*PERMANENTLY CLOSED* Lakeside Mall - Sterling Heights, Michigan | Mall History and Tour
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- Opening in 1976 outside of Detroit, Michigan, Lakeside Mall was a booming commercial powerhouse for decades. After years of struggling, the mall would close July 1, 2024 with plans for demolition and redevelopment.
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Had a lot of good memories at that mall!
Online shopping had nothing to do with Lakeside coming to a slow death.. the owner of Lakeside systematically for over 22 years has done everything he could possibly do to run Lakeside Mall into the ground so he could make a financial gain!!
That includes, doing everything he possibly could to prevent people from coming back to the mall for shopping:
1. Pushing busing from inner cities into the suburban area, with people that had no intention of shopping and the owner knew he was going to exploit the area from which they came to make people afraid an exploit racism
2. Increased Leasing and renting of locations inside Lakeside Mall to over 460% in the last 20 years, to drive locations out for an easy sale , which when you look in public sales, it shows the owner of Lakeside Mall trying to sell everything since 1992 and before.
3. The mall was built on top of a garbage dump an swampland. The owner bought everything at dirt cheap prices and was looking for a cheap quick Buck to turn everything over since 1976, and is publicly known he was trying to sell it as early as 1987 she couldn't sell it for what he wanted, So the plan went in to demonetize the area in order for a quick sell, all the while working with others to keep the real estate up around the area in the four different cities in Macomb, which include Sterling Heights mainly, Utica, Shelby Township, and Macomb ( which at the time was Utica, until Macomb Township decided to divide it up from Utica and become a completely different city with a new zip code for tax purposes, that made everything more applicable for the owner of Lakeside Mall to turn a tidy profit in the years to come) this was clearly, a Realty scheme from the get-go
4. After forcing numerous retailers out of locations buy highly escalated Leasing and Rental fees , the owner instituted the next phase in brought in low income Deli services, and centralized kiosk locations within the mall at $500-$1550 minimum to give the illusion of making up dividends Owed on property taxes... that money was promptly repurposed into new entrances to give the illusion of keeping the mall afloat.
5. The "golden bunghole"... everyone sees on M59 in Sterling Heights let the mayor and other city board members defend... overestimated between 5 million to 15 million of taxpayer dollars spent. The owner of Lakeside Mall is shown in public records to be a major contributor to this overspending, which is also hidden. It's called money laundering and is serious.
6. Two different major movie theaters in Lakeside Circle & adjacent , lost their business Leasing due to the highly suspicious activities of the Lakeside Mall proprietor attempting to demonetize the area.
7. Rumors that a second Mall a few miles down the road had anything to do with driving Lakeside Mall into bankruptcy is complete and utter nonsense!😂🎉
8. As part of the new real estate in commercial deal , two of the main stores that stayed afloat JCPenney and Macy's at Lakeside Mall will still be doing business on the same ground when things are rebuilt, as part of the real estate deal set forth by the owner of Lakeside Mall . The owner made himself a multi-million-dollar deal, hence 20 years after he tried to demonetize everything, but found a way to cash in with the city officials of Macomb County!
I invoke My First Amendment right for freedom of speech and this will be recorded and I am protected under both the Bill of Rights of the state of Michigan and the Constitution of the United States of America 22:11
Going to the Mall in the 80s was something we all loved too do . Christmas time was the best with the decorations and all the shopping . It so sad that Malls are dying . Online will never replace the fun
❤this is when ppl actually wanted to go out and enjoy touching and purchasing I think🎉 we liked people 😢
As a child of the 80's it pains me to see the malls, so ubiquitous at the time and a large part of those formative years, disappear. Sign of the times. Winds of change and all that I suppose.
Thank you for all your time and energy you put into this. It is very informative and much appreciated.
The winds of change seem to be blowing straight to Hell!!!
@@lisamatheson3831 You, young lady, are a philosopher!
I remember in the early 2000s it was a treat to shop at the mall. There were SO MANY people, especially around the holidays 😔 the malls would be decorated so beautifully for Christmas. Online shopping has truly taken something that felt so magical. Westland mall shut down a few years ago I believe and I'm sure Fairlane and Southland malls are not too far behind 😔
Fairlane maybe, especially after Sears went bust but Southland still draws a decent crowd. Probably because Southland is the only mall in the downriver area and still has all its anchors.
Great Lakes Crossing and Somerset Mall are going to outlast all of them. I don’t know if either of them will ever shut down lol. I miss the festiveness of going to GLC during Christmas time. Good memories I’ll never forget and will always be a special memory from my childhood.
Westland is still open 💀💀💀💀
@@elevatorfromthestatesofmic782 Not for too long if what I heard is true. Apparently that mall is on life support.
@elevatorfromthestatesofmic782 ahhh well don't act like I'm entirely wrong. There's been talk for 4 years to close it. Most recent articles from February 2023 saying most stores are closed in Westland 🙃🙃🙃
I went to this mall all the time growing up. It is so sad to see it go. Thank you for this video.
Me to ... this was the "fancy mall" 😂to us in warren Michigan.... going to macomb mall was cool but going to lakeside was like a fancy exciting mall trip for me as a kid 😅.. I never thought macomb mall wpuld put live lakeside
Never would have thought Lakeside would close before Macomb mall or Oakland mall. Hydrotube was awesome for us as kids.
@@redskin1438when was the water slide there I don’t remember it in the 90s
@@josiffexplosiff1 early 80's
@@josiffexplosiff1 the hydrotube, think like 85,86
These 70’s malls were so grand and futuristic looking. I would love to experience them in the 70’s.
They were like their own Little Town of stores, restaurants, movie theaters, Arcades and Hotels
I was 7 when Lakeside opened. I remember my first time going there. It was amazing!!!!!
@@stevemakowski9776 Now that was shopping! Can’t experience that on Amazon.
It was definitely an experience when they first opened in the 70s. You could stop in so many stores in one trip. Even through the 80s and early 90s it was still fun to go to the mall for the afternoon, maybe buy something after trying on a few outfits, and then (at least in malls in the metro Detroit area) get lunch at Olga's.
By the 2000s, the large indoor malls were starting to lose tenants. A couple of them were partially or fully demolished and replaced with groups of smaller strip mall type buildings with maybe a larger building with a Target, Mervins, or Walmart. And in the past five years or so the remaining huge indoor malls have so many empty units, and even the large anchor stores don't have the crowds of shoppers they used to.
It's nice to get certain things online, but for other things, you really need to see them in person to know if the materials and construction are of good quality, etc.
@@pamelaaverrett5848-- plus almost everything you buy on Amazon these days in terms of clothing or shoes is cheap garbage made in China. You don't know if the fabric or stitching is any good until you get the item delivered.
Worked here for years! I’m glad the owner of Oakland mall is trying to keep that place alive. Took the kids there a couple weeks ago, and it was a lot busier than I thought it would be!
My first job was at the Gap at lakeside! How was Oakland mall? I heard it isn’t very safe anymore.
Oakland mal has been sold. I'm sry
@@fredalackenspeil9371Online shopping had nothing to do with Lakeside coming to a slow death.. the owner of Lakeside systematically for over 22 years has done everything he could possibly do to run Lakeside Mall into the ground so he could make a financial gain!!
That includes, doing everything he possibly could to prevent people from coming back to the mall for shopping:
1. Pushing busing from inner cities into the suburban area, with people that had no intention of shopping and the owner knew he was going to exploit the area from which they came to make people afraid an exploit racism
2. Increased Leasing and renting of locations inside Lakeside Mall to over 460% in the last 20 years, to drive locations out for an easy sale , which when you look in public sales, it shows the owner of Lakeside Mall trying to sell everything since 1992 and before.
3. The mall was built on top of a garbage dump an swampland. The owner bought everything at dirt cheap prices and was looking for a cheap quick Buck to turn everything over since 1976, and is publicly known he was trying to sell it as early as 1987 she couldn't sell it for what he wanted, So the plan went in to demonetize the area in order for a quick sell, all the while working with others to keep the real estate up around the area in the four different cities in Macomb, which include Sterling Heights mainly, Utica, Shelby Township, and Macomb ( which at the time was Utica, until Macomb Township decided to divide it up from Utica and become a completely different city with a new zip code for tax purposes, that made everything more applicable for the owner of Lakeside Mall to turn a tidy profit in the years to come) this was clearly, a Realty scheme from the get-go
4. After forcing numerous retailers out of locations buy highly escalated Leasing and Rental fees , the owner instituted the next phase in brought in low income Deli services, and centralized kiosk locations within the mall at $500-$1550 minimum to give the illusion of making up dividends Owed on property taxes... that money was promptly repurposed into new entrances to give the illusion of keeping the mall afloat.
5. The "golden bunghole"... everyone sees on M59 in Sterling Heights let the mayor and other city board members defend... overestimated between 5 million to 15 million of taxpayer dollars spent. The owner of Lakeside Mall is shown in public records to be a major contributor to this overspending, which is also hidden. It's called money laundering and is serious.
6. Two different major movie theaters in Lakeside Circle & adjacent , lost their business Leasing due to the highly suspicious activities of the Lakeside Mall proprietor attempting to demonetize the area.
7. Rumors that a second Mall a few miles down the road had anything to do with driving Lakeside Mall into bankruptcy is complete and utter nonsense!😂🎉
8. As part of the new real estate in commercial deal , two of the main stores that stayed afloat JCPenney and Macy's at Lakeside Mall will still be doing business on the same ground when things are rebuilt, as part of the real estate deal set forth by the owner of Lakeside Mall . The owner made himself a multi-million-dollar deal, hence 20 years after he tried to demonetize everything, but found a way to cash in with the city officials of Macomb County!
I invoke My First Amendment right for freedom of speech and this will be recorded and I am protected under both the Bill of Rights of the state of Michigan and the Constitution of the United States of America 22:11
Growing up this was the "it" mall for me in the 80s and 90s. We lived closer to Macomb but as soon as we started driving we were hittin Lakeside most times. And especially around the holidays. So many people, and just stuff going on. A few years ago my daughter got a job at rue21 and id drop her off and/or pick her up. One time droppin her off i went inside to wax nostalgia and it was sad. Such a 180 from what it used to be. RIP Lakeside
I used to go there all the time 😢
Me too I always went there. Bad management,ponzi schemes,reverse mortgage and equity schemes and online shopping destroyed lakesidemall.
Oakland was the same way. Wall to wall people. Now a shell. I remember the marble hippo fondly. I believe it is now at the Detroit Zoo. Somerset too big to fail? I fear Great Lakes may be next.
Somewhere around 1988 they put an arcade where the hydro tube was called Tilt, and it was two floors. My boyfriend worked there and I worked across the hall at olgas kitchen. When they renovated that area into the food court, they closed the arcade and Olga's moved downstairs again. When it originally opened it was downstairs in the first place then it moved upstairs by Sears which was where the arcade was after the hydro tube, after the skating rink. I worked at Crowley's at that mall from the time I was 16 and 1989 until 1992. I also worked at Olga's and at Joyce Selby shoes. Same boyfriend worked at gantos across from Joyce Selby shoes when I worked there also. It really was my fast times at ridgemont high. I love that mall so much😢
Oh man I remember tilt.
Hydrotube was so much fun.
I remember Tilt!!! Also, who would've thunk in 2024 that both Lakeside and Eastland would be gone and there's Macomb Mall still kicking.
I do remember the eagle arcade in the 90s and early 2000, tilt was before my time. I remember sears,jcpenny woolsworth Mervyn and other stores. Born 1991. I saw lakesidemall when it permanently closed
It's sad. Lakesidemall became a victim of ponzi schemes,reverse mortage schemes and private equity schemes and online shopping destroyed Lakesidemall along with bad management
Despite yet another wonderfully presented job of researching and telling of the tale of this mall
by RR (I think he does a better job of this than most anyone)...
I must admit to the overwhelming sadness at witnessing this facilities' demise.
I simply don't believe society has progressed in the interim, in fact, it's been a regression, at
least in my opinion - but I remember better times.
- Ed on the Ridge
same here, im only 16 though. me and my friends were probably the last generation of teenagers to go to lakeside. we were going there at least once a week in late 2023. been going to lakeside since i was born, i remember the early 2010s even
Yippee, they are bulldozing to replace with 2,000 apartments and bldgs so you never have to leave the property. Sounds like a 15 minute city in my eyes, and what have they done about the Traffic at Hall &Hayes and Scheonherr? Nothing to help the cluster they created. I remember when Hall was 2 lanes and all Pumpkin Farms!!!!
Once you live in the "community" (commune) you'll never leave it.
No need to worry about the traffic at Hall and Hayes, comrade.
I remember Hall road with 2 lanes, pumpkin farms and barns too. Literally everything on Hall Road now is there originally because of Lakeside Mall, and now it’s Lakeside that is gone. Sad.
@@TK-ri7pl if I lived in that area I wouldn’t want to do a lot of driving. Who would? It’s overdeveloped and traffic is a nightmare. That whole area is a giant suburban grid where you have to fight traffic to go anywhere.
I live affordably in a small town where I can walk to downtown and even to work. You may remember this, or you may have to ask your parents or grandparents. It’s called the traditional American town, and it preceded malls.
“Comrade”? 🙄 No one forced anyone to live in those places, and no one is forcing Americans to live in mixed use developments. The market is driving them.
@@timomomomo969 I'm 65 dude. I was there the day they opened the mall. Was still in high school.
I'm from a generation where real freedom was a thing. I remember the real small town, and rural Michigan in the 60's.
I visited the area back in May of '17. Outside of the neighborhood I grew up in, not much was recognizable.......
Yep, an urban craphole.
I live in a rural town if 400ish in N central Fla.
Ocala is too crowded for me, and it's about half the size of Warren. In terms of population.
Even in Gainesville, and Ocala these 15 minute city type agendas are taking place.
It isn't about convenience, it's about control........but if it suits you, good for you.
I remember Hall rd just being a dirt road Geez I am that old already😅
🥲I miss the Malls - thank you for the video!😎💯💥👍✌!
I went ice-skating at this mall when I was 11. I will never forget you, Lakeside Mall.
Yes! I went to the ice-skating rink there with my 3rd grade class for a field trip (thank you Mrs. Gutchow!) I then went skating there often after that.
@@johnw8578 right, how lucky were we? you had an awesome teacher. I will never forget that day.
It's so sad to see most of the malls in the area closing. About all we have left in the area are Twelve Oaks, Great Lakes Crossing and Somerset.
Dont forget Oakland Mall at 14 and John R.
@@MrMCDigglesDon’t know where you live obviously, but there is still the Macomb Mall in Roseville.
It's wild to know that Macomb Mall outlasted Lakeside...
So crazy that so many places we went as kids and young adults are gone. I used to go to to Lakeside when i was a teenager with my family/friends. As an adult i went maybe 5 times over 20 years. Im not surprised its time has passed but it sure is weird feeling to see the last images of a place destined for oblivion that we used to go all the time and seemed so amazing back them i remember skating at the ice rink and eating at Friendly's, We also went to the 2 story arcade TILT when we were old enough to drive. Its like the Pontaic Silverdome that used to hold all the big events and Lions games. GONE! Even "The Palace" venue which was "newer" is closed.
Thank you for posting. I grew up in Romeo in the 70's and 80's. So many great memories at Lakeside mall during those decades. I was not able to make it down to say goodbye since I live up north now but this video helped take away some of the sting of not seeing it during the final week. Thanks again :)
As many others have expressed here, I started going to this mall as soon as I could drive, waaaaaay back in 1984. It was my favorite mall and I pretty much did all my gift shopping there. It was always so pretty at Christmas! I continued going there until the late 90's. So sad to hear of all the unfortunate news coverage about it and now it's gone. I hope the new project is a success.
Exceptionally well done and researched- thanks, RR!
Fantastic job on this video. It must have taken a while. Love how you embed the history in.
Additional history of Lakeside Malll:
In 1999, Ctowley's filed for bankruptcy, and Hudson's bought their building for use as a men's store. In 2001, Hudson's was renamed Marshall Field's by parent company, Target Corp. In 2006, Marshall Field's was acquired by Macy's, and both stores were renamed. Sears closed in September of 2018. Lord & Taylor closed in September of 2019.
I remember as a young girl visiting Lakeside when they had the arcade The Tilt back in '93. Fast forward about 5 years later when I had my first kiss in the JC Penney court area, lower floor, black booth seats. Fast forward a couple years later and I got a job at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, right by the newly added food court next to Sears. Lots of memories at Lakeside! From the mid to late 90s, my friends and I would spend all day on a Saturday afternoon there, talking to boys, buying a new beeper chain, taking pics in the photo booth, and always making sure we saved 35¢ for the payphone to call one of our parents when we were ready to be picked up, tho utilizing the 1-800-COLLECT was usually our go to since we always ran out of money. Many trips to Lakeside not even to shop, but to get a Flaming Wok sesame chicken and fried rice combo 😋
For kids of the 70s an 80s this was a part of our childhood growing up in that time was the best ever . I don't no today's world . Everything u see on a daily basis today is crime hate narcissist people an growing up today with all the technology can never come close of what we had back then thank u for this video
Mary Hart made an appearance at the mall also...she was so friendly and professional...she was the BEST TV personality to visit!!
I had my first job at auntie Anne’s, spend every dollar I made there inside the mall. Thanks for the memories 😢❤
Great work on this video. This mall was such an amazing place back in its day. Imagine mixing social media, online shopping, and large crowds of people all under one rough. That was Lakeside Mall back in the day.
The corporate greed angers me so much -- there was no need to destroy this beautiful place. I am going to miss you Lakeside!
Totally agree! I love this mall!!😞
How is this corporate greed? Do you expect businesses to stick around losing money? Businesses are NOT, nor ever claimed to be, charity.
I get that “corporate greed” is a thing. But when you throw around that label for ever action a business takes (even wise actions) the term loses its meaning.
@@cathyhart3946 I visited the mall often and EVERY shop owner talked about the situation and the corps that caused the issue. I was referring to not the small business but the large corps like the one that bought the mall in 2019 and also super corps like Amazon that are destroying small businesses. I have always tried to support my local small business as much as I can, but times are tough.
@@cathyhart3946Tax write offs. Can you afford to pay as much as companies buying homes, just like yours, when the companies are allowed to write everything off? Can you try to rent your house for 50% more than market, leave it empty, and write it off when no one wants to rent it? Home ownership is now going the way of the mall. Good luck.
I remember every single detail in this video as a kid in the late 70’s & 80’s. I’m so old.😢
I could write a book on all the good times from back in the day going to Lakeside!
Thank you for uploading this video, including the newspaper ads and articles and older TV footage. So many of these things will be lost to history after the buildings are demolished.
I went there on one of the last days, took pictures and walked the walk. One thing I cannot capture though is the smell. The good smell of the mall was the same as I remember growing up, and there is no way to capture it.
I was born in 1978 I remember coming there during the 80s with my parents and 90s as a teenager with all my friends
So many fond memories there: frozen cokes at the arcade near Sears; cruising for chicks; stopping the Hudson’s elevator between floors, opening the doors and writing graffiti; ditching Rocky Horror to see Aliens; working at Merry-Go-Round, JCPenny then Hudson’s; and buying Magic 8 Ball and Slime at K&B.
Sad to see the end of an era. I grew up going there.
But I'm glad they have plans for the area. So many malls close and just rot.
I had family move to Sterling Heights in the 90s. Went to Lakeside every time when I went to see them. It was bumping back then. I frequented the mall for DC Sports for signings. Glad that store is staying around
My aunt used to work at Crowleys at the mall until its closure. So many memories visiting her there during Christmas and when I would spend the summers with her and my cousin. So sad to hear of the malls closing.
Almost as sad as this malls demise is all of the misplaced blame. We killed the malls. Personal preference killed the malls. “I used to love shopping here” doesn’t keep a mall - or downtown - solvent. PEOPLE STOPPED PATRONIZING THEM. Your local government didn’t do it, developers didn’t do it, corporate greed didn’t do it. Americans did it.
It’s ok 😂 it’s just a mall
My ex father in law introduced me to the internet back in 1986. He had a complete HP setup in his office. Of course the internet was in its infancy in 1986, but i knew then and so did he, that the internet was going to change everything and it surely has. The smart phones really kicked online shopping into high gear.
The smart phone has changed our culture so dramatically. For better and worse, many stores and malls are no longer needed. I think some malls will remain. But shopping centers being a magnet for socializing is gone (for most people, in most cases). I hope that changes.
The two story arcade called Tilt replaced the Hydrotube for around 10 years before the food court was built there.
I used to live at Tilt haha
Used to come here all the time with my cousin to hang out in the 00's. They had some cool stores here. Pretty sad to see it leave but its been dead for a long time.
I got my first job at Lakeside Mall. I was 15 years old and worked at Arby's for $2.90 a hour. I was fired within a few weeks.
So sad😔. I went there as a child and took my children. We had santa breakfasts at Macy’s. Lakeside will be missed. Thank you for this trip down memory lane.
Thanks amazon...
Amazon wouldn't have the sales it does if people would actually go somewhere to shop. But, the flip side is the stores need to be stocked and well staffed in order to draw in shoppers.
A lot of people here have fond memories of this mall, and I do too, but they’re quite different - i’m in my early twenties, so when I went as a teenager, it was already showing signs of death. I remember going and being shocked by how empty it was, the poor state of the infrastructure, and how few stores there were (and how many of those were in the process of closing). I’m glad this video is documenting the mall’s history, and I love seeing people’s comments about their memories. But i’m not upset the mall is closing, it seems like its time came a long time ago. I can only hope they revitalize the area following demolition.
For those of us from small to medium size towns that had at best a small mall a trip to a big city with multiple large malls was a huge treat!!! Seeing stores we had never even heard of. Coming back home and telling of our adventures and showing off the shopping bags of these never heard of stores.
So sad to see the condition of these very small malls here on youtube. Almost like hearing of a childhood friend or classmate that had passed away.
Wow lots of memories! Was a great place for so long. How many of you actually sat on the couches?
This place was literally my go to hometown mall, it was so sad to see its slow decline over the last 20 years, but some of my most cherished memories happened there, I will never forget Lakeside, may it rest in peace.❤
I’m so happy I was able to go for its last day. My childhood mall. 💔
It is open until tomorrow(6/30) night at 6 PM
I will never forget that giant breakfast, that was my favorite thing to do there as a kid! Also remember a giant Arthur, the Kratt Brothers, Amanda Bynes, etc.
I loved the warner Brothers store as a child and Steve and Barry's as a teen
It would’ve been nice if it could’ve been saved like Macomb Mall was. Redeveloped but still technically a mall
Hearing that it is going to be redeveloped as condos and apartments. The out-areas are very healthy with restaurants, etc, so it should be great place to live.
It had no business. Back in the 80s and 90s, you were constantly bumping in to people, it was so busy. I went there a year ago, and you could throw a hand grenade, and not hit anyone. I remember having to drive around for 15 minutes to find a parking spot, because they were parked all the way to the ring road. For the last year, you could park 4 spots from the building. I'm just amazed they aren't closing the 2 remaining anchor stores, and will demo around them.
@@garyszewc3339 Macy's and Penneys are so messy---they ought to just tear them down.
I went on saturday the 29th to take pictures. It was more full than i had seen in years of pwople taking pictures and reminiscing
“This mall will be demolished in 2025 & we’ll build a real town center in its place”. That was the purpose of Large malls: conceptualized as town centers & designed to bring the local communities together, a place where ppl can hang out, eat &/or shop no matter the weather or season.
This brought back a lot of good memories, thank you.
It’s crazy to me how when it was built, the surrounding area was considered rural, but now it’s the overly congested Hall Road that people try to avoid like the plague
I worked at the magic pan here in Indy back in 1988 at the Glendale mall. They closed in think in1989 .
Sold vibrating pillows on the 2nd level Sears mall entrance in 1982 Holiday Season. Made 10g in 70 days and meet my wife of 42 years. She was selling custom t-shirts as a holiday worker also. 😊
Sears Store Manager Ken Grossman hired me to sell tires part-time. Also great $$$ back then with hourly plus 3% commission.
When Sears eliminated all the old high paid managers and employees commission sales departments customer service dissappeard. 😮
Wow! That's greatthat you met your wife at Sears. It's such a shame that Sears is gone. My parents shopped there all the time in the 70's --90's. I love my Kenmore appliances.
Great job on this. I enjoyed it. Thanks.
It will become a new "15 minute city".
Saf.
So many memories...
Got to visit it one last time a couple weeks ago. Was so eerie seeing how empty it was.
Thank you for the video with such a detailed history! It's amazing how much one can learn about the places so close to them.
I have many fun and wonderful memories at Lakeside with friends and family. It was the place to be back in the day.
I went there on one of the last days, took pictures and walked the walk. One thing I cannot capture though is the smell. The good smell of the mall was the same as I remember growing up, and there is no way to capture it.
Thanks for putting this together! I thought it was funny that you didn’t mention the ice rink until you talked about the water slide taking it’s place. There was also a movie theater and I believe an arcade as well. My favorite part of lakeside was the ice rink, but I have countless memories at lakeside, it’s definitely the end of an era!
If you want a nostalgic taste, Lakeside's sister Fairlane is still going with Jcp, Macy's, and large tenets like Forever 21, along with Food court, jewelry stores, trend and niche fashion.
Impressed how well maintained the inside is, including the same Lakeside style sculptures still there since the 70s. The woodgrain handrails on the glass walkway barriers have been painted black, a nice refinish for the millions of hands on them since 1976.
Nostalgic trip at minimum, despite the expected vacancies (Sears, random small tenents)
I still remember the smell, the way they wooden rails felt, stealing stuff from Spencer’s and harmony house..
It would be interesting to set these malls up as Apartment Units with the walk ways left in tact. it would be kind of like living in the future city of Logan's Run lol
I remember my dad got me a job at JCPENNEY they were open before the mall that was in 1976,and I remember it the mall opening that was golden time just like Fast Times of Ridgemont High! Sad to see it closed total bummer 😢
This mall was always packed in the 1980's and 1990's. It brings back so many memories, and I got my first job at Claire's there. I remember the movie theatre that used to be there, and I saw the Brady Bunch movie there with a friend and my brother and his friend. My God, so many memories. I had coneys all the time at Kirby's. I ate the Lakeshore Grill in Hudson's, which is now Macy's. I played in the kids area, and it was just carpet and stairs (you had to use your imagination). I had no idea that Richard Simmons came here, and they held Newlywed Game auditions. I used to go there after class when I was in college, and class got out early, or if I finished an exam earlier. In 2008, it really started to go downhill. With Lord and Taylor gone, and Sears gone, it really became dead.
Born in the early '70s and living in St Clair County, this mall has many great memories for me.
Lots of great memories in Lakeside. Last time I was there was a few years ago - some skinny loser kicked me out of the FYE for not wearing a mask.
Wonderful Video!!!!!! I Love the Fountain and Christmas Decor!!!! F+L, Corey
In my 48 years of life and living in Michigan born and raised I’ve never been to lakeside mall,sad I’ll never get the opportunity.
I literally never heard of this mall.
Fairlane Mall in Dearborn, and 12 Oaks Mall in Novi, are both still open. Very similar in terms of architectural style, because they were all built around the same time by the same company.
Wonderful job in this very detailed report. It is sad to see these historical links to our childhood disappear.
I had a birthday party here and we did the water slides 🛝!! One of my best birthdays as a child!! Very fond memory!
Well done!!!!!!! I forgot a lot of that history and some I never even knew......
In the 80s it was arguably the best mall in the state.
This one mall that I used to go when I was a kid growing up. It opened in 1971 and was closed and tore down in 2004. It was so dated and lots of stores went out of business. When I was a teen it was popular during the 1980’s on weekends. I did go to the mall in the mid 90’s with my sister. There were 2 other malls in the county. One of them was a mile away from myself and my sister. Even my sister did some security at a few stores in this one mall. I do have some memories of that old mall. I remembered seeing cute babies of lions and tigers at the mall. I wanted to cuddle with a cute lion cub. My parents didn’t wanted me to do it and the same with my sister. I did missed out on it. I think that I was 10 or 11 years old. These 2 boys did and they used to lived across the street from us. I did had a cat or 2. It would have been a different experience for me. I haven’t been inside a mall in years. The one closest to me is not a mall. It has a fitness center, 2nd hand store, a sports store, a shoe store, TJ Max, a dollar store, and even a Chinese restaurant with a buffet in it. It is not liked it was in the 1980’s. This mall was a small mall only a few shops in it. I kind of missed to go shopping in that mall.
That’s a bummer! I’ve been to this mall so many times as kid!
Loved going to the mall. So much fun. Glad macomb mall is still going strong.
I remember this mall being THE mall to go to. It's the everyone would flock to as "the big mall". I remember during Christmas there were even carolers going up and down the escalators.
Worked in the food court during high school, what a fun mall. Sad to see it go
As a 90s kid that was the place to be. Tilt was awesome and we would spends hours on hours in that place. Meeting girls running into friends and great stores. I remember christmas time and having to park on the grass and fight to get to a register. I hated that and when I heard I could buy on line and skip the bs I was all for it not knowing it would take the entire place down. Man those were good times
Grew up in Sterling Heights, this place was a treasure.
I shopped here as a child and teen. Loved this mall.
Loved this mall. Great times
Twelve Oaks mall will be the last standing mall in Michigan. Way too many people still go there
Another one bites the dust so many this year so far
That was our hangout after classes during high school.
I was there for the final day of its operation. Having only spent 100 minutes until its death, it was a sad and surreal moment being there the moment it closed.
For someone that got into liminal space and, dare I say, The Backrooms, Lakeside Mall fascinated me with how empty it was, giving me vibes of The Oldest View by Kane Pixels. I'd go berserk if someone were to recreate the Mall's layout and give it said treatment.
Other than that, the shot at 18:50 was also why I'd stop by the mall. It was truly the only place that sold anything related to anime that I didn't have to order online. Sure, they didn't have what I wanted, but at the same time I can get behind having to look at their stuff in person. I hope Anime GT finds their new location soon (Great Lakes Crossing, I assume?) because I can always appreciate the novelty of buying them right then and there, unlike waiting for your product to ship.
I will miss this mall for what it's worth, especially since it's also a place to just walk around. It will always be one of my go-to places when I feel like going out for an adventure, especially when I'm hanging out with friends.
I used to love the glass elevators there. So cool.
Here’s an idea, repurpose old shopping malls Into generation X memory care facilities.. We will definitely appreciate it. Lol. Let me start going to Fairlane mall before they do the same thing..
When it was first opened there was nothing around and the ride felt endless. I remember there was someone set up at Hall and North Avenue with velvet paintings. Dobermans and Elvis stick out in my mind. Anyways, some great memories there through the years
Fairlane & Lakeside opened around the same time,I think same architects designed both places, Fairlane is holding on,barely but holding on for now🤔
Very good job in reporting this Mile stone. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
There would be no traffic on hall road back in the day without this mall. Im glad to see it gone!
Wild lettuce is good to 😂😂😂