Exploring a Dying Mall Near Miami! | The Shops at Sunset Place

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In today’s video, we explore a dying mall near Miami, FL. This mall from the late 90s was once bustling with many shoppers and stores. What went wrong? We check up on one store that’s survived despite opening during the pandemic.
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[@christinaglendale8709]

I was there when it opened … you use to have to push through crowds and run down the escalator to get movie tickets before they sold out! Every store on their website was there and thriving! I use to take the Metro Rail from work in downtown Miami and get off there to have a night out. Those were the days!

[@ArtimusDragon]

Take away people's ability to spend their disposable income locally and you get an overstock of dead stock and empty stores. Capitalism is NOT GOOD.

[@MaxPleaseBeAGoodBoi]

2004? Early 2000’s?

[@Dan-vt1qt]

Yesss me tooo, it was crazyyyy, wow good times, dont know if Johnny rockets still there....

[@kh4l3dhi]

Those were great days

[@MaxPleaseBeAGoodBoi]

@@christinaglendale8709 Are we all like in our 30’s now? Some of us are little younger, Some of us a little older?

[@laponte251]

I'm a miami local and it's so sad to see how this mall looks now. I remember the energy of it especially on Friday nights looking for clubbing outfits and seeing young kids with their families. Teens going on dates and adults getting ready for a sexy dinner. Music was heard in the distance and there was always something to do and see. Thank you for doing the trip there I have been curious to see how it is now

[@tripx3033]

This would be full in Europe America would rather pau online or to your gas station to travel

[@TheOrangePatriot]

yes!!!! back in 03 it was glorious

[@marvin7129]

ouchhhhhh.... that mall was busy like Dolphin Mall, parking was a mission . how sad your video shocked me

[@LynxStarAuto]

Dolphin mall is dying too! Don't be fooled by its size. The main attractions are all condensed together, so it gives the appearance it's busy, but it's really not.

[@AnthonyGaming16]

@@LynxStarAutoit is tho

[@AnthonyGaming16]

It is not dying it’s doing well

[@Atl404sFinest]

I remember when this opened. 1999 was an amazing year. The Virgin Megastore, Niketown, GameWorks, and the movies. I was a teenager back then and due to Amazon, there’s unfortunately no reason for it anymore.

[@meowmeowmaow]

They can bring back the virgin megastore. OMG that was where I picked up a Spin magazine and listen to music for free. It was such a vibe. I think kids would like that nowadays but this place has died due to lack of management

[@andrescaiced2993]

Ahh man the Gameworks 😢

[@sophiamonzon5855]

that brought back so many memories!!!

[@JD-ri8bf]

The first store front you saw used to be a Banana Republic. Then next to it was Victoria Secret and then adjacent to the broken escalators was Nike Town!

[@SeenOnPinterest]

Came to say this. And next to Nike Town was the second floor of Urban Outfitters!

[@Michelle-km8ry]

That mall use to be bakery center and then it was renovated to sunset place. It had a bar/club, other bars, music, restaurants, stores like virgin records, Nike, Armani, etc. very good stores. It was a great place for everyone. It’s sad to see what has happened to it. After the adults left the kids would hang out there and that’s when it started going downhill. They placed a curfew on the kids that would go and after that it just died. It’s very hot during the day but at night it was a nice spot. Go to the movies, eat at many of its restaurants, and maybe grab a drink. It was so full at one point that you couldn’t even park.

[@YabbaDabbaDooooo]

Yes! The Bakery Center & the original location of Miami Children’s Museum! And Sunset Movie theater, I think? But was definitely a theater there, too. I remember when Janet Jackson & Ricky Martin were at Virgin Records store- absolute insanity 😂🎉

[@MiamiMark]

@@YabbaDabbaDooooo Don't forget Mac's ice cream...the best!

[@BeachBarsatSunset]

@@Michelle-km8ry the Bakery Center! Not sure why but I always remember seeing the movie Boomerang starring Eddie Murphy there

[@alcabrera3648]

I remember going to the club there, good times !

[@BarbieBestard]

This is so sad 😢 I have wonderful memories in that mall during my high school years.

[@tandro26]

Right this was a hang out spot….so sad to see a small piece of Miami die

[@enriquecaceres3969]

Sunset Place was at its prime around 2003-2008. Some notable favorites I liked were Niketown which was at that store near the back where you didn't feel safe walking under. Basically a 2 floor nike store with some cool Jordan worn sneakers on display. Also before gametime was Gameworks. An amazing arcade where I would spend hours there as a kid.

[@aydinrx794]

You’re right.

[@francismarion6400]

I don't think I've ever owned a pair of Nike's. lol

[@francismarion6400]

I don't think I've ever owned a pair of Nike.

[@GioChaosHD]

This is actually really crazy to watch, during my high school years 2006-10 this place was packed. The upstairs bowling alley which was a splits Ville, the movie theatre.. and a huge candy store. you were spot on about the johnny rockets and right past that used to be a video game-rental place where you could pay hourly to game with your friends on pc or consoles and a hot topic, Downstairs on the immediate entrance to the right was a Dan Marino's restaurant. Those spiral stairs were the stairs to the parking garage levels if the elevator was packed, which it usually was. Where you see that median road downstairs there use to be food vendors, I remember a crepe one specifically we use to stop at almost every time. Barnes and noble was also super packed at the time, a mix of book readers and also Starbucks being inside. While the mall was thriving... it was a great experience for sure.

[@EnmanuelCastillo-j7e]

You were right, that was a Johnny Rockets!

[@motecasa]

God I miss going to sunset and Johnny Rockets was my favorite!

[@justinh9856]

I ate there back the wild time flies

[@The_Curmudgeonist]

Yep. I used to eat there at least once a week, since I worked for Baptist Health across the street. Dan Marino had a restaurant in there for a while, too. Larry Coker and Pat Riley used to drop in.

[@LynxStarAuto]

@@motecasaI always thought that place was gross. Lol

[@motecasa]

@@LynxStarAuto I liked the burgers tbh didn't care for anything else. The uniforms were nice lol

[@ViceCityLiving]

This is insane- it’s like a post apocalyptic scene now. I remember going to the movies here all the time, not to mention Marino’s and the bars that were popping back then. It’s crazy. Hopefully they do something to bring the people back.

[@MoMoMyPup10]

Discount stores have priced out overly pricey Mall stores in most neighborhoods, and with inflation prices never going away, it'll be a long shot for any to remain. Politicians seem hellbent on crumbling the country.

[@luism8130]

@@MoMoMyPup10It has nothing to do with politicians or any of that bullshit. When was the last time you actually shopped at a mall? They close down because no one actually buys anything, people go to walk around but that’s about it. Rental space is expensive.

[@nickchristopherson6162]

Used to work at Marinos

[@Monk3yBoy305]

Sunset Place was our hang out spot in high school like 10 years ago because it was so close to a metro station and all my friends took the metro to school. I still go sometimes for Colorful Cute because my gf collects sonny angels, seeing the mall slowly get abandoned is crazy.

[@anacampanita21]

Same here! I moved away after graduation around that time. I was planning on taking my husband and kid soon, but I’m very glad this popped up on my recommended. I would’ve been so shocked when I got there.

[@lol-jk4ty]

what’s really interesting is that right by the mall is a nice strip that has really great boutiques and restaurants. i don’t get why the area around is bustling but not the mall itself

[@BeachBarsatSunset]

@@lol-jk4ty the legendary BT's(I know nothing about that place, just heard about it from a friend)🤣🤣😭😂

[@OnlyDuckSauce]

I had so many memories there. Playing basketball at LA fitness and then grabbing food with friends at Buffalo Wild Wings and going to the AMC movies.

[@GabesiPod]

I used to go to Sunset all the time when I was a kid. Always packed. the only place you might go there for now is the movie theater. You did miss Tea and Poets which is a cool little shop for different jewelry and Cafe. It's on the first floor corner when you walk down the big staircase.

[@ottolin37]

I remember I went to the official opening day of the mall where the Major did the ribbon cutting , and everyone was invited to the big party . The architectural design was very unique and modern, but not how it looks now . The highlights were the Virgin Store , the Nike and Z Gallery , the movie theatre and Game works , which I think was the first one in South Florida. This mall was far better than Dadeland that looked a little bit outdated by the time this mall opened. Once the big stores closed , they took cutting edge architecture with them . I loved the cylindrical structure with the hanging planters in front of the parking elevators . I used to park right at the top floor so I could go around the stairs ending the journey at the water feature which surprisingly is still working . The other water feature with the lions next to the escalators is no longer working . The mall had many nice details that are no longer there that's why it probably looks outdated . Let's hope they make the right decision. But we all know... malls are not meant to last forever.

[@4WheelerinMiami]

I grew up in South Miami, I was there when the mall opened in 1995. It has been declining ever since the owners of the mall decided to make high rise apartments on their property. The last time I visited the mall was in 2022, there were only 10 stores opened. That restaurant that you showed was Johnny Rockets!

[@anacampanita21]

What?!? This can’t be real. I used to go there as a teen with my friends all of the time. Like this WAS the place to be. We’d shop around then to the movies afterwards. I moved up to central Florida 10 years ago and haven’t been back to this specific mall since. I’m so heartbroken, I had so many memories there.

[@Monk3yBoy305]

there was a few different bowling alleys to the left of the AMC ticket booths, I believe the last company to be there was Splitsville

[@JuanBassHead]

Anyone else remember when the Bakery Center was the mall there?

[@chargermopar]

I remember the Holsum Bakery and the old stores that were demolished to build that ugly mall. Only the Eckerd Drugs was left that building is still there!

[@bkfinestmark]

i love the kind of content you create man you gotta post more often and flood the youtube algorithm i dont really see ppl doing the type of content you doing in miami

[@vanessamcon]

I’ve been going to this AMC since forever. It’s been so sad to see the decline of Sunset Place

[@ArtimusDragon]

Blame capitalism.

[@chrislegacy4883]

The AMC still brings a lot of people

[@adzappin_2567]

@@ArtimusDragonwhat the fuck does this have to do with capitalism 💀💀💀 it’s just better competition

[@danielperdomo952]

@@chrislegacy4883 Indeed. Always busy

[@dtwins613]

@@adzappin_2567how ignorant

[@domokun81]

The entrance on 72nd street used to have a giant tree that resembled the one at animal kingdom. It was huge. Right behind it was a Rainforest Cafe where Z gallery is today. To get inside, you would walk over a fake bridge over a shallow pond that had fake alligators, fish and other fake plants. The AMC theater was the first one in Miami with stadium seating. It was always packed. Good times. I hope they do something nice with the space similar to what they did with coco walk.

[@NellieB40]

OMG! This is depressing! I remember the mall being so packed! They had Bath and Body! KB toy store a candle making place . I mean it was busy busy!! I'm surprised AMC and Game Time is still there!

[@TheFishingNomad]

I worked at UM in 2016 and 2017. I haven't been here often, but it was a nice place to just scroll over to after work. Even though it was only 7/8 years, back then it was still busy. Can't believe it turned into a complete ghost town so fast.

[@MiamiWebDesign]

I grew up going to this mall. I don’t go to malls any more but it genuinely mkaes me sad to see Sunset Place like this. It was a great place to go shop or to just walk around and go to the movies but life went on. Fun fact, before this mall there was another nice mall here that also went dead and was demolished in order for this one to be built from scratch. That mall was called Bakery Centre. Let’s go help out the Japanese cute store to stay in business.

[@Pinkyc0rn332]

Yeah it’s really sad. Sunset used to be my parents go to mall for the movies and Halloween decoration and I always loved the way sunset looks. It has a very beautiful vibe. It’s just sad to see it die.

[@BlueSatine592]

I remember going there when it was full as a kid in the 90’s. We all remember how absolutely beautiful it was when it just opened. People were in awe

[@pr00b]

They had an Urban Outfitters way back in the mid to late 2000s. Used to visit Sunset Place a lot back in the day when GameTime was called Gameworks and remember how packed it would be on the weekends. So sad it's a ghost town nowadays.

[@BSmokeyGaming]

The top places in Sunset Places was Virgin Megastore, Niketown, at least for me. Sadly Sunset Place isn’t the only mall that’s looking like this, it’s everywhere in the nation. Malls need to stay relavent, people rather stay inside order their stuff than going in person to buy their stuff.

[@wutsupg]

@@BSmokeyGaming Sunset Place and others like it are a sign of what's to come. A great deal of shoppers are conducting their shopping online... and I honestly can't blame them. No traffic, parking, discrimination, or risk of getting shot. They say they're building the nation's largest mall down here in Miami. I don't see how that's possible considering the smaller ones are holding on by a thread.

[@dolfan29]

I was a regular at that mall on weekends in 2003-2005 and it was a normal great busy mall full of kids and great restaurants. Was a nice place to take a date and chill. Other outdoor malls have opened before and after this mall and are still thriving so I don’t get it. The two things I think killed this mall was surrounding traffic issues and the parking was a pain in the ass. I’d often rather find street parking in the nearby streets and walk a block or two than pay to park in that garage and be looking for a space for 30 minutes. And yes that was a former Johnny Rockets when they used to be everywhere in every mall in the late 90s/2000s haha.

[@jusezava]

It was huge in the y2k era. It was the spot for um students and hs kids all around. The last time it was at capacity was probably 2008. After the recession, it started dying. The glass tower by the la fitness was a nike town and i think a virgin records store next door. I went to the opening of the LA fitness probably in 04' as a kid with an older cousin. Dan Marino owned a big restaurant next to the Barnes and Nobles. There was a giant fake banyan tree next to it with lights playing jungle sounds. All the kids on fridays met up at the Johnny Rockets. It was always busy on the weekends. Not to mention the vans store that had a half pipe!🔥.. if u grew up in sw dade that was the chill plan.

[@Monk3yBoy305]

and yes you were correct, that used to be a johnny rockets. also even 10 years ago the back part of the mall by the LA fitness would be pretty dead and had very little foot traffic. I only ever went to that side for the Zumiez and Buffalo Wild Wings

[@Smo0veJ305]

Man when that mall opened, I remember the rainforest theme they had at the main entrance. They had Virgin Megastore, where I bought The Chronic 2001, Gameworks, Martini Bar, Strikes and Rainforest Cafe.

[@Gorilla_Squad_Fire_Rescue]

I used to go to that mall with my friends to hang out and watch movies. It was a fun place. You always ran into people you knew, and there was always something to do.

[@jenniferandrea8263]

I used to work at the Delia’s store right next to the water fall in my high school days and it was so busy! The mall was quite beautiful in that time and I loved that it was open air.

[@ayanna4490]

I used to work here for a few years at itsugar and it’s sad to see it like this seeing all the empty stores and knowing what they used to be.

[@albmontiel]

I’ve just visited the mall for the first time last Thursday afternoon to see a movie at the cinema and noticed the same as you, it’s really beautiful but too empty, I really liked the fountain in the stairs and the material that are made for, looked like forgotten in the past

[@walkingmiracles9706]

power 96 used to always hold events there!

[@digolaverdad7313]

I have so many memories of that mall when I was a teenager. All stores were taken, the Virgin store had some cool rare CDs. Scorpio the videogames. The Hot Topic there sold so much. The movie Theater is still alive as well as the gym, thats the only thing that keeps it breathing. The main problem of the mall was that 1. Never had good food inside. 2. Paying for parking is something people never like

[@lrm21]

Legend is that land is an Indian Burial ground, no mall has ever done well there. There used to be bakery center before that snd it had the same demise.

[@luism8130]

Complete bullshit. anything that starts with “so and so is an Indian burial ground”… are we 12?

[@francismarion6400]

There was a fudge packing bushes there before the white man came.

[@Monk3yBoy305]

The empty store that had the "please use other door" sign used to be a local video game/trading card store. I don't even remember the name anymore but we went there a lot in high school my first two smash tournaments ever were there.

[@MarkerPants]

I remember the last time it was still open and the employees were staring at me in an intimidating way so I left, but I wish I looked around more because it closed the next time I went there.

[@Trance786]

Dam memories of the days gone. That was the hangout back in the day 😢😢

[@kvc_zeon]

I’m not surprised by this even before covid it was pretty empty and also it seems every time I went they always have problems with the escalator.

[@lifeinthespectrum]

This mall opened right when I was in middle school. They used to have a $5 movie special Monday-Thusday at the movie theatre between (4pm-7pm). In the late 90's when it opened, it was very popular with middle and high schoolers, since it is very close to the Metrorail. In its heyday, the vibe was very similar to what Dolphin Mall is today (just no outlet stores or food court). The original mall opened with the AMC movie theatre (still there), Barnes and Noble (still there), Virgin Megastore, and Bally Total Fitness (now LA Fitness) as its main anchors... Other stores such as Victoria Secret, Bath and Body Works, Gap, and The Disney Store, spent many years as tenants of the mall, until the mall started declining. What I have heard is that the reason for the malls sudden decline that began in the late 2010's was that Sunset Place never updated with the times. Sunset Place always catered to the middle and high school crowd but as that crowd grew older.... they preferred more modern and refined places such as Village at Merrick Park and Dadeland Mall for their shopping and dining needs. Another huge factor, in my opinion for its decline was that AMC Sunset Place never made a significant update to its movie theatre while competitors such as Merrick Park and even Dolphin Mall updated their movie theaters with luxury amenities such as reclining seats. I believe AMC has made some updates more recently (post 2020) but it's too little too late. I believe the plan, in the near future is to demolish Sunset Place and replace it with a new development with luxury apartments. But we shall see!

[@trila182]

On line shopping is the thing that killed the malls

[@eddyherrera3207]

Then why is Dolphin Mall and Dadeland still booming?

[@whatchamacallit70]

@@eddyherrera3207wait for it

[@wusaga4eva]

And streaming movies and COVID probably finished it off. Nothing is absolute

[@MaccMidas]

lazy behaviors weakened malls

[@miamiwax5504]

Aventura is popping

[@johngonzalez4298]

Sunset Place was the spot to go to back in my day. I used to go there almost every weekend with friends when I was a kid in the late 1990s and 2000s. I met an ex-girlfriend at Sunset Place in the summer of 2001. They had so many stores, I remember going to a club there at Sunset Place, I would go to the movies, I met a former NBA player at Sunset Place which was cool. Lots of memories

[@Rdfelic]

I remember working there at Brookstone years back. The mall was always packed on the weekends. Also used to go on DInner, Movie, Game Works and Martini Bar dates there. Great Times. So sad to see it empty.

[@devilmaycry9969]

Wow, I remember when this place was under construction about 20 years ago. I was a kid back then and I remember the huge crowd going towards a "Virgin" records. I remember watching the premier of *Mean Girls* on that cinema with a group of my middle school friends. It was so packed that I remember being scared of braking my ankles with my elevator shoes trying to walk through the crowd. Crazy seeing it like this now.

[@qpraulitoqp]

Its a shame. This place was busy back in the day about 10 years ago or so. My first gf and I got matching hennas (her idea) at a kioske at the base of the stairs at 0:28. And there was a legit candy store with all kinds of candy. There was a build a bear. Nowadays the only thing keeping this alive is the AMC. Also in the surrounding area there are still restaturants and boutique stores.

[@johnnyboy8113]

This area in the early 2000 felt special it's sad to see it like this hopefully the city does something with it. I feel the area is wealthy and a revamp would bring lots of business to the area.

[@fabulousinflorida]

This is pretty unusual for FL. Open-air malls have replaced enclosed malls across the state. Visit an enclosed mall & you may see tumbleweeds rolling past the shuffling feet of the mall walkers.😂

[@eddy8660]

Damm bro that was the spot when i was in middle school and highscool, everybody I know always went to dolphin mall to hang out durning The Weekend but me and friends went to sunset cause it was nice vibe and barley people we know goes there and had a lot of good stores, music, and food. Now I only go there just for a movie rarely and that’s it. It’s sad to see a mall like this that made memories when you were a kid and now It’s so quiet and barely anyone goes , and more and more known store we know leaving or been left.

[@gevans5446]

This is so sad. I had several first dates there. I remember the place was so crowded at times that you couldn't find a place to park. They even had an Imax theater where I kissed a girl that I had a crush on for the first time. Great memories.

[@mikey289]

When i came from Cuba that was a very nice mall to go. I used to watch imax movies there. So much fun. It was very colorful mall, modern for the 1990s. But there was no Brickell back then.

[@AlanSosa-dx2hu]

There was a Brickell. Just more higher-end locals knew about the goos spots in Brickell and not everyone lived by the area.

[@Monk3yBoy305]

the store you see immediately in front of you when you walk up the centerpiece stairs in the center of the mall used to be a candy store, I believe the candy store was the last business in that location

[@BlitzOfTheReich]

Damn, I remember going to the movies here in 2001. Remember seeing movie posters for Vanilla Sky. Johnny Rocket's was fantastic. You also used to have a Van's shop where people used to skate indoors. It's also crazy because Dadeland is so much older but doing so well. 3:07 this was a Nike store.

[@KatySom]

So much of it has changed since the mid 2010s where teens would aimlessly roam the mall till close every weekend. Man if those walls could talk they would have A LOT to say. Two places that are still there (beyond Colorful Cute, Madeline is one of the kindest individuals I’ve ever met) are Tea & Poets, a cool coffee/ shop makers market /community gathering space, and Area Stage Company which is making waves in the community theatre world! I feel like more community/ experience oriented businesses are what sunset place can offer south Miami in a world where people can just shop online.

[@chrislouisonsr676]

I saw Black Panther here in Feb. 2018. It was a busy place and the parking payment system was horrible. I hated parking there so I hated going there.

[@aydinrx794]

The falls is looking like that as well

[@EMILY00051]

Moved here 10 year ago and haven't been there ever since. I used to visit that place when visiting Miami. Makes me want to go back and open stores lol

[@andrewh88]

So whats the plan now? are thes till going to redevelop it?

[@user-ym7ou5rd7y]

Pretty sure it was bought to make housing

[@Earthdestroyers99]

It's like radiator springs from csrs now. I went back in 2016 and they had a decent selection of stores, like maybe half of what they have on their outdated website and they still had actual directories. The closed escalator was still working along with the water feature next to it. What you thought was Johnny Rockets actually was one and I ate there in December 2018, which I think still had a decent number of stores from my 2016 visit. But once the pandemic hit, the mall's deterioration escalated tenfold

[@leonidasrozon2201]

I was not around when it use to be a busy place back then, only time I go there is sometimes for movies... but I can honestly say, by the amount of space and store fronts. this place can be Huge again

[@lunallena5594]

I briefly worked in that beautiful mall in 2001. The place used to be really packed and it took a while to park and exit the parking garage 😅! That mall has been dead for many years and it's sad.

[@joesanchez979]

I remember when it used to have a Nike store and Dan Marino's bar and Grill

[@Pru1234]

I remember going there as a teen. So sad to see this. Place was packed full time. Hard to find parking, the movie theater was packed. I think it used to be called “The Bakery Center” before, and if it’s the same place it’s been a Miami landmark since like, the 30’s or something.

[@CC-iq6rn]

I miss the old FAO Schwartz that was there

[@blackvirgo09]

Oh my god me and mom would eat candy 🍭🍭🍭 all day

[@T3chAndThings]

It’s sad how this places turned out. I remember going there when they use to have gameworks and imax back in the early 2000’s it was a great place.

[@peterb1277]

Wow. I forgot about this place. Used to go there a lot when it first opened. Was always busy. Lots of nice shops and great restaurants. Thanks for the tour.

[@sgtplatano]

I went there as a teenager caught a couple of movies, used to go to Game Works before it was Game Time and used to have a bunch of kids raid the Metrorail on Saturdays and Sundays, it used to be the IT mall back in the day

[@anavergara935]

Aw this makes me so sad. I grew up coming here. I remember big crowds and live music, families everywhere, people having fun in restaurants, the theater, etc. I'd say it started going downhill in like 2017... I saw less and less stores by then. The demographic of people who went there also changed around that time, it started just being scene teenagers that parents would drop off for the evening lol

[@omegaman1409]

I remember my parents driving by there in the early 80s. It was a holsum bread factory. You could smell the bread a mile away. Years later I went there to see movies. There was talk of converting it into apartments which is the norm now. I could only imagine the cost of living there.

[@melindasordinospeak]

lmao i about died when that guy popped out from under the escalator

[@Skysmeller1]

At the 3 minute mark you walked to the Virgin music store. It was massive and they didn’t anticipate the overnight explosion of the iPod and digital audio. Since it closed no company has taken that space, it’s enormous and the mall overall is not a lucrative space. The next space was Urban Outfitters and was there for a long time. That Body Spa and space next door was at one point a huge candy shop and a retro game store. I walked there recently with my family and my dog and my dog had the whole mall to himself.

[@b-ryemendez8335]

Wow , it’s sad to see this mall dying out. This was one hell of a packed mall back in 1999. I couldn’t even walk. I remember thinking how the theaters were nicer looking compared to the falls and the mall of America theater, The seats were bigger. Just a ton of stores, candy stores, ice cream, Game works, kids running around teens hanging. It’s sad almost feels like an apocalypse occurred there. I went recently to check it out and it was just as empty it felt like Dawn of the dead.

[@JonnyEsq17]

Sunset Place has been like that for the last 10 years

[@carlcounts1]

that's true. I go to LA fitness there and have noticed the mall declining for a long time now

[@teresas3543]

I use to take my kids there to the movies between 1999 and 2003. There were definitely people there and stores open, we use to eat at Johnny Rockets. We like to go there to walk with the kids and go to the bookstore and Disney Store, even in 2010 there was a Dan Marino restaurant. Very sad when you drive by there now 😢

[@rensii-e8b]

Crazy. It was at its best in the early 2000s. We used to roam the Virgin Store, GameWorks, Barnes and Noble Hot topic for hours…. Not to mention saw lots of movies there. There was a club there too and a friend of mine planned my bday party there in 2008 😢😢😢

[@Hobbies305]

I remember when Shops at Sunset Place opened around 1999. It was one of the best malls down here in the county and is actually pathetic yet insulting that they have neglected this place from the website to most if not the whole entire mall. The future of Shops at Sunset Place is looking rather terrible knowing how bad it currently looks and as far as the Kawaii store I think it seems like it's hanging there not like a comic book store or a similar type of small business and I will go as far as to say that if they would sell gunpla which Barnes and Nobel to some extend sells it just like Legos they would actually have a lot of more customers because during the pandemic model kit building really took off and as far as local hobby stores are concerned there aren't that many that focus on model kit building in Miami Dade County and kind of sucks because you are obligated to make the drive to Broward to somewhere like Tate's Comics for scale model events and that all can be avoided if more people in Dade County involve themselves in diversifying and growing interest in a fun hobby such as gunpla and model kit building. Also, some would argue that this is a niche hobby and yes thats understandable to some extend but you build community and it can also be a good chance to have more folks involved at an artistic activity without making long drives to Broward County!!

[@JustJohnnyx]

Used to go to the amc there. I remember the urban outfitters was there too. Crazy what’s happening there

[@ChefReyM]

We use to shop there all the time when it first opened and for several years. In fact we use to shop in the mall that was there before - The Bakery Center. This was a beautiful pedestrian mall filled with shoppers for years. We loved the IMAX Experience theater that was located where Planet Fitness is. It was an independent theater and spectacular. They mall even had a 2 story Virgin Megastore, at the time the largest one in the US. Unfortunately, an unscrupulous and unruly crowd that lived near by on the North side of US 1 started to spoil the shopping experience. There were several nasty incidents including a stabbing many years ago and also a burglary in the Majors jewelry store. Shame, shame, shame...

[@Lillylilster]

I like the idea of open mall but with the Florida heat it’s gotta be hot walking around there.

[@jkdelete]

I remember there used to be a Nike Town, Urban Outfitters, Virgin Mega Store, Hollister, Abercrombie

[@adriangalvez6960]

Ya man…born n raised in Miami..Sunset place used to be the spot..for all ages too..I went to school down the street and heading to sunset was a nice weekend thing with friends to go watch a movie, hit up Gametime and walk around and vibe…as I grew older, Buffalo Wild Wings and the sports grille that was there was a good spot for a beer and some food..I actually worked at gametime for a while as a teenager in the kitchen too lol..Johnny rockets was also a fun popping spot for all ages…it’s sad to see what was a hub for a lot of ppl become what it is now..almsot msde me sad

[@rayimd]

What a heartbreaking video to see, man. This used to be me and my friends’ favorite hangout spot in high school. Some great memories were made in this mall

[@douglasgoncalves5070]

I remember going there when Virgin Record store was next to it, and this mall had FAO Schwartz toy store. It was bustling but sad to see the current state of it.

[@lyc3o5]

that tall weird looking unsafe glass structure used to be one of the coolest nike stores in miami. 3 stories!! Sad to see this mall go downhill.

[@SherylAnneFlint]

Use to be the bakery Center? 80's Then sunset place 2000s? Jeez so sad we dont have malls anymore😢😢😢😢

[@KingOMiami]

I was just there yesterday to see Deadpool/Wolverine. It is truly a shame what it has come to. I have been going for years as it is the best AMC theater in the area and we used to go for abite to eat at either Gameworks/GameTime or other places when they were open. I saw something on the news a few days ago that some developer has bought it and is going to tear down most if not all of it and rebuild. They are waiting until the leases go up for AMC and Barnes and Noble. Thanks for posting this.

[@boredmillionaire9914]

Spirit Halloween should open a store there.

[@KatySom]

believe it or not but that big retail space at the start of the video is (or at least at one time was) a spirit Halloween

[@p2p2p2p2p2p]

they do often have a spirit halloween there on the bottom floor

[@MrGbustamante]

In the 80's it was a high end mall similar to Merrick Place, it was called The Bakery Center. It had some galleries, restaurants and 2-3 clubs and bars. Its not desolate because it looks dated, its a beautiful build. Its vacant because that location is cursed and the rents are stupid expensive, the parking was miserable and cars were getting stolen left and right. Covid was the final nail in the coffin.

[@Monk3yBoy305]

The "family party" store you passed by at the beginning has had at least 3-4 different businesses in that same location that I know of, all of them serving the same niche of "throw your kids bday party here"

[@XenIsWhen]

I used to go here all the time. Great place for dinner and a movie. The huge Barnes & Noble was the best.

[@ozymandias7940]

We're seeing this repeated all over the country. Hundreds of once busy shopping malls closed or on the verge of extinction. The heydays of the huge malls of the 80's, where people would go to shop, families eating in the food halls, theatres etc, has sadly become a thing of the past. The convenience and competitive pricing of online shopping really sounded the death knell for the malls and big department stores. But other factors too, such as increasing cost of leasing the stores, power etc, made it impossible for small and even large retailers to survive in such malls. I don't think the outdated architecture has a great deal to do with it. I mean, when was the last time you went to a new mall and marvelled at the design? Personally, I find the modern malls completely devoid of character. They're just big, ugly, prefabricated concrete boxes. Yup, sad to see these malls go and I'm sure this won't be the last mall to close in the future.

[@PharticusMaximus]

In Miami most of them are thriving, this is just a weird case, many are making a huge comeback around Miami too

[@DragonAgentProd1]

I was there in 1999 when it was opened, as it was so beautiful that it used to have shops like Virgin Megastore, Niketown, FAO Schwarz, Sweet Donna's Country Store Restaurant and Bakery, the Rainforest Cafe esque type, Z Gallerie, Splitsville, Old Navy, Disney Store and Johnny Rockets among others. Since 1999, it used to have Banyan trees and laser shows. I miss those Goodtimes and I have hopes that something new will take place while keeping AMC theaters, Gametime and Barnes and Noble.

[@tiger_lord305]

I still go there occasionally for the Dolby Digital movie theater and Game Time. When I was in HS, kids, use to go there for Zumiez and I think Pacsun like 10ish years ago, but even then it was kind of dry.

[@greensheen8759]

This is sad to see. Sunset place was always my favorite of the local malls and was quite popular. My favorite was the lan cafe that used to be there. The Johnny rockets was always garbage though

[@fireresq7]

It’s super sad that was my favorite mall since it opened in 1999. I remember waiting in line to see every major movie before assigned seating. We would sit for hours in line then grab a bite at the rainforest Café. Or Marinos later on. Destroy you’re talking about at 3:05 was Nike town. And at 3:39 was originally virgin records.

[@maxima2k53]

Thank you for the video. I have been going to this mall since the late 90's. Crazy how bare it is. I only go with my wife to watch movies at AMC and we enjoy it every time we go. Game time is also fun when I go with family. Sad to see how there's a few things open. We take advantage even though the mall looks sad with very little for traffic.