The Citadel Mall - Colorado Springs | A RETRO GEM | Mall Tour and History

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  • Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
  • When it opened in 1972, The Citadel was Colorado's first enclosed shopping mall outside of metro Denver. Featuring one of the most beautiful food courts to exist, the mall has struggled in the age of online shopping, but has managed to somewhat bounce back post-pandemic.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 283

  • @ERA_Productions
    @ERA_Productions 12 днів тому +94

    Citadel Mall is in an interesting state, as both this and Chapel Hill are both owned by Namdar Realty, who notoriously do nothing with their malls and basically just let them die. But they’re also only about 15 minutes apart from each other so it’s really only a matter of time before we find out which one of the two will actually last. I personally believe it will be Chapel Hills, but I hope they both can survive for a little longer, especially since this mall has a really beautiful food court! It gives quite a bit of vintage flair, which is something I always love to see in malls. Great Video!

    • @jasonperry7970
      @jasonperry7970 4 дні тому +12

      I think the Citadel may actually win because Chapels Hills simply cannot compete with the high end Briargate shops 5 minutes away.

    • @acetechnical6574
      @acetechnical6574 4 дні тому +2

      Last time I was in the Citadel it was a lot of locally owned card shops and holistic earth mother tincture extract type places..... but Chapel Hills has been more of a set piece than a mall for actual decades so I think you are probablky right.

    • @warchild1673
      @warchild1673 4 дні тому +8

      They're more than 15 min apart with traffic these days.

    • @chaser-c2t
      @chaser-c2t 4 дні тому +3

      No chapel hills is still doing well since they added spirit Halloween

    • @lowkeyloki9194
      @lowkeyloki9194 3 дні тому +11

      Chapel hills in citadel Mall 15 minutes apart? Maybe 15 years ago, now it's more like 30.

  • @jett8193
    @jett8193 13 днів тому +31

    Weird but cool to see a mall I hung out in as a teenager~ 🖤

  • @NamelessPhantom
    @NamelessPhantom 3 дні тому +135

    Glad you didn't get shot while there. Didn't expect a video on the citadel mall to appear on the front page.

    • @_dh
      @_dh 2 дні тому +6

      LMAO totally came to post this exact comment.

    • @_angel_222
      @_angel_222 2 дні тому +2

      Lmao LITTERALLY

    • @hannahml3191
      @hannahml3191 2 дні тому +2

      Same.. I did a double take lol

    • @TaraTHESecretONE
      @TaraTHESecretONE 2 дні тому +2

      lol, I was thinking this too. ugh, never go near the place now, learned my lesson the first and only time I went there

    • @papillon0079
      @papillon0079 День тому +1

      HAHAHAHA!!! Facts!!

  • @lizardhierophant8293
    @lizardhierophant8293 4 дні тому +89

    Got to love the Citdel Mall. There is a Hooters and beside it is a church.

  • @Fellzu
    @Fellzu 4 дні тому +35

    I singlehandedly kept that mall afloat spending thousands at Waldenbooks and later Heroes and Dragons on science fiction and comic books in the 80s. It was fantastic

    • @Sue-gq7xv
      @Sue-gq7xv 3 дні тому +1

      Remember the May D & F store? I worked there in '87.

    • @marisawatson9443
      @marisawatson9443 3 дні тому +1

      Hero’s and dragons was my go to! Miss that place.

  • @jagpie3736
    @jagpie3736 2 дні тому +56

    It's so trippy seeing someone make a video about this terror of a mall, lmao

  • @chrislaustin
    @chrislaustin 4 дні тому +23

    OMG, that food court is a wonderful step back in time to the 70's & 80's. And I get being cheap and never remodeling the space as that is so typical of most. But I have to give credit where it is due, as keeping those water features running can not be cheap, but it brings the entire area to life. Of all the dead, dying, and few thriving malls I've seen in recent times, this is easily one of the best. As a gen x'er who grew up when malls were at there peak, this was a an amazing walk down memory lane, thank you.

    • @2themoon863
      @2themoon863 2 дні тому +2

      I should point out the current food court was built in about 1981 as the mall prior to that ended at the movie theater and the Apothecary/Apothecary pub-there was a section past that going towards the then-Center Court that had some food options such as a Forum (later Furrs) Cafeteria.

    • @Mistydazzle
      @Mistydazzle 11 годин тому

      @@2themoon863 yeah, malls didn’t have food courts in 1970. It was the cafeteria or a Walgreens in store cafe, open to the walkway, if really lucky. The department stores could have little cafes, almost hidden within the upper story of the store, where shopping housewives would meet up for more elegant luncheons.

    • @colorfulchrissy74747
      @colorfulchrissy74747 4 години тому

      As a native from Colorado Springs, I’ve been going to that mall since they added on to it, they don’t run the water features all day. Only during busy times

  • @slyc5920
    @slyc5920 4 дні тому +8

    I have been going to this mall since I was 8 and even now in my 30s I go there just to walk around. It is crazy how much things have changed from that period of time.

  • @EllatheeDancer
    @EllatheeDancer 4 дні тому +37

    Shitadel will always have a special place in my heart! 🥹💗

    • @keithsmith7503
      @keithsmith7503 2 дні тому +2

      Glad I’m not the only one who calls it that lol

    • @brink2961
      @brink2961 2 дні тому +1

      😂 fr, my friends and I used to go but now it's just lowkey sad in there 💀

  • @sabrina4354
    @sabrina4354 3 дні тому +19

    Omg! You showed the mop from the shooting that cut my hand when I worked at Burlington! Memories👍

  • @PockyRedux
    @PockyRedux 5 днів тому +11

    So good to see people do videos on my childhood mall ❤

  • @HAHA-dq3ij
    @HAHA-dq3ij День тому +7

    I love this mall! It has my favorite german pretzel lady. A lot of people hate on it but it will always be my favorite mall. The escalators have been broken since I was in middle school and the ceilings leak everytime it rains and it 100% gives off apocalypse vibes. But it was the best hang out spot and is still close to my heart even now.

  • @ConWolfDoubleO7
    @ConWolfDoubleO7 3 дні тому +4

    Its crazy how little it's changed since my childhood. All those plastic playgrounds and those automated planes/cars are all the same ones I played on when I was 5. Despite never changing, it retains a lot more charm in its design than Chapel Hills.

    • @gtfotattoo
      @gtfotattoo 2 дні тому

      Theyre gone now :/ This must be older footage.

    • @gtfotattoo
      @gtfotattoo 2 дні тому

      The pet store with the dogs in the window is gone too :(

  • @Cologal60
    @Cologal60 4 дні тому +5

    I worked there in the 90's. It was always busy and a fun place to work.

    • @Sue-gq7xv
      @Sue-gq7xv 3 дні тому +2

      I did in the 80's.

  • @0ineedsomehed
    @0ineedsomehed День тому +2

    My mom lived on the south side, and my dad lived on the north. So I was a mall rat at both The Citadel and Chapel Hills mall. This video brings me back.

  • @daniellekempke7462
    @daniellekempke7462 3 дні тому +7

    That food court was top tier when i was a kid in the 90s, so many fast food joints in there! Its so dead now, its depressing. They even moved Santa during the holudays. He used to be in the food court, but not anymore. I've worked at Hot Topic and Calendar Club.

  • @deathray3909
    @deathray3909 4 дні тому +68

    We call it the Shootadale here locally, because of the absurd amount of shootings here.

    • @twilakitty
      @twilakitty 3 дні тому +5

      my friends and i all called it the Shitadel in high school 💀

    • @nickbryant2318
      @nickbryant2318 3 дні тому

      That's all hype. The neighborhood is completely safe these days

    • @DanyellaJane
      @DanyellaJane 3 дні тому +15

      @@nickbryant2318lol no it’s not!

    • @MythicRealmsArathia
      @MythicRealmsArathia 3 дні тому +5

      Somebody just got shot there fairly recently. And a few years ago, there were shootings during the carnival they have there.

    • @TheBear710
      @TheBear710 3 дні тому +7

      @@nickbryant2318 bruh wym lmao I went to Mitchell like a couple years ago and it was ghetto asf

  • @somefalafelsandwich
    @somefalafelsandwich 19 годин тому +1

    This mall is beautiful! I went there last year almost every evening for a couple of hours to walk. When I look back on it I feel great about doing that. It was beautiful and peaceful and I will continue to go to that mall frequently. I tell people that mall literally helped to save my life. I’d been going through a difficult and busy season in my life which left me out of shape. The mall was close so I started walking and rehabilitating myself that way. I’m very grateful about it. I’m doing better and I’m optimistic about this mall. There is a nice community of people there, both employees and regular customers. I was shocked when a friend told me of the fear around the mall. And seeing these negative name calling comments confirms people can be ridiculous.

  • @chloehorine2378
    @chloehorine2378 2 дні тому +3

    The Citadel Mall! Your final shopping destination! 🫠

  • @thsizzle8272
    @thsizzle8272 3 дні тому +4

    In 2004 when I was 15 I threw up in that food court after drinking too much and eating Chick-fil-A. Good to see some one cleaned it up 😂

  • @CreechLinux
    @CreechLinux 5 днів тому +29

    That rancid burp at 5:25

  • @mikem7900
    @mikem7900 3 дні тому +3

    Amazing video! You crushed this video! Thank you for doing this mall justice. It’s got such a massive history here in the dirty springs 🫡❤️

  • @Mewpasaurus
    @Mewpasaurus 4 дні тому +74

    So, I live in COS; there's a reason we call it the "Shoot-adel" Mall and "Shitadel Mall". The gun violence had gotten so bad at one point that both residents *and* active duty military members were being warned to stay away. It remained on the list of "off limits" places for AD military for awhile. The mall also unfortunately sits in an area of our city known for more unsavory behavior, violence, assault, homelessness. etc.
    Our other issue is that CSPD is absolutely fucking useless. A man literally died here late last year because despite their building being *right across the street*, it took them over two hours to respond to him being fatally shot in a Taco Bell parking lot. Absolutely ridiculous. So yeah, the man died due to their negligence. And this is *every* semi-violent and violent case in the city. They don't respond to car theft, home break-ins, belligerence, etc. If you get in an accident? Hope that someone is actually able to respond to your call, otherwise, you'll be there forever waiting for them to come make a report (if at all).

    • @lizardhierophant8293
      @lizardhierophant8293 4 дні тому +11

      I worked at the homeless shelter and the main police station is two blocks. I had a man methed up and trying to break in wielding a hatch. I called and told them I have kids in here. No joke they showed up 7 hours later on a Tuesday.

    • @restorationranch1560
      @restorationranch1560 4 дні тому +7

      You guys probably voted for this

    • @Testokeles
      @Testokeles 3 дні тому +7

      Still blacklisted for Fort Carson personnel

    • @RivenElf710
      @RivenElf710 3 дні тому +2

      Its so interesting hearing a different view point of how people see the response of the police and emergency services considering I live 5 minutes away from there. I am not denying that 911 isnt perfect.
      But out of my experience I always hear the fire department and ems at minimum twice go past my house everyday, i’ve lived here for 4 year in this house. And had no problem with the fire department arriving with a couple minutes of me calling them for a small fire. And my next door neighbors both the old tenant and the current person had no issues with getting 911 to the house. Since I’ve seen fire and ems there at least 2-3 times and cops twice for when I’m home that im aware of and cops a couple there because the old tenants were druggies and there were also one stolen motorcycle there cause the cops were blocking my driveway (very nice cop cause he made sure if i needed to get out and would move if so) and they’ve responded to a couple car wrecks next to my house as well, and recently 7 fire trucks responded to a fire across the street from me two weeks ago, cops were there the next night.
      And then cops were at the apartments down the road that i see from my house a couple weeks ago too… and a police chase ended in front of my house about a year ago as well. These are all examples of what i see often, and thats not even all of what ive seen. So idk why you think 911 never does anything when my street has been on point on crime and other emergencies.
      I understand they aren’t perfect and maybe what you mentioned is the off shoot of what they don’t respond to but i promise you they do respond in this area. There was even a bomb threat at the platte walmart just a day or two ago and they responded just fine. (Sad that walmart suffers too like the mall)

    • @Jojobaby0217
      @Jojobaby0217 3 дні тому +3

      Military people got banned for a different reason

  • @redeemme8382
    @redeemme8382 3 дні тому +2

    Always went to this mall when I was younger crazy to see the state it is in and to hear everything about it over the years and then also seeing someone do a documentary on it. Some days I forget how fast we age. This video was very interesting it’s crazy to look back

  • @BossPlaya4Ever
    @BossPlaya4Ever 4 дні тому +10

    Sad. This mall was a great place back in the day.

  • @shyshyaway2684
    @shyshyaway2684 4 дні тому +1

    My parents used to take me here a lot when I was younger! Truly an amazing piece of history!

  • @unitoolzee
    @unitoolzee День тому +2

    I was a kid in the springs when they built the Citadel. I remember being amazed and baffled by what such a huge place could possibly be. I remember seeing the first Star Wars movie there at the mall, and I also remember breaking a tooth when I fell off of the rolling log in the small playground area that was near an entrance on the west side of the mall. Yes, a real rolling log! Safety be damned - this was the 70’s! 😂

  • @VevoKIlledUtube
    @VevoKIlledUtube 2 дні тому +3

    I grew up in Woodbridge VA and it has an amazing mall called Potomac Mills which I feel lucky to have experienced. Now I live in Colorado Springs and the Citadel and Chapel Hills cant compare. I'm never scared while I'm at the Citadel though it does have more than 1 shooting a year. I will gladly still support any mall and their shops. Hope things will turn around for both malls here and all over America.

    • @RetroNotePad
      @RetroNotePad 2 дні тому +1

      damn, small world, I was born in Manassas and I have been to Potomac Mills, and you're right about that, the malls here do not compare at all.

    • @nopainlorraine1128
      @nopainlorraine1128 19 годин тому +1

      I am back living in Colorado again. Was living in Woodbridge for a couple of years. Yes, Potomac Mills Mall is real nice, my fiance told me that people would drive from around Virginia to shop there. He jokingly referred to Woodbridge as Hoodbridge because it has gone downhill. I would drive to the Manassas Walmart because it was so much nicer and clean compared to the Hoodbridge Walmart. I will drive up to the Walmart in Evergreen because it is also nicer than the ones down the hill. Cool to read your comment with Woodbridge in it. Small world!

  • @sloppymcfloppy1484
    @sloppymcfloppy1484 4 дні тому +5

    i live about 8 min away from this mall and every since i was a kid my parents made it a point to tell me to try to stay away from the citadel im not sure why chapel hills just seems a little less ghetto but i gotta admit the surrounding area isnt the best so that doesnt help big homeless problem around here great video you were very honest and i appreciate that

  • @SAMIIIB
    @SAMIIIB 3 дні тому +12

    so interesting to see a mall that I've known about my whole life, one that I've had to stay away from- 💀"the shootadel mall"- and mostly go to the Chapel Hills mall, where they no joke had the escalators broken for like 6-7 years there

    • @pixellpython2814
      @pixellpython2814 День тому +2

      You mean to tell me there was ever a time the escalators WERENT down at Chapel Hills? I don't think I can remember going there more than a couple times where the escalators were functional 😂

    • @SAMIIIB
      @SAMIIIB День тому

      @@pixellpython2814 I remember they worked when I was younger because I was scared to go on them 🤣😭😭

    • @bry10101
      @bry10101 2 години тому

      I've never seen them work

  • @wannabtrish7797
    @wannabtrish7797 2 дні тому +2

    This video feels like a fever dream

  • @ryananderson8511
    @ryananderson8511 6 днів тому +5

    Very cool video I lived in Colorado Springs most of my life I remember riding my bike to the citadel mall as a kid it is unfortunately in a rundown state these days with crime and unwanted people

  • @letsloiter
    @letsloiter 2 дні тому +8

    5:21 "Lets just take awhile to stroll and enjoy the ambiece"
    *BUUUUUUURP*

    • @RuinRoad
      @RuinRoad  День тому +1

      It timed out so perfectly I had to leave it in hahah

  • @payta2
    @payta2 4 дні тому +6

    the good ol shootadel mall

  • @slammed___dc4766
    @slammed___dc4766 8 днів тому +14

    Thank you for making a video on the citadel! It’s my childhood mall and still go there to this day! I always wanted to know the history

  • @Ikadzuchi77
    @Ikadzuchi77 День тому +3

    I remember visiting the mall right after the food court was added and whilst the addon next it was still being finished up. The mall was decent back then compared to the Woodland Mall I grew up near in Wyoming Michigan. My family moved here for the military in '85, and the mall at that point had an absolute ton of amazing stores in it, especially if you were a kid/teenager. You literally could spend a day in the mall thanks to all the stores and the food court selection, which back then was far, far larger, and extended to the side opposite of the elevator where regular shops are now. Speaking of the elevator area, you can see the remains of the old fountain due to the pattern in the floor tiles. They covered it due to needing the seating, as the mall would get beyond slammed for lunch and dinner. Crazy that the entire thing is still under the seating area! I remember when they added Dillard's and the removed the remains of the fountains (they had long been disabled) that were on the east side of the mall facing Academy. Always thought it was silly to remove that entrance the way they did and not restore the fountains. There was plenty of room for Dillard's on the side where they could have added it without ruining the entrance. If you wanted to do things nearby, you could go to the Carefree Karting on the other side of Platte Ave and then come back to the mall for lunch. As for ancient places still in there, the arcade near the elevator has been there since at least 1990, it was a Namco Arcade, not sure what it is now. The pictures at the start and the video as a whole sure brought back memories of better times.

    • @crazysugarbunny1332
      @crazysugarbunny1332 День тому +2

      Dude it’s so cool that you got to see it like that

    • @Ikadzuchi77
      @Ikadzuchi77 23 години тому

      @@crazysugarbunny1332 Yep, good stuff! I need to get down there and see it again, been too many years, and I only live ~12 miles away! Crazy how that seems like a long distance now when, as a teenager, my friends and I used to walk/bike between the Citadel and Chapel Hills malls.

  • @RosaB999
    @RosaB999 3 дні тому +2

    I miss Mervyn's so much! They were in where the Burlington's is now leaving. Burlington's actually moved from the Citadel Crossing strip mall a while back, when Mervyn's closed, and is now moving back over there. The Citadel Crossing across the street has probably seen more change than the mall! When we were kids, both the Chapel Hills and the Citadel had a bunch of cool indoor fountains. Now, at least, the Citadel retained the food court fountain. We also had a lot of malls around Colorado Springs. There was the Mall of the Bluffs, the Rustic Hills Mall, and the Pioneer Center Mall, to name a few. That last one had an amusement park and arcade inside called Boardwalk USA for many years. They've all been either torn down or changed into strips malls. The Tiffany Square Center is still mall shaped but has become an office park. The 2 malls left standing have beat out the competition. Let's see how long they can hold on.

  • @thetravelingal9497
    @thetravelingal9497 День тому +1

    There was a children's museum here once. On the top floor by JCPenney. I volunteered there in high school and it was such a neat place. I wish it was still there, it would keep a lot of kids entertained.

  • @JayLowman1
    @JayLowman1 3 дні тому +1

    It's pretty cool to see the whole history of this mall portrayed in full. Although I spent most of my teen years at the Chapel Hills, this location always warranted frequent visits back then, primarily due to the Hollister clothing store which was so popular in the 2000's.
    The last time I tried to stop by the Dillards there about a year ago I was shocked by what it had turned into, which was essentially an unorganized, warehouse-style discount rack, so I'm happy to see some improvements have been made since then.

  • @christyhubbard8074
    @christyhubbard8074 18 хвилин тому

    Oh My Goodness, I made a few trips there in 87’. What a blast from the past!!

  • @MustachioGonZ
    @MustachioGonZ 2 дні тому

    I remember when I was younger around 2009-2012 me and my mom would come here to relax, go to the Arcade/pet shop, or go eat at the Pretzel/Chocolate Shops. We Stopped going because of how bad it got but I will cherish this place until it falls. Glad I got Recommended this Video because I got to learn a lot about the history of this mall.

  • @bry10101
    @bry10101 2 години тому

    I remember going there as a kid just be absolutely enamoured by the place. Living in a small town an hour away experiencing this was a treat. Now, unfortunately its just a hole.

  • @SAMIIIB
    @SAMIIIB 3 дні тому +1

    i got my prom dress here!!! best dress ive ever found anywhere tbh, neon green and white frilly gown with a huge poofy skirt, love that silly thing.

  • @travelbugdenise
    @travelbugdenise 2 дні тому +4

    The Shootadel Mall, I live in COS and there is no way I'd go there.

  • @MalachiJTV
    @MalachiJTV 3 дні тому +1

    The place I barely go to anymore since school 2017-18 I just ride pass it now like damn.. memories

  • @josiahs9913
    @josiahs9913 День тому

    born & raised in colorado in 2003, this mall literally grew & died with me lol, i miss the 2010’s..

  • @saalvosegg8171
    @saalvosegg8171 3 дні тому

    As someone who grew up around this mall and its other one both malls have been hit hard post pandemic. I remember two years ago walking into both and seeing them as a shadow of its former self. It’s sad to see malls dying because they used to be where everyone used to hang out. But I can appreciate the food court still retains its retro appearance. We were supposed to have a third but 2008 financial crash killed all together sadly and has left abandoned for years. I remember back in 2017 going to both malls they were thriving still. I hope malls can make a revival one of these days.

  • @lizzydanger8521
    @lizzydanger8521 2 дні тому

    I remember so well when Snoop was at the mall. I grew up in this mall! I was there on Friday and it's so sad. The food court is still veey pretty though. Thanks for featuring our city❤

  • @arrancarsoulcaptain
    @arrancarsoulcaptain 2 дні тому +1

    I love this mall with all my heart and still go to hang out and walk around
    thought I was weird for also liking the layout of the food court 😅 the fountain is so cool it's my favorite!
    a family friend owns that barber shop and airbrush business! if you ever go back get a t shirt! lol

  • @LowellLucasJr.
    @LowellLucasJr. День тому +1

    Hey a local talking about our used to be favorite hangout! Man if only you could decide is heyday when they had Heroes and Dragons, Kay-bee toys and The Disney Store in there!😊

  • @gdm415
    @gdm415 3 дні тому +3

    I live in the springs. It'll be a sad day if this place closes. I go for the asain message tables/chairs and all you can eat Hooters Wednesdays. The arcade used to be fun
    It's only a matter of time before the next shooting.

  • @Sue-gq7xv
    @Sue-gq7xv 3 дні тому +1

    I worked at May D & F back in 1987 when it was still a safe place to work.

  • @JacktheDabLad
    @JacktheDabLad 3 дні тому +1

    I worked in Terry's Natural Market for a few months in 2023 and helped open a VRcade there in 2018. Never experienced anything sketchy there, personally, but my buddy did have a lock-down with an active shooter while working at Terry's a year or two ago.
    I got lucky I guess..

  • @MU93N_POW3R
    @MU93N_POW3R День тому

    Have some great memories in this place in the early 90s. I got my first kiss from a girl in the food court and I used to work at the orange Julius. We used to walk around smoking cigarettes with mixed drinks while shopping lol. ❤. I'll miss those days, I still live like 15 minutes away. I also remember how packed it used to be on the weekends.

  • @LeanFuture
    @LeanFuture 4 години тому +1

    I used to go to the Citadel a lot. I was even at the midnight launch of the Sega Dreamcast at the GameStop there and it was awesome.
    We didn’t have to wait outside and were able to line up in the mall, wrapping around the food court.
    I even took Summer School nearby and would go to the citadel instead on non-test days 😅
    Now, I wouldn’t go there even in the day. The crime is so bad, it’s like playing Russian roulette.
    It’s really too bad. Chapel Hills is still less of a war zone for now, though I doubt it stays that way another 10-15 years 😢

  • @DragonActual
    @DragonActual День тому

    I really like the area where the plants and fountains are. To see fountains is my favourite of old mall interior design characteristics, it also goes very well with the plants and less-chrome/futuristic/luxury designs of current mall designs elsewhere

  • @warchild1673
    @warchild1673 4 дні тому +2

    So many hours spent cruising for girls there in my teens.

  • @theriftrunner
    @theriftrunner 2 дні тому

    I used to frequent the Citadel when I was a kid. Walden Books, KB Toys, Heroes & Dragons, and the arcade that used to be on the lower level were my main places. The Great American Cookie Company was a nice treat and when I was even younger they had a Disney Store not far from the pet store. My mom even went to the beauty salon to get her nails done once in a while. By the time I was about ready to graduate though it had definitely seen better times and these days I rarely even get out that way. I usually hear about it whenever yet another shooting takes place.

  • @mcelf168
    @mcelf168 19 годин тому +1

    Wow. This brings back so many memories, like the time my mom and I witnessed some gang members jump a guy in the exact area shown at 4:19. Guess it's only gone downhill from there...

  • @leilanireed1856
    @leilanireed1856 20 годин тому +1

    I've lived literally 5 miles away from the citadel Mall my entire life. It's a damn ghost town now, literally people die there more than they buy there. 😂💀

  • @gtfotattoo
    @gtfotattoo 4 дні тому +3

    Is this footage new? I've been there a few times in the past few months and don't remember so many signs up. Either way - I was so excited to watch this being a local! Great job!!

    • @lizzydanger8521
      @lizzydanger8521 2 дні тому +1

      I was there just last week and this seems pretty recent. I was surprised to see the pet store closed, and noticed it was when he walked past it here.

  • @TheN747
    @TheN747 Годину тому

    My parents always talk about how amazing The Citadel was when it opened. It was the place to be when they were kids. I think the last time I ever went there was almost 20 years ago. Even then it was a sketchy place to be.

  • @rafaelvasquez2473
    @rafaelvasquez2473 2 дні тому +1

    Bought some vans last year, very memorable. Classic chinese food near by.

  • @idk-cb8di
    @idk-cb8di 14 днів тому +4

    Basically Stratford square if it was never renovated

    • @jamesburke4358
      @jamesburke4358 4 дні тому

      Kind of. I just got here to Colorado Springs, and that's the first mall I thought of. This one's split level has more seating near the fountain.

  • @rebeccajustine2370
    @rebeccajustine2370 2 дні тому +1

    Hey thanks for sharing!

  • @treepop9907
    @treepop9907 День тому

    One of the most unique malls I have ever ever been to, in a good way. The mall gets a bad rap that doesn't really exist past media fear mongering. It is a dieing mall but there are several businesses trying to save it.

  • @lefish5277
    @lefish5277 День тому +1

    I went there last year and it felt like the 90’s, but with some danger

  • @FibonacciDDR42175
    @FibonacciDDR42175 2 дні тому +1

    As a huge fan of dying and dead mall content, as well as a lifelong resident of the Springs, I am surprised there are not more videos about The Citadel. Lots of great childhood memories, but still a bad rep that has me avoid it unless absolutely necessary...

  • @nfsrome
    @nfsrome 3 дні тому +3

    I have dashcam footage from the parking lot the night the shooting happened with the carnival being hosted there. Its sad I literally grew up in this mall now its dying. Still love Colorado just wish people didnt realize how much of a gen it was to live here, it seems everytjing is going downhill.

  • @pixelsketch02
    @pixelsketch02 3 дні тому +1

    used to go here with my dad all the time as a kid, especially for Christmas time to get photos, but now we avoid it if we can just because we never know if we are gonna be in the wrong store at the wrong time. sucks we arnt able to see the place decorated for Christmas anymore, but my dad still volunteers for the NORAD santa tracking for fun at least.

  • @JayAyVagabond
    @JayAyVagabond День тому +1

    I was just talking about how much I hate this mall now and this is the first video I see when I open UA-cam

  • @theblackomen
    @theblackomen 4 дні тому +7

    The original story about NORAD tracking Santa comes from a Sears advertisement that had a hotline to "talk to Santa," the number was misprinted and lead to NORAD where the rest of the story pretty much lines up.
    There's also been multiple instances of violence at carnivals held in the Citadel's parking lot.
    This place is an absolute shithole compared to what it was in the mid to late 90's and early 2000's. I spent many a years here and avoid it at all costs now.
    Edited: Also before the remodel to build Dillard's, in the split between Mervyn's and JC Penny, they used to build a 3 story Santa house between the elevators where you would go to see Santa. It was by and far the most impressive Santa display I had and still have ever seen anywhere.
    The former Mervyn's which became Burlington Coat Factory, is now empty once more as Burlington moved back into its original location across Academy Blvd in the Citadel Crossing shopping center. Dillard's was originally three stories of shopping but is reduced to one.

  • @sarahb9230
    @sarahb9230 День тому

    Oh yes the Shootadel. It is a cool spot in its own way.

  • @jamesburke4358
    @jamesburke4358 4 дні тому +1

    12:00 - "He shot a mop, get 'em!!!"

  • @Krittera
    @Krittera 2 дні тому

    I completely share your sentiment on the citadel mall being a surprisingly good and active mall especially today. We have it and the chapel hills mall here in the springs and the difference in activity is night and day. There have been so many times I’ve gone to the citadel and it is poppin. Despite it being dubbed the shootadel, I think it’s pretty nice. I actually believe that the reason there are so many violent crimes compared to the chapel hills mall is because there’s just more people going there. (And it’s in a bad part of town.) glad to see it getting some attention. I hope the owners are able to make it safer, because it’s a pretty cool spot and I’d love to not worry for my life when I’m there 😅

  • @CrazyRabbit719
    @CrazyRabbit719 День тому

    God, I missed this so go and it’s glory days. When I was a teenager, I was most teen. I was a mall rat not for a long period of time because that face goes pretty quickly. But I do love the city. I’m so sad to see how bad it has turned into and the crime rate that has happened.

  • @Nthegoodbot
    @Nthegoodbot 2 години тому

    I went there pretty recently and there was no one. For so long, I wasn’t able to go there because of all the danger, but I went there a bit ago. It is so empty, but it sparks a lot of nostalgia for me. They did shut down the model train store that day, not gonna lie, it was a bit depressing.

  • @Summerbreeze537
    @Summerbreeze537 3 дні тому +1

    I used to love going there when I didnt have to fear for my life.

  • @CathyMcD
    @CathyMcD 2 дні тому +1

    if that's the most beautiful food court you've ever seen, you need to take a trip to Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree. That's where most COS residents go now because Chapel Hills is also dying.

  • @samuelhulin180
    @samuelhulin180 2 дні тому +1

    I moved from Denver to Co Springs about three years ago and everyone I have met here has warned me away from that place. I still haven't visited and probably won't. It sounds even more dangerous than the Aurora mall.

  • @SajinGT
    @SajinGT 3 дні тому

    Cool video! Lots of memories!

  • @gregorywinand394
    @gregorywinand394 3 дні тому +1

    Yooo! Citadel mall retrospective just dropped!!

  • @Hrazoart
    @Hrazoart 2 дні тому +1

    Pueblo in general feels like it’s decades behind Denver in development. I’ve been there. The Citadel mall was a reminder to the golden years of shopping malls.

    • @andrewevans5750
      @andrewevans5750 День тому

      Pueblo is 45 minutes south past a military base and a ranch on i-25. Its one of the most dangerous cities in america with the second highest r#, assault, burglary, and car theft rates of any medium sized city. In april, it was on track for 45 murders per 100k. Thankfully that levelled out in the summer somehow. Colorado springs has a lot of propert crime but is nicer. Its why behind denver in terms of development due to really bad financial planning and then libertarianism. It will likely never have a proper transit system. Yet, its downtown is still cleaner and nicer than denver. Recreational weed and overpopularity absolutely wrecked denver. There were homeless on every block doing drugs near my last job in denver. Saw my first human feces and i was in nyc on business the same day.

  • @jjbtheflyguy
    @jjbtheflyguy День тому

    Wow man thanks ❤here because the army so it’s super nice to a lil history 😊

  • @logankieffer7696
    @logankieffer7696 3 дні тому

    i love the citadel mall it has so many stores. someone got shot while i was there it was so scary

  • @pattonburns
    @pattonburns 4 дні тому +2

    12:38 shout out the hooters and church side by side store fronts

  • @babalui66
    @babalui66 2 дні тому

    Lovely mall. I find it interesting that I've never seen a gun store in a mall. Maybe this is something this mall should consider.

  • @metroscene
    @metroscene 3 дні тому

    I go here every weekend just to hang out and have never seen anything sketchy but that’s just my experience! That Fleece and Feet shop in the food court was only open for like two months, in the middle of summer, which made me kinda sad. I just don’t need fuzzy blankets and socks in the middle of summer ahah

  • @huntertomlin3523
    @huntertomlin3523 2 дні тому

    My favorite fountain went there in 2013

  • @gunraptor
    @gunraptor День тому

    I used to go here and to Chapel Hills when I was attending the Air Force Academy.
    Citadel Mall always felt wilder and even a bit more dangerous. I usually favored Chapel Hills.

  • @zerix25
    @zerix25 2 дні тому

    For those who can get there the KBBQ 2go spot in there is crazy good! If you haven't tried it you need to. Cool vid wasn't expecting to see a video of the citadel of all places

    • @RuinRoad
      @RuinRoad  День тому +1

      that's where I ate lunch! The guy was so friendly. Got a giant bubble tea next door and sat around for a long time after filming.

    • @zerix25
      @zerix25 День тому

      @RuinRoad oooo yeah those are great to!

  • @brownt898
    @brownt898 3 дні тому

    Great video!

  • @nguyenburke5032
    @nguyenburke5032 2 дні тому +1

    Beautiful mall . Sad .🙏🙏🙏🙏

  • @WatchTashi
    @WatchTashi День тому +1

    Dillards isn't "just" a clearance center. People travel from all over to shop there. But locals don't really shop there. It's scary.

  • @sl5888
    @sl5888 28 хвилин тому

    They have the best puppy store at this mall. Only thing I love. Oh! And their cheese pizza at the pizza place!! I can’t eat dairy but bro- I will feel lethargic for that pizza😂
    It is the best❤

    • @sl5888
      @sl5888 24 хвилини тому

      Now I understand why my daughters best friends father never allowed his daughter to go to this mall. 1 friend was terrified of this location. I had no idea this happened. I never felt anything but families and kids wanting to shop. Heartbreaking.

  • @PeterReid1993
    @PeterReid1993 4 дні тому +5

    Its nickname to locals is “the shootadel”

    • @pinknineYT
      @pinknineYT 3 дні тому +2

      he says that in the video
      \

  • @dbrandon4528
    @dbrandon4528 День тому

    I used to go to this mall back in the 2004….

  • @kittyglitter7305
    @kittyglitter7305 3 дні тому +1

    I have friends that have been banned from this mall for 99 years, they've been banned since 1996 lol we were teenagers and weren't allowed to be in groups of more than 3 ppl .

  • @gcoop1793
    @gcoop1793 4 дні тому +10

    The problem with the Citadel is it's location. It's next to a pretty ghetto neighborhood. Additionally our police force is a joke. They are far more interested in handing out speeding tickets. I once called them about a homeless man walking around screaming and waving a knife and they legit asked me if he stabbed anyone yet, to which I said no. They then said to call back if he does......

    • @Sue-gq7xv
      @Sue-gq7xv 3 дні тому

      The mall is pretty ghetto, too. I've seen drug deals in the parking lot.

  • @Crazycoyote-we7ey
    @Crazycoyote-we7ey 4 дні тому +3

    Go to Spectre mall/Cristian Mall Pheonix Arizona