The Dead Mall At Anthem | Retail Archaeology

[@mochrimek]

Every time I leave Phoenix on the 17, this outlet mall is always my marker to let me know when i'm almost home on a return drive from sedona/flagstaff.

[@robbieway2740]

Almost home? Broski, I live in the Verde Valley and Anthem means I still got another hour ride to get home!

[@djinfreemind1966]

The reason outlet were so far from cities originally is that the manufacturers had distance rules in there contracts that dictated how far these outlet sellers had to be away from full retail sellers.

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

Orlando, Orlando.gov has retail outlets all over. They had large crowds due to tourists. 🛒.

[@djinfreemind1966]

I don't think they have those distance restrictions anymore because there are much more centrally located outlets now

[@anneangstadt1882]

thanks for the info that explains the locations of outlet malls I've noticed around the Washington DC area at least.

[@geonerd]

@@djinfreemind1966 And in exchange, the outlets have raised their prices to nearly match retail. And they wonder why no one shops there anymore?!

[@mathewmclean9128]

It isn't an official Retail Archeology video without the good ol' submerged fountain cam...

[@lo1bo2]

Yes, I totally GLUB GLUB GLUB ............ GASP! Someone shoved my head underwater!

[@chadtanner52]

It even had the abandoned cup, a 2 in 1 shot

[@rwdplz1]

The number of outdoor malls in Arizona is baffling, considering the extreme heat, but the western style architecture is always fascinating!

[@MultiCreditKIng]

Outdoors malls are more cost-effective because rent isn't as high as indoor malls. Plus most people don't like to walk to there stores.

[@williamnoll7935]

If you live in central Arizona, the heat is not that bad... as long as you're in the shade. And (unfortunately), lots of people keep moving here for it...

[@sds9904]

Ac for area not used gets rolled into your rent!

[@robertsitch1415]

Less rain and snow in the southwest makes it easier to transport you purchase through exterior corridors.

[@buckroger6456]

The heat has never bothered me one bit and it's really only got for 3-4 months tops. I say the bigger problem is over saturation of shopping centers.

[@jeffrapier947]

Working fountains in a dead mall? That's rare.

[@madhatterz28]

I worked there from 2000 until 2003, and still visited regularly until 2010 or so. It was the Prime Outlets of New River, then the name change to Outlets at Anthem sometime around 2002. There were many other stores there, and the outer wings were solid instead of parking like they are now. The whole complex was shaped like "UUU". Many stores have come and gone. I worked at KB Toys, Quicksilver/Roxy, Levi's, Radio Shack, and Auntie Anne's. The original food court lineup from South to North was Cinnamonster, Subway(caught dealing cocaine through "5 dollar footlongs") , a Sbarro pizza knockoff, Taco Bell, Great Steak and Potato Company, Mall Chinese, and Burger King. The Auntie Anne's has always been there as far as I know. The big remodel was around 2007 or so I, but I could be wrong. Some of the other stores I remember being there were Nike, Reebok, The Gap, The Music Factory (horribly overpriced music store- $20/cd), a Hallmark store, Kitchen Collection, candy store, a hair salon, a luggage store, a REALLY crappy bookstore, Bullseye Wireless, Dress Barn, Bugle Boy, Big Dog, Chicago Cutlery, Black & Decker, Bass Clothing Co, Mi Casa.

[@Ashleenaccarato]

After moving from Phoenix 3 years ago (Phoenix born and raised), I honestly always look forward to these videos. I appreciate the work you do!

[@jonfleck8687]

I remember that the largest Christmas Tree in the West was located there.

[@joewilson3393]

I thought I saw on the news that they had put it up this year.

[@WilliamLHand]

It's there.

[@stacyvanthul15]

I remember the tree too

[@jeebs621]

Sadly it’s been shrinking every year since it blew over

[@sarahbizzz]

A few minutes in I was like “hmmm I wouldn’t say this is a dead mall, it looks like most other malls” but then I realized it’s because most all malls are dying lol

[@MrJamieBattle]

It was a Prime Outlet center at first so i think that’s who built it. Prime sold off A LOT of their centers in the early 2000s.

[@RetailArchaeology]

Thank you!

[@retailadventures6]

@@RetailArchaeology Hi! My local outlet mall, Chicago premium outlets has a Rocky Mountain chocolate factory which has a good smell like you said. They also have a food court. However way more busy.

[@MrJamieBattle]

@@retailadventures6 Chicago Premium is one of my favorite outlets i wanted to go to.

[@syxepop]

No wonder it looked like the former Prime Outlet Mall (now Premium Outlets) at Barceloneta, PR (35 mi W of San Juan in the north coast of PR). Most Prime locations (except for this one as I can see) were sold to Simon Malls back then...

[@colormedubious4747]

I can't be the only one hearing the lyrics to "Cruel Summer" in my head as the background music plays, can I?

[@wendyokoopa7048]

I missed that and I love bananarama

[@michaelcharach]

I am from Canada, but remember making the trip from fountain hills to this mall like 13 years ago. It was packed, the deals were great. 3 or 4 years later I remembered seeing some stores having not going out of business sales, now it looks like it is on life support. It really is a beautiful mall...

[@nemesisconvoy86]

It was opened mid-90's. I used to go when there was a KB Outlet until they closed and became a TRU outlet. There also used to be an awesome book store as well.

[@nemesisconvoy86]

We would always use it as an excuse to head out to Rock Springs Cafe for breakfast. The stop on the way home.

[@RetailArchaeology]

Ok now I'm very sad that I missed out on the KB Toys outlet. I got a lot of old video games from a different one back in the mid 90s. I got a Sega Master System and a few games for $30 and this was when the 32X was already out.

[@boardst8086]

I remember the bookstore ☺️

[@brianfuller7691]

I like Anthem and I've been to this outlet mall several times. Sadly, this mall had been steadily declining. It does still have some cool stores at a quite cool outside mall.

[@sds9904]

It used to be packed with foreign tourists on tour buses. Parts of the mall was torn down and parts built after 2009. Some high end stores like mikasa, leather, 2 bookstores, 2 kitchen stores. The had a store that sold real silver silverware! Ps. I hate those trains. Spells doom!

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

Orlando FL Orlando.gov does that too. Huge malls, outlets driven by huge 🌏 tourist, business travel crowds. Florida lost $$$ by CoVid19. Tourist places lose big in pandemics.

[@deniagarrett7698]

Because I work at Arrowhead I truly had no clue that the others were struggling this bad.

[@ckrtom2]

Oh no! Not Anthem Mall. 😒 Used to drive through here all the time commuting from Phoenix to Northern Arizona. Yes, I visited here a few times. Such a shame. My feeling is this mall’s target customers is Anthem itself, and not relying so much on Phoenix people to drive out this far...Geez, I always thought this shopping venue was something of a stronghold. If it can’t make it, who can?! The latter half of the video made it seem busier though, so maybe there’s a glimmer of hope?! Damned Covid! ...That such a little ole (BIG!) virus could destroy our economy and lifestyles as we know it-and it may never return!

[@Ozzy_2014]

Not the virus the idiotic lockdowns.

[@ArizonaWillful]

@@Ozzy_2014 Ah, a stupid Trumper who still thinks the virus is a hoax.

[@bastardferret869]

@@ArizonaWillful Soon... only 99.98% of us will remain. What horror.

[@freshstart4423]

I don't think it will close because freeway traffic and nearby houses and apartment, high-school traffic. There's a Walmart close by. Someone will buy it and get it going. The bathrooms are really nice.

[@ashleypinnick]

I know this mall well. We went when it first opened to go to the Nike factory store. I was very little, so I don't remember much, other than buying Beanie Babies at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Later on though, we lived closer to the area in the 00s. My dad worked here for years at the now long defunct Radioshack, and as a pre-teen I would trek in the heat of summer here on foot since there was nothing better to do. It did definitely have a different name before. Something like "Premium Outlets". They also redid the food court and bathrooms in the mid 00s right before the housing crisis. For a while, they marketed the fact that they had something like the "nicest bathrooms in America" here. The bathrooms are actually pretty crazy from what I remember, too! They also used to get a massive live Christmas tree every year and boast that again, they had the "biggest Christmas tree in America / the world/ etc" to bring in business. It's been slow for years though, especially in the late 00s when people's homes in Anthem were foreclosed on in droves and a lot of folks left. It would be dead in the summer from the heat as well. And as other communities grew up around the North Phoenix area, it became less and less popular. A lot of folks I went to school with worked at the local shops (mostly Levi's, Bath and Body Works or Auntie Anne's), and it was never all that busy. You could come by and drop in on your friend while they were working and have no customers come by at all. It was always very clean though, I'll give them that.

[@andysorensen1737]

For being a dead mall it actually looks really well kept.

[@ArizonaWillful]

That's because it isn't dead. This video is BS.

[@zanaynay]

@@ArizonaWillful No, Its dead. I lived there almost 9 years and I can say it is dead. Almost everything is closed, and it really sucks.

[@runee1977]

I wish we still had Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory around here, loved their apples!

[@alexismccoy9625]

They opened one in arrowhead mall!

[@cowbatboots282]

A strong chlorine smell doesn't indicate large amounts of chlorine, it indicates a high bacteria degradation\death.

[@ARGAMAWOO]

They built Outlet Mall far away from civilization back in the 90s was because the brands that opened outlet stores didn’t want to compete with their own regular stores or flagship stores in the city. Back then outlet stores actually sold the same items as their regular stores but the defective or irregular items were sent to outlet stores for discounted price. Brands later made outlet stores specific models and therefore they can afford to open outlet stores in the city as they don’t directly compete with their regular stores.

[@drdrew3]

Yes. Now outlet malls often sell a second line of goods of lesser quality. For some stores it has backfired by associating their brand with a lesser quality. It was the inflection point for Banana Republic

[@aliciafucles4628]

This

[@TinkyTru]

Arizona seems so depressing with all the dead malls and brown buildings. Hello from South FL!

[@zanaynay]

Trust me, it isn’t. We have so much to do lol.

[@ArizonaWillful]

80 degrees today with NO humidity.

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

@@ArizonaWillful that's good in mid Nov. Florida, Orlando.gov is mild too 70s to 80s tops, low humidity. We still have 🌀 & bad ⛈ on occasion. It will start to get hot, late Jan or early Feb. In the 2000s; 2000 to 2004 era it was 30-50 this time of year: Oct to Jan early mornings.

[@aniassantiago6445]

Its not. Its one of the most beautiful places in the country and theres plenty of things to do.

[@jeebs621]

AZ definitely caters to the old man market

[@robfreedman6496]

A lot of great memories of going there! With outlets like Tanger, Desert Ridge, and Tempe Market Place have hurt this shopping center!

[@JohnKelly2]

Retail Archeology: Home of FountainCam®

[@jesset3395]

Awww... It looks so sunny and warm there, here where i live most of the day its just dark, rainy, windy and cold.

[@Almighty_cornholio]

Come back in the summer when it's 115° lol

[@Ozzy_2014]

@Hyperskreem 82 plenty of sunny days in Winnipeg Canada too. Less of a comfort when its -43°C though.

[@johnglynn9354]

I miss the sunny skies and the warm weather of AZ. 117 degrees....loved it

[@johnglynn9354]

@Hyperskreem 82 summers on the east coast is worse. The humidity is terrible. I miss the warm dry heat of Phoenix.

[@williamnoll7935]

I remember when it first opened (it used to have a tool outlet store... maybe Black and Decker). But here's the problem with it's location: if you're heading up North, you know traffic can be a heavy up the mountain, so you want to keep moving; if you're heading South, it had no gas station (it does now - and it's higher priced than driving a few more miles) and any obvious restaurants like McDonalds to lure you in, to get some food on the final leg home.

[@sds9904]

Black and decker...still have my drill I bought there in 1998 with gift certs from my dumb job at America West Airlines. Lol!

[@TheStevenp851]

I went to this mall when it first opened and always found it to be a nice place. When I moved to Anthem it was a quiet place to hang out and have lunch and enjoy being outside.

[@kaise5315]

I remember the food court got a huge renovation a few years back, from the floors to the seats the whole thing screamed mid-90’s. Even after that renovation and the addition of the covered parking there were a bunch of empty storefronts in the inner parts of the mall. I have a lot of memories there from when i was a kid, they would host pokémon card game tournaments in the food court every friday, and my school’s choir would sing christmas carols at the tree lighting ceremony. (It looks like you filmed the place right before the tree went up!) Also, it is notoriously hard to dig up information about the place, even if you live in Anthem. I just knew it was built in basically the middle of the desert and Anthem was built around it. Great video!

[@kaise5315]

I think the reason why there are so many outside malls in AZ is because it would cost so much to keep the whole thing air conditioned

[@NekoMisho]

Okay it may be vacant.. it may be outdated.. but the refurbished restrooms in the food court always made me happy to visit 🤣

[@aztitate]

This mall used to be a really popular mall. I worked here from 2005 to 2009 and up until online shopping exploded it was always busy. I remember a time when I dreadef going to work just because I didn't want to walk through the crowds of people. And I certainly dreaded Christmas time. It's sad to see that it is slowly dying! I hope they find a way to bring some new business into it and bring some life back to it!

[@wowhaha4871]

Did you try the Wayback Machine? Just wondering lol. I find lots of amazing early 2000s mall websites and directories there.

[@whispernaut]

Great video as always! I hate to ruin your fun but wanted a share a cautionary tale about mall restaurants. While I was working at my now bulldozed dead mall (RIP Woburn Mall) we had a Mcdonalds close down next to the cigar shop that I worked nights at. When they demoed the inside of the McDonalds all the rats came through our shared wall and terrorized the rest of the mall. Years later I heard from a security guard that the extermination company the mall hired actually quit working with the Chinese food restaurant in the mall because they wouldn't clean up the backroom and so their extermination services were just a bandaid on the situation. I haven't been able to enjoy food court food ever since D:

[@fwingebritson]

It's nice to see a mall owner doing the best they can with what they got. Nice place kept in good shape. While it is against the odds, I hope they grow in the future, both in patrons and stores.

[@airaero5473]

Being someone from Canada, the outlet malls here are just absolutely whitewashed and aren't even 10 years old. Like you said, I also get bored at outlet malls. But with this one it is 25 years old instead of like 7 or 8 years old.

[@coreym162]

Because Canada sucks and isn't business friendly.

[@Jay-uf6sf]

Nice video again! Love it when you guys go to food courts and actually eat there. It's like you support the mall a bit then :)

[@boardst8086]

I love going to Anthem outlet. It had changed a lot over the years. The food court is wonderful and it is busy on the weekends sometimes.

[@wtfisonyouface]

It was packed last year during Black Friday, I couldn’t move from place to place and we had to park all the way in the back. The food court we couldn’t sit at since it was so full, so we were literally shopping with pretzels in hand going in and out of stores during the holidays. After this year what I wouldn’t give to have that back.

[@guitarboyjeff]

I remember in the early 2000’s when the Big Dogs shirts were popular!! They used to have a store there!! I’m also sure that the Bose store has closed. I remember when they were trying to sell people a $6000 theater tv!! 😂 Just seeing all these places closedown really hits because they were still busy just a few years ago!! 😔

[@ArizonaWillful]

I'll never fathom your fascination with the interior of fountains.

[@TheBmann10]

Sad to see this, grew up in Anthem and this mall was always a very important part of my childhood. Glad to see you literally ordered what I would get at famous wok. That place has been there forever.

[@TheBmann10]

They always had the fucking hugest Christmas trees. One time they had I believe the biggest in the world that year, but the top flew off in a storm so they had to close and then put a Santa hat on it.

[@oguIC]

I can tell you a bit about the Ruby's Express. I am just some random guy but I had a conversation with the owner of the Ruby's Express very early on this year. He was actually the guy wearing black when you walked past it. He was staring at you. At the point when I talked to him, this was the only Ruby's Express in existence. He told me there were plans to make more but I don't think that there has been much work done because of the pandemic. As you can imagine, the menu of this Ruby's is far more limited than it's sit-down cousins. This place only has burgers, shakes, fries and maybe salad. The basic things. However, it does have one more thing that is unique to this Ruby's, chicken strips. It is the owner's own recipe. They're actually really good. The beef patties are also the owner's special blend so these burgers taste quite different than the ones you would find at Ruby's Diner. Also, this place does punch cards which I think is pretty cool and it is rare to see any kind of business do it. It has counter seating with a mini jukebox which is pretty awesome. But I'm sure the counter is closed now.

[@joshuajerrythereviewer]

Can you do an update of christown spectrum mall I heard they lost costco and jcpenney. I'm not from Arizona I'm actually from Northern New York State but I've seen your videos their awesome and I like christown spectrum mall. Maybe with Costco vacancy they can add a Sam's club to the mall and maybe with jcpenney gone they can turn it into Arizona's first Runnings Farm and Fleet

[@ZefTillDeath8878]

Sure, there are other mall videos, but who else gives you footage inside mall water fountains? This is something I didn't realize I needed. Seriously, I enjoyed the video. They don't have malls like this here in frigid MN.

[@joeltyler3427]

7:52 They are doing over here in Australia. But you need to be social distancing from Santa.

[@brainlikesieve]

Still need to get to texas.....you gotta see the outlet mall in Texas that was dead before it started near corpus christi.

[@jtlovescodelyoko]

The outlets in robstown, yeah I know, I still have never gone there and they have a wetzel's pretzels it's the only shopping mall in the coastal bend to have one.

[@colormedubious4747]

@@jtlovescodelyoko Didn't Sunrise Mall have one, back in the day?

[@jtlovescodelyoko]

@@colormedubious4747 Pretzel World was a just a Family owned Pretzel Place, The owner Dolly Chapa is a Facebook friend of mine, after they closed the interior space of the mall, she moved it to the Corpus Christi Trade Center

[@colormedubious4747]

@@jtlovescodelyoko Good to know. Thanks!

[@CristianOrtiztechmaster926]

I was just there a month ago, and I don't recall the windows being boarded off at the Sunglass Hut but was closed. I also remember my sister wanting a drink from one of the vending machines close to the Coach Factory, and it took her money, not giving her the drink she requested that tells you that the mall is falling apart horribly. I also looked like the building across the new Skechers location was partially under construction as a small expansion to the mall. I wouldn't be surprised if in the next ten years that this mall will be more doctor offices of some sort.

[@kaise5315]

definitely. The mall gets expansions and renovations every so often, but it never really drums up much business

[@mrtempleton5302]

What a great way to start a Saturday, with Retail Archaeology!

[@mcain2911]

That whole mall definitely has a 90’s vibe, but I like it because those colors seem to work in desert environments.

[@MrDan708]

7:40 - I've been to Hershey, PA a bunch of times, so I could picture the bouquet of that Rocky Mtn Chocolate place.

[@phedingsfield]

I remember it always being packed out there on the weekends

[@bryanzambrano6859]

From 2010-2012 I lived in Anthem Arizona and the drive to the Outlets was just a couple mins away. This is really sad to see/ I remember it being really active during those times. Christmas time was awesome over here. Also all I can recall was the the electronic sign was added around 2010 though I can be wrong.

[@katereilly9367]

God I remember going to this mall, it was a bit of a drive so it was a special occasion sort of thing. I remember going to the Bose store with my parents.

[@mikescott8]

When I first moved to AZ (15ish years ago) and lived in Surprise and kids were little we’d drive there a bunch. Since the 303 was not open all the way to 17 like it is now. It was a nice drive and nap for the kids. But as kids grew older and Westgate and the outlets built out more, they were closer, and started going there. I don’t remember there being cover parking last time there...quite a few years ago. It was pretty much the outlets and a few places across the street. I’ve been to anthem a few times (not for outlets) and notice a lot of retail growth around there. Thanks for the video. Might have to go visit before it dies completely

[@Jvhh9]

Wasn’t as good as Panda Express has to be 2020 put into words.

[@dudeguy7347]

That comment makes about as much sense as "moon flying over 1993 as bad as green"

[@bastardferret869]

​@@dudeguy7347 Quotes would have helped "Wasn't as good as Panda Express..." has to be (the year) 2020 put into words. Better? I thought it was hilarious, though.

[@dudeguy7347]

@@bastardferret869 Has to be the year 2020 put into words? uh okay

[@N.G.H.]

Wow this mall died really quick. I remembered those closed stores were filled in and used by all sorts of retailers back in 2011 and 2012 but in 8 short years they've all cleared out except for stores like Bath and Body works which you can find everywhere else. I feel bad for the folks living in Anthem cuz that community now looks so lonely out there with just a Walmart nearby.

[@bccphotec]

There are plenty of other retailers in and around Anthem, including a WalMart right across the street. This side of the freeway was actually annexed by Phoenix a few years ago. Anthem is the northern edge of the suburbs now.

[@jeebs621]

Too many people in anthem reject the idea of “big business” and insist on supporting local business. Anthem gets nothing new, just mediocre restaurants and shops.

[@danielluna1818]

We live just up the road from the anthem outlets . Early summer my daughter and went for some walks around the covered parts to be outside and be covered . Not a lot of tenants . When my daughter asked about why there wasn’t many tenants , my reply was online . People would rather just buy online and avoid the crowds . I’m sure the pandemic stuff doesn’t help . And , we were just up here tonight for the Xmas tree ! It was really nice . I try to definitely support localism if I can , and I will shop often as I can and use food court when I want to get away from the wilderness of north Phoenix to way north Phoenix. The tanger outlets have killed this place for sure ! Thank you for the videos I enjoy them a lot 🤘

[@donutman.24]

I've been here. It's slowly dying, which stinks, since I like this place.

[@elizap3614]

That’s one of the nicest outlet malls I’ve ever seen! If it were different times, I’d def be shopping there.

[@jtlovescodelyoko]

Your observation about these outlet malls that are dying that have been placed in very far regions is perfect observation, another example I can place onto that is the outlet malls in Hillsboro Texas I remember when I was little when me and my dad drove to Dallas, we always pass by it and it used to be pack and had a lot of stores now recently it is dead, it is super dead, they're like a few stores left in those outlet malls.

[@watershed44]

@Retail Archaeology Thanks for showing the fountains. I love em and it attracts me to malls. This was always a big draw for people all the way back in the 1960s Why in the world the owners started deactivating them at existing malls or not continuing to keep including them in new malls is a mystery to me. I really like the open areas with seating, if it's not too hot looks like a nice place to sit outside and people watch.

[@zanaynay]

I HAVE SOME HISTORY. I lived in anthem for around 9 years, and went here quite a lot. For a long time there was a subway inside and there was supposed to be a radio thing for radio station but i’m not sure if it got cancelled or not. At christmas time there is a giant christmas tree and i’m pretty sure they redid the inside of the food court at one point.

[@ArizonaWillful]

There was a subway station? Wow!

[@zanaynay]

@@ArizonaWillful no, I mean subway sandwiches

[@GoGreen1977]

Back in the 1990s, I bought several items at a nearby Coach outlet. I got some great deals there. Coach purses were a big deal when I was a young, career woman. I also bought a suede jacket and various accessories. I still have the leather checkbook cover. It aged well.

[@overbanked]

Impressive saguaros! I know that yall are so used to them in AZ

[@AsianTrekkieAZ]

Hello Retail Archaeology! Native Phoenician here of 37 years (and a city planner). Outlets at Anthem used to be called AZ FACTORY SHOPS aka AZ FACTORY OUTLETS. The original cluster of buildings was built in 1996 just after the City of Phoenix annexed the west side of Interstate 17 in November 1995. Sometime in the early 2000s it became the Outlets at Anthem, a few years after Anthem was constructed on the east side of the freeway in unincorporated Maricopa County. In 2008, the outlets expanded with a new wing built on the north end (very bad timing since this was during the recession). In 2015, the southernmost wing was split into two retail pads. Next time if you want to provide additional commentary on a particular dead or dying mall in the Phoenix Metro area, checkout the historical aerials on the Maricopa County website. Sometimes you'll hit gold and find old building permits within the City of Phoenix website, which was how I found the old name AZ FACTORY SHOPS/OUTLETS. Thank you for the awesome videos! :)

[@celesteraven916]

Those inside the fountain shots look and feel so refreshing

[@D_Roadtrip_Productions]

The original name was Desert Hills Mall. I went there during it's first opening month because I lived in Mesa and my future wife was in Flagstaff so I passed by here often

[@marionmitchell261]

AAAAAWWWWWWWEEEEE. The underwater action cam!!! Very satisfying. Marion.

[@ManBearPig20oh10]

I visited Arizona for the first time 3 years ago and my aunt took us to this outlet. I spent more time in the Bose store since we don't have one in Cincinnati anymore

[@RivLoveshine]

I used to come here every summer with my brother and grandparents. We'd come for the Pokémon card tournaments. This wasn't in the 90s, though. This was in the 2010s

[@MandalorianFanboy]

Edging ever closer to the 100k sub milestone!💥💥 I’ve been watching since about 10k. Wondering if we will ever get another live stream series of a Mall Tycoon build? When the pandemic first hit, I binge watched all of those videos.

[@Murasakiii]

This is beautiful architecture, I imagine it would have been great a few years before, full of people. But on the other hand it looks so peaceful like this.

[@Almighty_cornholio]

I just realized you're almost at 100k!! Congrats

[@1_Fish.2_Fish.Red_Fish.]

This place has being repurposed as an education center written all over it.

[@MultiCreditKIng]

What good is a education center if this place can't bring in jobs?

[@drdrew3]

Now that the growth is in on-line education those malls repurposed into community colleges are struggling too

[@lemonfraid]

There's been a polling place at the Flagstaff mall for quite a few years now. It was there the previous election.

[@christopherhindle8371]

Opened in the mid to late 1990's. It used to be called New River Outlet Mall (or something like that), until the Anthem master planned community was established. It used to be on the distance outskirts of The Valley (where land & rent was super cheap), but it has really been built up substantially. My wife & I used to live in Grand Canyon National Park. We would get gas and eat at the food court here on our way home after visiting our parents in Phoenix, AZ. There used to Kettle Corn vendors near the parking lot that we'd get a bag for the road. Because of the big parking lot, the food court used to get a lot of trucker traffic. My wife interviewed for a job here in 1997.

[@c.keefer332]

Awesome as always!! Great job.

[@Amiliere]

I used to work there, it's so satisfying to see on your channel. Bummed I didn't get to meet you though

[@thatsmeatman7023]

If you ever find yourself in Dallas you should visit the galleria

[@jonfleck8687]

I used to love going there, sad to see it dying.

[@dadoctah]

I used to go here a lot back in the '90s, before they added that "outbuilding", and the big draws for me were the book liquidator, the music store (where I bought a lot of Grateful Dead teddy bears for my mother), the kitchen supply place and the Black & Decker store. So naturally those were the first places that closed. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory was there in those days but the food court wasn't as much. Flash forward to earlier this year and in doing Doordash deliveries up north, I think I picked up orders from just about every place in that food court at one time or another. The outlets still shows up on my app as a "hotspot" to wait for orders, even at night.

[@blackwatertrs]

I worked across in Anthem, I was working for an electrical contractor wiring the track housing. Back then that outlet was the place to be, I haven’t been there in over 15 years.

[@Tylky]

I’d like to see more outlet malls. The aesthetic is so appealing.

[@backdraft57]

Just left there. Very sad. More closed locations than open. The part at the end where you said this part seems ok, where the sidewalk sale was……totally dead all stores gone except Calvin Klein on one end and Banana Republic on the other. Saw about 20 people

[@reigels]

Great video! I remember taking my wife and young daughter to see the outdoor snow making machine there about 20 years ago.

[@darktetsuya]

always love the fountain diving shots! I was also surprised to see 'ruby's express' I just moved in with my s/o down here in oceanside, ca and that chain's like our go to for upscale burgers! and wash it all down with a chocolate coke, it's good stuff!

[@stockmanbryce1]

I grew up in this town coming to this place, this is so nostalgic for me holy crap

[@plopping-wetlyacademyofmot9639]

I LOVE the new intro! Great video as usual. We always stop everything and watch when RA drops a new one

[@ARGAMAWOO]

Beginning of the 90s was the start of the Outlet Mall craze and I am sure they built this to catch a piece of the Outlet Mall pie at the height of that craze and era.

[@amywilson4120]

The newer Shops at Norterra (Happy Valley Rd. & I-17) are very close by, and drew a lot of traffic away from the Anthem Outlets.

[@ArizonaWillful]

One reason why this outlet mall may be suffering long term is because the huge Desert Ridge clone known as the Happy Valley (?) Mall was opened about 10 years ago around 8 miles south of this. It has all the typical major stores, lots of chain restaurants like OLIVE GARDEN, RED LOBSTER, APPLEBEES and all the big box stores, IMAX theaters, etc. How can a humble little outlet mall like this compete with a huge outdoor mall (with classic Phoenix giant stately palm tree entrance) strategically built just north of the 101? By the way, Phoenix recently annexed all the land up to Anthem. This Anthem mall and all property to the west of 17 is now Phoenix! I don't know if that increased retail taxes.

[@Rogue849]

I enjoyed the vid very much. Please keep them coming. It's also gonna be interesting to see how malls do during Christmas, considering the pandemic.

[@ernestojr.acosta972]

I went to this mall in 2009. We were driving along the highway and noticed it by chance. We went on a weekday and as is usual, there weren’t that much people but I would say there was a fair crowd. It’s so sad to see what has happened to it. 😔

[@michaellicavoli3921]

Absolutely a beautiful day in Az!

[@michaelpedersen7752]

First thanks Retail Archeology for all your videos, its fun for me, to se americans malls ( i live in Denmark) and i spend my childhood i a mall,( just outside of AArhus. the second biggest city in Denmark) its was built i 1972 and this was among the very first malls in Denmark. and it had an arcade, cinema over 60 shops and a great square with a scene, ( for santa, and bands ect.) so it was just great.. now its struggling a bit, because there are newer malls near the big city. just like the mall in this video. BUT back to why i write this, when i saw the ceiling fans OUTSIDE i was just flabbergasted, here in europe and scandinavia we have been very aware of the climate etc. ( and i am absolute no saint in that regard ) ;) but fans outside ?? that is just mind blowing ;) .( i know it's hot over there the in many states), but. this takes the cake :) thanks again. RA. and sorry for the long comment /regards Michael

[@arbutuswatcher]

I remember the mall trains, especially around Christmas Time. Growing up in the Midwest, our's were always of the indoor variety. We do have a few outdoor malls left, from the 1980's, but they don't have as many storefronts as I remember. Back in the day, they had a number of restaurants, a hardware store, a shoe store, a camera store, where my parents had their filmed developed, and even a model train store. I think a shift in the local community's economy, plus the Covid-19 effects have dealt a death blow to many of the businesses. My kids are already asking about pictures with Santa. Sadly many of the malls around us are all but closed, with most of their anchors now long gone. Eastland Mall in Bloomington, has only one anchor left - Kohls. Northwoods Mall in Peoria also has only one left - JCPenney's. The Peru Mall in Peru has no anchors left, and I honestly don't know if the mall is even open any more. If we do go for family pictures, it will probably be at the JCPenney's at Cherryvale Mall, in Cherry Valley. However, with all of the statewide shutdowns, it's tough to predict how things will play-out in the next 2-months. We're definitely living in very different times, from that of my youth.

[@jodietroutman1485]

I lived in Anthem for a couple years (around 2014) and the mall seems to do fairly consistent business from locals because we didn't wanna waste the gas to Phoenix. The food is usually pretty hopping just for quick service food that we can't eat elsewhere like Charlie's.

[@BoratWanksta]

Stratford Square Mall(Bloomingdale, IL) was used as an early voting place, before it closed down. That is interesting the Anthem outlet mall also had an early voting site, as well.

[@robertomoreno7427]

I used to go here a lot when I was younger. I feel like this outlet mall made the Phoenix outdoor outlets popular. Once the Phoenix ones opened, this one died.

[@drdrew3]

Our local giant indoor mall sold for $150 at public auction. All the new owners got was the debt and a largely vacant mall. The 4 anchor stores owned instead of rented so the thought was they’d never leave. Now Sears and Macy’s/Bloomingdales are gone leaving just sad JC Penny and Dillards. The rent is so low that nearly anybody can have a store front. I go every few months just to see the wacky merchants: vape shops, anime, big cult church, laser tag, indoor miniature golf, karate school with boxing ring, orchid store. It’s a cross between a carnival and a cemetery. Fascinating social and economic experiment