Main Place Mall - Buffalo, NY | a Dead Mall Indentured by its Dark Tower | ExLog 97

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The Main Place Mall is truly a time capsule, and stood as a vintage dead mall for decades. The mall has finally shuttered for good, and awaits redevelopment.
#salguido #exlog #dmodfam

[@sal]

Subscribe or I'll head to the Catacombs and unchain Marna the Mall PA Lady, and send her to your house.

[@ShakeCoola]

Loved the episode lmao

[@BigKahuna0275]

Sal, you totally win the longest sustained stalling tactic award. You're a pro! :D

[@danirusso469]

To be fair, Gino & Joe's is pretty legit if you're craving NYC style pizza in Buffalo. This mall was one of my first experiences in the city when I first checked it out in 2008 when trying to decide if I wanted to move up here for grad school. Between the eerieness of downtown (they used to play crackling old 40's standards - and even older christmas music during the holidays) over the speakers at the Metro stations, empty shops lined with the old christmas decorations from AM&As and other department stores, and other abandoned buildings that have since been demolished near the harbor. There was something so amazing and haunted about it all that I knew at once that this was where I wanted to stay. To say nothing of the beautiful old homes, the history, and the overall vibe of the place. Fast forward to 2021, and I'm nearly 6 years into owning my own home downtown. The city has a lot of problems, but one thing folks in this city are, is resilient! It's come a long way from where it was even a decade ago. And thankfully, unlike the gorgeous old bank that was knocked down to build main place - folks do seem to realize the old architecture here IS one of the city's biggest assets.

[@295g295]

Canadians come to Bufalo from Toronto to 'drink beer' and 'party' at Seneca Street.

[@dyates6380]

I love the Guaranty building down there. Yes, lots of nice architecture in and around Buffalo.

[@springsummerwinterorfall]

I am 74 years old and I remember when the main place mall first came into existence, and now look at it😢😢😢😢😢

[@shannonspage9360]

The mall was meant to make up for the bank that was sitting mostly vacant. They tore down a beautiful and irreplaceable historical building in the heart of downtown and put an office building with a mall on the lower levels. It is difficult to get to and the parking is bad and appealed mostly to people who either worked in the building or nearby. I will agree that GIno & Joe's pizza makes a very good NYC style pizza

[@ianmetzger2122]

The mall currently pulls in more rent from data center and telecommunication clients than it ever would from mall retail tenants. To say the mall is abandoned is a huge understatement.

[@295g295]

This Yt title says, a "dark Tower'? Is that the Rath county office building ?

[@michaeljarosz4062]

@@295g295 No. The Rath building is across the street from the mall, connected by the bridge seen in the video. The dark tower is part of the entire complex. It was built over the mall and clad in the same dark brown duranodic aluminum as the mall, making it a "dark tower" The existing headquarters of the Erie County Savings Bank was torn down and the site was incorporated into the project. The bank later occupied the tower space.

[@kevinstatz]

That food court is dope. I love the brass handrails and brass hanging planters.

[@sal]

Right???

[@johnp.weiksnar6861]

​@@sal I'm old enough to remember when the mall was relatively new. Sadly my memory is foggy about the location of the department store you mentioned, Sattler's. I believe that the food court occupied the store's second floor, though. In other words, I am virtually positive that the food court was not original to the mall, and all of the neon that you showed was also added later. Just letting you know. Thanks!~ p.s.: A college girlfriend worked at a defunct law firm in the tower portion. When they vacated in 1989, she and I had free rein to remove whatever artifacts we wanted from the practice. I ended up with an art print, and she got a desk and a few other items. There was a direct elevator from the underground parking ramp to those tower offices.

[@singingchef23]

I grew up in that mall. Memories of Christmas decorations, trains, stores Santa's. It chips away to see it like this. Woolworths gone, brand names, video factory, KB Toys, EB Electronics all gone

[@steveoshei1819]

We would take the Seneca st bus to downtown for a quarter and go to the mall and walk down Main st and go to George and Co, Swiss Chalet and the movies. Am&A's seemed to have 6 or 7 floors for each department and the sky tunnel attached to the mall was always so cool to me. Great memories!

[@maxplanck1423]

Your persistence in capturing your subject matter is admirable. Well done, Sir! Greatly appreciated your opening mention of Erie Savings Bank, which was sacrificed in the urban renewal frenzy of the period and malignantly replaced with the MPM, an pallid attempt to compete with the suburban complexes. The seeds of its demise were planted at its inception, as the exodus from downtown Buffalo was already well underway.

[@MrRockett88]

By the way, directly under the tower was the bank branch. My mother worked for the bank and had Christmas parties there. Later, that space was a restaurant and night club owned by Bills legend Jim Kelly.

[@nicolasdesle7541]

I wonder how the guard would react when he sees this 😂

[@user-dw6xh3kp2v]

Thanks for video, Sal. As a lifelong downtown Buffalo worker, it brought tears to my eyes. Such memories..

[@exPOnEntial7]

I remember coming to the Main Place Mall in the late 80s and early 90s several times when my family would do our cross-border shopping trips to Buffalo. Even back then the mall had a very aged vibe, and even though there was a decent amount of traffic at the mall, it was very clear to me that it was dying. The last time I was there, most of the upper level had been completely vacant; I'm honestly surprised that it lasted as long as it did. In fact, the whole area around Main Place Mall just felt like it was dying. The AM&As looked like it belonged to some distant golden age, now long past. The whole design and decayed feel of the downtown core, especially the LRT cutting right through it, all made me think of how someone had tried to bring life back to this area -- and how that plan had failed. While it's a real trip to see a place to which I have a personal connection featured on an ExLog, it's also really sad to see it in the state it is now. It makes me wonder what could have been done to save this place.

[@billtooke6642]

Downtown Buffalo today is the nicest it has been in 70 years

[@murphybrown7445]

Wow, I grew up in Toronto in the 80's and buffalo 29 was supreme all weekend long, they used to run old godzilla and bruce lee movies on Sunday afternoons! Thanks for another great story, Sal!

[@RazielXSR]

Yell at you!? I think you should team up with those guys over at The Proper People. You guys all do an amazing job chronicling places that are fading away.

[@sal]

Love you.

[@KeithAinsley]

So where does Proper People get their name from?

[@RazielXSR]

@@KeithAinsley I had never really though about it, but they have a FAQ on their website with this description: 'Why are you called The Proper People? When we first started out exploring there was one problem we constantly faced- pesky “no trespassing” signs plastering every building that looked interesting to us. We had no idea what to do about this problem until one day we came across a sign stating “ACCESS PROHIBITED - EXCEPT BY THE PROPER PEOPLE.” Ever since then, we were The Proper People.'

[@markvolpe2305]

What also killed that mall is when they closed off Main St. to vehicle traffic which was recently restored.

[@t.g.3500]

Main Street doesn’t have any vehicle traffic in this section, still. Mainplace was “killed” by three things- 1) Buffalo’s thirty year free fall where the concept of coming to the city was considered absurd, let alone downtown. 2) The surrounding neighborhoods having no residential population (downtown) or a very poor one (near-east side, OFW) to support a shopping mall. Violence problems between rival gangs (FBG-TGC) were also a concern. 3) Ownership having no interest in running a large commercial property. MPG has been trying to turn Mainplace into a workforce center for years. Buffalo’s fortunes are better than they’ve been in a long time. There’s growing residential downtown and in the OFW. People from the suburbs love coming downtown again. There’s reasons to actually come downtown. However, the near-east side is still a wreck and the mall’s attitudes towards kids reflects their apprehension about it. The fate of the traditional shopping mall is worse than it’s ever been and MPG still has no interest in owning or running a shopping mall.

[@steveoshei1819]

Nah. I think it was mostly due to close Main st for the Metro rail.

[@tomrogers9467]

The Buffalo malls used to be busy and profitable with Canadians cross border shopping. After 911 the US required passports to enter, (along with an interrogation, no charge.) A lot of shoppers didn’t have passports and weren’t going to bother just to get cheap clothes and toasters. And with a two year border closure from covid, I’d be surprised if there are any surviving mall there.

[@295g295]

especially the Niagara outlet malls

[@cris_261]

That was a great find on the older mall signage covered up by the "newer" sign on the street. I try to look for such things whether in malls or other buildings.

[@Karen_of_Kanada]

Ah, this took me back to the late 80s/early 90s. Back then, shopping in the States was easy, and not so different price-wise, as it was only about ten cents on the dollar to shop in NY, plus it had TONS of stuff we just never got in Canada. Most importantly, it had Payless- in fact, I had my prom shoes dyed to match my dress in the Main Place Mall Payless. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!

[@thenanny14850]

Hey Sal, I’m from upstate NY originallyand remember visiting this mall in late 1990s- early 2000’s. At that point I remember it having very few stores and a lot of services like the eyeglass store. I also remember a discount clothing store as well as a dollar store. The food court even back then was the main attraction for that space. I even remember the sign that you filmed under the current sign outside. I understand why it is the way it is but downtown Buffalo is really on an upswing. Too bad that space couldn’t have turned into something useful. Enjoyed the video, keep up the great work!

[@TuckerHopkins88]

Wow..No sagging pants sign that is very'90s..some things stand up even now. Enjoyed

[@ajj7843]

Mom used to get my Easter dresses from that Rainbow Kids and I'd beg to stop and watch the penguins-going-around toy at KB toy store

[@biblemademedoit]

I forgot about the KB Toys there!

[@CaptWirg]

Mall guard standing by 😜

[@tomrogers9467]

Department of Hometown Security!

[@iworkout6912]

Rochester NY had a similar type mall that I watched die over the years and downtown became a retail ghost town. All of it was torn down. It was one of the first downtown malls to try and keep the retail downtown, that was I guess in the 60's. As the dept stores closed which brought in the foot traffic, it slowly at first died. Then the two big dept stores moved to the safer suburbs. You mentioned Sibleys, which was a Rochester Dept Store, long gone now. Now the suburb malls are fading. Times are a changing, and where it all stops, who knows.

[@tc5074]

I have a wool overcoat from McCurdy’s I still wear to this day!

[@cdcaleo]

I'm originally from Rochester and remember Midtown plaza very well. It was still busy and active into the early 90's. It was torn down a number of years ago, leaving a huge empty space in downtown Rochester, which is also now a ghost town, since Xerox left town and Kodak basically collapsed. You are correct in stating even some of the malls in suburban Rochester, like Marketplace mall, are either dying or dead. My questions becomes, where does everyone shop? Amazon doesn't cover everything. 20 years ago those malls, like malls all over the U.S., were literally packed on the weekends, and still quite busy during the week. Now... nothing. People used to enjoy going to a mall and strolling around and spending their money. I'm supposed to believe millions of people just want to sit on their asses at home and shop exclusively online? It's bizarre.

[@thenanny14850]

I remember Midtown plaza as well with the tram that went around the building and also the decorations at Christmas time were iconic. Remember going there in the early 2000’s when it basically was just a food court keeping it alive kinda like Main place in Buffalo. To responds to someone’s comment while online shopping is one of the reasons malls are dying it’s not the only reason. malls used to be community hubs. Whether it be people meeting at a mall to walk or kids coming to hang and go to the arcade, those things are gone because it is just as easy to play video games at home.

[@marisajgifford1982]

Sal I could listen to you talk all day!! I'm so excited to see next week's video!! Glad you got to go see Ace. You are Legends 💚💚

[@sal]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@pamelaaverrett5848]

Fantastic mall cop caper with my two favorite mall rats! That mall had such a vintage aesthetic!

[@mariebelladonna437]

@Sal Okay, before I even start watching, I have to comment to say that "catafalque" is like at least the second or third new word I've learned just from watching your videos. Sal, along with everything else, you are a brilliant writer. I absolutely love your videos. For so many reasons. Please don't ever stop making them, lol!!

[@sal]

Thanks for the kind words!!! Much more on the way!

[@mariebelladonna437]

@@sal Aaaaand "castigate"! Damn it Sal, you've done it again! 😂

[@ronz101]

Yeah. Memories. I still have a little souvenir from Main Place Mall. A little silver spoon crowned with a buffalo and inlayed with the word Buffalo in the basin. Made in of all places UK.

[@tc5074]

I spent a lot of time going here and Thruway mall growing up in Buffalo. Brings back some great memories! Thanks Sal!

[@gingerkat74]

I love your videos, and I'm so psyched you were in Buffalo!! My grandmother used to take me to that Arthur Treachers! Awesome memories 😂

[@NathanDavisVideos]

Even though the mall was built in the late '60s; that food court SCREAMS of the '80s, for sure!

[@joshuabrass8216]

I live like 20 miles away, I'm 34 and I pretty much always thought of it as dead or ready to just close. I love the place though, so visually pleasing.

[@Marni-mz6cx]

Shame, such a pretty mall. One of my favorite videos so far and as always, loved the intro👍

[@BBTB600]

Back in the 90s / 2000s I used to come to this mall. They had some awesome urban clothing that was def what rappers were wearing back then. Loved this place! Sad to see it go.

[@GRE2057]

Awesome Stall Tactics @Sal..... good job on that!! kudo's to you

[@bxb590]

I spent years working in the tower. At lunch time, we would all head to the food court and get something to eat. Every store was occupied and there were so many people, it was hard to walk through the mall. We stood outside on the "porch" under the tower and watched girls go by. Now the stores are dead and gone. So are most of my coworkers and friends. Those were the days.

[@LezGoFinz]

Loved the Main place mall when I was younger. Thank you for this, love your channel. Quick tip you should head to the Boulevard Mall next!!

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

Outstanding as always

[@sal]

Thank you!

[@ishmellnelson1657]

I was security there from 2012-15...it wasn't as dead, however looking back it was painfully obvious that this was the direction that place was going even if covid never hit. Management wasn't concerned about the stores, and they damn sure didn't care too much for the people...I learned a valuable lesson about being in security from there: You don't secure the people, just the property. That was the directive of Management. Still I have soo many fond memories of the people and the stores they worked in. Key Bank was there, and so to was bank of America. Footlocker, Payless, GNC, to name a few, but never forgetting what was there before them. Smh. I don't if my fellow former coworkers watch these types of video docs, but if there's even just one who does, if I didn't get a chance to say it then, I'll say it now...what a time indeed, it was truly a gift and pleasure to work with you...all of you...(Except Kenny...it's still and always will be fxck Kenny)...lol Thanks for sharing this video.

[@ShakeCoola]

Still loving these mall vids. Got hooked when you did one on greens point because I live in Houston

[@aaround]

Great Job, Salvatore

[@sal]

Thanks!

[@margaretliston8950]

Awesome video. Makes me so nostalgic

[@sal]

Thanks for watching!

[@JenniferinIllinois]

The security dude seemed pretty decent despite your stalling. 🤣🤣🤣

[@steves_retail]

awesome job sal! this is one of my local malls

[@tylerflynt6733]

I work downtown and walk by there most days. I honestly forgot its there sometimes since nobody goes in. Interesting to see it from the inside.

[@dronepro53]

When my gf (now wife) was a student at UB . We used to visit this mall in late 1980 prior to taking my bus to syracuse.

[@standard74521]

Other important information to note about this mall and its eventual decline includes the installation of the NFTA Metro Rail on Main St. in 1986. Also there was a huge public relations nightmare I think during the 90s where kids skipping school were descending en masse and shoplifting and loitering became a huge issue.

[@bwood282]

That food court design is great, totally old school and I love it

[@pepsipoint]

I live in the area. this died in the 90s when other malls in the area opened. it was full of stores that random 3rd party people would sell. I was approached multiple times as a youth by people with watches in the jacket who didn't believe we didn't have any money .

[@295g295]

6:30 - The only use for this mall is as a lunch-room for employees in nearby office towers.

[@295g295]

Did this mall fill with tenants as the shops naturally of Main Street were ruined with construction of Metro-rail, then the mall failed to be the shopping destination of both residents of near downtown and daytime-employees of downtown.?

[@pepsipoint]

@@295g295 originally that wasn't it's purpose.

[@295g295]

4:30 - Built in 1969 - Is this USA's first mid-city mall?

[@edgufler1122]

Love your videos Sal. Thank you very much for sharing them with us. It's a shame Security isn't more lenient at the places you visit and let you record all you want to. All you're doing is recording for history purposes. A lot of these malls will be demolished and gone forever.

[@Starscreamlive]

That guard had no idea. Nice job Sal!

[@saabreplay7553]

Excellent work my brother

[@tendraftsdeep]

Magnificent!

[@Astarstruckfan]

When the Main Place Mall first opened, Kobacker’s occupied the space that later became Sattler’s.

[@codyprine9200]

Great job SAL,

[@Zapruderfilm1963]

Damn, all Sal wanted was something to eat. 😔😢

[@patriciatennery3021]

I will not miss your Halloween presentation. Miss you and Fritz together. ❤️

[@jonathanrowe1827]

Crazy thing that the security guard didn’t go down the stairs to lock the doors after you had left! 😂

[@jqueen1380]

Excellent strategy! 😉

[@hambone27803]

Used to take the Bus from Walden in Cheektowaga to Main Place Mall with my Grandma.

[@hollyarmstrong2293]

You guys have guts. I would have just left out of the door I came in lol

[@springsummerwinterorfall]

I’m 74 and I remember the mall when I was a freshman in college in 1969. I remember a place called chess king where my girlfriend bought me a beautiful sweater back in 1970 I remember a place called Denton Kateri Daniels a lot of the hippies hung out here from Allentown

[@gemini_starr]

Former Buffalo resident, now in Baltimore. I miss Ziggy and Zon’s. It was a dive of a craft store but they had so much in there. First time I walked into Main Place Mall was 2004. I was sent to that dollar store to buy batteries for the office. They had the upper level completely closed off and only the first floor had some shops. I was told they shut it down because of kids and they didn’t want to maintain the walkways. I didn’t know that they eventually opened the second floor.

[@TheBadCivilServant]

The best thing about Buffalo is the Peace Bridge, the Queen E. and its easy access to Toronto.

[@rosemarylopez5738]

I always enjoy your dead mall videos. You are doing a great job! Looking forward to seeing your Halloween video. Was there music still playing inside that dead mall?

[@sal]

Thanks for the kind words! The music was actually on, but not for all the footage. I add the ambiance.

[@rosemarylopez5738]

@@sal Thank you for replying back to me. I still enjoyed the music! I like your selection of music.

[@hifijohn]

You made the mall guard get up out of his chair?? how dare you!

[@UncommonElevators]

I was here a few months ago and it had just been shut down. What a surreal place.

[@correnawhite]

I grew up in the suburbs of Buffalo only came is few times in my life as a kid

[@jeverett59]

Dam,your commercials in the beginning take me back!! Great vids

[@yuujoupop]

Dope editing

[@sal]

Thanks!

[@devilx67]

Beautiful mall.

[@Mikeshik]

This place reminds me of the old gallery in Philly

[@catrinag.9262]

I love your Halloween 3 trailer. One of my fave movies!

[@catrinag.9262]

You smooth talker Sal!!! lol. I'm behind on your videos so I'm playing catchup. Most I've watched but a few I missed. Regarding this this mall is still a very nice looking place. I still feel like some malls closed despite amazon and online service due to too many malls in the same area. BUT some malls could survive if people would just get out again and not buy online so much. I have been trying to do that myself more. Being a stay at home mom I just need to get out more!!! Great video Sal!!!

[@ajj7843]

I use to go to that sterling optical!

[@lanalee8634]

Living in Toronto, going to Main Place Mall in Buffalo was the spot!

[@biblemademedoit]

Your Eaton Center was our shopping paradise in the 90's with the exchange rate.

[@candievermeulen9858]

Nice footage

[@MuneageDaydream]

All of the plants, brass and globe lamps give off a real Three’s Company vibe. I can hope the redevelopment, if it ever comes, preserves the food court’s aesthetic. Not likely I know.

[@frankmarullo228]

Sal great stuff my friend ... You should come to montana ! We have whole towns that are almost gone. Don't know how I missed this one for 4 days. But THANK you Frank from montana...

[@janickgoudeau6126]

Epic!

[@janickgoudeau6126]

'Tails' or tailz,would be a cool nickname for ya's, cause your always tailing sumthing or wearing them in concert.

[@KellySandra716]

My first job was in the food court. Buffalo Beef and Wing.... the commercials though 🤣🤛

[@johnburke1317]

Very nice video

[@RR-xu5xk]

I believe I visited the mall in November 2019. There were only a few shops open and a couple of places to eat but I didnt try the food. I was happy to be able to wait there for my bus to Toronto instead of waiting at the bus station. Even though there were only a handful of people in the mall, they seemed to have a crew of disabled people cleaning the food court near the end of the day. Wish the mall was still going since it is a great place to get out of the cold or the heat for a little break.

[@Jflux69]

Awesome

[@joewlosjosephwlos5713]

Buffalo has to be the most depressing cities I've ever been. It's definitely the city time forgot.

[@andyb6649]

To back up Dani below; Gino & Joe's is solid... I know the current owner (yes, it's one family), they are still working through redeveloping the plaza level of the building. The tower itself is well rented, and pretty nice office space. No need for that. Yes; it's mostly telecom. Most of that would be shifted to a single side, per the plans (away from Main St), and the second half redeveloped/opened significantly. Biggest revenue source for the complex is currently monthly parking for DT office workers. Sad, but true...

[@taylorp535]

Ahh Halloween 3! I’ve met Tom Atkins from that film and let me say, he was one of the COOLEST PEOPLE IVE EVER MET! I love that film lol! Have never seen a vintage commercial like that!

[@anthrojim]

I used to park at the Main Place garage and take the Metro to the arena for Sabres games

[@295g295]

That is close enough to walk to the arena. ..but .. There is free-fare on the Metro-rail in Downtown?

[@anthrojim]

@@295g295 This is back in the day when I think part of Main Street was blocked off from cars and only the Metro went up and down. All the above ground rides between E, Chippewa and the arena (HSBC Area at the time) were free.

[@tonygeinzer6034]

I'd think rather sneakily, Sal, that if there where a 1970's Vibe to the Main Place Mall, I'd think of 1970's Buffalo Bills Hype, but, then again, even the good days seem to be eerier in Buffalo.

[@SnowBunneh]

Another delicious and nutritious video. Thank you :3

[@barron204]

Interesting video

[@daveyho_716]

Sal you should do the chautauqua mall in Jamestown Ny I believe it would be a good dig for you.

[@jillephemera]

I'm a local and though I was only a young kid in the late nineties I remember my parents taking me to shop here sometimes. It definitely was much more empty even then compared to the McKinley Mall or Galleria also in the area. Though unfortunately the McKinley is also dying now, it was always my favorite mall to go to :(

[@295g295]

18:01 -- Pearl Street door ... You should have lunch at Pearl Street Brewery!

[@ncnuggets]

This is an exact microcosm and representation of the city itself. If you ever notice, most, if not all cities that prosper, have a booming downtown. Buffalo's is dead as a door nail and it's been thar way since the turn of the century. 25 years later and nothings changed.

[@ohthatsauntietrey...1278]

This is so sad. Main Place use to be the place to be after school.

[@SAMPLETEXT285]

You should check out the Morgantown PA automall which wall a dead mall converted into a car Museum

[@GettoBigBrid]

Buffalo represent. Great mall or at least it used to be.

[@sabres6481]

Ziggy and Zon's was awesome

[@MrRockett88]

From 1995'-1999, i worked as a messenger for a law firm in the nearby Guaranty Building. As a messenger, I'd sometimes walk through the mall in the winter or get lunch there (Gino and Joe's is good). Sad to see it like this. A story floated around back then that when Robert Plant played Shay's up Main street, he took the train down to shop at Waldenbooks there.

[@295g295]

Is the Guaranty Building the building with terra cotta walls that the arts-people like, across the street from the Rath Building?

[@MrRockett88]

@@295g295 Yes it us

[@MeetLeAnne]

I love You, Sal ❤️ Excellent video ❤️

[@DoomPlague]

Halloween III is the best Halloween.