Dead Malls Season 4 Episode 9 - Forest Fair Village

[@affee10]

i grew up right next to this mall, played on the PBS kids playground almost every weekend. every childhood birthday at that wonderpark. as a teenager i went to the arcade countless weekends and climbed the parking garage and onto the roof. now that its permanently closed and rumored for demolition im so grateful that this video exists, those hallways and the central area and food courts and theaters hold so many memories for me and to be able to return to this video to see that place again means a lot. thank you for making this video and thank you for using beach house

[@jm20105]

You nailed it. Gen X'er here, the malls are dying and we accept it and forget about the time we spent there. Sad to see these iconic landscapes die. Didn't realize you were a fellow Iowan. Nice job.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you!

[@pamelaaverrett5848]

This mall has been covered so many times by other creators, but this was so much better! Cinematic perfection!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you!

[@NicholasShade-eq1ts]

🤎

[@turnpiketed6383]

The gold standard in mall vlogs. Awesome presentation and an eerie soundtrack concluding the video. It's such a travesty that people abandoned the joy of getting out, walking through the mall and possibly buying some needed items on the day. What a magnificent structure it is, so clean and well maintained, how can the population turn their backs on something like this? Oh sorry, it's called sitting at home and living one's life through a keyboard. C'mon down to Australia, to see what the mall culture is all about. Yes we still go out to shop, to socialize and enjoy some great food. Malls will never die, only continue to grow.

[@ASnowWhiteElephant]

I grew up next to Forest Park (Fairfield) and spent my childhood and teen years frequenting this mall- a lot of happy memories. That said, there were so many factors that went into the demise of this place. Mostly the fault of an eccentric developer who tried to build a high-end mall in a working class neighborhood.

[@ace49722]

"well maintained" me, listening to the relaxing but oddly sad sound of the water leaking into the buckets when the storm hits

[@user-gs8jv4oq6w]

Malls suck

[@dene7063]

This channel is by far the best dead mall coverage on KZbin. Good work!

[@stot2614]

Holy flying pig pavilions... I think you covered every square inch of this mall! This should be considered the gold standard of this mall's dead mall videos! All the history, the music selections and even a bucket counting competition all rolled into one massive video. Thanks for the grand tour, NorthCdogg22!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much!

[@Andy-hl7gh]

The music you're playing makes the videos so surreal. And your voice is perfectly fine, I was watching your older videos and was missing the commentary, that makes it really interesting, especially for people who have no connection to a certain place and don't know the history.

[@Fluoride_Jones]

They could use these malls to film post-apocalyptic movies. They could even film during the daytime while the malls are open, because it wouldn't affect the outcome of the film at all. It's not like they'd have to worry about anyone wondering onto set while they're filming! 😂

[@NorthCdogg22]

It would be perfect!😂

[@alecstarkey7835]

It would be perfect except the security guard threatening to call the cops to the cast.

[@Fluoride_Jones]

@@NorthCdogg22 Right! That's one way to keep these malls in business.

[@Fluoride_Jones]

@@alecstarkey7835 Nah, they could just cast him as a zombie. At least he'd have something to do!

[@jamesdavis5096]

Film producing GENIUS!!!

[@alliemarie2005]

What a strange looking mall, almost cartoonish. I think the malls in the west are designed very differently. Awesome video!

[@ASnowWhiteElephant]

The cartoonish appearance was due to the Mills renovation in the early 2000s. In it’s heyday it used to be smothered in 80s deco and neon.

[@brockthompson_]

@@ASnowWhiteElephant I honestly prefer the colourful cartoonish mills look over the 80s neon style, it’s really nice to look at

[@retAFcop98]

As always, I truly enjoys your uploads. Thank you for another nostalgic adventure!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Your welcoming thank you for watching!

[@Mapmaker1559]

Nice one man! This is definitely your best video so far. Awesome production, awesome timeline and filmography, just an awesome video! And with it being nearly an hour long, this was more than just a typical dead mall video, this was basically a documentary. Awesome work!!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much man!

[@blackviper354]

As a person who lives very close to this mall, I didn’t realize how big of a deal this mall is. I didn’t really grow up with it but I did enjoy arcade legacy while it was there. I will miss this mall when it fully closes.

[@endress09]

Arcade Legacy moved to Sharonville. You should definitely check it out if you haven't already 😊

[@QuintusAntonious]

Whenever I see these dead malls, especially when they are this vibrant and not much vandalism or removal of old store fronts has occurred, it reminds me of Steven King's The Langoliers--it's like you've accidentally gone back in time a few minutes while the rest of us have moved forward in time and it's all just waiting for the langoliers to appear and consume it.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

Very good comparison, like very good. Same feeling precisely in my opinion.

[@Nomed38]

At 12:50 the picture over "Neighborhood B" is original from the early days as is the triangle decorations on the columns near it and at other locations. The American flag decorations near the old Biggs entrance are also original. The odd hanging cones and cone floor sculptures are also original. I just thought someone might find in interesting. Thanks for the video documentary and a trip down memory lane.

[@justin5743]

This place is such a wonder, living only a few miles away it’s been a staple in a lot of our lives growing up. Everyone’s been yelled at by security for taking pictures at least once, but how can you not when the place is as magnificent as it is! Great video dude.

[@evealex72]

I visited here in 1993 and 1999. I’m from the UK so malls like this were absolutely amazing to me. When it was forest fair and seeing a full sized carousel in it was mind blowing. Then I spent NYE ‘99 in the Cheyenne Cattle Co bar and nightclub. My parents moved to Kentucky in 2005 and both passed in 2021, so this kinda hits quite sad for me as I didn’t even know both this and tri-county had closed. I googled the malls for some memories as it’s coming up to their two year anniversary’s so was really gutted to see how deserted they were 😢.

[@dream91321]

29:04 that vending machine has a pretty cool aesthetic. The whole mall is basically one big colorful liminal space, I liked it.

[@chito651]

This video is amazing, starting and ending with beach house so smoothly. I’m in love with it. Has to be my favorite video of yours atm

[@marknelizabeth6527]

The thunderstorm part is a whole MOOD 🙌🏼 Very nicely done video!!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you!

[@wallyinwa700]

Great episode! Well done. Easily one of if not the best dead mall video. 101 buckets.

[@MotherofMonsters224]

Behind that unpainted wall at 5:20 is the old food court from like the 80's just totally sealed off. Back in the early 2010s when they were replacing a section of that wall my friend's and I ducked behind and were just utterly baffled by the timecapsule we had just wandered into.

[@MotherofMonsters224]

I might be misremembering and it could be the unpainted wall across from the entrance he went through next to the old Baby'sRus

[@MrPoke]

The security here are just gangsters that the owner hired from his local convenience store. Great video, loved the music. 31 buckets?

[@Knightguy200]

I leave down the road from the mall. We had a pretty successful arcade in there for the longest time. You just skirted around it in the video, but during the pandemic the owner would post games on facebook you could buy and pick up in store. So I ended up doing that and having to get escorted through the bowels of the building to the store. It was insane, very silly and just showed how a dead mall had the tiniest breath of life still in it. Thank you for the video and all the old photos you found, reminds me of my youth.

[@endress09]

Arcade Legacy moved to Sharonville. You should check them out if you havent already 😊

[@LostDepartments]

Great Video!!!! This was really well done and easy to follow! I also loved the use of Space Song at the end.

[@evboi5140]

You deserve way more subscribers for making this amazing of a video! You have earned a new subscriber, and a new fan!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much!

[@hgwells2837]

You outdid yourself again with this great video! I'm glad you were able to get this footage! 117 buckets

[@markstrouse3101]

100's & 100's of videos on this mall but yours is the greatest of all

[@mrsone2000]

Wow this was a very well made dead mall video. I was missing this type of video on KZbin and this one delivered. I don't get why they don't want people to show these dead malls off. Nostalgia is all that is left of them.

[@stefanleonard7947]

I love this mall the us flags The Colors I love Everything Mills did With the remodel Thank you so much for making this video I really enjoyed it I really like your contact

[@adrianmontelongo9707]

As always, I am enjoyed watching this video this mall. Thanks a lot friend 👍

[@ace49722]

others have said it, but the music inclusion really makes this. this is like the gold standard. i love that i can watch this and listen to the mallsoft, your relaxing narration, and some of the ambient sounds you kept in from the mall.......the lights at the end are incredible. your bravery in the face of the aggro security guard, thank you

[@scalebuildersguild]

Thanks for spending so much time here, you did an excellent job of detailing it!

[@iworkout6912]

I happen to drive by the Amazon Fulfillment center not far from my house around 9:30 am and a whole parade of Amazon vans were leaving. Must have be at least 25-30 heading in all directions. Maybe Amazon isn't the cause of mall failures, but seeing all the vans in one place was something I had never seen before. Anyway a great video, and I love the way you present such a place with history of the mall at various places in the video. And maybe the history of the mall era coming to the end all over the US. With the water damage, I expect as you said, "its quietly waiting for the wreaking ball".

[@R32R38]

It's more likely a delivery station. Semitrailers from the fulfillment centers (750,000 square feet on up) unload packages at delivery stations (~150,000 square feet) for sorting and transfer to the delivery vans. I work for Amazon.

[@iworkout6912]

@@R32R38 There is a new 2.5 million sq ft fulfillment center about 3 miles west of where I saw all the vans on the street. They haven't opened it yet, but it is a huge white building. Its one of several building like that in a place where Walmart and other companies have buildings like that. The new Amazon building is larger than the local mall which is big, and still has a Macy's and JC Penny..For how long, who knows.

[@mavohq]

your videos are incredible! you go so in depth and the camera work/music choices add so much to it!! i wish the dead/abandoned mall that started my obsession (Summit Place Mall in Waterford Township, MI) was still standing because i know you’d make a great video on it! i’m only 20 but i remember being around 6 years old and walking around the mall with my grandma a few months before it closed for good and the huge, empty dark space was just mesmerizing to me. would’ve just been an interesting experience to anyone else but i have autism so of course i had to research everything i could and talk about it to anyone who was around me 24/7 lol

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much! I may not have gotten to see summit place sadly but next season (very soon) I do check out almost every other mall in Michigan, so hope you stick around for those!

[@alecstarkey7835]

Awesome video I’ve been waiting to watch this. I’ve been watching other videos on this mall and this is absolutely the best one. I’ve done a lot of research on this mall and you’ve even told me more history that I didn’t even find out about. I’ll be visiting this mall sometime in October hopefully the doors will open after a 4 hour drive. Thanks for the hour entertainment of my favorite “dead mall”. This mall is not like no other it’s unique and has color while modern malls today are white and gray. Have a wonderful night and Thanks for the video (:

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you sir! I’m glad you enjoyed and good luck on your travels to this amazing mall!

[@lionelwilliams1285]

Great job with this! Watching this transported me way back in time. I remember walking into this mall as a kid when it first opened back in the 80’s thinking it was the greatest mall in the world. The mall stayed jammed-packed with shoppers for many, many years. I spent my all teenage years shopping and enjoying “Time Out” (i.e., putt-putt, the rides, the arcade, and Super Saver Cinemas). It is so sad to see how much deterioration there’s been in not just this mall but all of the Tri-County area. Everything seems so post-apocalyptic, with random “mom-and-pop” stores and fast food chains everywhere. C’mon Cincy! Only Kenwood and Liberty for shopping now? Get it together.

[@TheCubeTube]

This video is absolutely incredible, just like this mall. I really hope I can visit the structure before it’s demolished, but that likely won’t happen. Thank you so much for preserving it as a video, so I can feel like I’m able to visit myself!

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

Just got here a few minutes ago and am already enjoying it, am watching all of it now!! Excellent 👌👍💯 Fullview, This video is spot on!

[@CoolCatProductions-365]

An stunning visual experience that kept me at the edge of seat for 58 minutes . I usually don’t watch an 58 minute long yt video but, I made an exception for yours. This is by far your best video yet and it ranks up there with Aces Adventures and Sal I truly believe. Your next video is most certainly Eastgate Mall since you said southeastern metro because that is the only mall in that area that is dying.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much! and yes we will be heading down to Eastgate next.

[@gooddogson]

DUDE , Are we the same person? I love this mall, i live about 40 minutes away from it. Love your channel, and the way you opened up this video with that Depression Cherry Cassette and "Levitation" playing was Perfect. Beach house is my absolute favorite band and I own that album on cassette as well! As soon as this video started I knew I was in the right spot.

[@texasscott8381]

I’m so glad I found this video!! 6, 7 an 8th grade was 89-92 for me. We spent so many hours at the Super Saver, Mini golf and the arcade! Some great memories of that time.

[@BoratWanksta]

I just finished watching this now, and it was such a good video! I'm surprised this mall briefly hit 95% occupancy, after Mills Corp. took over this mall. Not surprised Simon didn't keep Forest Fair/Cincinnati Mills, after Simon bought Mills after they went into bankruptcy. No doubt some of Mills' debt, was trying to build and plan what later went on to become the American Dream Mall in New Jersey. That one now being owned by Triple Five, the owner of Mall of America. And another one day dead mall disaster, I see coming for that mall. I bet you'd do a good video on American Dream, were you ever to cover that mall.

[@NorthCdogg22]

I’d love to cover American Dream, maybe one day if I’m ever able to trip out to New York

[@blanejr1]

21:22 "Better malls like Tri County" - That one closed recently too.

[@kitw76]

Great video!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you!

[@TheePrincessPurple]

I'm a new subscriber. I love your channel and how you present the content, Your voice is absolutely fine, trust me nothing wrong with how you sound. Keep up the good work and doing what brings you Joy, that's what life is all about!! Love from Michigan ❤​👋​

[@jamief1749]

Love watching your videos much love from uk be safe in these places keep up the brilliant content

[@ericmatthews3024]

thank you NorthCdogg22 for this video. As you know im going this mall on 9/23/22. this was a very informed video. just watching this vid. im going to be there for a few hrs. (its so huge) hopefully i wont get into an argument with security. (again) my most sincere thanks for this vid. (maybe ill see you there. since you like this mall so much)

[@R32R38]

With the arcade now closed it might no longer be open, though you might be able to see some of it from inside the Outdoor World and the Kohl's.

[@ericmatthews3024]

@@R32R38 ive looked at news articles, google and seen the latest youtube vids. (minus this vid) they all tell me. its open until further notice. i had a choice to go to this mall or military circle mall in norfolk, va. (sadly that mall closes in january 2023) i choose cincinnati mills mall. i was in norfolk (twice) 5 years ago. every time i paid my respects to military circle mall.

[@amley3748]

Thank you for this awesome video! It is so sad to see what it has become from having a birthday party at the arcade when I was only 9 (early 90s) and my husband and I spending time here as teenagers. Seems like a lifetime ago!

[@PurplePuppy2006]

You do the best coverage of these malls. So Forest Fair Village opened in 1989 and would be a complete failure and was only successful for year before things started to go down. I looked at old pictures of this place I don’t understand how people couldn’t have liked it. It was so colorful and it had a Farris wheel. It was bought by the Mills corporation in 2002, and it reopened as Cincinnati Mills in 2004 and would shed light to the mall as it revived once again even adding a PBS Kids play area near the food court. Sadly this would last long as by 2007 the mills cooperation was defunct, major retailers began to leave from 2007 - 2009 and the pbs kids theming for the playground was removed in 2008. The mall continued to decline as the years went in and began many different names. A lot of KZbinrs tried to record this place but for some reason Mall cops just had to be so mean. There were only 4 things to do left in the mall which was a Kohls, Bass Pro Shops, Arcade, and Bouncy House. And finally on December 2nd 2022 the mall closed for good to the public for redevelopment who knows what will come to this big place time will tell.

[@angelm2655]

This is amazing coverage of Forest Fair Village. You did great getting all this footage considering the crazy mall security here. Anyway your content is great, you are my favorite on YT. Keep it up.

[@SynchroSk8]

I came here a few times while I was in college in Ohio. My first trip was late 1999, my roommate suggested we go because of Parisian, she didn’t know they had closed (so funny to think of how we utilized the internet and didn’t even have a smart phone!) But I remember walking around the big mall. We came back later when there was a Steve & Barry’s - so funny to think I never saw the version of the mall its known for. The mid 2000s Mills style. This style takes me back to over the top, just like the Hummers on the road back then. Forest Fair never had a chance, but its crazy to think how much money was sunk into this one… just wild. Thank you for taking the time to cover it.

[@LeoMidori]

Man, I'm just floored and dismayed. This building is beautiful, fun and interesting with a lot of cool if kitschy features! I'd die for malls or public spaces near me to look this good. What a terrible waste. :(

[@ERA_Productions]

This video was absolutely incredible!! Amazing job!!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thanks Andrew!!

[@nancydarling4918]

Really good video! Thanks for filming.

[@user-nu5br1bm3k]

One of the best dead mall videos out there

[@pepsi_man4962]

Yayyyyy this is amazing!!! One of your best. You always do an awesome job bro. Telling the story of the American mall. Telling a piece of each of our life stories. And what you said about people forgetting malls even existed is so so so true. It kinda made my eyes water. Just remembering how much malls were the pinnacle of Christmas shopping and shopping in general. All the smiling faces and crowds of people slowly fading away in my mind as a memory of a by gone forgotten normal time.

[@turnpiketed6383]

Very sad people have forgotten how to interact and socialize. Can't believe the immaculate state it's in. So clean and honestly looks like it was just constructed. I'd shop there just to marvel at the aesthetics.

[@pepsi_man4962]

@@turnpiketed6383 same here friend. I grew up in the Buffalo NY area. And let me tell ya. I had good times in the malls around here. Some of the most beautiful spaces you’ll ever find. Now Buffalo is just a mall ghost town. All you ever see is dilapidated factories and near empty crumbling 70s and 80s malls. It’s so so sad. I remember as a little kid throwing Pennie’s in the fountains, seeing Santa in the foodcourt, going school shopping at JCPenny, than going across the street to Toys R Us………. Good times. Totally different time.

[@turnpiketed6383]

@@pepsi_man4962 I am following a dude called "Lord Spoda", he's doing a 50 State voyage across the country off the Interstate, gotta tell you the country ain't looking too flash. Town after town, totally deserted, boarded up downtowns, few cars on the streets, but no folks to be seen. What happened to America?

[@pepsi_man4962]

@@turnpiketed6383 America has totally crumbled. It is now a shell of what it was from 1980-2010. People aren’t the same anymore either. Everyone is nasty and irritable. Everything is political. All my generation cares about now is sex, vaping, weed, drinking, partying, etc etc. Its sad. Very sad. America is not the same America we grew up in. Retail has completely fallen apart obviously as well. No more Kmart, Sears, Toys R Us, Circuit City, Blockbuster, Hollywood video, KayBee toys, no more of a lot of things………. I’m also checking out Lord Spoda. I subbed.

[@turnpiketed6383]

@@pepsi_man4962 I hear ya, so sad to see, always thought it was the opposite. These malls are marvels, places to shop, to take a leisurely walk around the centre, grab a bite to eat, catch up with folks in the food court and maybe grab a bargain or watch a show (fashion or music) then head off home. Now that's all gone, along with enjoying life outdoors. Seems the lure of that keyboard and couch reigns supreme.

[@patrick39432]

That background music is eerie! And perfect! I live in Cincinnati, spent a lot of time in this mall. But outside of Biggs and Kohl's, we walked it but didn't buy much. Pretty useless anchor stores initially. Certainly, they were in the wrong neighborhood!

[@juliaroberts7974]

Ohio person here! I use to travel from Columbus to play super smash bros at the arcade was always eerie to walk past the flying pigs, that and the kids play place that was very deflated. As a lady my friend taught me that there was one “decent” to use bathroom. Going here every month started my fascination with dead and abandoned malls. Thanks for the great content

[@SomeExistite]

This video was so good. Just... everything. I'm surprised I didn't find your channel sooner. Definitely subscribing.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you!

[@MajinCollectibles]

Congrats on the video. I've seen many other videos on this specific mall, but none as thorough as yours. There´s something with that colorful interiors, (kinda late 90s/early 00s feel) that really takes me throught time and strucks me with nostalgia. I'm from Argentina, we used to have a somewhat similar themed mall in the late 90s which is still open, but changed name, closed wings, and it's completely dead and most importantly lost all of that late 90s colorful and somewhat cartooney styling that takes me to another time of my life when I used to go there with my parents. Thanks for the video, and gosh, that music, the reverberance and distant sound really fits fantastically with how inmense the place feels and how it must have been when it had background music playing. By the way, speaking of music, I tried to "shazam" some of the songs for a Dead Mall Playlist I have but I wasn't really lucky. Is there any chance of getting a tracklist or at least the artist's names? Thanks, once again!!!

[@NorthCdogg22]

I’m glad you enjoyed and thank you for commenting! Some of my songs I used here, a lot of them came from the artist Disconscious, I would definitely check out his music

[@MajinCollectibles]

@@NorthCdogg22 Do you happen to remember the name of the track @ 4:19 ? Found others but that one has been impossible to ID.

[@talltart9350]

the chuckle at 19:55 made me smile 😊

[@jeee1074]

This was a great tour of the mall. I thought I have seen everything there is to see from this property, but you managed to document some things I haven't seen before. Going in late at night, and then back out to the dark parking lot had to have been surreal. I certainly looking forward to your next video. Thanks for the shout out by the way!

[@sunsetrecords2548]

I have not seen this mall in three years and it looks just as sad what a shame that 3 revitalization could not save this behemoth of a place sadly it's the end for the forest fair mall I just see not coming back. Great long and descriptive video!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you for watching, and yes it’s so sad. I wish they could’ve saved this place somehow.

[@sunsetrecords2548]

@@NorthCdogg22 I mean the only course of action is mixed use. Part retail part recreational and part entertainment. Like just imagine an indoor go cart track where the old Biggs was that would be awesome

[@justinankeney6344]

Great coverage, looking forward to Eastgate next!

[@LilSwampBoy]

I just found this video. But boy do I remember this mall. I spent practically every birthday at wonderpark until it closed. I remember being so devastated. The PBS playground is where I met one of my best childhood friends. And I remember spending practically every weekend at one of the movie theaters with my mom. I came here after my first ever tetanus shot. I had an bad reaction and my mom had to buy me a tank top to wear. Eventually we just stopped going and I never knew why because I was still fairly young. Eventually though I knew it was dead other than a few odds and ends. I spent many days at Arcade Legacy, and honestly my friends and I used to play Dungeons and Dragons in the food court until it got too dark. I never truly got to enjoy this mall as a Mall. I spent my Teen Years in Kenwood mall, because that’s where I lived. But I made so many memories here. It’s sad to see it like this.

[@VladisRed]

You need to make chaotic mega compilation of dead malls 2h long

[@doublearonbatteries9312]

Just found your channel, hugely underrated! Honestly great content with an in depth summary. Great Job!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you!

[@SithRacer66]

So I grew up in Cincinnati, I was born in the late 80's. I have vivid memories of my mom taking my brother and I there in 1990, it was always so much fun. The bumper cars, mini golf if I remember right. Then one day we just didn't go much anymore. I remember when we moved out of the area we went back just to go to Biggs and yes it was massively massive. We spent hours there buying who knows what. I remember going to Bass Pro Shops when it opened with my Grandpa, while the rest of the mall was being renovated. There was this like hallway with drywall that acted as like a corridor that you walked through to get to Burlington where I got a coat in like 8th grade. I got my $100 suit for my Senior pictures there. Then in my teens the Mall came back, I was there all the time at like 18-20 I loved it then, it was so awesome we got so much stuff from Steve and Barry's and still have some of it. The last time I was there when it seemed to be at the height of it's renovated glory was Christmas season 2007. There were no real signs that there was about to be a giant fall at least externally. Then several months later I went back and started to see stores closed, there was a Restaurant you have in video near Bass Pro Shops by the mall entrance, that was the first thing I saw closed and then it just spiraled from there. I am a hockey player and I remember the rumors about the rink and at the time I worked at a rink and I went and looked into the Biggs entrances which were just covered by plastic and gates and thought there was work going on in there but yeah I don't think so. I don't live there anymore, but I went back seven or eight years ago and haven't been since. I'd like to see it one last time, it holds a very special place in my heart. I frequented Tri County too, but this place was my favorite. Thanks for doing this video.

[@cynthiaj.simmons870]

Excellent very excellent video of this mall!!! I enjoyed your documentation of it along with the photos and videos too!!! I seen lots of videos of this mall and you put a very well together documentary of the mall very, very well done!!! 🤗👏❤️ And the number of buckets I say 200

[@msimpson6833]

been waiting for a new video.. really enjoyed it..

[@tylerthunder2001]

Good vid I subbed! It's sad to see these dying malls. I was born in 2001 so was not alive during the golden era of malls. But I want malls to make a giant return same with video stores and other things that people miss. Watching these vids from people like you makes me learn a lot. Love watching these kind of vids. Malls and stores should always be around they are special.

[@joshuakeller7525]

wish you would able to go into some of those shops

[@NorthCdogg22]

I know right it would be so cool

[@Mx.Alheimsins]

Just found you're channel! Love this documentary! The music combined with you're amazing commentary and the beautiful but deserted mall in the background, it's amazing to see the work you put into this! New subscriber gained!

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you so much!

[@Dang_Jim]

I love hearing the stories of how malls started and how they ended up dead.

[@Sniff_Jenkem]

Seeing both of my home malls on there hurts. Bay City and Hampton Square. Plus Fashion square and Midland... That's the jackpot right there.

[@jaredtruth6918]

I grew up right near this mall and spent many weekends at the movies, arcades, or grocery shopping at Biggs. It’s wild to see the nostalgia here.

[@agnesg]

i just found this channel! Keep going! This channel is fantastic!

[@AbcDef-iq4no]

The sad truth about these ailing malls is that once the upkeep stops these malls are destined to be demolished. The main thing to always go first is upkeep of the roofs and skylights, which then means that all of the mall's myriad of walls, ceilings and nooks and crannies fill up with moisture, black mold and mildew. Once this happens too much damage is done for a mall to be refurbished so it just ends up getting torn down. It is sad that this mall being so large represents such a loss in terms of the cost of building the mall and many attempts at refurbing it. It is also a huge loss in terms of the closing of each individual business when you look at what each business cost to start up and maintain. What people may not consider is that many of these stores do not relocate but close for good when a mall fails, closes and then gets torn down.

[@ericmatthews3024]

made it to Cincinnati Mills mall. it was 5 min to 7 pm. a security guard told me it was closing in 2 mins. (he seem pretty chill when i talked to him) (young guy) i asked when it will close. THE SECURITY GUARD HAS NO FURTHER INFORMATION ON WHEN IT WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS FOR GOOD. DONT LET THE INTERNET FOOL YOU! if you can visit it. i highly recommend visiting. for the short amount of time i had in there. i was blown away! its truly breathtaking. going back (the next two days)

[@jodywight3948]

I just read its on Governor DeWine's demolition list. Sad,..

[@ericmatthews3024]

@@jodywight3948 no one kept up on maintenance. funny how it can be a hazard to the public (over night) when i was there 2 months before.

[@jodywight3948]

@@ericmatthews3024 I love the aesthetics in some of the long closed malls. Unfortunately I had worked at two in Northeast Ohio! I worked at both Randall Park (3.5 years) and Euclid Square Mall (6 years). I also filled in at Chapel Hill and have been to Rolling Acres . All left in a shambles. Sad in many ways......

[@Bloods2006]

I am from indiana but went to this mall with my family in 2005 and I remember it being so much fun. It was easily the biggest mall I’d ever been to. My mom and sister spent all day there shopping and it allowed my dad and I go to stores that were usually not at malls like Steve and Barry’s and Bass Pro. I actually was trying to kill time with my fiancée in Cincinnati before a reds game and we decided to go to just any old mall. The moment we entered this mall (in 2017) I was flooded with nostalgia and it hit me. That I had been there before. It was very sad and almost post-apocalyptic. There was music playing but not a soul in the building. The food court was completely gutted and we only saw a few stores that were open. It’s amazing to me that this mall could go from crowded in 2005 to completely dead just 10 years later.

[@Idelia412]

I like your videos because you show a scene when stores were open then flash to present time and show what the area looks like today. Good history shared of the mall too. Walking around at night in that mall, I would be worried about being mugged.

[@helios1912]

Good one, NorthCdogg22. I would shop the Little Professor Books there. I recall parking in the "Baseball" wing. 1992, say. Time Out was a popular draw.

[@bwware]

The lower level movie theater was ALWAYS a dollar theater just with a different name. Started at $1 then went to $1.50. I was at this mall opening weekend. Shoulder to shoulder in some parts.

[@katiekear220]

Banburry! Or something like that

[@noahvoris3637]

Eastgate Mall next! The other dead mall here in the metro.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Bingo!!

[@davidtropps4380]

Don't know why, but the number 124 hit me for the bucket count.

[@pamelaspooner7183]

Austin Community College in Austin, TX took a still open but dying mall, closed it, and piece by piece has turned it into a fantastic community college campus. They sold off chunks on the edge of the huge parking lot to apartment developers and it’s totally re-energized and redeveloped the area. Look it up…Highland Campus of ACC.

[@QuinnSincerely]

So, as a local who grew up here, this mall used to have a giant 3 story kinetic sculpture by George Rhoads, it was an icon, and eventually taken out. The unique sounds from the sculptures main level aspect were unique. A glass box that had 8 balls bouncing off drums and through chimes in a crazy coaster, which was amazing to watch as a kid. Those sounds are so tied to the location, anyone familiar enough is haunted by them and many people have audio hallucinations of it. The machine ghost of the mall.

[@not-a-lot-2004]

you just made a Oscar worthy dead mall video. the final boss of malls

[@not-a-lot-2004]

since you made this video, the arcade has already left. How long ago did you film this ?

[@fallstoohard]

Amazing footage. Definitely rivals all of the urbex greats out there but your attention to detail far surpassed them all. Do you know when the mall is set to be demolished? I know it's days are numbered but I would love to make it out there to catch all of its greatness in person.

[@NorthCdogg22]

Thank you! And I’m not sure when it is going to be demolished but I know for sure it is open for now

[@ericmatthews3024]

(as we speak) im less than a mile away from the cincinnati mills mall. today i spent a few hrs with the security guard. we had interesting conversations. (life, growing up, etc) the security guard is an introvert. yet just show him respect. he’ll talk to you. from what he told me. even though the arcade is gone now. there are no plans to shut down the mall entirely. (you still have time but probably not a lot) (mall opens at 8 am closes at 7 pm) dont let the internet fool you. (permanently closed)

[@JackMenace]

I've lived here all my life and I never knew it was the 2nd largest mall. That's crazy, took it for granted.

[@MrElectricwave]

I bet is very relaxing walking around that mall.

[@DeadMallsOfTheWest]

Anyone know the song that starts at 17:00 ?

[@JoJo-ie8sl]

when we were there, we stopped counting after the 16th bucket.

[@JohnJohnson-yl9of]

That’s literally how the security guard is at St. Louis Mills!!! I used to skate at the park there all the time and he was on such a power trip!!! LOL you handled that really well though those guards can be so rude!!!

[@Oceanblue_Art_]

I love seeing the orange piggies whenever I watch videos about this place, they're so perfectly surreal

[@Its_Mango]

I love these videos! (Also great to hear a familiar voice after almost 3 years since we talked 🙂)

[@paposwing2925]

Fill all those spaces with medical and labs offices, public libraries. Bring in city offices and several upscale restaurants. Stuff that people really need.

[@MrRobertRue]

It’s offfically “closed” it most likely will never reopen as it’s plan to be demolished and it’s closed early since it’s plan…… very sad what has happened

[@katiekear220]

I’m watching this as I’m sitting in the parking lot of this exact dead mall!

[@pepsi_man4962]

Hey North, I just wanted to say again how much of a great KZbinr you are bro! Don’t forget how much your content means to us! I have an idea for a new video. I know the whole problems with the stupid copy right thing recently screwed a lot of stuff over but , what if you took a little well deserved break from traveling and made a tribute to the American mall or a tribute to American retail video? I think it would be nice having a tribute video to the American mall and the long gone glory days of American retail. The places that made half of us who we are today. Nobody on KZbin has even made a tribute video to Americas retail past. Like has half the people in this country forgot what normal life used to be like? 😂

[@JokerzGallery]

Curious if you've toured Towne Square Mall in Owensboro Kentucky? It just officially closed last month