The Mall of New Hampshire: It's Not Dead, Yet!

Join me as I take a look at The Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, New Hampshire. Is it a dead mall? Nope, not yet! Let me know what you think in the comments!
This video was filmed in November 2023 on a Saturday around 2:00pm.
If you liked this video, please give me a thumbs up, leave a comment and subscribe to my channel! Thanks!
Source of information:
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#mall #malls #newhampshire #manchester #shoppingmall #shoppingmalls #retail #nostalgia

[@amylaber-brinkler2853]

Thank you for liking the old sign to the Mall of NH. My dad put that sign up! :) Keep doing these videos!

[@kencayer1628]

This is my hometown mall. I live about 2 miles from here. Before this mall expanded and remolded back in the 90s it had much more character. Under the tile flooring is all brick which was unfortunately covered over. Center court where the Apple store is had stairs leading down to a seating area with water fountains. There was also another area with stairs and fountains around where the Victorias secret is. Those areas were filled in and tiled over. The food court entrace was a mall hallway with restaurants that had full seating. Not the open concept that it is today. The Mens Warehouse was a Ground round restuarant. There was a Papa Ginos with full seating and a Mcdonalds with full seating in that area as well. I will say they do a very good job here keeping the vacancys to a minimun. The mall is definitely holding its own.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks for the info and for watching

[@risksrewardsrelics51]

I remember the brick floors and the old food court… Arby’s had seating back then and there was another table service restaurant (I think it was called Weeks?) I even remember when smoking was still allowed in the mall, lol. I worked in this mall for many years. I agree that it has much less character since the renovation in the 90s.

[@paulsmith8510]

Remember the fish tank at McDonald's?!?!? Born in 87. I have vague memories of the old setup. I do remember Leachmere

[@TRJ2241987]

It kills me that there are like no photos or videos of the mall in its prime. How is that possible? I played NBA Jam for the first time in 1993 at this mall

[@TheReubenKincaid]

The restaurant at the Food Court way back was called The Memory Lane. My father ran a store called Salad and….. Back in the early 80s there was an Orange Julius, a Friendly s Type restaurant , a Bakery. This Mall was the place to go back in the day. The closest other Mall was in Burlington, Ma. Used to go with my friends to “Cruise for chicks” 😂 Back then it was trying to see what girl would catch your eye…lol never had the nerve to approach. Miss those days where you had to go out and learn to be social

[@andysorensen1737]

I live in a state with no sales tax on clothing (MN), and the “shopping tourism” is more common than you’d think. When Mall of America first opened, you’d even have travel groups from as far as Japan make the trip to shop!

[@nathanfisher3813]

I feel like the airplane tickets would cost more than the state tax.

[@TRJ2241987]

Adam Sandler was walking around here a month or two ago. Many childhood memories here and the Toys R Us plaza across the street. This mall was awesome in the 90s (like they all were) I think my favorite memory as an adult was being here when the 2010 NBA Finals were going on, just seeing all of the Celtics/Lakers stuff and "Beat L.A." shirts on the mannequins was so great to see. As a very small child I went to a Spiderman comic book signing and for years I was under the impression I met Stan Lee and got his autograph that day. Then years later I came across the comic and found it was just signed "Spiderman"....I asked my Mom about it and she said the comic was signed by a mascot in a Spiderman costume

[@fleabittenadventures]

Cool. Thanks for watching.

[@yeahhoo86]

This is my second most frequented (Pheasant Lane is my local mall, can't wait for that video), and it is not dead at all. I picked up an Uber Eats delivery from the Dave & Buster's a couple of weeks ago, apparently they do that now. Also I've always found it odd right in the food for there is a Men's Wearhouse/Mr Tux. I guess if you are at the food court wearing suit, chopping down on your roast beef sandwich and get some Arby and Horsey sauce on your clothing, you can get a replacement in no time! 😃

[@nathanfisher3813]

I get all my suits from there, they smell delicious.

[@Stacey_LaValley_Lambert]

I’m from Nashua, home of the Pheasant Lane Mall. I prefer this mall over PLM because it is easier to get around and has a great variety of stores. I grew up with this mall and I still love going there today.

[@bradystewart5534]

I live 15 minutes north of here and the mall is still doing well. Manchester is a very centralized location and going to the mall is a tradition for a lot of people. It also has a lot of great stores and brands. It is located directly off the highway, and as mentioned, about 30 minutes from the Mass border, 45 minutes from Maine and 45 minutes from Vermont. There is a ton of parking. I think the relatively small size is a plus because it's not too overwhelming and is just packed with quality. During the holidays, closer to Christmas, the place is absolutely packed.

[@danabrown4628]

I've had a Christmas kiosk in this mall for 27 years, selling my artwork. While it doesn't have the traffic it had when it opened in 1977, it is still very busy at the holidays. Lot of good times here.

[@danabrown4628]

My stand is at 13:35

[@danabrown4628]

13:42

[@georgef551]

If you've done Pheasant Lane yet, it's a struggling mall that doesn't appear to be. Their online directory shows almost a dozen vacancies, but I counted about 5 in my walk-through. I've read that lots of stores closed in the past few years, but they were able to fill the spaces, with Mom-and-Pop stores, a bad sign. One thing going for it is the dead Sears is supposed to become a casino (the full store) late 2024. Can't always go by looks, Searstown (Whitney Field) after the JCP wing was fully occupied, anything that closed was reoccupied quickly, with 100 occupancy, and always crowded, but was struggling hard since the late 80s in spite of the success. The only two times it was bad was when Kimco sold the mall to Jones Lang Lasalle (and became Whitney Field), where it had a 50% occupancy rate. It bounced back fully for years, but they too had massive struggles with a busy mall with no vacancies. Now it's empty again, as you've seen. Basically, you can never tell what malls are struggling. Ones with some vacancies might be OK, while full ones are going bankrupt. Hard to imagine, but after Searstown's JCP wing expansion, it's been doomed ever since.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Stay tuned...... thanks for the info

[@SavSpdDemon]

I was *VERY* young when I went to this mall, I think I was 13, but I remember the four-way intersection where one road leads to this mall. This is a mall I have *GOT* to visit.

[@cdcVintage]

The only kiddie rides I remember in the 80s were the ones in front of the Kmarts. Do you remember those?

[@fleabittenadventures]

Sure do. That's what used to be inside a lot of malls.

[@gcen01]

I am a bit of a local historian so I can help you a lot here. First of all, I want to point out that "Simon Properties" is a terrible mall management company. every single mall they touch is bland with the dreaded black and white floor tiles they have destroyed a lot of Malls during their takeover bids in the 1990's and this Mall is certainly no exception. As other posters mentioned about brick floors and waterfalls that was before the expansion. it had character back in those times. The falls were great to sit next to and cool off from the mist they produced the air ducts were Orange painted. it was very welcoming. they sky windows were lit at night with colored bulbs the colors of the original sign. The Macy's at one point in the past was a Jordan Marsh. somehow Jordan Marsh is forgotten a ton for a reason. during the Mall's expansion at the same time period also the side restaurants where also added. Longhorn, Friday's, also the power project was done too. The Mall at one time in the early 2000's had a Carousel inside. it was taken down a few years later after the Manager that managed the staff for it passed away. R.I.P. Corinna Porter. I recall it was near Macy's. Tax Free shopping certainly helps New Hampshire, but also to take account of the insane population squeeze of Southern NH and North Eastern, MA fuels the Malls in the state if not for Simon, the malls could certainly do much better. A dead mall I can see coming would be the Mall at Rockingham Park. Rockingham Park (A former Horse Racing Track) has not existed for a time now. since 2016 when the whole park was razed and renamed the "Tuscan Village" Most of the smaller major stores in that mall have vacated to their own spaces inside to the "Projects" next door, still more construction is ongoing. A lot of the local rumor mill suggest the Tuscan will eventually take over the Mall property and raze the structure for additional assimilation part of that project has started with the Cinemark Movie Complex built into the parking lot next to the old Sears Autocenter that is not used likely waiting on environmental permits and clean up permits to raze it as it is a hazardous material zone. Thank you for taking your time to show folks the Mall of New Hampshire.

[@Jonny4384]

In my opinion the only way to truly judge a mall is by going in during its busiest time, which might be on the weekends? Thanks for another video!

[@fleabittenadventures]

Could be. It's just difficult for me to get to a lot of these malls and I just go whenever I gave free time, which is usually when I'm on pto during the week.

[@Jonny4384]

@@fleabittenadventures makes sense!

[@carolkratz382]

2:16

[@NexxisStudio]

@@fleabittenadventures I feel you going on time that is less busy is best barometer. Because the weekend and holiday season can be deceptive. Stores can't rely on 1 or 2 days a week to make money.

[@franch1281]

13:02 those coming soon signs have been there for 3+ years. Dicks uses the empty space as a "warehouse" for their canoes, kayaks, and more currently.

[@tallboyyyy]

At 12:18 the display booth in front of the Aloha Mini Golf sign that for a few seconds you were walking directly toward talks about the family that owned the farm land that the mall was built on. It has pictures of the old farm as well as family members that lived there. It used to be right outside Lechmere back in the 90's and has moved all around the mall. It's nice to see and learn about the history of the land the mall was built on and what it used to look like.

[@msx6800]

This mall used to have an Electronics Boutique where the current Gamestop is, and also a Gamestop where the current Buffalo WIld Wings is outside Best buy. Then for some reason the EB became Gamestop so the mall had two gamestops open at the same time.

[@Happy-American]

Nice

[@TRJ2241987]

Gamestop bought EB Games out in the Mid 2000s. Many malls had two Gamestop's for a period after that. Pheasant Lane in Nashua used to have two Gamestops too, there was one on the ground floor by Sears and Olympia Sports that is no longer there.

[@risksrewardsrelics51]

At 2:20 where the skylights end you are entering the part of the building that used to be Filene’s. If you go down the service corridor to the left, the old exterior facade is still intact on one of the walls. The transition back to skylights at 14:10 is re-entering the late 90s addition. There used to be an entrance here (with a glass sunroom type roof). Where Finish Line is now used to be a pet store that sold puppies… back when those were still a thing in malls. I grew up going to as well as worked in this mall for many years and know it inside and out.

[@Ascotman]

" I Love Malls!", Midland Mall, Warwick Mall, Emerald Square Mall, Braintree Mall, and the Maine Mall in South Portland. Much nicer than shopping online!

[@randallsundeen3383]

This Mall opened in 1977, I was 9 and we went to the Grand opening! In the center were water fountains! Stores in the Mall Record Town, Tweeter Ect. Lechmere, Seats, Filene's KB Toys,London Harness ( a luggage store) Hickory Farms, Spencer's, Blake's Restaurant, Paco's Tacos, Memory Lane, McDonald's,Orange Julius, The Gap! JC Penney was added in 96' the original part of the Mall featured a round tube for the air conditioning ( that's how you can tell your in the original mall. The tiles were darker, Tweeter was were Buffalo Wild wings is now! The food court was always there but expanded in the 96 remodel!

[@Nelly8812]

The Gloria Jeans coffee place is so good. Frequented this mall almost daily after I turned 16 with my friends.

[@eastcoastmodz5195]

The Food Court has had some changes over the years and some new places to eat. Buffalo Wild Wings was a good fit. McDonalds was once next to where Dunkin Donuts is now in the food court. I live here in the City of Manchester. It's been 24 years and the mall has seen some really good changes to it. I enjoy going to F.Y.E for Funko POPS ... Master WOK is my favorite place to eat and there is Charley's too!

[@NorthSanman]

I went to this mall on my birthday! The mall gave me 1990s vibes the way I heard the song "Lean On Me" the first time I walked in.

[@plinger1]

The Lilac mall in Rochester NH is definitely dead. They have done this weird thing to it where they have converted it to store fronts. We would deliver to Dollar Tree in the front door. There is also one in St. Johnsbury Vermont that has gotten similar treatments. There is an Ocean State Job Lot and a brewery keeping that on a float.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Is there still an indoor part to Lilac Mall? It's hard to tell from internet pics. Thanks.

[@plinger1]

@@fleabittenadventures it’s been about a year since I’ve been there but there was last time I was there. I used to deliver freight for Dollar Tree so frequented that mall and a couple other dead ones that have had that kind of front put on it. I can’t believe that JC Penny is still hanging on in these areas.

[@RobMcDougall]

Lilac Mall is getting a casino built on premise. I'm not too familiar with the plan, but most of the surrounding businesses will be staying.

[@bagus853]

My time at SNHU from 2012-14 and this mall bring back memories.

[@robertfaucher3750]

Yo please hit up Steeplegate and the Regal Cinema in Concord if you can. It was bought by a Massachusetts developer and they want to tear it down and replace it with some stores and 600 housing units. I used to fish in the pond next to it when it formed like 15-20 years ago

[@fleabittenadventures]

It's on my list, but it's a bit of a drive for me. I'll probably get to it in early 2024. Thanks!

[@amylaber-brinkler2853]

I am *still* sad when they closed inside Steeplegate April 2022! Great place to walk during bad weather!

[@davefollansbee]

Far from dead, but the foot traffic in your clip is nowhere near the foot traffic it's had. That was the place we'd go before "cruising Elm Street" on a Saturday night and hanging out in the parking lot where the SNHU (formerly Verizon) Arena now sits. As a kid, we'd go to that Sears for automotive work, you could put brakes, tires, whatever, on your Sears card... There was a Levi's store there in the 80's, where my "back to school clothes shopping" often happened, when their 501 button fly were the "must have". I covered hours at the GNC in 2010 during the Great Recession, back in the late 80's and early 90's the GNC there sold clothes and gym equipment. In 1997/98 it then became one of their very first "LIVE WELL" stores, a new concept for them at the time. I was also there around May/June 2010 when an electrician had a tragic accident and was killed. We were all evacuated and the mall closed around 4pm and I think I went back around 6pm to close up for the day once they let us back in. "Cookin' " was the place we'd all go to for stereos, speakers, all that sort of stuff... I loved them as I could buy something, say speakers, and if you returned it within a certain amount of time you could trade them back in and move up to more expensive equipment... every payday Id get to go and trade up all of my Kenwood stereo equipment. :) Then I remember the big news when Ground Round suddenly closed their doors without telling anybody, I think including employees lol... that made the Channel 9 news... 1998? 1999? 25+ years ago, or so.. Adam Sandler, being from here, is a frequenter and when I was at GNC in 2010 and he came through, he did not allow security to keep people from him as he's all about us New Hampshire people... go to a movie theatre in the area on opening night of his movies and there's a good chance you might find him in the back row, enjoying the NH audience who are enjoying his movie. I personally experienced that in the mid 2000's at the theatre across from the Target and Home Depot in Hooksett (next town over). I dont know if Adam still does, but he also used to annually speak at Central High School's graduation ceremonies, where he graduated from years ago. Ive never heard this mentioned elsewhere, ever, but if you watch his cartoon, "8 Crazy Nights", I'm 100% confident that it's the original Mall of NH his character Davey breaks into. When I saw that movie in the theatre, it was like my childhood again on the big screen, going thru the original mall. He's awesome at having New Hampshire stuff in his movies... Also, my favorite McDonalds as a kid was in the food court... upwards of 40 years ago now. I still have fond memories of collecting Monopoly game pieces there and I could be wrong, but I'm thinking I remember that one having a large fish tank for some reason... Cheers! :)

[@psty19]

Please do fox run mall in Newington New Hampshire. Had a lot of great memories going there when I was at UNH going shopping clothes for weekend outfits and especially remembered the spirit Halloween pop up store there where I’d get my costumes for the Halloween parties at UNH . By my senior year a lot of the stores had begin to close

[@johnburke1317]

Nice video 👋

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks!

[@Sammyhez-bj4jb]

Live in Mass I go here very often very busy mall compared to other

[@risksrewardsrelics51]

Have you done the Fox Run Mall in Newington (Portsmouth) NH? It’s very much dead these days, but from what I hear, they’re trying to revitalize it by attracting locally owned businesses.

[@REDTIB03GT]

It's a total dead zone 30 empty stores at my last count, many stores in this manchester mall were in fox run but obviously closed due to the mall being dead. pandora, gloria jeans coffee, yankee candle, express, and FYE and American Eagle being the latest casualties at fox run. Once Simon sold fox run it went downhill very quickly I can't see it hanging on much longer

[@risksrewardsrelics51]

@@REDTIB03GT I’m there quite often. It still has quite a few empty spots, but they’re filling the spaces with small independent businesses. I think since they started inviting dog walkers things picked up. The old Sears is still empty though. I think it’s going to evolve into something different rather than completely die.

[@ha63]

Haven't been to Fox Run in years. Surprised to hear it is not doing well since it is positioned where it can draw business from Maine.

[@StillmanVonStillman]

I used to go to this mall with a friend who has since passed. Lots of memories here.

[@Cerby1979]

This was the mall I went to during my high school days as it was closer to where I lived in Derry (Mall at Rockingham Park was second). Haven’t been there since 2015 when I was visiting friends for a camping trip up in the White Mountains.

[@REDTIB03GT]

great review, I really am amazed at how busy it was I am local to fox run in newington and that is definitely a dead mall

[@Madness832]

Kind of gives me the vibe of the South Shore Plaza, in Braintree, MA. But then, that's another Simon mall.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yeah, it definitely felt like another mall I've been to. I wasn't sure which one though.

[@felix121984]

South shore is a lot bigger !

[@peterouellette8107]

if you want to go to a dead mall go to emerald square in north attleborough

[@fleabittenadventures]

Been there. Check out my video. It's definitely dead. Thanks for watching.

[@marcygelinas3489]

I am from Mass I used to hang out at this mall with my friends back in high school it's def not a dead mall and it seems to be doing a lot better compared to our Local Mall Whitney Field which used to be full all the time, Sadly that mall will probably close before this one does great video haven't been to Pheasant Lane in years might have to take a trip up there with my mother sometime.

[@funfun_2001]

This was my hometown mall for years in the late 90s-mid 2000s. Still busy now!

[@wrestlingwithjay3770]

80's Vibe

[@randallsundeen3383]

I travel all over the country and since leaving NH in 2016' have been in malls all over the country! Most of the Malls in CA are VERY quiet , The Edison Mall ( Fort Myers Florida) still has foot traffic during the week! I believe that Places with a high tech. Economy ( Boston, California) tend to shop online! Places like Florida where there are retirees have more robust Brick and Mortar businesses! Lower income areas have more foot traffic but also more theft. Malls are like Gloria Gaynor, they will survive and change!

[@jennyames6532]

Definitely not dead. Looks fully occupied and adding on.

[@socalrockergal3727]

Not a dead mall

[@fleabittenadventures]

I agree. Thanks for watching.

[@CentralNH]

The circle outside JCPenney was a carousel like Rockingham and got removed around 2010.

[@danielfife348]

the mall is doing fine i feel. i live in laconia 50 minutes from it and doesnt have many empty spots. it has some good draws and is in a city of over 100 k.

[@wrestlingwithjay3770]

Flashback in the mid November of 2023

[@nathanfisher3813]

Glow golf is going strong.

[@danielfife348]

plus they replaced the logo and sign a year and a half ago.

[@chillios2222]

ceilings look like Franklin Mills

[@Zertrx]

I go here all the time what do you mean its packed everyday lmao

[@JustChill_1031]

I'm hoping to visit here by Summer of 2025. Hopefully it won't go out of business before then...

[@fleabittenadventures]

It will probably still be open in 2025, mist likely

[@yaywhewclips242]

My brother Robbie lives in Pembroke, NH

[@arosenweig]

Most malls in New Hampshire are doing quite well since New Hampshire does not charge sales tax with the exception of meals and lodgings.

[@waynebrowne1063]

Lechmere used to be where the Best Buy is.

[@carolkratz382]

Okay I love you guys turn it up barbear I love you guys so I love it around go to that place it feels good see you later

[@PenskePC17]

New hampshire has two far larger malls. This one really only caters to Manchester, which is the center of a shockinglylarge urban area. The two larger ones are on the border with Mass.

[@jennyames6532]

Huge mall

[@carolkratz382]

What about blue bear you got Build-A-Bear blue beer because I love blueberries on whatever send me I love the bear and cuz you walk in there you can show up there you can have you all and crazy stuff I love it🎉

[@bikdav]

What are you using for video recording?

[@fleabittenadventures]

Gopro hero 12 for malls.

[@owlhead7594]

This mall destroyed a lot of good stores on elm st in manchester nh

[@carolkratz382]

Look in the mall for the bear yeah I love that no s*** oh my God I love you love the bear