Final Glimpse: White Lakes Mall Deserted (Now in Ashes)

[@AbandonedAtlasFoundation]

Any guesses as to which mall I'm in for the intro? HINT: It's not in Kansas.

[@Polothemius]

It stars with a P

[@AbandonedAtlasFoundation]

@@Polothemius you might be onto something! 😉

[@Polothemius]

​@AbandonedAtlasFoundation it's on my bando malls list

[@zafarshaik3101]

​@@AbandonedAtlasFoundation you're standing in pines mall, pine bluff, Arkansas? That jewelry store behind you looks familiar

[@blayne1602]

Pines mall

[@aveywilliams7761]

I remember white lakes Mall very clearly. We used to live on east side of town. I lived not far from westridge Mall which was happening back in the mid 80s my sister was a model for one of the stores and white lakes Mall i have many cherished memories of that mall.what it represented to me as a preteen at that time. When my mom when divorce my stepfather. The first place we went to was white lakes Mall like most malls white lakes Mall was family-centered during the weekends it had so much joyful energy at that time. ❤ Thank you for sharing this on the youtube

[@usafa2000]

I had a birthday party at Aladdin's Castle. White Lakes had the only Star Wars video game in town. Lotta pictures with Santa in that place. More than a few family portraits at Sears. My friends grandpa worked at the Sears auto shop and was able to take home opened toys for free. So much of my life from 0-10 was spent in that place before West Ridge opened. 😭

[@angryKitt3ns]

"Where good things happen" became exponentially more ironic

[@KsTrp]

Enticed by inexpensive square foot rent, the owner of our company chose to moved there at in the late1990's. He felt the community would come to us. That did not happen as the west side public resisted traveling there. The quality of our customer base changed. A leaky roof continued to cause issues and eventually maintenance suffered. Tenants were getting frustrated with the issues and some were leaving. People like Linda, at the Hat Box, stuck it out. West Ridge and the Wanamaker corridor was a huge draw for customers who preferred to stay there.

[@ElGatoss]

Not gonna lie. I was scared to go in there when I was a kid. Thought I'd get arrested for trespassing or worse. It just looked scary and abandonded. But I guess there was stores in there. Wow.

[@coleacanth8944]

At the last of it I remember a ceramics wholesaler, a call center, Dee & Mee Hobbies, and a noodle shop a few doors over being the last holdouts. My Granny used to get her prescriptions from the Walgreens inside the West(?) entrance, and I attended a Boy Scouts Overnight Camping Jamboree inside the mall (we set up sleeping bags by the defunct JcPenny's). Dee & Mee was open into the night to sell us rubber-band airplanes and construction paper for folding our own!

[@goboy45]

What happened to White Lake mall, was the construction of the Wanamaker Corredor and west ridge mall. This was not mentioned in the video but it was the demise of white lakes mall. The development of West Ridge Mall in topeka Kansas occurred around 1988 and 89. White Lakes Mall immediately began a down hill motion during these years. Topeka was not big enough to support two large mall complexes. Retail establishments flocked to the Wanamaker business Corredor, and S. Topeka Blvd., where white Lakes Mall is located, began a decline that has lasted until even today.

[@coleacanth8944]

Used to wonder if that whole area would have survived a little stronger if they had built a new truck-stop near Frito-Lay in the old hotel plazas to replace "The Roost" Truck Stop they tore out of Westridge.

[@scarpfish]

And now I just saw a news article on WIBW how West Ridge is planned for a major renovation. When even the replacement mall needs revamping, it's a sign of societal change more than local community change.

[@kellycook3586]

I remember working at Sears when I was in high school and being in the Winnie the Pooh costume!

[@henryspangler8667]

You should have gone back further yet - before my time, but that was the White Lakes golf course, or country club; I'm told the stone building north of White Lakes, north of Croix street was the clubhouse.

[@ConradNeill]

Dude @04:35 throwing down some serious Wooderson vibes.

[@robertabray-enhus3198]

Definitely! 😂

[@ashiaackov]

The Arcade. I was bullied and abused in school so I would go to the arcade and just sit there all day. The girl who worked there would see me so much that when I came in, she gave tokens.

[@Scotty_B123]

Aladdin's Castle was amazing. I loved that place.

[@goboy45]

❤ Alladins Castle! 🪔 I spent a lot of time here , especially during the late 80’s and early 90s, before it closed.

[@twistoffate4791]

@ashiaackov, I am sorry you were bullied and abused, and I'm glad the arcade employee was kind to you. I hope life has improved for you since then.

[@aveywilliams7761]

I love the Aladdin's Castle. That was a spot. I'm truly sorry that that happened to you I wish I would have known who you were back then I would have been your I would have talked to you and tried to be a friend❤

[@justinhawley1925]

At 1:22, that is Westridge Mall grand opening in 1988, not Whitelakes

[@AbandonedAtlasFoundation]

Thank you for pointing that out.

[@aveywilliams7761]

Yeah I remember that I also remember Tiffany coming to sing and Debbie Gibson westridge Mall. It was so big in fact that hypermart was built right next to westridge Mall

[@AbandonedAtlasFoundation]

Do you have any fond memories of the White Lakes mall?

[@kurtkieffer6305]

I wish you had talked about the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon that was held at, and Broadcast from White Lakes. Also, this was a Regional Mall that served a large area. Good report!

[@AbandonedAtlasFoundation]

If we ever do a part two, I will definitely make sure we talk about this! I didn’t know that happened to, thank you for letting me know.

[@aveywilliams7761]

I used to dance every Labor Day weekend with Beverly bernardi's dance studio she would have her students perform halftime dance shows for the Jerry Lewis telethon at westridge Mall..