News:

The AARoads Wiki is live! Come check it out!

Main Menu

Dead Malls

Started by The Premier, January 25, 2011, 05:38:18 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

texaskdog

I used to live by a strip mall that was built, and never actually opened.  Now a freeway runs by where it used to be.  If only they were patient.


CentralCAroadgeek

I do know of one dead mall.

It's the Sunrise Mall in Corpus Christi, TX. Directly across the better, newly-renovated La Palmera Mall. It's an example of how bad it is to put two malls right across from each other. Sunrise apparently only has a Sears and a Dollar Theater.

When going down S.P.I.D. last summer, I noticed just in the exterior of Sunrise how neglected it is. Meanwhile, La Palmera was just recently renovated.

Brandon

^^ Ever notice that many of these dead malls have something in common?  I'll give a hint, it starts with an "M" and ends in "Wards".
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

agentsteel53

Quote from: Brandon on April 03, 2012, 08:38:28 PM
^^ Ever notice that many of these dead malls have something in common?  I'll give a hint, it starts with an "M" and ends in "Wards".

... Walmartds?
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

cpzilliacus

Quote from: Brandon on April 03, 2012, 08:38:28 PM
^^ Ever notice that many of these dead malls have something in common?  I'll give a hint, it starts with an "M" and ends in "Wards".

Montgomery Wards?

Though the Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton in Maryland (f/k/a Wheaton Plaza) successfully survived the shut-down of a Wards store.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

agentsteel53

Quote from: cpzilliacus on April 04, 2012, 12:37:50 PM

Montgomery Wards?


I had no idea that chain was still in existence.  I don't recall seeing one since the 80s!  then again, I do my best to pay as little attention as possible to large box stores.

I had thought that it was Walmart which was displacing other box stores.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

Roadgeek Adam

Quote from: agentsteel53 on April 04, 2012, 01:04:55 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on April 04, 2012, 12:37:50 PM

Montgomery Wards?


I had no idea that chain was still in existence.  I don't recall seeing one since the 80s!  then again, I do my best to pay as little attention as possible to large box stores.

I had thought that it was Walmart which was displacing other box stores.
Montgomery Wards is on online only now. They went out as a store chain a while ago.
Adam Seth Moss
M.A. History, Western Illinois University 2015-17
B.A. History, Montclair State University 2013-15
A.A. History & Education - Middlesex (County) College 2009-13

DaBigE

Quote from: cpzilliacus on April 04, 2012, 12:37:50 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 03, 2012, 08:38:28 PM
^^ Ever notice that many of these dead malls have something in common?  I'll give a hint, it starts with an "M" and ends in "Wards".

Montgomery Wards?

Though the Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton in Maryland (f/k/a Wheaton Plaza) successfully survived the shut-down of a Wards store.
One in Green Bay, WI did as well (Bay Park Square?).  If I remember correctly, it was one of the last (the last?) 'Wards stores in Wisconsin.  I still remember going there a couple of times with my parents back in the early 1990's.  I also remember going to one in the Kalamazoo/Portage, MI area, but I don't remember if that one was tied to a mall or not.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

Brandon

Quote from: DaBigE on April 04, 2012, 02:15:38 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on April 04, 2012, 12:37:50 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 03, 2012, 08:38:28 PM
^^ Ever notice that many of these dead malls have something in common?  I'll give a hint, it starts with an "M" and ends in "Wards".

Montgomery Wards?

Though the Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton in Maryland (f/k/a Wheaton Plaza) successfully survived the shut-down of a Wards store.
One in Green Bay, WI did as well (Bay Park Square?).  If I remember correctly, it was one of the last (the last?) 'Wards stores in Wisconsin.  I still remember going there a couple of times with my parents back in the early 1990's.  I also remember going to one in the Kalamazoo/Portage, MI area, but I don't remember if that one was tied to a mall or not.

Maple Hill Mall.  It's dead.
I've noticed more malls with a Wards seem to have died (for the obvious reason that their anchor is gone) than have survived.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

DaBigE

Quote from: Brandon on April 04, 2012, 08:28:33 PM
Maple Hill Mall.  It's dead.
I've noticed more malls with a Wards seem to have died (for the obvious reason that their anchor is gone) than have survived.

Not surprised it's dead, but apparently I was confusing Kalamazoo malls.  For some reason I thought it was at the mall off of Westnedge Ave...then again, I haven't been back to the Kalamazoo area in close to 10 years.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

Michael

The Shops at Ithaca Mall (formerly Pyramid Mall Ithaca) has done quite well after having a Monkey Ward's (as my grandpa would call it, although I don't remember ever going into it) close.  The store was partially knocked down and replaced with Old Navy and AC Moore in 2002, along with a new building attached for a Target.  At the other end, a Borders, Dicks, and Best Buy were added.  The mall and immediate surrounding area have expanded rapidly in the past 10 years or so.

Some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shops_at_Ithaca_Mall
http://deadmalls.com/malls/pyramid_mall.html
http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/pyramid-mall-and-triphammer-mall

US71

I saw someone post on an e-group this week "Bannister Mall is gone! What happened?"  I guess they don't to that side of town very often.  :eyebrow:
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

DaBigE

Quote from: Michael on April 06, 2012, 03:46:12 PM
...having a Monkey Ward's (as my grandpa would call it, although I don't remember ever going into it)

Ha!  I thought my dad was the only one that called it "Monkey" Wards.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

US71

Quote from: DaBigE on April 08, 2012, 04:09:14 PM
Quote from: Michael on April 06, 2012, 03:46:12 PM
...having a Monkey Ward's (as my grandpa would call it, although I don't remember ever going into it)

Ha!  I thought my dad was the only one that called it "Monkey" Wards.

Lots of people called it "Monkey" Wards, myself included on occasion.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

rawmustard

Quote from: DaBigE on April 04, 2012, 10:48:34 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 04, 2012, 08:28:33 PM
Maple Hill Mall.  It's dead.
I've noticed more malls with a Wards seem to have died (for the obvious reason that their anchor is gone) than have survived.

Not surprised it's dead, but apparently I was confusing Kalamazoo malls.  For some reason I thought it was at the mall off of Westnedge Ave...then again, I haven't been back to the Kalamazoo area in close to 10 years.

You might have been thinking of Southland Mall, which (like Maple Hill and part of West Main Mall) has been redeveloped as an outdoor strip. The Crossroads is definitely the preeminent regional mall in the area.

hobsini2

Quote from: Brandon on April 04, 2012, 08:28:33 PM
Quote from: DaBigE on April 04, 2012, 02:15:38 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on April 04, 2012, 12:37:50 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 03, 2012, 08:38:28 PM
^^ Ever notice that many of these dead malls have something in common?  I'll give a hint, it starts with an "M" and ends in "Wards".

Montgomery Wards?

Though the Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton in Maryland (f/k/a Wheaton Plaza) successfully survived the shut-down of a Wards store.
One in Green Bay, WI did as well (Bay Park Square?).  If I remember correctly, it was one of the last (the last?) 'Wards stores in Wisconsin.  I still remember going there a couple of times with my parents back in the early 1990's.  I also remember going to one in the Kalamazoo/Portage, MI area, but I don't remember if that one was tied to a mall or not.

Maple Hill Mall.  It's dead.
I've noticed more malls with a Wards seem to have died (for the obvious reason that their anchor is gone) than have survived.
Wards closing there store at Jefferson Square was the real death of JS Mall even though it had a couple stores try to hang on for a year or two. Interestingly, almost imediately after JS closed, Louis Joliet got a nice shot of being revitalized despite the 2 strip malls across the parking lot.
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. Keep firing, assholes! - Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

bulkyorled



There's an extremely dead one in Panorama City, CA. This one has an Electric Avenue store attached. It was damaged in the 1994 Northridge quake and they left it alone ever since. I'm thinking they're actually planning on doing something with it soon though. There's a 10 story building maybe a block away that had been damaged in the same quake and abandoned but a few weeks ago they started going back inside and taking stuff in and out of there.
Your local illuminated sign enthusiast

Signs Im looking for: CA only; 1, 2, 14, 118, 134, 170, 210 (CA), and any california city illuminated sign.

Brandon

Quote from: hobsini2 on April 10, 2012, 06:41:05 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 04, 2012, 08:28:33 PM
Quote from: DaBigE on April 04, 2012, 02:15:38 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on April 04, 2012, 12:37:50 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 03, 2012, 08:38:28 PM
^^ Ever notice that many of these dead malls have something in common?  I'll give a hint, it starts with an "M" and ends in "Wards".

Montgomery Wards?

Though the Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton in Maryland (f/k/a Wheaton Plaza) successfully survived the shut-down of a Wards store.
One in Green Bay, WI did as well (Bay Park Square?).  If I remember correctly, it was one of the last (the last?) 'Wards stores in Wisconsin.  I still remember going there a couple of times with my parents back in the early 1990's.  I also remember going to one in the Kalamazoo/Portage, MI area, but I don't remember if that one was tied to a mall or not.

Maple Hill Mall.  It's dead.
I've noticed more malls with a Wards seem to have died (for the obvious reason that their anchor is gone) than have survived.
Wards closing there store at Jefferson Square was the real death of JS Mall even though it had a couple stores try to hang on for a year or two. Interestingly, almost imediately after JS closed, Louis Joliet got a nice shot of being revitalized despite the 2 strip malls across the parking lot.

Jeff Sq was dying though long before Wards closed.  It was dying slowly since Wieboldt's closed back in 1987.  The demise of Wards merely hastened the death of the mall.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

roadman65

The West Oaks Mall in Ocoee, FL is dying.  Only 2/3 of the retail space is  currently leased and one of its main anchor stores, Sears, will be closing its doors at that location later this year.

Officials say, that the local law enforcement has been called 700 times in one month recently to handle shoplifting, robberies, etc.
It is located near Pine Hills, aka Crime Hills, where much happens there resulting in a shooting or two frequently.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

DaBigE

Quote from: rawmustard on April 10, 2012, 11:50:51 AM
Quote from: DaBigE on April 04, 2012, 10:48:34 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 04, 2012, 08:28:33 PM
Maple Hill Mall.  It's dead.
I've noticed more malls with a Wards seem to have died (for the obvious reason that their anchor is gone) than have survived.

Not surprised it's dead, but apparently I was confusing Kalamazoo malls.  For some reason I thought it was at the mall off of Westnedge Ave...then again, I haven't been back to the Kalamazoo area in close to 10 years.

You might have been thinking of Southland Mall, which (like Maple Hill and part of West Main Mall) has been redeveloped as an outdoor strip. The Crossroads is definitely the preeminent regional mall in the area.

Looking at the map, I was definitely confusing Crossroads with whatever area mall had a 'Wards store.  I used to have family living within a nice walk of that mall, and I remember both walking to a mall from their house and going to a 'Wards store at some point in our visit.  As I was just a kid at the time (<12), apparently the memories blurred together somewhat.  I knew I was at both at some point, (also including a variety of Mejier stores).
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

rawmustard

Quote from: DaBigE on April 10, 2012, 11:04:06 PM
Looking at the map, I was definitely confusing Crossroads with whatever area mall had a 'Wards store.  I used to have family living within a nice walk of that mall, and I remember both walking to a mall from their house and going to a 'Wards store at some point in our visit.  As I was just a kid at the time (<12), apparently the memories blurred together somewhat.  I knew I was at both at some point, (also including a variety of Mejier stores).

Maple Hill definitely had the Wards store on the east end, while a Meijer Square (Turn Style previous to that) anchored the west end until a regular Meijer store was built at West Main and 9th.

golden eagle


Big John

Quote from: DaBigE on April 04, 2012, 02:15:38 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on April 04, 2012, 12:37:50 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 03, 2012, 08:38:28 PM
^^ Ever notice that many of these dead malls have something in common?  I'll give a hint, it starts with an "M" and ends in "Wards".

Montgomery Wards?

Though the Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton in Maryland (f/k/a Wheaton Plaza) successfully survived the shut-down of a Wards store.
One in Green Bay, WI did as well (Bay Park Square?).  If I remember correctly, it was one of the last (the last?) 'Wards stores in Wisconsin.  I still remember going there a couple of times with my parents back in the early 1990's.  I also remember going to one in the Kalamazoo/Portage, MI area, but I don't remember if that one was tied to a mall or not.

The MW store was there first as a stand-alone store, then they built Bay Park Square to adjoin it.  When the franchise went belly-up, they tore down the building, expanded the mall space and built a new Younkers.

Stephane Dumas

I spotted some pictures of the location of the former Bannister mall in Kansas City http://www.urbanophile.com/2013/06/04/suburban-blight-in-kansas-city-by-eric-mcafee/

DeaconG

Miracle City Mall in Titusville finally went Tango Uniform as of the first of the year when the JC Penney store shut down.  Still planning that conversion to an outdoor 'lifestyle' center and offices for Parrish Medical but I don't know when that's supposed to take place.
Dawnstar: "You're an ape! And you can talk!"
King Solovar: "And you're a human with wings! Reality holds surprises for everyone!"
-Crisis On Infinite Earths #2



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.