The design of this mall is so charming and unique. The "big top" canopy design ceiling is key. So sad to hear of its fate. RIP Knoxville Center mall :(
The open canopy is only over the food court in the center of the mall. The cool part I liked about it is the lay out is like a conveyer belt start at the top on one end and walk straight to the end hit the escalator downstairs and catch all the stores on the bottom back to where u started
AT 8:03, when you turn right and leave the food court. That space to the left of that red video game used to be Aladdin's Castle. It was an absolutely killer arcade. It was the first place I played Mortal Kombat. It was always hopping on the weekends.
wow i wasn't expecting anyone to make a video on this mall...i live like 10 minutes away and have been going to this mall my entire life. i even got my first job in that mall. its sad to see it close i loved its unique charm and the way the food court had that giant canopy over it instead of a normal roof just blew my mind as a kid i had never seen anything like it.
One of your best vids simply because of the inclusion of that opening day footage. That really allowed us to appreciate how excited the community was about this place vs what it has become.
Crime. That’s what ruined East Town Mall. In 2008 when I started my first job in the mall, it was still hopping. It was the place to be. In 2009, there was a murder downstairs, one person was beaten in the Rush Fitness center, and there have been several groups in the area that weren’t up to good things.
You're absolutely correct. Why would everything else around that area be thriving I know it's many fast food restaurants and then some grocery chains and a Walmart but they are full all the time
Used to love shopping there when I lived there back in the late 80's. But going there was a fairly rare occurrence since my family lived in Farragut, and West Towne Mall was a LOT closer to my house. I remember playing After Burner (the big, moving cockpit version) at the Aladdin's Castle there. I remember it costing a buck a play when they first got it. That's when most new games still cost 25 or 50 cents to play. I remember buying the original Legend Of Zelda at the old Kaybee Toy Store there shortly after I moved there.
I want to thank you for going through the trouble of coming to this mall before it closed. It's disappointing that this mall closed, but it does have a lot of interesting history that makes it an integral part of Knoxville's history.
My best memories are shopping at Service Merchandise it was a great store. loved the idea of choosing an item through their silent sam ordering system and then when your items where picked from the warehouse they would call your name and you would just go to the pick counter and re-trive your order and pay, it was really a great concept. And then there was the food court and the movie theater you could spend a whole day in the mall and have a blast. I also remember it was the regal theater where I saw the first Terminator movie. Great memories.
I grew up in Knoxville and still live there. I've been going to East Town Mall since it opened. When it opened West Town Mall was starting to show it's age. East Town Mall was something new and different. At the time it opened, East Knoxville has a reputation of being a less than desirable part of the city with a higher than normal crime rate. In spite of that the mall did well for many years. When I was growing up the Mall was where everyone went to hang out with their friends. But times have changed with social media dominating almost every aspect of everyone's life, you don't have to go to the Mall anymore, you can just facetime or text someone. In my opinion the start of the down turn of this mall was in the early 2000's. The whole phenomenon of wearing your pants below your ass cheeks and exposing underwear that no one wants to see, made people very uncomfortable. The mall was overrun with thugs and degenerates for so many years that people just started going back to West Town Mall and these newer shopping centers that were popping up everywhere. Rent at the mall was going up and most people just didn't feel safe there anymore. And mall security and mall management seemed to turn a blind eye to it. There were even people skateboarding inside the mall at one time. Tenants saw sales dropping so they moved out to take advantage of cheaper rent at these new shopping centers. The reason West Town Mall is still thriving today is because they have expanded and remodeled more than once, and mall security and management will not allow thugs and degenerates to hang out there. I really hate to see East Town Mall fade away like it's currently doing. It's so frustrating that Simon Properties gave up it so quickly, They also manage West Town Mall. In my opinion the day of fully enclosed malls are in their final days. In a standard shopping center, the tenants are responsible for maintaining their space just as they would be in a mall, but you have so many other costs involved with operating an enclosed mall, such as janitors, mall maintenance and security, it just drives the cost of rent up to levels that tenants just can't turn a profit anymore. If you get the reputation of not being a safe place and your not getting the foot traffic anymore, then the mall is going to die a slow and painful death. I wish I had an answer to fix or cure the epidemic of dying mall, I don't know if there's anyone who can solve this mystery of why, but these things run in cycles over long periods of time and hopefully one day malls will make a comeback again.
Same here , liked that it was a little quieter and found the movie theater very relaxing place , from rushing to catch a show after high school to even last fall seeing a show them getting a bite in the food court . Many many memories .
My last year in high school was at this mail i spent many years coming and going i miss it a lot but thank you so much for making this mail even dead a classic in time i have lived in the east side of Knoxville for 26 years.
East Towne Mall died due to growth out west. A large development know as Turkey Creek shifted any retail shopping to the other side of town. West Town Mall had a shooting at it to so I doubt that had anything to do with it's decline.
$550000, now they were a year behind. You can Google it, I'm sure it would pop up. You are right the rent raise was the final nail in the coffin but it fell apart long before that.
In my opinion, here are the biggest downfalls of the mall: Crime that was rampant in East Knoxville (which increased over time) area, numerous stores that relocated to a shopping plaza about a half-mile away (e.g. Old Navy), property maintenance was not very good, (the parking lot was like driving through mines), and a general growth trend west and northbound in the area. Most of the area when I was there was growing quickly past West Towne Mall and the Farragut area and northbound towards Clinton and Powell / Halls area. The location of the mall wasn't terribly bad but it was a little awkward if you were coming off of I-640). It could of been a great mall but Simon in my property led it to its demise.
Doug Trovinger I agree with you. My family is from the area. This was my comment to Ace... An absolutely stellar job on this video. I think your on-point with the reason Knoxville is not large enough to support two malls. West Town is the cities growth area. Turkey Creek lifestyle center is a major player there.
True-in my area (Boston MA) several malls have closed because of a criminal element hanging around. There was one in downtown Boston ((Lafayette Place) that only lasted 10 years. It had an odd design, featuring nooks and hidden corners-perfect for muggers and thieves to hide in.After many A&Bs, robberies and shootings, it was closed down and converted to office space.
@DrawOfTheCards "The hellhole that is TN" Oh for fuck's sake. Don't judge a city of 800k people by a handful of drug-crazed thugs. Knoxville is a great place to live.
I think you're correct about population density. Back in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, physical retail was king. There really was room for everyone. But as the internet became accepted by retail shoppers, retail lost the middle-class. There just isn't enough demand for retail space anymore. And with the exception of high-end shopping malls and retail stores located in densely populated affluent and wealthy urban areas, this business model makes no sense anymore. Competing on price while also having to pay rent, maintenance, utilities, and retail sales clerks and store employees is impossible. The middle-class just isn't going to pay the margins to keep these places open.
I'm from Knoxville. The crime was pretty much the downfall of this mall. I was so sad when the Chick Fil A closed in the mall. Know the mall is closed. It is really heartbreaking.
I live close by, this mall used to be a treat to me my entire life. West Town is a bit farther and much more expensive, it was rare my family went out there. I was told the East Town was built on a swamp, and you could usually feel it shaking. I'm not sure about crime rate or all that. But a lot of the stores towards it's end were more small, novelty stores, not something most people would frequent. Stuff like hats, formal dresses, black light golf, etc. A lot of memories in that place. It's now being turned into an Amazon warehouse
I remember going to this mall. Note, you gave the city population at the beginning of the video. But the total Knox County population is over 400,000 and the metro is nearly a million. Bad events and press changed the reputation of the mall… and West Town Mall becoming a higher end shopping destination, i.e Apple Store, Pottery Barn, William-Sonoma, etc. made it hard to keep up. Not to mention Toys R Us and Circuit City going out of business which was on the same property as East Town.
I remember pushing my grandmother's wheelchair down that ramp in the mall. I moved from Knoxville in 1970 but went back frequently in the 70s and 80s before moving to central Europe. I think the mall represents Knoxville as a whole; the best days are behind it. Sad, because it was once a really nice place until drugs, crime, unemployment, and poor planning took a toll.
The reputation really killed this place. The mall itself was pretty great with big name stores and smaller niche stores like Sci Fi City, but after the shooting over a decade ago, people stayed away. As a young woman I was always encouraged by older folks to only go in a group or with a boyfriend. When I lived on that side of town, I shopped at the Target and JoAnn across the street plenty of times by myself without scandal. The surrounding area seems to thrive just fine except for the mall itself. My biggest complaint was always the parking lot honestly. It was horribly paved and any sketchy characters you might run into were hanging out there.
I live in Knoxville, and I remember when this place was thriving. However, I think the shootings that have happened in the area in recent years are the reasons for the downfall.
This mall used to have 2 waterfalls in it (something totally not obvious now and I haven't seen anyone mention it, but to me it was a distinct cool feature). The renovation removed those and dulled down the mall. Also, West Town Mall (note no e on Town like East Towne had) was increased in size in the mid to late 90s.
Too sad, that mall still looks great I hate malls are dying. I worked there for a time back in the 80's at a place called Soundtracks Recording Studio.
It looked like most of the stores in this mall were regular chain mall stores. Like a Hollister, or American Eagle, and a Hot Topic, etc. Usually dead malls are made up of store fronts that are no longer recognizable filled with weird direct from Asia one off flea market type stores with names like Trend, a GNC, a nail salon, etc... This looks like they took a regular suburban mall and just closed it all down at once. One of my theories as to why malls close are because the stores are all the same now. I remember back in the day I would travel 40 plus miles sometimes to visit different malls because they had different stores. I used to go to the Great Mall in Milpitas sometimes because it had this cool gem store, filled with geodes, and fountains and whatnot you didn't see everywhere. They also had a store featuring leftover concert shirts. Nowadays, everything is basically the same, an Old Navy, A Macys, A Marshalls, An American Eagle etc... So people don't go to the mall in the slightly dodgy area. Why bother when it has the same exact stores as the one in the nicer area.
Back in 1999 - 2001 I used to spend weekends with friends at this mall. It was so busy and full of life back then, I cant believe how quiet and empty it is now. Very sad. Thanks for sharing.
Knoxville Center Mall was originally called East Town Mall. It wasn't until years later that it was renamed Knoxville Center Mall in an ill conceived plan to make people think it was in the center of Knoxville and not in east Knoxville. But, locally, it has always been called East Town Mall. When the mall first opened it drew shoppers from Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, besides Tennessee. In subsequent years more malls opened in those states and the novelty of East Town Mall wore off. But, the two main things that led to the demise of the mall were the lack of growth in east Knoxville and, most importantly, the internet. I saw the mall being built and now I've seen it's end. I was in the mall about a year ago and it was eerily empty. I could almost see ghosts of all the people who had been there over the years. But, no one was there. It was just my memories. And, now, that's all that's left.
It was totally awesome to meet you Anthony the day you filmed there... bumping into you and finding that you were the one who also filmed the Gwinnett Place Mall.... and were able to shoot behind the scenes of Stranger Things (something I was not able to do)... totally cool!!! I look forward to seeing what you filmed. A sad day for both malls ending... they both meant so much.
I 100% agree with your observation, not only could the city not sustain two malls, West Towne is in a much better location with lots of wealthy neighborhoods surrounding it..quite contrary to East Towne. I did a final walk through myself in East Towne just a couple weeks ago, I’ve never felt unsafe in there either. It is eerily quiet though. This mall will always hold a special place in my heart. Growing up, I remember my Mamaw and I going here all the time. I remember when it used to be the place to go. It’s been almost exactly the way you filmed it for a few years now... slowly losing a store here and there. I would go just for the Regal because I loved seeing movies knowing everyone else would be going to West Towne and I’d have the theater to myself. I’ll miss East Towne so much, but I was satisfied with my last visit and I’m glad I got to say goodbye. Thank you so much for filming this so nostalgic saps like myself can rewatch it from time to time and let the memories come flooding back. ☺️
Crazy that in only 1 year it was operational, then was abandoned, and then torn down to be replaced by a Amazon Fulfillment Center, man that is a depressing short series of events...
This one hits home. When I moved to Knoxville in 2008, this was the first mall I went to (it was about 2 miles from where I lived). Sad that it is now completely shut and an eyesore.
An absolutely stellar job on this video. I think your on-point with the reason Knoxville is not large enough to support two malls. West Town is the cities growth area. Turkey Creek lifestyle center is a major player there.
My three sons "hung out" at the Mall, eating and checking the girls out and they were great well-behaved kids. What do kids do today? Sit around playing dumb games and t Yuking it up on social media like lazy bums!
I lived in Knoxville for a year back in 05 and 06. This was the first of the 2 malls I went to, West Town was much bigger and better so i would always go there, but at the time this mall still seemed to be doing good. I had no idea this mall had closed, it's really sad, I'm very nostalgic and this place was a memory from one of the best years of my life. On a side note i remember going to the DMV in there to get my plate changed over on my car. Thanks for the great content!
Thanks for coming and documenting. As a little kid my aunt would bring me here and we would always go to the pet store upstairs and to Crystal Visions to look at the little hobbit creatures. In 2005-2006 I went to this mall every Friday and Saturday to play Magic the Gathering at CM Games. I think more than anything the downfall of this mall was racism. When more urban and black teens started frequenting the mall, the old people got scared because of an imaginary perceived threat. Then when the suit man got killed in his store, that fueled all those fears. It’s really sad. This was a really nice mall before it wasnt anymore...
At 16:28 , in that hallway, I once watched a fight between two tough guys. One had beaten up a guy the week prior, and the other was defending his friend's honor. It was well planned. Felt like Fight Club. lol. So, there we were - two fighters, and about 10 onlookers. They fought, they wrestled, they ended in a headlock, and then they both shook hands afterward. One of the most bizarre moments of my life. :-)
I live just a couple miles north of this mall. I’ve watched it’s decline. Simon pulling out made a (negative) difference. Noticeably less maintenance, and security. Adding the alternative school to the building where Dillard’s was probably didn’t help much. Pair that up with the shooting in that store in 2009 and it reaffirmed the stigma. I never felt unsafe shopping or going to the movies there. But there are a lot of other places to shop that are newer, cleaner and perceived as safer. I think the market COULD support another mall here in a few years. There are a lot of new subdivisions going in the area. Remember, while City of Knoxville is only around 180k people, there are several surrounding counties (plus the rest of Knox County) within a 30 minute drive from both the East and north where there are currently few retail centers. Bad timing helped killed this mall. Competition out west, online options, and apathetic owners did it in.
Since im younger(born in 96) , i have a little different perspective on how the downfall of east town mall happen. A little backstory, i use to be a pre teen up until maybe 2013, 2014 when i graduated, and i would go to the mall almost every saturday with friends after playing a football game at john tarlton field or just hanging out in general. As far as a inside track i had 2 different family members who leased a store front(snapback and jersey shop) and a salon in the mall as well. To me the downfall happen fall of 2012. Store fronts including my family store(located next to fyi and across from footlocker and salon(which was directly in front of lane bryant) were being charged that year a little over half as much as the anchor stores at the time(jc penny, sears, dillards(until it closed) and belks. And over time these prices increased causing alot of store fronts and external franchises to look elsewhere like strip malls a mile down the road or closer towards the city. You would see major trendy retail stores close down after only being in the mall for 2 yrs or less and over time a wing of the mall would just be empty. At one point before shutting down the rush fitness complex as well as the regal movie theater would be more active on a daily basis than the mall itself. Now as far as personal experiences for me when i was active or roaming the malls without a adult was from age 10 to 17(when i left for college). The hotspots for kids my age was the foodcourt and surrounding gaming stores like E3 games and gamestop. Another was the balcony area overlooking the middle of the mall where they would have seasonal attractions from time to time and the seating area near footlocker and fyi(where the tennessee floating basketball and football are located). It really wasnt as bad as people claimed it to be other than a ocassional disagreement and fights that would happen every now and then. Now as far as shootings i remember the one that happened in 2008 and how the mall was on high alert for about a month until it got back somewhat normal. To me the rise of online shopping, false promises to increase attendance in the mall and horrible increase in rent without a profitable return in revenue stores started to close down 1 by 1 then 5 to 6 at a time where it was just the foodcourt and movie theater that was open. Its a sad cause, because this mall was very much apart off my childhood. I can still remember as a kid always being amazed at the flashing fish designs and objects hanging from the glass ceiling every time I would come. Like they were larger than life
Crime is what brought down that mall. Knoxville police used to have a precinct in the mall that controlled the crime well. The mall owners got greedy and wanted to start charging the city rent to have a precinct there. As a result, city police moved out and gangs moved in. That mixed with increased rent and store closures led the public to not shop there. It's a real shame.
something amazing to most of these dead malls, especially those that seem already empty like this Knoxville Mall is that there is still electricity and ceiling lights are still left turned on.
Ah most of you people must be from West Knox, I grew up around here and yes there is crime buuuut just about as much crime as everywhere else. There has been a number of things that has happened at West town crime wise, so it honestly has nothing to do with that. It however has almost everything to do with the growth and development of the location. West town mall and the area around it has sooo much more to offer, from big name stores in West that East never had. There are so many places to shop, eat or just enjoy your day out finding new places you never knew existed in West. East however, you can only enjoy the few hand full of places before it gets boring AF. East never grew, it more or less stayed the same ever since I was a little kid. And that's not even speaking of management at East, because that alone is a shit show in its self.
I miss this mall as of 2021 the mall was destroyed. I remember being in my stroller with my parents in the early 2000s and even getting my first game boy.
A, I LOVED the classic footage at the beginning! Billy Joel and Madonna tunes echoed in my head as I watched the Channel 10 news footage. Thank you for the upload.
I remember the old design. The fish were a horrible addition, and the campus map as well. Along with the big T and basketball. I liked NOTHING about the revamp. Including the big cades cookout sign. I did miss the mirrored entrance and that beautiful sculpture out front that ended up in a sign junkyard on Central Avenue just past Christenberry heights for a while. When it first opened it had planters with a huge indoor pond that people threw change into (with long waterfalls that almost spanned the whole edge of the first floor under the food court). It was a classy hangout for years... Until they made it garish with the playful decor i.e. the fish, UT stuff, and Cade's cove junk. I refuse to drive to the west side due to traffic, rude people, and the fact that my North East side money should stay here on the East side. I will miss it dearly. I will also miss my time shopping there and regrouping at the food court where my elderly father would sit at the table in the corner overhanging the lower courtyard and watch the people pass by.
I grew up in Knoxville. I would hang out there and all my friends worked at the mall or was trying to. It was beautiful, big, and family oriented. I heard the down fall started when the orginal CEO stepped down and made his son the new CEO. When he took over, the rent for the stores in the mall started to rise. Also, they owned the land surrounding the mall and the businesses on their land started to complain about the rent increase. Just for Feet was the first store surrounding the mall to close and move due to the rent increase. Eventually Circuit City, which was like Best Buy left too. Over the years stores little by little would start to close. The average income in Knoxville is not that much and the population of Knoxville was alot less when the rent increases started I believe in the mid or late 90s. East towne started having financial issues and falling behind in taxes due to stores leaving. Yeah online shopping hurt a little but not that much. East Towne was known for having the best sales and affordable prices for a mall. Also, there was a certain group of people with money who owned businesses out west that wanted more traffic to their stores. So, building up their side of town with shopping, restaurants, entertainment like an attraction would guarantee constant traffic. Now rumor is they were rooting for East Towne to fail so they could get as much traffic/buisness to their side of town they could get. Also, East Towne was located in an area where majority of the African American community lived. There was a prejudice against East Knoxville. The prejudice was that West Knoxville was the money side and East Knoxville was the poor/urban crime side. The property in East Knoxville was alot cheaper because of that.
I have been anxious to see your take on this. I used to stop at this mall on the way to KY from NC in the early 2000s and it seemed to be doing fine then. I guess 2008 created a lot of havoc to a lot of places
Knoxville is a great town I myself am born and raised in Knoxville I am using my step dad’s account. I will admit west town mall took over the malls here we have recently added a dicks house of sport in west town mall. I am still living in Knoxville things were tough for east town mall. One thing I am very sad about is that the power T which you know is Tennessee’s mascot/logo was destroyed in this years demolition of the mall.at 8:25-8:27 I remember going to see movies at that theater i remember the last movie I saw right before I think it went bankrupt was wreck it Ralph
I love about an hour from Knoxville. I remember going to this mall often as a kid. As I got older we either went to West Town or Turkey Creek. I think the growth of the west side and Turkey Creed along with the more crime on the east side was the down fall of this mall.
This was my mall. From its opening until the late 1990s, I was there on the weekends, and sometimes I'd head there after work. It was great. I think it's interesting that East Towne Mall closed in 2020. The year we kind of lost to COVID.
I grew up in that mall and it was basically every parents babysitter! Wasn’t a weekend that went by the place wasn’t full of teens who was just dropped off for hours to run the place. It was one of the problems. I loved that place many many memories.
It wasn't the teens who had money to go to movies and buy food that was the problem. It was the teens who went there with no money in order to shoplift or cause trouble.
Thanks for the videos,I love them.I was part of the original construction of Irondiquoit mall in Rochester when I lived there and now have seen the closing of East town mall.keep up the good work.
The dagger in the heart was the “school” they placed inside around 2010. I graduated high school in 2015 and knew many delinquents that were sent there to finish. Brought in a bad crowd
1st off, I wish you'd include more clips of how these malls used to be. I lived in Maryville,TN from Dec.1985 to Dec.1989 & went to East Town Mall 2 or 3 nights a week, but back then it was "out in the boonies". I worked @ Foothills Mall but my friends & I spent most of our "mallrat" time @ West Town in Knoxville. I haven't been back since Aug.2001 but like the rest of East TN, West Town really got built up. Last time I was there, West Town was 3 times it's original size. I miss living in TN.
@@Akihito007 I'd gladly move back to East TN. It took me moving back to Ohio (1 of the worst mistakes of my so-called life) to realize how much I loved it down there. Have a Blessed day & TYVM for your comment.
Used to come here all the time as a kid after doctor/dentist appointments. We'd always stay for a good hour, because it was a decent drive home afterwards. Hate to see it go. But I'm thankful for the memories.
Here’s a list of a few killers for this mall Increased crime rate in that area 2008 Recession Low income housing built next to the mall Turkey Creek (a large area of land that has just a ton of shops) West Town Mall (14 miles away from East Town Mall and the idea of expanding and upgrading that mall, which later happened) The mall changing hands Anchor stores pulling out And for anyone curious the mall is currently being Demolished and replaced by an Amazon center
25,000 at the grand opening and it went out with barely a whimper. Loved the old Hot Topic storefront. Also you know a mall is done for if even the Bath & Bodyworks is closed.
Man, i wished i knew u were in town a few days ago cause you coulda interviewed me regarding this mall. I was there during its grand opening day in 1984 as a kid. They had the 2nd floor closed off at 1st while mall personnel tossed candy and balloons to the kids on the ground floor. I still remember my cousin getting a Michael Jackson jacket that day when they were 80 dollars. I thought that was a LOT of money as a kid. You want the downfall to this mall? I can emphasize on my theories, but this mall was located in the East Knoxville district, which has been held as the less productive or "weathly" end of town in comparison to West Town. Crime rates arent bad where the mall is located, however, insurance premiums are higher resulting in many businesses not wanting to stay in the area. In addition, West Town Mall has stores that East Town either DID or no longer carried in recent years such as, Hollister, Ambercrombie, Eddie Bauer, and other venues that people chose to waste money at. Me personally, i see these folks as brainwashed by society in what they choose to wear as theyre concerned for overall opinions, but, thats just one mans opinion. Nevertheless, people near in nearby Corryton, Holston Hills, Strawberry Plains, and other nearby areas wanted to waste their money at West Town Mall, so the local economy of East Town began to struggle while the economy of West Knoxville (the already RICH end of this city) continued to thrive and keep traffic congestion a pain. In other words, i blame the locals who live near this mall. People say malls are dying, but it doesnt look like it to me if you compare that statement to West Town. Folks just didnt wanna shop at Belks, J.C. Pennys, or other smaller stores throughout East Town. It was never good enough for them, so...they tossed their money to the already rich and wealthy of West Knoxville. In closing, i knew 3 different business owners in East Town, and they all had told me the same thing about the owners (that spin-off from Simon) increasing their leases or simply not offering a release agreement. That very company had stated on the local news about 6 or 7 years ago that new ideas and development was set for the future of the mall in the next 5 yrs, and NOTHING happened, so not only can you blame the consumers but the property owners as well, and maybe thats why they sold it off again in 2016. In my opinion, a V.A. hospital would be nice seeing how people in this end of town dont like shopping in East Knoxville.
@@shaunpierce6328 sure is, man. I live near it, but i refuse to give the wealthier end of town my money like most people have. We still have a wal mart, target, and old navy near by, but I'll do other shopping on-line. Thanks for your visit and video. Hopefully this mall will see a good future with a restructuring of good venues, businesses, or necessities.
We need a VA hospital here. Johnson City is too far away. I always worry about when I have a stroke or heart attack that the ambulance will take me to the local hospital and I get stuck with a huge bill that the VA refuse to pay. At least that’s what happened to me in 2013. I still refuse to pay it. It’s not my fault they couldn’t be bothered to build a VA hospital in Knoxville. Fuck that.
To those reading this comment and are considering exploring this property, please read ths. Even though this mall is now closed and has been boarded up, please do not mistake it as being abandoned. One of the anchor stores at this mall, who I make truck deliveries for, is still using this mall for other purposes besides retail. Because of that, this mall still has a strong security presence that's actually watching the property. Not only that, but i noticed that city police also very frequently circle the property, atleast several times an hour. So PLEASE consider my warning if you plan on getting into this now closed up mall.
Knoxville is definitely in the Southeast (I laughed so hard at categorizing it as Midwest). But this is my mall! So many memories of walking the entire mall with my grandma. She carried a little pearl-handled folding knife in her purse that she would cut my pizza from the food court with. 🤣 I also met the entire cast of Clarissa Explains It All there around 1992. This was THE mall to go to until about the turn of the millennium. In the 2000s they built a new shopping area, Turkey Creek, out further west from West Town. And to the east there's outlet shopping in Pigeon Forge. For awhile Knoxville had triplicates of anchors such as JC Penney and Belk (East, West, Turkey Creek), and I just don't think it could sustain all three. Changing demographics around East Town also played a role.
Yes, the shooting played a role in the downfall but that area isn't unsafe at all. There's a shopping area just down the street with Kohl's, Target, Old Navy, etc. that are always crowded.
Another big issue: mishandling by the property owners. If you Google news stories about it from the past decade you can see how the downfall escalated after it was bought out. I think they owe the City millions in taxes.
I find it highly ironic that in the background they're playing "Laugh Laugh" by the Beau Brummels--which has the lyrics, "lonely, oh so lonely"--which is EXACTLY what this mall is!!! You almost think they did this on purpose....
The downfall of East Towne is a multi pronged situation. Naturally, development shifted West in Knox County. There were also a number of high profile crimes that were committed on mall property, notably a murder within the mall in October of 2008, giving the perception that the mall was unsafe. Lastly, the downfall of brick and mortar retail that is plaguing most shopping spaces these days. While West Town Mall may be currently thriving, you can already begin to see the closing of some of its long time tenants, which is usually step 1 of a mall falling into a depression.
I like to think West Town is doing well, as busy as it usually is, but I noticed this too. I was saddened by East Town closing. But West is incredibly sentimental to me and I’ll be heartbroken when it finally shuts its doors.
The East Town mall was built to just after the 1982 Knoxville Worlds Fair, this is a very rural area and was expected to boom but it did not due to continued growth in West Knoxville, this mall is near a prison and is a low income area, most people from Knoxville don’t go to this area due to crime and it really is no reflection of the main Knoxville area. Regal Cinemas closed in 2013 and became Golds Gym with closed last year. Also the population of downtown area Knoxville is 187,347 but the area as a whole including the Suburban areas etc is well over 853,000 and currently experiencing a housing boom with people from all over the country moving here every day due to our high quality of life, low cost of living and current 3% unemployment. Cheers
I grew up in East Tennessee and had cousins who lived in Knoxville. I grew up in a rural area so I loved getting to go here when we would visit. Sad to see so many of these now closed. I live in Indiana and believe it is only a matter of time now before the one here is closed down. Never a good sign when you can't replace an anchor store. Here they threw in the towel and quit trying, turning the old Macy's store into booth space rentals for people to sell things. We have plenty of Dollar Generals though!
Yes, crime played a part in the demise of this mall, but the #1 reason was the demise of national chains Penney's and Sears. Those were the last two of the four large anchor stores, and no mall can survive without them.
Didn't know that this part of Knoxville had become so rough. I went here way more often than West Town (think I went there only once), but haven't been for about 10-12 years. Traffic was awful over at West Town 20 years ago, and only seems worse from what I hear from people who live in or around Knoxville. This mall was more conveniently located for those coming down I-75 from Kentucky and down I-81/I-40 from the northeast.
The design of this mall is so charming and unique. The "big top" canopy design ceiling is key. So sad to hear of its fate. RIP Knoxville Center mall :(
The open canopy is only over the food court in the center of the mall. The cool part I liked about it is the lay out is like a conveyer belt start at the top on one end and walk straight to the end hit the escalator downstairs and catch all the stores on the bottom back to where u started
AT 8:03, when you turn right and leave the food court. That space to the left of that red video game used to be Aladdin's Castle. It was an absolutely killer arcade. It was the first place I played Mortal Kombat. It was always hopping on the weekends.
wow i wasn't expecting anyone to make a video on this mall...i live like 10 minutes away and have been going to this mall my entire life.
i even got my first job in that mall.
its sad to see it close i loved its unique charm and the way the food court had that giant canopy over it instead of a normal roof just blew my mind as a kid i had never seen anything like it.
One of your best vids simply because of the inclusion of that opening day footage. That really allowed us to appreciate how excited the community was about this place vs what it has become.
Crime. That’s what ruined East Town Mall. In 2008 when I started my first job in the mall, it was still hopping. It was the place to be. In 2009, there was a murder downstairs, one person was beaten in the Rush Fitness center, and there have been several groups in the area that weren’t up to good things.
You're absolutely correct. Why would everything else around that area be thriving I know it's many fast food restaurants and then some grocery chains and a Walmart but they are full all the time
Yep I agree! So sad such a beautiful mall!
There was a shooting at the suit shop there too if I’m not mistaken.
I knew it was going under when the escalator went down so you had to go to the other side of the mall to get on the second floor.
Steven Bishop lmfao. You do know that when an escalator goes down it just becomes a staircase!!! You don’t need to walk to other side of mall.
Used to love shopping there when I lived there back in the late 80's. But going there was a fairly rare occurrence since my family lived in Farragut, and West Towne Mall was a LOT closer to my house. I remember playing After Burner (the big, moving cockpit version) at the Aladdin's Castle there. I remember it costing a buck a play when they first got it. That's when most new games still cost 25 or 50 cents to play. I remember buying the original Legend Of Zelda at the old Kaybee Toy Store there shortly after I moved there.
I want to thank you for going through the trouble of coming to this mall before it closed. It's disappointing that this mall closed, but it does have a lot of interesting history that makes it an integral part of Knoxville's history.
My best memories are shopping at Service Merchandise it was a great store. loved the idea of choosing an item through their silent sam ordering system and then when your items where picked from the warehouse they would call your name and you would just go to the pick counter and re-trive your order and pay, it was really a great concept. And then there was the food court and the movie theater you could spend a whole day in the mall and have a blast. I also remember it was the regal theater where I saw the first Terminator movie. Great memories.
Becoming THE dead mall king. Your intros are always the best and with the best music!
I worked in this mall in 1986 & 1987. The place was jumping every single day back then. So sad to see it fade away without so much as a whimper.
I grew up in Knoxville and still live there. I've been going to East Town Mall since it opened. When it opened West Town Mall was starting to show it's age. East Town Mall was something new and different. At the time it opened, East Knoxville has a reputation of being a less than desirable part of the city with a higher than normal crime rate. In spite of that the mall did well for many years. When I was growing up the Mall was where everyone went to hang out with their friends. But times have changed with social media dominating almost every aspect of everyone's life, you don't have to go to the Mall anymore, you can just facetime or text someone. In my opinion the start of the down turn of this mall was in the early 2000's. The whole phenomenon of wearing your pants below your ass cheeks and exposing underwear that no one wants to see, made people very uncomfortable. The mall was overrun with thugs and degenerates for so many years that people just started going back to West Town Mall and these newer shopping centers that were popping up everywhere. Rent at the mall was going up and most people just didn't feel safe there anymore. And mall security and mall management seemed to turn a blind eye to it. There were even people skateboarding inside the mall at one time. Tenants saw sales dropping so they moved out to take advantage of cheaper rent at these new shopping centers. The reason West Town Mall is still thriving today is because they have expanded and remodeled more than once, and mall security and management will not allow thugs and degenerates to hang out there. I really hate to see East Town Mall fade away like it's currently doing. It's so frustrating that Simon Properties gave up it so quickly, They also manage West Town Mall. In my opinion the day of fully enclosed malls are in their final days. In a standard shopping center, the tenants are responsible for maintaining their space just as they would be in a mall, but you have so many other costs involved with operating an enclosed mall, such as janitors, mall maintenance and security, it just drives the cost of rent up to levels that tenants just can't turn a profit anymore. If you get the reputation of not being a safe place and your not getting the foot traffic anymore, then the mall is going to die a slow and painful death. I wish I had an answer to fix or cure the epidemic of dying mall, I don't know if there's anyone who can solve this mystery of why, but these things run in cycles over long periods of time and hopefully one day malls will make a comeback again.
Used to spend a lot of time in this mall. Can’t wait to watch
Leahds1 loved this mall didn’t have to put up with west Knoxville traffic
Same here , liked that it was a little quieter and found the movie theater very relaxing place , from rushing to catch a show after high school to even last fall seeing a show them getting a bite in the food court .
Many many memories .
gcaplan1 yeah I have a lot of great memories I still remember what it looked like as East Towne Mall
My last year in high school was at this mail i spent many years coming and going i miss it a lot but thank you so much for making this mail even dead a classic in time i have lived in the east side of Knoxville for 26 years.
The music played over the speakers in all of these dead malls is amazing!
East Towne Mall died due to growth out west. A large development know as Turkey Creek shifted any retail shopping to the other side of town. West Town Mall had a shooting at it to so I doubt that had anything to do with it's decline.
It died due to the fact the taxes that are negligent and owners raising rent on the vendors causing the shops to close.
They paid even on thier taxes back in July or August, fyi
@@jordanslingluff287 wow they did? Finally? After it died? My original comment stands. R/Whoosh! Fyi
@@jordanslingluff287 another fyi, I used to work there and know why it died.
$550000, now they were a year behind. You can Google it, I'm sure it would pop up. You are right the rent raise was the final nail in the coffin but it fell apart long before that.
Love the old East TN accents in the grand opening footage. Great video.
I'm so happy. I am from east Tennessee and have family living in Knoxville.
Very thoughtful of you to schedule it after the Superbowl. 😁
In my opinion, here are the biggest downfalls of the mall: Crime that was rampant in East Knoxville (which increased over time) area, numerous stores that relocated to a shopping plaza about a half-mile away (e.g. Old Navy), property maintenance was not very good, (the parking lot was like driving through mines), and a general growth trend west and northbound in the area. Most of the area when I was there was growing quickly past West Towne Mall and the Farragut area and northbound towards Clinton and Powell / Halls area. The location of the mall wasn't terribly bad but it was a little awkward if you were coming off of I-640). It could of been a great mall but Simon in my property led it to its demise.
Doug Trovinger I agree with you. My family is from the area. This was my comment to Ace...
An absolutely stellar job on this video. I think your on-point with the reason Knoxville is not large enough to support two malls. West Town is the cities growth area. Turkey Creek lifestyle center is a major player there.
The crime rate has actually went down steadily since the mid 90s in East Knoxville. I think a lot of the stigma comes from racism.
True-in my area (Boston MA) several malls have closed because of a criminal element hanging around. There was one in downtown Boston ((Lafayette Place) that only lasted 10 years. It had an odd design, featuring nooks and hidden corners-perfect for muggers and thieves to hide in.After many A&Bs, robberies and shootings, it was closed down and converted to office space.
Your right. Our crime rate. Is now
Increasing. It seem, to be a repeated. Tactical Plan.
To take lands. Properties.
God Help. Us All.
@DrawOfTheCards "The hellhole that is TN" Oh for fuck's sake. Don't judge a city of 800k people by a handful of drug-crazed thugs. Knoxville is a great place to live.
The rooftop in the food court makes me think of a Big Top circus tent. Love the blues and fish themes.
I think you're correct about population density. Back in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, physical retail was king. There really was room for everyone. But as the internet became accepted by retail shoppers, retail lost the middle-class. There just isn't enough demand for retail space anymore. And with the exception of high-end shopping malls and retail stores located in densely populated affluent and wealthy urban areas, this business model makes no sense anymore. Competing on price while also having to pay rent, maintenance, utilities, and retail sales clerks and store employees is impossible. The middle-class just isn't going to pay the margins to keep these places open.
I'm from Knoxville. The crime was pretty much the downfall of this mall. I was so sad when the Chick Fil A closed in the mall. Know the mall is closed. It is really heartbreaking.
This. They tried to change their name to "knoxville center" to disassociate from the "east side" gang.
Thank you for this video. I am a Knoxville native and through the '00s I was an East Town mall rat. Saddens me to see it go. 😭
I live close by, this mall used to be a treat to me my entire life. West Town is a bit farther and much more expensive, it was rare my family went out there. I was told the East Town was built on a swamp, and you could usually feel it shaking. I'm not sure about crime rate or all that. But a lot of the stores towards it's end were more small, novelty stores, not something most people would frequent. Stuff like hats, formal dresses, black light golf, etc. A lot of memories in that place. It's now being turned into an Amazon warehouse
I remember going to this mall. Note, you gave the city population at the beginning of the video. But the total Knox County population is over 400,000 and the metro is nearly a million. Bad events and press changed the reputation of the mall… and West Town Mall becoming a higher end shopping destination, i.e Apple Store, Pottery Barn, William-Sonoma, etc. made it hard to keep up. Not to mention Toys R Us and Circuit City going out of business which was on the same property as East Town.
I remember pushing my grandmother's wheelchair down that ramp in the mall. I moved from Knoxville in 1970 but went back frequently in the 70s and 80s before moving to central Europe. I think the mall represents Knoxville as a whole; the best days are behind it. Sad, because it was once a really nice place until drugs, crime, unemployment, and poor planning took a toll.
Thank you for the trip, I wanted to see somebody cover it. I grew up in this mall so its bittersweet.
The reputation really killed this place. The mall itself was pretty great with big name stores and smaller niche stores like Sci Fi City, but after the shooting over a decade ago, people stayed away. As a young woman I was always encouraged by older folks to only go in a group or with a boyfriend. When I lived on that side of town, I shopped at the Target and JoAnn across the street plenty of times by myself without scandal. The surrounding area seems to thrive just fine except for the mall itself. My biggest complaint was always the parking lot honestly. It was horribly paved and any sketchy characters you might run into were hanging out there.
The horrible one way roads surrounding it didn't help either.
I live in Knoxville, and I remember when this place was thriving. However, I think the shootings that have happened in the area in recent years are the reasons for the downfall.
This mall used to have 2 waterfalls in it (something totally not obvious now and I haven't seen anyone mention it, but to me it was a distinct cool feature). The renovation removed those and dulled down the mall. Also, West Town Mall (note no e on Town like East Towne had) was increased in size in the mid to late 90s.
Too sad, that mall still looks great I hate malls are dying. I worked there for a time back in the 80's at a place called Soundtracks Recording Studio.
My wife and I recorded a few songs there .
Ty Roberts wow didn’t know that was ever there. I was a teenager in the late 90s so that’s when I spent most of my time there. Where was it at inside?
@@sinnedam it was back in the 80's and was there for a couple years during it's heyday. I can't remember exactly what it was next to.
It looked like most of the stores in this mall were regular chain mall stores. Like a Hollister, or American Eagle, and a Hot Topic, etc. Usually dead malls are made up of store fronts that are no longer recognizable filled with weird direct from Asia one off flea market type stores with names like Trend, a GNC, a nail salon, etc... This looks like they took a regular suburban mall and just closed it all down at once. One of my theories as to why malls close are because the stores are all the same now. I remember back in the day I would travel 40 plus miles sometimes to visit different malls because they had different stores. I used to go to the Great Mall in Milpitas sometimes because it had this cool gem store, filled with geodes, and fountains and whatnot you didn't see everywhere. They also had a store featuring leftover concert shirts. Nowadays, everything is basically the same, an Old Navy, A Macys, A Marshalls, An American Eagle etc... So people don't go to the mall in the slightly dodgy area. Why bother when it has the same exact stores as the one in the nicer area.
That's pretty accurate.
I love your commentary and music. Theses are among best of all dead mall vids Ace. Thanks 🙏
Back in 1999 - 2001 I used to spend weekends with friends at this mall. It was so busy and full of life back then, I cant believe how quiet and empty it is now. Very sad. Thanks for sharing.
So sad to see this mall abandoned. In good condition and well maintained.
I feel like theft, shop lifting, and crime had a lot to do with the decline. It’s pretty sad to see it go. I have many memories from this mall.
Knoxville Center Mall was originally called East Town Mall. It wasn't until years later that it was renamed Knoxville Center Mall in an ill conceived plan to make people think it was in the center of Knoxville and not in east Knoxville. But, locally, it has always been called East Town Mall. When the mall first opened it drew shoppers from Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, besides Tennessee. In subsequent years more malls opened in those states and the novelty of East Town Mall wore off. But, the two main things that led to the demise of the mall were the lack of growth in east Knoxville and, most importantly, the internet. I saw the mall being built and now I've seen it's end. I was in the mall about a year ago and it was eerily empty. I could almost see ghosts of all the people who had been there over the years. But, no one was there. It was just my memories. And, now, that's all that's left.
It was totally awesome to meet you Anthony the day you filmed there... bumping into you and finding that you were the one who also filmed the Gwinnett Place Mall.... and were able to shoot behind the scenes of Stranger Things (something I was not able to do)... totally cool!!! I look forward to seeing what you filmed. A sad day for both malls ending... they both meant so much.
T Martin absolutely nice meeting you!
I 100% agree with your observation, not only could the city not sustain two malls, West Towne is in a much better location with lots of wealthy neighborhoods surrounding it..quite contrary to East Towne. I did a final walk through myself in East Towne just a couple weeks ago, I’ve never felt unsafe in there either. It is eerily quiet though. This mall will always hold a special place in my heart. Growing up, I remember my Mamaw and I going here all the time. I remember when it used to be the place to go. It’s been almost exactly the way you filmed it for a few years now... slowly losing a store here and there. I would go just for the Regal because I loved seeing movies knowing everyone else would be going to West Towne and I’d have the theater to myself. I’ll miss East Towne so much, but I was satisfied with my last visit and I’m glad I got to say goodbye. Thank you so much for filming this so nostalgic saps like myself can rewatch it from time to time and let the memories come flooding back. ☺️
Crazy that in only 1 year it was operational, then was abandoned, and then torn down to be replaced by a Amazon Fulfillment Center, man that is a depressing short series of events...
I graduated from the school in the mall. Always preferred it over west town mall. Met many good friends, wish I toured it one last time.
This one hits home. When I moved to Knoxville in 2008, this was the first mall I went to (it was about 2 miles from where I lived). Sad that it is now completely shut and an eyesore.
An absolutely stellar job on this video. I think your on-point with the reason Knoxville is not large enough to support two malls. West Town is the cities growth area. Turkey Creek lifestyle center is a major player there.
Great video.Thanks!
Amazing... the place looks pretty good!
Thank you for the memories. I went to the East Town Mall in 1984.
Malls just continue to become dead and abandoned. So sad to see.
The rent was crazy high. It was a place troubled teens would hi out . But don't know if that was the reason. I've lived in Knoxville all my life
My three sons "hung out" at the Mall, eating and checking the girls out and they were great well-behaved kids. What do kids do today? Sit around playing dumb games and t
Yuking it up on social media like lazy bums!
I lived in Knoxville for a year back in 05 and 06. This was the first of the 2 malls I went to, West Town was much bigger and better so i would always go there, but at the time this mall still seemed to be doing good. I had no idea this mall had closed, it's really sad, I'm very nostalgic and this place was a memory from one of the best years of my life. On a side note i remember going to the DMV in there to get my plate changed over on my car. Thanks for the great content!
Thanks for coming and documenting. As a little kid my aunt would bring me here and we would always go to the pet store upstairs and to Crystal Visions to look at the little hobbit creatures. In 2005-2006 I went to this mall every Friday and Saturday to play Magic the Gathering at CM Games. I think more than anything the downfall of this mall was racism. When more urban and black teens started frequenting the mall, the old people got scared because of an imaginary perceived threat. Then when the suit man got killed in his store, that fueled all those fears. It’s really sad. This was a really nice mall before it wasnt anymore...
Thank you for being one of the few people in this comment section to speak the honest truth about racism.
Cool. Love the old footage!
At 16:28 , in that hallway, I once watched a fight between two tough guys. One had beaten up a guy the week prior, and the other was defending his friend's honor. It was well planned. Felt like Fight Club. lol. So, there we were - two fighters, and about 10 onlookers. They fought, they wrestled, they ended in a headlock, and then they both shook hands afterward. One of the most bizarre moments of my life. :-)
Ace your the best! Nobody does it better!
The song you chose at the end and all the footage and pics broke me today.
💔💖
I live just a couple miles north of this mall. I’ve watched it’s decline. Simon pulling out made a (negative) difference. Noticeably less maintenance, and security. Adding the alternative school to the building where Dillard’s was probably didn’t help much. Pair that up with the shooting in that store in 2009 and it reaffirmed the stigma.
I never felt unsafe shopping or going to the movies there. But there are a lot of other places to shop that are newer, cleaner and perceived as safer.
I think the market COULD support another mall here in a few years. There are a lot of new subdivisions going in the area. Remember, while City of Knoxville is only around 180k people, there are several surrounding counties (plus the rest of Knox County) within a 30 minute drive from both the East and north where there are currently few retail centers.
Bad timing helped killed this mall. Competition out west, online options, and apathetic owners did it in.
If I had the money to buy and reopen the mall I would in a heartbeat
Since im younger(born in 96) , i have a little different perspective on how the downfall of east town mall happen. A little backstory, i use to be a pre teen up until maybe 2013, 2014 when i graduated, and i would go to the mall almost every saturday with friends after playing a football game at john tarlton field or just hanging out in general. As far as a inside track i had 2 different family members who leased a store front(snapback and jersey shop) and a salon in the mall as well. To me the downfall happen fall of 2012. Store fronts including my family store(located next to fyi and across from footlocker and salon(which was directly in front of lane bryant) were being charged that year a little over half as much as the anchor stores at the time(jc penny, sears, dillards(until it closed) and belks. And over time these prices increased causing alot of store fronts and external franchises to look elsewhere like strip malls a mile down the road or closer towards the city. You would see major trendy retail stores close down after only being in the mall for 2 yrs or less and over time a wing of the mall would just be empty. At one point before shutting down the rush fitness complex as well as the regal movie theater would be more active on a daily basis than the mall itself. Now as far as personal experiences for me when i was active or roaming the malls without a adult was from age 10 to 17(when i left for college). The hotspots for kids my age was the foodcourt and surrounding gaming stores like E3 games and gamestop. Another was the balcony area overlooking the middle of the mall where they would have seasonal attractions from time to time and the seating area near footlocker and fyi(where the tennessee floating basketball and football are located). It really wasnt as bad as people claimed it to be other than a ocassional disagreement and fights that would happen every now and then. Now as far as shootings i remember the one that happened in 2008 and how the mall was on high alert for about a month until it got back somewhat normal. To me the rise of online shopping, false promises to increase attendance in the mall and horrible increase in rent without a profitable return in revenue stores started to close down 1 by 1 then 5 to 6 at a time where it was just the foodcourt and movie theater that was open. Its a sad cause, because this mall was very much apart off my childhood. I can still remember as a kid always being amazed at the flashing fish designs and objects hanging from the glass ceiling every time I would come. Like they were larger than life
Yes another banger coming from ace
Can't wait! How do you already have a thumbs down? Your content is amazing!
MarksKicksOnRoute66 Movin' Mark people get upset that i put them up early , lol, oh well
Crime is what brought down that mall. Knoxville police used to have a precinct in the mall that controlled the crime well. The mall owners got greedy and wanted to start charging the city rent to have a precinct there. As a result, city police moved out and gangs moved in. That mixed with increased rent and store closures led the public to not shop there. It's a real shame.
TENNESSEE IS IN THE SOUTH
OMG!! 👏👏👏👏 THANK YOU DANNTREV
(Mid-West more like South-East) super cool video! Like taking a walk through time!
You sure? I think it's in the Midwest.
something amazing to most of these dead malls, especially those that seem already empty like this Knoxville Mall is that there is still electricity and ceiling lights are still left turned on.
Ah most of you people must be from West Knox, I grew up around here and yes there is crime buuuut just about as much crime as everywhere else. There has been a number of things that has happened at West town crime wise, so it honestly has nothing to do with that. It however has almost everything to do with the growth and development of the location. West town mall and the area around it has sooo much more to offer, from big name stores in West that East never had. There are so many places to shop, eat or just enjoy your day out finding new places you never knew existed in West. East however, you can only enjoy the few hand full of places before it gets boring AF. East never grew, it more or less stayed the same ever since I was a little kid. And that's not even speaking of management at East, because that alone is a shit show in its self.
I miss this mall as of 2021 the mall was destroyed. I remember being in my stroller with my parents in the early 2000s and even getting my first game boy.
A, I LOVED the classic footage at the beginning! Billy Joel and Madonna tunes echoed in my head as I watched the Channel 10 news footage. Thank you for the upload.
I’ve been excited to see this since you announced it.
I remember the old design. The fish were a horrible addition, and the campus map as well. Along with the big T and basketball. I liked NOTHING about the revamp. Including the big cades cookout sign. I did miss the mirrored entrance and that beautiful sculpture out front that ended up in a sign junkyard on Central Avenue just past Christenberry heights for a while. When it first opened it had planters with a huge indoor pond that people threw change into (with long waterfalls that almost spanned the whole edge of the first floor under the food court). It was a classy hangout for years... Until they made it garish with the playful decor i.e. the fish, UT stuff, and Cade's cove junk. I refuse to drive to the west side due to traffic, rude people, and the fact that my North East side money should stay here on the East side. I will miss it dearly. I will also miss my time shopping there and regrouping at the food court where my elderly father would sit at the table in the corner overhanging the lower courtyard and watch the people pass by.
I grew up in Knoxville. I would hang out there and all my friends worked at the mall or was trying to. It was beautiful, big, and family oriented. I heard the down fall started when the orginal CEO stepped down and made his son the new CEO. When he took over, the rent for the stores in the mall started to rise. Also, they owned the land surrounding the mall and the businesses on their land started to complain about the rent increase. Just for Feet was the first store surrounding the mall to close and move due to the rent increase. Eventually Circuit City, which was like Best Buy left too. Over the years stores little by little would start to close. The average income in Knoxville is not that much and the population of Knoxville was alot less when the rent increases started I believe in the mid or late 90s. East towne started having financial issues and falling behind in taxes due to stores leaving. Yeah online shopping hurt a little but not that much. East Towne was known for having the best sales and affordable prices for a mall. Also, there was a certain group of people with money who owned businesses out west that wanted more traffic to their stores. So, building up their side of town with shopping, restaurants, entertainment like an attraction would guarantee constant traffic. Now rumor is they were rooting for East Towne to fail so they could get as much traffic/buisness to their side of town they could get. Also, East Towne was located in an area where majority of the African American community lived. There was a prejudice against East Knoxville. The prejudice was that West Knoxville was the money side and East Knoxville was the poor/urban crime side. The property in East Knoxville was alot cheaper because of that.
Thank you. The only honest not racist comment here.
I have been anxious to see your take on this. I used to stop at this mall on the way to KY from NC in the early 2000s and it seemed to be doing fine then. I guess 2008 created a lot of havoc to a lot of places
I was in high school when this mall opened. I remember meeting up there with friends. I’m getting OLD.
Knoxville is a great town I myself am born and raised in Knoxville I am using my step dad’s account. I will admit west town mall took over the malls here we have recently added a dicks house of sport in west town mall. I am still living in Knoxville things were tough for east town mall. One thing I am very sad about is that the power T which you know is Tennessee’s mascot/logo was destroyed in this years demolition of the mall.at 8:25-8:27 I remember going to see movies at that theater i remember the last movie I saw right before I think it went bankrupt was wreck it Ralph
I love about an hour from Knoxville. I remember going to this mall often as a kid. As I got older we either went to West Town or Turkey Creek. I think the growth of the west side and Turkey Creed along with the more crime on the east side was the down fall of this mall.
This was my mall. From its opening until the late 1990s, I was there on the weekends, and sometimes I'd head there after work. It was great. I think it's interesting that East Towne Mall closed in 2020. The year we kind of lost to COVID.
That's a nice mall. Sad to see these once grand places going downhill.
Exactly, it makes no sense to me. Especially after seeing the Grand opening footage.
Agree.
So sad I grew up going to this mall with my parents 💔 so heartbreaking
I grew up in that mall and it was basically every parents babysitter! Wasn’t a weekend that went by the place wasn’t full of teens who was just dropped off for hours to run the place. It was one of the problems. I loved that place many many memories.
It wasn't the teens who had money to go to movies and buy food that was the problem. It was the teens who went there with no money in order to shoplift or cause trouble.
Thanks for the videos,I love them.I was part of the original construction of Irondiquoit mall in Rochester when I lived there and now have seen the closing of East town mall.keep up the good work.
The dagger in the heart was the “school” they placed inside around 2010. I graduated high school in 2015 and knew many delinquents that were sent there to finish. Brought in a bad crowd
Hahaha, nice. The alternate school kids fill in the blanks.
1st off, I wish you'd include more clips of how these malls used to be.
I lived in Maryville,TN from Dec.1985 to Dec.1989 & went to East Town Mall 2 or 3 nights a week, but back then it was "out in the boonies". I worked @ Foothills Mall but my friends & I spent most of our "mallrat" time @ West Town in Knoxville. I haven't been back since Aug.2001 but like the rest of East TN, West Town really got built up. Last time I was there, West Town was 3 times it's original size. I miss living in TN.
Knoxville is still a good place though crime has risen some in last few years sadly.
@@Akihito007 I'd gladly move back to East TN. It took me moving back to Ohio (1 of the worst mistakes of my so-called life) to realize how much I loved it down there.
Have a Blessed day & TYVM for your comment.
Used to come here all the time as a kid after doctor/dentist appointments. We'd always stay for a good hour, because it was a decent drive home afterwards.
Hate to see it go. But I'm thankful for the memories.
not mid-west ... the South East! I went to UT in the late 80's - early 90's. Been there many times. Sad to hear it is closed
Here’s a list of a few killers for this mall
Increased crime rate in that area
2008 Recession
Low income housing built next to the mall
Turkey Creek (a large area of land that has just a ton of shops)
West Town Mall (14 miles away from East Town Mall and the idea of expanding and upgrading that mall, which later happened)
The mall changing hands
Anchor stores pulling out
And for anyone curious the mall is currently being Demolished and replaced by an Amazon center
25,000 at the grand opening and it went out with barely a whimper. Loved the old Hot Topic storefront. Also you know a mall is done for if even the Bath & Bodyworks is closed.
It was the last to go. lol About a week before close.
R.I.P KNOXVILLE CENTER MALL IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 1984-2020
R.I.P KNOXVILLE CENTER MALL IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 1984-2020
You again
Seriously? You're even outside of the NASCAR videos
James Braun He’s on game shows too
Man, i wished i knew u were in town a few days ago cause you coulda interviewed me regarding this mall. I was there during its grand opening day in 1984 as a kid. They had the 2nd floor closed off at 1st while mall personnel tossed candy and balloons to the kids on the ground floor. I still remember my cousin getting a Michael Jackson jacket that day when they were 80 dollars. I thought that was a LOT of money as a kid. You want the downfall to this mall? I can emphasize on my theories, but this mall was located in the East Knoxville district, which has been held as the less productive or "weathly" end of town in comparison to West Town. Crime rates arent bad where the mall is located, however, insurance premiums are higher resulting in many businesses not wanting to stay in the area. In addition, West Town Mall has stores that East Town either DID or no longer carried in recent years such as, Hollister, Ambercrombie, Eddie Bauer, and other venues that people chose to waste money at. Me personally, i see these folks as brainwashed by society in what they choose to wear as theyre concerned for overall opinions, but, thats just one mans opinion. Nevertheless, people near in nearby Corryton, Holston Hills, Strawberry Plains, and other nearby areas wanted to waste their money at West Town Mall, so the local economy of East Town began to struggle while the economy of West Knoxville (the already RICH end of this city) continued to thrive and keep traffic congestion a pain. In other words, i blame the locals who live near this mall. People say malls are dying, but it doesnt look like it to me if you compare that statement to West Town. Folks just didnt wanna shop at Belks, J.C. Pennys, or other smaller stores throughout East Town. It was never good enough for them, so...they tossed their money to the already rich and wealthy of West Knoxville. In closing, i knew 3 different business owners in East Town, and they all had told me the same thing about the owners (that spin-off from Simon) increasing their leases or simply not offering a release agreement. That very company had stated on the local news about 6 or 7 years ago that new ideas and development was set for the future of the mall in the next 5 yrs, and NOTHING happened, so not only can you blame the consumers but the property owners as well, and maybe thats why they sold it off again in 2016. In my opinion, a V.A. hospital would be nice seeing how people in this end of town dont like shopping in East Knoxville.
Well done Mopar 68, that fills in the blanks. Thats a nice looking mall to be empty, kinda sad.
@@shaunpierce6328 sure is, man. I live near it, but i refuse to give the wealthier end of town my money like most people have. We still have a wal mart, target, and old navy near by, but I'll do other shopping on-line. Thanks for your visit and video. Hopefully this mall will see a good future with a restructuring of good venues, businesses, or necessities.
We need a VA hospital here. Johnson City is too far away. I always worry about when I have a stroke or heart attack that the ambulance will take me to the local hospital and I get stuck with a huge bill that the VA refuse to pay. At least that’s what happened to me in 2013. I still refuse to pay it. It’s not my fault they couldn’t be bothered to build a VA hospital in Knoxville. Fuck that.
To those reading this comment and are considering exploring this property, please read ths. Even though this mall is now closed and has been boarded up, please do not mistake it as being abandoned. One of the anchor stores at this mall, who I make truck deliveries for, is still using this mall for other purposes besides retail. Because of that, this mall still has a strong security presence that's actually watching the property. Not only that, but i noticed that city police also very frequently circle the property, atleast several times an hour. So PLEASE consider my warning if you plan on getting into this now closed up mall.
Great video Anthony!
God this is so tragic to me... I used to love going to this mall as a kid.. It was just demolished a few weeks back.
Very good video. Thank you so much.
Knoxville is definitely in the Southeast (I laughed so hard at categorizing it as Midwest). But this is my mall! So many memories of walking the entire mall with my grandma. She carried a little pearl-handled folding knife in her purse that she would cut my pizza from the food court with. 🤣 I also met the entire cast of Clarissa Explains It All there around 1992. This was THE mall to go to until about the turn of the millennium.
In the 2000s they built a new shopping area, Turkey Creek, out further west from West Town. And to the east there's outlet shopping in Pigeon Forge. For awhile Knoxville had triplicates of anchors such as JC Penney and Belk (East, West, Turkey Creek), and I just don't think it could sustain all three. Changing demographics around East Town also played a role.
Yes, the shooting played a role in the downfall but that area isn't unsafe at all. There's a shopping area just down the street with Kohl's, Target, Old Navy, etc. that are always crowded.
Another big issue: mishandling by the property owners. If you Google news stories about it from the past decade you can see how the downfall escalated after it was bought out. I think they owe the City millions in taxes.
@@cettevieenrose also little maintenance and verry high rent was the main problem
Wait what ? Why was the Clarissa Explains it All cast there ?
I find it highly ironic that in the background they're playing "Laugh Laugh" by the Beau Brummels--which has the lyrics, "lonely, oh so lonely"--which is EXACTLY what this mall is!!!
You almost think they did this on purpose....
No, if you listen again, you’ll hear it’s ambient to the mall itself, over their loudspeaker system.
James Reitsch I’m not going to argue with a right fighter.
James Reitsch Quit offending me by calling me dude.
Goodbye troll.
James Reitsch Goodbye troll.
James Reitsch Goodbye troll.
The downfall of East Towne is a multi pronged situation. Naturally, development shifted West in Knox County. There were also a number of high profile crimes that were committed on mall property, notably a murder within the mall in October of 2008, giving the perception that the mall was unsafe. Lastly, the downfall of brick and mortar retail that is plaguing most shopping spaces these days. While West Town Mall may be currently thriving, you can already begin to see the closing of some of its long time tenants, which is usually step 1 of a mall falling into a depression.
I was at West town a few weeks ago and i noticed and thought the same thing.
I like to think West Town is doing well, as busy as it usually is, but I noticed this too. I was saddened by East Town closing. But West is incredibly sentimental to me and I’ll be heartbroken when it finally shuts its doors.
The East Town mall was built to just after the 1982 Knoxville Worlds Fair, this is a very rural area and was expected to boom but it did not due to continued growth in West Knoxville, this mall is near a prison and is a low income area, most people from Knoxville don’t go to this area due to crime and it really is no reflection of the main Knoxville area. Regal Cinemas closed in 2013 and became Golds Gym with closed last year. Also the population of downtown area Knoxville is 187,347 but the area as a whole including the Suburban areas etc is well over 853,000 and currently experiencing a housing boom with people from all over the country moving here every day due to our high quality of life, low cost of living and current 3% unemployment. Cheers
Please stop telling people that, they'll move here.
Except the World's Fair was in 1982, not 1984....it's called Google man!
The mall reminds me of Hickory Hollow mall. That was my mall. I miss it.
Omg I used to go here all the time when I was very young, this is very sad
I grew up in East Tennessee and had cousins who lived in Knoxville. I grew up in a rural area so I loved getting to go here when we would visit. Sad to see so many of these now closed. I live in Indiana and believe it is only a matter of time now before the one here is closed down. Never a good sign when you can't replace an anchor store. Here they threw in the towel and quit trying, turning the old Macy's store into booth space rentals for people to sell things. We have plenty of Dollar Generals though!
Yes, crime played a part in the demise of this mall, but the #1 reason was the demise of national chains Penney's and Sears. Those were the last two of the four large anchor stores, and no mall can survive without them.
Way to go Anthony. You out did yourself again.
Didn't know that this part of Knoxville had become so rough. I went here way more often than West Town (think I went there only once), but haven't been for about 10-12 years. Traffic was awful over at West Town 20 years ago, and only seems worse from what I hear from people who live in or around Knoxville. This mall was more conveniently located for those coming down I-75 from Kentucky and down I-81/I-40 from the northeast.
The tent ceilings and the poles supporting them are very reminiscent of the Crystal River Mall in Crystal River, FL another soon to be very dead mall.
DanZero77 I believe a mall in Omaha ( the cross roads mall) has an interior tent kinda like this mall shown has.