The problem is there is more retail space today than we'll ever need. They overbuilt in the 80's, and the problem started surfacing as early as mid-90's, where a lot of malls started dying.

@DavidLLambertmobile

3 жыл бұрын

True 💯... retail was vastly over rated after 1995. The web and economic factors cut into mall $$$.

@susanrudd9759

3 жыл бұрын

The shrinking of wages has far more to do with why malls are going out of business. When 2/3s of Americans have little disposable income, they are not going to malls. Why do you think malls only survive in wealthy areas?

@CommodoreFan64

3 жыл бұрын

@@susanrudd9759 Yep, and it's why cheaper stores like Walmart, Target(IMHO a bit higher end than Walmart), Ross, TJ Maxx, Kroger's(along with their sub brands), Aldi, Ollie's Bargen Outlet, and the big 3 Dollar stores keep growing, and/or thriving, it's because people are looking to stretch their budget as much as they can with the current job market, and inflation, and it's only going to get worse with the Gov. having handed out so much money, and Biden administration having just reported the worse job losses in 23 years, and we are only 5 months into 2021, and then today one of the largest oil pipelines in the country had to shut down do to network breach the controls the flow of the oil(Gasoline, Diesel, and Jet Fuel), and as of me writing this tonight it's not back up running yet, so that's going to raise gas prices big time, and people are going to be going out less, and having less money in their pocket, I made sure to fill my car up tonight, along with a few gas cans while I can. Also at least in my area here in the southeast I've been going thrifting to places like Goodwill, Salvation Army, Flea Markets, etc.. since the late 80's, as my family has always liked to look for bargains, and hidden treasures, and within the past few years I've seen more people out, and about doing it then ever before so much that going to my local GoodWill it's hard to find a parking spot sometimes.

@cable30

3 жыл бұрын

Basically malls indoors or out was like a pjase or a trend that started to slow down and after so many was built then u had like like i guess too many to almost any city had one or every other city had a mall that tried to have everything. but once online ordering got more traffic cause internet more traffic had more options and so massl and places was a showcase and as cell phones got more popular as they are now traffic use cell for now after check what want and get it from stores or have sent to house if not wanna carry out so much anytime. there are still malls, some just dont get as much traffic as before and traffic favored or one mall become the most popular so others lost traffic for any reason. so now just less malls but any still around get all or any traffic.

@psychomoth06

3 жыл бұрын

Plus, large malls in general are difficult to maintain and can easily fail in the hands of bad management or bad image.

Here in Austin it was a retail shrink. Used to be 5 major malls. It shrunk to 2 and those 2 are busy as hell. I think, like you said in the video, their was just way way to many malls and some of them were insanely old.

@SearsCool

3 жыл бұрын

same but with the Dallas area we lost so many malls and there's probably 3-4 dead ones right now but the rest are still alive

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

Ruben do you remember northcross mall?? That was one of my favorites in the 90s!!! I hated seeing it go and get replaced by a f - ing Walmart!! Malls in my opinion are usually only shut down due to lack of profits. Its simply too difficult to compete with the online boys especially Amazon. We have only ourselves to blame, impatient shoppers rather sit at home and order and forget then to get out,socialize and buy their products. It's kind of similar to "online friends " versus the actual real friends you have to put effort into keeping!!

@rubenloza1920

2 жыл бұрын

@@STILuVa I do remember Northcross! The ice ring! Yeah it was a great place for sure. Lots of memories there for me as a young man.

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

@@rubenloza1920 awesome I'm glad someone else does!! I remember that was the first time I saw a gamefellas store. And the 'tilt' arcade!! Be safe buddy

@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj

Жыл бұрын

Great to know that some malls are doing well.

I think the bigger reason for malls dying are these giant investment corporations buying malls and purposely letting them die refusing to renovate upgrade or invest in upkeep at these older malls so they can become vacant and then demolish the mall once all the tenants are gone then sell the land for new development housing mixed retail and office space whatever

@davinp

3 жыл бұрын

yes, some of these companies acquire a mall but don't invest in them and let them die

@jwb52z9

3 жыл бұрын

Since we know that such people who run these investment groups won't do what's correct and invest in them to see the succeed, would you rather that they simply fire and evict everyone as soon as possible instead?

@AnimeBronx

3 жыл бұрын

Malls are an outdated way of shopping.

@wheedler

3 жыл бұрын

@@AnimeBronx I don't know about people who have more local malls, but for me, going to my nearest one was always a special day out and I still see it that way, so I'm more willing to spend more or buy things I otherwise wouldn't. Shopping online is better, but going to a mall is more fun.

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

I dont buy the whole argument that it's some big bad business man wanting tax right offs. The consumer has changed to a more impatient and lazy shopper that would rather shop online regardless of the cost to other American's jobs or the life of the mall. Sit back on your lazy boy and order everything you need vs going out and parking, and socializing with the unwashed masses like we used to do!! I'll always love malls and believe in them it's a pity I'm in a minority these days. Support your fellow working class job and occasionally hit up a mall folks!!

Yeah, I see companies like Business Insider telling us that malls are dead and they will close in 10 years but there are many malls in areas that have thriving malls like mine

@SeanStrife

3 жыл бұрын

Business Insider is kinda trash when it comes to news stories like this.

@Code7Unltd

3 жыл бұрын

When corporate newsmedia says something, the truth of the matter is very likely the opposite.

@seanhartnett79

3 жыл бұрын

@@Code7Unltd true. Like minimum wage, universal healthcare, education or any new regulation.

@seanhartnett79

3 жыл бұрын

@BadDriversOfTennessee that is the only thing. And I don’t have time to shop at one anymore

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah it depends on where you are but it still sucks to see malls go down!! They used to be the places to go for many years but then comes along the allure of online shopping. You mean I dont have to leave my house to have that product?!?! No you can sit your lazy ass on the couch and we'll bring it right to your front door!!! And people want to pretend the incredible amount of online sales hasn't DIRECTLY affected in store and mall profits!! What denial of reality. Shop at malls and shop online I say. Having to leave the house will give the average person a good reason to take a shower and remember how to drive and actually talk to humans!!!

I like to joke that my one person boycott of Amazon is pretty useless, especially since I see so many of their trucks in my neighborhood everyday. But it makes me feel better not to buy from them.

@lutherheggs451

3 жыл бұрын

Its not what is killing malls although just ordering something online and getting it 2 days later is a hell of alot better than going out, getting harassed by 15 year olds for cigarettes, dealing with parents who don't know how to maintain their children, watching 15 year olds linger in the bookstore to read the manga instead of purchasing them, watching stores slowly turn into weird ugly brah and emo clothing stores.... Sure you could say Amazon is killing the stores which is in turn killing malls, but the stores would also get some blame for their inability to actually have appealing looking online websites.....The malls that are left definitely seem more like "tourist attractions" or even you could say a roadside museum at this point

@Hammster69official

3 жыл бұрын

When I go to shop online, I do a Google shopping search. Amazon isn't always the best price anymore.

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

@@lutherheggs451 well you proved in your message it is!!! More convenient and less socializing is the name of the game with online shopping. And I get it, I like the convenience of shopping for example on Amazon. But what is not thought of by the American consumer is the direct impact on someone else's job and the mall they might work at. We long for the days of malls as we click the "confirm order" button on an online store and scratch our heads asking "why is my favorite mall shutting down "?? Malls were great places for me and my friends in the 90s I hate seeing any tank. But the consumer needs to think of the thousands of jobs on the line at malls vs the convenience of online shopping. I think I know how the average numbskull will respond though!!

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

@@Hammster69official this is true but the average consumer will still buy that online product if it means they don't have to put in the effort of going to a mall. Sad but true. And then we wonder why is that mall over there closing?!?! Consumer is to blame. I dont buy the whole its covid, it's bad business men,its the malls location nonsense. Consumers set the tone and if they choose to be lazy and impatient well say bye bye to your favorite mall!!!

@Hammster69official

2 жыл бұрын

@@STILuVa Actually, my comment was a direct response to the original commentator's specific feelings about Amazon, and not intended to be taken as a general endorsement of online shopping. "When I go to shop online..." refers to those specific instances, and does not mean that I don't also go to stores. Sorry for the confusion.

I been trying to tell people this for years 😭 and the plot twist is I’m only 20 that’s as modern as it gets It’s the location, target demographic, and types of stores that can either kill a mall or help it thrive!

I am so hear for the Amazon bashing. Another thing to add, dont forget all the foreign companies buying up American land & businesses. :/ A big reason we are losing many companies, and many that make up mall retail space.

Shopping malls in the 1980's ARE THE BEST!

@annmariemarino4867

3 жыл бұрын

100% I worked in a mall in the ‘80’s in South Florida. I LOVED it! Sadly it’s gone now 😥

@3Storms

3 жыл бұрын

They're not coming back. Sorry, but it's true. It makes me feel bad, too. I miss guitar shops and other things malls used to have.

@gavincurtis

3 жыл бұрын

Everything in the 1980's was the best.

@utubepunk

3 жыл бұрын

Especially the arcades!

@yevercase3339

3 жыл бұрын

shopping malls in other country in 2021 is the best

How much apparel can one buy!! The malls have become apparel stores in-between big apparel stores. The variety stores were costed out decades ago! I liked going to the mall because of the variety of things that was sold by the variety shops. Now every thing in the mall is something you ware or eat. I agree that amazon didn't kill the mall but the cost of the retail space is a killer for malls.

@katobrucelee08

3 жыл бұрын

Agree 100%

@seanhartnett79

3 жыл бұрын

@@katobrucelee08 our high end mall had 35 discount clothing places, always 70% or more off. They are very likely all failing,

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

If Amazon didn't kill the mall then they only stuck it with a 1000 knives!!! They did their part trust me. But Amazon doesn't give you the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls and cookies!!!

@thehoardedgrotto8521

Жыл бұрын

I worked at the Westchester in white plains in 2005. It was mostly clothes....I remember my brother complaining about it.

You should totally revisit Scottsdale Fashion Square and visit Scottsdale Quarter to show how busy both malls are. Just a suggestion! 👍🏼

Amazon didn't kill the mall, it's killed the department store concept. A large store filled with a little bit of everything can't survive a place that gives you *lots* of everything. That said, it makes the current crop of malls unsuited to the new normal. Large retail anchors are now problematic. Post pandemic and post COVID will some major changes necessary for a lot of the spaces to survive.

@jamiehershon

Жыл бұрын

I agree. Malls just had to change their structure and design. I still prefer shopping at a department store for things like clothing but if there's just some random unrelated shit I need, Amazon, Walmart, or Target is just more convenient.

To me online shopping in general(not just Amazon) is way more convenient for me personally. I loved malls growing up, I'm 41, but nowadays buying stuff from my phone and having it delivered to my house is how I spend the majority of my retail budget. I am however glad to see malls are still doing well in some areas.

@seanhartnett79

3 жыл бұрын

My deal is I got a job that requires long and I varied hours every week. I can only go shopping either on tuesdays and thursdays or at my work.

@cordeliachase601

3 жыл бұрын

@@seanhartnett79 Yup! That’s another problem. Work hours are now longer and wages are stagnant. Who the hell has time or WANTS to go shopping after working a shift? I personally want to go home and lay down, work out, hang at the beach, etc. Not hanging in a fluorescent lit warehouse looking 80’s building buying a bunch of BS I don’t need.

@seanhartnett79

3 жыл бұрын

@@cordeliachase601 yep.

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

Yep I hear exactly what everyone is saying. What I would argue is even though our work lives have become more hectic thousands of jobs all over the country were and are dependent on us actually walking into a mall. I hate thinking just because we shop online somebody at some mall might be getting laid off because the store simply cant afford to pay their employees. Online shopping is so damn convenient but with that said it's at someone's else's expense. Or should I say someone else's job. A perfect example of cause and effect. And Amazon has a whole lot of robots helping them fulfill orders so...

@seanhartnett79

2 жыл бұрын

@@STILuVa pretty much. However those retail jobs are shit. So maybe it is for the best

There was a mall near me that just recently got demolished. Before that there was another mall that was demolished near me in the early 2000s. Theses malls died because Valley Fair Mall in San Jose Santa Clara was less than 10 miles away from those mall. Not only was Vally Fair very busy before the pandemic but it just opened a very large expansion. So there are many malls that are doing very well. One other problem that malls, that serve the middle class in the United States had that you didn’t touch on was the fact that anchor stores like Sears and JC Penny were hurting way before Amazon was even around and that was not only due to the shrinking middle class. This was also due to big box stores like Kmart, Target, and Walmart being built starting in the 1960s and 1970s and they became very popular and stores like Sears just did not keep up. So Amazon isn’t only to blame for many malls dying but many factors such as the shirking middle class, overbuilding of malls, and the rise of big box and dollar stores.

@wendyokoopa7048

3 жыл бұрын

Funny you mentioned Kmart. I feel with a little creativity Kmart could've been saved but Lampert didn't want to.

@rlrl2768

3 жыл бұрын

It’s amazing how much they keep squeezing into that little piece of land for Valley Fair 😳

You may want to do a video on the archaeology of leveraged buyouts and what they have done to retail chains. I think that is another reason for the dead malls.

@corvus1970

3 жыл бұрын

Indeed. That's what essentially slit the throat of Toys R Us.

I quit my Amazon prime membership 3yrs ago... Don't regret it at all! I Very rarely shop online... Call me Old school... But I Just like buying my stuff physically at a store... Instead of waiting for days to get it...

@randomtinypotatocried

3 жыл бұрын

Same here. It's not even worth it anymore to really buy it online, especially when you can't guarantee you are getting the genuine product *cough Amazon selling bootlegs and not giving a shit about false advertising on their site*

@randallkohn6089

3 ай бұрын

It’s not worth the monthly fee for Prime. Pay for the right to shop doesn’t work for me. Reason 101 not to buy sh3t.

4:18 That background yeah was so perfectly timed 🤣

I've always found it interesting how outdoor malls in the valley like Desert Ridge and Scottsdale Quarters do so well in comparison to most indoor malls considering how hot it gets here for a good majority of the year. I know there's still a good portion of indoor malls left, but I really hope they continue to thrive because it's really nice to be able to shop somewhere that's air conditioned and not baking your skin off. Also, Gashapon machines in malls is such a brilliant idea! I've seen some small ones pop up in stores like Gamestop, they're super cool and I love collecting little Kirby figures from them myself.

@rlrl2768

3 жыл бұрын

I was wondering the same thing! Desert ridge is crazy busy yet wouldn’t you want to shop with some AC? Lol

Malls need rich-people stores. It's that simple. Here in San Antonio our three high-end malls with high-end merch are doing just fine while the ones on the lesser sides of town are doing badly. Even if people can't afford that LV purse they'd still prefer to go to the more upscale mall just to have lunch and hang out.

@rl8429

3 жыл бұрын

I don't really think malls like Arizona Mills cater to those rich (It has a Burlington and Marshalls), and look how busy it was. It really depends on the demographic of the area (ex. mall in lower income area should have discount stores, not luxury retailers as they would lose business)

@danielponder690

3 жыл бұрын

@@rl8429 Arizona Mills is a discount mall like Potomac Mills (VA), Ontario Mills (CA), and Concord Mills (NC); they're all designed the same way and have roughly the same stores, they have arrondisement (neighborhood) names for each section which often relate to the city the mall is in; Penn & Teller BS filmed some shows at Ontario Mills in California

@naughtydorf18

3 жыл бұрын

@@danielponder690 Concord mills is dangerous

@danielponder690

3 жыл бұрын

@@naughtydorf18 I haven't been in years and rarely ever go to Charlotte

5:22 The Sailor Moon pendants! I WANT ITTTTT.

@2004JETTA

3 жыл бұрын

Can't wait for the Netflix movies!!

I love that Ruby-Spears intro. I was at my local mall yesterday and it was reasonably packed. When it comes to necessities, I prefer to shop at brick-and-mortar outlets, than online. It's much quicker for me to select what I want and also if I need to return something.

@Crackrzz

3 жыл бұрын

This right here. I just paid nearly $50 (in Canada) to return an action camera I got on eBay, that came in an an Amazon box(!)* and a ring from Etsy. I definitely prefer to just get something at the store in person. Of course, here in my province, we've been locked down again, because people from Ontario brought the variants here, so it's just groceries and medications right now. :( * Akaso EK7000 doesn't come with onboard sound and their apps and batteries leave something to be desired, by the way...

Near me, Coronado mall in ABQ has been thriving. A decade ago it was seen as a ghetto mall on a death spiral. But it has undergone a massively successful revitalization in the last decade and has made a shift towards more in the way of dining and entertainment venues. So now along side your Macys and JC Pennys there are now VR arcades, escape rooms, and a Round 1 taking one of the anchor spaces.

@nicp2344

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah my local mall was seen as a ghetto mall ten years ago, and still is unfortunately.

@jamiehershon

Жыл бұрын

@@nicp2344 Lol one of my malls that turned ghetto in the early 2000s is still ghetto but doing well since more ghetto types moved in.

You have me missing Japan so much! I remember the capsules had little sheets of paper showing what else was available in that collection, and they may have had choking hazard warnings in Japanese, I honestly don't remember! They also had little boxes on top of the machines where you could put your capsules to either be recycled or reused!

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

Is that a Berlin vinyl record in your thumbnail?!?! Walk around a mall listening to "metro "!!! Might be a little trippy!! That's the only song from them I know

@missalphabet87

2 жыл бұрын

@@STILuVa Yes it is! I love The Metro, and I highly recommend giving their other material a listen as well!

@STILuVa

2 жыл бұрын

@@missalphabet87 ha ha that's what I thought!!! I might have to take a photo of me and one of my Cure albums and add it as my profile pic now!! Anyways be well stranger 😎

@missalphabet87

2 жыл бұрын

@@STILuVa The Cure, my favorite! Have a good one!

I hope more places in the USA get gashapon machines! I love them! They always have high quality figurines!

@Corgipon

9 ай бұрын

My local mall has them!

Oh man! I actually visited the Arizona Mills the day before you filmed, and yes it was packed! It's probably my new favorite mall in Arizona.

@donutman.24

3 жыл бұрын

I also agree that not all the malls are dying. I laugh when I hear that knowing Arrowhead, Arizona Mills, Fashion Square and Fashion Center exist. And Park Place and Tucson Mall as well. And I guess also since Fiesta mall, Metro and PV Mall died out and closed.

Not a big fan of Amazon either, I only use them if I can't find something anywhere else.

@user-is7xs1mr9y

3 жыл бұрын

It was great while we couldn't go out, but I honestly prefer going to the mall, I love walking.

@corvus1970

3 жыл бұрын

Indeed. Plenty of good reasons not to buy from Amazon, their horrible treatment of their fulfillment workforce being a big one.

AZ Mills is doing alright somehow despite other malls closing in the past few years.

Nailed it! I forget whom it was, maybe Jake from Bright Sun Films(?), who alluded to other parts of the laundry list, like how retailers used to think they knew what consumers wanted (goes with the not so great business decisions aspect, especially anchors), I think he said he was looking for either a musical instrument, or article of clothing... or both... and knew what he wanted. Apparently the salesperson where he went disagreed, so he went online and found it there. So there's another puzzle piece. But yeah, your observations are spot on.

@seanhartnett79

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly. A lot of middle class people have increasing wages. But go online or cheaper for that reason.

@Ben_the_Rosafan

2 жыл бұрын

Funny thing is, that's literally the intended meaning of "the customer is always right". Too many spineless managers instead think it means "bow to every abusive customer's unreasonable demands".

Live in SoCal, all of our malls here are doing pretty well. Especially Irvine Spectrum, Newport Fashion Island, and South Coast Plaza.

@LINJ638

3 жыл бұрын

Most materialistc part of the country. It is a hellhole.

@RachelScalfani

3 жыл бұрын

@@LINJ638 Hardly paradise but definitely not a hellhole.

@jennfurr

3 жыл бұрын

I was just at the outlets of orange and the mainplace mall, and both were crazy crowded. The village at orange, though, is dying.

@TheVideoEditorGuy6579

3 жыл бұрын

In SoCal, there were more malls in the 50s to the 90s. Unfortunately malls like Hawthorne, Long Beach, Indian Hill, Westside Pavilion, etc are gone now. There were some malls in SoCal like Whittwood Center Mall that were converted into a life-style center. Currently Malls like Puente Hills Mall and Stonewood Center are slowly dying, but they may be the next ones gone (hopefully PHM and SWC can be redeveloped in the future tho). Malls like the Citadel, South Bay Galleria, Cerritos, and Arcadia are extremely packed on the weekends.

@famousbowl9926

3 жыл бұрын

Well that area is boring as hell so yeah.

That footage walking through a busy mall was really soothing to stare at and zone out

@nicp2344

3 жыл бұрын

Eric seems to have zoned into what I call dead mall ASMR. He's the only channel I watch anymore since it's nostalgic, informative, entertaining, and has heart.

@rjjm88

3 жыл бұрын

I was getting stressed from the sheer number of people without masks.

@susanwojcickisasshole9511

3 жыл бұрын

@@rjjm88 You poor, poor soul. Did you run to your safe space? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Now I want to know how you feel about Dollar General.

Here in Honolulu there are four major malls. Ala Moana, Windward, Pearl ridge, and Kahala Mall. Add to the many boutique and outlet malls like the Royal Hawaiian and International Marketplace. All are doing ok in spite of the pandemic.

I used to live across the street from a dead mall. When the montgomery ward closed, everything else started to fall. By the time they decided to redevelop the property, there was a single dollar store, a cheap jewelry store (more aimed at teenagers) a burlington coat factory, and that is IT. The rest of this mall was just empty. You would have to walk past like 30 empty stores to get from the jewelry store to the dollar store. They opted to build a new outdoor mall/living area, and apparently with all the new shops it is now doing very very well. So it's not that a mall couldn't survive there, it just needed to cater to a different crowd. The addition of a theater, and a bigger emphasis on restaurants was a big part of it. The original one was not setup for that at all.

@jamiehershon

Жыл бұрын

I love Montgomery Ward :(

@Corgipon

9 ай бұрын

That’s pretty much what happened to Crossroads in my state. During the 2000s, after MW went everything else started to go too. There was a project that failed last decade to turn it into Plaza Mayor and very recently there’s a new one where it has been renamed back to Crossroads Mall. It’s not everyday a dead mall gets to see a revival.

Yeah, we had to run an in-store errand at a mall earlier this week and it seemed to be thriving.

Other contributors are Walmart, Myers, Target(partially), and many other non anchor chains. Amazon and Walmart are the two biggest crunches on malls(IMO). Many cities have 3-4 Walmart's and many more Dollar Generals. They are crushing the anchor stores that many malls rely on. Consolidation is also a factor of a dying industry along with less disposable income. It is more market manipulation rather than a correction. Remember: You will own nothing and be happy.

As a former Sacramento, CA resident I can assure you Florin Mall was dying in the 90's. I recall buying the CD single for Aerosmith's "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)" from a record store in that mall and even then, they had closing stores and were renting space to random places because I also bought some Magic cards from a random guy who set up card tables in the middle of the mall.

In my area all of the indoor malls are struggling. But we have a lot of strip malls. Heck, even a couple of the smaller malls that were around when I was a kid are now strip malls. It just seems like in my area people just want to go to one or two stores and just want quick access and not walk around a lot.

@susanrudd9759

3 жыл бұрын

More like they don't have the income they used to.

@CommodoreFan64

3 жыл бұрын

Yep people don't have the excess income they use too for the higher priced stores in the malls, so they are looking for bargains in places like Ross, TJ Maxx, Walmart, Target, Ollie's Bargain Outlet, Aldi, the big 3 Dollar Stores, etc... Heck even in my area of the southeast I've noticed in the past few years more people going thrift hunting in places like Goodwill, Salvation Army, Flea Markets, etc.. making it harder to have good finds of stuff, I would know because it's been one of my hobbies with my family since I was a kid in the late 80's going out thrift hunting, and it's how I've been able to afford my hobby of retro computers, and gaming.

@GroverJ83

3 жыл бұрын

@@CommodoreFan64 Bascially 2 of the biggest anchor stores at Most Malls Penny's and Macy's have a huge problem that TJ Maxx,Burlington,Ross type stores are beating them on price for the same legacy name brand clothes and shoes and Kohls and Old Navy's are becoming the choice dujour for your middle class suburban mom. Penny's especially is in danger of becoming the next Sears or K Mart.

@CommodoreFan64

3 жыл бұрын

@@GroverJ83 I overall agree with you, except I rarely see a lot of people in the Old Navy in my area that's right down from Ross & TJ-Maxx in a strip mall, and I don't know how it's still in business.

super cool vid! Loved the back story & data you presented about what's up with retail. ty. Do more if you can.

I will always love going to the malls buying things right on the spot and just browsing around the great stores always gives me a reason to go out and enjoy the day

im really happy to see gacha machines are popular in america now.. they are in every arcade in tokyo :D i have very fond memories of putting some coins and trying to get my favourite items. i still own many of the small toys i got ^^ i really like this waddle dee japan does put similar labels inside the gacha capsules. usually the label is on the back of the promotional artwork include with the capsule. it includes the list of other items in the gacha machine (i think people usually call it a "set") and some safety information about the product.

3:36 I've been saying that the blue collar malls are going to die out soon and you'll just have poshy upper middle class and rich malls left. And honestly some of these blue collar malls don't really have much to offer. The one near me is more or less a hair, nail, and jewelry place at this point Burlington and JCP asides so why would I be interested in going there if I'm not into those things?

@rl8429

3 жыл бұрын

The mall shown in this video wasn't necessarily for those around upper middle class or above. Outlet malls like the one shown (Arizona Mills) are still thriving.

@nicp2344

3 жыл бұрын

@@rl8429 yes, I forgot to add outlet malls. They're the ones thriving here as well.

@lutherheggs451

3 жыл бұрын

@@nicp2344 It helps that Outlet Malls are usually the places where stores take all of their "crap" that either didn't sell or is too old in their opinion and then they sell it at significantly lower prices just to move the merchandise and make room in their real stores for new stuff

Very reassuring to see thanks for the sensible view on the situation too

Lol I liked that little toy unboxing

Ontario mills mall in Ontario California is 2-3x as packed. There’s a mix of independent and chain stores there. Also, malls that offer services are doing well.

I agree very much One of my local malls Woodfield Mall in Illinois is in a similar situation as Arizona mills where it is thriving

@affoidman123

3 жыл бұрын

Haha I live in the city, I love Woodfield, it’s always bussin there! Gurnee Mills is good too but Jesus I get lost every time I go there 😅

@gordonpretzel5021

3 жыл бұрын

@@affoidman123 haha me too

@andykillsu

3 жыл бұрын

@@affoidman123 how do you get lost? It’s basically just one long hallway

@affoidman123

3 жыл бұрын

@@andykillsu sarcasm for how big it is . Doesn’t matter if it’s just a long hall, it’s still a huge mall.

We still have four thriving malls here Arrowhead AZ Mills Chandler Fashion Square Scottsdale Fashion Square

@bchristian85

3 жыл бұрын

Hopefully Biltmore can be revived. That's going to be a significant loss if it goes.

@thriftsnriffs291

3 жыл бұрын

Is chandler on its way out? I feel like after Nordstrom left, it’d kind take a big hit in traffic.

@Mr_Redsfan

3 жыл бұрын

@@thriftsnriffs291 my in-person workplace was near Chandler Fashion Square and right before COVID it felt like vacancies were starting to increase. Not sure now though.

@ohyeah2185

22 күн бұрын

​@@thriftsnriffs291Replying late but no. They recently replaced Nordstrom with Scheels and after 8 months of it being open it's still packed.

Got an ad for Amazon. How fitting lol

I really just watch this channel because of his voice it’s so calming nice background noise while working .

I love your videos from AZ (or another state on the west coast) because although the trend of old malls shutting down is nationwide, the scene is so different and it's interesting to make the comparisons to malls here in MA. Also, I just like your videos :)

What a refreshing and hopeful video!

Ugh love your videos... they give me big ASMR energy

I think people want more than just clothing stores, people like more entertainment and cool stores like apple stores, gaming and electronics stores. Also stuff like that Japan vending machine. The old malls lost their appeal with being old and run down and no arcade and nothing but clothes stores. The only thing keeping Park Place mall alive is the theater.

@Code7Unltd

3 жыл бұрын

>more entertainment The lack of sports attendance and movie consumption is saying otherwise. As for the electronic stores, you can thank that cellular computer in your pants for killing it off. I'm still vindictive about that.

@bladerunner752

3 жыл бұрын

@@Code7Unltd I don't have a cellphone surgically mounted to my head like most people today. I miss the days of video game arcades in the late 70s and through the 80s. As for attendance at sporting events and movies, you can thank the government and covid lock downs for that one. I always prefer a computer and keyboard to these so called smart phones. I hate touch screens. A phone is for making calls.

@Code7Unltd

3 жыл бұрын

​@@bladerunner752 >I always prefer a computer and keyboard to these so called smart phones Does your keyboard click? >I miss the days of video game arcades in the late 70s and through the 80s. I'd hate to say, but arcades were the normal of videogames. Consoles of the 90s-2Ks were the deviation. Mobile phone games seem to be a return to normal for the medium. >As for attendance at sporting events and movies, you can thank the government and covid lock downs for that one. I don't think it's the super-cold. That was the go-to excuse when Quibi failed (on the reason of their business model of Hollywood stars in short shows made for millennial lifestyles actually not being viable) and Hollywood stuck with it since then. Even with the light restrictions, nobody wants to go, much less watch the televised event. If nobody can go to the event, you would think people would watch the televised event, however most that aren't watching TLC or news cablecasts want to watch reruns instead.

@bladerunner752

3 жыл бұрын

Looks like we agree on some things. My keyboard doesn't click but I remember ones that did. The Atari 2600 was my first console. For some it was pong. Have you ever watched the videos out there were kids are told to use an 80s or even early to mid 90s computer? Its very funny and sad to see. Makes me feel old.

@liz_violet

3 жыл бұрын

yea, i miss when my local mall had an actual arcade for a few years, our new arcade/pizza place is just all mobile games...and I WILL BEG for a round one closer to warm springs. same with the secondhand anime merch shops.

At one point there was three downtown malls here in Salt Lake City (though two were more or less part of the same property). The other was outdoor, included the city planetarium, and had an outdoor water play area for kids. About 10 years ago the two most directly downtown were demolished and developed into a single luxury indoor/outdoor mall. The other mall's business crashed dramatically and has since been redeveloped more into an entertainment locale than a mall.

R-A, it's the A and B grade malls that will still be around. The C and D grade malls are the ones that won't. Ones like the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota and West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta will be fine. o.o

Awesome so cool to see Arizona Mills Mall. It’s the brother mall to my local Gurnee Mills mall that I go to. I must say the way the hallways and shops are set up is very similar to Gurnee Mills. I will say Gurnee Mills looks better because the ceiling is nicer and has much more skylights.

Amazon and digital platforms/downloads did kill the legacy media stores for dvds, cds, books, magazines, etc.

My local mall is King of Prussia. There are three or four other smaller malls (by anyone else’s terms, they are normal size malls). KOP is absolutely thriving. They actually just renovated a lot of the mall, and restructured the outside space that used to connect the two malls (the court and the plaza) to be more shopping area. Higher end fashion like Gucci and Versace are coming into the mall, but everything else has pretty much just stayed the same. The other local malls are definitely turning into candy kiosk hotspots with absolutely no shortage of Rosetta Stone salesman and Dead Sea salt body scrub samples. Even KOP has lost the tourism value that it had which always made it seemed packed during the week, but again, it’s hard to walk through on some weekends because of the crowds. Great video, I always enjoy listening to your stuff, thank you!

Cool to see Arizona Mills busy. I lived across the street from there in the late 90's while attending college in Tempe.

Going to Phoenix next week thanks for mentioning the pinbar!! Totally checking that out!

Great video Erik! I was surprised at the amount of people in the mall with it still being a pandemic.

@susanwojcickisasshole9511

3 жыл бұрын

Whether one wants to admit or not, the majority of Americans have woken up to this scam.

So glad to see a mall thriveing.. that's cool.

remember when Arizona Mill had a Tower Record, then later became Virgin Record

I think you made a great point that not all malls are dying. I've been to some that are, but I've also seen one or two that appear just as vibrant as ever. Your point about the overbuilding of too many malls seemed spot on.

Awesome new intro and titles! I now associate online shopping a necessary bore we had to do during the peak of the ...demic. Watching new films at home not as interesting an experience as going to the movies. Sure new trainers are a tap away, but isn't it more fun to go to the Mall?! Sure watching movies at home is so convenient, but isn't it more fun to go to the Cinema? In terms of material things it's been shifting to an experiences over materialism for awhile now, and the whole doing everything online seems a little souless.

@user-is7xs1mr9y

3 жыл бұрын

I agree. Our muscles are becoming mush from sitting at home all this time.

My whole life I never knew what those little machines were called. I would just call them gumball machines with stuff inside.

The other hypothesis I have heard is that American is ageing out. The baby boomers were just that a boom in people that had to be housed and needed furniture & appliances and all the other stuff you buy in a mall. Every generation since has been smaller. Pumped up by immigration sure, but adult immigrants didn’t hang at that mall in the US. The boomers already have bought all the big ticket items they need for their life time and clothed their kids as they grew.

There are 2 deadmalls near me and one that was high end that's struggling now (not quite dead yet) but they opened a new mall (5 years ago) near the "nicer" neighborhoods and it's always packed. It's pretty upscale too. (UTC mall in FL)

@Cyrus992

3 жыл бұрын

Surprised they recently built indoor ones like UTC

Thank you for doing Arizona Mills!

👋👋👋👋 Waving back at you to thank you for today's journey! 👋👋👋👋

yeah i think the philadelphia area has the same problem with overbuilding malls. we had quite a few around and some died. seeing this footage and how recent put me in a good mood thanks.

@masterofthemash5310

3 жыл бұрын

@@tricountyretail992 cherry hill and deford right?

@ellen4441

3 жыл бұрын

@@tricountyretail992 , Yep, Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ has been on a big downhill slide ..

I go to Parkdale Mall on Sundays in Beaumont TX and it’s super active even after COVID closed it down last year

They have really been refurbishing our University Mall that was open in August 1972 here in Orem Utah they’re building condos and everything around it in all of the open empty parking lots that used to just sit there and go on for miles and miles I love your channel hon and keep your videos coming❤️

As far as your token collection goes, I don’t think Chuck E. Cheese uses tokens anymore. Last time I was there (pre covid) they had a swipe card system set up on all of the games.

Good discussion here, I also used to think "Amazon is killing brick and mortar" but never gave it much thought. Loved the Kirby music and that gachapon Waddle Dee is pretty detailed for something like that!

that was an interesting vid - you need to show us your shelf one day with all your collections on them....♥

I just got back from the Chandler mall and they have a Gashapon machine there as well.

I find it funny. As a teen in the 80s I lived in malls. Then in my 20s with my wife we lived in malls. Now I dont go. Id rather watch your videos about malls than go.

I haven't been in there since before the pandemic, but Haywood Mall here in Greenville, SC was (and I assume still is) alive and well. We actually used to have 4 different malls around here, but there was simply no need for that many malls within such a small metro area, so the 3 older malls bit the dust and Haywood remains.

The dollar stores phenomena is due to KZread craft/DIY channels, I think. The Dollar Tree near me used to have tons of stuff. Now that the DIY channels have blown up, stuff flies right out.

@randomtinypotatocried

3 жыл бұрын

Throw in Dollar Store doing some weird like making own toy line and cartoons with it. I heard about it recently from Ashens channel

@seanhartnett79

3 жыл бұрын

Interesting

@jamiehershon

Жыл бұрын

Yes! I remember trying to find the $1 generic makeup eraser that so many people had videos about. I kid you not it took me years to find a store that actually had it in stock when I went lol.

Replying to an older video at this point I know, but I was in Arizona Mills and walked the whole place yesterday and it had only *two* empty retail suites. Initially I was very surprised as I had just been out to Superstition Springs and they had 34 empty suites, but I realized that it looks like Arizona Mills has something of an experiment going. Instead of leaving empty spaces, they've opened a bunch of generic stores. There are retailers for clothing, shoes, gifts, sports team swag, and other low-dollar merchandise throughout the mall, the kind of stuff that's somewhat name-brand but not the higher end offerings. The names of the stores are all generic too, basically named for their purpose rather than with any sort of clever branding or something with a name subject to trademark. The stores themselves looked like they were following a template, clean up the retail space just enough to de-brand it from its prior tenant, install comparatively inexpensive wall clothing or merchandise displays, put some 4' to 5' displays on the inside open floor, and a cash register and counter at the far end well opposite the door but with a good view of it. If there are changing rooms they're either along either side of the back wall next to the counters or on the side walls near the back. I suspect that they're doing this in order to make the mall not look empty. I don't know if it's Simon Malls doing this or some outside entity or investor, but it makes the place look much healthier, and even the genericized stores had some shoppers in them. Donno how much actual buying was going on but there was some foot traffic on the fourth of July in the early to mid afternoon. In contrast out at Superstition Springs, another Simon property, the mall had, "rent me!" signage and black pipe-and-drape with some art installs in most of the empty storefronts. It wasn't bad looking, but it was much more clearly empty in places. This was surprising since there are so many fewer malls that far east, I had expected it to have been busier given that it's the closest indoor mall to places like Apache Junction or Gold Canyon, basically any of the residential developments along US-60, particularly with Fiesta Mall being torn down now. I guess that even without much supply in that form of shopping, demand for it is still so phenomenally low that it just can't keep its storefronts filled. I would have thought that Mills would have had more competition in that south Scottsdale/Tempe/Chandler corridor that it would be harder to keep it filled but I guess there's just more demand there generally.

Just went to Franklin Park Mall in Toledo, Ohio. I haven't been to a mall probably in over a year and it was rocking!

Thank you and well said! I've been to several malls recently that were crazy busy. Seems like Amazon is the low hanging fruit when it comes to assigning blame, but as you said, there are more often than not a variety of factors involved.

In the UK, most of the death of our shopping malls (and high streets) is down to greedy landlords and local councils jacking up rates, and because most have pay-to-park car parks, it's also contributed to the downfall of many malls. Not to mention vulture capitalists and poor management of many chains have led to many high-profile casualties, with the biggest being the Arcadia fashion group, which is now being split up and acquired by two online fashion giants, while one of them has also acquired what was left of Debenhams, which was our closest equivalent to Macy's or Sears.

As if I didn't love this channel already, a fellow Kirby fan! Keep up the great work :)

Gashapon in Japan are great! I have a small vinyl coin purse that is basically like the transparent skeleton of a small bird... I love it but I had to buy a fabric coin purse after a couple of days and send that one to my luggage because the thing was slicing my fingers every time I reached for it in my purse! Still a pretty neat item and I want to display it somewhere soon, because it's really pretty. I also have a little office lady that sits on the rim of your cups, she's adorable!

My dude it comes down to just two things: 1-The rise of big box (non-mall) retailers - the main cause of dying malls in the 90s. 2- The migration of discretionary and special interest spending to e-commerce. The 14% figure appreciates purchases like cars and food, which together account for most retail spending by dollar. Cameras, hockey pads, geckos, books, game consoles, laptops, spice grinders, fashion sneakers, thermos cups, etc. are now overwhelming purchased online, putting a lot of pressure on malls. And Amazon is leading the pack.

I've been working at the Mall At Robinson outside of Pittsburgh, Pa for a few years now and we still get a ton of traffic on an almost daily basis, even during the shortened pandemic hours we still didn't have any fears of our mom & pop store shutting down.

I turned my friend onto this channel. She subscribed and loves it!!

Thank you. My childhood mall, Danbury Fair Mall, is still doing well. It did throw me off how crowded it was when going to upgrade my phone after pushing it off for awhile. Thoufh I did see it does have some empty spots here and there, but I won't be shocked if they're filled after the pandemic is done with

I'd imagine Walmart has played a bigger role in killing malls than Amazon ever has. Major mall anchors like Sears and J.C. Penney just couldn't compete with Walmart on price, so customers who once would have gone to the mall to buy back-to-school clothes or patio furniture or whatever are now driving to a big box store. Walmart sold $340 billion worth of stuff in the U.S. last year, compared to $260 billion for Amazon, even with the pandemic. Also, as you point out, America just has way too many malls, way more per capita than any other big country. The U.S. has 23 square feet of retail space for every person, while in the U.K. they only have 4.6 square feet per person. A city the size of Phoenix located anywhere else in the world would have way less mall space.

@sacvideo1998

3 жыл бұрын

​@Pro Tengu I don't know, any time I go to one of the various large, popular malls in my city, there doesn't seem to be any shortage of young people. Even in this video, this mall is attracting customers from a variety of age groups, not just older people.

@sacvideo1998

3 жыл бұрын

@Pro Tengu I'm not saying that malls aren't past the late 20th century peak of their popularity, just that, as this video says, rumors of the death of the mall are greatly exaggerated. In the future there won't be as many malls, but the malls that do survive will still be attracting shoppers for years to come.

Beachwood place in beachwood Ohio is a perfect example of an up scale mall that’s thriving. It’s even had a new anchor store expansion as late as 2016

I had a feeling you'd use some music from Kirby for opening the Kirby capsule. That series has some great music!

This looks like a nice, busy mall! Ours here are ghost towns because of the never-ending lockdown Ontario, Canada. I agree that too many malls being built too close together can kill a mall.

Plenty of malls in my area (upstate NY) started dying in the 1990s but there are still a few busy ones, just have to drive further to get to them. Love the little Kirby figure, the quality looks amazing - I never saw something so cool come out of one of those machines before. I would have loved to have gotten some of those Kingdom Hearts characters!

I'll keep saying it, the malls in Phoenix were not overbuilt. Most of the malls in the Phoenix area were torn down by the mid nineties. It wasn't greed either, there was a need for a lot of retail space. People were shopping, it was surprising where stores were in town, they were full of merchandise. By the mid to late eighties malls were cutting amenities. I can go on, and it would depress most of you. It was the kind of stuff you never heard of. When you answer the phone, and it was a guy who had the courtesy to call. To tell you he can't do anything for you because he can't stay in business. That call I can take, when you can tell the guy was in tears. That's something I'll never forget.

That mall reminds of the Great Mall in Milpitas from a few years ago. One story with carpet, neighborhoods, the kind of outlet-y stores even though it's not a traditional outlet mall. It used to be a ford factory then they made it a mall. Been awhile since I've gone though so I don't know if it still has those vibes.

@liz_violet

3 жыл бұрын

oooh I got there sometimes! they tried to 'modernize' the vibes, but all they did was add hexagons and minimalist stuff. the floor isn't carpet anymore, but its still pretty packed most days.

@rlrl2768

3 жыл бұрын

Omg exactly what i was thinking looks like ! Haven’t been to that mall in years though

One mall you will really love exploring is Sunland Park Mall in El Paso, TX. It's so outdated, no renovations since it opened in 1988. It's all pink inside and is super vintage looking. It now has a volleyball court inside it as well. It's a dying mall. I predict it's not going to last much longer either. People in El Paso all flock to Bassett Place or Cielo Vista Mall. Cielo Vista gets the most crowded, much more than any of the malls in Phoenix. People there also flock to The Fountains at Farah, which is fairly new.

I was actually at Mills that day you were filming. First time I was there in years.

Check out castleton square mall in Indianapolis any day of the week always busy..

Glad to see that malls are still doing 🙌👏👌🙏👍😌 well. I do mail order but still like 👍😐😕😒 to shop in stores.

Malls in my area have been expanding. I live in San Fran and the Stonestown mall, added a movie theater, Whole Foods, and sports basement (local sports good chain), plus expanded the target there as well, ALL during and before the pandemic. It’s still packed constantly. I don’t even know if any major malls in the Bay Area have been heavily affected by the rise of online shopping. Even with this city being so reliant on Amazon and food delivery services, people still go to the mall.