In my opinion, this is one of the few modern renovations of a mall that doesn’t feel like a soul-removing bleaching. The mall is colorful, vibrant, and seems welcoming. Most malls today just have the same stark white feeling. I really do hope we see more malls like this. It just seems like a fun place to be.

@lil_peachie4079

25 күн бұрын

I grew up in st joe ! And still go to the mall , I have high hopes that we can all still use it and hopefully turn it into something better !

Current Saint Joseph resident here. The mall use to be THE hangout for everyone. Poor mall management has run that place into the ground. Store have left and gone up to the North Shoppes where they stand a chance at thriving. I have many fond memories of East Hills mall and its beyond sad to see its current state

Your episodes keep getting better and better. I think the saddest thing in this video was that big beautiful carousel, all lit up, and no children to enjoy it.

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

It hurts to see! :( and it’s SUCH a beautiful place, I just wish more people would use it all..

@charlestonpinballarcade

26 күн бұрын

Yes! Same thing happened at century 3. They brought in a huge 2 tier carousel and it sat dead for years before they finally carted it away in the final years of the mall. Even if you went to ride it, there was usually no one there to operate it.😢

@benb8407

21 күн бұрын

The Crossroads Mall where I live had a 2 tire Carousel got rid of it a few years ago in the food court which is dead only 2 places are open in the food court. Which is a dead mall.

Sad about dying malls. I remember when they were the epitome of fun and shopping 🛍

Oh snap, East Hills, classic commercial! 🎶Boots and Pants and Boots and Pants🎶

@mariebelladonna437

24 күн бұрын

Get to the mall, y'all!

As a former St. Joseph News-Press reporter, I gotta say you did an excellent job researching this. I feel like outsiders normally come to The Joe and say “This place sucks!” without doing any digging into the cool stuff it does have and had. Was pleasantly surprised you gave the city and the mall’s history a fair shake. I will also say that it’s pretty funny the mall’s history hallway ends with “Yeah, we had a commercial that sucked so bad that people around the world made fun of it. The end!”

@NorthCdogg22

24 күн бұрын

Hey thanks! I put a lot of effort into making sure I can get the history to a T, and yeah that is pretty funny how that wall ends😅

@TheSpiderPan

23 күн бұрын

Do you happen to know if one of our people here at KQ2 made that ad? It's in our archives.

@andrewgaug1771

23 күн бұрын

@@TheSpiderPan Chris Fleck created it and works at KQ. He should have it.

The ‘long hallway’ of empty store fronts were where most of the cool stores, salons, our favorite pizza place and more were. That stretch was actually the life of the mall.

I remember when the East Hill Mall first opened, Kids from all over the city would take the city bus there on Sat mornings to hang out and watch a movie at the Fox Theater, that was over 50 years ago. Thank you for the memories. "The Fox East Hills Theatre was located in the East Hills Mall in the east of St. Joseph, MO. It opened on November 3, 1965 with John Wayne in “The Sons of Katie Elder”. It was running movies, mainly B-pictures and double features. It was closed on August 9, 1990 with the animation adventure “DuckTales The Movie:Treasure of the Lost Lamp”

The empty place at time mark 16:19 used to be Taco John's. I walked out there for several years starting in 2000-2001. Had a friend who used to sit at the tables there in the morning with a cup of coffee and watch everyone go by. I was born and raised in St. Joseph and moved about 30 min south after my husband passed 10 years ago. It is sad to see how empty East Hills is now. Many good memories there including Christmas time and all the decorations, taking sewing lessons at Singer's when I was young and hearing Joe Walsh sing with the St. James grade school kids in January 2001. (He used to be a St. James student.) Thanks for the wonderful job you did on this video. 😊

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

Those sound like great memories, thank you for sharing, and thanks for watching!

@patriciaward9362

25 күн бұрын

@@NorthCdogg22 You're most welcome! 🙂

Most of the old timers in St Jo would tell you that the East Hill mall was not the reason that downtown died, what Killed downtown St Jo was Urban Renewal, or so we believe. :) I was in middle then High school back then. "The Urban Renewal Project Mo R-92 The program, described as "Project Mo R-92", had been finalized on August 7, 1969 On June 26, 1970 an ordinance was passed by the City Council authorizing a cooperation agreement between the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority for the City of St. Joseph and the City of St. Joseph - over 100 buildings were razed The urban renewal program caused the demise of the downtown area. The majority of businesses moved out of the downtown area or went out of business totally. During the urban renewal period, we lost many of our historic buildings to demolition Downtown Felix Street had been turned into a walking pedestrian mall several times Numerous times, the streets were changed to one-way making driving a bit confusing The pedestrian mall was finally removed as well as many parking meters After 45 years, downtown is beginning to slowly come back to life"

I'm not a native of St Joe, but I've lived here for almost 6 years and when I first moved here in 2019 I worked in that mall, at Rue21, which is now, sadly gone like so many others before her. I obviously never got to see East Hills in it's Hay Day, and, man, I wish I would have, but even in 2019 it was still pretty poppin! Obviously that was pre-pandemic and after Covid everything started really going downhill. I think since I've lived here we've lost roughly 20 stores and food court restaurants and probably a few more smaller pop ups that I can't even remember (probably more, I just can't keep track). It's really sad to see it like this. And I'm honestly surprised the few stores that are still there are still there, ya know! Idk how much longer East Hills has, but this video made me wanna go and give it some love before it's gone.

I grew up going to East Hills Mall. I went there probably a month ago to Penneys. t's so sad to see it almost empty. Rumor has it, is that the owner has ran it into the ground with extremely high lease costs.

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

I’ve heard the current owner has been just running the remaining tenants leases out, then plans to close and demolish the mall shortly after.. :( it really is sad

Current St Joe resident here and let me say that this mall used to be THE spot to hang out! I graduated high school in 2011 and it’s been so sad seeing the sight of this place now. Around a year ago, the owner doubled everyone’s leases and ran them out as fast as he could. So sad. 😢

I felt sorry for that big cute teddy bear with the big red bow tie in the store window just sitting there looking out to an empty mall.😢

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Me too :( poor guy will be stuck there until it’s all torn down..

Its crazy to think that commercial was only 10 years ago. Its very sad but I still have hope some company will take over these malls one day and bring them back to the glory days.

Currently live here it is very sad to watch it die I had a lot of fond memories there growing up

The East Hills commercial. EPIC!!! Boots and pants and boots and pants. 🤣🤣🤣

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

It’s ICONIC!😂😂

This mall has it all: Unique Layout, Actually nice modern renovation, takes pride in it's history with that BEAUTIFUL historic wall, and a working carousel. Shame it's biting the dust like so many other beautiful properties, all for more bland big-box retail. Great documentation as always! Did you 🎵get yourself an outfit🎵 there? 😂

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

No but I should’ve!😅😅 thanks for watching man!

i remember my grandma taking me here all the time when i was little. we would first go to dillards so she could shop, then we would go to justice so i could get new clothes, then we would get taco johns and auntie annes, then go to the play place, then bath and body since she worked there and got a discount, and shop that entire hallway that looks so dead now. the saddest thing for me about this video is the play place being completely empty. i used to play there everytime i went to the mall and there were kids playing all over the play place.

What a beautiful mall, it's so sad to see it decline.

Haha, I helped co-direct and cast the first commercial with producer Chris Fleck. My little sister is the little girl singing. I also produced the beat for the second mall commercial. RIP Jeff Jones Sad to see the mall in its current state. I have so many fun childhood memories there.

@NorthCdogg22

22 күн бұрын

You got to be part of something pretty historic! Those commercials will forever live on!!

It's such a shame so many Malls are closed or closing, It Wasn't just about shopping it was about socialising, a lot people say amazon and online retail is to blame but it's also a lot of the stores having to pay overpriced rent, people not having as much disposable income, increased crime, the crash of 2008, the lockdowns of 2020, also there are a lot of areas which built too many malls in close proximity which caused over saturation, bit like Starbucks. I just hope they find good uses for Malls that are closing as so much time, effort, and money went into building these Malls.

Minus the colored tubes, the overhead wood and geometric shapes in this mall are a bit of Frank Lloyd Wright inspired design.

I work at KQ2 making ads for the local businesses. We neighbor the mall. (I actually filmed the recent eclipse from the mall parking lot) I think one of my predecessors made that ad. It's in our archives. Dated from 2015. We used to have a Halloween trick or treat event with our reporters etc before Covid. I've thought it would be fun for us to start that up again...but I don't think it's going to happen.

I play that easy hills mall commercial every year when back to school starts😂😂😂

theres something so sad about these videos. i always think of how busy these places once were, with families, kids, etc. i cant help but feel that times were simpler where places like this could be appreciated.

A nice classic Mall, and i'm sad that Mall's are dying.

It's just a matter of time before the music and lights go dark forever I believe! I didn't even know that they had any JC Penney left open. I wonder how the owner can afford to even pay for the electricity 🔌

I grew up in St. Joe in the 90’s and it’s so sad to see East Hills in this state. Really enjoyed your coverage of the history of it!

@NorthCdogg22

25 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!

If you're ever in St Louis, check out South County Mall. Its tiny but the best example of a dead mall I've seen, actively in the death throes. Every time we pass by Im amazed its open

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

I’ve been before! Back in 2020 it still seemed to be doing fairly well, but I’ll have to check it out out next time I’m down!

I'm so excited for this one. This is my local mall. 😊❤🎉

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

Hope you like it!

This is sad. I have so many memories of this mall.

Can finally sleep well tonight with new Saturday video

Suburbs of the Windy City... Dixie Square?? Kidding, kidding, LOL! Great vid as always!

@NorthCdogg22

23 күн бұрын

Thank you!! And I wish I could’ve seen that one!😅

That mall in the late 90s was iconic. I spent a lot of time in my teens there, talking to girls and hanging out with friends. I performed with my school choir at Christmastime several times at center stage at the fountain, and played in a bad that got to play there too. So many memories for me that it makes it hard to even go in there now, except I have kids who love to ride the carousel and play in the kids area. Great video!

I grew up going to this mall so it is a bit sad to see but you did a great job on this min-documentary. Well Done!!

@NorthCdogg22

25 күн бұрын

Thank you!

You do a awesome job with these videos. Funny that they put the names of their former tenants since they don't have many actual stores.

Back in the day last time I shopped in the mall. Monkey wards, Penny’s, Hershey’s, Katty’s drug store. A shoe store, clothing stores. 1986 it was doing very well. 2013 it seemed to be empty now it’s worse.

Hi North!!! The mall in Canada is New Horizon Mall in Calgary Alberta Canada. They built it directly across from another mall Cross Iron Mills Mall. Thanks so very much for the wonderful videos!!! This was an excellent video as always!! Take care and have a wonderful Sunday and weekend!!!! 👍🏻😃

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

Yes that’s the one! Thanks for watching!

@daymenleo6895

26 күн бұрын

Yep just like my Barrie Ontario malls 2 clustered together and walls of vacancy 👀

Love your videos, especially the music!❤

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Thank you so much!

Those curtains on the food court countertops are just begging for a little kid to rip them down and the bar comes crashing down. It’s like letting the kids sit on the escalator before they get caught in the treads like in Mallrats. 😮

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

It’s going to happen one of these days 🫣 especially since there is little supervision here..

Awesome, you're too good at this 👍

Man, you caught it just in time. Thank-you for this! (i love malls)

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed!

That mall is in great shape. I love the light fixtures. The history timeline was really cool with all the old stores. Your music choice always brings me back to my teens. Those commercials were funny. Thanks for another one. Hope you have a good weekend.

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching SeaBee! You have a great weekend too!

Just wanted to say you do an exceptional job! Great content! Very interesting, very cool. It takes a lot of work to make such a great video. It’s not easy and very time consuming. You deserve some accolades. Been watching for quite a while. You add so much and with music, the camera work. Haha…thanks man…I really enjoy! Keep going!

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Thank you very much!

Amazing Video as always

remarkably upbeat timeline judging by the look of things. that merry-go-round is surreal in the dead mall, surreal even

I could definitely vibe in this mall. Great video!!

@NorthCdogg22

24 күн бұрын

Thanks man!

another great cozy vid 👏🏻

On the tail end of the pandemic, I met a friend in St Joe. After we were done hanging out, I went to the mall as I needed a new suit jacket, and I figured the Dillard's Clearance Center would be a good place to look (and I found my jacket.) I recall seeing a pizza place in the food court that looked good, I saw a couple people come into the mall just to pick up pizza from there. However I had just eaten before coming to the mall so I passed. That one hallway is very dark, I would argue a bit too dark, but I totally dug the cozy feeling it had.

It's a nice looking mall and it appears to be in great condition. What the heck happened to malls in America? I live in Vietnam. The malls here are jam packed with people. I live about 3/4 mile from Aeon Mall Canary, Binh Duong. You can look it up online. However, if you want to experience peak mall culture, you should go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The malls there are incredible. Amazing selection of stores and reasonable prices.

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

It’s nice that malls in other parts of the world are able to work out so well, I hope to get to experience that one day! America unfortunately is just built to SUCH an excess, that these places.. no matter how nice, are just empty..

Amazing video North!

Amazing channel

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

Thanks!

Amazing 👏🏽👏🏽

Great video. Thanks.

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Glad you liked it!

Please please tell me what songs you used, I have severe anxiety and these videos make me feel so much better but the music is even better. Please could you tell me what songs you use? Love your channel and I will continue to support!❤

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

I’m glad you enjoy them! Whenever a song plays, I always show the song title/artist in a little banner at the bottom left of the screen. But just look up mallsoft playlists on YT that’s usually where I find it all🙌

Cracked up at the same time you did over that wonky museum eyeball 😅👁️

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

It was so off putting!😅😅

I absolutely LOVE the carousel in this mall!!! It's absolutely beautiful!!!! It reminds me of the beautiful carousel in the Wolfchase Galleria in Memphis. Thanks again North for such a beautiful mall and a wonderful video with excellent music!!! Take care and have a wonderful Sunday and weekend!!!! 👍🏻😃

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

I totally agree! Have a great weekend Michelle!

@novelist99

25 күн бұрын

It's an old one. The man who fixed it up painted it all by hand. His last name was White.

@marvelousme5

23 күн бұрын

@@novelist99 That's so cool and awesome he painted it by hand!!! It's a beautiful carousel so I can see that. Thanks for letting us know. What a beautiful carousel!!! 👍🏻😃

Amazing Video! Now where are you gonna get your haircut? 😂

They were spittin' hot fire on the mall commercial 😅😅

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

hot FIRE

@innercityprepper

27 күн бұрын

The hair stylist was clearly enjoying it more than boots & pants guy

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

@@innercityprepperHAIR CUTTT!!!

@mejoy5703

25 күн бұрын

Lmao locals make fun of that commercial😂

I remember in the 70s and 80s my mom and her sister would travel to St. Joe to shop at a clothing store called Einbenders, which I believe was located in the downtown district.

Beautiful video man

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Thanks man!

@RattleTrapGarage

25 күн бұрын

@NorthCdogg22 yea man 🤘

Can‘t watch yet, need to get home to my TV to enjoy your beautiful cinematography on the big screen... I might skip the ad though, that one is truly terrible and I’m afraid of having it stuck in my brain 😂!

Well, atleast you can still get yourself NEW SHOES at East Hills.

Those mini stores, while not a terrible idea, DEFINITELY don't remind me of jail cells.....

The Canadian mall you're thinking of is the New Horizon Mall outside Calgary, Alberta. It's an Asian-style shopping centre with a focus on local shops, but has has really struggled to attract tenants. It's a shame, since it's a relatively young mall that only opened in 2019.

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Yes that’s it! I remembered seeing a video about it awhile back and that small area in EH reminded me so much of it. It’s a shame it wasn’t able to work up there..

These videos are great, but I wonder how large the drop off rate for watches is as it takes nearly three minutes into the video to get to the topic.

Used to live in Cedar Falls in 93 and visited family once a year until 02. Sad what happened to College Square. Heard Crossroads in Waterloo is almost dead too. Would like to see you do a video of that mall

@NorthCdogg22

10 күн бұрын

@@CheapestBigSpender I’ve actually have a video on that mall already!

@CheapestBigSpender

10 күн бұрын

@@NorthCdogg22 I found it. It's so creepy and sad to see College Square and Crossroads now. It's like someone took a memory of your youth and stomped it to pieces while laughing at you 😪

My hubby lived in St Joe Mo for awhile when growing up.

Next to the kids play area.. there was a part that you put a caption “former ?” that was a Taco John’s before the latest remodel and addition of a “food court” it moved to that area and that was made into an area with vending machines and seating

This mall has cozy coffee shop at night vibes.

The former Statford Square Mall is your next episode. Keep up the good work

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

You know it!

Do the Northpark Mall Joplin Missouri!

Stratford square in Bloomingdale Illinois?

Wonderful video! I am going to guess Stratford Square Mall :).

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

It is!

@mollyheffernen

27 күн бұрын

@@NorthCdogg22: If you announce it, you can just say Molly if it's easier.

The mall did not (and maybe doesn't still) own the land it sits on. They rented it, and if they have bought it, it would have been tons of money. So they asked for too much rent, especially when they were no longer THE shopping destination in town. So business left. Also, I used to work with the guy that made that commercial. Chris Fleck on KZread.

Is it the New Horizon Mall in Clagary, Alberta that you are talking about, North?

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

Yes that’s the one!

I remember the terrible mall commercial

Stratford Square next?

I'm curious as to what day you filmed this on? That mall often has events in the area next to the carousel on the weekend and while it is definitely not bustling anymore, it's not totally dead..yet. I do know a lot use the mall as a walking area.

It was renovated a few years back, because some money was invested in it long ago, which matured. They had to use it or lose it. The owner's son wants to make it into a sports park; thus it's the mall's demise.

April fools idea, do a video on the not-so-dead mall mall of America

Hey north, i have a question, do you have a channel maskot?? Like a character?? I wanna make fanart but idk what to draw

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

I do not! But if you think up something feel free to send me an insta DM!

@tias512

27 күн бұрын

@@NorthCdogg22 shoot I don't have insta but I'll @ you on yt

Great video any chance the music could go down a little bit please, as I was struggling to hear you speak sometimes 👍👍🌻

18:23 I'm pretty sure the sears closed in 2013 or 14.

I cant remember the name but you are talking about the dead mall across the street from crossiron mills in calgary i think🙏

Next mall is northbrook court?

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

Nope but good guess!

@ceccrystalake

27 күн бұрын

@@NorthCdogg22 Next??

I think I know what mall you're talking about in Canada, it's on the very outskirts of Toronto. Or maybe there are just several. My Canadian friend and I went through there and concluded the mall shops must be for foreign money laundering since there was no way they were selling any meaningful goods from the toilet stall sized shops and most were always closed.

NORTHCDOGG , I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR GOOD VIDEOS, THERE ARE OTHER FRIENDS THAT HAVE VIDEOS LIKE YOURS: DAN BEL AND SAL AMATORE

visit wood field mall in Schaumburg Illinois it’s almost abandoned and visit its abandoned brother streets of woodfield

@ShadeATV

27 күн бұрын

Ehhh, spring hill would be better

@ceccrystalake

27 күн бұрын

@@ShadeATV hawthorn would be better

I KNEW THE COMMERCIAL HAD TO COME UP AT SOME POINT

east hills, back to school 😔😔

ive been there when i was in my teens thats sad thats what it has turn into

Admin reveal @35:58!

@NorthCdogg22

27 күн бұрын

🫣🫣

Good Lord, could you imagine doing that mall commercial in 2014, having it go viral and then fade out hoping it's been forgotten, only to have it pop up again here like some kind of singing cringe zombie?

@andrewgaug1771

24 күн бұрын

Trust me - in St. Joseph, it never went away.

They've been sinking for a while but they never gave up until now

Oh, now, that commercial fills me with a desire to go to Walmart to get a backpack, shoes and a haircut. and spend money there instead of that mall. Talk about no life in a commercial.

23:11 that is the carousel from Southwyck Mall

@NorthCdogg22

11 күн бұрын

Really?? I did not know that that’s absolutely fascinating

The guy that has a crazy eye @ 25:05 reminds me of someone.🤔🤔🤔

@NorthCdogg22

26 күн бұрын

😂😂😂

Your videos are dystopian, fascinating, and utterly depressing all at the same time. Talk about your mixed emotions 🫠🤪