DEAD MALL: Chapel Hill Mall - Akron, Ohio. The End.
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- Опубліковано 16 жов 2024
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Hey everyone! This video is BLOWING UP...and I'm overwhelmed by the number of comments you've left! I read every single one. Share this video out on social media if you enjoyed it!
I’ve heard of your channel before but this video popped up in my recommended and made me subscribe. :)
Unnicom.. It's probably already filled with homeless people and let's face it someone should get use outta it!! Just like rolling acres was filled with homeless people and 1 gentleman went on the roof to steal copper wire out of centralaire units and was electrocuted to death the main power wire was still live it's on internet if ur intrested😔✌🙏
Edit... I'm a new supporter this was my 1st time watching ur channel.. Man I had good memories as a teenager in that mall😎👌
I was there two months ago, used to go there when I was a kid all the time...so sad to see your favorite mall close
Thank you for documenting this for posterity. My granddaughter and I made a journey to Cincinnati Ohio to a mall that is pretty much abandoned but yet still open to the public we tried to do a few videos or photos and "security" (a homeless looking gentleman on a Segway) tried to tell us that it's illegal to take pictures or video inside. Anyways keep up the good work!
@@constancegreenlee960 Cincinnati Mills/Forest Fair Village unfortunately is really strict about such things. I don't think they want visuals of how bad it is (and how many code violations) are going on in there getting out to the public. I've made a couple videos in there, and while I can't give away all my secrets, it was with great effort to make sure I was being discreet.
Crazy I remember being 14 and shopping at this mall by myself for the first time. I felt so grown up. "The Mall" is where every kid wanted to be or coming from. So sad
It’s weird to wonder how long it will be until malls become obsolete all together. Seeing mall scenes in movies will totally date them. Like when we used to see movies depicting teens at drive-ins or diners.
@@Catlady-mw4en Wait until all brick and mortar retail is gone, people WILL miss it, you don't get to try, before you buy, and if you do need to return a short drive is usually cheaper than mailing something back. Plus what little quality of goods we still have will disappear since you won't know what the quality is until you receive it.
Well everyone contributes to it's closing because we all shop online and at Wal-Mart well actually I don't shop at Wal-Mart because they watch everyone like their theives so I shop at target might be alittle more money but definitely worth it and a lot of crazies shop at Wal-Mart 😔✌
@@reaperfromthetheshadows7811 Yes true, people have been brainwashed into always looking for cheaper and cheaper goods, it has killed quality.
@@reaperfromthetheshadows7811 I have to be honest; 1st I agree, but I don't miss all the "fake personalities" that I encountered in shopping malls; people that would get bags from the big expensive stores, come of the stores /appearing/ to have bought things when they actually didn't. We used to refer to them as "Posers", and it wasn't a compliment. Of course I've discovered the same "fake personalities" in the bars, pubs, and nightclubs as well and thus was inspired to quit drinking and all that and giving my money to some bartender with an even "faker" personality and basically paying their rent. I'm the healthier, (and wealthier) for it!
This video feels like the perfect send-off for Akron’s middle child mall. A slightly hectic but graceful ending.
RIP Chapel Hill.
This is really sad to see I’ve now seen two malls just die first Rolling Acres and now Chapel Hill. Watching this has brought back so many memories. Sad to see it’s now gone.😔
One wonders how Summit Mall continues to thrive. Location, location, location..?
Ikr I couldn't believe it when I seen how Rolling Acres looked before the Amazon Processing center it was unreal.
@@tanya45096 Rolling Acres was THE place when I was a kid. (40 years ago.) My dad and I would play air hockey in the arcade before a movie downstairs. It's one of those things that you really think will never go away. Whatever it is you enjoy, enjoy the hell out of it. Just in case.
@@cainealexander-mccord2805 Yes, LOCATION. It is in an more affluent part of town, unlike Rolling Acres and Chapel Hill.
Yes! Rolling acres is where I went as l little kid, and then Chapel hill was where I went when I was a little older. Now all that’s left in my area is summit mall :(
As someone who grew up with mall from opening day, its almost like a death in the family. Glad it's being repurposed and I hope the new facility will include some restaurants for new employees and a the public. I'm glad the carousel will be relocated to downtown Akron where it can be enjoyed by a new generation. I have such wonderful memories from many years.
1:53 - I'm just noticing the artwork.
I'm 57 yrs old and been going here ALL my life.... how sad. Thanks for the memories Chapel Hill Mall... rip Archie the snowman. 🥺
Ohh I'm so sorry
Archie is not dead they bought him back due to high demand in the local Akron area. He used to be at lock 3 then they moved him and the whole winterfest outta downtown to somewhere esle in Akron due to covid.
Most kids will never know the joy of a Friday night cruising the mall
It's like us not knowing what all the fuss was about concerning malt shops
Agreed. The defining teenage experience for most elder millennials and Gen-X was at the mall much like our parents would have been to the lunch counter at the local Woolworths downtown or at the soda fountain.
I so agree, we hung out on Saturdsys and was the best. The food arcades popcorn. We hung out at Rolling Acres. I actually didn't start shopping at Chapel Hill until in my early 20's.
@@UniCommProductionsI’m 64 and me & my friends hung out at the Mall that opened in 1969. Remember Blockbuster? My kids loved picking out a weekend movie and I think I loved it more.
I met my wife at the Chapel Hill JCPenney. We were both employees. We’re sad to see it go as we have so many good memories there.
I appreciate the hopeful tone towards the future, and your proper use of Akronites. I'm glad you got to see it before it closed. My video is forthcoming on the last year of the mall. You were right about the nostalgic/sad vibe of the day, it was very sad but not surprising. You did it justice, I give you a standing ovation!
Thank you Dave! I look forward to seeing it and hope you and yours are well.
@@UniCommProductions Thanks and same to you. Also this just in Party City is closing this Saturday.
❤❤❤☝️🙏
What i loved about the 70's and 80's..We never said ''There is nothing to do'' Always had the mall
I never had A/C going up. This was my A/C on a hot day.
i am 60 and grew up walking and shopping in this mall. RIP Chapel Hill Mall - thank you for all the holiday and fun memories.
Thank you for the long drives you make to film these malls. You give people a chance to re-live their happy memories. It's sad that the malls are dying, but we all know it's our own fault. Malls were such a big (and enjoyable) part of our lives. It's a tragic sense of loss when they die.
This was the closest mall to us and a Big Thing when it opened. Every store was full and it always had people in it. School clothes every fall, Christmas shopping was Special back then, a real experience, the whole family went.
Remember when Archie and Santa Claus used to be there back in the day before they moved to downtown Akron now aka lock 3. I guess they moved the whole winter fest esle where now after the past 3 yrs aka covid.
Thank you for making this video. I’ve not gotten closure over the loss of this mall, as it has been with me since childhood through my adult years, until now. I appreciate the time you took to film everything slowly and give its history for those of us that will truly miss it and the memories we have here. ♥️
I legitimately used to work at The Macy’s in this mall summer of 2015. I distinctly remember the stabbing and death at the mall that ultimately led to its rapid decline. I wasn’t at work that day, but I saw about it in the news, and after that event, we had police officers walk us to our cars for safety. I was unable to continue working at Macy’s during the school year and the next time I visited the mall the following year, I had learned Macy’s was closing. So sad to see the whole mall completely dead.
Yeah I had a lot of good memories there as a teenager about 20yrs but yes the bad neighborhood's ruined it for people going there💔💔
I was an IT associate with Macy's who had to go there to help close the store down. I closed several Macy's stores during my time at Macy's, and it was never easy.
you know why, right? The same good people that went to Rolling Acres.
This mall was a big part of my childhood. We used to kind of get dressed up to go ‘n all. An overall awesome experience.
I might sound twenty or thirty years older than I am now, but there’s something to be said about civility, humility and wanting to look decent when leaving the house.
Here’s my walking cane:
🦯
Totally agree. The number of people wearing pajamas while out shopping is just too damn high. Like seriously, have some pride in your appearance. At least put on some damn pants.
@@matts.8342 I couldn’t have said it any better.
No your absolutley right looked are brst
Fuck man, that hurts. i can remember almost every Christmas spent there and the neighboring stores as a kid. Its really sad to me that my son will never get to have those experiences like toys r us. Thanks for the great video.
I have this hope that after the pandemic is completely over that there will start being new places where we can build new memories...Thank you for watching!
@@UniCommProductions You are absolutely right we will. I just watched Jurassic Park llthe original for old times, and it reminded me that life always finds a way.
Summit mall still stands but it's demise is probably coming soon😭😔✌🙏
No it is sad
@@reaperfromthetheshadows7811 its funny you mention that I went to summit, belden village, and beechwood for Christmas shopping this year and only bought some candles for my mom. The first two had more open parking spots than I'd ever seen during Christmas beechwood is your best but 45 min away
There used to be a Brown Derby restaurant in the mall. Loooooong before the food court was added. Good times. Great video! Thanks for making it.
Yes that was my Grandma's favorite restaurant.
The salad bar was pretty impressive.
@@tjembalmer6578 Salad bar was the best thing about the Derby
Im 20 years old and im from barberton. I didnt go to chapel hill too often but i can vividly remember the fountain and mural of clouds on the ceiling. Very nostalgic
I bought my first pet here
Got my First bra.
All my homecoming dresses.
First iPhone.
Lost 100$ to a 3 card gambler
Not even half the memories
Rip
I can relate to this so much--the two malls in Cincinnati that I grew up going to the most are on their last legs, which is sort of what got me started making videos like this.
Weird this video made me tear up. I’m glad Lock 3 was able to save Archie and the carousel. Reminds me of my late grandparents taking me there during my childhood.
I didn't know that. That's great that Archie and the Carousel are saved.😊❤
I managed to get in for a walk-through on Thursday, April 22, and yes, they had workers blocking off the halls not used with the metal benches. I walked on through and talked my way to getting a last walk through. I remember Chapel Hill back in the late 60s. After downtown Akron started to go downhill because of Summit Mall and Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill became our family's go-to mall, so I was there fairly regularly. The two-screen theater was about halfway between the middle and Sears on the west side. I saw "Jaws" there, first-run with friends from high school. The fountain in the middle came much later. Originally there was an event stage in the middle unless the space was needed for another event, like an annual new car show. The creepy cult group "Up With People" performed on stage there one Saturday (probably more times than that). Before the food court, as the narrator said, there were lunch counters in a couple of stores like Woolworth's. When they started having businesses with outside entrances, The Brown Derby put in a restaurant there. Up until the last year it was open my parents bought Kenmore appliances from the Sears there. In the early 80s, well before the food court, about where the entrance to the party store was, a one-hour photo processing store went in for several years.
There was always a fountain in the middle of the mall they used to put a floor over it for certain events. My mom worked at penny's from its opening in 67 till 1992. We used to sit at the fountain waiting for her to get off work her first couple of yrs there because we only had 1 car.
Wow! The memories that come back from watching this. Thank you for going out of your way to film this and for doing all the research of its history. It truly is the end of an era! Great job.
My happiest memory of this place is seeing “Jaws” at the huge cinema there in the summer of 1975 with my brother and a gaggle of neighborhood teens. RIP, Chapel Hill.😭
I remember my Mom taking us to see Swiss Family Robinson at that theater. Later I also recall seeing Star Wars at that same theater.
Ahhh…you reminded me, I saw Star Wars there in ‘77, too!
Same. Cousin and I begged my mom. We were 11. Maybe we were in the same audience!
My friend Mike and I went to see Jaws there as well .Before the movie I ate way too much chocolate and while watching the movie I got sick. Haha
@@dansvideovault2186 Ha! As a former youthful junk food junkie, I can relate to that lament!
I Was There When It Just Opend. I Lived On Independance Ave. . As I Got Older I Was All Ways At The Mall With My Friends Or Just Me Crusing Chicks.... The 70s and 80s and 90s Was The Best Times For Me There. I Miss It So Much . So Much History......
Thanks...
I slowly see things from my childhood disappearing first rolling acres now chapel hill mall . Kids today will never know how wonderful the mall was
Yeah, it's sad. Hopefully Eastwood can continue to hold on.
@@matts.8342 Belden village still doing really well Due to the area. As is Summit mall again the area.
@@matts.8342 the swimming place ? Hasn't opened in a few years
I think he’s talking about Eastwood Mall
@@UniCommProductions Yes, I was referring to Eastwood Mall. I grew up about halfway between Chapel Hill and Eastwood, and we went to both.
It’s sad seeing the demise of this mall. I used to live in Akron (have been a Southern California resident for many years now) and worked a job at Petri’s while in high school during the 80’s. The hallways were always busy with shoppers. The smell of popcorn and brand new merchandise were familiar. Those times were memorable and will be missed. Thanks for sharing your video and allowing people who are familiar with Chapel Hill Mall to find ways of reminiscing of days long gone.
Absolutely miss this mall. Thank you for taking me through the nostalgia!!!!! My daughter watches this film daily. It was our sundays together for 2 years....
It was such a great place to go. Christmas was so much fun! Malls should come back. Forget this Amazon crap. People need to be out with other people enjoying the day.
Don't get me wrong, I'd also love for malls to come back, but as someone who frequently wants things that malls (or anywhere else in my area for that matter...) don't have I can say Amazon has its place too. There's nothing more frustrating than being out with other people and coming home empty handed because you didn't get what you were looking for!
YOU ARE SO RIGHT!
Gonna have to address safety issues. These mass shootings are having a very negative effect on the attraction of public spaces. That's my 2 cents. Peace be w you.
I would agree, but unfortunately, work ethic of people have become very rude, unhelpful, and customers don’t want to have to deal with that, also, you have crime, ignorance of most, you never know if somethings going to happen while you’re in a mall with a violent situation. People have woken up to this and realized it’s just safer to be in better places and online.
Thanks. This was the first mall some people - even adults - ever went to, and became a popular place to stroll and window-shop, especially in the winter, in the 1960s and '70s.
Many of us remember babysitting ourselves and playing near the fountain as kids - perhaps daring each other to reach in and steal a penny out of it - while we waited for our parents to finish shopping for..."brassieres", or whatever.
The mall was also eventually upstaged by a long mini-mall strip, including several big box stores, along Howe Ave. to the north.
Oh....The Hill is a nice place to watch a sunset over the west side of the river valley.
It’s so weird going to my storage unit... but also kinda comforting in a way because it’s a piece of my childhood I still get to revisit often. I’m just now storing my junk there instead of purchasing more 🥺
Just the idea that a major anchor store is now a storage facility....damn.
From the mall your junk emerged, into the mall your junk shall return
So many memories there, it's really sad to see how much that area has changed so much. My earliest memories there probably run back to 95 I'd like to say. Once the 2000s hit that atmosphere really started changing. Thanks for making this video.
Spent many summers at Chapel Hill and Rolling Acres Malls. Thank you for giving Chapel Hill a dignified send off.
I moved 27 years ago from Germany to Ohio. This mall was my first mall ever I went to. So many memories came up. But later on we always went to rolling acres mall. Still have pictures with Santa and the kids. So sad for both Malls.
As a kid Archie the giant snowman scared the living shit out of me🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣, great memories though, RIP CHAPEL HILL.....
Archie!! They tried to bring him back to lock 3 at one point.... it just wasn't the same
You said it! Terrifying. But we went every year and loved it.
Thanks for preserving a large part of many of our lives, I was here in 1967 and grew up through the life and end of the mall. Woolworth had two restaurants, the lunch counter, and the adjacent Harvest House Cafeteria. We (and many others) spent every Sunday after church at the Harvest House. It's also interesting to note that Chapel Hill had the first indoor dual cinema in the country.
harvest house was associated with woolworth? didn't know that, i grew up at midway mall in elyria and there was one there too.
Dude this video is so surreal. This was The Mall when my family went out on weekends. It’s so strange to see it empty but we all knew it was coming
Yeah dude
Well done! Your walkthrough recording of the mall was very slow and steady, excellent quality shots! Those kids in the claw machine were pretty scary, seriously who would want to try that game out.
It's amazing how good the footage can turn out when I'm not having to duck security at every turn! I'm sure you can relate.
I spent a lot of time over the years at this mall, it’s gonna be sad knowing I’ll never shop there again. I’ve got so many memories of that place good and bad. So long old friend 😄
Thanks for covering this mall. I was born and raised within minutes of Chapel Hill. So many memories from the 70's and 80's. My grandma used to take us to the Brown Derby and the Woolworth's counter to eat. Mom would buy me and my sister matching culottes from JC Penney and saddle shoes from Thom McAn. Used to get perms at the Sears Salon while Mom got the car serviced at Sears Auto. Hung out with friends at the mall during high school, etc,etc.
It's amazing how one space can hold so many memories from all eras of your life.
@@UniCommProductions Agreed but it was the hub for the entire area. Movies, restaurants, shopping, hair salons, etc..it was all contained in that one mall which was great esp during the cold winters.
Thank you for posting this up, I'm 42 and I used to go there all the time... either in a car or on a bicycle, I'll miss the vibe of the place when there was so much fun going on.
43, and I hear you. I used to ride my bike there often.
I'm sad to see the mall go, but I'm also glad that it's finally put out of it's misery and laid to rest. It was becoming sad and eerie watching what used to be a wonderful place to have fun at, suffer a slow and quiet death. Hopefully the city has a plan on what to do with the building now thst it's out of business. i'd hate it if they left it in it's own waste like rolling acres.
It's been purchased by a company that usually manages office parks and they're planning to make it available as commercial space.
It is sad
Fantastic video! Glad this will always be around to reminisce about that being my local mall. Sad to see it get to this point, but we all saw it slowly happening. There was a stabbing/ death there a couple years ago that according to some Finishline employees really hurt everyone's sales. Customers had reason and not just rumors to feel unsafe. I thank you for this. I'll be subscribing and sharing.
Grew up with this mall. Visited Archie as a kid in the 70’s. Worked at Woolworth in the 80’s. Took my kids in the 90’s. It’s so sad to see it now. Thanks for sharing this. 😢
Akron transplant by way of Cinci here since 2010. Chapel Hill was a weekend staple due to being in the University of Akron “Roo” line. It felt like the beginning of the end when Old Navy and Macy’s left. I’ll always have fond memories of Halloween costume shopping at Party City, the Christmas displays, and the bomb food at Stir Fry.
I used to love Old Navy and now every time I go in one (when you can FIND one), I can’t find anything I like. There’s just something about Chinese food at the mall that makes it different than other places. Maybe it’s the flimsy plastic forks that hold the magic?
It really has that immediate post apocalyptic vibe..... I feel like a zombie is going to jump out at any second in the clip.
Respect. Made a lot of memories here and on this property. Kinda sad to see stuff like this and to know that as society evolves, future generations won’t experience the coming of age staples we took for granted in our day. I’m sure many generations have their version of this previous to us.
Crazy how many jobs I had in this mall in my early 20s. It sad to see it like it is. I drive past it every day. RIP Chapel Hill
Friday night with my buddies, WOW, the memories are all coming back .Damn, how I miss those days
Finally getting around to watching this in full. Great job! The grand opening ceremonies were held between October 12 through the 14th in 1967, despite being open since the Sears was dedicated on Sept. 29 1966. The dark "Chris Nolan" aesthetic, and the "Daria voice" in your videos is addicting, and I adore your series. Keep 'em coming, Cruise Director!
At some point you're going to have to show me where you found that (I got close piecing together when ads started showing up)! It's funny how different our videos (and Anthony's eventual video) ended up being since we were all there at the same time. Thanks for taking the time to watch it!
I am going to miss every little section of this mall and growing up begging my parents to go there tossing coins in the fountain and it’s sad to watch all the years go by while looking at this video
I worked at the F.W Woolworths there in the late 70's and early 80's and would walk this mall about every day and it would be packed full of people. Amazing how things change. Very good video by the way.
I worked at the Woolworths in Ellet before going in the Air Force ! I think Tim Ball was manager at the time ! Betty Richards and Janet Lowry worked there , and I think transferred to Chapel Hill ! How time flys !
I knew it was coming eventually, I just didn't expect it to happen so quick. Thank you for the memories Chapel Hill.
Archie the snow man. I spoke to him as a kid, then took my kids to talk to him. R.I.P Archie.
Archie is back at Lock 3
@@llambiotte375 NOT the same! Archie is gone and gone forever!!!!!
Me too!
@@llambiotte375 I’ve seen the Archie at Lock 3 - he’s just not the same
Goodbye Chapel Hill 🥺. You were my favorite mall as a kid. The fountain made me very happy, I will not forget the memories.
The ending! I had one of those rides laugh at me as I passed by once. I swear I had a heart attack. It was in a dead mall and how it echoed was so creepy! Thanks for this awesome coverage!
I cannot explain the mix of feelings that come with being completely alone in a space and hearing THAT out of nowhere
It’s so crazy seeing so many people in your area reminisce on something that was once so cool…I walked around last year during the beginning covid just to see it once and go to party city and it was crazy because I never shopped there but I couldn’t help but feel sad because Ik this is gonna be the reality of many other malls soon😕
My grandmother used to take me here all the time when I was little. I would always ride one of the pandas on the carousel. Very nostalgic. Great video
When my life was simple and my family was together
Right ... that part
I worked at Cinema 1 & 2 here at Chapel Hill back in the 70s. Many, many great memories. Sad to see it die. Typical of Akron. Great place to be from!
I liked Akron! It does seem like a nice place to live
This is depressing! I grew up in this mall and have so many great stories from my childhood. The 2 malls I grew up in are both gone (i.e rolling acres)
Wow...I worked at Sears, Chapel Hill from 86 to 96...high school, college and beyond. Great video...thank you for sharing!
There was a time when Sears was a great place to work. They were the first job I actually earned vacation time at!
I'm like 5 minutes from chapel hill && work at the rolling acres (now amazon). So sad to see malls && older movie theaters die out 😭
Bummer that the most important thing wasn't mentioned in this video... ARCHIE
He was such a big part of that mall for many years
Wow, it’s crazy and hurts to see this! I used to come here several times a week when it was busy. The fun times, the outfits, and other things that this mall gave me, I’ll cherish them always! Thank you Chapel Hill Mall!
I don't live anywhere near this mall. I have never even been to Ohio.
For some reason, though, I almost feel a sadness... as if I have lost someone close to me.
$200,000?!
For a light bill?!
My $130 bill doesn't sound so badnow.
You just got another subscriber, by the way.
Thank you! The 200k was for two malls, and you can’t imagine how much electricity those places use. I think the overdue bill was several months worth.
The electricity used for A/C at these places is hair-raising. It is not just lights.
It IS sad, and goes to the credit of this channel to capture that... Chapel Hill Mall encapsulated the Capatalistic American idealism that surrounded ALL Mall Culture, I believe... the original plan called for a 2 story Mall, multiple high rise apartments, and more of a work/living/recreation destination area than what was finally achieved.... reality always wins over idealism.
Most of the good Ohio Malls died by 2005. Since 2016 with these revamped stores you are not missing much. Almost all of these retailers have ruined what they originated from.
From the day it opened, this was the place to be. We had our Friday night dances, and then everyone would meet at Chapel Hill on Saturday to talk about what went on at the dance. As a teenager in the late 60's through 1971, it was THE place.
even though I've never been there it does hurt to see another mail close. To me it's all the work and time put into building and keeping it up to just ending with a flop that hurts. Great vid 👌
Hell Yeah
Sad to see this mall close. I used to shop at Chapel Hill Mall while in college at Kent State and when working at University if Akron. Great memories.
Ever wonder why it was called The Mall?
Because instead of shopping at one store you could shop at them all.
The Mall > Them All
Interesting but not true.
Thank you for making this video. It really touched me.
I worked at Woolworth's snack bar in the 80's. And the Mall was really hopping back then.
Especially around the Holidays. Black Friday, shoppers would line up for a quick snack before continuing their shopping.
Woolworth's was a huge success. There was the department store, and 2 restaurants. They owned the "Harvest House" restaurant. And they had great food too.
The diner behind the snack bar was always busy too.
It's really sad for me to watch the Chapel Hill Mall go under.
First gone was Sears, then Macy's, then J.C. Penny.
It was like watching the movie, "Titanic." As the three anchors of the Mall left, it was only inevitable that the Mall wouldn't make it.
I used to love watching the early morning walkers zoom by as the stores were opening. It was like a Club, as many people would faithfully walk the Mall, before shoppers started coming in.
I can't remember, but I'm pretty sure it was three times around the inside of the Mall, that made a mile.
There were the many regulars who would meet up at the Fountain for their daily coffee and reminiscing.
I loved the talking snowman, "Archie." Kids would line up to tell Archie what they wanted for Christmas.
Thank you again, for making this video.❤🌹
This brings back many good memories of the 80's decade.
It was a different time and place. It was a busy shopping trip for many people. The Chapel Hill Mall was the place to be. To meet people, and hang out.
Rest in Peace, Chapel Hill Mall.❤🌹
Pretty surreal, I used to go there with my mom to lenscrafters to get my glasses.
Time is such a cruel enemy
the outside drive by of the mall almost made me cry. the memories of coming to CH as a kid with my family. My first job being at sears in CH. all of it kinda rushed back. i love Akron and hate to see what it's become from what it once was. I'll miss you CHM.
So much of my childhood was spent here, and I even went there for the closing of a few of my favorite stores (Spencer's, Hot Topic, etc). The last few years it wasn't even really a mall at all-there were only a few stores open within. I've always loved the "Dead Mall" aesthetic, and it feels so weird to be seeing a staple of my early life within it now.
It is really strange to see all these places we grew up with that are now ghost towns. Now I know how my grandparents felt when they saw their downtown business districts start to dry up.
@@UniCommProductions the last time I remember that mall being busy was Black Friday 2010-I was in middle school and my cousins and I went since our grandparents lived less than ten minutes from there and we were already visiting for thanksgiving. You had to wait in line to get in most stores-but by the time I started high school a year later it was already beginning to decline...
When I was a kid, Spencer's was really something. Black walls, blacklight posters, those were the days. Ask your parents.
When it opened, Spencers was our favorite store. They had all the black light posters. When the mall opened in 67, as kids, we all had a place to hang out.
😭I will miss this mall ppl in Akron know how good this mall used to be
This is so sad.... So many memories as a teen here. Will be missed...
Archie the snowman, auntie annes warm pretzels, orange Julius, holding hands with some of my first puppy loves.. "BOURBON CHICKEN?!?!" haha this place does hold a lot of memories for me, thank you for this!
That bourbon chicken is dangerously delicious. You’re very welcome!
I've always wondered if those gumballs ever resulted in broken teeth
I always wonder if there's bugs inside those machines.
"OH look momy a dead mouse and chocolate!"😂
@@UniCommProductions Maybe its so filled with chemicals even the bugs keep away but a Human somewhere would chew on it 25-50 years later to "test it" and probably put it on youtube!
Just stumbled onto your channel and love it. I helped build the carousel in that Mall when I worked for Carousel Works in Mansfield, OH. I carved many of those riding animals and welded some of the metal. This closure just breaks my heart.
I remember going to this mall in the mid to late 80’s with my friends dressed to impress 😀 Following boys around, going to the movies. I had all of my Christmas pictures done there from birth to probably high school graduation. Sure Archie scared the heck out of me but I loved him anyway.
Cooper?
Toledo area older millennial here. Very happy to have found your channel and its quality content. Many folks in my generation are latching onto the nostalgic aesthetic of malls in their glory days. Capitalistic culture pushes change and movement and just like anything else, malls were bound to have an expiration date. I do hope though, that we will move back into the concept of a downtown space, a civic space with local businesses. I have watched the Toledo malls and the Sandusky Mall's slow death and I feel COVID-19 will be the defining nail in the coffin.
Some cities have already done that-I am from Cincinnati and their downtown is booming, and the suburbs are starting to struggle because all the professional types want to be where the action is. Malls are absolutely problematic in a lot of ways (and the suburbs in general sometimes), but I think most of us our age have a lot of rose-colored memories about growing up in the 80s and 90s going to the mall before we gained the knowledge to see they weren’t perfect.
I think there were 3 malls in Toledo when I went to college there. How many of them are left?
@@matts.8342 Franklin Park is the only indoor left. Woodville and Southwyck demolished. Within the past 15 years they built outdoor shopping venues in Perrysburg and Maumee, Levis Commons and Fallen Timbers. Fallen Timbers never really set off though and is fairly dead.
Never been a mall person but it's sad to see the mall go. Went to Rolling Acres and Belden Village more. Rip Chapel Hill Mall!
Still have Summit mall and Belsen Village mall to shop.
@@catenaa4594 summit is going down hill next
@@ilovefredsvids most likely
Very well made video. I appreciate the amount of research I went into this. The narration tone and Pace was excellent. Music was fitting. Well done!
I use to clean that mall 😭 and I also worked at Charlie’s in the food court as well as a photographer kiosk
Definitely a heart breaking scene, I spent many happy hours here for over a half of a century.
This is where I spent a lot of my teenage years. Every weekend , let's go hang out at the mall. I lived right down the street we walked there all the time even during the week. Wandering the mall was the thing to do in the 80s.
The ceiling above the fountain was always my favorite part. It looked so magical when it was lit up. Man I never thought I'd miss this place.
1967. A sophomore at KSU. I had a job, money in my pocket, and I was off to the exciting new mall to go Christmas shopping for my family.
My grandma used to take me here all the time and I absolutely loved riding on the carrousel and looking at the pretty ceiling art. It's such a shame the mall closed
I barely learned last year how to correctly pronounce Aeropostale. Of course a seasoned vet like you already knew. Haha.
I can thank four years of High School French for that one! :) thank you for watching
This mall is still standing in its entirety as of early 2024, and has been rebranded as a business incubator. The former Sears space is home to a cabinet manufacturing company and the Macy's is a self storage facility. There are a few other businesses there but it's hard to get up close and see what's actually been going on. Much of the surrounding parking lot areas have been closed off to outside traffic. Overall, it's pretty odd to see, especially knowing what CH used to be. Not a lot of news is forthcoming about whether any of it is successful or not.
A dark sad mall. Another great video. Hope the claw machine kids don't give me nightmares.
You and me both! That thing should come with a warning. I legitimately thought two little kids had climbed up inside the machine when I first saw it.
Hey, you can't leave your kids in Toy Vending Machine!
Sad to see her go! I remember going to this mall with my family and friends since I was in elementary school. I absolutely loved being at Chapel Hill Mall. It was the first place I had ever tried a drink from Starbucks. My favorite store in the mall was DEB which was near the end where the Sears anchor was. My mom would take me here for school clothes shopping almost every year. I remember my Mom buying me a pair of all black converse which I wore to my homecoming dance in 2009. I remember riding the carousel and eating the chinese food in the food court. One time my sister and I came here on a Sunday and her car battery died in the parking lot (A nice older couple were able to jump the vehicle for us). I remember the mall getting a bad reputation due to the lack of security and increase in crime in the area. I remember girls at school being in disbelief that I went to Chapel Hill Mall claiming that it's "scary." I never felt that way about this mall, not even in it's later days. I remember going there by myself, as a teenage girl for memorial day sales in 2012 and even then the mall was starting to get fewer and fewer customers. It has been a long time coming but it's still sad. RIP Chapel Hill Mall.
I used to go to Chapel Hill with my grandparents when I was younger but I spent most of my mall time at Rolling Acres. It's so sad to see all the memories of my child hood going away. All the stores, malls, restaurants, amusement parks and anything else that has come and gone from the 70's (when I born) up until now.
Awesome video. I am bummed this day is coming soon for my local mall. The claw machine made my skin crawl.
That Claw Machine haunts my dreams
Man, it's so weird to think this place is gone now. Like- the structure is still there, but it's not chapel hill anymore. I guess it really wasn't for a while now, but it was one of those places that was ALWAYS there for you, and it was surreal to see it go down hill. The fountain there was one of my favorite places, goodness knows I made many wishes there. When JC Penny's was there my aunt worked in their salon, and that's where I always went to get my hair cut. There was a photo place there too, which up until my 18th birthday we took regular photos at to commemorate said birthdays or special events. The Claire's there was where I got my ears pierced. I liked to hang out at the pet store there too. There were just so many memories there, and now it's closed. It's almost heartbreaking, but you did a lovely job covering it. Thank you!
Mall shopping was so comfortable, fun, effecient and safe. As society changed this experience became dangerous, and crime became unavoidable. Really a great idea originally.
The advent of the 24 hour news cycle and social media has made people feel so paranoid...which is sad. Statistically we are less likely to be a victim of a violent crime than ever before in history (even taking into account things like mass shootings), but when we hear about every single one it’s hard not to feel hopeless and that danger lurks around every corner.
@@UniCommProductions Exactly. I'm starting to believe alot of the 'news' is manufactured to control the general populace.
@@michelekate8567 Agreed completely. I really feel like a lot of the hate in the world right now is a result of the 24 hour news and social media feed telling us we all need to be afraid of each other. It's really been a relief since I got vaccinated and can freely go out in public again to find out the world has not gotten "worse". People are just people.
@@UniCommProductions 100% agreed. It seems alot of it is about control and also about dividing us. We used to have malls as a central hub in the community..but even that is slowly being taken away.
You’re silver lining message at the end was beautiful. Chapel hill is and has been only 10mins from home so this was moms choice for shopping growing up. So many memories walking through those doors. But understanding that it won’t be an abandoned wasteland like rolling acres is comforting. And the area immediately around chapel hill is still improving and growing. But dang seeing those empty dark hallways is a deep foreshadow of how we all will go out in this world. Rip chapel hill mall
Great video. I have been at 4 local malls on their last day here in Kansas City and Bannister Mall was by far the saddest of the bunch, not only because I owned a store there in from 94-2000 but also because it was the mall I grew up going to in the 80's. I got a bunch of pics but no video of it.
As a native of Kansas City,I truly feel you on this. I spent a lot of time at Bannister Mall and have many memories from it's heyday to its decline.
We moved to Streetsboro in 1991 and spent a lot of time here. Our kids loved the carousel and food court, with book and game stores being my favorites. We miss Chi Chi’s in the parking lot. Such a wonderful day trip and a place to escape for some exercise and excessive spending. This closing is indeed the end of an era.