GRAND CENTRAL MALL PARKERSBURG WV

Come take a walk with me through the only mall in Parkersburg West Virginia. Come learn about its history and find out how this mall is doing.
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[@GeorgeFreda]

Loved the mall back in the day when it had pizza inn, bresslers ice cream, seasons, and Der dog haus. The diamond was considered the main anchor store.

[@Eachitndie]

Excellent use of sarcasm!

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

@@Eachitndie thanks

[@millfilm1]

It's nice to see this (as well as huntingtion mall) are still in business. I recently when to a mall in ohio and it looks like its on its last leg.

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Which mall I’m sure I’ve been

[@millfilm1]

​@@TiltedTripodMediaRiver valley mall

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

@@millfilm1 yeah I’ve been many times

[@anniemaull5605]

Used to live there in the 80s.

[@Matt-re3or]

My grandfather was manager at the Diamond, and the manager back then at GC Murphy's was on my paper route as a kid

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

That’s cool

[@GeorgeFreda]

I remember Murphys. My mother and I used to go there and have blts for lunch and we would go to dils to do our clothes shopping afterwards. I miss that where I took my first guitar lessons at Powell and Clark music store and took lessons off a great man by the name of Charlie Reed. He gave me a great gift in the art of guitar playing. Brings back wonderful memories.

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

@@GeorgeFreda wow that’s amazing

[@Matt-re3or]

@@GeorgeFreda I remember Dils being open. They had ashtrays right outside the elevator. Ah, the 80's. After it closed it was kinda used as an event center. I remember going to a motorcycle show there, probably 1994 or 5

[@OneGeekStudios]

I was born and raised in Parkersburg before moving away about 20 years ago. I remember the ducks and visiting them as a kid, my dad was a young manager at the Pizza Place and friends with the owners. I used to go to the arcade, walk around with my mammaw and always beg to go to KB Toys, and then later go to Electronics Boutique which eventually became EB Games. It was a fun time!

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Thanks for the memories

[@Lori66angel]

Do you think it's a good place to live now? Was thinking of moving there😊

[@slantedandenchanted.1992]

I miss the bird cage and the waterfall/bridge. And how decked out it would get at Xmas. 😢

[@pkd.81]

Would like to have seen more footage of what was inside the Classic Plastics. Looks like they had a great little retro arcade in there. A full-length video exploring that store would be great.

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

If I’m back in the area in the near future I’ll make a video.

[@teckit8187]

@@TiltedTripodMedia afaik they got kicked out of their area

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

@@teckit8187 who got kicked out?

[@dukesilver2019]

The mall was a hotbed of activity in the mid to late 70s. Brand new and going strong. 2 movies not just 1 but the movie price doubled for Star Wars from $1 to $2. Scandalous....

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Yes things were good back then.

[@KE8ODY-WV-Ares-Ham-Dad-3O4]

This mall used to be the best mall in the state so sad

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Yeah it looked cool from old photos

[@KE8ODY-WV-Ares-Ham-Dad-3O4]

@@TiltedTripodMedia I remember going as a kid and they had ducks and ponds, every store open and bussing

[@nortonnewmann3711]

The original Park airstrip on this property was grass. "A flight around town for a penny a pound" was a popular charity event during the 1960s. Of course you probably remember the gymkhanas held every summer in the south parking lot - I do. And fond memories of Friday nights of pizza and cold beer at the Pizza Inn on the north end of the mall. The incredible thing about this mall (and Parkersburg in general) is the pride locals have in their community. There's very little trash and litter around the downtown area, and a low number of derelict abandoned homes. It's true that not a lot has changed in well over 50 years... but sometimes that isn't a bad thing. Although the night life might not be too exciting and lacks the luster of a big metropolis, it's a low crime small city and a great area to raise your kids. I'm only 100 miles away now and go back often.

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Yeah I live not far away over in Ohio where the cities are bigger and the economy slightly better. I’m use to West Virginia being run down and poor especially in small towns and cities. I was surprised how nice Parkersburg was. I visit when I can. Only downside for me is that it’s small. I do enjoy heading down to the river it’s very scenic.

[@pkd.81]

"low crime" lol it's very easy to tell you don't actually live there anymore. The entire area has been devastated by meth and fentanyl. Serious crime like murders, home invasions, burglaries, and property theft have skyrocketed and the local police forces are completely unequipped to deal with it. Drug trafficking is blatant and nobody seems to care anymore.

[@Emily-r1n]

I like that sign AUDI CAR GIVEAWAY NAIL CITI

[@Emily-r1n]

Wow the indoor wall mural around the coke machines things like that are places sometimes but nowhere I've been recently

[@RealS3AN]

I love this place!

[@kathycooper7872]

Was a great mall back in the day..Sears and JCP as anchors..plenty of food choices Der Dog Haus up by old Sears location. The Pizza Place. Movie theater, Thrift Drug, Jo Anne Fabrics and at one time a Pet Store down by JCP.

[@chriscee546]

That mall was very good in '21

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

So it changed in 1 year?

[@chriscee546]

@@TiltedTripodMedia I doubt it, as far as malls go its pretty good for being in a small Wv town 🤷‍♂️

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

@@chriscee546 yea i agree with that

[@OrangeElixir]

I have a lot of sweet memories of this place.

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Glad you got to enjoy this great place.

[@katttmandoo]

Anyone else remember Captain Crocs behind the mall years ago with the GoCarts and such!!!! and yeah I truly miss those ducks :(

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

That sounds amazing

[@Atticus118]

The only thing changed is party city is gone which as you said was closing as you said it's now a boot barn oh and there's like a rock store now stone haven sells like crystals and stuff and think lids was added back in and I remember almost every time the mall changed been living here all my life so far. And it's changed so much and I'm not even out my 30s yet. Remember all the stores you mentioned that closed. Even stone and Thomas upstairs had a restaurant. I remember the fountains the ducks Kay b toy store the FYI and so much more.

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

I’m sure the mall used to look better

[@Atticus118]

@@TiltedTripodMedia yeah if you ever want know what some stores been where I could tell you but some the parts changed they expanded some the stores and stuff. So it's hard to remember every single thing but I remember most

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

@@Atticus118 thanks

[@Atticus118]

Think I might go film the mall get every store put it on KZbin.

[@Emily-r1n]

What does it mean when there is painting like a wall mural on the outside of the dead mall, it is not like the prizm outlets in Nevada that's murals indoors

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Not quite sure what you’re asking

[@joeydersario2470]

Awesome and cool

[@Juggernuts]

This mall was much more fantastic in teh 80s-90s, there used to be all kinds of fountains, with flowing waterways, and wooden bridges that you could cross from side to side in teh mall on, there were ducks and other birds that lived in and wandered the mall freely, and down by the food court, where the childrens play area in front of jc pennys currently is used to be a giant floor to ceiling bird cage with exaotic birds froma ll over living in it, was its own little eco system. long before this movie threater, there used to be two seperate ones on opposite sides of teh mall, the old arcade used to be gigantic with pool tables, air hockey skil ball etc, there was a pet store, as well as a few hobby and video game stores. outside the mall, there used to be a place called captain crocs, it was a giant outdoor minigolf course and go-cart track

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Yeah most malls use to be so much cooler and have since been made bland due to corporate greed trying to lower upkeep and maximize profit 😞. I saw the photos inside the mall of what it use to be. Sad it’s so bland and boring now. No wonder it’s not doing as well. I bet more people would go to the original version

[@KE8ODY-WV-Ares-Ham-Dad-3O4]

Omg I remeber those days even had ducks

[@TheAtkey]

I miss all that except for the birg cage IT WAS SO LOUD!

[@Matt-re3or]

Ah, people of my era. I was rather young but I remember the exotic birds. The high schoolers taught those birds every four letter word in the English language

[@mikos420211]

also the mall actually belongs to vienna west virginia not parkersburg

[@ZacTheConqueror2]

Vienna is technically a part of Parkersburg but you are correct

[@brucesumter4327]

here in Bartlesville,oklahoma our mall opeing up in aug1 1984 where sears was now is the dunham's one end puther end mall is the Diller i think they got 4 store left in the mall so sad also so cool toy's ty for video you 3 did they video too??

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

My family lives in okc and I visited that mall your talking about once back around 2009

[@brucesumter4327]

@@TiltedTripodMedia ok ty need come back video i just dont know how long it well be opening??

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

@@brucesumter4327 sorry it’s too far away and I can’t afford to go

[@brucesumter4327]

@@TiltedTripodMedia ok ty

[@kylemcgrath5796]

Palisades or the brass mill shopping center have been the best malls I’ve been to. Maybe I’ll go here tomorrow

[@mikos420211]

you need to check your population stats bud population of parkersburg WV currently is about 28,000 people dude

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Just going off what Siri told me sorry

[@Tredioussubscribe]

the whole area pkb vienna and marietta and all around is combined at that idk jus looked it up

[@mikos420211]

@@Tredioussubscribe Are you FUCKING serious??? FIRST OF ALL.... Marietta is OHIO ANOTHER STATE...... Vienna is Another CITY ON WHICH HAS AND OWNS THE MALL.... YOU HAVE ZERO IDEA ABOUT THE MOV......

[@hospitalfood6621]

@@Tredioussubscribeyea but that would be the metro population, not city.

[@hospitalfood6621]

That’s what I was gonna say.

[@KevinFryAdventures]

It looks like a pretty nice mall! My question to you: what is the best mall you've been to?

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Well that depends on what qualifications your looking at. The coolest most impressive mall by size and attractions has to be the American dream mall but then the coolest downtown mall is in Chicago and the most unique and rare one is Somerset collection in Troy mi as there were only several like it ever built.

[@sarahannar676]

I wonder if there used to be an entrance @ 03:25?

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Hmm I’m not sure as I didn’t grow up going there.

[@Juggernuts]

nope the only entrance that side was seen jsut prior tot he time stamp -lifelong resident and mall dweller

[@fmjames]

Not sure if they still have it but that section was a hair salon. I believe it said it on the wall in question.

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

@@fmjames thanks for the info

[@ericshindledecker4195]

The Grand Central Mall before it was a mall was actually the original Parkersburg air port. You can still see some of that original layout from that time. This rendition of the mall is after the 3rd renovation. The building and land before being an air port was a swamp land. I lived in this mall my entire life and have seen every rendition.

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Wow that’s cool

[@GeorgeFreda]

Sorry, seddons

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

seddons?

[@GeorgeFreda]

Yes seddons. It was an upscale restaurant and if I'm not mistaken it was across from the arcade back I the day. Served very good food and it was like a treat for the families or a romance for your date. Very 1979 like should I say.

[@СергейСергеев-д8е5л]

「動画の音が良くない」、

[@mirandacarpenter2117]

Bet that was a huge waste of time!

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

What’s a huge waste of time?

[@fmjames]

Almost got kicked out in the 80's for break dancing. Yet there I am sitting at the Easter Bunny photo set @ 9:03 .

[@TiltedTripodMedia]

Wow that’s funny 😂😂