Take a look at this article: l.smartnews.com/p-ZGo9q/GGeFGk

Breaks my heart. I marched in my high school band through that mall for the grand opening. ( Archbishop Ryan) 😊

This gentleman is dropping straight facts about the past of this mall throughout the video. As someone who has shopped here most my life, as well as worked here, I greatly appreciate the information and walkthrough for us as a society to remember the rise and fall of such an establishment. Curious for the future of this site

This guy's spot on.. was there for the post office and decided to walk through....nothing there, most stores are gone. Openenly smoking weed and blasting wireless speakers while walking through.... Like most things.. they turned it into shit...

" This mall stinks of skunk weed " fabulous introduction Chaz I love it !

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Thanks🙃

I miss K•B Toy Works, Toy's "R" Us, Everything's A Dollar, Arthur Treachers, Roy Rogers, Hooters, Lovable Pets and Phar-Mor the most. Share in the comments what you miss about these massive shopping grounds.

People are criticizing your rather frank observations, but you have the right to speak your mind. This is one of the most passionate videos I've seen you make. You're watching your whole way of life disappear and you don't like it and you're speaking out about it

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Thank you. And because I said things too real, the guilty parties cry.

@Danny-nm9sn

2 ай бұрын

I'm in a much smaller City so the criminals are much more amateurs. However life in the city has changed radically in recent years. If you dare to go out after dark, you don't see any families with children going anywhere, unless there's a special program going on somewhere. All you see are people walking all across the city with everything they own in a backpack. Some of my co-workers, who work at stores where they are the regular customers, tell me they are all meth addicts and such

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

@@Danny-nm9sn We have druggie zones in Philadelphia where the addicts act like zombies from The Walking Dead.

@Danny-nm9sn

2 ай бұрын

Oh and if you drop in the popular drug store after dark, you might see some guys from out of town trying to get their prescriptions filled. I tried to use the restroom while they were there, they came in and one guy was just holding his head in pain and saying I'm so tired I'm so tired, and washing his face in the sink

@charlestonpinballarcade

23 күн бұрын

The people talking trash didn’t shop at this mall through the years and see all the issues that happened…. Or they are part of the problem causing no one to have shame or fear of committing crime. 😢

One of my first jobs was at Reading China and Glass which was one of the original stores when the mall first opened. Sad to see its current state.

The mall was always ghetto. Since it was built.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

So true!!!

@JP5466

Ай бұрын

Lowlife sh*tballs would come from the bad areas... they ruined it.

Great footage. Thank you. So sad to see. I remember when the mall was mobbed and Carrefour was up front.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 күн бұрын

@@ScottParisi Thank you! Me too. I miss Carrefour.

I used to be the store Manager for PUMA when it was over by Burlington. I have a soft spot for this mall. I last visited in May of 2023, I don't recall it being so empty then. Makes me sad. 😢

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

14 күн бұрын

@@loveoutloud It's pretty empty now. Businesses closing every month.

Cool documentary. I remember being excited to come here when it opened in 1989. Remember the bowling alley and arcade? It was called the 49th Street Galleria. They even had laser tag! That was very new and a very cool thing to do. This was in the mall and I believe was the very spot that became Burlington Coat Factory. Sad to see this as well as other malls dying. I would like to see a video like this on Oxford Valley Mall. Tha 4:54 t was my mall until old enough to drive. I was 19 when Franklin Mills opened in 1989 😊

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Thank you. You are right, Burlington Coat Factory was originally the 49th St. Galleria. My friends used to play air hockey upstairs and I believe they had 10 lanes of bowling. If you go by the restrooms in there now you can see the bowling alley closed off. That was a hot spot for teens back in 1989-1992 as was the arcade.

@RichardDietrich-rw9ri

2 ай бұрын

@@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069 - Thank you! Great memories!

Wow that just blew me away…our family’s house was a block away…we lived on Whiting Road. I remember when it was Liberty Bell Race Track when I was little and I remember when the mall opened. I live in Jersey now and haven’t been back there in many years. Can’t believe how much it’s changed.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Күн бұрын

@@lihli2103 Do you remember the Wholey family on Whiting Road?

Great video i agree with you this mall was so much better back and the day Especially and the 90s as a kid my mom took me and my sister to franklin mills mall it had so much stores it's sad too see it now it's a shadow of it's former self so many malls are closing down i also loved going to shelton ham mall but that now is gone it's a Plaza now

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

27 күн бұрын

Well said. I miss what it used to be too.

From 1996-2004 it was a great family atmosphere. Such a shame they connected the Walmart and let groups of thugs in. A child's life was taken away in this mall. It's sad. If this was property of Bucks County not Philadelphia it would still be a half decent place.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. So right....if it were a Bucks County mall such as Willow Grove, King Of Prussia, Oxford Valley or even Neshaminy that kind of thug crap would not be tolerated. They have state tropper presence so they don't try to pull that at those malls but they've been doing it to the Franklin Mills since it opened but it was nice back in the early 90s.

I've never visited this mall but enjoyed the video and hearing about the history

I was in my mall shopping last August, a guy begged me for money and when I ignored him, he started verbally assaulting and threatening me. So I tried to report it to security - most of the stores I stopped into didn't have a store phone anymore, and had no idea how to get ahold of Mall security. 30 minutes after I started looking for him I finally saw him. He came riding up on a Segway, with no weapon at all, and said he would have to call the city police.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

Yeah, Franklin Mills security is good for nothing. There have been a lot of beggers around those grounds.

@JP5466

Ай бұрын

Better carry things to defend yourself. I always carry.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

@@JP5466 oh I'm always well equipped.

I miss the fudge place where they would randomly sing songs and replace words with fudge while giving out free samples.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

I worked there, at The Fudgery in 1993. I was one of those singers. I probably gave you a sample of fudge.

@charlestonpinballarcade

Ай бұрын

@@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069The Philly Captain said he worked there also! Don’t tell me you had to listen to him sing? 🎶 😂

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

@@charlestonpinballarcade I'm not sure but probably. Was his name Dave?

Very sad. When I was a kid we used to go to Indian Springs Mall in Kansas City, Kansas. It had a children’s maze in front of the toy store where I got all my Corgi die cast cars from. It was a very elegant place especially around Christmas time. This was the early ‘70’s. I went back around 2000 to see what it looked like. Obvious it was dying a slow, painful death. Old malls dying seems like such a waste.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

That's a shame. Hold on to the good memories. Franklin Mills was where I would buy Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, and all the Animated Series toys at K●B Toy Works and Toy's "R" Us so I was sentimental.

Had my first date with my now husband there. So many memories there, but I'm not hearing that it's officially closing although it's heading there.

As I recall the Liberty Bell race track was located there. The one in Bensalem was called Keystone race track. I think the Liberty Bell track was for harness racing.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 күн бұрын

@@davidduran9388 I think you are correct.

So sad i remember they had a ride where the screen was showing train tracks made it seem like you were on a train so many other memories 🥺

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

6 күн бұрын

@@AnthonyC-uu7uw That sounds nice. I vaguely remember that.

I worked at Bugle Boys Jeans 7:25 (what now is The children's store) from 95 to 97. We had so many shoplifters that it got to the point I was like this isn't worth the 6.25 an Hr. And having a pew pew shown to you. Take whatever you want ! 😂 Got a job at Weber Display and packaging making way more money didn't even quit just never showed up at that mall ever again !🤣🤣🤣

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

That's what I mean. Some people are in denial about how ghetto that mall is. It really is trashy and a lot of crime took place there and still does. I'm sorry that you experienced that. I don't blame you for leaving abruptly.

The Chinese restaurant was called "China Buddha". I remember that because it was my first date with a very beautiful girl I was madly in love with.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

Sounds familiar. Where was it? I remember Dynasty all you can eat buffet, The International Farm buffet that turned into Panda King, Sushi Kingdom, Mandarin Express, Lotus Express, China Sun...

@JP5466

Ай бұрын

@@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069 It was part of the mall right next the entrance on the side facing the Wendy's. Early 90's. Don't know how long it lasted though. Was great food and service.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

@@JP5466 I do remember it. I ate there.

Holy crap... how do you remember all these things?

@JonnyAbs-0

8 күн бұрын

he must have had it written down I am thinking

The rock was at Franklin mills back in the late 90’s

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

Very cool! I didn't know that.

Mall was really nice but yes, also really ghetto. Spent a lot of time there from 90-95. Car stereos getting snatched, stealing whole cars, retail theft, fist fights and lots of riff-raff behavior.. Don't need to see news or crime stats, i saw all this myself. My buddy worked at the record store (sam goody i think), he tells me all the retail theft stories like everyday. And like someone else pointed out in these comments, you can tell most of the crowd that came here was let's say...."not from the area"..

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Exactly. I seen it too, back in 2014, right before my eyes I seen a teenager smack the Mills News store owner across the face with a skateboard and the owner broke a broom fighting him back. A security guard witnessed the whole incident and just casually flip-flopped by without doing or saying anything.

@robkrasinski6217

2 ай бұрын

That is assault or assault and battery and the guard did nothing? The millennials and gen Z are the worst generations in recent history. They have no respect for authority and THEY are the reason some long time carnivals in PA and Delaware are ending. It was on Action News 6abc recently. There were brawls and stuff with rowdy young people at carnivals. Some of them are ending indefinitely. A lot of the younger generations have dysfunctional families especially in cities.

Wasn't there a "Syms" there at one time.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

Sounds familiar

Its about time to much crime!

@robkrasinski6217

2 ай бұрын

Philly is one of the worst cities crime wise besides LA, NY, Wash DC, and Chicago. Heavy black population. Democrat run since 1952. Biden won because of Philly, he won when he won PA and Philly's votes gave him the White House. The blue counties are more populated than the red ones in PA, and the blue counties outvoted the red thus handing PA's 20 electoral votes to Biden and he defeated Trump. Josh Shapiro is our governor mostly because of the abortion issue and the Republican opponent was at the insurrection in DC. Who knows if Trump can win PA this year. People were really motivated to vote last time to get rid of Trump.

Puma outlet is still there it just moved to a bigger and nicer location in the mall.

Used to love going here during the good days of the early 90s as a kid driving from central NJ. Modells, JCP Outlet, so many great stores for a “husky” child to find all the great clothes to go back to school and continue being a dork. 😂😂😂 The TVs playing “mills TV” in all the towers and the audio overhead for the local radio station.

Liberty bell race track did not move up the street to the now parx location. The old Philadelphia race track opened in 1974, way before Liberty Belle closed

And oh by the way, pretty much our whole town smells like skunk weed now. The businessmen that used to open restaurants in our town have all stopped. They've stated publicly that they can't get anyone to apply or come in to work. But of course there was not ever going to be anything wrong with legalizing marijuana. You asked what I missed the most, that's what I miss, when the whole town didn't smell like skunk weed

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Wow, I'm sorry to hear this Danny. Yeah, that's our ridiculous world today.

@Danny-nm9sn

2 ай бұрын

When I go to the water machine to get clean water (which I can't get out of my tab anymore) I've been approached by people I suspect are on drugs. One girl who was riding a bicycle asked me for any spare change. A guy walked in between my car and the water machine so he could take a look and see what I had in my car

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

@@Danny-nm9sn Oh, man I dealt with people like this. There's a lot of homeless people around this mall. I refuse to ever again give anyone money after this one time I was approached by an old man who asked me for money to get something to eat. A few blocks away I heard him telling someone in a truck that he now has the cigarette money.

The mall died because they took the Ben Franklin head out and stopped playing the Electric Slide on all the speakers every 30 seconds. ⚡️⚡️⚡️ How could anything be bad when the Electric Slide is playing? 😂

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

True

The mall was poppin in the 90s & 00s

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Absolutely it was

@dreamcage1801

2 ай бұрын

@@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069 I think after 2014 or 2015 it just went down the drain. Big mistake on them changing the mall around.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

@@dreamcage1801 I agree, the redesign was just flat and boring and total crap. They got rid of all the plant life, they changed the floor and the outside signs and the entrance ways, took all the personality out of it and all of them businesses went out.

Same as the mall in my town, same all over America at the ones that are still open - many have shuttered for good. My first impression when I went back after many years of not being in there (and that's the problem - EVERYBODY IN TOWN has spent many years not being in there) my first impression was the easiest way to turn it into a profitable space would be to turn it into a bowling alley. Most of the areas don't have anyone walking in them. I was there a couple days ago - there were some women trying to find clothes, and they had some shopping bags so they must have succeeded. The rest of the people were senior citizens using it to get some walking exercise. It's simple - the more people shop online, the more brick-and-mortar stores will vanish

It's much the same in my town, although we are a smaller city, but the mall used to be a hub of many stores, restaurants, I got my first job there at a restaurant as a busboy and dishwasher, and my third job was selling toys in a toy story. All left the mall long ago. At least you still have a couple of pretty girls walking in your mall. They are definitely an endangered species in our mall

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Yes, for sure. I worked Toy's "R" Us seasonal back in 1996. Which Toy store did you work for?

@Danny-nm9sn

2 ай бұрын

Circus circus, probably around 1980. I remember it was the year cabbage patch dolls came out and certain parents were going bananas knocking each other over trying to get them

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

@@Danny-nm9sn Very interesting. Any connection to Circus World ?

@Danny-nm9sn

2 ай бұрын

Hah you know what? that might have been the name of it, I'm not sure 🤣

You forgot the dollar store and how there was a killing there in the late 90s the workers went to open the store early in the morning and the kid that used to work there rob the place and killed the man point-blank on his knees the woman survived. I’m not sure I’m gonna go look that up now. I was hoping you were gonna have this on this. That was really big incident.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

I did mention the double shooting incident in 2002 at Dollar Tree 🌳

How about this - at the mall in my town, there have been several stores added in the last decade - but most of them are only attached to the exterior of the mall, but don't offer any entrances to get into or out of the mall. That was disturbing to me - it's like they know the mall is going to be shut some day, so they don't want to be connected to the it, just abutting it

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

I know what you mean. They cute off at least 3 entrance ways in the Franklin Mills. One was the green entrance, one was through Walmart and one through Phar-Mor (long gone)

I wish this was true. I’ve been to the mall yesterday and they’re still opening new stores/tenants. I highly doubt the mall has sold or is closing anytime soon as much as I hoped it would. Wishful thinking tho

@JP5466

8 күн бұрын

Yes, it's all true. There is no "mall" anymore, 70% is dead space and it is NEVER coming back. It will be gone within 2 years.

There was a shooting outside our Mall in recent years, like yours I never even hear anyone in our city talk about it - they stay home and watch 100 Cable channels. Our mall is mostly nothing left but some clothing stores. They try to make Christmas season put them in the black for the entire year. You go in there Nov , Dec all of a sudden there's city police to protect shoppers

I worked at the Ruby Tuesdays for years. The job sucked but I worked with so many great people. Sad to see

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

I miss Ruby Tuesday

@JP5466

Ай бұрын

My sister worked there too in 1990. Helped pay her college tuition.

Wait when are they closing??

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

26 күн бұрын

Not sure

@charlestonpinballarcade

23 күн бұрын

I think he’s just saying it’s in a tailspin dive toward closure. Unfortunately it’s been that way for years. There’s been no news of closure, but it’s definitely on the path. 😢

@blabberhammer

23 күн бұрын

@@charlestonpinballarcade ohh ok thank for telling me!

I found your video to be both informative and negative. Franklin Mills was a popular destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment for many people for many years. It has seen its fair share of crime issues including a Philadelphia Police Officer being shot in the line of duty as he tried to stop robbery suspects. The mall has been deteriorating for years, as most malls have been. I went to the mall many times to shop, people watch, etc. many times. I would like to remember those good times at the mall. Unfortunately, homelessness has become a major problem there the past few years. I wish you would have spent more time on the positives of the mall instead of mostly all the negatives. I'm surprised you never mentioned good ole Comp USA as that was a very popular store back in its day. Nice video. Thanks for producing and sharing it with us. I just wish it wasn't so negative is all.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Thank you. I guess the bad events stand out in my mind. The celebrity appearances stand out for me too. Yeah, the homeless have been hanging around there a good 10 years now.

@JohnJ.McKenna

2 ай бұрын

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069 during its busy years, there was a lot of shoplifting at the Mills. There were even bus loads of people coming down from New York. There were so many arrests that they opened up a mini police station to do the initial processing of the prisoners. The mini station eventually closed down too.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

@@JohnJ.McKenna Oh, I know. It became the Gallery of the Northeast. I remember the coaches lined up in the parking lot when they bused people over from different parts.

Used to work there in the early 90s. I. Goldberg and Nordstrom. Used to get crazy packed. You could barely walk around the holidays.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Yeah, I miss those days.

Yeah l heard it's closing pretty soon.

@lisasealy5780

14 күн бұрын

Yea just like Neshaminy and now hotel goin there too. Sad now no where to shop in NE 😩businesses are struggling so people order online. This person over exaggerate abt several things esp ankles being slashed & etc. It has become area for homeless & druggies now which def hurtn business. Sad to see it go esp outlet for bath& bodyworks & VS😩wish they can just downsize it so a mall stays in this area for homeowners up here. Hotels are def coming to these big mall areas that are closing. Will miss tht post office to tht never crowded 💯anyone know exact day closing 😔😔

Does anyone have any theories on why this mall in particular became a minority magnet considering when it opened it was in a neighborhood 100% white?

@billyhentz6097

2 ай бұрын

Easy pickins...

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

It's in Philly so the real minorities were the whites. It drew so many people from all over the world when it opened. Their would be coaches lined up in the parking lot. As far as the crime, a lot of hoodlums from the badlands, North & West Philly came to the mostly white neighborhood to trick, rob, steal and assault the people they thought they could get over-on.

@jct300m

2 ай бұрын

They'd take the bus to the mall...Rob/Steal for the day & Jack someone car in the lot to get home...

Someone took a steaming dump in the outside playground at the McDonalds outside the mall.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

That doesn't surprise me at all

You’re very dramatic. Things happen everywhere. States are making weed legal in certain states so of course we’re gonna start smelling it everywhere. I can’t stand the smell. You know definitely that it’s closing?

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

I know but Franklin Mills is more gritty. According to an office insider. The rent is sky high, it's no longer a Simon center which is why they covered up all those signs you see early in the video and businesses are closing every month.

I worked there Day One (Sears Outlet) and you over-emphasis on the crime & other negatives is BLOWN WAY OUT OF PROPORTION! I spent countless hours there up over the years, the crime-ridden hellscape is you describe is not even close to the actual experience. I appreciate people that focus on local history, but there is no need to embellish and sensationalize things.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Cool. I miss Sears. Just keeping it real and reporting the truth.

@fansthesedays-ct8os

2 ай бұрын

There was A LOT of crime there. He ain't embellishing nothing

@teachernphilly

Ай бұрын

@@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069 "keeping it real" means reporting the WHOLE TRUTH. Yes, there was crime that occurred at Franklin Mills. It did not really get to the level that you are describing until later. For the first 10-15 years is was an amazing mall that attracted bus trips of shoppers from out of town. Like many brick and mortar retailers it has fallen on hard times, but your video made it sound like the Wild West. Honestly, it was a clean, safe, and fun place to be for a very long time.

@teachernphilly

Ай бұрын

@@fansthesedays-ct8os No more than anywhere else in the city, in fact I felt a lot safer at Franklin Mills in the 1990's & early 2000's than shopping at The Gallery or other places in Philly. I am not saying there was never crime, only that his description was hyperbole and exaggeration.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

@@teachernphilly I spoke all TRUTH. It's still a gritty crime ridden place. I literally watched crime take place there just 2 days ago. It was a place under attack by trash from the badlands since day one. This is the WHOLE TRUTH.

Wow, racist much?

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

Ай бұрын

No. Triggered much by the truth?

@RawRealRetail

Ай бұрын

@@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069 Saying Hispanics liked to hide under cars and stab your ankles so they can take your keys is incredibly racist, my guy.

@JP5466

Ай бұрын

Victim mentality much?

@ScottyLiardi

2 күн бұрын

You seem to be the only one bringing up race in that context..he only stated facts. But, congrats. Keep those stereotypes alive pal. Good job.

The best mall in Philly, still. You say a lot of bullshit that isn't true. Thumbs down for fake advertising and false bullshit about Hispanics slicing ankles and stealing cars

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

It was all over the news. Their were arrests made so it's not bs. All truth 💯

@fairlessdave1834

2 ай бұрын

He's full of shit. He says all that stuff about Hispanics was all over the news in 89. Look at that dudes age. Yeah, he watched the news as a kid and remembers. This guy is this biggest BSer on KZread. He can't cite a source for anything he says. Imbecile.

@fansthesedays-ct8os

2 ай бұрын

Does the truth butt hurt you ?

@hav2win

2 ай бұрын

I don't claim to be a mall expert, that was my mother's claim to fame, but if you believe that a rundown ghost town equals Philly's best, you must live in a very deprived area of Philly. I live a little over a mile from this mall and hated it from day one. Not necessarily because of the stores or the clear low class of people coming in from poor parts of the city, but because of the cattle chute design which made you walk long distances at times to get where you wanted to go. As for the crime, it was out of control on the weekends. Car theft was so bad Philly police had to start putting officers there fulltime.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

See maybe you are Hispanic and that has triggered you but that's actually the truth and I was there from the beginning. I challenge you to show me where there's any untruths spoken in that video.

Do you know when theyre set to close

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

No, I don't.

@fairlessdave1834

2 ай бұрын

They are not set to close. Not sure why this guy thought he had some kind of news scoop that he can't substantiate.

@robertlanger2771

Ай бұрын

@@fairlessdave1834 august 31 mall mis closeds

Two things destroyed this mall. A horrendously long cattle chute design with no way to quickly get in and out if you knew what you wanted. And a straight-line connection down I-95 to low class and poor people. It was a playground for kids and poor people who did nothing but clog the place on weekends and did very little purchasing. The people closest to the mall did very little shopping there. The clientele was not their type.

@chazgeorgebatmanhotline7069

2 ай бұрын

Yeah, it's a monstrosity that's mostly empty with trashy people

@JP5466

Ай бұрын

It was designed that way to get more foot traffic past the stores and encourage sales. Good point about I-95.