Wow, I spent so much time here as a kid and a teenager - 60s, 70s - and one of my first jobs was at JL Hudson's, which eventually became Macy's. Its weird how even if you havent been somewhere for ages, ypu can sometimes remember it like that back of your hand. Sure, the stores change and the decor changes but, the basic structure remains. As do many of the memories.
To anyone who is about to write a comment about my pronunciation, I know. It's really pronounced "Wes-land." I'm not from Michigan so I didn't know that. Sorry to those of you who I triggered with that. :( What are your thoughts on Westland Center, and what do you think It's future will be?
So sad i remember when Westland Mall opened up in 1965, Used to spend many Saturdays there while my mom would get her hair done at Artise back in the day. Loved going to Sanders and getting their hot fudge cream puffs back in the day they were to die for.
This mall had a Giant bird cage with birds by that open glass elevator and a really large fish tank at the bottom of the stairs leading downstairs. also across from that elevator was a huge water fountain. it was so nice. seeing Hudsons gone just breaks my heart
So interesting. Thank you! I grew up in Wayne/Westland in the 70's. The general structure and architecture of the mall looks about the same. Great memories! 1😀
I went here a lot as a kid, though it was never my favorite mall (that was Wonderland, which was torn down in 2003). In your shot at 12:00 there used to be a large circular fountain, if I remember right. As you go past the Proactiv kiosk, the upper-level area in the back of the hall used to be an open-air restaurant attached to the Hudson's department store. They had lamppost-style lights along the railing that overlooked the mall down below. A couple of giggling waitresses once mistook me for Joshua Jackson there in the mid 1990s...I should have said I was him. :P
Incredible video Andrew! I remember when you came with your video of Sears back in 2020, it feels like a thousand years ago at this point. This mall has a fighting chance but, with namdar at the helm, I do not hold much hope for this mall.
I live right next to Westland shopping center, and I only go there for two reasons.. one is the Chinese massage place (Tajii Wellness) and Spencer's. There's like nothing left and I don't understand how this mall is still alive tbh. I think the only good stores that are left are jcpenney, kohl's, spencer's, hot topic, bath & body works, Victoria's Secret/pink, Olga's Kitchen, Journeys, and the massage place. Those are like the main stores that people go to. Ever since Macy's went under and sears, it's gotten really bad. Worse than ever.
It's obvious you don't live here. It is not pronounced west-lind. It's wes-land. It's sad to see the mall the way it is now, but if you pass the place on a Saturday the parking lots have a lot of cars and the closer you get to Christmas, the busier it gets. That Kohls store rakes in the money all year long, as do a lot of the other stores (Bath and Body Works comes to mind). The fact that Kohls has store pickup is helpful. If the other stores offered that, it would probably help. Losing Charming Charlie's was a nasty hit, but that wasn't any fault of the mall (the company itself went out of business at that time and now seems to have only an online presence). I hope Westland Center comes back to a thriving business. Westland needs businesses. There are many strip malls in the area that are completely empty and the pandemic made things worse.
The restaurant that overlooked the secondary hall was so good when I was young in the mid 2000s. My buddy worked security there for a while and apparently the Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret are some of the best performing in the entire Metro Detroit area. Meanwhile, a lot of stores (again, from my buddy who was the head of security) never open on their posted hours and he doesn't think they have anyone working for them aside from the owners/management. It's really a joke of a mall in 2024. Not that any malls outside of luxury malls are doing good nowadays. Can't really say that I care too much, but I have fond memories going there as a kid, but that mall is gone and this is just a skeleton that bears the same name.
In it's heyday it was often called the 'safest mall in the US' And that's more than a slogan. It had very few crimes committed there. Not that the area was so perfect. But this mall was 3 miles from the nearest freeway, which apparently is inconvenient for thieves as well as customers.
I used to walk to the mall. It was never a great mall. But the renovations were nice. The basement was where all the bargains were. Oddly, there is a large retail area around the mall (almost surrounding it). I hope it makes it.
the perfect mall. not so overwhelming. Please make it Westland mall. My childhood mall in the 1970s. school clothes shopping and hang out. We walked there as kids to hang out.
The problem with retailers is they are further adding to their demise by refusing to hire staff. (The excuse "we can't find people" is getting old and is BS.) I went to Kohls last Christmas, and it was horrible, had to stand in line for over 40 minutes to get to check out.
I have several years of Santa photos with my Kids. Used to take them yearly. I hope this mall holds out. Need another anchor. I want to say there is not a Dick’s stand alone location in this area. They would be a potential anchor as I have seen this at other area malls. Examples are Oakland and Macomb Mall.
JCPenney was in the mall way before 76. I remember going there with my husband in 1974. I loved shoes so it's a department that frequently visited. They had a pair of bright shiny red high heels in a size 14. They were huge and he said I bet they'd fit me (him) He wore an 11 1/2 mens shoe. He rolled up his pant legs and pulled up his black crew socks and put them on parading around the shoe department. I was so embarrassed. I went to another department nearby to hide. I could hear people laughing and having a good time watching him.. After he made that lasting impression in the shoe department. It took me to years to go back in that JCPenney and the one sale clerk asked did your husband but those red heels.. 49 years later we still laugh about that moment.
Can someone please tell me how there are four jewelry stores in this fucking place LOL. The Pac Sun and Spencers are gone but those Jewelry stores (that I never see anyone in) are always there.
As a resident of this area for 50 years I can say this, in the 70's and 80's around X-mass, this mall was standing room only, how is Amazon and globalism working out for everyone?!
I think it would be helpful to indicate which day and what time of day you are doing these tours. Might give the viewer a better idea of just how sparse their patronage is.
No no no I live not far from here it was doing well in the 80s and 90s it will come back it lost its tourism when the last Sears in Michigan closed unfortunately liked that place like I said it will come back and people will start going back the business already picked up.
I hate to be a realist here but I don’t think Westland has much time left! I mean just look at the demographics of the Detroit area and the surrounding retail. You have Fairlane, Twelve Oaks, Southland, and Laurel Park Place in a fairly close radius. A lot of people are moving further away from the inner ring suburbs of Detroit. The mall simply is irrelevant now as much as I hate to say it. I mean who knows, maybe it will become a local place with a whole bunch of independent businesses? But it scares me that Namdar is still in charge! Not the best thing.
Wow, I spent so much time here as a kid and a teenager - 60s, 70s - and one of my first jobs was at JL Hudson's, which eventually became Macy's. Its weird how even if you havent been somewhere for ages, ypu can sometimes remember it like that back of your hand. Sure, the stores change and the decor changes but, the basic structure remains. As do many of the memories.
To anyone who is about to write a comment about my pronunciation, I know. It's really pronounced "Wes-land." I'm not from Michigan so I didn't know that. Sorry to those of you who I triggered with that. :(
What are your thoughts on Westland Center, and what do you think It's future will be?
This place probably won’t be around that much longer if they can’t find a new anchor in a few years.🙁
@@elevatingmetrodetroit7072, don’t be too sure. It looks a little bleak inside, but that Kohl’s rakes in cash.
@@foldedmedia3692 Your right,i shouldn’t be too sure…
Not very bright. It's bound to be closed down and torn down soon
It is a miracle that this mall is still alive.
So sad i remember when Westland Mall opened up in 1965, Used to spend many Saturdays there while my mom would get her hair done at Artise back in the day. Loved going to Sanders and getting their hot fudge cream puffs back in the day they were to die for.
This mall had a Giant bird cage with birds by that open glass elevator and a really large fish tank at the bottom of the stairs leading downstairs. also across from that elevator was a huge water fountain. it was so nice. seeing Hudsons gone just breaks my heart
So interesting. Thank you! I grew up in Wayne/Westland in the 70's. The general structure and architecture of the mall looks about the same. Great memories! 1😀
I went here a lot as a kid, though it was never my favorite mall (that was Wonderland, which was torn down in 2003). In your shot at 12:00 there used to be a large circular fountain, if I remember right. As you go past the Proactiv kiosk, the upper-level area in the back of the hall used to be an open-air restaurant attached to the Hudson's department store. They had lamppost-style lights along the railing that overlooked the mall down below. A couple of giggling waitresses once mistook me for Joshua Jackson there in the mid 1990s...I should have said I was him. :P
Awesome video! But that scenic truse elevator here…It’s awesome!😎
Incredible video Andrew! I remember when you came with your video of Sears back in 2020, it feels like a thousand years ago at this point. This mall has a fighting chance but, with namdar at the helm, I do not hold much hope for this mall.
Westland isn’t that dead when you compare it to Laurel Park Place in nearby Livonia. Check out Laurel Park Place if you want to see a dying mall.
This is an amazing video!! Your shots are seriously next level
Thx man!!!
I live right next to Westland shopping center, and I only go there for two reasons.. one is the Chinese massage place (Tajii Wellness) and Spencer's. There's like nothing left and I don't understand how this mall is still alive tbh. I think the only good stores that are left are jcpenney, kohl's, spencer's, hot topic, bath & body works, Victoria's Secret/pink, Olga's Kitchen, Journeys, and the massage place. Those are like the main stores that people go to. Ever since Macy's went under and sears, it's gotten really bad. Worse than ever.
It's obvious you don't live here. It is not pronounced west-lind. It's wes-land. It's sad to see the mall the way it is now, but if you pass the place on a Saturday the parking lots have a lot of cars and the closer you get to Christmas, the busier it gets. That Kohls store rakes in the money all year long, as do a lot of the other stores (Bath and Body Works comes to mind). The fact that Kohls has store pickup is helpful. If the other stores offered that, it would probably help. Losing Charming Charlie's was a nasty hit, but that wasn't any fault of the mall (the company itself went out of business at that time and now seems to have only an online presence). I hope Westland Center comes back to a thriving business. Westland needs businesses. There are many strip malls in the area that are completely empty and the pandemic made things worse.
I grew up near Westland it’s not what it used to be great video
The restaurant that overlooked the secondary hall was so good when I was young in the mid 2000s. My buddy worked security there for a while and apparently the Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret are some of the best performing in the entire Metro Detroit area.
Meanwhile, a lot of stores (again, from my buddy who was the head of security) never open on their posted hours and he doesn't think they have anyone working for them aside from the owners/management.
It's really a joke of a mall in 2024. Not that any malls outside of luxury malls are doing good nowadays. Can't really say that I care too much, but I have fond memories going there as a kid, but that mall is gone and this is just a skeleton that bears the same name.
Is this the one with the wishing well? I loved throwing pennies in there as a kid.
In it's heyday it was often called the 'safest mall in the US' And that's more than a slogan. It had very few crimes committed there. Not that the area was so perfect. But this mall was 3 miles from the nearest freeway, which apparently is inconvenient for thieves as well as customers.
I was just there A few weeks ago it is sad A ghost town in there barely 30 people was in the mall Khol's was A liitle crowded.
I used to walk to the mall. It was never a great mall. But the renovations were nice. The basement was where all the bargains were. Oddly, there is a large retail area around the mall (almost surrounding it). I hope it makes it.
the perfect mall. not so overwhelming. Please make it Westland mall. My childhood mall in the 1970s. school clothes shopping and hang out. We walked there as kids to hang out.
The problem with retailers is they are further adding to their demise by refusing to hire staff. (The excuse "we can't find people" is getting old and is BS.) I went to Kohls last Christmas, and it was horrible, had to stand in line for over 40 minutes to get to check out.
I have several years of Santa photos with my
Kids. Used to take them yearly. I hope this mall holds out. Need another anchor. I want to say there is not a Dick’s stand alone location in this area. They would be a potential anchor as I have seen this at other area malls. Examples are Oakland and Macomb Mall.
JCPenney was in the mall way before 76. I remember going there with my husband in 1974. I loved shoes so it's a department that frequently visited. They had a pair of bright shiny red high heels in a size 14. They were huge and he said I bet they'd fit me (him) He wore an 11 1/2 mens shoe. He rolled up his pant legs and pulled up his black crew socks and put them on parading around the shoe department. I was so embarrassed. I went to another department nearby to hide. I could hear people laughing and having a good time watching him.. After he made that lasting impression in the shoe department. It took me to years to go back in that JCPenney and the one sale clerk asked did your husband but those red heels.. 49 years later we still laugh about that moment.
I could be wrong about that date. That was just what I found online when searching for history.
Can someone please tell me how there are four jewelry stores in this fucking place LOL. The Pac Sun and Spencers are gone but those Jewelry stores (that I never see anyone in) are always there.
The City of Westland was named after the mall. Very sad.
As a resident of this area for 50 years I can say this, in the 70's and 80's around X-mass, this mall was standing room only, how is Amazon and globalism working out for everyone?!
I think it would be helpful to indicate which day and what time of day you are doing these tours. Might give the viewer a better idea of just how sparse their patronage is.
I did indicate when I was there, in the beginning of the video, as well as in the description.
@@ERA_Productions sorry I must have missed it. I did hear you mentioned Memorial Day.
@@vickiroberts7947all good man!
No no no I live not far from here it was doing well in the 80s and 90s it will come back it lost its tourism when the last Sears in Michigan closed unfortunately liked that place like I said it will come back and people will start going back the business already picked up.
I hate to be a realist here but I don’t think Westland has much time left!
I mean just look at the demographics of the Detroit area and the surrounding retail. You have Fairlane, Twelve Oaks, Southland, and Laurel Park Place in a fairly close radius. A lot of people are moving further away from the inner ring suburbs of Detroit. The mall simply is irrelevant now as much as I hate to say it.
I mean who knows, maybe it will become a local place with a whole bunch of independent businesses? But it scares me that Namdar is still in charge! Not the best thing.
Laurel Park Place is in worse shape and more irrelevant than Westland, though.