Seems that Marna isn't too fond of the NY-based Mall PA Announcers. She doesn't like Antonio. But she loves Eastern Hills Mall, and she thinks you're all beautiful. Subscribe, or I'll tell on you.

@jrebecca0195

2 жыл бұрын

Sal, who does that voice? It's so funny! 🤣

@craigjensen6853

2 жыл бұрын

I love any inclusion of Don Vito going off on his unintelligible gibberish.

I worked at the Sears in this mall back in the 90's. The food court is so sad now it used to be rocking! I've always wondered about the history of the mall itself...thanks for this! Also, for BFLO....we just say "the Buffalo store". At least you got Cheektowaga right 😂😂😂

@andypress

2 жыл бұрын

I always loved getting some Ted’s at the food court while my parents wandered around….

Sal, your steadfast diligence in pursuit of exacting broadcast standards is exemplified by your proper pronunciation of ‘Cheektowaga’, a decidedly challenging title and one even locals struggle with. Kudos to you, Sir!

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words, Max!

@maxplanck1423

2 жыл бұрын

@@sal By all means, Maestro! I grew up not far from Buffalo in western PA and visited family friends there as a child. Those friends were 1st and 2nd Gen Poles whose accent who pronounced ‘Cheektowaga’ as ‘Cheektowda’ which I did until I was corrected by an adult later in life. Just a little regional dialect correction that you so accurately pointed out..

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah…I asked a couple of known content creators who are actually from Buffalo, and I got mixed answers. That led me to research how the majority of official news outlets pronounce it…which I’ve been doing for any areas I’m not privvy to throughout my series. It’s all about respect.

@oophelia46

2 жыл бұрын

Also known as Cheektavegas.

@dianeleone1634

Жыл бұрын

We have that same issue in our 'hood'. The city is Cuyahoga. Some say cuyhoga without enunciating the A .. Luckily after 60+ yrs, I can tell if a sales call is trying for a SALE. . I don't correct the caller, I just know it's someone not familiar or possibly a Bot ( robot call) We learned it's an Indian name meaning Crooked.

Sitting by the fire, a snowstorm outside, and a new dead mall to wander about with Sal. Who wrote “I don’t like Mondays”! From The Muskoka Lakes, Ontario. The Malibu of the North.

Yes you’re back!

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

I am! Needed a month or two away to get some business done…y’all aren’t ready for the stuff I have coming up.

I work about 2 minutes away from the Eastern Hills Mall. I visit it regularly to kill time on lunch breaks because of the interesting stores like Niagara Emporium, and the "whats in your attic" store because sometimes you can find some really neat stuff there. I have been there just recently, and can say they expanded the BFLO store since the footage you shot. It also looks like another wing was renovated past the store. The polish restaurants you mentioned are there, as well as what looks like a beautiful wedding venue location was added too. I honestly really like what the mall has become over the years. It's almost like the stores there are going back to their roots and back in time, where stores were ran and owned by regular people rather than giant corporations with no soul. What I'm hoping is this is a trend that continues in dead malls, especially the McKinley Mall which I live close to.

@danirusso469

2 жыл бұрын

Honestly, the Broadway market putting preference for their in-house vendors last Easter over temporary ones and Eastern Hills becoming the overflow for other vendors was the best thing that could have happened to revitalize it.

That guy you filmed enjoying the massage chair was hilarious. Getting into the closed off food court area was a really good catch. Every now and then you get lucky and find an unlocked door. The corridor from the former Bon-ton to the former Macy's must be saved at all costs, I just can't get enough of that 80's retro style.

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

I love the very last frame of the massage chair guy. His crazy eye. It’s my favorite.

@MrCaptainobvious77

7 ай бұрын

I agree with you. Nothing beats that nostalgia feeling. When you take the elevator at Macy's in Boulevard Mall, it still has that smell from the 1980's. Feels like you are in a moving time capsule!

I remember going to this mall often back in the early 90's. I would go to the arcade that was located across from the Cinemas and play the Back to the Future pinball game.

I’m literally right down the street from this mall. This used to be THE place to go to after school and the weekends. I grew up at this mall and everything shown I’m all very familiar with. This breaks my heart to see going like this cause I grew up here basically but I’m also happy to see that it is getting some love still. Ironically the food court was my favorite area, besides maybe Dave and Busters when it was there. Thank you for this video. Thumbs up for sure!

Man, I love listening to you read about business deals in the 80's and 90's. Haven't watched an Ex Log in a while. Glad I came back.

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

I’m glad you came back!!!

@philiproszak1678

2 жыл бұрын

@@sal Is Marna a Paul F. Tompkins fan? "King Hat?"

OMG!! I remember that stupid PSA. Nothing makes kids want to do the opposite more than trying to “get on their level” and being super cringy while doing it!!!

@matthewterry5540

2 жыл бұрын

The exact moment when that guy officially gave up on his rap career.

@NathanDavisVideos

2 жыл бұрын

Didn't like that PSA ended-up getting KZread-"Pooped" or whatever?! 😂🤣😂🤣

Gators in Buffalo are exotic; in Louisiana, it's "goddammit another gator."

Eastern Hills Mall is still doing very well. I visited several stores back in late November of 2021 and made a video about it. It's definitely a cool place, particularly Niagara Emporium, that store is endless and full of all kinds of treasures. Cool video!👍

Grew up in Clarence, about 5 miles to the east on Main Rd. While I’m too young to have been in the “ mall culture” Seeing EHM in this shape has made me sad. Maybe it’s nostalgia, but I don’t know what I think about it being a lifestyle plaza or whatever they want to call it. I’m a regular Orvis shopper, so there’s one reason to go there… That independent shoe store is where I go for crocs and sandals. Other than that, I have few reasons to go to EHM anymore. My dad took me to the parking lots there to teach me basic maneuvering of the car, and he later taught me stick in his Porsche there kind of near where the roller rink/furniture shop is

So enjoyable! I was having fun rewatching logs 40-60. Here is hoping for more years of this and other malls.. and expedition Logs

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers!

While I worked at Agnoli Sign Company, we did the signs at Eastfield Mall in Springfield MA, including the interior neon throughout the mall. Not long after, we were contracted to do the pillar lights in the midway here at Eastern Hills Mall. Also, we did the triangle lights up on the wall. You can see some of both of these features around 9:20 at the Bon Ton end of the mall. Both of these mall projects were great! On another note, while working at Eastern Hills Mall, we stayed at Salvatore's Garden Place Hotel just south of the mall at the NY State thruway exit 49. It was pretty spectacular then (around 2000). I wonder if it still holds up...

Awesome working fountains. Also, that dude in the massage chair seemed to be having a real good nap lol.

@16:35 - That is a Chinchilla. I own two at present. You never put the water above the food pellets and you never put plastic in their cages as they cannot digest plastic. It must be wood and they MUST chew. My little girl chin is a mulching machine. All the shelves and ledges are made of either wood or pumice blocks which they destroy equally fast. They also sleep during the day for the most part. My little boy chin is more like a squirrel mixed with a puppy. He will sit in my wifes lap and watch videos while munching on a dry piece of shredded wheat.

Never forget the pink confetti carpet.

6:55 A man living his best life.

Nice video! My first part time job was at that cinema in the late 70's early 80's. So many memories of that Mall. Thank you for filming!

Great video. Glad you're back!

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sticking with me!

I love your videos. The intros are always great. The retro music and commercials are great also. Thanks

Great job Sal you never disappoint us!

Great video once again Sal! Another Buffalo shopping memory gone :( I think I’m going to be surprised (not in a good way) when I can go back to visit in the spring!

Beautiful mall nice job on this

Impressive entrance. 💜

What a beautiful mall. It's very well kept and clean.

My grandmother used to frequent one of those two malls mentioned in the beginning of this video.

Outstanding as always,Liked

Hey Sal after over 100 logs and all the history you have compiled I wonder if there is a story within the story seems a lot of the same players show up from property to property. Great work brother 👏

Great job! 👏

So glad you mentioned Namdar as a slumlord because that's exactly what they are! I worked in the management office of my Namdar-owned local mall in a temporary capacity for six months and found out firsthand just how shi*ty they are! I will not be surprised when it finally closes for good.

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

They’re awful!!!

@jrebecca0195

2 жыл бұрын

@@salthey really are! They owed hundreds of thousands of dollars on the electric bill a year ago; the electric company threatened us with closing down the mall! I did a little research and found out they did the same thing to a mall in Florida! 🤬

I love these videos the way you narrate is so classic. I feel like im watching something from the late 90s early 2000s.

That arcade looks incredible!

WOW!! I had no idea I was gonna watch this entire video...well done...so entertaining!

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

Hey thanks!! Much appreciated….tons more on the way!

Great documentary! I never went as a kid because it was too "bougie" for my parents (ie: expensive). We spent our time at the Boulevard, and I used to bike from my house to University Plaza to shop (I did not know that was the first shopping plaza - so neat!). However, I did go to the skate rink behind it in 97/98 during my middle school/early HS time. I was home last year around Aug/Sept and went to see the consignment shop. Everything in the mall was mostly closed (I forget why), but we did go to the BFLO store (Yes, just Buffalo store). It's full of Buffalo themed memorabilia/apparel. There is indeed a Raymour and Flanigan shop - my friend and I went in and shopped a bit as she was looking for a new couch. The R+F store had a bunch of customers, so even tho the rest of the "mall" was closed they were still pulling in shoppers. They also used the lot for the recent Van Gogh immersive art exhibit (it was being set up when I was there). I do like the push for interesting and unique shops populating these malls - it makes for a more unique experience! We went into the actual mall to find the bathroom and got reprimanded by the security since the overall mall was closed. Fun times.

Welcome back, Sal!!!

I had good memories of this place

Nice vid Sal👍

Eastern hills Mall essentially closed down yesterday, 1/13/2024. The concourses are now shuttered and only external entrance businesses may prevail.

Because of work I could not make it to the live premier at 9. But still you knocked it out of the park definitely worth the wait

My mall turned its vacant sears space into hospital offices I think that was a smart move

Hey Sal, good video as always. Interestingly looking at what they did here with bringing in less conventional retail, eg ‘barcades’, there’s another good case study of this being attempted at (what was) a mall in Orlando FL that used to be called Festival Bay. Not sure of its history pre-2007 (when I first went) but it was on the verge of being a dead mall by then. Gradually tenants left and there were a few anchors, but I remember they tried introducing less conventional retail (may have even had a barcade if my memory serves me) but after numerous rebrand attempts, eventually the mall closed. Last couple of years it got changed from a mall into a Dezerland recreation park but one of the original anchors (a Bass Pro) remains. I know each mall has its specific reasons for performance, but interesting and reflective of changing consumer behaviour and use of public space.

The unsold pets get to go meet the alligator!

Nice one

Intresting mall, seems it's ok, great video man.

Yes, Raymour and Flannigan is in business at that location. I went there when couch shopping but purchased from a different location in Amherst.

the BFLO store pulled out of the Eastern Hills Mall

Very interesting video. I feel sad about malls going dead. Even those i've never been to and honestly. This mall looks kind of nice even in this video. Very clean and doesn't at all give me the run down feel.

Here is a fun fact the mall rents out a portion of the huge parking lot to nearby auto dealerships that store new cars at the mall

Yes. I saw Cliffhanger there in 1993. I was staying just up the road with some friends.

Yess another video

Happy Tuesday 10/11/22 .. Sal,if you ever visit N.E.Ohio again, we have 2 surviving Malls, Summit Mall in Akron & Belden Village in N.Canton... As of this date, they've survived.. We have Beachwood Place in Beachwood, Ohio 44122, but not sure as of this date if it will survive or is closing up shop. Thank you for covering these bits and pieces of our stomping grounds & some of our first or second jobs during the 1970's. Thanks again.

As someone from Toronto, my parents would take us to this mall to shop! Ahhhhh the 80s....

Sal, I'd like to see either Highmark Stadium History Tour or even a Winter Olympic Lake Placid Tour for Future ExLogs.

Those pineapple-esque light fixtures on the columns are one of the more unique mall fixtures that I've seen. Not on the same level of, say, Petal the Elephant, but they're still something I've never seen before this video & look pretty spiffy.

The pink tiles on some of the floors-back in the early 90s, there used to be pink neon on the ceiling in the same pattern. I don’t remember when they took out the neon…..

@markvolpe2305

2 жыл бұрын

I miss the neon! they took it out when they renovated the food and center courts.

The pet store, Claire's, and movie theatre are all closed now. There is talk to redevelop the mall as a 'town center' keeping some of the existing structure

So glad that something in the retail world has made a come back. Sal. Not sure if you are interested or are able to make another trip to Long Island but the mall in Massapequa is not renewing any leases and will eventually close and be repurposed as housing. My son is a courier and was told by several store employees about this. Such a shame because this where many of us hung out in the late 70’s and 80’s. Ok thank you and be well.

Sears became the BFLO (Buffalo) Store, Stolat/Chrusckiki Bakery (polish bar/restaurant, and bakery), and the Home Store (home decor), plus a salon and an event space. The rest of the mall is primarily antiques with the exception of JC Penny and Orvis. Supposedly a local brewery is moving into the old Dave and Busters space. No movement on the ‘lifestyle’ center as of yet.

@markvolpe2305

Жыл бұрын

The brewery is now open and they kept the bowling alley, I was there a few weeks ago and peeked inside there.

My mom was a shopaholic, and we spend many Saturdays at this mall. I haven't been back to this mall since the 2000's.

"Don't copy that floppy!" I thought that video was a Tim & Eric bit for a second. Extreme Cringe. Excellent work as always Sal!

I get to Buffalo 2-3 times a year but I usually stay down by Hamburg so I've never made it to this mall. McKinley is where I end up visiting. Dang toll booths still in use, that's just a memory now

Was in El Paso, TX during the height of the pandemic (2020). I never made it to Sunland Park Mall while I was there, but the locals consider it a "dying" mall. It's an older mall with very limited foot traffic, but the management is working to save it, in part, with non-traditional tenants, new eateries to expand food court offerings, family events, and renovations. Like most malls, SPM had lost a lot of tenants, including major anchors in previous years and low occupancy rates. All the foot traffic went from that mall to the newer, also two-story, Cielo Vista Mall (adjacent to the Walmart that had that tragic shooting). CVM is still booming and full of people (shoppers come over from Juarez), once folks were allowed to return after lockdowns were slowly lifted. El Paso also has the Outlet Shoppes north of town and The Fountains, an outdoor strip mall with big box stores like Best Buy. Those are doing well. The Bassett Center isn't as popular as it was a generation ago, but has a Target and a Costco. Tucson, AZ had all their malls closed when I was there in April 2020. I think they have at least four of them; so not sure how those are doing. Finally, in Oregon - the Lloyd Center in Portland would be the mall on its last legs and considered a “dead mall”. There’s talk of revitalization of the mall and new ownership. The customers and foot traffic have moved on to Washington Square Mall (Beaverton) and Clackamas Town Center (Portland area, Happy Valley near Clackamas). Sorry for the long post. Thanks for your videos on the malls and their demise. They are nostalgic, informative and very well done.

Hengerers is pronounced with a hard G. Thanks for giving the locals so much history we were unaware of

I work 5 minutes from this mall and yeah it's a mish mosh of tenants and usually only go in to the mall for the NY DMV but not much else. The BFLO store is really only good to go to during football season, Raymour & Flanigan is in the Bon Ton space and is huge, been there a bunch and bought furniture there 3-4 times. They just had an art exhibit out front for the past 6 months and it was pretty popular. The mall is still pretty dead, they lost the D&B to the Galleria which hit hard.

I worked at the J C Penny's in this mall from 1992-1995 and it was never a 2 level store. I honestly don't remember Kaufman's or A M & A's being 2 levels either. Jenn's was on our end of the mall so I often went to it, usually to walk thru to use their exits if I parked in the lot at that part of the mall and I remember they had escalaters. Even back then that mall was dying and we thought we were the lamest, trashiest, deadest mall ever. Walden Galleria sucked up all of the business and The Boulevard Mall wasn't far away with their Penny's being much bigger than ours. Anyway we used to eat lunch at the Friendly s restaurant next door or walk the mile to the food court on the other end and eat Burger King. Back then a full meal with fries & large coke cost about $5.

That Fran dresser at the end talking

Sad. I worked at the Sears Auto Center from 72-74 before joining the army. That was the place to be then.

Mall is scheduled to be demolished for a "town center" in 2024. All tenants are set to be evicted in January of 2024. Only tenants with an exterior entrance/exit were considered for the new development. Sadly, the niagara emporium was not included in the plans and will be shutting down.

I love a good arcade...

You should check out the mall in Auburn, NY. The Finger lakes mall. Place is dead as a doorknob.

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely on my short list.

@someguy9070

2 жыл бұрын

@@sal awesome! Also great video btw!

This is my local mall and what I have always found interesting is that in 2020, Rocky’s permanently closed and was turned into a spirit Halloween, and it was a very odd looking spirit Halloween store, it had checkered floor in one section, arcade carpet in one, and odd bars and railings, little did I know, there was a bowling alley in the employee only place

Hi Sal. Great video but he also opened Chautauqua Mall in which at this time there are only 13 store fronts open and the main store here in the mall is JC penny’s. For some reason your friend Ace doesn’t like this area Jamestown New York. He him self has mentioned this but never said why unless I missed it. Thanks again for another amazing video. 👏👏👍😎

Wow, that’s up there with the titanic rapping dog

nothing like firing up the pc to this preparing popcorn and snacks air con blowing nice cold breze oh how i wish this was a longer video

@sal

2 жыл бұрын

I have so many more videos to produce. I hope you subscribe and stick with me!!

Recent update... the BFLO store has moved out of the mall. Some type of landlord/tenant kerfluffle. It's now in the next plaza down the road, sharing an out-building with a TJ Maxx.

Im surprised you didnt mention it, but weezer actually has a song based on this mall. Pat Wilson, the drummer was from Clarence. The shopping song on Radatude is abt EHM!!

@sabres6481

Жыл бұрын

I was wondering which mall this was about given his WNY connection

Baltimore in da house

probably sounds like a broken record, but I too remember coming to this mall 10-15 years ago and it being Packed

our mall has live seals and had dolphins before that. It also has a full on water animal exhibit. West edmonton mall is a mall that will never die its to big to popular and basically important to the city in a way most malls are not.

Holy shit I remember this PSA in the beginning of the video. Showing my age I guess. LOL. I've driven past this mall quite a few times back in the day.

Was there about a month ago, even worse now. The mall closes at 5pm.

There was reptile zoo in west Edmonton mall that did have at one time a crocodile or an alligator on display

Back just 10 so years ago, this wasn’t per say the go to mall, but wasn’t dead like this either. The boulevard mall down the road isn’t any better

Finally make a premiere lesssgo

Weird to remember 7:20 being packed with people and shops even in the center walkway.

You should do The Grand Avenue mall in Milwaukee, WI

Check out Sunrise mall NY.

Sal! Don’t copy that floppy!!

Your ability to recall random factoids at just the right time is impressive. tod

You should make your way to Oregon. Lloyd Center in Portland is closing soon. It's been dying for years.

The Mall is not good now lots of dead stores and mall walkers. Yes lot of plans but none come true. Welcome to Buffalo\Clarence NY!

14:40. man i miss my birds. loved those guys. when my youngest son was born. we found he was allergic to them. bye bye birdies. been bird less since. I loved my birds, but they had to be re homed.

Welcome (back) to Buffalo. Greetings from the other side of Amherst! Eastern Hills was a great mall, until maybe 2015. Nice upscale suburban mall with a unique (read: poor design) personality. About ten miles from my current house, it's a shame. She's gonna get cut up starting soon. Hope they bring some life back to the giant chunk of land!

@jamesdotson726

2 жыл бұрын

It is odd seeing a real mall surrounded by strip malls, and standalone shops. You'd think Buffalo with its snow would have been a great place for malls to prosper; a nice place to get out of the weather and a management company taking care of snow removal for the shops.

@andrewb4584

2 жыл бұрын

@@jamesdotson726 You'd think... I prefer shopping indoors to outdoors for four or five months a year up here... Really the only places I'd like to be outdoors most months in the US would be SoCal and Hawaii. South is too hot, north is too cold half the time!

@stephens.6281

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Neighbor! As I understand it, Eastern Hills was the largest mall in our area until the Walden Galleria was constructed.

@andrewb4584

2 жыл бұрын

@@stephens.6281 Possible... I moved here in 2000. By that point Pyramid's shopping mecca was well established. Seneca was closed and demo'd. Appletree was offices. McKinley, Boulevard and Eastern Hills were all doing fine. The Boulevard Bear Band was still rocking the holidays, everyone was happy.... Then about 2005, McKinley started to show cracks. The rest is history. I'm betting the Galleria and Niagara Falls Outlet are the only two that survive, in some form, as enclosed malls through the 20s... We'll swing back to enclosed malls long about the 2040s as a "new" thing.

Is this the one on transit. I'm almost sure. Funny thing is I lived in Buffalo all my life with the exception of 5 years and I may have been to that mall once.

You need to do Boulevard Mall… it’s a shell of itself. It was getting bad before the pandemic, but is practically dead. I was there a few weeks ago and they didn’t even have the lights on in the main corridor.

@markvolpe2305

Жыл бұрын

I remember the Eastern Hills mall like that too in the center court, half the lights were out several years ago.

@marlawitkowski1395

Жыл бұрын

@@markvolpe2305 They have been pretty good about keeping the lights on at Eastern Hills, due to the abundance of antique stores that are taking over the empty storefronts. They have also started to have markets in the center concourse - they had a "Broadway Market" - type event for Easter with lots of vendors. I think it was nice for people who are hesitant to travel into the East Side at Easter time. Boulevard literally had the lights off completely in the center concourse - darkness except for the few storefronts that still are there. They have also been closing at 7 pm since the pandemic. I haven't been there frequently because by the time I get home from work and eat dinner, most of the stores are already closing. The outlet mall in the Falls is doing the same thing (closing at 7), so it's difficult for anyone who works a 9-5 to get there most evenings.

@markvolpe2305

Жыл бұрын

@@marlawitkowski1395 when I was there a few weeks ago, there was a cherry picker in the center court that looked like it had replaced some bulbs

Never saw an alligator in a mall. But when I was a kid in Canton, Ohio there was monkey at Mellet Mall. It scared the crap out of my little sister.

This is my local mall it does have some good shops although it's struggling I worked the sears liquidation sake when it closed here

@stephens.6281

2 жыл бұрын

I got a Lands End Jacket for a good deal when sears was in their final days. Weird thoughts thinking about it, and seeing what it’s become now.