Millions Wasted!!! after 40 Years This popular Mall Closes "Fiesta Mall"

History of the Fiesta Mall in Mesa, Arizona. This once popular shopping Mall opened in 1979 and had a good 40 year run before it closed its doors. In the early days things were looking great for the mall, it thrived and was a popular place, but over the years as other mall, and shopping centers emerged, business slowly started to decline. The mall closed in 2018 and demolition started in July of 2023.....This is the story of the Fiesta Mall in Mesa,AZ.
You will see Aerial views of the mall in its final days as well as inside the mall....most importantly you will learn why this Iconic shopping mall closed. I'll share some key moments in the malls history and talk about what we can expect in the future!
#abandoned #urbex #shortstory
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Photo used in the thumbnail is from the instagram Channel "State of Abandoned" check them out here 👉 www.instagram....
Related Terms: Chandler Fashion Center, Superstition Springs mall, Tempe marketplace, metro center Mall in Phoenix, Abandoned Malls, Fiesta Mall in Mesa Arizona, Arizona Mills, places to shop in phoenix, exploring abandoned malls, malls in phoenix,
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[@daniellefisher4174]

My grandfather and my mom had restaurants in the food court. My grandfather brought a pizza from his Pizzeria across the street by MCC to the guys in the trailer on the property as the mall was being built. They Immediately offered him a spot in the food court. Papa Jay's Pizza. From 1979- 1992. My grandfather sold his spot to sabarros after my grandmother passed away. My mom owned Jay's Philly Cheese Steak across the food court from him. Both stores did VERY well and were the top places to eat while they were there. I grew up in that mall, literally. Spent more time there from such a young age and started my first job working for my grandfather at 12 at the pizza place. Our glory days. Now a lot of my family passed away but these memories I will cherish forever. I literally cried watching them take it down. Went several times over the months as it was happening. RIP Fiesta Mall. Thank you for all the wonderful times we had and to the great success we had there!!

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for sharing!

[@-xer0-901]

Fiesta Mall was the best mall in the history of Malls! The arcade, orange Julius, Spencer’s, many many summers n good times, so damn sad to see it destroyed.

[@sandyzalecki1145]

You can see the apartment complex where I lived in some of your drone shots. I used to walk over there almost every day to eat, shop, or just walk around. Before that I live in Dobson Ranch. This mall was a big part of my life for many years. I'm sad it's gone. Progress isn't always a good thing. Great drone shots.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

hey thanks for sharing your story 👍

[@rynneivarsson751]

Phenomenal before and after aerial shot of the mall! That's one for the history books. Very nice.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Hey thanks! once I found that old photo, I couldnt resist

[@someguyinphoenix1876]

I used to live just across the freeway from this mall. Grew up during the malls best years. This is so sad

[@patriciaguenzler9150]

Thank you 👍

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

no, thank you for checking out the video 👍

[@steveaustin6786]

I had a lot of good times going to this mall as a kid into my high school years sbarro was my favorite place to eat other than that Mexican restaurant that was across the street 1st was the hat club by the elevator then just sports to industrial which was a skate shop

[@steveaustin6786]

From there to miller's outpost which transitioned into anchor blue by the stairs down to champs then athletic express up the escalator to the music shop outside Dillard's

[@steveaustin6786]

I remember I'd used to grow out my throughout the winter in my 20s and couldn't find a place for a haircut as the summer came so I got desperate and got a haircut in fiesta mall outside the food court and gave me a really jacked up haircut which was the 1st and last time there

[@steveaustin6786]

Hair

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

bro!!!! Sbarro is life!!!! i still go to the one at superstition springs mall at least once a month

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thanks for sharing your story 👍

[@imdoingalright0178]

My parents used to take me here when I was little, the last time I stepped foot in this mall when I was 6 or 7, I remember the place being dark since there was not a lot of stores open anymore. Yet I didn’t know what the place was going through and that it would be abandoned and demolished years later. I would pass by the mall from time to time just watching it go from a nice shopping center, to a sad, depressing, empty mall. Great Memories

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for sharing your story 🙏

[@mikescott8]

I don’t have many memories of fiesta mall. I moved to the NW valley in 2005/2006 but had been to Fiesta Mall a few times. In addition to the channel you mentioned, which hadn’t heard of, there is “retail archaeology” that I do subscribe to that covered Fiesta downfall. There are East Vally based and grew up there but do go all over making videos.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

I just recently started watching retail archaeology....and their channel is awesome!

[@shereerockdaschel9301]

Yeah makes me wonder if the taxpayers money was spent to build that mall.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

More than likely

[@emilioramostorres]

Fiesta mall

[@ChristheShrinerdawg]

I'm not from Mesa, but my dad was born and raised there. 4th gen born there. I remember flying down from Seattle to visit my dad's side of the family. My cousins and I used to come here to hang out. Good times!

[@hollyw1521]

My grandma lived in liesure world in east mesa. She spoiled me rotten at this mall. My favorite store was contempo casuals and the guess store. Houlihan's was our dining spot.

[@tolik5929]

I would kill time there sometimes . It was OK , best they had to offer , on that side of town at the time , If you wanted a REAL mall , you had to make the drive to Metrocenter . Fiesta was always pretty dull ......but what do you expect from Mesa ?

[@steveg9088]

Damn took my ex girlfriend shopping there during Christmas. We had a lot of fun.

[@davidreding5824]

Man, I’ve lived in Mesa all my life and that was my first mall I ever went to in the 80s and then I also remember going there in the 90s and a 2000s and the 2010s sure gonna miss that place I live right down the street from it still And it was very sad watching them tear that mall down

[@lawrencejelsma8118]

I went to what was called Los Arcos Mall once in Scottsdale of Scottsdale Rd. and McDowell Rd. Then Thomas Mall of Thomas and 44th Street that was redesigned in the 1980s from Penney's Mall in the 1970s. As a kid in the 1970s the oil stringed water falls are my distant memories even from Goldwaters Mall having its redesign into the larger Scottsdale Mall bigger expanded mall today. These relics of our childhood aren't going to last if the new generations don't keep up their nostalgia.

[@davidreding5824]

@@lawrencejelsma8118 right I also remember Tri-City mall

[@lawrencejelsma8118]

@@davidreding5824 ... I call Scottsdale Mall of today that but I think it's real name is Scottsdale Fashion Square. It is a more high end woman's mall that failed for male mall enthusiasm. I liked Goldwaters and Thomas Mall growing up as a kid in the 1980s. Los Arcos Mall killed itself besides being a great indoor movie theater for "Midnight Friday movie madness" for my teenage escape place to go.

[@vandaheuring5039]

Why did they demolish so quickly? Who owns the land? What will they put there?

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

I guess they were in a hurry to make more apartments

[@andrewsmith1655]

I can't remember if it was this mall or Superstition mall that had that store in it with the dude who sold swords and other medieval weaponry. Either way the video gets this right, the area really declined in the late 1990s and 2000s which probably did Fiesta Mall no favors. I recently purchased a home in Mesa and a lot of Realtors were saying this is the next up and coming area in the East Valley.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for sharing your story!

[@HeckinMarble]

I think that was Superstition, but now I'm second guessing myself. It's weird reading these comments and all of these memories just rushing back.

[@davidreding5824]

No, that was in fiesta mall I remember that place I used to love to go into that store

[@julianbloedow9164]

I went inside so many times jesse can we be friends i do lots of exploration here

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

haha!, we can be friends!

[@melissagray4174]

My father in law ran the mall for many many years. Shortly after he retired it fell apart.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

I bet he could tell some amazing stories.....Thank you for sharing 👍

[@suburbandegenerate]

my favorite childhood memories are centered around the fiesta mall. went there with my grandma alot and sometimes my dad. my grandma always went for the macys clearance and then we'd walk around after. my dad took me to the guitar center that was inside the best buy a few times, and definitely my favorite mall food court. went there very few times when i got older and i regret that very much, i wish i enjoyed the mall in its final years, great shops, great people, great vibe. ill never not be sad about this place being demolished. closed is one thing, but demolished?? just sad. they couldve spent less money just re-purposing the building but what do i know.

[@plupples6392]

My husband has many fond memories of this mall. He spent many Friday and Saturday nights here from teens to 20's. He spent more quarters at Alladin's Castle than you can count. We drove around the mall while it was being demolished. He was very sad.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

thank you for sharing your story 👍

[@plupples6392]

@jessiesdroneadventures7464 thank you for the footage!

[@patd4u2]

I lived in Mesa back in 1979. When I was in the Air Force, I was newly married, and we used to go there, they had a big screen TV store upstairs with those old fashion projection TVs that I used to walk by and want to go in and look at them but my wife said no way. we used to go to the food court and get a baked potato at a vendor called Tater Junction. what a shame what happened to the mall, I have good memories of going there quite a bit

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for your services and thank you for sharing your memories!

[@victoriathompson6061]

What was the name of the restaurant outsid te west entrance?

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Mike & Molly's ????????

[@hollyw1521]

Houlihan's❤

[@rafaelmacias9979]

I was able to explore it when I could and it was crazy the escalator start to shake while walking down it definitely would do it again but it’s torn down

[@TheCubeTube]

The fiesta is over 😢 Great footage!

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you!

[@liamalepta8003]

I grew up near Fiesta mall. In the 80s as a teen, ide hang out there. good times, its sad to see it go

[@beefxcake2523]

i used to go to a convention every year across the street and the food court would come in clutch since it was in walking distance. and that was probably in like 2016? didn't feel that long ago! it's a little sad but my stomping grounds were superstition mall, which is in hardly better shape but since it's the furthest east mall, unless they build something bigger n better i don't see it closing super soon. kinda silly they left the little metal palm trees XD but im glad it's getting put to use its in a great area in terms of being close to college campus and the sheer amount of land it was just sitting on empty was just being wasted. excited to see how the end product is going to be.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for sharing 👍 I got a feeling superstition mall won't be around much longer. Gotta enjoy it while we can

[@elantric]

In 1977-1980, I was in an LA based rock band ( Rocket88) that performed in local clubs in AZ every 6-8 weeks - I remember 1979 shopping in the "new" Fiesta Mall with my GF. I remember all the parking, entry stairways like yesterday, eerie to see it demolished today, and reminds me in 2024 Ive outlived many things !

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

yea its sad to see it gone. Thank you for sharing your story 👍

[@ramseymansford2246]

I sang at Fiesta Mall with the Phoenix Boys Choir for a Christmas concert series the mall did back in the early 1990's. I grew up going to Christown and Metrocenter mostly, but I remember thinking how nice Fiesta was back then.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for sharing your story 👍

[@willitmakeit]

The memory's, So so sad to see this. I have some videos of my times here 89 90. How can I get them to you

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

you can message me them on instagram! my name is az_jessie

[@mjc8248]

Oi practically lived here in '92-'93. I'd ride my bike from the South Mountain area in Phoenix a couple of times per week. I biked for exercise a lot back then. I drove over as well, but it was a nice bike ride back then. It was my favorite because it was clean and pretty well cared for. I always parked in the upper lot. I hadn't thought about that place in over 20 years. Thanks for bringing back some good memories. Sorry to see it go.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thanks for sharing!

[@aXentOG]

still waiting for them to demo Metro Center

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

I think that is set to happen in the fall

[@danburch9989]

Over the 40 years I've live in the Phoenix area, I believe there's been about 10 malls that have closed and been redeveloped into open air shopping centers with independent stores, residential and business centers, etc. As for crime at the malls, none are immune.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for sharing! lots of people are saying that the superstitions springs Mall is probably the next to go, I hope not though.....I still go there once a month for Sbarro pizza!.......Thank you for checking out the video!

[@lizzard71]

Been in Phoenix since 1990 spent a lot of time at this mall sad to see it gone, well done video, thanks.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Hey no problem, thank you for checking out the video

[@GaryGeat28]

Back in 2013, I worked at the Sbarro at Fiesta Mall and it was showing signs of its impending closure. There was hardly any foot traffic in the food court and the stores.

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

SBARRO!!! that is my favorite pizza place! I still go to superstition springs mall at least once a month for Sbarro, and in fact, I may go there for lunch!

[@GaryGeat28]

@@jessiesdroneadventures7464 Funny you mention that. I ended up transferring to the Sbarro at Superstition Springs Mall. I worked there until December of 2013 when I moved out of Phoenix.

[@IsiahForney76]

I went to this mall when I was a kid with my dad a lot I only remember going to get basketball shoes at the footlocker when it was one of the only stores left and it was competent empty only me my dad and a few others. Over summer me and my friends went inside a couple of times and walked around exploring it’s super creepy but it was super fun and just crazy thinking how it used to to be full of people and one of the most popular malls and thinking of how it was then with just glass and graffiti and homeless people everywhere

[@IsiahForney76]

And now how it’s demolished. Going to that mall when I was younger was so fun and Getting to Walk around and explore it was some of the most fun me and my friends had this summer sad to see it get demolished

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for sharing your story 👍👍

[@918scott4]

Lots of memories here. It's worth it if they develop it correctly keeping the future in mind. We will see.

[@davidreding5824]

Probably just gonna be some expensive ass apartments that nobody can afford

[@charlieredeemed]

I had many good times at the Fiesta Mall throughout the years of my life. I miss the Best Buy with all of the music equipment. I even took photos with an ex from high school there in 2001 and took professional photos with my children in 2012. Nothing good lasts forever🫡👍🏼

[@jessiesdroneadventures7464]

Thank you for sharing your story 👍