FRANKLIN MILLS MALL - WORST JOB IN MY LIFE

[@bernardkane3442]

The empty food court is haunting

[@jackieh925]

Man. I miss malls in their prime… And yes. It will always be Franklin Mills to me

[@JoeDiVitaMusic]

This guy won me over in the first 9 seconds. "If ya call it The Philadelphia Mills, yer an asshole."

[@1real_one]

With the heavy Philly accent 😂

[@kryptism]

I remember this mail being so packed, it was hard to find a parking spot. That was almost 20 years in 2004 when I visited Philadelphia the last time!😮

[@GregD68]

How sad. I recall my family visiting this mall when it first opened and it was so exciting and bustling. It felt like visiting an indoor amusement park!

[@Spartahhh]

Man I remember the foot traffic in there use to be as heavy as a New York street in the early 2000s

[@JamesDavis-dn3wo]

My wife used to work at the Franklin Mills mall back in the 90s. It is a large mall and very busy. She wasn't my wife back then but it wasn't long after I met her that I proposed.

[@marystercula9165]

When they opened back in 1989 they gave away 10, $1000 shopping sprees to promote the grand opening i was lucky to be one of the winners. It was highlight of my life to win so much money back then that bought alot of stuff.

[@jamesoconnor2753]

I use it to exercise. I go to 2 stores in Franklin Malls and they are at opposite ends: Sam Ash and Walmart.

[@sheriyl]

I worked at the Fudgery in the 90s as well

[@Wrenchingdaily]

Burlington coat factory was the 49th Street Galleria I believe. Arcade, bowling alley, and I think maybe mini golf etc. I loved going there back in the day. Now I wouldn’t be caught dead in that mall

[@johnchambers8528]

Thanks for the tour. This site used to be Liberty Bell Park which was used for harness horse racing for years. I visited several times after it was developed as Franklin Mills Mall. At that time it was always busy. As mentioned earlier almost all malls have been impacted by on line shopping. Why put up with the traffic and crowds when you can buy almost any product that used to be in stores in the mall and have it deliver for free right to your door. There also is the Philadelphia tax problem. Philadelphia’s sales tax is 2% higher than nearby suburban retail outlets. So if you are buying taxable goods or services it is cheeper to just go a few miles outside the city limits to save some money.

[@borlach321]

You can thank Amazon for this. They have destroyed all brick and mortar retail.

[@vincenjones4915]

and him and his ex wife support the woke agenda

[@daveassanowicz186]

The malls were built to accommodate White Flight from cities into newly built, post WWII, car centric suburbs like Levittown. Main Streets are making a comeback in places like Bristol Borough

[@randomanton]

Walmart killed most of the competition years before that

[@DJMarkmann]

@@daveassanowicz186 Yes, but now with all the immigration the country has absorbed and the Brown flight it has showed us that those people are too cheap to buy anything

[@jmit1970]

Yup enjoy your convenience when soon you have either Amazon or Walmart to choose from.

[@Tom-sv3cm]

My old stomping grounds. Franklin mills and Parkwood used to be my second home. My ex wife still lives up there which is my main reason not going there anymore lol but man it sucks hardcore seeing it so empty and lifeless compared to ten or fifteen years 😢

[@Cheesesteak70-d1v]

There used to be tour buses, constantly coming and going from all over the eastern seaboard for this mall. Now they just drive by it and go straight to the casino.

[@IDK-nk9pj]

10:10 yea that was another Chinese place I remember getting food from their as a kid in 2019 because the orange chicken taste better or something and I think it was attracting more customers than little Tokyo but I think it close because of Covid and I remember seeing only the kitchen lights on and no one was working there in like 2021

[@eveningglass]

Remember going to black diamond skatepark as a kid, the whole mall went downhill once that place closed

[@joesanchez5012]

Ahhhh. Memories. I used to work at the FYE when I was a kid. The T-Mobile store was a Gloria Jeans coffee shop and there used to be a saladworks in the food court too. That mall used to be jumping. Seems like a ghost town now.

[@eddiehughes5947]

Franklin mills I had so many memories there I remember I was in a weeh. chair and all my buddies pushed me down the stairs in the wheel chair 😅😅 man I’ll never forget that that is when the mall was packed then

[@blewis3892]

i remember going to this mall when i was a teenager they had a skate park in that mall if i can remember at one end of the mall

[@ritabengermino317]

Thank you very much Philly Captain for posting my favorite malls in the Philadelphia area. I sure loved Franklin Mills as long as it opened in 1989. Even remember when it was the Liberty Bell race track when I was a kid. 🛍️ I have walked this one so long. Happy to see it, but happy that I can see it as I won’t be in Philadelphia this season. Hope they can revive this one. I have been sharing your videos. All the malls you have filmed. I have worked and shopped in all of them. 👍🏻🙋🏻‍♀️🎀🎅📸📱

[@ArgosySpecOps]

I used to work at Long John Silver's at Franklin Mills Mall when I was young. Loved walking around window shopping all the things I couldn't afford with my meager pay😂😂😂

[@markmurphy3177]

I remember livong just down the road when Franklin Mills was open. It was spectacular. If I remember right, it was built on the old Liberty Bell Race Track grounds. Been a while. I could be wrong.

[@bernardkane3442]

Rain forest cafe thunder and lightning sound effects my kids loved the place food was good also!

[@hollyholy641]

@2:30 the tv towers were a perfect distraction for my dad, brother and I while my Mom shopped til she dropped.

[@1real_one]

Franklin Mills had me in awe back in the day! It was so much bigger than Malls i was used to and had great prices!!

[@joshledford8921]

Wow!!! No more Johnny Rockets? I haven't been to that mall since 2014 or 15 but back then it was still pretty nice. Not nearly as many closed stores.

[@kdg.04]

Franklin used to pop wow. I grew up with Franklin Mills from mid-2000s onward, the decline imo started in 2013 once they began phasing out all the Franklin Mills branding and that stupid Walmart at the end of the mall not to mention ofc online shopping. The increased crime rate definitely didn't help it's case either. seems to be the case with most of the other malls within the area.

[@danielcamacho6123]

i work ruby tuesday back late 1999 to 2000 i was salad bar boy

[@bob4364]

Hey PHILLY CAPTAIN, Great video & tour at the Franklin Mills Mall-NE Phila...Nice Christmas decor & more..Keep on & TOODLES...

[@scoopskitheband]

I still frequent the Sam Ash there a few times a month

[@TralfazConstruction]

Lots of good memories of the Franklin Mills Mall. Willard Scott of the TODAY show was there for the mall's Grand Opening back in '89. I remember driving on Woodhaven Road when the old Liberty Bell Racetrack was being demolished to make room for Franklin Mills. A quick look to my left and half of the track's grandstand section was open to the elements. A couple days after that there were no traces of any structure in sight. I guess it would have been in mid-'85 or early-'86. My wife, daughter and I made a full circuit of the mall in the summer of 1990 that took over seven hours. That was the point of that particular visit. We did go into a number of stores that day and stopped to eat lunch.

[@chop3625]

Visited the West Farms Mall in CT. During the Holidays. Noticed less people but what people were there was a drastic change. At one time it was considered a Higher end clientele Mall, no longer.

[@misterelom]

Man, haven't been to Franklin Mills since probably the late 2000s-early 2010s! This was my spot in the 90s. Sucks seeing all those empty spaces but also nice seeing a few familiar spots still there (the Hilfiger, Polo, CK outlets). I don't see too many Sbarro's around anymore. Only other one I know is in Midtown Manhattan NYC. And I remember that wrestling kiosk you mentioned because I used to go there all the time and buy wrestling tapes. Even remembered meeting someone there named Steve so it's probably the same Steve you mentioned. And yeah, it'll always be Franklin Mills!

[@heathermanning5368]

Thanks for Sharing!!! I haven’t been to this mall since the 90’s !

[@birdsfan57]

Sadly, the crime at this mall has turned many of it's former shoppers off to it's mall experience. That's why most of Northeast Philly and Lower Bucks County can be found over the Tacony/Palmyra Bridge, at the Cherry Hill Mall, on any given weekend; and some weeknights too.

[@kdg.04]

or at King of Prussia down the turnpike too

[@lesliepressley8452]

I was out there with my son a month or .so ago And it was like a ghost town. It was eerie and almost spooky in there. I remember when my friends and I would spend the whole day there.

[@pushvedula5640]

I was just there 3 years back in 2021 and it was still doing pretty well as of then, same with Oxford Valley but not Neshaminy

[@yeksun]

Do you remember the popcorn store? They had all different colors (Flavors) they all were sickening sweet and kind of gave you a head ache . I then realized regular popcorn is the best.

[@djcutlas1976]

And right near that circle bleacher thing they had an equipment store that I absolutely love going to.

[@FAFO131]

The first 5 seconds of the video the philly captain calls me an asshole. This is why I love this channel

[@charlesschauer8927]

I Never knew about the Ben Franklin head story!!..use to be at this Mall..all the time ..back in the day

[@sagittarius3363]

I wonder if the Ben Franklin head still exists somewhere, or is it at the bottom of the landfill.

[@dianeschroeder3771]

Thanks for the mall videos I still call it Franklin Mills, miss the Gallery in Center City. You did both the Moorestown and Cherry Hill malls. I grew up in Maple Shade went to both malls all the time. Used to go to the Gallery too took my daughter there around Christmas time. I blame Covid for the decline for the malls.

[@geraldooyola1294]

I used to work for Spain the hallmarks store and dollar express store inside this mall

[@margiedooley145]

Too many places that sell the same thing. I don't go there anymore as reebok and penneys left

[@ghouck23]

Have you heard of the exton mall in exton PA. About 30 minutes from Philadelphia?

[@m-cw7er]

It’s dead these days. And Granite Run is now a huge promenade disaster.

[@mels1921]

It’s sad that the mall has went down like this. I remember it used to be soooo crowded. The hallways would be like roads. The traffic going in One Direction would be on one side and the opposite traffic on the other. The railings in the middle would “ split the traffic.” I went to Gerrard College and we would come here on field trips. We will get dressed up and have so much fun in here. I believe no one goes to the mall anymore. I have to search and see if you have done one on Springfield Mall the mall is also dead. I guess they all are now huh?

[@thegodofwine8228]

Worked at Athlete's Foot while I was in college around 96-99 , not in the area now, but it is shocking to see how dead it is - Many a youth trip to the Galleria...I do think the length of the mall was a major issue, a lot of people couldnt walk the whole thing, like it took an effort to park at Pharmour, and walk to The Wall, and BACK

[@Gage623]

Just off of the intro, I like this guy already

[@Spartahhh]

0:05 I strongly agree lol

[@explorers1979]

totally got an ID in there as a senior in high school in 96/97 LOL. Wow, how things have changed there. Thanks for the vid Cap'n

[@420dyablo]

USED TO GO HERE WHEN I WAS A KID WITH MY OLDER AND YOUNGER BROTHER RIP MY BIG BROTHER PHILLY4LYFE ⭐

[@bryzacsmom]

I still love this mall. There's a restaurant right outside of the Marshalls called Melt n Sip. The food is so good. So much better than the food court

[@eshea5050]

Philly accent is A1!

[@crewleaderprods]

Sbarro tastes better when you buy a couple of slices on the way home just as the mall is closing and the manager gives you the whole pie

[@joelashadali]

Any shopping mall where the need to post a code of conduct I'm gonna pass on. Kiosks survive off of great foot traffic that A/B quality malls provide. Mills has been a dog for years. Turn 7 is owned by the former owner of Foreman mills mall. He sold Foremans and made out quite nicely. There is still one right near Deptford Mall.

[@Cheesesteak70-d1v]

That’s why us locals consider it now critter Mills

[@joelashadali]

It's like calling 2nd street , 2street. If you know you know.

[@thescarletarcanatarot]

It’ll always be Franklin Mills, just like Philadelphia University will always be Textiles. FM was one of the first major outlets retailer that I can recall. All hope might not be lost, though.

[@dtvjho]

I still have old photos of this mall under construction.

[@CSXfan618]

The Boscov's was demolished to make way for Walmart.

[@ArgosySpecOps]

12:27 I saw Mortal Kombat in that theater with my cousin 😮

[@chm9935]

Deptford mall used to have character too.

[@daewooparts]

That mall reminds me of the Philadelphia Airport because it's so long like the airport

[@joshmorgan838]

I remember when this mall was the place to be.

[@skipweinacht1099]

Hey Captain….how many jobs did you have ?

[@ThePhillyCaptain]

Over 50

[@edward.jantonelly3183]

Yes captain there was a sears and a JCPenny.. that place needs a prayer 🙏 to stay open. I hope it does for the economy and people that live there.

[@theslag66]

Remember. Steve and Barry’s there

[@starcosmictcg]

Have you tried King of Prussia Mall?

[@trolluspogus4732]

I was here during this December and it wasn’t doing that bad

[@maxmt4325]

Can someone confirm where toy works was? Also I remember buying a PC game from a computer store can't remember where it was

[@wizzack75]

is The Wall still doing cd replacements

[@kathyzampitella9773]

Back in 1988 I truck driver that was delivered materials for his building back then I was telling the construction workers. This is gonna be a big mistake. They should be building single expensive homes did they listen no

[@kels6284]

Capt you gotta visit my mall, Exton!☠☠☠ I'm going there tomorrow, I'm interested to see what it gonna look like the week before Christmas. Boscov's⚓ the healthcare system I work for opened an urgent care I think where the gap used to be

[@vincenjones4915]

liberty bell racetrack.

[@shadowdog500]

How is the King of Prussia mall? I was there just before COVID and the mall was still jumping!

[@luvky_]

all jokes aside, This mall has a MAJOR safety issue. I worked in several stores there over the past 2-3 years before and after Covid, homeless people would come in everyday and steal from the stores then come back the next day and do it all over again. Security does nothing about it, staff is underpaid, the rent is too high with nobody buying anything. The bus stop is a target for crime. A baby went missing in Walmart, then a week later another child went missing in the mall. Franklin mills mall is terrible and needs to be shut down. It isn’t a joke anymore, it’s bad and traumatizing to adults who work here.

[@nole8923]

When you said taking slutty photos isn’t your bag it reminded me of the Austin Powers movie where he said using a pee pee enlargement wasn’t his bag. Then later he got busted with proof it was his bag.🤣

[@stache1954]

I used to like this mall so much -

[@CSXfan618]

Marshalls was Reading China and Glass before it was Marshalls.

[@MichaelAlbrecht-vp6oz]

The Chinese buffet is good right there

[@wandaclark5020]

Just came from king of pressia its popping.

[@stars660]

I can't believe it's Christmas time and there's not even any decorations

[@SJCMARK]

I remember the wall

[@joemancuso7033]

Amazon killed a lot of retail jobs it is so sad.

[@pji1979]

Wasn't Walmart a Phar-Mor?

[@kdg.04]

no Walmart was a Boscovs then a Steve and Barrys. Phar-Mor has been vacant since they shutdown

[@MichaelPapalini]

Iris a dying mall all the good stores left now it is ghetto only good thing is walking there to do exercises

[@howardcox2918]

Saw Guardians of the Galaxy there

[@ClawHeHeNum]

It's confirmed it's dead

[@MichaelPapalini]

Only good for Walmart Dave and busters maybe turn 7 but their attitudes and customer service sucks they don’t know how to treat their customers I remember when they hey first opened they had Remington knives the flag shop some cool sporting goods stores and modells

[@amtm4185]

They’re all in KOP SMH

[@nunyabeeswax3061]

Hamilton mall mays landing nj

[@MichaelPapalini]

It is Sam’s club not bjs

[@VanHellsing12]

Babbages?

[@buckskin64]

You Yankees see your cities dyeing and still vote blue#FJB

[@ThePhillyCaptain]

*Dying

[@charlesschauer8927]

So empty....kinda spooky

[@Desslok20]

FIRST

[@MichaelButchin]

Well, it's not DEAD, but it's not at all well....

[@phillychuck]

My favorite hookie spot

[@maar1567]

Myron cope

[@shawnbailey3858]

Is it me? Or does this guy sound like Stan Lee from Marvel Comics?

[@ThePhillyCaptain]

I may have gotten that once before not that often