Rolling Acres Mall - Akron Ohio - Remix Special Thanks to.... Daniel Fuentz - Off the Rack FB group Jack Thomas - @retailpocalypse Railynn Nelson - FLICKR
My Pop use to take my brothers and I there back in the 90s. Sometimes we could find stuff there we couldn't any other place. Like White suits & White dress shoes to go with our white suits.
I live in Akron oh. This was my favorite mall growing up in the eighties. It had my favorite stire there, The Merry go round was it's name. My grandmother and I would go shopping here all the time!! Even after all the other stores we're gone I woukd still go there just for the JCPennys outlet that was still open for years. My son was young then so I got awesome deals on his clothes. So all and all I have great memories from this mall. ❤❤❤ it's very nostalgic for me. love this video!! Thank you,❤❤👍
I grew up in the north end of Barberton very close to the mall. Our house would shake while they were blasting parts of the sandstone away to clear the land for construction. My father used to say that this mall is doomed to fail because of its location and he was eventually correct. If I remember correctly they entertained building this mall in Barberton close to Austin Estates but the residents fought against the mall. It was a fantastic mall when it first opened and provided me with my first couple of jobs(working at York Steakhouse and Gold Circle across the street from the mall. My Mom also worked at JCPenney). Unfortunately, as mentioned in the video, crime in the surrounding area and incidents in the mall(particularly the movie theater) are what ended the mall.
This made me sad. So many memories here. For some reason I always thought it would make a come back, I guess it was just hopeful wishing. Now all we have is these memories of what rolling acres use to be. That whole area. #justakidfromakron
As a resident of Akron, yeah we do things big, even in failure. Chapel Hill, on the opposite side of town, has no legitimate anchor now. We call it Rolling Acres Version 2.
@@syxepop add in the amount of malls in the area. In Cleveland: Randall Park Parmatown Beachwood Place Richmond Mall Eucild Square Tower City South Park Great Lakes Not sure if I forget any.
I spent time in this mall, Chapel Hill, and Summit Mall, when I was a Marine Corps recruiter from 1990-1994. I retired from the Corps in 2001, and ironically returned to Akron in 2008. I appreciate the videos. Some good memories.
@@bmstylee Rolling Acres Mall: I am what all dead malls aspire to become! Randall Park Mall: damn young whippersnappers. I was a dead mall before being a dead mall was a thing. DeBartolo OG, son!
@jdslyman And the worst part was, John Landis did nothing to clean the mall up after filming. Filming from the late 2000s at the mall still showed traces of the movie crashes. The mall sat for 32 years!
Loved this mall! Was born in 1988 and my parents would take me there as a kid just to pass the time sometimes. They would take me to the nice little pet shop that they had and I would get to play with the puppies there! I miss the 90s. My parents would also hang out there as teenagers. Great video!
My mother used to work in Vallco before it was demolished 2019. That mall was dead for years but wasn't completely abandoned. The mall inside was clean, unlike Rolling Acres. She had a portrait of her husband graduate of San Luis Obispo
Thank you for the literal flashbacks to what the empty spaces used to be. I’ve never been to this mall but I love trying to imagine what the malls looked like in their heyday.
I'm born and raised in Akron, this is heartbreaking I loved that Mall as a kid I remember throwing coins inside that big waterfall by the main entrance, no one's going to mention it also had a movie theater attached around the back of the Mall. Memories.
That was the place to shop and go to the movies meet girls the awesome game room the cgr book store the food court Spencer's.... I coul go on and on thanks for showing👍👍👍👍
I was just thinking about Chapel Hill while I was watching this and wondering if is still open? last I heard they didnt have the money to pay their electric or water? but ut was getting turned off. 🤔😭😭 sad because that mall was a big part of my childhood and adult years.....
I’m from Akron Ohio it was absolutely beautiful they even had a target attached to the mall. The mall was so huge and beautiful in the 90s and 2000s it started getting dead. I see chapel hill mall going toward closure as well it’s starting to look like when rolling acres first started dwindling down.
I remember you tell us NOT to go there or go in without someone with you.. So I went anyway while it was being torn down. I too was scared shitless while in there, when I walked out of the area that was the theater I heard motorcycle engines and got real scared.. I grabbed a brick for a souvenir and some really good pics and left. But I am happy I got to see this before it was gone.
During the 80’s the Goodyear Model Airplane Club had our annual Mall Show there. It started getting sketchy around 1990 so we moved to Chapel Hill. At the time we were counted as one of the biggest draws next the annual new car show. Lots of good times there.
Yes. Good memories at this mall growing up. As a kid I loved going here. As a teenager saturday shopping was lit, getting summer outfits to wear to Akron U youth camp and show off, hanging out with my ppls competing getting girl numbers. Lot of fights too lol.. Wasnt shooting back in them days, it was up straight up knuckles . Yea Rolling Acres was the spot. Sad to see it go.
My second observation is that why is Summit Mall flourishing and Chapel Hill can't pay the electric bills? It was rumored that Rolling Acres was going to be the one high school in the Akron Public School District...
Anthony, there's just ONE thing I wish for regarding Rolling Acres Mall -- other than wishing I could've GONE there BEFORE its demolition, that is! -- is that someone would come out of the woodwork with a video of that amazing orange-tiled & stainless steel topped fountain IN OPERATION, and complete with sound. Could you IMAGINE the effect seeing that would HAVE on all of us? Heck, if I had the CASH, I'd offer a reward to see AND hear that fountain SPLASH!! I mean, there's just GOT to be someone out there who's got that vid!!
I worked at O'Neil's for 5 years during the early '80's. I appreciated the scenes you had from the past when Rolling Acres was in business as well as seeing it before it's demolition....I used to enjoy standing in the jewelry counter at the exit of O'Neil's going into the mall watching the break dancers before the mall security would chase them away. You were very brave to go in there.
Im from Stow graduated HS 1981. many happy memories going here with friends, having soft warm pretzels & we loved Spencer's Gift Store , riding up the see-through elevator but mostly flirting with boys from other schools. In my youth Malls even Chapel Hill was our 1st choice for a Saturday or Sunday especially in the winter.
Saturday mornings consistently of skating over on Hawkins and hanging out at the mall with your friends. My mom never let me go... but once I was in college I did meet up with my boyfriend there...RIP Marty and Rolling Acres Mall and my young adult memories.
So some say that the Woods Apartments aka low income housing were the reason for the mall closing/failing... I think they were built like in 2000 mall closed 5 years later.... or could of been Gatsby's Strip Club which is right next door think opened around 2000-2001! Fyi its Romig rd....side note Romig about a mile from mall turns into State st which is Barberton Ohio!!! :)
I worked at the Sears for a brief time before they closed. The anchor entrance was gated up but you could still see into what was the old mall. It was fun but sad. They had a lot of outdated electronics displayed compared to other thriving big box stores at the time.
I've been going to strolling afros since 1976, was the greatest! Chapel hill mall next. I'm a dump truck driver, hauled old mall out and hauled Amazon in! Sad but life must go on. Amazon bringing over 1,500 job's to Akron but nobody wants to WORK! Miss the hangouts!
I remember be a teenager going here to meet up with friends all the time and when we didn't have money there was people walking around getting kids to go take surveys and get paid for our feed back. I remember testing mountain dew live wire there before it came out smh. So many memories, so sad😢😢😢
2006-2007 I went into the mall as a teenager. There was maybe 7 businesses, GNC was the only big name. It was on the 2nd floor, but the escalator was off. It was mostly clean, all the stores closed up but no broken windows yet. Its crazy to see your footage from im assuming much latet and seeing thebstate of deterioration over the past 12 years.
I grew up going to this mall and have so many memories. I would go to the movies there but every Saturday with my mom and walk around after. They had an arcade there in the early 90’s that was pretty great. I also got pictures taken with Santa Clause and Easter Bunny there down at the bottom by the escalators. The whole area was a much more vibrant place in the 80’s and early 90’s. It’s sad to see what happened to it from what it used to be.
If you ever decide to show all the footage of Rolling acres... Can you set it to I believe in Love songs and other songs by James Ingram? So sad that he passed away... When I found out he passed away... I almost fainted in front of my computer.....
I am 51 and grew up going to this mall when it opened and saw all the expansions. We would shop Sears and eat at the York Steak House in that part of the mall. Go to look at the orange based water fountain. And as the mall grew they opened the upper level 1st while you could look down into the basement area where there were "look-downs"...but they were enclosed with plants and trees in them, until the lower level opened with shopping. Our family shopped there until gang activity & many robberies started. Though the last time I was there in 2012 I would shop at Penney's outlet. I somehow ended up getting into the mall and took one picture. I was so creeped out that I got out of there. I'm glad to be of an age where I got to see the mall built and see it thrive and enjoy it through the 80s and 90s. Good memories of good times!!
The mall and the surrounding strip malls on Romig Road were destroyed the day of the opening of the movie, "Boyz in the Hood". My daughter wanted to go that day but thank GOD I had to work. Those little thugs ripped through the mall robbing shoppers and stores, plus vandalised the stores, well the the entire mall. The movie was shown inside the mall in the theater.
It's decline started when a bunch of thugs decided to have a mini riot after watching New Jack City on opening night. I don't remember the Boys in the Hood nonsense, but that may also be true.
Thanks for all the content. I don't have the guts to make these kind of videos myself. I'll stick to talking sports on my channel and doing what I do. Did mention you and other channels when I did a personal vlog talking about enjoy watching dead mall videos.
I have that song that was featured at the start of this.... May upload it on my v log for the hell of it... Was so creepy and sad to hear that song on it's last day...
As soon as you walked in, the first thing you smelled was the sugar, pretzels, and popcorn. The first thing you heard was the rushing water from the giant fountain at the entrance.
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Nice to see the mall before they started destroying it. I missed the entire section up by Sears and the fountain, it was gone by the time I got in. Cool flashbacks.
There was a lot of crime going on there, lots of kids stealing merchandise. A security guard who worked there many years told me about young gang (wannabe) kids roamed around and were scaring people into other shopping venues. Between that and online sales, EBay, Walmart and Amazon (ironically took over the area), it did not stand a chance. And like another stated ..Chapel Hill is not far behind.
I dont think it was crime. I think it started to go down when Firestone and Goodyear had their massive layoffs in 98. That was a direct correlation to the spending in that mall. Which lead to the crime.
My grandmas house is behind the mall my dad use to go hunting and do motorcross there when he was a kid and found a underground tunnel that went under the mall
@@oliviasmom01 Meth and heroin. The drugs started rising up, and with it the crime and it forced people to move away, and stop coming there. No one trusted the area anymore, which is why the mall, then systematically every other business around there started dying. Even the fast food places closed down or moved further away. I think the only thing in that area now is a Long John Silvers and a short drive away there's a Taco Bell. Most places just left because it wasn't worth it to stay open in a bad area anymore. I'm actually glad that Amazon bought the place and are using it as a warehouse now. That's going to open up jobs, and because it's Amazon that's going to bring security, which means that the area might actually start turning around again. For a very long time now though, it's been on a downward spiral and just circling the bottom of the barrel.
I remember going there when it was still open, (live 5 minutes from the property)... it's crazy how quickly it went downhill. The whole entire area up there was affected by it (pre and post mall close due to crime it brought in), and still is to this day unfortunate being known as one of the "not safe" parts of Akron. I was always fascinated with the mall, and property as for how long it sat and wondered what was going to be the "final death" of it. I am really hopeful with Amazon going in, that area will begin to sore again with the business and workers that it brings in.
Rolling Acres was the place to be I went to the movies I shopped as a teenager I rode my bike up there that was my childhood. I then grew up and worked at Dillard's there back in late 90's and now it's AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CNTR I was just saying that with my guy today that I couldn't believe AMAZON is taking over and never would have thought that some how in my mind I was hoping that LEBRON would buy it and restore it to it's former glory
Born and raised in Akron. In the late 90’s rolling acres was the mall to be at! They held concerts and celebrities would always be there. This video brought back so many memories. It’s sad to see it be overran with squatters, addicts and gangsbangers in the video. Rolling acre was our slice of heaven but in the early 2000’s you saw the decline. It became the “ratchet” mall. But overall anybody from Akron know rolling acres will always be a landmark and will always be “Akron!” #justakidFromAkron
A large regional mall you need to look into is Southlake Mall in Hobart, Indiana on Rt. 30. It's losing its anchor stores; already Carsons and Sears are gone, JC Penney seems headed for bankruptcy, and even Macy's is a little shaky. There's also a Forever 21. It's still open (except now during pandemic) but probably not for many more years.
Man I’m from Akron Oh and that was so sad to watch! Rolling Acres used to be the shit!! Man to see the old footage was nostalgic!! But I was heartbroken 😞 to see the damage!!
It's really funny how google streetview went up and down every aisle in the parking lot even after the mall became deserted. You can really see the topography of the property that he was talking about being one story on one side.
Man I miss mall
My Pop use to take my brothers and I there back in the 90s. Sometimes we could find stuff there we couldn't any other place. Like White suits & White dress shoes to go with our white suits.
😎
I like the famous skylight with the JC penny and all the light bulbs
I live in Akron oh. This was my favorite mall growing up in the eighties. It had my favorite stire there, The Merry go round was it's name. My grandmother and I would go shopping here all the time!!
Even after all the other stores we're gone I woukd still go there just for the JCPennys outlet that was still open for years. My son was young then so I got awesome deals on his clothes. So all and all I have great memories from this mall. ❤❤❤ it's very nostalgic for me. love this video!!
Thank you,❤❤👍
I grew up in the north end of Barberton very close to the mall. Our house would shake while they were blasting parts of the sandstone away to clear the land for construction. My father used to say that this mall is doomed to fail because of its location and he was eventually correct. If I remember correctly they entertained building this mall in Barberton close to Austin Estates but the residents fought against the mall. It was a fantastic mall when it first opened and provided me with my first couple of jobs(working at York Steakhouse and Gold Circle across the street from the mall. My Mom also worked at JCPenney). Unfortunately, as mentioned in the video, crime in the surrounding area and incidents in the mall(particularly the movie theater) are what ended the mall.
This made me sad. So many memories here. For some reason I always thought it would make a come back, I guess it was just hopeful wishing. Now all we have is these memories of what rolling acres use to be. That whole area. #justakidfromakron
💖💖💖
Tru2 Charde same 🙁
maybe it's me, but Ohio seems to have more dead malls than any other state
As a resident of Akron, yeah we do things big, even in failure. Chapel Hill, on the opposite side of town, has no legitimate anchor now. We call it Rolling Acres Version 2.
@@L3monh3ad0 Chapel Hill is fucked now since it's closed because of COVID-19. A lot of malls aren't going to open back up after this.
Yep. Mecca of dead malls
@@syxepop add in the amount of malls in the area.
In Cleveland:
Randall Park
Parmatown
Beachwood Place
Richmond Mall
Eucild Square
Tower City
South Park
Great Lakes
Not sure if I forget any.
Wasn’t always this way..
Can’t believe it’s a Amazon now! So many memories ❤️❤️
I spent time in this mall, Chapel Hill, and Summit Mall, when I was a Marine Corps recruiter from 1990-1994. I retired from the Corps in 2001, and ironically returned to Akron in 2008.
I appreciate the videos. Some good memories.
Rolling Acres: the mall that started it all and the dead mall that never truly dies!!!
The dead mall all others are judged by.
Dixie Square Mall: Am I A Joke To You?
The dead mall that never truly dies has been torn down. Amazon is building a giant warehouse on the site.
@@bmstylee Rolling Acres Mall: I am what all dead malls aspire to become!
Randall Park Mall: damn young whippersnappers. I was a dead mall before being a dead mall was a thing. DeBartolo OG, son!
@jdslyman And the worst part was, John Landis did nothing to clean the mall up after filming. Filming from the late 2000s at the mall still showed traces of the movie crashes. The mall sat for 32 years!
Awesome ace that totally brought back memories. I wish tv was still like that. Rolling acres was what got me interested in this dead mall content.
Loved this mall! Was born in 1988 and my parents would take me there as a kid just to pass the time sometimes. They would take me to the nice little pet shop that they had and I would get to play with the puppies there! I miss the 90s. My parents would also hang out there as teenagers. Great video!
I remember the pet shop 😭😭😭🙏💜
My mother used to work in Vallco before it was demolished 2019. That mall was dead for years but wasn't completely abandoned. The mall inside was clean, unlike Rolling Acres. She had a portrait of her husband graduate of San Luis Obispo
So many memories in this mall.😔😔😔😔
Would love to see old footage of the arcade there. I think it was called Aladdin Castle
Thank you for the literal flashbacks to what the empty spaces used to be. I’ve never been to this mall but I love trying to imagine what the malls looked like in their heyday.
I'm born and raised in Akron, this is heartbreaking I loved that Mall as a kid I remember throwing coins inside that big waterfall by the main entrance, no one's going to mention it also had a movie theater attached around the back of the Mall. Memories.
Very nice photos thrown in to show "before and after". Gives you an idea of what it looked like before.
Im in tears, why get rid of the mall for a stupid amazon.
I loved the red fountain .
My childhood
That was the place to shop and go to the movies meet girls the awesome game room the cgr book store the food court Spencer's....
I coul go on and on thanks for showing👍👍👍👍
You might want to get some preclosing footage of Chapel Hill Mall here in Akron, it is barely hanging on, and won't be open long
I was talking with someone about that today Covid-19 definitely will have been the final blow to them.
I was just thinking about Chapel Hill while I was watching this and wondering if is still open? last I heard they didnt have the money to pay their electric or water? but ut was getting turned off. 🤔😭😭 sad because that mall was a big part of my childhood and adult years.....
I’m from Akron Ohio it was absolutely beautiful they even had a target attached to the mall. The mall was so huge and beautiful in the 90s and 2000s it started getting dead. I see chapel hill mall going toward closure as well it’s starting to look like when rolling acres first started dwindling down.
I worked there for 3 years back in the 80's. This video really took me back.
I remember you tell us NOT to go there or go in without someone with you.. So I went anyway while it was being torn down. I too was scared shitless while in there, when I walked out of the area that was the theater I heard motorcycle engines and got real scared.. I grabbed a brick for a souvenir and some really good pics and left. But I am happy I got to see this before it was gone.
Sooo many memories as a child growing up and going there 😢😢❤️❤️
I remember hanging out in Rolling Acres almost every weekend in high school. So sad 😞
During the 80’s the Goodyear Model Airplane Club had our annual Mall Show there. It started getting sketchy around 1990 so we moved to Chapel Hill. At the time we were counted as one of the biggest draws next the annual new car show. Lots of good times there.
Yes. Good memories at this mall growing up. As a kid I loved going here. As a teenager saturday shopping was lit, getting summer outfits to wear to Akron U youth camp and show off, hanging out with my ppls competing getting girl numbers. Lot of fights too lol.. Wasnt shooting back in them days, it was up straight up knuckles . Yea Rolling Acres was the spot. Sad to see it go.
My second observation is that why is Summit Mall flourishing and Chapel Hill can't pay the electric bills? It was rumored that Rolling Acres was going to be the one high school in the Akron Public School District...
Anthony, there's just ONE thing I wish for regarding Rolling Acres Mall -- other than wishing I could've GONE there BEFORE its demolition, that is! -- is that someone would come out of the woodwork with a video of that amazing orange-tiled & stainless steel topped fountain IN OPERATION, and complete with sound. Could you IMAGINE the effect seeing that would HAVE on all of us? Heck, if I had the CASH, I'd offer a reward to see AND hear that fountain SPLASH!! I mean, there's just GOT to be someone out there who's got that vid!!
Mallwalkers has this video on their channel: ua-cam.com/video/G5Bd4gnXx9w/v-deo.html
RIP Rolling Acres
My favorite shows too!!! Great video as always Anthony!!
Was a great mall I used to go there and hang out with friends and to meet guys Thanks for bring back great memories
Truly miss that place
Man this brings back memories
Chapel Hill may be the next one. It is sinking fast too
This whole COVID-19 thing will be the death knell of these dying malls...
I think it's toast already. Will they even reopen after COVID19? JCPenny is out.
We were told Chapel Hill will close in April 2020. Very sad!
@@viviangassan5506 No, it's not. The website does not say anything about closing unless it's COVID-19.
@@viviangassan5506 It was the JCPenney that was scheduled to close down in April 2020, and that was planned BEFORE the pandemic started
I worked at O'Neil's for 5 years during the early '80's. I appreciated the scenes you had from the past when Rolling Acres was in business as well as seeing it before it's demolition....I used to enjoy standing in the jewelry counter at the exit of O'Neil's going into the mall watching the break dancers before the mall security would chase them away. You were very brave to go in there.
Im from Stow graduated HS 1981. many happy memories going here with friends, having soft warm pretzels & we loved Spencer's Gift Store , riding up the see-through elevator but mostly flirting with boys from other schools. In my youth Malls even Chapel Hill was our 1st choice for a Saturday or Sunday especially in the winter.
Saturday mornings consistently of skating over on Hawkins and hanging out at the mall with your friends. My mom never let me go... but once I was in college I did meet up with my boyfriend there...RIP Marty and Rolling Acres Mall and my young adult memories.
The last thing to come down in a dead mall is the Gyros sign.
I live in Akron right now and yeah that mall was popular damn that’s sad!
So some say that the Woods Apartments aka low income housing were the reason for the mall closing/failing... I think they were built like in 2000 mall closed 5 years later.... or could of been Gatsby's Strip Club which is right next door think opened around 2000-2001! Fyi its Romig rd....side note Romig about a mile from mall turns into State st which is Barberton Ohio!!! :)
I think there’s a video floating around on UA-cam of Rolling Acres opened on its last day of operation.
Please drop link if you find it.
Bryan A McGown ua-cam.com/video/oY6boirKeo4/v-deo.html
I worked at the Sears for a brief time before they closed. The anchor entrance was gated up but you could still see into what was the old mall. It was fun but sad. They had a lot of outdated electronics displayed compared to other thriving big box stores at the time.
Reminds me of Twelve Oaks mall in Novi Michigan. But the mall has been busy so far.
Thanks mate London have scribed with you for years take care
that was such a nice mall
Rolling acres mall got me into watching dead mall videos
9:57 Did anyone see the n from the JCPenney logo inside the water
I've been going to strolling afros since 1976, was the greatest! Chapel hill mall next. I'm a dump truck driver, hauled old mall out and hauled Amazon in! Sad but life must go on. Amazon bringing over 1,500 job's to Akron but nobody wants to WORK! Miss the hangouts!
@Brad B, kinda sorta my memory ain't so good anymore. You wouldn't be from Wadsworth would you?
I remember be a teenager going here to meet up with friends all the time and when we didn't have money there was people walking around getting kids to go take surveys and get paid for our feed back. I remember testing mountain dew live wire there before it came out smh. So many memories, so sad😢😢😢
2006-2007 I went into the mall as a teenager. There was maybe 7 businesses, GNC was the only big name. It was on the 2nd floor, but the escalator was off. It was mostly clean, all the stores closed up but no broken windows yet. Its crazy to see your footage from im assuming much latet and seeing thebstate of deterioration over the past 12 years.
I remember working at The Bottomhalf in the mid 1980s. As a college student it was a fun part time job.
I remember going to the movie theater as a kid.
So many good memories of rolling acer mall an Chapel Hill mall such a shame
Ok. Now I am officially excited.
Someone should use it for a movie
Was my favorite mall☹
First Rolling Acres and now Chapel Hill is gone.
Gone? I mean I guess it's hanging on.... barely.
Great video ace ! really liked the opening shot. never seen it before. Rolling acres started my dead mall interest. it was the first video i saw.
left to rot thank you for another great video
I grew up going to this mall and have so many memories. I would go to the movies there but every Saturday with my mom and walk around after. They had an arcade there in the early 90’s that was pretty great. I also got pictures taken with Santa Clause and Easter Bunny there down at the bottom by the escalators. The whole area was a much more vibrant place in the 80’s and early 90’s. It’s sad to see what happened to it from what it used to be.
Anyone remember the arcade that used to be there?
If you ever decide to show all the footage of Rolling acres... Can you set it to I believe in Love songs and other songs by James Ingram? So sad that he passed away... When I found out he passed away... I almost fainted in front of my computer.....
It is so sad this is now all gone ,I use to shop here and even work here in the food court in my youth ,this is a amazon center now being built .
Square Foot Warehouse We Need Numbers In Honey Hole Rd
I am 51 and grew up going to this mall when it opened and saw all the expansions. We would shop Sears and eat at the York Steak House in that part of the mall. Go to look at the orange based water fountain. And as the mall grew they opened the upper level 1st while you could look down into the basement area where there were "look-downs"...but they were enclosed with plants and trees in them, until the lower level opened with shopping. Our family shopped there until gang activity & many robberies started. Though the last time I was there in 2012 I would shop at Penney's outlet. I somehow ended up getting into the mall and took one picture. I was so creeped out that I got out of there. I'm glad to be of an age where I got to see the mall built and see it thrive and enjoy it through the 80s and 90s. Good memories of good times!!
The mall and the surrounding strip malls on Romig Road were destroyed the day of the opening of the movie, "Boyz in the Hood". My daughter wanted to go that day but thank GOD I had to work. Those little thugs ripped through the mall robbing shoppers and stores, plus vandalised the stores, well the the entire mall. The movie was shown inside the mall in the theater.
It's decline started when a bunch of thugs decided to have a mini riot after watching New Jack City on opening night. I don't remember the Boys in the Hood nonsense, but that may also be true.
@@deborahasher176 I never heard that story. So sad!
I live here omg crazy
Actually got inside it before they tore it down and i forgot how many stores was in it when it was open. Good times. This mall had a good run
I used to get my hair done there, Braids n Naturals. Long time ago
Was the best mall ever
Get ready to do a video on Chapel Hill Mall because they are next
Now they there almost done making it the new Amazon warehouse
When I lived in akron its was still open but very few stores where open the pizza place was good af tho
Great video Anthony!
I drove past there just today to go to Aldi's. Romig Rd reconstruction is going fast and furious as the Amazon distribution center nears completion.
Thanks for all the content. I don't have the guts to make these kind of videos myself. I'll stick to talking sports on my channel and doing what I do.
Did mention you and other channels when I did a personal vlog talking about enjoy watching dead mall videos.
Woooow, you found the video from 31.10.2008, the day the mall closed..
What song is it in the beginning
@@Darby-wn7fx I believe in these love songs is the name
Only hours after the video was taken, the electricity in the mall shut down
I have that song that was featured at the start of this.... May upload it on my v log for the hell of it... Was so creepy and sad to hear that song on it's last day...
Chapel hill mall is closing now too In Akron cuyahogua falls ohio
That song at the beginning. Dang.
"The Rolling Acres Mall Food Court Song"
How are you doing this and talking about the coronavirus? The mall is already demolished?
As soon as you walked in, the first thing you smelled was the sugar, pretzels, and popcorn. The first thing you heard was the rushing water from the giant fountain at the entrance.
The nicest mall in NE Ohio!!!!
I wish I went in the mall before, never been on a 2 story mall before
"Nice and creative Videos,I can see A lot of thought has been put into the content and editing of the video, This is really my favorite channel.:) .🌴🌴🌴excellent 👍👌👍👌👍 🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴 " Akron Summit ohio
2021
Nice to see the mall before they started destroying it. I missed the entire section up by Sears and the fountain, it was gone by the time I got in. Cool flashbacks.
There was a lot of crime going on there, lots of kids stealing merchandise. A security guard who worked there many years told me about young gang (wannabe) kids roamed around and were scaring people into other shopping venues. Between that and online sales, EBay, Walmart and Amazon (ironically took over the area), it did not stand a chance. And like another stated ..Chapel Hill is not far behind.
I dont think it was crime. I think it started to go down when Firestone and Goodyear had their massive layoffs in 98. That was a direct correlation to the spending in that mall. Which lead to the crime.
The town where the craigslist killers were busted (caldwell) is just a quick drive on 77 south of me.
Man... Chapel Hill is about to be next. Only mall it is now is Summit..
My grandmas house is behind the mall my dad use to go hunting and do motorcross there when he was a kid and found a underground tunnel that went under the mall
Some really good times there and memories. Such a shame that whole area got taken over by a certain group of people ☹️
Kevinl Snyder certain group of people? Care to elaborate?
@@oliviasmom01 Meth and heroin. The drugs started rising up, and with it the crime and it forced people to move away, and stop coming there. No one trusted the area anymore, which is why the mall, then systematically every other business around there started dying. Even the fast food places closed down or moved further away. I think the only thing in that area now is a Long John Silvers and a short drive away there's a Taco Bell. Most places just left because it wasn't worth it to stay open in a bad area anymore.
I'm actually glad that Amazon bought the place and are using it as a warehouse now. That's going to open up jobs, and because it's Amazon that's going to bring security, which means that the area might actually start turning around again. For a very long time now though, it's been on a downward spiral and just circling the bottom of the barrel.
@@oliviasmom01 You know, that certain group of people that move into an area, make property values go way down and crime go way up. Open your eyes
Amazon now
I remember going there when it was still open, (live 5 minutes from the property)... it's crazy how quickly it went downhill. The whole entire area up there was affected by it (pre and post mall close due to crime it brought in), and still is to this day unfortunate being known as one of the "not safe" parts of Akron. I was always fascinated with the mall, and property as for how long it sat and wondered what was going to be the "final death" of it. I am really hopeful with Amazon going in, that area will begin to sore again with the business and workers that it brings in.
Rolling Acres was the place to be I went to the movies I shopped as a teenager I rode my bike up there that was my childhood. I then grew up and worked at Dillard's there back in late 90's and now it's AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CNTR I was just saying that with my guy today that I couldn't believe AMAZON is taking over and never would have thought that some how in my mind I was hoping that LEBRON would buy it and restore it to it's former glory
Born and raised in Akron. In the late 90’s rolling acres was the mall to be at! They held concerts and celebrities would always be there. This video brought back so many memories. It’s sad to see it be overran with squatters, addicts and gangsbangers in the video. Rolling acre was our slice of heaven but in the early 2000’s you saw the decline. It became the “ratchet” mall. But overall anybody from Akron know rolling acres will always be a landmark and will always be “Akron!” #justakidFromAkron
A large regional mall you need to look into is Southlake Mall in Hobart, Indiana on Rt. 30. It's losing its anchor stores; already Carsons and Sears are gone, JC Penney seems headed for bankruptcy, and even Macy's is a little shaky. There's also a Forever 21. It's still open (except now during pandemic) but probably not for many more years.
Keep it on your radar!
Man I’m from Akron Oh and that was so sad to watch! Rolling Acres used to be the shit!! Man to see the old footage was nostalgic!! But I was heartbroken 😞 to see the damage!!
It's really funny how google streetview went up and down every aisle in the parking lot even after the mall became deserted. You can really see the topography of the property that he was talking about being one story on one side.
cbeney