my friends.❤ brings back alot of memories.

[@ladyharmoniccaitlyn6217]

I live in Columbus Ohio I'm 35 and remember my teenage years very well at Westland and the dollar movie theater that has been shut down for years!! Great video and you got a new sub 🎉❤

[@watchpointoh3354]

When I was a little kid, I used to go to the mall at Tuttle Crossing a lot with my family, which is further up 270 between Hilliard and Dublin, before we moved to a different part of central Ohio. The difference is, that mall is still alive and active, with only a few vacant stores. I like to visit it now and again, since it holds childhood nostalgia and has some nice stores. But the main thing I used to like about that mall, an indoor playground we called "Spaceland", is no longer there and has since been replaced with a far inferior indoor playground. It had giant plastic planets, a space shuttle, and a comet to climb on. It will live forever in my memory. RIP Spaceland.

[@MrRat-69]

I used to love that playground. I went there a few years back and actually saw them dismantling it.

[@kristin2115]

Tuttle is definitely going to end up like this one from what I've heard recently. Lots of stores are leaving.

[@shoplifterfpd]

Across the road is the last York Steak House in existence. Still open, and makes me feel like a kid every time I go.

[@lordejoshuawardsr614]

Man the memories I made in that mall, sad to see it like this

[@JustPlainSteve5372]

❤

[@frankrobinson4453]

So sad I had many fond memories of this in the 70's,and 80's

[@timalan7406]

Westland was never the same after it was enclosed, I always felt the open air version of Westland Mall was better. Some children's playground items (large concrete letters) were moved from the Westland Mall courtyard to Westgate park when the Mall was enclosed in the early 80's. I think there still located in the park.

[@carsonpalmer8824]

DUDE I THINK IVE BEEN TO THOSE, i went to a grad party when i was a lil younger and it was a bunch of letters in this fancy park, there was a police station like right next to us and also a skatepark nearby

[@caitlinbarbery5260]

I used to live in Ohio until 2018, I was born and raised there. When I was little, my mom and I used to go shopping there 😢I miss it so much. I remember though it used to smell like old cigars, but I remember the stores and everything. I even remember this cute Chinese shop where I liked the decorations and fans they sold. Seeing spiders, empty store rooms, hearing the wind blow through and how quiet it is now, it’s so sad 😭 after it shut down, I used to ask my grandpa to visit that mall

[@SamStar100]

The Westland mall is now being demolished. It's sad to see to go 😢and farewell to the iconic mall we all loved 🫡

[@Joemama-tf2mx]

yo good vid and love the beginning of the vid

[@adamrudolph1028]

Aboslutely crazy that I was there a few years back before it closed. Time happens fast.

[@andrewrumley5225]

This is cool, but sad. I’ve been to this mall many times, and never seen stairs in there. Last time I went in was 2011, me and my dad went to get license plates for our car at the time. Right next to the bmv, was a restaurant, called chi chi’s. It was a Mexican place. After the bmv, we walked deep into the mall, and go to where the jewelry store is (was) and I had a creepy, weird feeling, and told him let’s go back. This mall has been falling apart for many years, and will soon be torn down. It would be cool if you guys can go to the movie theater, it was in the corner of the property, but I don’t want you guys to risk your safety. 1969-2023

[@lordsofgaming1060]

i remember it in its prime, nice mall

[@Phuggie]

Keep up the good work Tommy

[@DecayingAce]

Thanks! 😁

[@gavinsnyder9028]

I drive by this place very often and actually went in there as a kid to the sears store. Sad to see this place in rough shape. It used to be a huge store and then a mall called Tuttle mall came along and killed it off. Tuttle is a better mall and there is a mall called Polaris mall in Dublin Ohio which is undoubtedly the nicest mall in Columbus

[@grapiebee]

What do you think about Easton Mall?

[@Raredeath13]

Polaris Fashion Place (mall) is not located in Dublin. its on the north edge of Columbus. Now its competing with Tanger Outlets right off I-71 between Sunbury and Delaware. There was a shooting 4 years ago inside the Polaris mall.

[@euko6876]

Tuttle mall is on a major decline (like most other malls), but yeah now Polaris is next. Easton's probably the last nice one on Columbus

[@gavinsnyder9028]

@@grapiebee idk I've never been there

[@neji5163]

do you know if this has already been demolished? iv been doing my research before making the 4 hour drive there but i’d hate to drive there for it to be gone already

[@DecayingAce]

They started demolition a couple weeks ago on outer strip of Westland. Wether the main part is still standing or not, we don’t know. However, they did fence off the entire area

[@donnywenner4998]

​@@DecayingAceLAZARUS IS DOWN. 👍👍

[@gaxzly]

The mall itself is fully there along with sears. Can confirm cause I like a minute away from it. But it’s fenced off and definitely gonna be torn down to hopefully finally make the area much better and no longer like a “ghetto area”

[@chelsadams-619]

So sad....Westland Mall was my teenage years practically lived in that mall :(

[@jeremyobryant5264]

Aladdin's Castle was the arcade that I spent hours at back when I was in middle school. The one in the video wasn't really an arcade anymore.

[@BobGilbert]

The one-hour photo place was a CPI Photo/Fox Photo place. I believe it was closed before the ill-fated Wolf Camera buyout. I bought a hedgehog here during an exotic animal show here in its waning years.

[@benjaminmedrano1177]

I would like to ask in the case of any urbexing trip, what tips do you guys have as far as where to park your car? Perhaps authorities could notice there's a strange car parked car next to an abandoned area and would want to end up investigating inside? Lastly, what time of day do you guys usually go out to urbex? I figure police are more aware during certain hours of the day?

[@DecayingAce]

Great question! No urbexer really knows for certain, a lot of it is up to you to figure out through experience. We made a video about all of that called “How To Find Abandoned Buildings” 10:44 is when we answer a lot of your questions 👍🏻😁

[@jonyang6982]

I remember the arcade here meeting up with friends what time it was.. Miss this mall move to minnestoa but still family in Ohio sad to see this mall go.

[@VladisRed]

Very sweet place))

[@mthomas1091]

No line for Dragon’s Lair 👍

[@smacky1966]

I am from Columbus and am a fan of the "outdoor" mall experience (ie Easton Town Center), and I understand the appeal of shopping online, but I really can't put a finger on why malls in cold weather climates still don't do better.

[@smacky1966]

Have you done a video on Rolling Acres in Akron? For a ten year period that mall was truly magical.

[@DecayingAce]

@smacky1966 rolling acres mall was demolished before we started urban exploring unfortunately

[@flyingkatya]

God, so much time spent here as a kid

[@flyingkatya]

There used to be an anime store there actually lol

[@stevehathaway1929]

That arcade was the Aladdins Castle before it was the Westland Arcade. I was the DM of that location back in 1999. It was great back in the day.

[@Greg87601]

It's very sad to see Westland Mall look this way.

[@lucerkira6623]

You guys missed so much haha the upper most level is really fun. roof access schematics and blueprints from the 60s and 70s there's a couple of massive safes a whole bunch of shit

[@DecayingAce]

We’ve since realized that we missed a lot. We were fairly freaked out that day and we were just ready to leave

[@haydengarrett8125]

Heads up - my friends and I got stopped by a rent-a-cop when we showed up today. He gave us a warning and let us go. From what I understand, they operate 12-7 most days. Be careful.

[@DecayingAce]

Getting in here was NOT an easy task for us

[@leifhatlestadiii5152]

​@@DecayingAce what was the route you found open?

[@thebsmithimages6544]

How’d you get in

[@garywhite723]

One of the stores if memory serves me was a GameStop or if it was known an EB games and an a fye

[@stevenshiller1600]

We gonna restore Westland Mall with Mr. Marcus' help.

[@thecableturnedon]

i actually went to that sears years ago to buy glasses.

[@manya623]

Lol, i got my first pair of glasses at that Sears when I was 12 back in 1993.... God I feel so old

[@kmp101]

Why does the video start with a sign from Eastland Mall?

[@surroundsoundfreak13]

I was just there 2 days ago trying to get in to take a picture and quickly leave, but I can't find a way in. Great video.

[@tp2487]

10:50 i kept hearing you say DMV and im like wait have i been saying it wrong my whole life....lmao nope i was right its BMV lol have a great day

[@DecayingAce]

In our home town, it’s the DMV. “Department Of Motor Vehicles” I had that same thought a few years ago so I guess it’s both 😂

[@tp2487]

It works either way right? Lol keep up the great work, I use to come here growing up and it made me think of my parents and all the good memories of time spent here! Thanks

[@waltergabriel3694]

I would have worn a mask .A lot of mold in there, I can't believe it's still there. I remember when it was just Lazarus West back in 1964. Then they started talking about building a mall. I was there when they had the grand opening in 1969,Most likely you'll be back when Tuttle Mall closes, it's beginning to show the same signs, that Westland did, before its demise. There's been several fires, at one time a lot of homeless were living there. I'm hoping they tear the place down, the mall is in the county, otherwise Columbus would have condemned it. You should explore Eastland Mall it's pretty much done also, it's about 18 miles east of where you filmed.

[@DecayingAce]

We would’ve taken our masks had we known it was in that shape. That’s also why we mostly stayed out of the stores since there was a lot of airflow in the main walkway areas. Thanks for watching!

[@jabfit24]

Funny you mention that because funds were approved this week by the state for the county to demolish Westland.

[@waltergabriel3694]

@Jordan Bardige I saw that too. That part of town needs revitalization. I used to live near there and spent a lot of time at the mall.

[@Daddymouse-ny9cz]

In the interest of equal time: LETS GO BRANDON!

[@daviddixon6408]

That shooting was gang related. Westland mall is finally getting demolished this summer.

[@donnywenner4998]

LAZARUS IS GONE NOW. 👍👍

[@wes5150.]

Where's Justin?

[@AA-bs3iy]

He died of diarrhea

[@andrewrumley5225]

As of 6/25/2024, the mall is demolished, the only things standing is jcpenney, the sears auto center and the tire store

[@purrp96]

Crazy they close Eastland mall too smh

[@ddaohio]

Let's Play a Drinking Game. Every time one of the them says "That's Crazy" or " I have never seen anything like this before" You will get drunk Quick

[@Rantingkitten1128]

Please do eastland if you haven’t!

[@resofactor]

Happening all across the US.

[@sammy169z]

are you just allowed to walk in? I wouldn't think you would be able to, but I could be wrong

[@gaxzly]

It’s fenced off now for demolition for the future soon and security patrols it

[@mfrfpv9079]

It's leveld now😢

[@oldmanvic]

Well as today oct 6 2023. Sad to inform is been demolished also devonte blatt excellence blame the gun.

[@andrewtinn7060]

Where are the clickers and stalkers?

[@primalhurricane1522]

I live close to Columbus

[@ramen9347]

i live just down the street from the abandoned westland mall, just next to it there's a Sheetz gas station and on the other side of the freeway there's a wafflehouse

[@Hunter-hb2ne]

This mall has been demolished as of 2024

[@copywrite9120]

Wasteland mall*

[@AwesomeYena]

Hey I live in Ohio

[@nerdywayfinder1827]

Hey that’s Awesome Yena!

[@AwesomeYena]

@@nerdywayfinder1827 -_- XD

[@nerdywayfinder1827]

@@AwesomeYena I’m sorry I had too 😂

[@roni.5335]

Do you have anything on Northland Mall?

[@DecayingAce]

Northland mall was demolished a long time ago

[@roni.5335]

@@DecayingAce Right! I just thought maybe you would've had some footage before that happened.

[@robroberts8600]

Don't quit your day job

[@DecayingAce]

Lol good one anyways, thanks for the video engagement