Stratford Square Mall | My Final Visit Before Closure

[@rachelrivera91]

Thanks for filming Stratford Square Mall for the last time before its closure this past Sunday, 4-21-24. I was really sad to see all these videos on the mall prior to its closure even as far back as 2020. I’ve been watching dead mall videos since end of last year. This mall had an emotional impact on me because I appreciate beautiful work of art like the architectural design of this mall. I love the aesthetics!! This is by far one of the most breathtaking, beautifully designed, aesthetically appealing malls I’ve ever seen on the internet. I’m not from the Chicago area but one does not need to be to appreciate beautiful work of art. The wood paneled ceilings, the glass skylights on the ceilings, wooden columns, the pillars resembling trees, mushroom like features on pillars, and the other beautiful wood work throughout the architecture. I’m hoping there is an active effort to try to preserve the architecture & aesthetics of the mall for the planned redevelopment. I’m praying that they can save the architecture for historical & architectural significance. Why not revitalize the mall rather than demolish it? It can be repurposed like some other dead malls. These malls ended up with successful outcomes like turning the malls into community colleges, community centers, a mini community inside the building. A museum for storing local art work from the Chicago area, a theater for fine arts, medical offices, commercial offices, retail, restaurants, indoor park & recreation such as indoor pools, ice skating rinks, gyms, a bank, an events center. Could even try to bring back the Century Theater, Round 1, add a day care center, a library. People can come up with visionary ideas to try to revitalize this mall instead of demolishing it. To demolish it would be a disservice to Stratford Square Mall and the community. Stratford Square Mall deserves better. The community deserves better than to take away the little bit of history they have. This mall served the community in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s in its better days. Why give up on it? I’m a bit relieved that there is an active effort to save Stratford Square Mall on Facebook. It’s open to the public to see. Thank you for preserving a part of history at a time when most of us who lived through the 80s, 90s, early 2000s have cherished these memories of hanging out at the malls. Thank you, You are doing a service to you community. I said enough.

[@Knee_Boy64]

The fact that the axe throwing is still open makes me think the best thing to do with a mall like that is to fill it with entertainment instead of shopping. It's a hell of a lot better than leveling the place. Just picture it: Axe throwing Mini Golf outside Glow Golf inside VR Arcade Paint Ball Laser Tag Bowling Rage Room Bumper Cars Movie Theater Bring back Painted Penguin! Bounce house Casino Bars Restaurants Escape Rooms Go-Kart track through the middle of the mall The only store left is Spencer's. It serves as the gift shop Everything is separate, but you can pay to do combinations of them. This is my dream.

[@RockulaRandy]

Thanks for the final look. It has really changed a lot since I worked there back in 1986, at Montgomery Wards. It brings back many fun memories. So sad to see the end of what was once such a happy and exciting place. 😢

[@shabbysnubtide3339]

I worked at the Stratford Montgomery Wards in the mid to late eighties! I was a mechanic in the Auto Express department.

[@Knee_Boy64]

Yoooo! Name dropping the Johnny Rocket's? Alright, way to prove that OG status. Let's go!

[@Glennerb]

The store on the second floor next to Lids and Hot Topic was was a Starbucks., then was Cinnabon, then it was Berry Moon Frozen Yogurt, then finally Aha Rolled Ice Cream before it closed in 2022.

[@Knee_Boy64]

Even before it was Starbucks it was a smoothie place! That was part of our Friday night mallrat ritual in 2007-2008. Smoothies Hot Topic DDR Food Court FYE Spencer's Hot Rags Coldstone In that order! We were not cool people.

[@cynthiaj.simmons870]

Great video!!! 🤗❤️🤗❤️🤗❤️ I don't remember when I lived in Elgin, Illinois if I ever drove down this this mall to visit it. Since I'm in Rockford, Illinois I couldn't get to see this last days/day of this mall because of car problems and my husband's change of is schedule of him working 4 days of the week from 7:00pm to 7:00am but it's so sad to know another well known mall in my home state of Illinois is closing up just so sad. ☹️☹️☹️

[@JohnnyangelNIU]

Sometimes both 1st and second floor wall doors are left open, which used to lead to Macy’s wing of the mall. I walked back there a few times and looked back there as recent as about 2 weeks ago, and everything is still back there, I’m not even sure why they walled it off. I think, technically - right beyond where "Macy’s Front doors" were, is where the store was chopped. But the “mall area” still exists behind those locked door and seems to look as it always has.

[@Glennerb]

They took down 30 feet from Macy's door to where the wall to the ouside is. There are a few reasons they kept it blocked off, but mostly for safety.

[@EC_3276]

Tbh I film elevators around Chicago too!, and that mall was my childhood mall too!, came since 2017, came a lot in 2020, and early 2021, and then haven’t been back till 2023 but was outside the mall, now the mall is going to die by April!, I had a real good feeling that mall wasn’t going to survive any longer, my plan of project is to get to the mall and get my final visit at the mall

[@humanshrek1836]

Namdar Reality has absolutely destroyed this mall in less than a few years. That’s sad. They’re known for neglecting malls and killing them.

[@cruisin_and_rollin23]

keep up the good content leo 👍

[@Knee_Boy64]

Man, me and all my friends worked here. I worked at Hot Rags, a couple friends worked at Spencer's, some Hot Topic, some Coldstone and the food court, but most of them worked the theater. I hope all the free movies I saw didn't contribute to the death of the mall, lol. RIP.

[@LeoPlaysMCElevators]

I remember all of those stores.

[@alexmorales1419]

Why can't they renovated the mall just like Woodfield Mall?

[@LeoPlaysMCElevators]

I’m not an expert but I think it has something to do with Namdar and the malls proximity to Woodfield Mall and Oakbrook Center.

[@BluepuptweetElevators]

So weird to see a mall so dead

[@andrewr.2507]

I know! And it's really tough.

[@greatcitysportaction2289]

Will the entire mall be closed permanently, or only some stores?

[@LeoPlaysMCElevators]

The entire mall will be closed, Kohl’s will stay open.

[@greatcitysportaction2289]

@@LeoPlaysMCElevators Oh ok, thx for the info.

[@steveorino78]

I remember are family went on opening day 1981 I was twelve years old i can't believe I remember. We mainly gone to fox valley Mall that's still open. St, Charles lost all are malls because of the Geneva Commons .