University Mall: It's Vermont's Largest & Busiest Mall, But How's It Doing? S. Burlington, VT.

[@AJPM802]

I suppose it's doing ok as far as malls go, but it's a totally different vibe than it had growing up here in the 90s and 2000s

[@TemporaryDiscomfort]

Yes, The arcade, FYE, Food- In a food Court, KB Toy’s, Finish Line and so many others 😢

[@Ellenslife851]

@@TemporaryDiscomfort totally forgot about the finish line racing. I remember that being in there for a short period and then all that was left was the room design of the place but I think they’ve sense taken that out. Correct me if I’m not mistaken it was that little race track room that you could go and ride the little cars on or something like that.

[@SmashPortal]

Growing up (mid-late 2000's), I remember the giant flat wall in the food court being McDonald's (on the corner), Dunkin Donuts, Taco Bell, and Subway, then across was Sbarro (now Roman Delight), Fortune Cookie, Quiznos, and Ben & Jerry's (on the corner across from McDonald's; though it's changed restaurants a bunch of times). There was no frozen yogurt stand, and the food court was always full of people. Sometimes you couldn't find a seat near your restaurant of choice. Also, the back side of the mall has a back door with a hallway leading to the food court. That's the entrance I usually went through with my parents.

[@SmashPortal]

Also, I think it's _been_ a dying mall. It may not still be one, but it was fairly devoid of stores during the start of COVID. It's been in decline over the years as the anchor stores slowly faded away.

[@SmashPortal]

Also, Vermont Gaming Academy in the U-Mall is a sister store to Bazaar Trader in the Champlain Centre Mall.

[@jennifersaunders1979]

Express used to be where The Shoe Department Encore is now. I am so upset they took Express out. That was our only good clothing store left.

[@Ashleyt2756]

I just commented almost the same exact thing and then saw your comment after hahaha I didn’t include the food court entrance tho. It was easier to do than the parking garage or the big parking lot. I also still go that way today though so I may be a creature of habit.

[@NeutralTea]

Those on the wall closed for a huge clothing store around 2017.

[@avenger836]

Grew up going to this mall and it was always a good time. Couldn't wait to get to Kay B toys and pick something out usually a model car. When I first got my license I would drive 40 minutes, park in the parking garage go to FYE and burn a CD and go get something to eat from the food court while I waited for the CD to be ready. The U mall doesn't feel the same as it did in years past especially once the food court changed.

[@Ashleyt2756]

Grew up going to the Umall (born 1990) and still live locally. Here’s my info dump: The Sears was a Spirit of Halloween this past fall. The food court used to be packed. Especially during holiday shopping times, you sometimes couldn’t find a free table to sit down at. The wall that was put up used to be (around 2007) subway, Taco Bell, dunkin, McDonald’s. The other side was sbarros (where the other pizza place is now), Chinese food, Quiznos and Ben & Jerry’s. There was no middle kiosk then. I worked at the Quiznos during highschool (06-07?) and it was always very busy. Insane during the holiday season. There was full time jobs maintaining the food court. Taking out trash, cleaning tables/floors, gather trays. Two people would work together doing this during peak hours. Now it feels so empty. I think the mall is ultimately dying. One of the “big moments” I remember happening was when the Taco Bell closed (2009?). It was always the busiest food place because the next closest one is approx 40 minutes away. I heard the owner retired and dissolved the franchise instead of selling it to someone that wanted to keep it going. So it closed. And that was when I first remember seeing an obvious difference in the food court customers/mall shoppers in general. This was also around the time malls were closing anyway due to increased online shopping. Then Covid happened so the mall began closing hours earlier than usual and still close at 7pm I believe. Applebees and target stay opened later though. There is no other mall option anywhere close by (at least an hour maybe?) and this has to be how the place is still hanging on. I find myself going there with my highschool best friend still. We try to have mom dates once a month and usually end up at the Umall shopping. But that might be partially due to nostalgia and less because the mall is actually good lol. So yeah. I think the mall could possibly get lucky, and continue to stay open due to monopolizing the local mall market. But when I walk in there these days I always think about how it’s dying. Compared to 20 years ago, it’s so many less people and store fronts.

[@glareicebutts1423]

the memories 😂 can’t believe the taco bell has been gone for that long

[@karladawnjones718]

After you filmed, a Spirit Halloween went into that Sears 2023. One of the busiest days of the year at the Umall is when they have their Halloween festivities called Malloween. There are trading card shows happening often that are very big and bustling. Also the Vermont gaming Center is really impressive. They seem to always have something going on.

[@carolinecross750]

Where you think used to be a fountain was a customer service island/desk. I remember going there to purchase mall gift cards or ask questions in the past.

[@taylormaddy9647]

I just graduated from SMC with a degree in Neuroscience. I'm staying in the area to work at UVMMC and I LOVE this mall. You definitely did your research! I'm originally from southern VT and would travel to the Mall of New Hampshire or Boston. I have so many good memories of going to the mall twice a week with my friends in college. I even worked at Bath and Body Works over Christmas break one year. I hope VTs keep this mall open for years to come. Great video!

[@rossmickel9195]

This was/is my hometown mall. You caught it during the time it's most busy, around Thanksgiving/Christmas. It's definitely changed over the years, and other than holidays is pretty touch & go with regard to how busy it is. It keeps hanging on somehow though! You're right about the food court. It did used to have a bunch of options...Subway, A&W, Dunkin and McDonald's. Those all moved out over time...before H&M moved in and took over most of the right hand side.

[@taylorfrench6722]

There was a Taco Bell in there too, right?

[@rossmickel9195]

@@taylorfrench6722 There sure was!

[@nlpnt]

The food court hasn't been doing well since they bricked up the windows at the end sometime in the early '00s. The only view it had was of I-89 running right behind the mall, but still it let a lot of light in that the skylights didn't quite replace.

[@HypeFFL]

34 year old born and raised in VT here. I live about 30 minutes away from the mall and I go quite frequently (mostly weekends) and it's actually quite busy most of the time I am there. The food court used to have so many places to eat McDonald's, Taco Bell, Subway, Sbarros, and the like, but roughly 12 years ago they all started rapidly leaving and I could not tell you why exactly. It was always really busy so I'm confused as to why they left. Victoria's Secret used to be an FYE (those were the good ol days) spencer's has been in there spot for as long as I can remember. As well as Hot Topic. I believe the pacsun was where the Vermont Gaming academy is now. Pacsun was also there for a very long time. Applebees and Ihop have been there for ages as well. Just a little more history on the mall. I wouldn't consider it to be dead by any means but saying it's dying is maybe a slight stretch. Vermont is still full of a lot of the old school types so it gets lots of business and seems quite busy most days that i am there. Again, it's the weekend but I feel like if a mall still gets really busy on a weekend then it's fine. Love the video and I'm heading here later today!

[@curtbevins]

The mall is doing just fine but a very different vibe. It was more kid friendly. I was a kid in the 90s. It had a huge arcade, big toy store, kids book store, music and video store. The food court used to be larger. H&M store moved in most recently and was built into the food court, eliminating half of the food court. Restaurants used to be everything from McDonald's, Dunkin, Subway, Taco Bell, A&W, Chinese Food, and so much more. Other restaurants like Wendy's and Papa John's was here as well. The spot that you noticed as maybe being a fountain, was actually a big customer service desk. Sears closed recently, but you were right about the pop up store. Spirit Halloween occupies the old Sears building in the fall. I think the reason the mall is doing just fine, is because of the lack of options, no competition or any other places to go in Vermont!

[@Axochata]

I agree with that last bit the only other actual mall near north west Vermont is the one in Plattsburgh

[@TheRuiner84690]

Glad someone else mentioned the A&W. Once of my earliest childhood memories of the U-Mall was sitting down with an order of cheesy mini-corndogs.

[@eclipse6639]

I attended college in vermont from 2019-2021 and went to this mall a few times. The food court was always empty, new vendors would open and would close after a couple months. From what I can tell it appears there are more stores than when I was there. It was cool to get a look at what it is today, post pandemic.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Strange that the restaurants close so quickly. Seems like there should be enough shoppers to support them. Thanks for watching.

[@Cassie00111]

strange, it looks busy enough to support at least one more food place: Chipotle or Panda Express.

[@TemporaryDiscomfort]

@@Cassie00111No Panda Express in Vermont that I’m aware of. In the mall’s parking lot there are a few scattered buildings and stores located in various parts, chipotle’s one of them and the lines consistently out the door… why? I’m quite positive it’s the only 1 or 1 of 2 in the state 😂! Idk if Targets even been there 10 years yet!

[@TemporaryDiscomfort]

@@fleabittenadventuresThis time period of 19-21 a lot of small businesses/family owned food option’s popped up, yet seemed to always be for very targeted people as often times it would be a foreign cuisine option with not much variety if you didn’t want the example- Jerk chicken, or Samosa’s etc. This food court has suffered tremendously since national corporate chains pulled out McDonald’s, Subway, Dunkin, Sbarro, Taco Bell, Fortune Cookie-still there. There were plans for renovations and even considering demolition and rebuilding, I believe previous owners went bankrupt and sold to new one’s who decided feasibly speaking not a good idea. A little history a month or so late but context never the less

[@casey6556]

As a Canadian currently living in Montreal I’ve been to this mall and its counterpart in Plattsburgh a few times. This one is doing much better, I think. Though the food court is clearly awful (esp as someone hoping to try some U.S. chains), the stores have a decent selection and it’s right near Burlington airport, perfect for grabbing the last few things before or after a flight

[@creditcrazy597]

As a Vermonter I can tell you if you want to try American fast food the state that banned non Vermont chains is generally not a great place to find fast food

[@casey6556]

@@creditcrazy597 Wait they really banned out of state chains? Damn

[@creditcrazy597]

@@casey6556 i believe so as far as im aware there is still only 2 MacDonald 1 Burger king and 1 kfc in the entire state and 1 taco bell that opened 3 i think years ago and Vermont is xenophobic enough to have a slur for non Vermonters we call them flat landers

[@NyeMechworks]

@@creditcrazy597 I can think of 4 McDonalds in Vermont off the top of my head, and there has been a KFC/Taco bell in St Albans (next to the Highgate commons) for over a decade.

[@ehosack.rocketlad]

I currently work at one of the anchor stores at UMall, and I would say its far from dead lol. Also, as to the food court - I didn't see it myself but I've been told that H&M absorbed the right side restaurants. Popular spot with students, especially weekends and surprisingly well-maintained. Staff do a good job.

[@SmashPortal]

I grew up with the mall, and that side of the food court in its heyday beautifully mirrored the now remaining side. It was sometimes hard to find an open seat in front of your restaurant of choice. A little snapshot (2010?), from left side to right: [ Ben & Jerry's (now Island Passion) | Quiznos | Fortune Cookie | Sbarro (now Roman Delight) ] ←→ [ Subway | Taco Bell | Dunkin Donuts | McDonald's ]. The front side of H&M was also like 2-3 different stores, including a toy store next to McDonald's. Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works together were FYE. In terms of things that haven't really changed: Kohl's, JC Penney, GameStop, Spencer Gifts, Auntie Anne's, and Hot Topic were in the same spots. Bella Lusso, Kay Jewelers, and Hannoush Jewelers were jewelers (though I couldn't tell you if they changed names).

[@glennlittle124]

@@SmashPortal I so miss FYE!!! Use to spend hours in there at a time! LOL!

[@zcvt05]

The IHOP just closed for good.

[@doctorwebman]

I first stepped foot in University Mall back in the 80s as a kid, and it has changed quite a bit. In the food court, which used to have far more to choose from, there used to be giant utensils hanging from the ceiling (a spoon, a knife, and a fork), and it would be so busy finding a seat was a bit of a challenge. Of course, there would always be some creepy Santa whose lap you could sit in when Christmas came around.

[@skullpupp3y]

i got so excited to see this video, as this is the mall i live close to, and go to about once a month! even though i didn't grow up here, i've been going to this mall for a few years, and i do wish there was a better food court, and that it was a two story mall. i do enjoy it still because i go with my friends, and just love going to the mall in general, and it is usually busy, especially on the weekends! i was going to mention if u are able to lower the background volume in your videos, that would be much appreciated! i love every single video i have watched, but it can be really hard to hear you sometimes. thanks for sharing these videos, im excited for more!

[@802Projects]

We still go there occasionally. Every month there is a sports card and collectibles event with a lot of pop up tables. I can remember a lot of stores from when I was a kid. Sears, bon ton, ames, dream machine arcade, babadges, vt toy and hobby, pet store, mcdonalds, taco bell, subway, dunkin donuts, sabaro pizza, kb toys, northern reflections, fye, waldens book store, etc... Some other stores in the surrounding area... Service merchandise and woolworth.

[@glennlittle124]

Have lived in the area since '86 and visited quite a bit before that as a kid. Have seen a lot of changes, some good and some bad. I think the biggest negative is definitely the almost non existent food court! I think it's always going to be right on the edge of dying but will hold on for many years to come! Great video!!

[@SomeplaceHot]

Thats my teenage mall. So much love and memories. I even had some excitement in the parking garage with my GF at the time😜. So much love towards you for making this video. Im currently old and live so very far away. But this has warmed my heart...

[@robertreynolds9612]

The parking garage was also another way in you could go through the Sears.

[@spectra_vonhauntington]

yeah and now that entire parking garage but the bottom has been shut down due to it ig falling apart if there are cars parked on the higher floors

[@ashmontdesigns8840]

When I tried to do a video project there back in high school, a security guard shut my ass down so you're lucky you got to film. A lot of the stores are the same but it looks way different, like the energy and spirit of the place are missing. Sad to see about the state of the food court, but happy to see Auntie Anne's pretzels is still there.

[@Ericmongeur]

I live 5 minutes away from this mall, and yes, it did used to have fountains in the halls during it's heyday. Also, the food court had some 15 different restaurants, including the only Taco Bell in the Burlington area. There was even a few kisosks the would pop up in the middle of the food court to sell different treats. There was a smoothie stand that was there for quite a while. Down the opposite hallway, there was Vermont's largest arcade for many years, occupying 2 storefronts on both sides of the hall. 4:37 5:51

[@lovesamystery40]

Burlington Square had a big fountain. I never remember the UMall having one, and I had a parent who worked there and spent every weekend there or in the Square Mall as a teen. The food court area was a drug store, City Drug comes to mind but I don't think they had multiple locations, so I may not be right. The food court came later and had a lot more - A&W, Roli Poli, McD, Fortune Cookie, Sbarro, Taco Bell, Ben & Jerry's (second time in the mall as they used to be in their own space. High rents have always been an issue so places come and go. The arcade was in the hall across from the food court and Papa Ginos was next door. Zayres, Martins grocery, and there was a hardware/home goods store next to Martins (now Hannaford) when the mall was coming into its own. The connector between Zayres did come later, as did Sears. Sears was on Shelburne Road where Market 32 is now and across from that was another small mall attached to the stores, and Arby's had a location there. Sears moved into a larger space and the parking garage was added. Target would have been better in the Sears spot to have more space rather than being a tinier version, which is why a lot of people I know head over to Plattsburgh's Target instead. Where IHOP is was a burger place, the name Friar Tuck always sticks in my head, but I don't think that's quite right. And there was a huge draw as where Barnes & Noble is now was a movie theater. Teens could go hang out at the mall for the afternoon and go to the movies after. Higher Ground on Williston Road was also a movie theater. Before that shut, they tried a take on it where waitstaff took orders and you could have beer/wine, etc. while you watched the movie, so it drew more people.

[@glennlittle124]

@@lovesamystery40 Possibly A Friendly's where IHOP is?

[@joemarchand8313]

@@lovesamystery40 The hardware store was Hilson's, I believe.

[@jennifersaunders1979]

We also had Dairy Queen. I worked there at 15. It was my first job. Then McDonald’s took over the Dairy Queen. I forget the name of the Chinese restaurant that was there for years in the food court that was delicious and they’re gone. Sbarro pizza place was there for years, which was delicious. They’re gone. TJ cinnamon, which was affiliated with Dairy Queen because I got discounts there when I worked at Dairy Queen used to be there. Dunkin’ Donuts was there, you mentioned Taco Bell, which is very upsetting they’re gone. You have to go to Saint Albans now if you want Taco Bell, which is a nasty restaurant. The smoothie place I believe we had was called Orange Julius. All the Orange Julius stores were rebranded into Dairy Queens.

[@roamer7129]

University mall never had fountains in it never I went to that mall from the day open.

[@brad3042]

I still go there on weekends and it's usually busy. I think that if it weren't for Target, this mall would have shuttered years ago. I do miss the old arcade, the old Kay-B-Toys and the food court! Regarding the Sears space, it was a Spirit Halloween pop up! I went there last fall to look at costumes.Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works space used to be FYE. The Shoe Dept Encore used to be where Victoria's Secret was.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Good old Spirit Halloween! The only legal way that I know of to get into old Sears, etc.

[@otakugamefreak69]

I think the point in which the mall truly started to go downhill is when the previous owners booted out mcdonalds, dunkin and subway to give H+M more space. I think over all its hanging on and the new owners are doing a good job at correcting the errors of the previous ones, but its got a long way to go.

[@failbot1986]

I still have a token from the old arcade that was in that mall. Pretty sure it was an Aladdin's Castle. Two or three different arcades all went into that mall, into the same spot, and they all had electrical fires.

[@haunted_hallwayz]

Aladdin's castle man.That place was the shit! What was it after that? forget the name of the arcade?

[@RustyGonzo]

​@@haunted_hallwayzDream Machine, I think?

[@otakugamefreak69]

Aladdins castle, then dream machine, then The Racing experience.

[@ilbftman]

There was a Papa Ginos pizza in there. A large arcade was in the corner. Kaybee toys, FYE, Ames,Wendys all were in there. I remember Zayres. A large hobby store with a train running all day used to be by the Kohls entrance.

[@bobthebadguy6876]

Wow, I had forgotten about the train.

[@Teremyy]

THE TRAIN

[@thundercat2320]

Vermont Toy and Hobby I believe. That’s where I bought most of my modeling kits

[@thetinglessasmrtist]

I miss the arcade and FYE the most :(

[@hattiem.7966]

KB Toys was in our popular mall for years but having a big Toys Are US next door ran it out of business. I can't remember why Toys Are Us closed?I guess it was $ issues etc.

[@jimmynoleaksboilerman7348]

I remember a Sabbaro's, Mcdonald's ,a chinese food, Taco bell,a juice bar Coffee shop in the late 90's early 2000's High rents and Penny's and Sear's leaving didn't help.

[@RetroSportsNetwork]

H&M's expansion killed McDonald's, Dunkin and Subway.

[@JonBrooks105]

Penny's is still open.

[@StirlingBanfield]

there was an A&W too

[@TheFiminate]

The mall definitely had the biggest fall off, especially after Covid. I would say i rarely go there, and the last few times I went, it was dead. I have a lot of memories of the mall, so it sucks to see it fall to irrelevancy.

[@Lottobott31112]

I used to like the U mall but after they put H&M in they just got rid of all of the food court. This food court used to have dunkin mcdonalds KFC and subway and a couple of other places its just sad to see the food court like this.

[@Lottobott31112]

It started to look like this around the end of 2019 its just sad.

[@Axolotl_Mischief]

I know the forner owners of several places that used to be there, and they pulled out mostly due to poor mall management and lease costs.

[@itsyourgirlchelc]

When I was growing up, we would have to schedule a day to come here as it was an hour and a half drive to Burlington from where I lived. I miss the way it was back then (late 90's/early 00's).

[@rollins360]

My name is Chad Rollins, I lived in Vermont my whole entire life, especially in the Burlington area. I was born in Burlington and I’ve been here ever since. I was born in 1979 when the mall was built. I remember the mall being a little bit better than what it is now 20 years ago. The mall is still an iconic spot in the Burlington area. I would recommend anybody to stop by and check it out.

[@Frogmanbb66]

Bro it’s NOTHING like it was 20 years ago!

[@Slane583]

@@Frogmanbb66 As far as I'm concerned NONE of the malls that are still up are as good as they were 20 years ago. Champlain Centre in Plattsburgh was far better 25 years ago. Any store that was cool back then no longer exists now.

[@PV1230]

there used to be a Papa Gino's there when I was a kid.

[@glennlittle124]

Loved their pizza! Even the grease tasted good! We would eat there and then run next door to Aladdin's Castle arcade !

[@Z1ps.]

As someone who’s very frequently been at one point, the high a lot is specifically the weekends at around 2PM. The target is packed and there’s dozens of people walking compared to here.

[@minimower]

There is supposed to be a Dave Hot Chicken and a Jersey Mikes opening in the mall this fall, which is drastically going to improve the food situation in the mall.

[@Waterwitch94]

Vermont Gaming Academy is definitely helping to keep people coming, they have fully packed events nearly every night!

[@JonBrooks105]

Jersey Mike's coming to the food court this summer!

[@glennlittle124]

Really? Cool! We need something else in there!

[@jeremyud]

@@SSSNoOne The mall employees who work there? It'd be nice for them to have more than just two choices for lunch.

[@TheDudeVT]

No way that will be great! I love Jersey Mike's

[@madalyntanner4003]

No, it's going into the old Sears garage

[@jennifersaunders1979]

@@madalyntanner4003 I heard that’s where Dave’s Hot Chicken is going

[@80sluva92]

I've been there many times throughout the years.. The food court is sad, but the rest of the mall looks fairly healthy. One reason I think is Vermont is one of the fittest and healthiest states. People still walk places and Vermont has a solid middle class and a very solid upper class that still have money to spend..

[@freethinker1913]

Finally checked out your video since KZbin’s been recommending it to me for over a week. Some things to note: the UMall used to extend only to where the JC Penney is, and then it was Zayre. Zayre was there for about a decade, not a few months, and didn’t rebrand as Ames, their chain was bought out by Ames. It used to be the food court was just a S’Barro where that Roman Pizza place is now, Fortune Cookie, which was the longest running fixture of the mall until COVID finally brought them down, and frankly I can’t even recall what was there next to them. Across from there was one of the main mall entrances, now hidden behind Penney’s loading docks, where Papa Gino’s Pizza and Aladdin’s Castle were. You could go order a pizza, go next door to the arcade and play until they paged you that your pizza was ready. Sears had two locations in Burlington that consolidated to the newly built expansion to the mall (they also built a new service center by the mall parking lot’s far entrance, since one of the consolidated locations, the one where Market 32 on Shelburne Road now is, had also had one, about where Buffalo Wild Wings is today). Sears featured 3 floors and the parking garage was mainly built for the expected additional traffic they’d bring. The upper floors of the parking garage closed when Sears did, and a couple years ago they also closed the 2nd level. LIf it ever was it was only as a phase of expansion and it was always designed to be connected. To be honest The mall over the years had mall staples of the 80s and 90s - Musicland, GNC, Electronics Boutique, Waldenbooks, Pet Managerie, Foot Locker, etc. The food court expanded to the other side of that area in the 90s when the mall itself expanded. It featured a McDonald’s, Subway, Taco Bell, and Dunkin’ Donuts. Ben and Jerry’s also had a location on the same side as the older locations, but it closed down well before anything else. All those ones I mentioned were kicked out by the mall when H&M came in because H&M needed the extra space. So that’s when the food court started to decline to its current state. Based on the business that used to be at that mall even in spring and summer, not just before Christmas when you were there, it’s definitely a dying mall.

[@RP-zo7xi]

Jersey mikes and daves hot chicken coming to our food court! I would say around 2020 the food court started to look like that due to covid

[@jeremyud]

Oh, you guys were able to get a Jersey Mikes? That's a good sign.

[@Slane583]

@@jeremyud We recently got a Jersey Mike's over here in the Plattsburgh area. It's over by WalMart and not in the mall though, I don't know when it opened exactly. I don't tend to pay attention restaurant openings. It's a more fitting location anyway since places like Wendy's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guy's, Chic-Fil-A and Panera Bread are all gathered in that spot. :)

[@jerryhorn4697]

When I was relocating to Vermont in October 2022, I stayed in a rented room in the house of a family in South Burlington for two months, until I found an apartment. I visited this mall on a few occasions. It was lively during November and December. However, during the other ten months it appeared lifeless. Target is the only real source of activity all year long. Next door is a Hannaford supermarket. Across the street is a Barnes and Noble.

[@AzarakiDragon]

I'm 28 right now, and my sense of time isn't the greatest, but I think around like 11 years or so ago is when the food court started to die out. There used to be a Taco Bell, McDonalds, and a Ben&Jerry's (among other things, but I don't quite remember). I don't really know the criteria on dying vs just fine; I don't think the mall is in trouble, but it's definitely much less busy than it was 10 years ago. I still use the mall primarily to visit the VGA (Vermont Gaming Academy) which is like a kind of culture thing now, with not only board games and such for purchase, but also board gaming nights, tabletop rpg stuff, tournaments for various games, and other gaming nerd kinds of events. And then I also get an Auntie Anne's pretzel

[@SarahCaitlin_97222]

I grew up going to this mall as well, and I can honestly say it was much more vibrant and sprawling when I was a kid in the late 90's and early 2000's. It's managed to hold on, but has really gone downhill over the years. It's kind of sad to go in there now remembering what once was. It would be amazing to have it return to it's former glory! Although sadly I'm not sure that will ever be a reality. The kids of today will never know the thrill of the mall at that time. I recall the Ben & Jerry's, the train that would ride along the track on the ceiling, the cars with ribbons for sale in the middle of the mall, and riding the escalator at Sears. The escalator was the best. 😔♥️

[@rylar717]

My Native mall and familiar with this property since the 90s I worked at the McDonalds in this mall around the summer of 2001. I remember the Dream Machine arcade that used to be across from the food court. It was set on fire internally as the owner tried to claim insurance money. Never came back after that. Software ETC./Babbages, Kay-bee Toys, Radio Shack, and Electronics Boutique were some of my favorite stores that I had friends work at. Wendys used to be down were IHOP is now - they had a small fixture. Record Town and Saturday Night Matinee were also great stores too before merging into FYE Yeah too bad about the food court as the mall is great today. They used to have a Dairy Queen, Roli Boli, McDonalds, Taco Bell, even Dizzy's Donuts and Subway down that right side thats now a wall. Fortune Cookie and Sbarro used to be on the left side. University Mall is nothing but Nostalgic Looking forward to the JC Penney Face lift that might happen soon Thank you for your video!

[@dariontaylor2527]

As a kid my favorite was eating at Applebees watching the train go around the top of the toy store and of course going in the toy store! The food court is quite depressing. There used to be lines at all the restaurants to order and a full seating area

[@bravebluechickadee]

I was there about two years ago. The center of the corridor was packed with kiosks and card table vendors. There was no seating for patrons in the corridor. The only place to sit was in the depressing 'food court'. It looks much better in your video. It has a lot going for it given other retail options in area.

[@Lexmurph8]

Different vibes but still doing ok! This mall is super nostalgic for me and I still visit every so often. We were all so excited for a target 😅 I remember this was the mall where you hung out at as a teen in the early 2000’s and you went to the downtown mall as a special occasion because downtown traffic sucked. Even though those two malls were about 15 minutes from each other

[@OfficalECU]

I love this mall I always go there

[@Perfidious_Hollow]

That's the first mall you have gone to that I have been to. It used to have an fye and a hobby shop and those were the only 2 places I went to in there. It has been probably 12 years since I was last there.

[@SSSNoOne]

When FYE left it was a sad day indeed.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Those are the types of store I would usually go to a mall for too.

[@fleabittenadventures]

I think FYE is one of the only remaining chain stores in this part of the country that still sell CD's, other than Newbury Comics. I hope they don't go out of business like the rest.

[@Perfidious_Hollow]

@fleabittenadventures I loved going to fye as a teen. I was always a big movie guy and dvd collector and I would bring tote bags full of dvds in to sell and then use the store credit for a shopping spree. Good times.

[@needleonthevinyl]

5:47 That wall was a McDonalds, Taco Bell, and a Subway all next to each other! After a selection like that, of course it's going to feel empty.

[@TheFiminate]

Yeah. Now the only Taco Bells in VT are out of the way for anyone living in the mall’s area. The Subway used to be owned by my former boss, actually. Idk if he owned it by the time H&M moved into the mall. But it definitely sucks that it’s not there anymore.

[@jennifersaunders1979]

It first was a Dairy Queen. I worked there when I was 15. McDonald’s came in after Dairy Queen left.

[@eleanorlauzon]

That wall used to be filled with McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, subway. They got rid of them when they brought H&M in because H&M took up that whole area. In my opinion H&M is not worth it. They should’ve just kept the food court because the food places were always busy.

[@jennifersaunders1979]

It was Dairy Queen before McDonald’s. I worked there when I was 15. Then Dairy Queen left and McDonald’s came in.

[@StirlingBanfield]

actually the orginal Zaryes is still standing, if you look at sateilite photos you can see the original building as well as the filler between it and the "new" building

[@abbielebrun9380]

When they converted the Bon Ton to a Target, they must not have done any work to the celling. Every time I visit, I’m struck by how small/cramed that store feels, probably because the celling is low for a target store. For being so small, it still has a great selection.

[@fleabittenadventures]

It was probably much cheaper to just keep the ceilings low.

[@johnq.public3302]

Worst Target ever. Go to Plattsburg for the real deal.

[@finchsbirdhouse]

My 2010's experience was the peak, I'd say, as someone born in 1999 (and someone who moved to Vermont in 2006) I mostly remember visiting the FYE to pick up new, trendy shirts and Japanese candy, and eating Sbarro in the food court. It's such a shame to see this mall shrinking when it comes to things to do. The last time I went was last year to go to Spirit Halloween which was in the Sears location, if I remember.

[@weirdkd54]

To be fair, Burlington is very walkable and bikable. People would rather visit and support local stores downtown than chain stores.

[@karladawnjones718]

FYI The UMall is chock full of local owned businesses now . The mall also offers a free indoor place to hang out seven days a week almost every day of the year. This is extremely important in a place like Vermont, where you can’t bike or walk a large portion of the year without freezing your butt off. Buses stop right in front of main entrance Handicap accessible Family friendly I can’t say enough about why our local mall should be supported

[@canisfamiliaris401]

We need more channels like this that talk about local issues.

[@andysorensen1737]

I’d say it’s definitely holding steady. The food court is a tad concerning, but generally especially with this weekday afternoon crowd it seems to be doing fine relatively speaking.

[@SSSNoOne]

There used to be a thriving food court now nothing much!

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yes, the food court and the vacant Sears wing are really the only things that worry me about this mall.

[@fleabittenadventures]

When was that?

[@robertreynolds9612]

​@@fleabittenadventures As a Vermont guy here. The food court 10 to 12 years ago was full of restaurants McDonald's Duncan Toco Bell Subway and a few others that wall on the right had a McDonald's on the end and it was full to the other end so sad to see it in this state

[@neptunemacaw3354]

i remember the food court use to have places on both walls. it even had a mc donald's. although i don't know when or why they left. i want to say they left anywheres between 2018-2022. around that time i had stop going to the mall. it wasn't until last year when i started visiting again, and noticed the food court.

[@Axolotl_Mischief]

Most owners left due to poor mall mgmt and rising lease costs amidts waning business. I knew a few of them and that's what I was told.

[@SSSNoOne]

Almy’s, one of the two original anchor stores when the University Mall opened on April 5, 1979. Too bad I can't put the Grand opening photo on here.

[@fleabittenadventures]

I searched Google and Bing and couldn't find a single photo of the Almy's at University Mall. I had never heard of Almy's before this.

[@chrisaudette7841]

I am from the area, and have been coming here since the 80s. I can remember the food court had many different food chains on both sides, they were always packed with customers, long lines, and you were lucky to find an empty table to sit at. I can remember when there also use to be Chess King, Radio Shack, Express, Deb, Kay B Toys, Etc... I remember how crowded all these shops use to be. I thinks the u mall started to die after those chains died off, and since Bon Ton and Sears has left with less food chains has gotten worse. I think people that have lived here for decades can relate how busy the mall was during the weekends and holiday, Sometimes taking an hour or more to get out of there stuck in traffic! Hopefully the mall can turn around and make a comeback, Its really the only true mall left in Vermont, But amazon, online shopping is a big culprit as well nowadays, so i wont hold my breath with all the store closings over the last decade or more.

[@econhelp583]

We had a Zayre store in Amherst, MA when I lived there in 1972 (that store is long gone now). Vermont gets very cold and snowy. This Vermont mall will stay in business for sure.

[@bobbyking-hn6qq]

I love Malls,❤. I first visited this mall in the 90s . I stayed at the "University Inn" ? Next to this mall in 4/2010, for a month. . And then at the Holiday inn, off and on, in 2017. Unfortunately because of my family members being in the hospital 😢, in Burlington, VT. I spent a lot of time at this mall, as an escape, from the sadness of sick or injured family members. The Food Court was very pleasing. I am Sorry, and actually MAD !!! That our Malls are dieing. Our local St.Lawrence mall is dead 😢. Malls are a great place to walk / get exercise all year long. And SHOP !!! AT one stop shopping, instead of having to drive from ten different stores, walking from store to store in the winter COLD !.

[@mikewest6569]

I live near the Canadian Border in Vermont and considering there is no shopping in most of Vermont you would think this mall would be on fire. I guess most people are buying on-line. I have to rely on Amazon and others for most things I need.

[@jennifersaunders1979]

This is the problem I believe. This is why our mall is dying. I hate to online shop. I need to try on clothes to see if they fit or if they look good before buying. They removed all the good clothing stores out of the University Mall. I need to go clothes shopping so bad & this is my only option and mall, and we have nothing. I cannot wait! I am going on vacation in 10 days to Raleigh, North Carolina and I get to go to a real mall that is three stories! They have all the good clothing stores. And this mall is very busy! I cannot wait to go!

[@byJoltt]

I miss when i was a really little kid and there was a train that went around the upper parts of the walls, sometimes playing Christmas music. This place was one of my favorites as a kid. Back when the food court was packed, and people were everywhere. Especially back when Kay B Toys store and FYE was still there. The good old days

[@CheesusCheesusChrist]

Going there in the heyday 80s and early 90s, I agree with the assessment "doing mostly ok" especially given the current state of retail in the US.

[@filmrerun1973]

The food court used to be absolutely full and the whole blocked off wall at the very end used to be a giant window which let the sun in. It was a wonderful place as a child. But around 2012 they boarded up the sun and things started going away. Most the food business couldn’t keep up with the property rent even though they still did good business like the subway and the McDonald’s and Taco Bell, the rent just got so insanely high that people couldn’t afford it. It’s also a reason shops in this mall come and go every single month. Nobody can afford anything. When I was a kid this mall was absolutely flourishing in the 2000s and it was a fun place to be. Now it’s just depressing.

[@JtotheDplus3]

Are the new mall videos you’ve got on your channel as exciting as our crappy University mall? I’m sure they are much better👍🏽 No offense, you make a good video 👍🏽 very professional

[@DylanSnider]

There used to be at least eight food options and less chairs. Some time in the mid 2010's, many restaurants like McDonald's and foreign options were closed and more seats were added. I don't know why.

[@nlpnt]

I *REALLY* think Target should've put minimal resources into running that location as a Bon-Ton with a Target sign in front, and moved into the Sears space once it became available (always a "when" not an "if"). Either that or not waste so much space on grocery; it's actually surprising they weren't prevented from that by the mall having a category-exclusivity agreement with Hannafords.

[@RandomNonsense1985]

I’d say their closest competition isn’t the Berlin Mall, but Champlain Centre over in Plattsburgh, NY. Both CC and Umall are about the same size and both attract a lot of Canadian shoppers.

[@Otakoree]

5:36 H&M used to be a small toy store on the corner, and the wall with the mural used to be a McDonald’s, Dunkin, Taco Bell, and subway in that order your walking, they expanded the store space to make the H&M by removing all three food places

[@christiand765]

My good old University Mall! I haven't gone there since covid began. Thank you good sir for doing a walk-through how do you know if some stores are still there or not. But I will say the damn covid took my Chinese food restaurant. }:(

[@christiand765]

Also you asked about if there used to be a fountain at 4:45 I'm not sure if there ever was one there but I know the area had been rented out for kiosks and at one point mobile scooters

[@Ericmongeur]

Anywhere where it is circular and carpeted, there used to be a fountain there.

[@HypeFFL]

Also, side bar on the Berlin Mall. I lived very close to that one most of my life and it used to actually be full of good places like KB Toys, FYE, JCPenny, Bath and Body Works, Payless Shoes, Sports Image, Joann Fabrics, Olympia, an arcade, and more but that place has definitely died off. Hobby Lobby took the JCPenny end, Walmart has become a super Walmart and takes up half the building, and Planet Fitness has the middle and then a Five Below. Other than that there is a little food spot called Central Perk and a Gamestop. It saddens me that it's not a fun mall anymore because a lot of great memories of mine as a kid are there. It won't shut down because of the Walmart and Hobby Lobby but nothing else will open there anymore

[@joshuajerrythereviewer]

Rumors where circulating in 2018/2019 that Sears was set to become a Runnings Farm Supply store but I don't know how true those rumors were Champlain Centre mall in plattsburgh ny does kinda compete with this mall sorta Even though it's across the lake it kinda competes And yes I grew up going to this mall their used to be fountains I think The food court used to have DUNKIN, MCDONALD'S, TACO BELL, Sbarro pizza & a Chinese Restaurant I say around 2014 they started to close cause their was a planned bigger store I heard that never happened that was supposedly going on their Champlain Centre mall, U Mall both my childhood malls of the early to mid 2000s

[@thomasallen6980]

That Cruel Runnings store is not going to be there much longer. Never anyone in it.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks for the info! I wish there were some Sbarro's in my area. I miss their baked ziti! I used to have it almost everyday when I was in college.

[@fleabittenadventures]

There seem to be a lot of stores that seem to have almost no customers. It's amazing how they remain open as long as they do.

[@jennifersaunders1979]

Everyone keeps forgetting about Dairy Queen was there before McDonald’s. I worked there when I was 15. Then McDonald’s came in when Dairy Queen left.

[@yuwish6320]

I grew up in that area. Still live there. I remember when the U-mall had none fo those big box stores, no parking garage, no food court, no left side at all (the sideand the main entrance was right in front of where the food court is now. What it did have was 2 arcades (not one but two!), Kay-Bee Toy and Hobby, and a Papa Ginos right by the entrance before the Dream Machine.

[@Joemoezoe]

As a Vermonter, the umall is not what it used to be many of the restaurants of the food court went out of business. Somehow the umall has adapted and is surviving somehow. Surprised u know that Bon Ton existed at some point lol

[@dank2171]

I worked in that mall in 2012. We had 6-8 restaurants. The mall is dying but not as bad as other malls in vt.

[@PumkinSyrup]

I’ve lived in VT for my whole life and the mall used to be good. It’s only when they brought in clothes stores like Rue21, H&M and the food court to shut down did it go down hill so fast. now only two options are available at the food courts, with one of them changing every few months, H&M took over where food options such as McDonald’s, Dunkin, Subway, Taco Bell used to be which was majority of the food options. So now we only have two options Stores here are very bad too, where some are pretty empty 90% of the time or just closed, such as GameStop, or stores that do get customers such as Hot Topic, don’t get new inventory so it’s the same thing all the time. There are also many store areas that are just empty or there are stores that stay for a little bit but then close. Even during holidays they’re not many people there and on regular days it’s completely dead. During the holiday season that you visited this is as busy as it will get. On rare occasions it’ll be busy but other than that you don’t see many people. I used to love coming here and looking at FYE and Hot Topic but now me and my friends just go there to kill time, it’s never to actually hangout or shop, just kill an hour before we go somewhere where we actually do have plans. My mom who used to work and go here all the time has said that this is the worst it’s been. It’s dying and has been for a few years now so it’s only a matter of time when more stores start leaving

[@PumkinSyrup]

I fully believe that the only reason why it hasn’t closed is it’s the only actual shopping center in Vermont and Target

[@StarlitBawka]

Given the circumstances (that being: mall in vermont) i think the mall is doing remarkably well, it always feels pretty decently populated for like,,,small city/town mall at the very least the antique store and the retro game place are both pretty cool

[@iateyouroreos5912]

It wasn’t so much that the food court restaurants moved out, H&M bought out half the food court space for their expansion which took over 3(?) other storefronts in addition to the food court. Because of that, they lost McDonald’s, subway, Taco Bell and Dunkin’ Donuts as well as icing, and a toy store. The side that still exists has always had rotating restaurants but of similar theme such as Roman delights was a sbarro at one point. The carpeted areas that you if they were fountains: at least since late 90s, no. Until Covid they were cozy sitting areas with couches and chairs and coffee tables. Sometimes they’re used for events like the one the Christmas tree is set up on.

[@TheZelotus]

2:50 Used to be a sears for 16 years. Used to have an entrance from the parking garage. Was the best way to park and access the mall until sears closed down. 4:00 Karen's location Used to be a bed and bath works 4:05 Shoe store used to be where victoria's secret was 4:10 Used to be customer service for the mall, you could get gifts wrapped there, you could buy gift cards for the mall. You could get wheelchairs or carts for kids for accessibility. 5:00 H&M, That used to be part of the food court. It had a mcdonalds, a dunkin donuts, tacobell, and a subway. When the new owners took over, the food court drastically died. It used to have an EB games in that location next to the food court. iirc 5:00 The new Bed and Bath Works used to be an FYE which was a movie/dvd/music store. 5:22 You can see the tile on the floor, that's the time capsule from when the mall was originally built. 5:55 Roman's Used to be a sbarros 6:00 To answer your question, it was when the new owners took over, all the food places on the HM side were big chains. I would have no idea why. 8:06 is the entrance to the back parkinglot, most locals use this entrance. 8:35 This is the front entrance 8:47 The weird space you see between maurices and kohls is a seasonal space. They will put in spirit halloweens, party city, vr experiences, the gaming academy owned that for 3 years before expanding next to hot topic now. Weird craft stores. This space is specifically held for pop up shops that sell more then what an aisle kiosk would. 9:10 To answer another question, in the 90's this place was packed to the brim. It would have traffic jams that would last a few hours in the parking lot around halloween and christmas. It has died down a lot since with how many people are walking around. The food court was always packed 24/7 and just finding a table in offhours was a challenge. I think the mall is doing fine but the new owners need to fix the food court and get those big name fast food places back in. 11:07 Used to be a huge arcade from 1998 until about 2004 where obriens/kays was.

[@NikkiRoesslerBFDIFan64]

Hellooooo!!! I also have been to this mall in my life and it indeed is doing really well :) And, yes, there's some interesting history with this mall for sure. To answer your question about the food court, on the right was a McDonalds and Subway and Dunkin there while the empty kiosk on the center was a little Chinese restaurant and I'm talking about the experiences I've had shopping in this mall in like, I think the 2010s I wanna say? and a LOT of people were talking about FYE used to be in this mall and everytime people bring up FYE, I too had nostalgia for that store in there and I still really miss it a lot. :(

[@zcvt05]

The food court is not what it used to be. There was a Taco Bell, McDonald's, subway, Dunkin. Back in the day it had a Wendy's. Combination high rent and poorly run franchises. Maybe a movie theater would do ok? Back in the day it was one of the best attractions in Vermont. Still packed during the holidays but a shell of what it was.

[@AQuietSmile]

This was my childhood mall in the 80’s & 90’s. There used to be a pet store in the spot on the right, before you get to Kohls. I worked in a store called Afterthoughts in high school (now called Icing I think) and also in a store called Rave which was teen girl clothing. It was a 5-7-9 girls clothing store that only carried those sizes of clothes. There was a Tape World that in the 80s that eventually became an FYE. The mall is not what it was but it is still a fairly decent place to shop. My daughter in law’s family owns the Kidstructive Fun store near target and they do pretty good. I do hope it stays around. I would rather shop in person than online for a lot of things.

[@shawn-j3h]

the area where you said it looked like a fountain should be there, it used to be the customer service desk where you could buy gift cards to the mall. and they would do the gift wrapping services there as well.

[@jennifersaunders1979]

Our mall sucks. We have no clothing stores, the food court has nothing. It’s ridiculous.

[@Nothinghere0101]

Interesting mall! Will you do an another video about JCPenney At Crystal Mall before it closes?

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yes, as soon as I get a firm closing date for the JCPenney.

[@josephmvalentino]

JC Pennys is now closed as of yesterday

[@keiganblaise9878]

20 or 30 years ago? I'm only 26 and I remember this mall having a _lot_ more just 10 (or a few more) years ago! We had a _full_ food court, now we only have like four or five restaurants. We had so many more stores, and now a lot of the places are vacant or being used as storage for other stores like Target. I love this place still, but it's definitely gone downhill. And I really miss the other mall in Downtown as well. That one was my absolute favorite (with _two_ floors instead of one), and now it's been completely replaced. I don't think it was because of a lack of business/profit. I think the main culprit has been high expenses when it comes to things like rent, making it _seem_ like a lack of profit was the killer for many places. But as it stands, I don't find it believable. No good reason for a Taco Bell to leave. No good reason for FYE to leave. While there are stores and restaurants that have been here for as long as I can remember, like Spencer's, Hot Topic, Auntie Anne's, etc. They were making money just fine. I literally think it was high expenses, and the mall owners are the ones to blame. That _entire_ wall in the food court on the right side, that you walked along, never used to be there. You're right. It used to be _all_ restaurants. McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, Subway, Taco Bell. I remember. And it's so sad to see one mall completely gone, and the other one like this. Because landlords charge too much. Edit: And maybe the places that closed down didn't meet _expected_ profit margins. But that is still directly linked to expenses.

[@karladawnjones718]

The mall offers special rates for small businesses such as mine - You begin to pass my store (7:08) Eat and Be Hoopy (the big snowman with a hula hoop in the front window) we do hula hooping parties and lessons. As well as art and cooking activities. ! I 😊love being at the mall. We need an indoor place to hang out here!

[@Joseph1701-A]

Would you do a video on Governor''s Square Mall in Tallahassee, FL?

[@thomasdarby6084]

I expect this mall... along with all the larger brick-and-mortar stores originally seen as anchors, is going away. The price of real estate, the no-revenue parking, and the facts of changed public shopping habits since Covid (not just Amazon!), all contribute to the changes. People just don't gather in such areas anymore.

[@kechiastone5906]

So I live in Burlington vt and yes the mall used to have a fountain when I was a young child and the food courts started to go bad with no restaurants around 2018

[@SICresinwrks]

Man i haven't been there in at least 5 yrs. Last time i went it was practically empty. The only reason the mall is still around is because theres nothing else for shopping. As a kid it was my favorite place because it had the only video game store anywhere remotely close

[@noobsfansub]

I think that the Canadian dollar being so low isn't helping. I'd go to Vermont and that mall often but the exchange rate is so brutal lately.

[@super6baker910]

I'm 46 years old when i was in my 20,s this mal was full of people and shops ,the foodquourt was completely full and was the only place to go to get anything now online sale's have killed it in my opinion.

[@haunted_hallwayz]

I've lived down the street from the university mall all my life. At one point in time, it was very popping, just like so many malls in the united states. The food court was full with a and w. Hot dogs and more taco bell subway sbarro Fortune cookie... There was even a place called rollie bollie That made these amazing calzone style Cheesy breads.... I miss those days. When they got rid of the fye In twenty twenty one I was officially done.

[@ronhoover5516]

Seems like a nice clean mall! A bit generic but overall looks good!

[@joshuajerrythereviewer]

It used to be better they did a remodel problay 10 or 11 years ago and made it boring

[@fleabittenadventures]

I agree, it's fine. It's clean, decent selection of businesses. As far as it being generic though, I've seen soooo many malls that I would say 75% or more of them feel VERY similar.

[@bradenryan2496]

there used to be a mcdonalds, taco bell, sabaro, and more in the food court. must have been like '09 that everything left

[@Mysocksaresour]

As a teen, the mall is like one out of the 5 things you can do in Vermont, so it’s thriving with younger people lol, I do wish the only good place to eat there was more than an Applebees and Auntie Anne’s, the food court places aren’t really good imo, bring back the taco bell

[@ginah8023]

It’s just about dead, compared to what it was . I worked at this mall. The fact that it’s the only mall in vermont keeps it going. I would not consider the Berlin mall a mall at all, it’s tiny. There was never a fountain or any greenery in this mall. The downtown mall now closed had a fountain at one time. The food court is dead at the mall, I think 4 to 5 years ago most of the restaurants left. The H&M space took up where 5 or so restaurants were, McDonald’s Dunkin’ Donuts Taco Bell and subway.

[@eastleford20]

I was in there last week. Absolutely sad. It looks more and more like the discount mall in the movie "Mall Rats". That place used to be the nucleus of social activity.