I remember the old food court. It was upstairs, and I remember the ceiling had so many skylights. It was very bright. The movie theatre used to be outside, in a completely separate building.
The old food court was in that Atrium but they closed it off when the expansion was done to elongate the mall as they(Westfield) was looking into another anchor store right around the merger of Sears and Kmart. The Family Lounge area is infront of the old Sears space. With the gym taking over a huge part of that wing and Dave n Busters taking over the other side, there's really not alot of draw to bring people to some wings of that mall. Even with Old Navy stores and such consolidating their footprints, it's just not the big draw that it use to be so much so that Westfield dropped Meriden and Danbury Fair Mall is still independently owned.
Born in '87 and spent a whole lot of time here in the 90's-early 2000's when is was still JAMMING with awesome mall energy. 0:41 that ulta used to be a bookstore 1:04 last time I was there, that entrance (inside the mall) to the Target was closed off. 1:30 yep. This part of the mall and the floor above (food court) would be the busiest parts of the mall. Definitely dying. 2:06 the dysfunctional escalator behind and to your left was notoriously out of service. 2:53 Generation X HAS to be one of the oldest stores in this mall. Everyone I know who had piercings got them from there. 4:45 All those vending machines are in what used to be a sunglass hut. 5:05 best area of the mall. Not so much anymore, but they used to dress this up for christmas. Giant christmas trees, village, the biggest inflatable snowman you ever saw hanging from the rafters. 5:19 used to be a fountain where that piano is. My friend took a shit in it when we were teenagers. It wasnt there much long after 5:34 thats Undertale 6:12 Used to be a cinnabun/pretzel time where that pretzel place is to your left, and then across from it was FYE. This was a happening spot 7:29 this was a Pacsun if I remember correctly 7:45 this spencers moved at least once if not more. this spot looks nicer than the old. 8:26 to your right there was a really cool pet store 9:04 Your standing in an early addition to the mall. Probably late 90's. This used to be a Caldor I think. They opened it up and to your right would've been the sears. I could be wrong. 9:15 this corner was a tobacco shop where I purchased my first legal pack of cigarettes. I haven't smoked in 7 years. 10:30 right here at that dave and busters sign was the smallest but coolest KB toys. Obviously my favorite spot as a kid. 11:42 that gamestop was an eb games. spent a lot of time in there. Bought my first video game with my own money in there. 12:19 to your left and up a level you see an overhang. that used to be the "Sky Cafe". Thats where the foodcourt was before the addition and it was awesome. 12:23 this hot topic was located behind you, further back from the aforementioned KB toys. 12:39 there were always too many department stores in this mall IMO. sears, filenes/macy's, JCP/boscovs 12:52 used to be an Orange Julius next to this Wetzel 13:57 my friends mom worked at that Banter/piercing pagoda. She pierced my ears when I was a Sophomore in HS 14:13 used to be a knickerbockers through those doors to your right 15:18 your walking into another addition from my lifetime. Before this area and foodcourt, there was the aforementioned sky cafe. 16:07 I used to work at that BWW 16:33 that movie theater was previously located in a seperate building on the same lot. Last movie I saw there was Fast and Furious I think 18:37 used to be a Red Robin right there next to the BWW Thanks for touring. Brought a lot of memories back. Additionally, there was a gigantic toy r us just down the road from this mall, so taking trips around here as a kid was always a lot of fun for me. If this mall closed tomorrow I probably wouldn't care, but I do have some fond memories from here.
No the Caldor's was opposite of what became sears. If you walk towards target on the top floor from the atrium essentially where the floor changes and you have a couple sets of stars that's where the Caldor's was located. There where side entrances to the mall that where near Caldor's which where open air corridors. The one in the back always smelled like weed and cigarettes while th from corridor didn't, but both where a bit scary cold and dark.
I'm glad you like the videos. If UA-cam were my full-time job, I would do even more research on these malls. Thanks for watching! I have a bunch more mall videos filmed and ready to upload.
This mall means a lot to me; I come here often. Myself, my parents, two of my aunts, and my great grandmother all worked here - it’s even where my parents met. I grew up coming to the Post (as the locals call it) frequently, and I still spend many afternoons and evenings walking the mall when the New England weather doesn’t permit. There’s a lot I can say about the Post; I’ll put a few bullets below: - Boscovs actually moved in in 2018. - There’s been a significant update in future projects for the mall: it will in foreseeable years be getting torn down and turned into one of those housing and shopping districts that keep popping up in CT (and potentially elsewhere around the country). I heard that the proposal got passed recently. - I worked at that Target store. It’s a nightmare. They’re highly understaffed and the store itself is very rundown. Go to the Orange location. And if you ever have gone in there and wondered where the purring and yelling was coming from, that’s me and my Tourette’s when I worked there. - Rue 21, the cafe near AT&T, Custom T Shirts, the nail salon next to it, Icing, and Ulta all have closed since you filmed this (as of 2024); a few stores have moved too. A Box Lunch opened in the old cafe, As Seen on TV moved and the old location turned into a Michael’s Jewelers, Pink and Victoria’s Secret are moving into the old Urban Planet, and Lens Crafters is moving into the old Justice. Oh and Urban Planet moved into the old Ulta. I’ve watched several of your CT mall videos and I can confidently say that the Post is one of the liveliest of CT malls. I have a phobia of empty spaces, especially of empty stores. I watch your videos to help challenge that fear. I went to the Trumbull Mall recently and I was extremely uncomfortable being there alone seeing as there were a copious amount of empty storefronts since this was filmed and literally since three months ago. The Post is where it’s at I suppose! Thank you for filming this - I’ve actually learned a bit!
I was going to comment that I remember the Child World that was here. It was "ok", but couldn't stand next to the Toys R Us around the corner (which was across from Jai Alai and OTB - great for kids 😆). I totally forgot about the Stop N Shop - man, that thing was old and small even back then.
A lot of changes with that mall. I remember when it was one level. Stop & Shop was essentially located at the old Sears location but it wasn't connected to the mall. I also remember the toy store, I believe it was Child World which became Nobody Beats the Wiz, then Steve & Barry's and now Dave and Buster's. Anyone remember the old water fountain? Also, they added a small food court on a mini 2nd level located by the old JCPenney. So many great memories there in the past. Haven't been there much in my older years.
I had totally forgotten about Child World until you just mentioned it! I remember that it was probably the closest competitor to Toys 'R Us back in the 80's. Also, I remember when a lot of malls had water fountains. Now very few do. I wonder why they went out of style. Thanks for watching!
I remember going to the mall w my grandmother and we always knew when we were done when we'd head into stop and shop 🤣 and we always started out trip at caldor.
I recall all that stuff. Worked, under a year total, at Alexanders, Whelan Drugs (70), and Stop & Shop (70s). It was best as a straight 2 floor rectangle, without Macy's jutting out. I do recall teh water fountain, and when it was an outdoor mall initially.
Wow! In 92, Child World closed. But I have faint memories of it. My dad would bring us there when I was between 5-7 years old. And I definitely remember Nobody Beats The Wiz! Loved that place. When Nobody Beats The Wiz was there.. Next door to it, was a KB Toys. So they took out Child World but then brought in KB Toys. I don't remember Stop & Shop much. But that's interesting! Because now it's directly across the street. There was a food court on the 3rd level! Now I don't even think that 3rd level exists. Thanks for the detail on Child World/Nobody Beats The Wiz. That brought back so many memories! I thought I was crazy when I remembered it like that.
What a ride this video was! I wish i were with you to answer your questions. This place was my stomping Grounds growing up! The food court used to be somewhere in the center of the mall, they did away with that around 2006 and major renovations began. They added black bear restaurant (which idk if it's still there) The natural lighting was always my favorite as well. God this is so much fun. I'm watching as i comment. 5:14 This was always my favorite part of the mall. There used to be an elevator there on the right to get to the second level. I don't remember those stairs ever being there. Must be new. I do remember nobody beats the whiz! And Kb Toys, The place was magical as a little dude. There used to be a pet store near the kiddy rides(driving simulator) as you called them. Good to see wetzels pretzels still kickin! I see Hollister Updated their store lol That surfer dude wooden entrance was lack 😆 Great wraps is gone🥺🥺🥺 You would be correct about the addition of theparking garage being added in 2006. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a Dead Mall. This Mall is JAM PACKED during holidays. It's a hangout spot for some. Christmas time is the most memorable time to explore this Mall honestly. I can just smell the cinnabuns! I Went through so many emotions in this mall. My childhood, my teen years. Breakups... Walks thru this mall. I'm glad this video was made. I moved out of state 2 years ago from CT and i miss it dearly😔😔😔 All my friends are dropping like flies and it's just depressing. I Hope i can visit this place once more.
Was there last night, a Saturday night. Place was dead. I went online to see videos of the brawl they had in the food court and found this video. Been going since 1970’s to this mall. The Fun Factory arcade was always a hit. Merle’s record rack was a must stop. Good video
My entire childhood took place around events at this mall. I remember when it was open air and we would freeze doing our Christmas shopping! Alexander's was the main anchor and was a great store for special, school clothes, etc. Merle's Record Rack is where you would get all your cool iron-ons! But once it was closed in, Wild Bill's was the best for your new capezios or jeans for school. OH! The excitement of opening a box at Christmas and seeing the Wild Bill's logo! And, yes, there was an Orange Julius way back when, Tom!
I’m 35 and have so many memories of going to this mall until I moved to Florida in 2011. Used to be a KB Toys on the second floor that my family would go Christmas shopping at every year when I was a kid in the late 90s, early 2000s. Had my very first date at the movie theatre when the new food court area was opened. One of my first jobs was at the Hollister and my girlfriend worked at the Dairy Queen/Orange Julius which is now the Wetzels Pretzels on the second level. Definitely going to have to take a visit when I go up north soon.
I had a first date at that move theater too. Night before Thanksgiving and a surprise snowstorm hit. Came out of the theater to a winter wonderland. My IROC Z almost made it home. I carried the girl on my back in the snow up our hill because she had heels on lol. Spent Thanksgiving morning digging my car out because the snowplow buried it.
I am old enough to remember the Connecticut Post Shopping Center with no roof. Of course, the big Alexander's stood alone in the middle. Small local stores I remember vividly are Silver's luggage store and Merle's Record Rack. I'm happy to say that although Merle's has moved more than once and had an unsuccessful satellite store in Derby, it is one of Connecticut's sole remaining record store. It's a few miles north of the mall in Orange. There was a Lum's restaurant down at the Sears end.
loved this mall as a kid. The original food court before the new one was built was on the 3rd floor, in that sort of balcony section. You can see it above boscovs at 13:05. It is walled off now.
wasn't the original Food court on 1st floor? On the left coming from Caldor's before you got to center of mall. It had Famous Amous cookies. Small pizza joint on the right. ect...
I grew up near this mall in the 1970s and 1980s. It was built as the Connecticut Post Shopping Center in the early 1960s. It lost a lot of stores by around 1980 when it was closed in. I remember going into Caldors when it was first open in the mid 1970s. I remember them closing in the mall in the early 1980s. It was a busy place in the 1990s. I would consider it a mall that is on the way out but it does have the population and wealth in the area to survive. The whole Route 1 corridor through West Haven, Orange, and Milford, CT has become over saturated with stores which has adds a lot of competition to this mall. Many stores in the area open and close including large chains.
This mall is always pretty busy. The way u entered is always packed cuz the target n the escalator across from target brings ppl to the food court as u walked down that far end is pretty calm but mostly a pretty busy place
All of the anchors except Sears are occupied, so that's a good sign. As I understand it, elevator repairs always take precedence over escalator repairs because the Americans for Disabilities Act requires elevators in public buildings but has no bearing on escalators.
Oh, I didn't know that about the elevators/escaltors. Too bad a broken escalator has a much larger impact on a mall than a broken elevator. Thanks for watching!
You are in the newest addition with the new food court, third in my lifetime. That has the newest and most in demand stores and in all honesty it probably would have made sense to renovate spaces for those stores within the original mall because the other three Anchors have all had trouble staying in so once you cross into the part of the mall from the 1980s, renovated in the early nineties, there is a lot of dead space. I have many happy memories of NRM Records, Merle's Record Rack, FYE, Waldenbooks, and B. Dalton at the mall, as well as the nineties third floor food court you can still see remnants of near Boscovs
Originally an open air mall, it was enclosed in the early ‘80s. Then a lower floor was added in the 1990s. There was another large expansion in the 2000s, with the movie theater added, replacing the separate movie theater in the front of the property. They also added a new food court, Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Sears was the anchor on the opposite side of the mall, and when that closed a few years ago all the stores leading down the way to Sears started to close up and become the dead zone of the mall.
Thanks for the info. I was shocked that it wasn't enclosed until the early 80's! I live up near the Massachusetts border, so I very rarely come down to this part of Connecticut. Thanks for watching!
I thoroughly enjoy watching your mall videos. I am not from that area but from Denver and there was a whole batch of malls here that closed that I grew attached to and most of them are demolished now, they were part of the first wave of dying malls.
This mall is dying quickly and the city refuses to work with the mall owners to compromise/collaborate on redevelopment plans. Its a pretty sad situation. The owners sued the city recently after they rejected their second consecutive redevelopment proposal in as many years
Interesting. Out of all the malls I have been to so far, this one seemed like one of those thriving the most. However, I guess all indoor malls are dying, some just more quickly than others.
@@fleabittenadventures its not as bad compared to some other malls for sure but the number of vacancies, particularly on the lower level is pretty eye opening. I think last I counted only 3 of the 9 food court spaces are occupied. And one anchor is vacant as well
Because Connecticut is full of old people who don't like change. They didn't even the Stew Leonard's in Orange. Everything that they try to do to revitalize our state gets shut down. All people do is complain about the traffic coming through their neighborhoods.
agreed. I fear it will be an Amazon full DC not many years from now, if the city fails to wise up. Its vacancy rate will bankrupt it w/o rental revenue.
When I was a kid there was a Child World toy store in the mall. As I went back in the 90’s there still was Caldors and Stop and Shop at the ends of the mall before the renovation in the mid 2000’s. In the middle of the mall by Macys there was an Orange Juilius/ Dairy Queen.
I used to work there. In JC Penney. Back in the 90's. I can't remember most of the stores. Filenes, Caldor, Payless. Tom McCan (sp?) And Kinney shoes. bath and body works and Victoria's secret. The rest is fuzzy
Great mall back in the day, then it got huge and overexpanded. Was so much easier to navigate compared to Trumbull because back then it was just a two-story rectangle. I remember driving like idiots through the underground delivery zones as teenagers. Earlier as a younger kid, my dad would take me to Happy House (or was it Holiday House?) so I could pick out crystal animal sculptures for mom for birthdays, Christmas, etc. Great memories.
I have alot of good memories of the mall. I remember Stop and shop and caldors being there.What I didnt like about the mall was the parking lot traffic.I remember around every Christmas time how bad the traffic was around there. I see FYE on the ground floor has bitten the dust. Thanks for doing this Tom
I was just there in March 2024. I remember going into the Stop and Shop when I was little with my mom. I remember seeing many movies at the theater as well as going to Child World during Christmas time and drooling over the toys. This is one of three malls from my childhood that have so many memories. There was at one point a small store near Alexander's called Feets of Clay and they had so many cool things in there. Also, I remember the Alexander's sidewalk sales just before school started and almost getting trampled by the crowds trying to get in as the doors opened, I was only six at that time. Last time I was there, it was dying. Give it another year or less and it will be dead. I thought that the Danbury Fair Mall was larger than this one. I also remember when the mall was renovated and all those small wonderful stores couldn't afford the new rent and closed up. I often thought that that was when malls started to lose some of their local uniqueness and started to become more formulaic.
Brass Mall Waterbury, Trumbull, Milford, Stamford, and Manchester were some of the busiest places in the 80', 90s, and 2000's. West Farms and Danbury are the only malls that are still jumping
I was there today and it was absolutely packed . It usually busy on the weekends anytime I’ve been there on weekend days know matter what time of year it busy but today reminded me of old school days I use to live close to it go to Trumbull mall
If memory serves me right, filenes was where macys is, jc penney where boscovs is. The food court on the third floor was awesome as was the fountain in the atrium on the first level. A lot of the stores seemed to be there but have moved.
I remember the old mall. Alexanders was the anchor store. They had Merle's Record Rack where we would buy LPs, posters and concert tickets. There was a Radio Shack. The first floor used to be a delivery tunnel. We would speed through it at night and the lights would flash by like the ships taking off in Battle Star Galactica LOL.
I used to go to the Mall when it was still open air. Merle's Record Rack...then to the Diner for a hambuger deluxe. That's about all I really needed then.
Hey I live here its going horrible btw. Shops are slowly disappearing and there are many conflicts and large scale fights between the younger generation. I remember being here when nobody beats the wiz and stop and shop where both there. I miss caldor LOL yes im that old and yes target is where caldor was. The escalators are always broken btw. I miss the food court Skyview Cafe they named it. It had a few arcade too Timeout I think was the good one! Nice video.
The part where you ask what song the kid playing, that was Megalvania, from a video game lol Also the mall is really populated at night, well for Dave N' Busters and other fun activities there ig
There’s a video on UA-cam of a brief scene from a 1974 movie “Man on a Swing” in which the Connecticut Post Mall is in the background. The ‘landscape’ of the mall buildings as the car pulls into the parking lot is totally how I remember the mall, along with the big “Stop and Shop” sign against the yellow background. You can also see the movie theater off in the distance at one point (though it doesn’t have any easy identifiers). Nice to see some preserved moving footage, however brief.
That’s the last mall I frequently visited before moving to Florida in 2013. I spent a lot of money on fishing gear at that Dick’s Sporting Goods. I also recall the mall much busier than that. The mall I grew up with is Trumbull Shopping Park/Westfield Mall. During the mid eighties as a teenager I worked at G Fox one holiday season.
When you filmed this mall, it didn't look totally dead yet, but being a few months ago, that could have changed. I enjoy your content and in-depth look at these malls. Thanks, keep filming and I will keep watching
Update: last time I was there was a few months ago and as far as I remember, it still looks basically identical. Might not be THRIVING but I wouldn’t call it dead. They still have most storesfronts filled, and the theater and Dave & Busters are big draws.
Used to work at this mall about a decade ago. At about 8:30 where that police/security check points is, it used to be a pet store. They ended up going under shortly after I started there, lots of crooked stuff going on behind the scenes with management, employees not getting paid, etc., I ended up walking after not getting paid for two weeks despite the desperate regional manager begging everyone to stick around. Last I heard, the company went under, someone unalived, and some of the former employees tried starting a new pet store there that obviously didn't last. Despite how shitty the job ended up turning out, actually working there wasn't the worst. There was plenty of downtime, the food court was still pretty packed and had a gourmet grilled cheese place that kicked ass, and FYE was still open so I'd spend my breaks going through the used horror and cult movies...their new stuff was overpriced as hell, but you could always score some awesome used deals there. Before then, I remembered back when the middle of the mall had the food court and the huge fountain, the arcade on the left hand entrance between Sears and J.C. Penny, getting so many Gundam figures and PS1 games from K.B. Toys and Electronics Boutique as a kid...constantly hoping against hope that ultimately this mall will be one of the survivors.
My parents grew up during the early outdoor stages of the CT. post. They raved about the Alexanders being the anchor store and that outside they sold hot pretzels baked on the premises. Should of remained that way. This place is a “Dead Mall” and positive that in the near future will close for good. Nothing remains excluding the low end junk stores, too bad.
I went there back in the early 70's. It is totally different from when I was a kid. Stop&Shop was on the side where Sears was. Merle's Record Rack was there years ago when it was an outside mall. There was a popcorn stand in the middle of the mall. There was a drugstore there that use to have a lunch counter. My sister use to work at Alexander's back in the 70's At the movie theater I saw the movie Jaws. The malls ruined the main streets and then came Walmart and the internet.
5:23 Right as you are passing by the piano you'd be standing right where the Polar Express Locomotive would be set up a month later, for the Christmas season.
I used to practically live here as a preteen/teen in the late 90s and early 2000s. It was so much different and it was actually a fun place to go. Food court like others said upstairs on a balcony looking down, little TVs usually playing music or something entertaining were hung throughout; it was smaller but contained a lot more fun stores that are now defunct. This is a weird, hollow, barely memorable shell of what was once a busy, popular, lively spot to shop and hang out. Really sad.
You may want to check out westfarms mall in West Hartford Connecticut. It may be surprising to see an upscale mall that is still very successful. Its a novelty to see a living breathing mall, almost a museum piece.
BosCov took over the old JCP/Alexanders, the old food court, and the small stores on either side of it. That's why it's much wider than the original footprint.
From 1980 to 1983, I 'went away' to a residential school for troubled children, in nearby New Haven. It was either I went away, or, I'd be a ward of the state, taken away from my parents, who, while I miss them and loved them, were kind of 'big kids' in the 1970s! Anyway, In 1981, we went on an evening trip to what I remember as the "Milford Post" shopping center, although that might be my memory trickng me, or a misnomer on the part of the school staff who drove us there. I do recall seeing the stars above both rows of stores to either side, so maybe the Post was roofed in stages.
Seems like this place is well situated for a mall. No malls in the New Haven/Bridgeport area or until you get up to Meriden. If you go further toward Lyme you get the outdoor outlet malls which seem far more popular. I go there occasionally for stores like H&M or Target. The movie theater on the very top is an odd design choice.
I recall the mall was sold maybe 10 or 15 years ago to a (possibly Teacher's) pension fund. At the time, it was described as one of the most successful malls (on a sales per square foot basis) in the country. Don't suppose that investment's worked out so well. I'm in the neighborhood - only use the mall for the movies.
I've been there a dozen times. I still go there every so often to see movies. Take the bus there. I'm really sad FYE Closed, that was my favorite store in that Mall.
That escalator has been broken the past three times I've been there, and I don't go often. Among family and friends I think the only draw for us is either the theater or Dave and Buster's. Sometimes I'll do a walkthrough and look around if I'm really bored.
Connecticut Post Mall is historic, the oldest mall in the state of Connecticut i believe. Its got a lot of charm. Owners should work hard on keeping it going. Right off of I 95....
I’m curious, you walked right by LA Fitness across from Dave and Busters and didn’t mention the gym at all. It’s the gym that makes me go here weekly :)
I used to go to this mall way back in the 80's. Child World was my favorite store. That's where I finally found Optimus Prime. Child World was on one end & Herman's Sporting Goods was right across the hall from it. Caldor was on the opposite end. There was an arcade on the outside. And a separate movie theater. Now this mall is unrecognizable.
1:03 That corner store to the left used to be a shitty Chinese Buffet that my friends and I once dine-and-dashed from when we were broke highschoolers. The place shut down probably a month or so later. I don't remember what year it was, but definetly 2018 or before. I have frequented the mall in years since, and I even work there now. To my knowledge it has been vacant since the closing of the Chinese buffet. It's a big empty nothing that actually feels weirder than the abandoned SEARS on the other side. The old SEARS location is too big for anyone to want to set up shop in an already near dead mall,. But that corner location near target (who usually have their mall doors closed now tbh), and two proper mall entrances feels extremely under-used. I kind of understand though, this mall doesn't need anymore restaurants, clothing, furniture, or jewelry stores.
I remember Macy's, JCPenny, Filene's, Sears, quite a few stores through the years. There used to be a divorced movie theater in the parking lot as well, and the original third floor (food court) was open until the mid-2000's. Macy's actually DID have a third floor before 2006 which went out to that food court. I live a town over from this mall and I used to go there all the time in the early 2000's until the bus lines from New Haven and Bridgeport started bringing more people from the cities in. I don't know how it is today, because I don't go there anymore, but for a while it was pretty bad because the Milford PD actually opened up a substation in the mall to deal with the gang violence between New Haven and Bridgeport gangs. I will say one thing though... there used to be a LOT more stores, and it used to be busier even before the bus lines. Though I guess I'm just impressed that anybody goes to brick and mortar stores anymore.
The Post Mall went through a period of semi-death in the late 90s until the mid 2000s when it was expanded into its current/final form and heavily remodeled. I remember it being extremely different before then. If I recall correctly, aside from the Sears that used to anchor it for much of that time and after the renovation/pre-sears shutdown, there was a Nobody Beats the Wiz until like 1999. I'm too young to remember that particular Caldor. I remember going in 2006/2007, the movie theater was kind of a big deal at the time. Adding a Target and a Dick's felt like it breathed a lot of life into the mall, although I guess Dicks is also now kinda going the way of Sports Authority. I remember there was a group of kids at my high school that made the new-at-the-time Buffalo Wild Wings a regular haunt (I was a diner/coffee kid myself). The Spencers Gifts has always been there but it moved from a much dumpier spot. I remember the glass elevators looking different back in the day but I'm probably misremembering somewhat, although the glass appears partially frosted now, which it wasn't before.
Hey just discovered your channel today! Just watched your holy land video & watching this video now. Very nice content in what I’m watching so far 👍. What kinda camera are you recording on if you don’t mind me asking? Very nice quality.
I'm glad you like the videos! I use a GoPro Hero 8 for the flea markets and mall videos because it doesn't draw too much attention. The rest of the time I'm using either my Samsung S20+ cell phone or my new Samsung S22 Ultra cell phone on a gimble. Thanks for watching!
Really showing my age when I say this...I used to ride to this mall with my aunts back when people took "Sunday drives" and gas prices were low in the late 1960's. We came down to Milford from Middletown and I recall the Alexanders store and an open air mall and being impressed by the courtyards/landscaping. Maybe this was my inspiration to become a city planner. Fast forward to now and my hope is that my favorite store Dick's Sporting Goods remain. As a former mall cop (at another mall) I was curious to hear how the 2022 order that persons under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult parent/guardian after 4 PM during the holiday season. This was because historically malls get most rouwdy on holidays and especially on the day after Christmas. Always thought that parent/guardian rule should have been implemented at my mall, speaking from experience having been in the midst of mini-riots. As always, any plan is only as good as the implementation (i.e., notifications, manpower, follow up) so I wondered what others have experienced. Why not replace mall riot days with mall family days (mandated parent/guardian presence) with engaging, educational (not boring) experiential activities. Again, thoughts/feedback is appreicated
I remember the day they built this place. Last time I was in there was ~2016. I took out a camera to take a pic for my ESL partner, and a Puerto Rican girl driving one if those tank-like floor sweepers nearly ran me down. She thought she was a cop confronting a perp. She had no shame. Later, the manager of the mall didn't bat an eye when I told him this. I think he was putting her away. That was the last time I went there. The Connecticut I grew up in is long, long gone.
This is a blast from the past. There's a movie that was filmed at the mall back when the stop and shop waa a flanker. The movie is called man on a swing. It's literally the first scene in the movie a cop car making its way to the stop and shop parking lot the front facing side wich wasn't front facing for the stop and shop wich was facing the mall though.. after that stop and shop closed down and relocated across the street it was turned into a discount store called amazing store
I only have a lot vaguer memories than others of the early 2000s years but like everyone else, the old food court balcony was gorgeous. I remember walking on the glass flooring as a kid to look below. I saw someone mention sears and I agree that really helped kill that end of the mall. At some point I think the outer building had even been a secondary sears location so that emptying out really killed a lot. For me the far end had all the teen focused stuff at one point, the GameStop used to be on both floors, hot topic was further down than I think it is now and there was an fye that closed rather recently that I always loved going to with my friends. The target is pretty popular imo so I think that's why a lot of business tries to congregate around there and don't go much farther than beyond the middle. It is really sad to see the state it's in because there was always effort you could see being put in to try and keep it innovative as malls were becoming obsolete. When the new section was first built there was a screen projector that was aimed directly downwards and played things like pond fish you could interact with and it was out in the open to use for free. They had a toy train that would loop around the mall at one point, I was a part of a few community performances there, and even now they're trying to attract attention with some perks service with a private lounge. The owners feel like they've always really tried which makes it suck they aren't working well with the city.
Maybe less relevant but I remember seeing some stores that I've felt had been more unusual finds over the years, Borders, the Disney Store, even an Uniqlo at one point but it closed before I could get myself to it. I could probably remember others if I thought on it a little harder.
When I went last year, you couldn't enter the Dick's Sporting Goods located above Target from the interior of the mall - you had to drive around and go in from the outside. That seemed a little strange.
I’d like to see an update of what you think. When I was there recently seemed to be doing okay/on par with this video. So I’d say boy thriving, but not dead.
It's always good to hear that new businesses are moving in! I think it will be quite a while before this mall closes. It's doing pretty good compared to a lot of other malls. Thanks for watching!
If I recall, as they commonly did, Alexanders owned both its store and the parking footprint behind the store. The mall bought it back, but negotiations were lengthy. They still exit as a REIT publicly traded stock (Alexander's) and Trump once owned a healthy %. Their properties were always valuable. I do not think they bought their original WTC store footprint, though.
I remember the old food court. It was upstairs, and I remember the ceiling had so many skylights. It was very bright. The movie theatre used to be outside, in a completely separate building.
I wish I had seen this back in the 80's and 90's!. I was still pretty impressed by the glass ceiling! That was cool! Thanks for watching!
I definitely miss that old food court.
I was remember this when it was Westfield shoppingtown
The old food court was in that Atrium but they closed it off when the expansion was done to elongate the mall as they(Westfield) was looking into another anchor store right around the merger of Sears and Kmart. The Family Lounge area is infront of the old Sears space. With the gym taking over a huge part of that wing and Dave n Busters taking over the other side, there's really not alot of draw to bring people to some wings of that mall. Even with Old Navy stores and such consolidating their footprints, it's just not the big draw that it use to be so much so that Westfield dropped Meriden and Danbury Fair Mall is still independently owned.
Miss those days lol
You make me cry i have alot of memories in this mall when i was in milford between 2014 - 2017 ❤️😢
The atrium center of the mall used to have a large fountain in front of the elevator which I always loved
Born in '87 and spent a whole lot of time here in the 90's-early 2000's when is was still JAMMING with awesome mall energy.
0:41 that ulta used to be a bookstore
1:04 last time I was there, that entrance (inside the mall) to the Target was closed off.
1:30 yep. This part of the mall and the floor above (food court) would be the busiest parts of the mall. Definitely dying.
2:06 the dysfunctional escalator behind and to your left was notoriously out of service.
2:53 Generation X HAS to be one of the oldest stores in this mall. Everyone I know who had piercings got them from there.
4:45 All those vending machines are in what used to be a sunglass hut.
5:05 best area of the mall. Not so much anymore, but they used to dress this up for christmas. Giant christmas trees, village, the biggest inflatable snowman you ever saw hanging from the rafters.
5:19 used to be a fountain where that piano is. My friend took a shit in it when we were teenagers. It wasnt there much long after
5:34 thats Undertale
6:12 Used to be a cinnabun/pretzel time where that pretzel place is to your left, and then across from it was FYE. This was a happening spot
7:29 this was a Pacsun if I remember correctly
7:45 this spencers moved at least once if not more. this spot looks nicer than the old.
8:26 to your right there was a really cool pet store
9:04 Your standing in an early addition to the mall. Probably late 90's. This used to be a Caldor I think. They opened it up and to your right would've been the sears. I could be wrong.
9:15 this corner was a tobacco shop where I purchased my first legal pack of cigarettes. I haven't smoked in 7 years.
10:30 right here at that dave and busters sign was the smallest but coolest KB toys. Obviously my favorite spot as a kid.
11:42 that gamestop was an eb games. spent a lot of time in there. Bought my first video game with my own money in there.
12:19 to your left and up a level you see an overhang. that used to be the "Sky Cafe". Thats where the foodcourt was before the addition and it was awesome.
12:23 this hot topic was located behind you, further back from the aforementioned KB toys.
12:39 there were always too many department stores in this mall IMO. sears, filenes/macy's, JCP/boscovs
12:52 used to be an Orange Julius next to this Wetzel
13:57 my friends mom worked at that Banter/piercing pagoda. She pierced my ears when I was a Sophomore in HS
14:13 used to be a knickerbockers through those doors to your right
15:18 your walking into another addition from my lifetime. Before this area and foodcourt, there was the aforementioned sky cafe.
16:07 I used to work at that BWW
16:33 that movie theater was previously located in a seperate building on the same lot. Last movie I saw there was Fast and Furious I think
18:37 used to be a Red Robin right there next to the BWW
Thanks for touring. Brought a lot of memories back. Additionally, there was a gigantic toy r us just down the road from this mall, so taking trips around here as a kid was always a lot of fun for me. If this mall closed tomorrow I probably wouldn't care, but I do have some fond memories from here.
So that's why they removed the fountain!
No the Caldor's was opposite of what became sears. If you walk towards target on the top floor from the atrium essentially where the floor changes and you have a couple sets of stars that's where the Caldor's was located. There where side entrances to the mall that where near Caldor's which where open air corridors. The one in the back always smelled like weed and cigarettes while th from corridor didn't, but both where a bit scary cold and dark.
that toys r us was cool inside the mall near the end by the old stop n shop was child word another toy store
Your friend dropping a deuce caught me off guard! I actually laughed out loud.
Thank you for the CT and MA mall videos! You are an excellent historian. Mall culture was so much of my 1980’s and even after. Keep them coming! ❤
I'm glad you like the videos. If UA-cam were my full-time job, I would do even more research on these malls. Thanks for watching! I have a bunch more mall videos filmed and ready to upload.
This mall means a lot to me; I come here often. Myself, my parents, two of my aunts, and my great grandmother all worked here - it’s even where my parents met. I grew up coming to the Post (as the locals call it) frequently, and I still spend many afternoons and evenings walking the mall when the New England weather doesn’t permit. There’s a lot I can say about the Post; I’ll put a few bullets below:
- Boscovs actually moved in in 2018.
- There’s been a significant update in future projects for the mall: it will in foreseeable years be getting torn down and turned into one of those housing and shopping districts that keep popping up in CT (and potentially elsewhere around the country). I heard that the proposal got passed recently.
- I worked at that Target store. It’s a nightmare. They’re highly understaffed and the store itself is very rundown. Go to the Orange location. And if you ever have gone in there and wondered where the purring and yelling was coming from, that’s me and my Tourette’s when I worked there.
- Rue 21, the cafe near AT&T, Custom T Shirts, the nail salon next to it, Icing, and Ulta all have closed since you filmed this (as of 2024); a few stores have moved too. A Box Lunch opened in the old cafe, As Seen on TV moved and the old location turned into a Michael’s Jewelers, Pink and Victoria’s Secret are moving into the old Urban Planet, and Lens Crafters is moving into the old Justice. Oh and Urban Planet moved into the old Ulta.
I’ve watched several of your CT mall videos and I can confidently say that the Post is one of the liveliest of CT malls. I have a phobia of empty spaces, especially of empty stores. I watch your videos to help challenge that fear. I went to the Trumbull Mall recently and I was extremely uncomfortable being there alone seeing as there were a copious amount of empty storefronts since this was filmed and literally since three months ago. The Post is where it’s at I suppose! Thank you for filming this - I’ve actually learned a bit!
It was nice to hear all of the children's laughter! Looks like the old mall still has a few good years left.
The oldest stores I remember from 70's-90's was a Toys R us on one end and a Friendly's upstairs on the other end. Also a Nobody beats the Wiz! 😂
I was going to comment that I remember the Child World that was here. It was "ok", but couldn't stand next to the Toys R Us around the corner (which was across from Jai Alai and OTB - great for kids 😆). I totally forgot about the Stop N Shop - man, that thing was old and small even back then.
@@dalegleneagles5072 Any chance you remember Graf Wadman's record store? That's going back a bit too. Or Electronics Boutique?
A lot of changes with that mall. I remember when it was one level. Stop & Shop was essentially located at the old Sears location but it wasn't connected to the mall.
I also remember the toy store, I believe it was Child World which became Nobody Beats the Wiz, then Steve & Barry's and now Dave and Buster's.
Anyone remember the old water fountain? Also, they added a small food court on a mini 2nd level located by the old JCPenney.
So many great memories there in the past. Haven't been there much in my older years.
I had totally forgotten about Child World until you just mentioned it! I remember that it was probably the closest competitor to Toys 'R Us back in the 80's. Also, I remember when a lot of malls had water fountains. Now very few do. I wonder why they went out of style. Thanks for watching!
I remember going to the mall w my grandmother and we always knew when we were done when we'd head into stop and shop 🤣 and we always started out trip at caldor.
I recall all that stuff. Worked, under a year total, at Alexanders, Whelan Drugs (70), and Stop & Shop (70s). It was best as a straight 2 floor rectangle, without Macy's jutting out. I do recall teh water fountain, and when it was an outdoor mall initially.
Wow! In 92, Child World closed. But I have faint memories of it. My dad would bring us there when I was between 5-7 years old. And I definitely remember Nobody Beats The Wiz! Loved that place. When Nobody Beats The Wiz was there.. Next door to it, was a KB Toys. So they took out Child World but then brought in KB Toys. I don't remember Stop & Shop much. But that's interesting! Because now it's directly across the street.
There was a food court on the 3rd level! Now I don't even think that 3rd level exists.
Thanks for the detail on Child World/Nobody Beats The Wiz. That brought back so many memories! I thought I was crazy when I remembered it like that.
Child world witch then became the wiz which was essentially a huge electronics store with a massive CD section
What a ride this video was! I wish i were with you to answer your questions. This place was my stomping Grounds growing up!
The food court used to be somewhere in the center of the mall, they did away with that around 2006 and major renovations began. They added black bear restaurant (which idk if it's still there) The natural lighting was always my favorite as well. God this is so much fun. I'm watching as i comment.
5:14 This was always my favorite part of the mall. There used to be an elevator there on the right to get to the second level. I don't remember those stairs ever being there. Must be new.
I do remember nobody beats the whiz! And Kb Toys, The place was magical as a little dude.
There used to be a pet store near the kiddy rides(driving simulator) as you called them.
Good to see wetzels pretzels still kickin!
I see Hollister Updated their store lol That surfer dude wooden entrance was lack 😆
Great wraps is gone🥺🥺🥺
You would be correct about the addition of theparking garage being added in 2006.
I wouldn't necessarily say it's a Dead Mall. This Mall is JAM PACKED during holidays. It's a hangout spot for some. Christmas time is the most memorable time to explore this Mall honestly. I can just smell the cinnabuns!
I Went through so many emotions in this mall. My childhood, my teen years. Breakups... Walks thru this mall. I'm glad this video was made. I moved out of state 2 years ago from CT and i miss it dearly😔😔😔 All my friends are dropping like flies and it's just depressing. I Hope i can visit this place once more.
I had almost forgotten about Nobody Beats the Whiz until you just mentioned it. I miss the 1990's..... Thanks again for watching!
Yooo I forgot about the pet store do you remember when they had the music store on the bottom level with all the mirrors. That place was sick.
Was there last night, a Saturday night. Place was dead. I went online to see videos of the brawl they had in the food court and found this video. Been going since 1970’s to this mall. The Fun Factory arcade was always a hit. Merle’s record rack was a must stop. Good video
I'm glad you liked it and thanks for watching! I didn't hear about the brawl. When did that happen?
@@fleabittenadventures There have been several the last few years. They closed the mall many nights due to them.
The blacks always help destroy the mall along with current market trends.
@@hounddog946bro wtf
My entire childhood took place around events at this mall. I remember when it was open air and we would freeze doing our Christmas shopping! Alexander's was the main anchor and was a great store for special, school clothes, etc. Merle's Record Rack is where you would get all your cool iron-ons! But once it was closed in, Wild Bill's was the best for your new capezios or jeans for school. OH! The excitement of opening a box at Christmas and seeing the Wild Bill's logo! And, yes, there was an Orange Julius way back when, Tom!
I’m 35 and have so many memories of going to this mall until I moved to Florida in 2011. Used to be a KB Toys on the second floor that my family would go Christmas shopping at every year when I was a kid in the late 90s, early 2000s. Had my very first date at the movie theatre when the new food court area was opened. One of my first jobs was at the Hollister and my girlfriend worked at the Dairy Queen/Orange Julius which is now the Wetzels Pretzels on the second level. Definitely going to have to take a visit when I go up north soon.
I had a first date at that move theater too. Night before Thanksgiving and a surprise snowstorm hit. Came out of the theater to a winter wonderland. My IROC Z almost made it home. I carried the girl on my back in the snow up our hill because she had heels on lol. Spent Thanksgiving morning digging my car out because the snowplow buried it.
I am old enough to remember the Connecticut Post Shopping Center with no roof. Of course, the big Alexander's stood alone in the middle. Small local stores I remember vividly are Silver's luggage store and Merle's Record Rack. I'm happy to say that although Merle's has moved more than once and had an unsuccessful satellite store in Derby, it is one of Connecticut's sole remaining record store. It's a few miles north of the mall in Orange. There was a Lum's restaurant down at the Sears end.
My kids loved to go to Lums.
loved this mall as a kid. The original food court before the new one was built was on the 3rd floor, in that sort of balcony section. You can see it above boscovs at 13:05. It is walled off now.
wasn't the original Food court on 1st floor? On the left coming from Caldor's before you got to center of mall. It had Famous Amous cookies. Small pizza joint on the right. ect...
@@dave09650 very well could have been. I just have memories as a kid (late 90s early 00s) of the upper food court
Interesting. I wonder if you can still access the old food court area now. I didn't see any way to get up there. Thanks for watching!
I know you weren't asking me, but thanks for watching the video!
I wish we had all taken video of these malls back in the 80's and 90's! Oh well....
I grew up near this mall in the 1970s and 1980s. It was built as the Connecticut Post Shopping Center in the early 1960s. It lost a lot of stores by around 1980 when it was closed in. I remember going into Caldors when it was first open in the mid 1970s. I remember them closing in the mall in the early 1980s. It was a busy place in the 1990s. I would consider it a mall that is on the way out but it does have the population and wealth in the area to survive. The whole Route 1 corridor through West Haven, Orange, and Milford, CT has become over saturated with stores which has adds a lot of competition to this mall. Many stores in the area open and close including large chains.
This mall is always pretty busy. The way u entered is always packed cuz the target n the escalator across from target brings ppl to the food court as u walked down that far end is pretty calm but mostly a pretty busy place
All of the anchors except Sears are occupied, so that's a good sign. As I understand it, elevator repairs always take precedence over escalator repairs because the Americans for Disabilities Act requires elevators in public buildings but has no bearing on escalators.
Oh, I didn't know that about the elevators/escaltors. Too bad a broken escalator has a much larger impact on a mall than a broken elevator. Thanks for watching!
You are in the newest addition with the new food court, third in my lifetime. That has the newest and most in demand stores and in all honesty it probably would have made sense to renovate spaces for those stores within the original mall because the other three Anchors have all had trouble staying in so once you cross into the part of the mall from the 1980s, renovated in the early nineties, there is a lot of dead space. I have many happy memories of NRM Records, Merle's Record Rack, FYE, Waldenbooks, and B. Dalton at the mall, as well as the nineties third floor food court you can still see remnants of near Boscovs
Originally an open air mall, it was enclosed in the early ‘80s. Then a lower floor was added in the 1990s. There was another large expansion in the 2000s, with the movie theater added, replacing the separate movie theater in the front of the property. They also added a new food court, Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Sears was the anchor on the opposite side of the mall, and when that closed a few years ago all the stores leading down the way to Sears started to close up and become the dead zone of the mall.
Thanks for the info. I was shocked that it wasn't enclosed until the early 80's! I live up near the Massachusetts border, so I very rarely come down to this part of Connecticut. Thanks for watching!
@@fleabittenadventures ua-cam.com/video/FHwokY9yqHE/v-deo.html
movie man on a swing filmed at mall by where Sears eventually went once enclosed.
nobody beats the wiz was cool where old child word was
9:40 time out by pretzel time was a good arcade , and the fun factory before it by caldors
Merles Record Rack & Franks Roman Castle, Laspinos, Kresege, Grant's, Lums, H.B.Davis...from the old open air days
I thoroughly enjoy watching your mall videos. I am not from that area but from Denver and there was a whole batch of malls here that closed that I grew attached to and most of them are demolished now, they were part of the first wave of dying malls.
I'm glad you like them and thanks for watching! I've got a lot more coming!
Yes, I remember this mall, there was a stop an shop, as one of the anchors
WHAT
This mall is dying quickly and the city refuses to work with the mall owners to compromise/collaborate on redevelopment plans. Its a pretty sad situation. The owners sued the city recently after they rejected their second consecutive redevelopment proposal in as many years
Interesting. Out of all the malls I have been to so far, this one seemed like one of those thriving the most. However, I guess all indoor malls are dying, some just more quickly than others.
@@fleabittenadventures its not as bad compared to some other malls for sure but the number of vacancies, particularly on the lower level is pretty eye opening. I think last I counted only 3 of the 9 food court spaces are occupied. And one anchor is vacant as well
Because Connecticut is full of old people who don't like change. They didn't even the Stew Leonard's in Orange. Everything that they try to do to revitalize our state gets shut down. All people do is complain about the traffic coming through their neighborhoods.
agreed. I fear it will be an Amazon full DC not many years from now, if the city fails to wise up. Its vacancy rate will bankrupt it w/o rental revenue.
Ur right about that.. We r losing r Waterford CT Christal Mall now. Only a few diehards r left here 2023 & it's up 4 sale 2million.😢Tks to all..
What keeps this mall alive is the IMAX movie theater.
Right, I was surprised he didn’t go up there
When I was a kid there was a Child World toy store in the mall. As I went back in the 90’s there still was Caldors and Stop and Shop at the ends of the mall before the renovation in the mid 2000’s. In the middle of the mall by Macys there was an Orange Juilius/ Dairy Queen.
I used to work there. In JC Penney. Back in the 90's. I can't remember most of the stores. Filenes, Caldor, Payless. Tom McCan (sp?) And Kinney shoes. bath and body works and Victoria's secret. The rest is fuzzy
I miss the 90's! Caldor, Bradlees, Zayres... They were my home when I wasn't at school. Good times! Thanks for watching!
Hey Eileen. Do you remember the convenience store right next to JcPenny, it was called AZ News?
@@DarkZbros123 yes I do. I used to sneak over there for soda and a candy bar. Lol
@@eileenmaher2101 haha lol. That was actually my father’s business.
Great mall back in the day, then it got huge and overexpanded. Was so much easier to navigate compared to Trumbull because back then it was just a two-story rectangle. I remember driving like idiots through the underground delivery zones as teenagers. Earlier as a younger kid, my dad would take me to Happy House (or was it Holiday House?) so I could pick out crystal animal sculptures for mom for birthdays, Christmas, etc. Great memories.
You earned yourself a sub with that drive around brother! Excellent video! I really want to thank you for making this video. You made my Day! 🥳🥳🥳
I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for watching and subscribing!
@@fleabittenadventuresSurprised that you didn’t go up to the third floor movie theater
All the old stores: Alexanders, Kresges, Grants, Esthers, Morrisons, Book Beast, Arthurs, Arties Place, Eli Moore(and the downstairs blackligh "groovy" teen section), Wild Bills, Sears, Koenig, Bakers Shoes, Thom McCan shoes, Franks Apizza, Caldors, JCP, Merles, Karmel Korn, Child World, Rexall, Radio Shack.
I remember the food court on the third floor in the early 2000s with all the neon lights!!!
I have alot of good memories of the mall. I remember Stop and shop and caldors being there.What I didnt like about the mall was the parking lot traffic.I remember around every Christmas time how bad the traffic was around there. I see FYE on the ground floor has bitten the dust. Thanks for doing this Tom
I was just there in March 2024. I remember going into the Stop and Shop when I was little with my mom. I remember seeing many movies at the theater as well as going to Child World during Christmas time and drooling over the toys. This is one of three malls from my childhood that have so many memories. There was at one point a small store near Alexander's called Feets of Clay and they had so many cool things in there. Also, I remember the Alexander's sidewalk sales just before school started and almost getting trampled by the crowds trying to get in as the doors opened, I was only six at that time. Last time I was there, it was dying. Give it another year or less and it will be dead. I thought that the Danbury Fair Mall was larger than this one. I also remember when the mall was renovated and all those small wonderful stores couldn't afford the new rent and closed up. I often thought that that was when malls started to lose some of their local uniqueness and started to become more formulaic.
Brass Mall Waterbury, Trumbull, Milford, Stamford, and Manchester were some of the busiest places in the 80', 90s, and 2000's. West Farms and Danbury are the only malls that are still jumping
Worked at The Tie Shop there in the late 1980s. Didn’t know a thing about ties but neither did my customers.
I was there today and it was absolutely packed . It usually busy on the weekends anytime I’ve been there on weekend days know matter what time of year it busy but today reminded me of old school days I use to live close to it go to Trumbull mall
I love Connecticut !!! 🤩, some day I going to visit it 😁✌
It's a great state, but I was born there, so I'm a bit biased. Thanks for watching!
Me my daddy and my sister we've been there back in my favorite year of 2021. I love that place of all!
It's a nice mall. If it were closer to me I would probably go there more often. Thanks for watching!
@@fleabittenadventures ¡No problemo!
If memory serves me right, filenes was where macys is, jc penney where boscovs is. The food court on the third floor was awesome as was the fountain in the atrium on the first level. A lot of the stores seemed to be there but have moved.
I discovered this mall in about ‘82/83. It was just one level then but I loved it and spent a lot of time there until maybe the early 90’s.
I remember the old mall. Alexanders was the anchor store. They had Merle's Record Rack where we would buy LPs, posters and concert tickets. There was a Radio Shack. The first floor used to be a delivery tunnel. We would speed through it at night and the lights would flash by like the ships taking off in Battle Star Galactica LOL.
Cool. I wish I had been able to find more photos of the mall from back then. Thanks for watching!
Core systems transferring control to Viper fighters. Launch when ready!
I used to go to the Mall when it was still open air. Merle's Record Rack...then to the Diner for a hambuger deluxe. That's about all I really needed then.
Hey I live here its going horrible btw. Shops are slowly disappearing and there are many conflicts and large scale fights between the younger generation. I remember being here when nobody beats the wiz and stop and shop where both there. I miss caldor LOL yes im that old and yes target is where caldor was. The escalators are always broken btw. I miss the food court Skyview Cafe they named it. It had a few arcade too Timeout I think was the good one! Nice video.
“This mall is SO DEAD!” *six thousand people in front of him* 💀
The part where you ask what song the kid playing, that was Megalvania, from a video game lol
Also the mall is really populated at night, well for Dave N' Busters and other fun activities there ig
There’s a video on UA-cam of a brief scene from a 1974 movie “Man on a Swing” in which the Connecticut Post Mall is in the background. The ‘landscape’ of the mall buildings as the car pulls into the parking lot is totally how I remember the mall, along with the big “Stop and Shop” sign against the yellow background.
You can also see the movie theater off in the distance at one point (though it doesn’t have any easy identifiers). Nice to see some preserved moving footage, however brief.
I miss TimeOut Arcade, the skylight food court, and Nobody Beats the Wiz. 90s life
this past oct 28th was 30 yrs since killer instinct came out . time out was crazy fun
That’s the last mall I frequently visited before moving to Florida in 2013. I spent a lot of money on fishing gear at that Dick’s Sporting Goods. I also recall the mall much busier than that. The mall I grew up with is Trumbull Shopping Park/Westfield Mall. During the mid eighties as a teenager I worked at G Fox one holiday season.
When you filmed this mall, it didn't look totally dead yet, but being a few months ago, that could have changed. I enjoy your content and in-depth look at these malls. Thanks, keep filming and I will keep watching
Update: last time I was there was a few months ago and as far as I remember, it still looks basically identical. Might not be THRIVING but I wouldn’t call it dead. They still have most storesfronts filled, and the theater and Dave & Busters are big draws.
Used to work at this mall about a decade ago. At about 8:30 where that police/security check points is, it used to be a pet store. They ended up going under shortly after I started there, lots of crooked stuff going on behind the scenes with management, employees not getting paid, etc., I ended up walking after not getting paid for two weeks despite the desperate regional manager begging everyone to stick around. Last I heard, the company went under, someone unalived, and some of the former employees tried starting a new pet store there that obviously didn't last.
Despite how shitty the job ended up turning out, actually working there wasn't the worst. There was plenty of downtime, the food court was still pretty packed and had a gourmet grilled cheese place that kicked ass, and FYE was still open so I'd spend my breaks going through the used horror and cult movies...their new stuff was overpriced as hell, but you could always score some awesome used deals there.
Before then, I remembered back when the middle of the mall had the food court and the huge fountain, the arcade on the left hand entrance between Sears and J.C. Penny, getting so many Gundam figures and PS1 games from K.B. Toys and Electronics Boutique as a kid...constantly hoping against hope that ultimately this mall will be one of the survivors.
My parents grew up during the early outdoor stages of the CT. post. They raved about the Alexanders being the anchor store and that outside they sold hot pretzels baked on the premises. Should of remained that way. This place is a “Dead Mall” and positive that in the near future will close for good. Nothing remains excluding the low end junk stores, too bad.
It most likely will be turned into apartments once torn down, just like everything else in CT.
Thanks for the upload !! What is Connecticut 's smallest mall Caldor my gosh !! Target must have bought the old Caldor and K- Mart leases ??
I went there back in the early 70's. It is totally different from when I was a kid. Stop&Shop was on the side where Sears was. Merle's Record Rack was there years ago when it was an outside mall. There was a popcorn stand in the middle of the mall. There was a drugstore there that use to have a lunch counter. My sister use to work at Alexander's back in the 70's At the movie theater I saw the movie Jaws. The malls ruined the main streets and then came Walmart and the internet.
5:23 Right as you are passing by the piano you'd be standing right where the Polar Express Locomotive would be set up a month later, for the Christmas season.
I used to practically live here as a preteen/teen in the late 90s and early 2000s. It was so much different and it was actually a fun place to go. Food court like others said upstairs on a balcony looking down, little TVs usually playing music or something entertaining were hung throughout; it was smaller but contained a lot more fun stores that are now defunct. This is a weird, hollow, barely memorable shell of what was once a busy, popular, lively spot to shop and hang out. Really sad.
ETA that parking lot… what a nightmare
You may want to check out westfarms mall in West Hartford Connecticut. It may be surprising to see an upscale mall that is still very successful. Its a novelty to see a living breathing mall, almost a museum piece.
Milford is definitely a great place to live and shop at😅, the Connecticut post mall is ok in my book🎉
I love this mall lol! This and Trumbull mall are great always have fun coming here
BosCov took over the old JCP/Alexanders, the old food court, and the small stores on either side of it. That's why it's much wider than the original footprint.
From 1980 to 1983, I 'went away' to a residential school for troubled children, in nearby New Haven. It was either I went away, or, I'd be a ward of the state, taken away from my parents, who, while I miss them and loved them, were kind of 'big kids' in the 1970s! Anyway, In 1981, we went on an evening trip to what I remember as the "Milford Post" shopping center, although that might be my memory trickng me, or a misnomer on the part of the school staff who drove us there.
I do recall seeing the stars above both rows of stores to either side, so maybe the Post was roofed in stages.
Sorry you had to go to New Haven. Having to leave home is awfully hard for a child.
Seems like this place is well situated for a mall. No malls in the New Haven/Bridgeport area or until you get up to Meriden. If you go further toward Lyme you get the outdoor outlet malls which seem far more popular. I go there occasionally for stores like H&M or Target. The movie theater on the very top is an odd design choice.
I recall the mall was sold maybe 10 or 15 years ago to a (possibly Teacher's) pension fund. At the time, it was described as one of the most successful malls (on a sales per square foot basis) in the country. Don't suppose that investment's worked out so well. I'm in the neighborhood - only use the mall for the movies.
And Alexander's Department store was still there in 1989. It was old school at its best, mesmerizing in my opinion.
I've been there a dozen times. I still go there every so often to see movies. Take the bus there. I'm really sad FYE Closed, that was my favorite store in that Mall.
That escalator has been broken the past three times I've been there, and I don't go often.
Among family and friends I think the only draw for us is either the theater or Dave and Buster's. Sometimes I'll do a walkthrough and look around if I'm really bored.
Connecticut Post Mall is historic, the oldest mall in the state of Connecticut i believe. Its got a lot of charm. Owners should work hard on keeping it going. Right off of I 95....
This place was the sh*t growing up. So lucky to have memories of its prime. Life was simpler and more exciting.
I’m curious, you walked right by LA Fitness across from Dave and Busters and didn’t mention the gym at all. It’s the gym that makes me go here weekly :)
Milford Mall is a very nice mall.
I used to go to this mall way back in the 80's. Child World was my favorite store. That's where I finally found Optimus Prime. Child World was on one end & Herman's Sporting Goods was right across the hall from it. Caldor was on the opposite end. There was an arcade on the outside. And a separate movie theater.
Now this mall is unrecognizable.
1:03 That corner store to the left used to be a shitty Chinese Buffet that my friends and I once dine-and-dashed from when we were broke highschoolers. The place shut down probably a month or so later. I don't remember what year it was, but definetly 2018 or before. I have frequented the mall in years since, and I even work there now. To my knowledge it has been vacant since the closing of the Chinese buffet. It's a big empty nothing that actually feels weirder than the abandoned SEARS on the other side. The old SEARS location is too big for anyone to want to set up shop in an already near dead mall,. But that corner location near target (who usually have their mall doors closed now tbh), and two proper mall entrances feels extremely under-used. I kind of understand though, this mall doesn't need anymore restaurants, clothing, furniture, or jewelry stores.
the mall is still good... i was in there alot in the 80's to the 90's
Yeah, I remember it being one of the busier malls I have been to recently. I would probably go there often if I lived nearby. Thanks for watching!
I remember Macy's, JCPenny, Filene's, Sears, quite a few stores through the years. There used to be a divorced movie theater in the parking lot as well, and the original third floor (food court) was open until the mid-2000's. Macy's actually DID have a third floor before 2006 which went out to that food court. I live a town over from this mall and I used to go there all the time in the early 2000's until the bus lines from New Haven and Bridgeport started bringing more people from the cities in. I don't know how it is today, because I don't go there anymore, but for a while it was pretty bad because the Milford PD actually opened up a substation in the mall to deal with the gang violence between New Haven and Bridgeport gangs.
I will say one thing though... there used to be a LOT more stores, and it used to be busier even before the bus lines. Though I guess I'm just impressed that anybody goes to brick and mortar stores anymore.
2:32 This is the break between the original part of the mall and the 2000's addition.
The Post Mall went through a period of semi-death in the late 90s until the mid 2000s when it was expanded into its current/final form and heavily remodeled. I remember it being extremely different before then. If I recall correctly, aside from the Sears that used to anchor it for much of that time and after the renovation/pre-sears shutdown, there was a Nobody Beats the Wiz until like 1999. I'm too young to remember that particular Caldor. I remember going in 2006/2007, the movie theater was kind of a big deal at the time. Adding a Target and a Dick's felt like it breathed a lot of life into the mall, although I guess Dicks is also now kinda going the way of Sports Authority. I remember there was a group of kids at my high school that made the new-at-the-time Buffalo Wild Wings a regular haunt (I was a diner/coffee kid myself). The Spencers Gifts has always been there but it moved from a much dumpier spot. I remember the glass elevators looking different back in the day but I'm probably misremembering somewhat, although the glass appears partially frosted now, which it wasn't before.
5:32 I believe they are playing Megalovania - Toby Fox
Thank you for the video! Unfortunately the original, older part, opposite to where the Cinemark is, is VERY vacant
Could be. It definitely sounded like a Jethro Tull song to me. Thanks for watching!
You're welcome and thanks for watching! Yes, that area did seem to be not doing too well.
Hey just discovered your channel today! Just watched your holy land video & watching this video now. Very nice content in what I’m watching so far 👍. What kinda camera are you recording on if you don’t mind me asking? Very nice quality.
I'm glad you like the videos! I use a GoPro Hero 8 for the flea markets and mall videos because it doesn't draw too much attention. The rest of the time I'm using either my Samsung S20+ cell phone or my new Samsung S22 Ultra cell phone on a gimble. Thanks for watching!
Really showing my age when I say this...I used to ride to this mall with my aunts back when people took "Sunday drives" and gas prices were low in the late 1960's. We came down to Milford from Middletown and I recall the Alexanders store and an open air mall and being impressed by the courtyards/landscaping. Maybe this was my inspiration to become a city planner. Fast forward to now and my hope is that my favorite store Dick's Sporting Goods remain. As a former mall cop (at another mall) I was curious to hear how the 2022 order that persons under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult parent/guardian after 4 PM during the holiday season. This was because historically malls get most rouwdy on holidays and especially on the day after Christmas. Always thought that parent/guardian rule should have been implemented at my mall, speaking from experience having been in the midst of mini-riots. As always, any plan is only as good as the implementation (i.e., notifications, manpower, follow up) so I wondered what others have experienced. Why not replace mall riot days with mall family days (mandated parent/guardian presence) with engaging, educational (not boring) experiential activities. Again, thoughts/feedback is appreicated
Shout out from Milford Connecticut awesome mall
I remember the day they built this place. Last time I was in there was ~2016. I took out a camera to take a pic for my ESL partner, and a Puerto Rican girl driving one if those tank-like floor sweepers nearly ran me down. She thought she was a cop confronting a perp. She had no shame. Later, the manager of the mall didn't bat an eye when I told him this. I think he was putting her away. That was the last time I went there. The Connecticut I grew up in is long, long gone.
Not dead but starting on its way down. Could go either way in the future.
I agree, not dead (yet), but it's showing signs of decline. I may post an update in a year or two to see how it's doing. Thanks for watching!
The Mall was fun back in the 90s and early 2000s...But I do miss it
This is a blast from the past. There's a movie that was filmed at the mall back when the stop and shop waa a flanker. The movie is called man on a swing. It's literally the first scene in the movie a cop car making its way to the stop and shop parking lot the front facing side wich wasn't front facing for the stop and shop wich was facing the mall though.. after that stop and shop closed down and relocated across the street it was turned into a discount store called amazing store
I only have a lot vaguer memories than others of the early 2000s years but like everyone else, the old food court balcony was gorgeous. I remember walking on the glass flooring as a kid to look below. I saw someone mention sears and I agree that really helped kill that end of the mall. At some point I think the outer building had even been a secondary sears location so that emptying out really killed a lot. For me the far end had all the teen focused stuff at one point, the GameStop used to be on both floors, hot topic was further down than I think it is now and there was an fye that closed rather recently that I always loved going to with my friends. The target is pretty popular imo so I think that's why a lot of business tries to congregate around there and don't go much farther than beyond the middle. It is really sad to see the state it's in because there was always effort you could see being put in to try and keep it innovative as malls were becoming obsolete. When the new section was first built there was a screen projector that was aimed directly downwards and played things like pond fish you could interact with and it was out in the open to use for free. They had a toy train that would loop around the mall at one point, I was a part of a few community performances there, and even now they're trying to attract attention with some perks service with a private lounge. The owners feel like they've always really tried which makes it suck they aren't working well with the city.
Maybe less relevant but I remember seeing some stores that I've felt had been more unusual finds over the years, Borders, the Disney Store, even an Uniqlo at one point but it closed before I could get myself to it. I could probably remember others if I thought on it a little harder.
I remember the pizza place way back that sold slices , I think it was Frankie’s not sure, child world , the wiz,friendly’s,cool back in the day
Was that the one that sold the Sicilian slices? (square). I used to love that pizza.
@@mythra7174 I think so
1st comment ive seen someone brought up child word .think they closed in 92 93 ? certain snes games were 50% off toward its closing
When I went last year, you couldn't enter the Dick's Sporting Goods located above Target from the interior of the mall - you had to drive around and go in from the outside. That seemed a little strange.
Yeah, I see a lot of things like that happening. Maybe due to construction, but who knows. Thanks for watching!
If I recall there was also a Child World store back in the 70's store which eventually merged with Toys R Us...
Caldor was not at this mall it was across the street where big lots is now, in the waldbaum/caldor plaza
another great video by Tom we thank you!!!!!!
Caldor was in the mall
Maybe it costs a lot to keep an escalator running or maybe they can't get the parts?
That's my guess.
@@fleabittenadventuresEblens just had a going out of business sale there
Never been there from Massachusetts but wow it stop and shop very cool
We used to treat nem boas from the hill and ville there 😂
I’d like to see an update of what you think. When I was there recently seemed to be doing okay/on par with this video. So I’d say boy thriving, but not dead.
what day of the week or time you are filming? want to see if a mall is dying go to one on a Friday at 7pm
Every time I go there during the weekdays, the stores are empty with nobody buying anything
Honestly this seems like a regular mall, maybe an empty day, but here in Brazil this is a regular mall in a weekday in a 300-500k ppl city
does westfield corporation still own connecticut post?🤔
It’s a great place to work in too😊😊
They're supposed to be opening a PF Chang's in mall maybe that will help it some.
It's always good to hear that new businesses are moving in! I think it will be quite a while before this mall closes. It's doing pretty good compared to a lot of other malls. Thanks for watching!
If I recall, as they commonly did, Alexanders owned both its store and the parking footprint behind the store. The mall bought it back, but negotiations were lengthy. They still exit as a REIT publicly traded stock (Alexander's) and Trump once owned a healthy %. Their properties were always valuable. I do not think they bought their original WTC store footprint, though.
Interesting. Thanks for the info.
I been to this mall back in 2007 and it was called Westfield.