Meriden Mall: It Looks Like a Dead Mall to Me! 2023 Update! Meriden, Connecticut.

Join me as I take another look at Meriden Mall in Meriden, Connecticut.
It looks like a dead mall to me. What do you think?
If you liked this video, please give me a thumbs up, leave a comment and subscribe to my channel! Thanks!
Source of information:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriden...
malls.fandom.com/wiki/Westfie...
thecaldorrainbow.blogspot.com...
www.myrecordjournal.com/Multi...
thecaldorrainbow.blogspot.com...
www.labelscar.com/connecticut/...
mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.co...
www.wfsb.com/2023/11/26/intox...
#deadmall #deadmalls #mall #malls #connecticut #meriden #shoppingmall #shoppingmalls #retail #nostalgia

[@linall2345]

My teenage stomping grounds. Makes me sad. The pet store closed pretty recently. It was fun back in the day.

[@italiano246]

Connecticut native. That pet store was the most popular place in the whole mall before it closed. They'd let you pick an animal and play with it for a while in those rooms just past the cages for free. The prices for the animals, however, were outrageous, to put it mildly, $3000~ for a dog or cat. This is because all the animals they had were from puppy/cat mills. So, as much as i have fond memories of playing with the cute animals there, it's for the best that it closed.

[@shinmiroku]

Haven't been there in years, but this makes me sad, I still remember loving coming here when I was a kid when the arcade was there.

[@ecosby100]

I’m 35 and been going to that mall since I could remember at 3-4 years old lol. You could not believe how busy that place was in the late 90s. The parking garage on the second floor was add I believe In the early 2000s. It’s crazy to think they expanded the mall in the early 2000 just before the on line shopping boom

[@motivatingbibleverses]

Gotta give them credit for the tree and decorations....at least they are going through the motions.

[@PhyllisJerry]

As of June 2024, it increasingly looks like the Yale medical clinic isn’t happening-three years after buying it, they still haven’t started construction. The mall is right across the street from MidState, the other major hospital in the region, and supposedly Yale only bought the former Macy’s to stop them from opening their own facility there. The Dick’s also closed right after Christmas 2023, and the Sears space was just up for auction and didn’t get a single bid. It wouldn’t surprise me if after this holiday season the mall closes to the public, with Boscov’s staying open as a standalone store sealed off from the rest of it.

[@danagibbs3265]

I'd expect Ruby Tuesday to stay open as well if they did something like that. I frequently do Doordash deliveries from there and Charlies + Cajun in the food court. Now both escalators by the food court have been broken for about a month making that a pain. I had talked with a couple of the merchants in the food court over a year ago and they said when the new owners took over they jacked up the rent like crazy. Both of them left shortly after. It really sucks seeing this mall go down from what it was.

[@INXSFan33]

I grew up in Kensington 10 minutes down the Chamberlain Highway. I used to go here all the time. It was always Meriden for Hollister, Westfarms for Abercrombie. I have so many memories of Hollister, Sears, Eddie Bauer, FYE, cinnabon, the pet store, Lindt, the video game store next to the food court. I could go on and on. I'm 34 and I am glad I caught the tailend of the golden era of malls. That being said, Westfarms is still going strong as ever. The only negative I could say about it, is the loss of Godiva.

[@suziecreamcheese211]

I’m near Westfarms mall and I agree.

[@edb8689]

Actually my family got our first golden retriever from that pet store back in November 1997. I was there in the nineties as a teen too. It was a fun place to go as a teen back then, and school clothes shopping was always there. Sad to see it so quiet now, completely different place 😔

[@leenotliar]

aww how long did he live until?

[@dorothymurray7244]

Beautiful Mall,sad that no one seems to like going shopping in person anymore. I would never do online shopping.l love going shopping in person trying on clothes, shoes before l buy.Eating at the food court or taking in a movie.Really sux that people have lost all interest in that.As long as l have an open Mall to go to ,l will be going.

[@domenicdefusco6328]

I used to go to the gentle jungle to hang out with all the dogs, glad they're free now. This place was my teenage hangout spot for so long, grew up in the town over.

[@Luvthedesert22]

It may be a dead mall but at least they seem to be keeping it up. It looks clean. Unlike Enfield Square😮

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yes, so far.... we'll see how long that lasts.

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

The outside looks rough…

[@RaccoonsOnTheGarbageTrain]

I believe the reason the opening in the floor (on the second level in front of Boscov's that you noticed missing) is gone because when Boscov's renovated the old Penney's they did not follow the exact footprint. The lower level of Boscov's actually took over a few of the smaller stores that were just outside Penney's and the store front was pushed into the mall. If you walk into Boscov's from the lower level of the mall, you will notice the floor slopes down a bit part way into the store. This is where the original Penney's storefront was. The opening would have had to be covered over to give the front of Boscov's a ceiling.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Interesting. Thanks for the info!

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Thanks for risking your life and testing the candy for us!😂😂

[@fleabittenadventures]

No problem!

[@iworkout6912]

I bet there isn't one mall in the US, big and small that doesn't have the candy machines, lounge vibrating chairs, little merry go round, etc. I wonder who invested in all of them, and if they made their money back.

[@abuseofpower5817]

😂In regards to cleaning the equipment at the fifteen dollar rollercoaster headset. You forgot you did not clean the candy dispenser when you purchase the candy. You with the bare finger scrape out all that stale candy.Imagine how many did the same thing, That was dirty unsanitary what U did.😅

[@lonelyman1967]

I'm glad you mentioned Software Ect. that used to be there. That's where I got my first PS1 from lol. That food court looks sad now. It's been years since I been to that mall.

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

Dude yes! Right in that corner across from the food court I believe. There was Sarku Japan which was amazing and now it’s Tokyo Express which is owned by the Chinese I’m sure! Same formula just less on the veggies and finesse but the chicken is still great. They don’t ask if you want extra sauce anymore…Just nostalgia and time makes everything eventually bittersweet

[@Neon_Bayhem]

Haven't been to this mall in nearly a decade. I use to go there every week. I use to buy used DVDs and then Blu-rays at FYE and my favorite Best Buy was there, I use to go every Tuesday for new releases. That mall's food court had the best Philly cheese steak sandwiches.

[@sped6954]

I've never been to that mall, but about the Philly Cheese Steak place that you mentioned... there's a few seconds glimpse of a Philly Steak place starting around 28:28 ish. Again, I've never been there, so I have no idea whether or not it's the same place. Just thought I'd mention it.

[@Neon_Bayhem]

@@sped6954 wrote my comment before finishing the video but yes, that's the place. Don't know the quality now since I haven't been there in years but they had so many options and they made it right there in front of you. Good fries too.

[@BPGalvin]

I do believe there was a border books and movies store in the mall somewhere I think we library is😂😂thanks for sharing your experience

[@s0nnyburnett]

There definitely was

[@swayze693]

it’s where TJ max was. i worked at best buy in high school and always got the frozen coffee things on my lunch break💔

[@ambsat]

Many a Saturday or Sunday mom and I spent shopping there. It was our "staple" mall, closest to us in North Haven, when we didn't travel to Stamford Town Center, which we did often, as we loved that mall. Another one biting the dust. :( These videos make me sad and nostalgic for the memories I spent there, especially with my mom, who's no longer here. But, that said, I'm part of the problem...I stopped mall shopping (except sometimes having to go to specific stores for Christmas presents) about 15 years ago. Not that I only shop online either, I go to local little shops in my area too, and the outlets occasionally. 50/50

[@thedeviot8368]

The same Namdar overlords that took over Enfield, took over this mall not long ago and it quickly fell into desolation not long after. IIRC They also bought the Trumbull Mall and Crystal Mall. They seem to treat most properties like a slumlord so I don't anticipate the situation getting any better. More than likely, the proverbial husk will be squeezed until they eventually abandon it altogether and leave the city with its dilapidated ruins. The same fate probably awaits all of the malls they own in CT. It's a shame because even 15 years ago that mall was pretty respectable and was fairly busy. I actually got my previous smartphone at that Best Buy because no one in my town had one.

[@fleabittenadventures]

It's probably only a matter of time before this place looks like Enfield Square Mall.

[@CODMarioWarfare]

Sadly I think this mall was already in serious decline over the course of Westfield’s ownership. But Namdar trying to get the last bits of blood from the stone certainly won’t be good for it. I’ve also heard that that Best Buy was being heavily subsidized by the city of Meriden since it nearly closed in 2012, so its existence was always going to be tenuous.

[@swayze693]

meriden native here. who remembers: suncoast, KB toys, pacsun, sam goody, cinnabun, interface modeling, express, cosimo pizza, hard rock cafe, filenes, lord & taylor, the airbrush lady, the cajun cafe food sampler guy, above us, urban behavior, friendlies, the underground, that little water feature by the middle escalator, best buy mobile, i can go on forever someone keep it going…my heart breaks watching this mall close

[@bigtimetimmyjim6486]

When I lived in the area, I loved the store "Dollar N Things", best dollar store selection you will ever find and found a ton of deals there; I heard it closed down, which signifies an end of an era for me.

[@maryannefeyer6332]

I was just in that pet store over the summer, and it was the saddest thing I’d ever seen. I was there a few years ago around Labor Day, and there was a very cruel man taking back all the bunnies that didn’t sell. I was holding one that I wouldn’t let him take; I wish I could have saved them all. My late husband and I wanted to call the police, but neither one of us trusted that guy to not come after us.

[@fleabittenadventures]

I didn't realize that the pet store closed that recently.

[@johnmurphy7953]

Good video! Shopped there through all the renovations. I like online shopping, but prefer going to the mall if they had something to offer. Increasing limits of product selection really hurt. Limited inventory means limited sales. Lack of clothing sizes also hurts. West Farms Mall seems to have reinvented itself, unlike the Meriden Mall.

[@ronhoover5516]

I've never been here, but judging from the pictures from the earlier times, they sure blanded out this mall! It's so sterile now. They've made malls these clinical places, not warm colorful inviting places like they used to be. It's sad. It's like the owners have given up.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yes, a lot of malls have gone for the white/beige look. I prefer the colorful malls from the 70s, 80's and 90's.

[@s0nnyburnett]

Kinda the trend for all retail and fast food and other places the last 10 years. All bland depressing schemes with no personality, nothing memorable. Can't tell a McDonalds from a starbucks or chipotle anymore.

[@jacobharvey2946]

Wow. So many memories here… it was my family’s “local mall.” FYI, Dicks Sporting Goods closed since this is went up. Thoughts, in no particular order: - When Best Buy opened, there were still a couple record/media stores. You could literally walk to Best Buy and save 30%, at least. The other stores made no sense to me. - My high school jazz band once played a concert in the food court. - It felt so small before they put in the extra, “upstairs,” wing. - I once let my mom discuss getting my brother a 3D card (late 90s) with a person from Software, Etc. I was curious… I then swooped in and stopper her from getting anything and dumped a bunch of knowledge about the item the guy was trying to sell her. Kinda obnoxious, but you don’t lie to my mom about technology. - Plus many more…

[@jacobharvey2946]

Local is in quotes because it was about 15 minutes away, and there were a few only slightly farther (and we wonder why they imploded so fast…) away that we’d visit for certain stores.

[@jjncreator]

I’ve been living in Meriden for 26 years, and I remember when the mall was thriving and had all kinds of stores. Used to go to GameStop, BestBuy, and the food court all the time. It’s sad to see the mall going through this.

[@brucesumter4327]

wow so cool malls i am so Glade you your mom haveing a good time with together ty for video

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks

[@chrisf2471]

Heart playing in the background was a nice touch

[@portlandsoxfan]

I'm pretty sure those people mover escalators were gone before 1987. Hung out at this mall a lot in high school from 86-90 and don't ever remember the flat escalators (I could be wrong, but I feel like I would remember that.

[@portlandsoxfan]

EDIT: One of your links shows me that I am indeed wrong if the caption is correct and it was taken in 1986.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Not sure. I'm just going by what the internet says, and the internet is never wrong, right? :)

[@edb8689]

Yes I m 44 I remember the old escalators, when they added the new originally the ones were behind a wall back then in the 80’s

[@Orbiter5]

I just went there last week, seriously the deadest mall I’ve seen

[@fleabittenadventures]

It's dead, but it's no match for Enfield Square Mall. I think Crystal Mall is worse too.

[@Orbiter5]

@@fleabittenadventures I haven't been to the other malls before, but I might visit them one day since I'm curious to see.

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

@@fleabittenadventuresI have no memories of those ones. WestFarms and Meriden were my malls so to see the difference between the two it’s super depressing and sad. Nostalgia is a powerful thing

[@TaylorSchlupp]

Love your videos. You need to take a road trip to Columbus Ohio. We got a mall that is so dead but has an active 2 story arcade with an indoor go-kart track, roller coaster and drop tower. Last time I was there it was empty. Mall at Tuttle Crossing

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks! Glad you like them. Ohio is just a bit too far for now though. Maybe if all my videos start getting over 100,000 views.... I'll start doing some overnight trips to NY, NJ and PA over the next few months though

[@Padoinky]

Lived in CBus (New Albany), for 13 yrs… I recall the Mall at Tuttle Creek being the go-to place for the west side suburbs such as Dublin, left CBus in 2010, but even by then, the new Wexner outdoor mall/community, Easton Town Center, was putting all the area indoor malls out of biz

[@chris4195]

I really had hoped this mall wouldn't have declined as it has, but you can blame it on the owners. There wasn't much they could do about losing Sears and perhaps Macy's, but they raised the rent on the remaining tenants which wasn't feasible seeing as they lost two anchors. The mall property is on the edge of a questionable area, but certainly shouldn't hurt it. I just went today for Boscovs. They are the saving grace of the mall. Always busy and a great store. Would hate to lose it. I can see them moving to Buckland Hills Mall if they are forced out. It's not entirely true that everyone only shops online. When you have nothing interesting to bring people in, people won't come. Look at Westfarms as an example of how you do things right.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yeah, the owner has me worried just based on how they are handling Enfield Square Mall.

[@andysorensen1737]

The more of these Wow arcades I see the more amazed I am they exist. There’s never any traffic at least when you capture them and I can’t imagine what they do bring in covers the rent unless it’s extremely cheap.

[@fleabittenadventures]

I agree. I think the most people I've ever seen in one is maybe 2 people, other than myself.

[@No_Use_For_A_Name]

Those flat type escalators are pretty much all you see in most of Australian shopping centres. So you can take trolleys on them. Surprising to hear them spoken of the way in this video, sounding like they aren't very common in America.

[@ahfcross]

Looks like there was a Borders Bookstore across from the Best Buy! Spent many many hours there in the early 2000’s 😢

[@hattiem.7966]

I miss Borders and their cafe.They closed in my area 15 years ago.I rarely go to the one at Barnes and Noble at a outdoor shopping center.

[@moxxy8626]

When I was 5-6 (2010-11) the mall was still pretty popular. I'd return to the Meriden mall less and less each year, and as every year came and went, so did the people and the stores. I really need to return to the mall again because who knows how long until it shuts down. I really love those pretzel places. Those soft pretzel bites were god tier.

[@danthechevymanc6b475]

I go to that mall pretty often. I worked in a Hickory Farms kiosk there in November 2010. It was a busy mall then. It's very slow except during the Christmas shopping season. But even then, not all that crowded. I mostly go there for Harry's Eatery and Tokyo Express. Great food at Tokyo express and great snacks, drinks, or treats at Harry's. Best Buy closed early this year or late last year, I forgot when, and that really hurt the mall. I shopped there a lot. There's not a lot of business left in the mall. I hope it survives. Thanks for the fun facts about the mall. Lots of memories there, Dates, food, shopping, and my 2nd job.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks. Glad you liked it!

[@JoeO.]

Wow, I forgot about those people movers from back in the day! Spent most of our time at Chapel Square, Post Mall (remember when it was outdoors?), and in later years Crystal Mall, but occasionally spent time at Meriden...

[@hattiem.7966]

Last time I was in Meriden was in the late 1980's.What is the average house price now?My ancestors were in that area in the in the late 1600's to mid 1800's.

[@georgef551]

The original mall, minus the 2nd level, reminds me of how Searstown (Whitney Field) used to be. It was about that small, give-or-take.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yes, I think I remember that from one of the old floor maps of Whitney Field.

[@rlm6213]

We have one of those "people-mover" conveyor type escalators at the Forum Nova Karolina, a regional shopping mall in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

[@Getyourmomoffmygrom]

I worked at this mall in 2012 at one of the jewelry kiosks. Man it was a really fun job and at the time it was booming. I really wish I could get back in contact with one of my coworkers but I doubt she's even alive😢

[@tonyringo6309]

Biting into the stale candy, 2:18 now that was a perfect southern Connecticut moment 😁

[@BeanieG82]

I’d like to see a walk through of Boscovs! I might go there just to see that store. I’ve been to one of their NJ stores and I loved it.

[@chris4195]

A great store and the only reason to go there now.

[@Sprikers]

We just closed the arcade this week. A real huge bummer. H2 Overdrive and the cranes have gone up to Lake George, NY. We try our best but vandals destroyed the candy machines inside the arcade, and busted the glass. It was too much! D&B and Round1 are suffering, too. It’s crazy how shitty teens and scumbag vandals destroy machines in broad daylight. A lot of that new equipment costs 10s of thousands!! Thanks for the video walkthrough!

[@jaysherman2615]

A lot of it has to do with location as well. I used to work at an arcade in NH and nobody defaced the machines on purpose. Granted natural wear and tear would happen on the moving parts because kids are rough with the machines, but never was any smashing or destruction on purpose. But those machines are expensive. I remember House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn costing about $50,000. The prices are no joke.

[@btlcry]

@@jaysherman2615 If you don't mind me asking, where did you work in NH? My family's vacation spot when I was a kid was the Lakes Region, Laconia specifically. I spent countless hours, and quarters/tokens at Funspot and Weirs Beach.

[@NewHaven203]

I went here last week to do Christmas shopping and was shocked how dead it was! I used to hit the Milford mall which is definitely better but I now live in Meriden and tried this mall out, it was a 20 minute visit!

[@jsmurd]

@fleabittenadventures Nice Video. I liked the pictures you included in this video and hearing about the mall's history. The more information you can bring, the better the video will be. Also, I have a Sears update for the Concord California location. It's still open for business. I was there on Sunday December 3rd. I even purchased some active wear there. I wish Sears could be saved at the last minute like JCPenney was.

[@R32R38]

When JCP got bailed out in 2020 it had far more stores than Sears had today. Sears is so vastly diminished I see no way it can be a major chain again.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks! Thanks for the info on Sears. I wish that was closer so I could take a look.

[@Stephen_A.]

Yes, the Meriden public library was temporarily located in the mall while expansions/renovations were being done to the original library. Those expansions/renovations are done now and they are no longer in the mall.

[@thomasmosakowski]

Lord & Taylor actually was housed in the entirety of the space that now has the closed Bestbuy, TJMaxx & Dicks. Basically the entrance was at the turn you made to the upper parking deck. Also the former Sears on the first floor has an exterior only entrance to a new retailer The Rush Market which is an online home furnishings store.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Interesting. I didn't know that. Thanks.

[@rael5469]

In Fort Worth, Texas, The Ridgemar Mall Looks beautifully renovated but almost dead inside. It's really sad to see.

[@dlewis9760]

The door opens and there's a Ruby Tuesday. Of course there is.

[@fleabittenadventures]

I should do a video inside a Ruby Tuesday before they all close too.

[@hattiem.7966]

I miss Ruby Tues.They closed in my city 4 years ago.​@@fleabittenadventures

[@muranette835]

Went into that mall a couple weeks ago. Even thay Praline's ice cream at 10:14 is gone... That was a huge childhood memory of mine getting ice cream while Christmas shopping

[@mgrella63]

Its very clean and well kept but really sad that its so dead, I wish somehow it could be turned around and profitable again, I miss the Pet Store They were Awesome !! Such Great people ! I heard after 26 years they retired.Well Deserved! I bought my Awesome dog there

[@Getyourmomoffmygrom]

I would get all my gear at the Eblens when it was there man this video is almost bittersweet

[@fleabittenadventures]

I used to go to Eblens all the time back in the 80's and 90's. I didn't even realize there were any around anymore.

[@XcidbXth]

been going to this mall my whole life. around 10 years ago it was pretty packed most of the time. nowadays it seems like every other store closes down bc of lack of service.

[@s0nnyburnett]

Meriden mall had all the cool stores for entertainment stuff while westfarms was mostly clothing. I'd go to spencers to get RE4 action figures and look at the adult stuff, the food court was pretty good for malls around central CT. Think I still has the roll of solder I bought at the radioshack there. Can't believe how bad it is now. I was mad when the savers that was right next to it closed for no reason too. I worked retail for a long time outside the mall space and watched how things gradually slowed down from crazy to noticeable drop by 2018-2019 and then the coup de gras in 2020 and when I left last year it was dead at night it was sad and hard to go to work.

[@HalfEatenMedia]

A few years ago it was a lively mall. They had a book store that had musicians play music for customers and everything. It was busy. The last 5 years have been detrimental.

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

Thanks Biden and company…

[@hattiem.7966]

​@@user-hk7hz9cn7vBlame Walmart and online shopping.

[@arturocuizon69]

I'm seeing a trend here that G Fox was 1 of the original anchors at most or all Connecticut malls. Were they a Connecticut based department store and that was why they were 1 of the original anchors at most or all Connecticut malls or no?

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yea, G Fox was based in Hartford, Connecticut. Back in the 80s, when I was going to malls as a kid, G Fox was everywhere.

[@arturocuizon69]

@@fleabittenadventures so that explains why they were in most or all Connecticut malls but were they also in other states too or just the state of Connecticut?

[@shrapnel77]

G. Fox was at the Naugatuck Valley Mall in Waterbury when I grew up. That was my mall, but was torn down in the late 90's. I have pictures of a torn down G.Fox and Sears.

[@arturocuizon69]

@@shrapnel77 what is that mall now did they turn it into anything new like a mixed used place with retail and office buildings or is it still a vacant spot?

[@jimsawhill2003]

Amazing...Meriden is still trying to thrive, however, like most of Connecticut, it needs to revamp itself. Meriden used to be the Silver City because of International Silver, but no manufacturing is done in Connecticut much anymore. That said, Meiden Mall looks like it could comeback from the brink. Unfortunately, having stores getting mismanaged (Sears, Macy and Eblens) wont help a mall, and very city wanted a mall in the 1970s. Macy bought all of the local department stores and now every mall looks the same (Macy, JCPENNEY as anchors, same national chains in the malls. The 1970s had different stores - anchors G.Fox, Sage-Allen in Connecticut, local clothing stores like D&L, Casual Corner. Malls are boring nowadays, a mall in Connecticut, looks the same as in Ohio or Florida...

[@CODMarioWarfare]

I believe that the entrance to Lord & Taylor was actually in front of where Best Buy and TJ Maxx were/are. Best Buy, Borders, and Dicks were all added in an expansion after L&T closed, along with the hallways past the corridor to the roof parking. This mall will forever live on as the go-to stock photo whenever someone mentions Software Etc, probably because it was one of the last ones in existence. As a kid we’d always park at Sears and I’d always beeline to Software Etc to browse the video games.

[@MrCraigblaze]

Nice fall day !! Yes please walk around boscos..

[@Stephen_A.]

Ramani's is renovating a large building on East Main Street and I wouldn't be surprised if they leave the mall to be located only in the new building.

[@Madness832]

Wow, I remember Child World (1:00).

[@fleabittenadventures]

I have a vague memory of going to a Child's World in the early 80s. I was more of a Toys R Us guy though.

[@user-vd4or3ek8d]

twenty plus years ago I used to ride my bike over 30-45 mins to play in the Time out arcade there, Ive worked at Software etc, Pac Sun, and spencers gifts there in highschool and early college. It was quite the place before the world moved on. Now they should be retirement communities or homeless shelters, or even libraries would be better than a dead mall, it is very sad to see the stomping ground of my young adulthood so very derelict.

[@user-vg2eg7oo5n]

I went to Boscov's a few weeks ago, there was a plate of free fudge samples on the candy counter. Otherwise, a very dead mall. Gun shots in the mall a few years ago, did not help. Waterbury Brass Mill Mall just reopened their theater, but seems to be half dead.

[@madmerlot841]

The mall is definitely on life support. I don't think it will survive the next economic slowdown. It probably barely survived 2020.

[@dcz5961]

my home mall! wandered around this place over the summer. looks like its doing even worse ;-; i miss the best buy.

[@deborahdesanto2313]

Tom thanks for making this video I enjoy your videos.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks!

[@Getyourmomoffmygrom]

Oh my God I can't believe the jewelry stand is still there😮 it is the one just outside of FYE which I also cannot believe is still there😮

[@TenguTalks]

I haven't been there since...July 2020. But Im passing through next weekend on the way to Anime Boston, I should take a detour.

[@kjcolby1978-pr8wf]

Sad to see... funny thing about this (and the Enfield Square for that matter) is that Meriden (and Enfield) used to have TWO malls! Imagine that LOL... 2 small towns with 2 malls

[@TheRealDee96]

Can you do evergreen walk which is basically almost like an outdoor mall but a shopping center?

[@margaret.sc918]

12:43 the Rainbow was a Forever 21 for awhile in my good old days... seems like a lot of Forever 21s were closed up/then moved around in these malls.

[@arosenweig]

I would go to Westfarms instead since they still have JCPenney, Macys, and Nordstrom.

[@BarrCode674]

Dicks is closing their store on April 20, so Boscovs will be the only anchor left. But they may just move out right after them.

[@danielfife348]

I am glad. As in 2006 this woman at tbis Kosik pressured me to buy spa stuff and kept racking up my card as she kept swiping it and racked up 400 dollars.

[@295g295]

33:00 - I think at a Boscov's store, an entrance has a 'glass wall' .

[@295g295]

I see a T-mobile store, did that used to be Sprint cell-phones, and before that, a RadioShack? - 26:47

[@drscopeify]

Security can sometimes go overboard, but I guess they got orders to do that? There sure are not many malls that still have the big 3 anchors but the mall here near Seattle called Tukwila Southerner has got to be one of the last of it's kind, it has it's Macy's, JC Penny and yes Sears that is still open at least for now, it also has a Nordstrom, no Boscovs out west that I know of. I mostly go there for a bakery called 85c makes the best cakes around here.

[@margeslack9660]

I was just there a couple weeks ago. Very empty. Sad.. I grew up hanging out there.

[@similartracks]

forever 21 and pralines are both gone.. im surprised this mall is still here

[@MannyKunV]

since the 4 months, charlotte russe closed, forever 21 closed, champs closed, zumiez closed, the Dick's sporting goods closed, Tokyo express closed, the phone repair kiosk is moving out, and the slingshot gallery closed. also the 78 dinner NEVER opened (last tweet was from 2022) and the Animates custom shirts has been closed for the past week. either they closed shop early or just havent been opening.

[@shrapnel77]

Wow! I used to go to that DSG all the time and used that rooftop parking. Not a good sign.

[@MannyKunV]

@@shrapnel77 the ceiling under the roof parking had a lot of fissures and leaks. They patched them up but not on the inside so the ceiling has a lot of cracks still

[@jefferyyoung2580]

😊

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks for watching

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

Of everything that has gone and closed down (almost everything) I can’t believe FYE is still there in the same spot. That’s mind boggling! Thats an Amazon kill shot yet somehow they’re still there. So bizarre! They used to have an awesome arcade spot too right by that lower food court area. What a complete mindfuck to walk through there and see what it all is now

[@melbrown6019]

There’s a dead mall by me in Charleston, SC. It also has a huge medical office wing and one of the VR roller coaster rides. My son has a homeschool co-op there. I used to work at a Child World in NJ when they were going out of business. I think that was the summer of 1992. Of course this mall is dead. It’s owned by Namdar. They are slumlords for malls.

[@Stephen_A.]

This is my mall. It is Ok, but if it wasn't for Boscov's, it would be done for. Even the small TJMaxx is leaving. The Yale-New Haven medical facility is most likely not coming to fruition. The Boscov's has a great candy counter.

[@m42037]

Now show us malls that are doing well. In Michigan many are gone or doing bad, three are doing well. 12 Oaks and Somerset Mall and Great Lakes

[@295g295]

31:39 - In this view of Sears, I do not see a Sears Auto service center, nor a customer merchandise pickup entrance.

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

Dude it’s missing two letter coverings from the outside sign. They’re not putting a thing into being there!

[@Stephen_A.]

I really miss the Best Buy. It was so convenient.

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

I’m here right now…it’s depressing and very sad to see the state it’s in. SO many places closed and cage doors lowered. The food court is a ghost town. There’s three food places open instead of the hustle and bustle it used to be. 5 or 6 empty abandoned spaces. Even to the point that it looks like they were stocking the soda and just left it all there. You can tell they just left mid shift…I think it was just the location honestly. No easy way to get there. WestFarms Mall is absolutely slam packed with people and shopping because it’s right off the highway and easy to get to. That one will be around for a long time to come

[@deedeegyal]

Champs also closed and Forever 21 is closing this month!!!

[@kencayer1628]

Wow , has this place gone to crap. No surprised there since it is owned by Namdar who also owns Enfield Square. They have a track record of buying malls around the country and running them into the ground. Namdar will eventually force all of the stores out since they are only interested in the real estate.

[@R32R38]

Almost a year ago Namdar bought the Trumbull Mall in Connecticut and the South Shore Mall in New York. I was in South Shore a couple weeks ago and it seems to be holding its own. Only about 15% inline vacancies and a large and thriving food court.

[@fleabittenadventures]

They bought the Crystal Mall too, which was already doing terribly.

[@antoniohillario9770]

FYI, the gumball machines are probably just as nasty as the virtual headsets.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Possibly, but at least people aren't touching the candy every day like they are with those VR headsets.

[@chuckyufarley2999]

When someone finally turns one of these dead malls into a retirement home for Gen Xers, I'll be the first one putting down a deposit, just as long as the arcade is free to play.

[@edgarsaenz1565]

Next time your Around California you should Check out Puente Hills Mall

[@fleabittenadventures]

I would love to, but don't hold your breath. I'm pretty much stuck in the northeast until I start making WAY more money on this channel. Thanks for watching.

[@edgarsaenz1565]

@@fleabittenadventuresdon't have to if it ain't you somebody will

[@janecarolhogue3140]

This mall looks nice .Washington Square mall in Indy is so depressing

[@fernandez3841]

Should've checked out Castle Craig in Meridan too

[@fleabittenadventures]

I actually have been there and filmed it, but never posted it because those videos barely get any views.

[@rtmlandscapingjunkremoval1875]

Did you do the Milford CT. Mall yet. 😎😎

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yes, sometime in 2022, I think. It was a while ago. I'll do an update at some point. Thanks for watching!

[@kevingamble8861]

The mall looks dated, but reasonably safe. In my area- Indianapolis, the few remaining malls are overrun by gangs of teenagers, especially on weekends. If you go , do it in the mornings. Much safer then. I know times changed but I miss a bustling mall during the holidays. Online shopping has wrecked the experience.

[@danielflynn8530]

This mall is on the verge of dead but it’s on a thin line. My wife grew up in Meriden and used to work there. I believe it was JC Penny

[@dylanchadderton1]

Meriden CT?? 😭 I'm 10 min away in North Haven

[@h0lz_xX]

There’s a mall near me that only has like 3 shops open and it’s so sad to see it almost abandoned cause no one wants to go there 😭

[@h0lz_xX]

It’s pretty outdated and basic. It’s getting shut down soon