I moved to this area almost 9 years ago the mall was so full of excitement the engery was strong...but as she said the internet killed shopping malls even Wal-Mart doesn't have the foot traffic it once had. When you can sit or lay in the comfort of your home holding your cell phone in your hands and order everything who needs a mall
Years ago I would sometimes go into the food court for lunch break and it was fairly empty then. I haven't been inside since 2018? There's so many food and retail options in the immediate area, that I don't see much of a point to the mall anymore.
That mall was my favorite mall. I made an amazing song about this mall wishing it was happy again. I have been to this mall from 1990s to 2019. I really miss this place so much. I wish this place was still here for a good long time. I enjoyed the days of walking around this mall all the time in these good ol days.
Right with ya man… though my start was in the mid to late 2000s…. It’s making me remember when there was a Sbarro or Cinnabon place there. I knew when looking back, I had my fun as I grew up and got older. Now that I’m 20, it just feels weird how things have completely changed and crazy that I can still remember vividly even at those younger years what it was just like in those moments. Though I should ask, what was it like going there in the 90s?
The current property management company is grossly incompetent. Kohan Retail Investment Group has been a real death blow to this mall. They simply gave up. The air conditioning didn't work during the summer of 2023, the food court has numerous cracked floor tiles, the escalators still don't work, and departing stores haven't been replaced. Kohan has done far more damage to this mall than Amazon and/or the Pandemic. I have lived in Sanford long enough to remember when this mall was busy, successful, and thriving. It is so sad to see a once successful mall limping along on life support.
So unfortunate to see this mall go downhill. I pretty much went here a lot growing up, seeing things come and eventually go. I even have a bunch of pictures of when the mall was still lively…. Wish I could go back in time lol.
I understand mall was recently purchased? There are a few great venues still open like The Winey Wench (which moved to another spot), Elev8te, and hopefully ome good things to come.
Oh Seminole Towne Center, one of my personal favorite malls! I love the neon and 90s aesthetics here! Sucks to see how poorly Kohan is treating this mall.
I'm sad to see this mall in its current state because it used to be so awesome. There was even both a Disney store and a Warner Bros Studio Store in its heyday
I guess i found a new mall channel to binge watch, thanks UA-cam algorithm! This is a pretty mall and i hope it gets saved, looks like they're trying with that Elev8 (whatever it is).
Last Thursday the power was shut off at the mall for non payment, the air conditioner hasn't worked in nearly a year there are two empty stores for one that is open 😢
One issue: the mall's A/C is dead, so all the stores have their own portable A/C units. The exceptions are the anchor stores, they have their own A/C units. The red walls near the Burdines/Macy's is the only 2-level mall fitness club, which closed a couple years ago and members were given memberships with other clubs in the area. And the VR arena isn't doing much business since people can do the same at Elev8
I used to come here all the time when I was little in the 2010s, it’s so sad what happened to it. The busiest I’ve ever seen it in recent years was during Christmas 2020.
used to like the chinese place there (and sarku before it closed). Wasn't anything special but the workers and owner always had a smile on their face. made me feel better about my day
This brings up an odd memory. My son was trying out for a baseball team in Sanford and forgot his cleats. I had to run to this mall and buy him some and rush back before he started. lol.
TBH Orlando is not that well known for thriving malls all over the area compared to Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, or Washington DC. The same can be said for most markets across America. Put in the Great Recession, over-retailing, & Orlando being a theme park destination that also built A LOT of unnecessary malls & retail space at a time most other places weren't (similar to Sarasota, & also the mall's location further away from the theme parks), & all these factors don't help either, thus contributing to this mall (& most in Central Florida) seeing struggles. This is a struggling mall that's not completely dead & even if it were still booming to this day, it's clear that this mall in particular was NEVER meant to only have retail, given Orlando is the world's theme park capital -- Florida Mall, Millenia & Altamonte seem to be the only high-performing Central Florida malls, with Altamonte also the only one of those three not in the theme parks' vicinity. If you're wondering, the former Macy's trees came from my mom's favorite store, Burdines. & in the future there are plans for redevelopment (Elev8 Fun is a part of that & was created to bring life back to this mall & other distressed properties). ua-cam.com/video/BHfI7gi0Vg8/v-deo.html
I live near Altamonte and I think the main reason that one is still going strong (besides being right off I-4) is because of Crane's Roost, the hospital next to it, and the fact that the mall already has a ton of apartments close to it. And to ensure long term survival there is even more "Uptown" development around it under construction right now. Also Altamonte has the only Apple store in the northern half of the Orlando metro area, Millenia and Florida mall have the other two Apple stores here.
Those ornamental fake palm trees on the Macy's are the most postmodern/1995 thing I've ever seen. It's still strange to see buildings from that era get old. You have a great style and narration.
The #1 thing that stopped me from going out there is the route. Because of the strip malls across the street and the restaurants, it's like a maze or wait forever to get out at the light. If you're here, you know. 2nd is the store choice. Really nothing that is worth going that far. There's umpteen Walmart's between here and there. You should check out the others in Oviedo & Altamonte Springs. They're only marginally better.
I moved to this area almost 9 years ago the mall was so full of excitement the engery was strong...but as she said the internet killed shopping malls even Wal-Mart doesn't have the foot traffic it once had. When you can sit or lay in the comfort of your home holding your cell phone in your hands and order everything who needs a mall
the internet has your size in the colorway you want too. You don't have to settle. Still would go back to the old ways if we could though haha
Years ago I would sometimes go into the food court for lunch break and it was fairly empty then. I haven't been inside since 2018? There's so many food and retail options in the immediate area, that I don't see much of a point to the mall anymore.
The palm trees around Macy’s are likely carryovers from Burdines, which was bought out by the former a decades ago.
It was a Burdines up until my early teens. Grew up in Sandord
Correct, that this Macy's was a former Burdine's.
That mall was my favorite mall. I made an amazing song about this mall wishing it was happy again. I have been to this mall from 1990s to 2019. I really miss this place so much. I wish this place was still here for a good long time. I enjoyed the days of walking around this mall all the time in these good ol days.
I love this mall too man, i still come to look at the playplace, really brings back memories.
I know right? finally im not a broke teenager anymore, i have money for CDs and posters and a katana from a weird oriental store but theyre all gone..
@@cyan0xide Hopefully these kinds of stores may come back.
Right with ya man… though my start was in the mid to late 2000s…. It’s making me remember when there was a Sbarro or Cinnabon place there. I knew when looking back, I had my fun as I grew up and got older. Now that I’m 20, it just feels weird how things have completely changed and crazy that I can still remember vividly even at those younger years what it was just like in those moments.
Though I should ask, what was it like going there in the 90s?
The current property management company is grossly incompetent. Kohan Retail Investment Group has been a real death blow to this mall. They simply gave up. The air conditioning didn't work during the summer of 2023, the food court has numerous cracked floor tiles, the escalators still don't work, and departing stores haven't been replaced. Kohan has done far more damage to this mall than Amazon and/or the Pandemic. I have lived in Sanford long enough to remember when this mall was busy, successful, and thriving. It is so sad to see a once successful mall limping along on life support.
Seems like once the area’s main attraction Flea World closed, people stopped coming around the area.
So unfortunate to see this mall go downhill. I pretty much went here a lot growing up, seeing things come and eventually go. I even have a bunch of pictures of when the mall was still lively….
Wish I could go back in time lol.
I understand mall was recently purchased? There are a few great venues still open like The Winey Wench (which moved to another spot), Elev8te, and hopefully ome good things to come.
Oh Seminole Towne Center, one of my personal favorite malls! I love the neon and 90s aesthetics here! Sucks to see how poorly Kohan is treating this mall.
I'm sad to see this mall in its current state because it used to be so awesome. There was even both a Disney store and a Warner Bros Studio Store in its heyday
I guess i found a new mall channel to binge watch, thanks UA-cam algorithm! This is a pretty mall and i hope it gets saved, looks like they're trying with that Elev8 (whatever it is).
Thanks for watching!
I totally agree. I created a song about a wish that this mall gets saved and becomes a happy place like it used to be.
Last Thursday the power was shut off at the mall for non payment, the air conditioner hasn't worked in nearly a year there are two empty stores for one that is open 😢
One issue: the mall's A/C is dead, so all the stores have their own portable A/C units. The exceptions are the anchor stores, they have their own A/C units. The red walls near the Burdines/Macy's is the only 2-level mall fitness club, which closed a couple years ago and members were given memberships with other clubs in the area. And the VR arena isn't doing much business since people can do the same at Elev8
Thanks for all this information!
Yeah, in the aerial photo, you can actually see a bunch of yellow tubes on the roof from portable units. Yikes.
I'm happy to have found this channel!!
Welcome, glad you're here!
I used to come here all the time when I was little in the 2010s, it’s so sad what happened to it. The busiest I’ve ever seen it in recent years was during Christmas 2020.
i feel you. its hard to go there because you get depressed just looking around. and you're right, people still flock in on the holidays
Have I been to Seminole Towne Center? Yes, on a visit to Florida in 1999. It was a lot busier back then...
used to like the chinese place there (and sarku before it closed). Wasn't anything special but the workers and owner always had a smile on their face. made me feel better about my day
This brings up an odd memory. My son was trying out for a baseball team in Sanford and forgot his cleats. I had to run to this mall and buy him some and rush back before he started. lol.
TBH Orlando is not that well known for thriving malls all over the area compared to Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, or Washington DC. The same can be said for most markets across America. Put in the Great Recession, over-retailing, & Orlando being a theme park destination that also built A LOT of unnecessary malls & retail space at a time most other places weren't (similar to Sarasota, & also the mall's location further away from the theme parks), & all these factors don't help either, thus contributing to this mall (& most in Central Florida) seeing struggles. This is a struggling mall that's not completely dead & even if it were still booming to this day, it's clear that this mall in particular was NEVER meant to only have retail, given Orlando is the world's theme park capital -- Florida Mall, Millenia & Altamonte seem to be the only high-performing Central Florida malls, with Altamonte also the only one of those three not in the theme parks' vicinity. If you're wondering, the former Macy's trees came from my mom's favorite store, Burdines. & in the future there are plans for redevelopment (Elev8 Fun is a part of that & was created to bring life back to this mall & other distressed properties). ua-cam.com/video/BHfI7gi0Vg8/v-deo.html
I live near Altamonte and I think the main reason that one is still going strong (besides being right off I-4) is because of Crane's Roost, the hospital next to it, and the fact that the mall already has a ton of apartments close to it. And to ensure long term survival there is even more "Uptown" development around it under construction right now. Also Altamonte has the only Apple store in the northern half of the Orlando metro area, Millenia and Florida mall have the other two Apple stores here.
The only time I was there, in 1995-6, when Rush Limbaugh had a store there. That was it.
Pretty quick decline at this mall. Sounds like 2020 really put this mall over the edge.
Those ornamental fake palm trees on the Macy's are the most postmodern/1995 thing I've ever seen. It's still strange to see buildings from that era get old. You have a great style and narration.
The palm trees are from when Burdines occupied that space.
I remember when this opened. Wow it died fast.
:( this mall was my childhood
The #1 thing that stopped me from going out there is the route. Because of the strip malls across the street and the restaurants, it's like a maze or wait forever to get out at the light. If you're here, you know. 2nd is the store choice. Really nothing that is worth going that far. There's umpteen Walmart's between here and there. You should check out the others in Oviedo & Altamonte Springs. They're only marginally better.
You’re right about the maze! It’s not on the main street. Stay tuned for Ovideo and Altamonte, I already have the footage!
Oviedo is only slightly better, but Altamonte still has some traffic and Macy's has not left.
Altamonte Spring seems like is going down the same path
When I moved to Orlando this type of parking lot Configuration drove me nuts. You are absolutely correct!!!
"Florida never shut down during covid" - Ron Desantis.
Well it was next to impossible to find a place to eat, other than fast food for at least a year.
JUST TURN IT INTO CRAP LIKE SANFORD AND SON