The Coventry Mall in Pottstown/ Coventry Pennsylvania. If you haven't yet been. It was my childhood mall growing up, now it's completely dead. Almost completely dead.
As someone who spend my teenage years, my first job, and tons of memories in the early 2000s this breaks my heart. As you walk past these empty stores I remember every one, every move I made, every sell, every moment.
@@IanMartinExploration Thats true lmao so 1 employee doesnt have to walk around behind that 1 customer answering questions, they have every corner covered lol
Great memories growing up. Meeting your friends at the mall on Friday and Saturday night, getting some pizza then hitting the arcade and hanging out. Those were the days.
Being from Chambersburg, it's really weird to see the Mall in this state. When I was younger, it was always packed. To answer your question about what the stage was used for, they never had plays there to my knowledge. It was used for things like the occasional talent show, but mostly holiday themed things for kids like the mall Santa and the Easter Bunny. It was always a bit of an odd location, being 10-15 minutes outside of town in an area that isn't very populated. I remember family complaining about the choice of location when it was first built, though I was too young to really care about anything but Alladin's Castle (the arcade) back then.
Ohhh things like talent shows and Santa makes sense for that stage! I hadn’t considered that. I’ve heard from so many people about the location not making sense. I have to agree, it seemed very odd to me that you had to go so far out of town to reach the mall.
Singers (Local and the Mall tours with the Bubblegum pop, I think Christina Aguilara and Tiffany both sang there at some point) would perform there in the mid to late 80's. My sister performed there for several years at Christmas time. Plays that were part of the Chambersburg Community Theatre and the McBride Theatre (performed at the Totem Pole Playhouse) group that performed at the Capitol Theatre downtown, would put on skits (a scene from or a condensed version of the play(s)). By the 90's Bridal shows on the stage. It really wasn't out of the way considering it was right off Interstate 81. It was centrally located for Shippensburg and Chambersburg. Where as previously people would travel to Carlisle or Hagerstown for indoor Mall shopping. Interestingly enough, with the closing and deterioration of indoor Malls the outdoor strip malls are making a comeback thanks to the Walmart Super Centers and Costco/Sams clubs.
Hi fellow Chambersburg-ian! lol Its been about 9 years since I moved away but I also worked at a store for couple years just out of highschool. That stage was originally one of the big fountains, and up until 2010 some of the features like drains and inlets were still in place under the stage. In a way the Mall was put where it was due to a combination of factors that really didnt do it any favors - Chambersburg proper refused to issue it zoning permits within city limits, Scotland is a dry township - so you couldnt have there if you wanted a bar, any farther south and youre competing with the Hagerstown Mall which is a sister mall from the same company. Putting it where it is was the only place they could get a permit, AND land at a somewhat affordable rate at the time. My father was a manager at Hess's when the mall opened and later switched jobs to work at the city government.
@@HaddaClu ah, good old Pennsylvania puritanical liquor laws. I moved away I'm 2011 myself, first to Maryland north of Baltimore, and the last few years in Germany. I always get surprised when I come back home and get carded at the door of a bar or something, as that really isn't a thing here, nor is open container ever an issue. Also really have to watch my speed on the highways, lol! Trying to get home for Christmas this year, so hoping the Omicron thing doesn't mess that up. Anyway, hello to you as well! I had forgotten that used to be a fountain by the way.
it's so wild thinking about how a lot of those stores have only closed in the last 10 years... I remember getting a manicure at the nail place and seeing Auntie Anne's still open! It has become a pretty spooky place
It's almost like a snowball effect or dominos falling. As soon as one or two close then suddenly more and more start to follow and next thing you know you've got this situation. Thanks for watching!
As someone from Australia, it is very odd to see malls like this. The vast majority of malls here are still very popular, and while the online movement has certainly had an uptake, it is a long way from online business killing the malls.
That’s amazing that malls are still super popular in Australia. That’s the first I’ve heard of malls people currently popular anywhere. Any idea why malls haven’t seen the same decline there as they have in the US?
In many parts of Asia malls are still popular as well. The US has evolved away from malls, for the most part. There are a few that are extremely successful and vibrant such as The King Of Prussia Mall (Philadelphia area) near where I live, but that is an exception. The reason everyone gives is the fact shopping habits have changed ... everyone either shops online or prefer to go to the "big box" stores. The truth, I think, has more to do with the US had become "over malled" - too many malls which had to compete with each other. The malls themselves are mostly generic looking, bland soulless places that are expensive to keep up and air condition. Who wants to look for your car in acres of parking lots and hike through mall concourses to find one shop to buy one item? The food courts all seem to have the same crappy chain food stalls. I, for one, do not mourn the demise of the mall.
Over-malled I think might be a contributing factor too, great point. The market became over saturated with these generic looking buildings that didn’t offer anything unique really.
The reason the mall is like this, is because it’s technically on the “edge” of our town. It thrived for years and years; until we created a new exit off of our highway that was much closer in toward town. The stores that would be in this mall; are now all individually opened on a shopping plaza area off of our exit (Walker exit)
I worked at that Bath and Bodyworks around the period you would’ve filmed this. It was surprisingly busy when people came in, but it was also just bizarre. Every other customer would talk to us about how the mall is dead and how it’s amazing we were still there. I think just this year it finally moved out of the mall, so I think it’s safe to say that it’s actually dead
Cheap pop-up shops like "As Seen On TV" can be an interesting experience, though definitely not the sign of a healthy retail environment. It's the type of place where everything is cheap and most of it is rubbish, but occasionally there is an incredibly good deal hiding in plain sight. I remember I snagged a four-set of swing CDs and an Agatha Christie novel for four dollars. What a boon!
It gets sadder. July 1, 2023 the mall announced it is officially closed for good. Black Rose Antiques was the last tennant, and they closed up their store. Its a shame, this is one of the last remaining classic Crown American malls still left in its untouched 1982 state (for the most part).
The Great Retail Apocalypse will close more malls. There will be few if any malls by the end of this decade. The looting of mall stores we see on TV will only accelerate the process. Big box stores might be next. I went inside a mall pre-COVID and there are very few tier 1 retailers left and the food court was almost totally abandoned. It's a Simon owned property. I don't think it has much time left because the Sears closed. I got a weird vibe buying a new mattress in Macy's a few months later like I didn't belong there lol.
It looks like a scene from a futuristic movie!!! So sad! I WANT MY 80’s!! I used to set up my Electrolux vacuum display quite frequently in the early 90’s when it was incredibly busy! Christmas shopping was great! Alas, the shiny decorations, hustling shoppers, holiday music, scents of holiday candy and the rest, are all forever asleep but very alive in my memory. Thank you..
it's so weird seeing the mall like this! I am 22 years old and I remember back in middle school all of us would go to the mall just to "hang out" because that was the cool place to be! It used to be very busy back then. As for the stage, it was used for special holidays like pictures with santa. Now people really only go for the movie theater but even with that most people would rather drive the 30 minutes to go to the Hagerstown mall even for the movie theater. Also funny story about the leaky ceilings, I remember when 22 Jump Street came out and the theater was packed for that movie. I remember the ceiling leaking on me while I was watching the movie but i couldn't move because there were no other seats available!!
Wow! and 22 Jump Street came out in 2014! So they've been having problems with the leaky ceiling for like 7-8 years now at least. I can't believe they just let it go without fixing it, even back a few years ago when the mall was busy. Thanks for watching!
Wow! What a blast from the past. Haven't seen that place in over two decades!!! Yeah, they used to do plays & school performances (think Christmas/Independence Day/etc.) on that stage with the lighting. Blew my mind. Thanks!
As someone who has lived in Chambersburg for all 21 years of my life, when I was younger the mall parking lot was always full. It was the place where all the kids would go and hangout. They even had a time where the stores would hand out candy to the kids on Halloween. It’s actually sad to see it like this. Now everyone mainly goes to the Hagerstown mall. As for the stage, they didn’t have any plays there I think. It was mainly used for different holiday events like kids getting pictures with Santa or little talent shows. The only reason people really go to the Chambersburg mall now is for the movie theater which not many people really go there as well.
I noticed there was a fending machine with jar jar binks on it just outside the entrance. That must have been 20 years old and still there. I’m surprised people even bother going there for the theater anymore. Thanks for watching!
I can relate to this I’ve lived in Wilkes-Barre PA all 20 years of my life(probably not too far in distance from chambersburg it sounds very familiar) and the local Wyoming valley mall was the same way that was the go to place to hangout as kids or shop. It’s not quite in the state of this mall but it is heading in the same direction a lot of the anchor stores are gone, a lot of the shops I have known since I was a kid are gone. It’s not just PA thing either I visited family in Michigan recently and stopped at a mall and you can tell management did not care at all for the place, weeds and garbage all in the parking lot and minor stuff that can easily be fixed. Again there were still way more stores than the one in the video but it’s just not how it used to be which sucks because not everybody likes to shop for things online. The only good mall I know of in PA right now is the king of Prussia mall
I see that you are quite a new channel, and I am absolutely in love with your content so far! I hope you keep exploring and posting because you're really enjoyable to watch. I love how chill you are and how lowkey your editing is. Can't wait to watch more of you!
Wow, thanks so much for the kind words!! I really appreciate it and appreciate you watching the videos. I’m glad you’re enjoying them! I have a new one coming out 4pm-ish this afternoon (eastern time). Thanks again!
I’ve lived in this area for 25 years. Every time you walked into this place in the 90s, it was full of life. Key points of interest were SEARS, JcPenny, Aladdin’s Castle, Babbage’s, and Electronics Boutique (for the young bucks, those last two stores would later merge to become GameStop). Going through this mall over the years, you saw the true passage of time. Life, changes in life, then death. It’s such a shame but also a beautiful memory. We couldn’t save the mall, but we can save what we remember of it.
You're right about everything being cyclical and in constant flux. Nothing stays the same forever and we've seen it here with the mall. That's one of the reasons I wanted to make the video was to document the place before it got any worse or closed entirely. Thanks for watching!
You are 100% correct. This was a bustling, busy mall...until it wasn't. Walmart showing up in the late 90s didn't help. Then they built Exit 7 (which is now exit 17 - Walker Road) and all the retail that went in there basically gave people closer options since the mall was sort of outside of town between there and Shippensburg, and the mall was largely forgotten.
Fascinating! My fiance took me here about five years ago, and I thought it was dead then. This reminds me a lot of my hometown in Reading, PA. We recently demolished a dead mall, and on top of that, we used to thrive before the early 2000s because of the Vanity Fair Outlets and designer outlets in the city. It's all gone now. So weird and sad.
Outlets seem to be in a weird phase right now. Seems some of them can’t get any momentum at all and end up closing whereas others are going gangbusters and doing great. That’s definitely something I have a hard time understanding. Thanks for watching!
5:50 That where they would have the Easter bunny and Santa during holidays. Back then they use to decorate it depending what holiday was coming up. I remember when they added a Back to the Media store a few months after they closed down GameStop. Back to the Media closed down and reopened 2 months later in a different location in the mall. It ended up closing down again 4 months later and never reopened again. The only reason I went to the mall was to watch the newest movies. I remember when the mall was filled when 200+ customers lining up to watch Star Wars Force Awakens. FYE was the main reason why I loved going to the mall. I remember buying BabyMetal Funko Pops before going to watch DeadPool. Online shopping made it difficult to run a local store.
Thanks for watching! I actually have the Beaver Valley Mall on my list of malls to check out. Do you think it’s in rough enough shape to make an interesting video?
Cranberry Mall in Cranberry PA seemed ⬇️. I was there briefly around Xmas 🎅🏻. Sad. In the 1980s 1990s, Cranberry Mall was well stocked. Clarion; Clarion Pennsylvania had a dying mall too. That area was slowly drying up. No industry. The CUP campus may close soon. I read PA might end 4 University locations.
@@DavidLLambertmobile For some reason PA seems to be at or near the center of the dying mall movement. I wonder why that is. So many businesses like that are just drying up and going under.
@@IanMartinExploration PA has lost a lot of industry that paid well since these malls were built, along with changing populations. Chambersburg when I left in 2014 could sadly say it's primary industry was warehouses with the farming sector be constantly bought out to make way for developments. Those developments were typically aimed not at people who worked locally but would rather use Chambersburg as a hub to commute to Carlisle, Harrisburg, Baltimore, and even some cases DC for their day to jobs. Couple this with former anchor stores either going bankrupt or just opening a new location in the town proper - why would people make the trek up to the mall. Heck I remember when the few times I went to see a movies my family would go to Gettysburg since that theater was much nicer and at the same price.
@@HaddaClu I grew up finding it shocking that people commuted from Hagerstown to the DC area. You're telling me there are people who commute from farther up 81 down to that area??? What in the world is the point?? I guess being able to come home to the country or whatever, but still. Doesn't really seem worth it to me. But, good points about the changing economic situation in the Chambersburg area. Warehouses seem to be popping up EVERYWHERE over southern PA now, so I can't say I'm terribly surprised that it's the main industry for people who don't want to commute.
It’s truly saddening to see the Chambersburg Mall in this condition. We haven’t gone here often because the Valley Mall in Hagerstown is closer, but I can remember going to a birthday party in the Family Fun Center at 6:46, and my dad still takes us to the Black Rose Antique Mall, which is actually doing well these days.
Another great video! This one hits close to home for some of us at 5.56 Media just like the Fort Ritchie video. We can only surmise that the demise of shopping malls is a result in the surge of Internet sales and a poor economy (yet again) since the mid-2000's. We can also assume that this mall will become yet another abandoned property until sold to investors/developers, torn down, and turned into a residential development or office building. As for the security guard, we can only figure that they retain a security guard for two reasons: first, it's Chambersburg :); second, with many of the closed units still containing valuable property and equipment, they might believe it's a crime deterrent. No matter how you look at it, it's a sad situation. Thanks for sharing.
I bet you're right about the security guard. At the time I couldn't understand why they would pay for one, but I bet it's a minor financial investment to help deter negligent behavior. With the shift to online retailers and more of those fancy outdoor-style malls, it's sad to see these traditional malls fading into obscurity. Growing up, my Friday and Saturday nights were based around going to the mall. Thanks so much for watching and for the continued support and encouragement!
The mall died down the second we created Walker exit…the mall is technically on the “edge” of the town. When they created Walker exit, they brought all the individual shops/restaurants there. I think the area where the mall could thrive again, as a casino, but we are a dry county (which makes zero sense).
@@Ep0nz Curious what you think, but I feel like the area is starting to get over saturated with casinos too. It used to be a novelty, but now there's 3 or 4 seemingly within an hours drive. I do wonder if that could work though in the Chambersburg area.
@@IanMartinExploration yeah you have Rocky gap casino not too far away and then Hollywood casino in York as well as Charleston casino. But like you mentioned those are an hour away, you can enough from the surrounding counties to pull from for some serious traffic. I mean think about the video we are commenting on, it was a once thriving mall, even with other malls close by. I could see it thriving as a casino…but who knows with the whole dry county issue. Thanks for taking the video though man, I’m only 31 but it definitely hit me with the nostalgia watching that. I lived 5 minutes down the road toward 997 Scotland area; the mall was the “it” thing to do after school as a kid. Some awesome memories.
@@Ep0nz Good point. I guess if you can go 20 minutes instead of an hour to hit a casino, you're way more likely just to do that. And avoiding some traffic in the process? Yeah, I bet you're right, there could be a solid draw. I agree about the dry county thing though. I had NO idea that was a thing around there. I don't know about you, but I see no way for a casino to work without alcohol haha. Maybe if the country realized the amount of money they could generate, they would change their tune. I'm not much older than you, so I bet it got us in the same feels. Sad to see things from your childhood slip away like that.
I think I have been here about 12 years ago. These dead malls make me sad because I feel like they are symbols of how great life was vs what it is now.
I use to stop in this Mall as a pit stop to stretch my legs on long trip up I-81. I haven't been in it in about 3 years and it was dead back then. I worked out in the Golds Gym then but like so many Malls in the USA, this Mall is just another one that has died. I can't imagine why it is still open at this level of emptiness. I agree it is very sad, and personally I think its a symptom of some of the issues in this country All these businesses should not end up like this because of online shopping. Something else is at play.
Wow, I didn't realize it has been in bad shape for years already. In that case, I'm even more shocked that covid didn't put the final nail in the coffin. I hadn't been to the mall in probably 20 years, so things were quite different from my last visit. There's definitely more at play besides just online shopping... I think the location of the mall is not ideal, mixed with more outdoor style shopping centers popping up around the area probably contributed to the decline and then management not putting a lot of effort into trying to change anything probably accelerated it. Just my take on it at least. Thanks for watching.
So glad you documented this! I used to work there back in the 90s when it was bustling and busy (at a Piano/Organ/Musical Instrument store called "Keyboard World"). It looks beat up but basically the same - like it was never updated. It was so odd for a mall to not have a food court - it just had various food places along the way, including an Arby's, a Hot Dog place, and I think an Orange Julius. I'm bummed I didn't stop by on my last drive through the area a few months back to see if it was still open.
I feel malls very quickly fell completely off everyone’s radar just in the last few years. I feel like it wasn’t that long ago that I remember going to an average mall and having it at least be a little busy. Now they seem to be more dead than not. Thanks for watching!
That is morbidly fascinating. It's oddly appealing--where else can you get a massive public space to yourself like that? I kinda want to go hang out there.
Weird seeing this. I remember when this mall was still fairly popular in the late 90s early 2000s. I live about 20 miles away. I still go to Black Rose which is the newest store, but operates as a separate store now. Can only go in through the outside entrance. I remember sitting on Santa's lap, and going to Value City (before it was Value City Furniture). As a teenager I'd go to Hot Topic for my Pink Floyd stuff. We'd eat at Bonanza then go to the movies right across. The Auntie Anne's Pretzels closed about 3 years ago. Btw have you explored the abandoned Fort Ritchie Maryland yet?
Yeah I feel dumb for not realizing it now that so many people have pointed that out. Makes total sense. Just seemed weird to me to have rented a space at a mall and then block off the entrance to the mall. I get it now though.
Those huge empty parking lots were great- i went there during my CDL training (January 2022); we needed space to practice parking maneuvers in the trucks. We had an audience of about a dozen senior citizen mall walkers peering out the doors at us. 😂
Nice!! Those parking lots would be perfect to practice for your CDL. Good thinking by your instructor. I don’t know how you were able to concentrate with such a distracting audience haha. Thanks for watching!
I’ve got several more similar malls on my list I’m hoping to check out before they go under. I agree about documenting them. Most will be gone soon unfortunately.
Ahhh!! I hadn’t even considered that. That makes more sense now. Seems odd to rent an old mall anchor store location if you don’t want to use the mall or whatever, but I guess whatever floats their boat. Thanks for the info and for watching.
@@IanMartinExploration I find their business model baffling as well. One of their other mall locations closed. I can't understand how Chambersburg keeps going.
I worked at the mall when it first opened. It was always busy and the fountains were beautiful. I moved away, got old, came back. Now I'm a "mall walker". I've watched as the stores slowly fell away.
God, I LOVE abandoned malls... Each items or store I see, I always wondered, how many people went there or used this since the very beginning... and who and when was the last person that used any objects or touched it... Closed mall are creepy and very nostalgic at the same time. The golden era of malls were the 70's, 80's and 90's.
I didn’t include that aspect in the video, but I totally agree that the various stores make me wonder what they looked like over the years and who might have been employed there. Thanks for watching!
Logic around closing the entrance off to the dead mall is there is only one exit and entrance to watch in the store making it easier to stop theft. The store is aware the mall is technically open but not open enough to take the risk.
So sad, going to the mall with my sister used to be such a treat, especially at Christmas time. They could be converted to memory care facilities like in Scandinavia where the residents can safely walk around and "shop" for selected items.
Coming from New Zealand, I'm amazed at how dead malls are still open while losing money everyday doing so just to remain operating. The mall owners and retailers should just count their losses and shut. Are nearby competing malls killing each other off? Here in New Zealand our population base (5 million) is too small to sustain too many malls. Despite the increase of online shopping, especially during this pandemic, malls are still very much popular here. I think people here still like to check out the merchandise in person.
So malls are still doing well in New Zealand too… interesting! Do you have a similar set up to Aussie malls where they are one stop shops of sorts… pharmacy, doctors offices, post office etc? As for what’s killing off malls in the US, that’s up for debate, but I’d speculate it’s mainly the result the Amazon and other online retailers being able to get your purchases to you almost as quickly as if you just ran down to the mall. What’s interesting is that outdoor malls and outlet malls here aren’t seeing the same dying off trend though as indoor malls.
@@IanMartinExploration New Zealand malls usually have a pharmacy, supermarket, bank. Sometimes post office, if not, it's close by. We can order through Amazon but we don't have them physically here, it's either from the US or UK. Freight to NZ can often kill the justication to buy from overseas.
Malls and retail are just so weird right now. I am from Chambersburg and remember when this mall opened. Fun time. But the Hagerstown Valley Mall, though 8 years older, is far more successful. The owners attracted popular restaurants to build all around it to draw people. Chambersburg Mall is in a dry township so no restaurants are allowed that serve alcohol. And if you want to see the opposite of a dying mall go to Tysons Corner. Dang. Get there early for a parking space. That place is insane.
I didn’t realize the valley mall is 8 years older than the chambersburg mall. It’s got to be a combo of location, being allowed to serve alcohol, and management that is willing to think outside the box that has that mall doing ok while chambersburg is like this. Thanks for watching!
Malls in my area started closing when gang violence was happening in many of them. Theft , fighting and even a few shootings. It was hard to keep it out of the malls so stores started pulling out.
Thank you for documenting this phenomenon. I was never a big fan of indoor malls, but it's really sad to see their demise. It's symbolic of dying America or something.
i’m from the waynesboro area, southeast of chambersburg and i remember going here when i was younger and it was still somewhat alive (2010-2013ish era) and it’s sad to see it like this honestly.
Two years ago I wanted to get exercise by walking, but it was winter, so I went to the Nittany Mall in State College, PA. I walked from one end to the other. I saw a total of four people. Most of the stores were empty like this mall. There were a few candle shops, phone stores, etc. The only store still there that I recognized was Spencers Gifts, but I'm sure they are closed by now. I got depressed and left after only one lap. Back in the 80s in the winter, especially in November and December, it would be so packed with people that it was hard to get from one end of the mall to the other. Now it's just a shell.
This mall is on my to do list to check out. I’ve heard from several people just how poorly it’s doing. I feel bad for the place, but it could make for an interesting exploration.
I'm from Chambersburg and haven't been back in almost 12 years now. I have great memories of Christmas shopping or the Aladdin's Castle that used to be by the pizza place near the movie theater. It's a shame but when I visited 12 years ago it was dying and didn't look good then either.
I live about a 40 min drive from this mall and I think the main factor(amongst other factors) is the location. It is along the highway, but a few miles from the main town of Chambersburg, in the middle of nothing. Closer to Chambersburg, there is a large shopping Plaza that has stores like Target and BJs and lots of restaurants. There is also another plaza that houses a Walmart not far from the Target Plaza. I think people just started to get tired of driving miles out of the way to go shopping when there were more convenient options popping up. Despite general mall decline in the US, there are some successful malls and not just super large ones. There is one near me(Capital City Mall in Camp Hill) that is still pretty busy and seems even busier than it was years ago. I think it's success is because it has a better variety of stores - not just the clothing stores. It has a Dave and Busters, Dicks Sporting Goods, cell phone repair, chocolate store, good sushi place, place to rent a tuxedo. It could do better by having even variety - still a lot of expensive clothing stores, but at least a decent enough variety to keep it busy. It also is in a better location that already has other retail establishments.
There are some guys from Australia in another comment thread here that were talking about malls currently booming down there because they’re like a one stop shop for everything. Doctor, post office, drug store etc. Combine that with what you’re talking about and I think we might be onto one of the problems with some of these malls. That and the fact that this one is so out in the middle of no where. Thanks for watching!
I used to go to Aladdin's Castle in this mall. This mall used to be awesome! But, the world changes. Life goes on, and you can't expect anything to last forever.
It’s kind of sad to see this I grew up in that mall. Used to be a GameStop in the center on the corner, miniature golf, store the sold sports memorabilia and many others. It was a great place in the early 2000’s - early 2010’s.
There seem to be a lot of us (myself included) that have very fond, nostalgia-heavy, memories of malls. It really is a shame to see so many just fall apart like this. It was part of the reason I wanted to document it before it closed for good. Thanks for watching!
You talking about the sports store in the little corner across from the Nike store? Or the old shank and tittle store…I loved being so close to this place when it was thriving, as a kid in the 2000’s it was the “it” thing to do.
I remember that sports memorabilia place by the Nike store. Gardners Candies and Auntie Anne's were my go to's during breaks while working a shift in the mall. Aladinn's Castle Arcade by Value City was a such stupid but fun way to kill time and money while waiting for a movie to start .
@@HaddaClu gardners candy was so good. Use to go in there to get a drink and my valentines candy every year! Their quality stayed good til the very end, which says a lot! This place use to be a thriving mall….my favorite spots were FYE (for your entertainment) Aladdin arcade, comic world (the owner just died recently), and Shenk & Tittle (it was a sports store where you could buy snowboards, skateboards, and then NFL/NBA shit etc etc.
I had visited this mall in it's hay day as I live in the 4 state area. But started going back to this mall around Christmas time in 2017 and even though it wasn't nearly as busy as I had remembered in the years before but it was still fairly busy but in the following years it had pretty much died. We was there for the last of Burlington coat factory I think was in 2019 they had closed after Christmas. But we did stop by one day just to see what was still there and most of what you show in this video was about how it was almost 2 Yeats ago. I can't believe the mall is still holding on. It's sad what is happening to this country with all the malls and big name brand stores closing forever! Nice video!
Totally agree about what’s happening to malls in the US now, especially along the east coast. They just let them fall apart instead of letting them close with some dignity or try to pivot the way they operate so they can stay open.
All up and down the Interstate in that area of PA and MD there are GIANT distribution centers on either side. I am shocked that someone doesn't repurpose the land (if not the building) of the mall for similar purposes.
I’ve also noticed the huge influx of semi trucks on 81 in that stretch as well. I’d be shocked if the area is eventually repurposed given the shift in industry. Thanks for watching.
I don't know why but any mall I go to I have a sense of excitement and anticipation when I first walk in, even in dead mall. I've felt that way since I first went into a mall as a little kid in 1986.
I’m the same way! Anywhere I visit I oddly find myself wanting to check out the local mall. No idea why haha. This gave me a totally different feeling obviously, but still a general sense of intrigue and curiosity.
As an 80's kid (1981) this saddens me. The mall was more than just a shopping place, it was life in motion. Our mall here in my small WI town was torn down years ago. I miss going and experiencing the adventure and interaction they brought. Replaced by online shopping and whatever else.. Thus is life I suppose.
Unfortunately I think you’re right that this is just how life goes. Malls growing up were always such a cool experience - getting dropped off on a Friday/Saturday night by your parents to roam around with your friends for a few hours. Or how special it felt during the holidays. It’s a shame to see these places be literally just a shell of their former selves. Thanks for watching!
@@IanMartinExploration Nope! No security in sight… And no, not much was fixed. I could smell mold near one of the bathrooms and saw ceiling damage which had been cordoned off. Sadly I don’t think they’ll be repairing it anytime soon.
Reminds me of The Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills. When the mall opened in 2005 it was obvious the developers had high hopes for it. It had a food court right at one of the entrances, a large kids play area, a Cinemark theater, several sit down restaurants, indoor mini-golf, and a Borders bookstore. While only one level, it was a nice walk-one lap around is about one mile. I remember plans to build a NASCAR go-kart track and indoor water park near the mall. Over time, stores kept leaving and now the mall is down to a few stores. The food court and restaurants are gone completely (though tables and chairs remain), and some former stores are used for businesses you normally wouldn’t find in a mall, like a karate school. There’s even a church in there. Cinemark left following the COVID shutdowns and a new theater chain took over last year. When I visited in 2020, many stores looked like the ones in this video: shuttered with the lights off. This mall also had a map and store list that obviously hadn’t been updated. The mall had music playing, which I found a little creepy considering I was one of the few people there.
Black Rose Antiques might be closed off to the rest of the mall because there's no point in keeping the main entrance open,with all the empty stores around it. Also,it provides an extra "wall" to display their wares,instead of keeping that merchandise in a stockroom. Besides,fewer points of entry/exit equals less opportunity for would-be thieves. As for Bath and Body Works,those employees are likely doing double or triple duty- sales,working the cash wrap AND unloading and stocking inventory. Cool video. These are fascinating!
I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t realize the security component of having that entrance closed until well after I filmed. Makes sense now though! And you’re probably right about the BBW employees. Thanks for checking out the video!
I'm from Greencastle so I live very close to this mall. Both times I've went there, I hardly saw anyone. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if it were still busy. I lived in Florida from 2020-2021, and the mall I used to go to was ALWAYS busy.
You can go into the settings on your camera and turn off the red recording light. That way, it doesn’t show up on reflective surfaces and security won’t notice the camera as fast. 👍
The reason why the antiques store has it's internal mall entrance closed off would be they do not want to have to pay the mall extra money for cleaning, security and building maintenance of the mall side. However, if you called out to the shop staff, they may open the gate for you to enter. Or they may just direct you to the nearest mall exit and tell you to walk around.
One mall that is still open and popular is Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa Oklahoma. We used to go there back in the 80s 90s 2000s and is still a popular place to go shopping.
It’s interesting cause it’s almost like malls are consolidating down to just a few really big successful ones and the rest are run out of business. Interesting that Tulsa has a good one.
Thanks for watching! In general there still seem to be some malls that are thriving here in the US. What makes them different from these that are dying off I’m not totally sure, but it seems they are doing something different. I wonder if it’s market/location and just overall quality of the place.
Black Rose interior entrance closed off due to staffing. No longer must require staff member to be stationed at front desk. They also are theft protection.
Nice video, well done. I follow 2 other well stablished pages related to the subject and your video was right up there in quality with them. Sub and liked!
Wow,,,, I came upon this video by chance. I live in Oregon but have been in this mall a few times while visiting family out there. I remember a great steak restaurant/buffet across from theater and other stores as well. I had heard the city stopped bus routes there and that hurt the mall as well. Memories...
About 10 years ago, my son and I passed through the area on our way to Gettysburg. We ate at the Bonanza in the mall. I understand they are now in a standalone building nearby?
It’s sad. A lot of people have memories of shopping at malls on the weekends. Malls are generally a good place to hangout and have fun. It so surreal. It’s seems nostalgic in a sense
I still cant figure out why all these malls havent been converted into assisted living/nursing homes. All the infrastructure is there to put an infirmary, kitchen, fitness center, church etc etc. Basically like a space station on earth. With the aging population predicted to grow this would be a huge benefit.
How cool would it be to set them up with little “main streets” inside. Barber shop, ice cream, etc. plenty of sky lights. Climate controlled and places to park the electric scooters. I’d want to live there and im only 45.
Last time I been to this mall, I was 13. When I went, it was still doing okay. It had pretty much all those stores mentioned from the beginning and maybe just like 1 or 2 empty spaces. The reason I think for the mall’s decline is because of the owner (which is a bad one) and the location. The mall sits outside of Chambersburg in the middle of nowhere. You get off Interstate 81 and it’s just empty farmland. If they built the mall near most of the businesses in town and got new owners, it would of done better.
1 year later, the website says there are six operating stores in the mall, including Black Rose. One of the six is an escape room outfit and one is a "learning center". Other than the antique store they might as well close the rest down.
That part about the leaky ceiling caught me a bit off guard. I last visited that mall in about March of 2020. The signs of decay were there, but I didn't expect it to get that bad after a couple years. I doubt they'll actually get around to doing those "repairs" the sign mentioned. Also while I was there, I remember visiting the 'Extreme Themes' store. I talked a bit* (*bit was an understatement because he ended up telling me his whole life story) with the owner of that store and found out he's also the dude running the 'As Seen on TV' store right next to it. Found it a bit weird that he was running both stores, but whatever. Also a quick question I'd like to add before I press the 'Post Comment' button: Do they still got the Star Wars: Episode I vending machine in front of the AMC?
They absolutely do still have the Star Wars episode 1 vending machine right outside the theater. I got a picture of it, but couldn’t get it on camera before being asked to leave. I couldn’t believe it was there!
Back in the day, those stages were for performers. Singers, entire groups, military bands. I was in a show choir that performed on stages like that all over the country and in my hometown. Debbie Gibson became famous as a teenager, performing on those kinds of stages. Sometimes there would be extensions into runways, and local pageants and fashion shows were staged there too. Hope this helps.
I've been wondering if the arcade is totally closed. It sure looked totally closed, but I wonder what they're doing with all the arcade games inside if so. Probably sell them off, I guess. Thanks for watching!
Yeah I don't know for sure I do know that they open in the afternoon but they might be out for sure but thank you for checking out the Chambersburg Mall
Let me know if you have any suggestions for other dead malls around the East Coast of the US that I should check out!
The Coventry Mall in Pottstown/ Coventry Pennsylvania. If you haven't yet been. It was my childhood mall growing up, now it's completely dead. Almost completely dead.
Johnstown mall, it’s really rough and yet still open
@@brybryguy6314 I'll add it to the list! Thanks!
@@tonyeichensehr3450 I was just up in that area recently, I never even thought to check out the mall. Thanks!
@@IanMartinExploration or now even Exton Square Mall in Exton PA. It was at one point a big hopping mall. Now it's also dead as door nails sadly.
As someone who spend my teenage years, my first job, and tons of memories in the early 2000s this breaks my heart. As you walk past these empty stores I remember every one, every move I made, every sell, every moment.
Me too
Same😮
Closed gate = loss prevention
One exit is easier to guard than two...
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ahh great point! I hadn’t thought about that. Thanks for watching and happy thanksgiving!
No matter how dead a mall is, you'll always find a Bath & Body still open!
Hah! I didn’t know that was a thing! I guess they don’t get the message until later lol. Thanks for watching!
Im amazed that Bath & Body works needs 5 employees! Guess they are expecting a Christmas rush 😂😂
@@chalesaott Sometimes you need 5 employees to make sure every corner of your store is covered for the one patron you're going to get that day! haha
@@IanMartinExploration Thats true lmao so 1 employee doesnt have to walk around behind that 1 customer answering questions, they have every corner covered lol
Two words. Money Laundering
Great memories growing up. Meeting your friends at the mall on Friday and Saturday night, getting some pizza then hitting the arcade and hanging out. Those were the days.
Yep, same with me. A lot of those exact memories.
Being from Chambersburg, it's really weird to see the Mall in this state. When I was younger, it was always packed. To answer your question about what the stage was used for, they never had plays there to my knowledge. It was used for things like the occasional talent show, but mostly holiday themed things for kids like the mall Santa and the Easter Bunny. It was always a bit of an odd location, being 10-15 minutes outside of town in an area that isn't very populated. I remember family complaining about the choice of location when it was first built, though I was too young to really care about anything but Alladin's Castle (the arcade) back then.
Ohhh things like talent shows and Santa makes sense for that stage! I hadn’t considered that. I’ve heard from so many people about the location not making sense. I have to agree, it seemed very odd to me that you had to go so far out of town to reach the mall.
Singers (Local and the Mall tours with the Bubblegum pop, I think Christina Aguilara and Tiffany both sang there at some point) would perform there in the mid to late 80's. My sister performed there for several years at Christmas time. Plays that were part of the Chambersburg Community Theatre and the McBride Theatre (performed at the Totem Pole Playhouse) group that performed at the Capitol Theatre downtown, would put on skits (a scene from or a condensed version of the play(s)). By the 90's Bridal shows on the stage. It really wasn't out of the way considering it was right off Interstate 81. It was centrally located for Shippensburg and Chambersburg. Where as previously people would travel to Carlisle or Hagerstown for indoor Mall shopping. Interestingly enough, with the closing and deterioration of indoor Malls the outdoor strip malls are making a comeback thanks to the Walmart Super Centers and Costco/Sams clubs.
Hi fellow Chambersburg-ian! lol
Its been about 9 years since I moved away but I also worked at a store for couple years just out of highschool. That stage was originally one of the big fountains, and up until 2010 some of the features like drains and inlets were still in place under the stage. In a way the Mall was put where it was due to a combination of factors that really didnt do it any favors - Chambersburg proper refused to issue it zoning permits within city limits, Scotland is a dry township - so you couldnt have there if you wanted a bar, any farther south and youre competing with the Hagerstown Mall which is a sister mall from the same company. Putting it where it is was the only place they could get a permit, AND land at a somewhat affordable rate at the time. My father was a manager at Hess's when the mall opened and later switched jobs to work at the city government.
@@HaddaClu ah, good old Pennsylvania puritanical liquor laws. I moved away I'm 2011 myself, first to Maryland north of Baltimore, and the last few years in Germany. I always get surprised when I come back home and get carded at the door of a bar or something, as that really isn't a thing here, nor is open container ever an issue. Also really have to watch my speed on the highways, lol! Trying to get home for Christmas this year, so hoping the Omicron thing doesn't mess that up. Anyway, hello to you as well! I had forgotten that used to be a fountain by the way.
@@Wendy_Blank I've definitely seen outdoor strip malls making a big comeback recently too. I'm a little surprised by that.
That would be the highlight for the mall security. He can proudly go home to tell his family he actually did something that day
That was my ultimate takeaway too. I think I gave him something to do that day.
Lol. *Hikes up pants*
Yep. Saw a human today. I think it was human anyway. Didn't get that close. But I runned that critter off.
it's so wild thinking about how a lot of those stores have only closed in the last 10 years... I remember getting a manicure at the nail place and seeing Auntie Anne's still open! It has become a pretty spooky place
It's almost like a snowball effect or dominos falling. As soon as one or two close then suddenly more and more start to follow and next thing you know you've got this situation. Thanks for watching!
Sad news, the Auntie Anne’s closed.
I wish I could walk through this mall just one more time every time I pass it. Lots of memories. ❤
As someone from Australia, it is very odd to see malls like this. The vast majority of malls here are still very popular, and while the online movement has certainly had an uptake, it is a long way from online business killing the malls.
another aussie here, yes, totally agree. Our malls now are probably populated like the malls in the US during the 1990's
That’s amazing that malls are still super popular in Australia. That’s the first I’ve heard of malls people currently popular anywhere. Any idea why malls haven’t seen the same decline there as they have in the US?
In many parts of Asia malls are still popular as well. The US has evolved away from malls, for the most part. There are a few that are extremely successful and vibrant such as The King Of Prussia Mall (Philadelphia area) near where I live, but that is an exception. The reason everyone gives is the fact shopping habits have changed ... everyone either shops online or prefer to go to the "big box" stores. The truth, I think, has more to do with the US had become "over malled" - too many malls which had to compete with each other. The malls themselves are mostly generic looking, bland soulless places that are expensive to keep up and air condition. Who wants to look for your car in acres of parking lots and hike through mall concourses to find one shop to buy one item? The food courts all seem to have the same crappy chain food stalls. I, for one, do not mourn the demise of the mall.
Over-malled I think might be a contributing factor too, great point. The market became over saturated with these generic looking buildings that didn’t offer anything unique really.
The reason the mall is like this, is because it’s technically on the “edge” of our town. It thrived for years and years; until we created a new exit off of our highway that was much closer in toward town. The stores that would be in this mall; are now all individually opened on a shopping plaza area off of our exit (Walker exit)
I worked at that Bath and Bodyworks around the period you would’ve filmed this. It was surprisingly busy when people came in, but it was also just bizarre. Every other customer would talk to us about how the mall is dead and how it’s amazing we were still there. I think just this year it finally moved out of the mall, so I think it’s safe to say that it’s actually dead
Cheap pop-up shops like "As Seen On TV" can be an interesting experience, though definitely not the sign of a healthy retail environment. It's the type of place where everything is cheap and most of it is rubbish, but occasionally there is an incredibly good deal hiding in plain sight. I remember I snagged a four-set of swing CDs and an Agatha Christie novel for four dollars. What a boon!
I never considered the possibility that some hidden gems might be lurking in those stores. Maybe I should have taken a second to check it out
It gets sadder. July 1, 2023 the mall announced it is officially closed for good. Black Rose Antiques was the last tennant, and they closed up their store. Its a shame, this is one of the last remaining classic Crown American malls still left in its untouched 1982 state (for the most part).
The Great Retail Apocalypse will close more malls. There will be few if any malls by the end of this decade. The looting of mall stores we see on TV will only accelerate the process. Big box stores might be next.
I went inside a mall pre-COVID and there are very few tier 1 retailers left and the food court was almost totally abandoned. It's a Simon owned property. I don't think it has much time left because the Sears closed.
I got a weird vibe buying a new mattress in Macy's a few months later like I didn't belong there lol.
The looting on the news recently has been so disappointing and discouraging to see!
It looks like a scene from a futuristic movie!!! So sad! I WANT MY 80’s!!
I used to set up my Electrolux vacuum display quite frequently in the early 90’s when it was incredibly busy!
Christmas shopping was great!
Alas, the shiny decorations, hustling shoppers, holiday music, scents of holiday candy and the rest, are all forever asleep but very alive in my memory. Thank you..
I both love and hate deserted places. Sorry to those involved whose hopes and futures didn't work out here.
In some ways it is a little sad/unfortunate. These places almost have an ozymandias vibe to them.
Love this thank you for taking your time to take us down our memory lane they will never be forgotten.
Thank you so much for watching!
it's so weird seeing the mall like this! I am 22 years old and I remember back in middle school all of us would go to the mall just to "hang out" because that was the cool place to be! It used to be very busy back then. As for the stage, it was used for special holidays like pictures with santa. Now people really only go for the movie theater but even with that most people would rather drive the 30 minutes to go to the Hagerstown mall even for the movie theater.
Also funny story about the leaky ceilings, I remember when 22 Jump Street came out and the theater was packed for that movie. I remember the ceiling leaking on me while I was watching the movie but i couldn't move because there were no other seats available!!
Wow! and 22 Jump Street came out in 2014! So they've been having problems with the leaky ceiling for like 7-8 years now at least. I can't believe they just let it go without fixing it, even back a few years ago when the mall was busy. Thanks for watching!
@@IanMartinExploration Investors were no doubt losing money on the mall and making repairs would just hemorrhage more money.
Wow! What a blast from the past. Haven't seen that place in over two decades!!!
Yeah, they used to do plays & school performances (think Christmas/Independence Day/etc.) on that stage with the lighting.
Blew my mind.
Thanks!
As someone who has lived in Chambersburg for all 21 years of my life, when I was younger the mall parking lot was always full. It was the place where all the kids would go and hangout. They even had a time where the stores would hand out candy to the kids on Halloween. It’s actually sad to see it like this. Now everyone mainly goes to the Hagerstown mall. As for the stage, they didn’t have any plays there I think. It was mainly used for different holiday events like kids getting pictures with Santa or little talent shows. The only reason people really go to the Chambersburg mall now is for the movie theater which not many people really go there as well.
I noticed there was a fending machine with jar jar binks on it just outside the entrance. That must have been 20 years old and still there. I’m surprised people even bother going there for the theater anymore. Thanks for watching!
@@IanMartinExploration rarely anyone goes to that theater. i am shocked its still in business. If you want an empty theater for a movie, go there.
@@bradenchapman482 Good point! You want a theater all to yourself, I think we've found the place lol
@@IanMartinExploration If you want a covid free theater go there ha ha
I can relate to this I’ve lived in Wilkes-Barre PA all 20 years of my life(probably not too far in distance from chambersburg it sounds very familiar) and the local Wyoming valley mall was the same way that was the go to place to hangout as kids or shop. It’s not quite in the state of this mall but it is heading in the same direction a lot of the anchor stores are gone, a lot of the shops I have known since I was a kid are gone. It’s not just PA thing either I visited family in Michigan recently and stopped at a mall and you can tell management did not care at all for the place, weeds and garbage all in the parking lot and minor stuff that can easily be fixed. Again there were still way more stores than the one in the video but it’s just not how it used to be which sucks because not everybody likes to shop for things online. The only good mall I know of in PA right now is the king of Prussia mall
I see that you are quite a new channel, and I am absolutely in love with your content so far! I hope you keep exploring and posting because you're really enjoyable to watch. I love how chill you are and how lowkey your editing is. Can't wait to watch more of you!
Wow, thanks so much for the kind words!! I really appreciate it and appreciate you watching the videos. I’m glad you’re enjoying them! I have a new one coming out 4pm-ish this afternoon (eastern time). Thanks again!
I’ve lived in this area for 25 years. Every time you walked into this place in the 90s, it was full of life. Key points of interest were SEARS, JcPenny, Aladdin’s Castle, Babbage’s, and Electronics Boutique (for the young bucks, those last two stores would later merge to become GameStop). Going through this mall over the years, you saw the true passage of time. Life, changes in life, then death. It’s such a shame but also a beautiful memory. We couldn’t save the mall, but we can save what we remember of it.
You're right about everything being cyclical and in constant flux. Nothing stays the same forever and we've seen it here with the mall. That's one of the reasons I wanted to make the video was to document the place before it got any worse or closed entirely. Thanks for watching!
You are 100% correct. This was a bustling, busy mall...until it wasn't. Walmart showing up in the late 90s didn't help. Then they built Exit 7 (which is now exit 17 - Walker Road) and all the retail that went in there basically gave people closer options since the mall was sort of outside of town between there and Shippensburg, and the mall was largely forgotten.
@@TheMusicalSchizo Yeah, the mall was in a really weird spot. Hanging a couple of miles outside of Chambersburg, which was its namesake.
That use to be the place to hangout when I was younger. Wow it's so sad to see it so empty.
Fascinating! My fiance took me here about five years ago, and I thought it was dead then. This reminds me a lot of my hometown in Reading, PA. We recently demolished a dead mall, and on top of that, we used to thrive before the early 2000s because of the Vanity Fair Outlets and designer outlets in the city. It's all gone now. So weird and sad.
Outlets seem to be in a weird phase right now. Seems some of them can’t get any momentum at all and end up closing whereas others are going gangbusters and doing great. That’s definitely something I have a hard time understanding. Thanks for watching!
Reading is a dump and much of central PA is following suit.
5:50 That where they would have the Easter bunny and Santa during holidays. Back then they use to decorate it depending what holiday was coming up. I remember when they added a Back to the Media store a few months after they closed down GameStop. Back to the Media closed down and reopened 2 months later in a different location in the mall. It ended up closing down again 4 months later and never reopened again. The only reason I went to the mall was to watch the newest movies. I remember when the mall was filled when 200+ customers lining up to watch Star Wars Force Awakens. FYE was the main reason why I loved going to the mall. I remember buying BabyMetal Funko Pops before going to watch DeadPool. Online shopping made it difficult to run a local store.
Ahhh makes sense about the Easter bunny and Santa. I’m embarrassed I didn’t realize that at the time.
Great video! The Beaver Valley Mall near me in western pa almost looks as barren as this mall. Very depressing.
Thanks for watching! I actually have the Beaver Valley Mall on my list of malls to check out. Do you think it’s in rough enough shape to make an interesting video?
Cranberry Mall in Cranberry PA seemed ⬇️. I was there briefly around Xmas 🎅🏻. Sad. In the 1980s 1990s, Cranberry Mall was well stocked. Clarion; Clarion Pennsylvania had a dying mall too. That area was slowly drying up. No industry. The CUP campus may close soon. I read PA might end 4 University locations.
@@DavidLLambertmobile For some reason PA seems to be at or near the center of the dying mall movement. I wonder why that is. So many businesses like that are just drying up and going under.
@@IanMartinExploration PA has lost a lot of industry that paid well since these malls were built, along with changing populations. Chambersburg when I left in 2014 could sadly say it's primary industry was warehouses with the farming sector be constantly bought out to make way for developments. Those developments were typically aimed not at people who worked locally but would rather use Chambersburg as a hub to commute to Carlisle, Harrisburg, Baltimore, and even some cases DC for their day to jobs. Couple this with former anchor stores either going bankrupt or just opening a new location in the town proper - why would people make the trek up to the mall. Heck I remember when the few times I went to see a movies my family would go to Gettysburg since that theater was much nicer and at the same price.
@@HaddaClu I grew up finding it shocking that people commuted from Hagerstown to the DC area. You're telling me there are people who commute from farther up 81 down to that area??? What in the world is the point?? I guess being able to come home to the country or whatever, but still. Doesn't really seem worth it to me. But, good points about the changing economic situation in the Chambersburg area. Warehouses seem to be popping up EVERYWHERE over southern PA now, so I can't say I'm terribly surprised that it's the main industry for people who don't want to commute.
It’s truly saddening to see the Chambersburg Mall in this condition. We haven’t gone here often because the Valley Mall in Hagerstown is closer, but I can remember going to a birthday party in the Family Fun Center at 6:46, and my dad still takes us to the Black Rose Antique Mall, which is actually doing well these days.
Another great video! This one hits close to home for some of us at 5.56 Media just like the Fort Ritchie video. We can only surmise that the demise of shopping malls is a result in the surge of Internet sales and a poor economy (yet again) since the mid-2000's. We can also assume that this mall will become yet another abandoned property until sold to investors/developers, torn down, and turned into a residential development or office building. As for the security guard, we can only figure that they retain a security guard for two reasons: first, it's Chambersburg :); second, with many of the closed units still containing valuable property and equipment, they might believe it's a crime deterrent. No matter how you look at it, it's a sad situation. Thanks for sharing.
I bet you're right about the security guard. At the time I couldn't understand why they would pay for one, but I bet it's a minor financial investment to help deter negligent behavior. With the shift to online retailers and more of those fancy outdoor-style malls, it's sad to see these traditional malls fading into obscurity. Growing up, my Friday and Saturday nights were based around going to the mall. Thanks so much for watching and for the continued support and encouragement!
The mall died down the second we created Walker exit…the mall is technically on the “edge” of the town. When they created Walker exit, they brought all the individual shops/restaurants there. I think the area where the mall could thrive again, as a casino, but we are a dry county (which makes zero sense).
@@Ep0nz Curious what you think, but I feel like the area is starting to get over saturated with casinos too. It used to be a novelty, but now there's 3 or 4 seemingly within an hours drive. I do wonder if that could work though in the Chambersburg area.
@@IanMartinExploration yeah you have Rocky gap casino not too far away and then Hollywood casino in York as well as Charleston casino. But like you mentioned those are an hour away, you can enough from the surrounding counties to pull from for some serious traffic. I mean think about the video we are commenting on, it was a once thriving mall, even with other malls close by. I could see it thriving as a casino…but who knows with the whole dry county issue. Thanks for taking the video though man, I’m only 31 but it definitely hit me with the nostalgia watching that. I lived 5 minutes down the road toward 997 Scotland area; the mall was the “it” thing to do after school as a kid. Some awesome memories.
@@Ep0nz Good point. I guess if you can go 20 minutes instead of an hour to hit a casino, you're way more likely just to do that. And avoiding some traffic in the process? Yeah, I bet you're right, there could be a solid draw. I agree about the dry county thing though. I had NO idea that was a thing around there. I don't know about you, but I see no way for a casino to work without alcohol haha. Maybe if the country realized the amount of money they could generate, they would change their tune. I'm not much older than you, so I bet it got us in the same feels. Sad to see things from your childhood slip away like that.
I think I have been here about 12 years ago. These dead malls make me sad because I feel like they are symbols of how great life was vs what it is now.
I use to stop in this Mall as a pit stop to stretch my legs on long trip up I-81. I haven't been in it in about 3 years and it was dead back then. I worked out in the Golds Gym then but like so many Malls in the USA, this Mall is just another one that has died. I can't imagine why it is still open at this level of emptiness. I agree it is very sad, and personally I think its a symptom of some of the issues in this country All these businesses should not end up like this because of online shopping. Something else is at play.
Wow, I didn't realize it has been in bad shape for years already. In that case, I'm even more shocked that covid didn't put the final nail in the coffin. I hadn't been to the mall in probably 20 years, so things were quite different from my last visit. There's definitely more at play besides just online shopping... I think the location of the mall is not ideal, mixed with more outdoor style shopping centers popping up around the area probably contributed to the decline and then management not putting a lot of effort into trying to change anything probably accelerated it. Just my take on it at least. Thanks for watching.
It's called customer service, it sucks and people are tired if dealing with it.
So glad you documented this! I used to work there back in the 90s when it was bustling and busy (at a Piano/Organ/Musical Instrument store called "Keyboard World"). It looks beat up but basically the same - like it was never updated. It was so odd for a mall to not have a food court - it just had various food places along the way, including an Arby's, a Hot Dog place, and I think an Orange Julius. I'm bummed I didn't stop by on my last drive through the area a few months back to see if it was still open.
I live in chambersburg and I’m only 28 but when I was a teen the place was PACKED. Definitely sad to see
I feel malls very quickly fell completely off everyone’s radar just in the last few years. I feel like it wasn’t that long ago that I remember going to an average mall and having it at least be a little busy. Now they seem to be more dead than not. Thanks for watching!
Great place to work, lots of parking and peaceful.
Definitely one way to look at it! And certainly a positive spin on the situation too lol
That is morbidly fascinating. It's oddly appealing--where else can you get a massive public space to yourself like that? I kinda want to go hang out there.
Never even considered that! Great idea… you basically just have a giant mall almost entirely to yourself. Now I want to go back lol
You should rent out a store front and just put in couches and stuff to hang out.
The Turtles' "Happy Together" playing in the background seems eerily fitting given that there is literally nobody in that mall.
I thought the same thing!
Weird seeing this. I remember when this mall was still fairly popular in the late 90s early 2000s. I live about 20 miles away. I still go to Black Rose which is the newest store, but operates as a separate store now. Can only go in through the outside entrance. I remember sitting on Santa's lap, and going to Value City (before it was Value City Furniture). As a teenager I'd go to Hot Topic for my Pink Floyd stuff. We'd eat at Bonanza then go to the movies right across. The Auntie Anne's Pretzels closed about 3 years ago.
Btw have you explored the abandoned Fort Ritchie Maryland yet?
I also used to go to hot topic for Pink Floyd (and the doors) stuff too!
The security guard kicked out the only patron in the entire mall, LOL
Haha the mall must not have any patrons!
That sign to wear a mask is hilarious. There isn't anybody in there to catch anything from?
Simple why an open store would have their mall entrance closed. If it is open, they have to man it.
Yeah I feel dumb for not realizing it now that so many people have pointed that out. Makes total sense. Just seemed weird to me to have rented a space at a mall and then block off the entrance to the mall. I get it now though.
I found this fascinating. Thanks for posting! There's something so liminal and riveting about these ghostly expanses!
Totally agree! Thanks for watching!
Personally, The internet is the cause of dying malls, and probably a couple of other things, but the internet has definitely changed our world
Certainly an argument to be made for that. I feel like it has to be a contributing factor for sure. Thanks for watching.
Not just "changed our world," it's ruined it.
Those huge empty parking lots were great- i went there during my CDL training (January 2022); we needed space to practice parking maneuvers in the trucks. We had an audience of about a dozen senior citizen mall walkers peering out the doors at us. 😂
Nice!! Those parking lots would be perfect to practice for your CDL. Good thinking by your instructor. I don’t know how you were able to concentrate with such a distracting audience haha. Thanks for watching!
We went there for mine back in 2015. Got kicked out. Lol.
Thanks for doing this. I hope people keep documenting these dying malls. They'll be lost to time soon if not.
I’ve got several more similar malls on my list I’m hoping to check out before they go under. I agree about documenting them. Most will be gone soon unfortunately.
So much nostalgia, but so much sadness at the same time 😞
Agreed! I viewed this video as a chance to document the place, even in this awful state, before it gets completely shut down. Thanks for watching!
Black Rose closed the mall entrance to save the cost of a cashier and to prevent theft - it was too easy to walk out to a other parking area.
Ahhh!! I hadn’t even considered that. That makes more sense now. Seems odd to rent an old mall anchor store location if you don’t want to use the mall or whatever, but I guess whatever floats their boat. Thanks for the info and for watching.
@@IanMartinExploration I find their business model baffling as well. One of their other mall locations closed. I can't understand how Chambersburg keeps going.
Makes sense. There's a sign directing potential shoppers to use their entrance on the other side.
I worked at the mall when it first opened. It was always busy and the fountains were beautiful. I moved away, got old, came back. Now I'm a "mall walker". I've watched as the stores slowly fell away.
God, I LOVE abandoned malls... Each items or store I see, I always wondered, how many people went there or used this since the very beginning... and who and when was the last person that used any objects or touched it... Closed mall are creepy and very nostalgic at the same time. The golden era of malls were the 70's, 80's and 90's.
I didn’t include that aspect in the video, but I totally agree that the various stores make me wonder what they looked like over the years and who might have been employed there. Thanks for watching!
@@IanMartinExploration here in Michigan we have a mall that still has decor from the 70s. It's not quite this dead but it's not far from it either.
@@athisio836 I bet that decor would be super cool and out of place to see if nothing else!
The music in the mall is awesome.
Totally agree! I had it louder in the video at first but UA-cam got mad and told me to take it out
Logic around closing the entrance off to the dead mall is there is only one exit and entrance to watch in the store making it easier to stop theft. The store is aware the mall is technically open but not open enough to take the risk.
Yeah I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t realize this until well after the fact. Thanks for watching.
So sad, going to the mall with my sister used to be such a treat, especially at Christmas time. They could be converted to memory care facilities like in Scandinavia where the residents can safely walk around and "shop" for selected items.
Malls at Christmas used to be such a magical thing.
The Terrazzo and brown tile! What a treat!
It’s quite a sight right?? Thanks for watching!
Coming from New Zealand, I'm amazed at how dead malls are still open while losing money everyday doing so just to remain operating. The mall owners and retailers should just count their losses and shut. Are nearby competing malls killing each other off? Here in New Zealand our population base (5 million) is too small to sustain too many malls. Despite the increase of online shopping, especially during this pandemic, malls are still very much popular here. I think people here still like to check out the merchandise in person.
So malls are still doing well in New Zealand too… interesting! Do you have a similar set up to Aussie malls where they are one stop shops of sorts… pharmacy, doctors offices, post office etc?
As for what’s killing off malls in the US, that’s up for debate, but I’d speculate it’s mainly the result the Amazon and other online retailers being able to get your purchases to you almost as quickly as if you just ran down to the mall. What’s interesting is that outdoor malls and outlet malls here aren’t seeing the same dying off trend though as indoor malls.
@@IanMartinExploration New Zealand malls usually have a pharmacy, supermarket, bank. Sometimes post office, if not, it's close by. We can order through Amazon but we don't have them physically here, it's either from the US or UK. Freight to NZ can often kill the justication to buy from overseas.
Malls and retail are just so weird right now. I am from Chambersburg and remember when this mall opened. Fun time. But the Hagerstown Valley Mall, though 8 years older, is far more successful. The owners attracted popular restaurants to build all around it to draw people. Chambersburg Mall is in a dry township so no restaurants are allowed that serve alcohol. And if you want to see the opposite of a dying mall go to Tysons Corner. Dang. Get there early for a parking space. That place is insane.
I didn’t realize the valley mall is 8 years older than the chambersburg mall. It’s got to be a combo of location, being allowed to serve alcohol, and management that is willing to think outside the box that has that mall doing ok while chambersburg is like this. Thanks for watching!
Malls in my area started closing when gang violence was happening in many of them. Theft , fighting and even a few shootings. It was hard to keep it out of the malls so stores started pulling out.
That is exactly what happened to Brookdale, a magnificent Mall in a Minneapolis suburb. Changing demographics destroyed it.
No kidding. I’m not used to associating malls with gang violence. That’s disappointing.
This was actually a really nice mall, even just 3-4 years ago. Christmas 2019 was the last time I was there.
Thank you for documenting this phenomenon. I was never a big fan of indoor malls, but it's really sad to see their demise. It's symbolic of dying America or something.
That’s how I see it too. It’s sad and disappointing.
i’m from the waynesboro area, southeast of chambersburg and i remember going here when i was younger and it was still somewhat alive (2010-2013ish era) and it’s sad to see it like this honestly.
I can't fathom why an antique mall would only want to use one entrance to control who leaves with paying and who tries leave without paying?
Thanks for watching!
Two years ago I wanted to get exercise by walking, but it was winter, so I went to the Nittany Mall in State College, PA. I walked from one end to the other. I saw a total of four people. Most of the stores were empty like this mall. There were a few candle shops, phone stores, etc. The only store still there that I recognized was Spencers Gifts, but I'm sure they are closed by now. I got depressed and left after only one lap. Back in the 80s in the winter, especially in November and December, it would be so packed with people that it was hard to get from one end of the mall to the other. Now it's just a shell.
This mall is on my to do list to check out. I’ve heard from several people just how poorly it’s doing. I feel bad for the place, but it could make for an interesting exploration.
I'm from Chambersburg and haven't been back in almost 12 years now. I have great memories of Christmas shopping or the Aladdin's Castle that used to be by the pizza place near the movie theater. It's a shame but when I visited 12 years ago it was dying and didn't look good then either.
I can’t imagine how weird it must be to see a childhood mall in such awful shape now.
I live about a 40 min drive from this mall and I think the main factor(amongst other factors) is the location. It is along the highway, but a few miles from the main town of Chambersburg, in the middle of nothing. Closer to Chambersburg, there is a large shopping Plaza that has stores like Target and BJs and lots of restaurants. There is also another plaza that houses a Walmart not far from the Target Plaza. I think people just started to get tired of driving miles out of the way to go shopping when there were more convenient options popping up. Despite general mall decline in the US, there are some successful malls and not just super large ones. There is one near me(Capital City Mall in Camp Hill) that is still pretty busy and seems even busier than it was years ago. I think it's success is because it has a better variety of stores - not just the clothing stores. It has a Dave and Busters, Dicks Sporting Goods, cell phone repair, chocolate store, good sushi place, place to rent a tuxedo. It could do better by having even variety - still a lot of expensive clothing stores, but at least a decent enough variety to keep it busy. It also is in a better location that already has other retail establishments.
There are some guys from Australia in another comment thread here that were talking about malls currently booming down there because they’re like a one stop shop for everything. Doctor, post office, drug store etc. Combine that with what you’re talking about and I think we might be onto one of the problems with some of these malls. That and the fact that this one is so out in the middle of no where. Thanks for watching!
I used to go to Aladdin's Castle in this mall. This mall used to be awesome! But, the world changes. Life goes on, and you can't expect anything to last forever.
Great and sad video Ian.
Thanks for watching!
It’s kind of sad to see this I grew up in that mall. Used to be a GameStop in the center on the corner, miniature golf, store the sold sports memorabilia and many others. It was a great place in the early 2000’s - early 2010’s.
There seem to be a lot of us (myself included) that have very fond, nostalgia-heavy, memories of malls. It really is a shame to see so many just fall apart like this. It was part of the reason I wanted to document it before it closed for good. Thanks for watching!
You talking about the sports store in the little corner across from the Nike store? Or the old shank and tittle store…I loved being so close to this place when it was thriving, as a kid in the 2000’s it was the “it” thing to do.
I remember that sports memorabilia place by the Nike store. Gardners Candies and Auntie Anne's were my go to's during breaks while working a shift in the mall. Aladinn's Castle Arcade by Value City was a such stupid but fun way to kill time and money while waiting for a movie to start .
@@HaddaClu gardners candy was so good. Use to go in there to get a drink and my valentines candy every year! Their quality stayed good til the very end, which says a lot! This place use to be a thriving mall….my favorite spots were FYE (for your entertainment) Aladdin arcade, comic world (the owner just died recently), and Shenk & Tittle (it was a sports store where you could buy snowboards, skateboards, and then NFL/NBA shit etc etc.
Crazy seeing that mall like that. Went to College just down the road and remember going there all the time for movies and shopping.
I had visited this mall in it's hay day as I live in the 4 state area. But started going back to this mall around Christmas time in 2017 and even though it wasn't nearly as busy as I had remembered in the years before but it was still fairly busy but in the following years it had pretty much died. We was there for the last of Burlington coat factory I think was in 2019 they had closed after Christmas. But we did stop by one day just to see what was still there and most of what you show in this video was about how it was almost 2 Yeats ago. I can't believe the mall is still holding on. It's sad what is happening to this country with all the malls and big name brand stores closing forever! Nice video!
Totally agree about what’s happening to malls in the US now, especially along the east coast. They just let them fall apart instead of letting them close with some dignity or try to pivot the way they operate so they can stay open.
This was a great video! This is such a sad state of affairs! New Sub!
Thanks so much for the watching and subbing!
All up and down the Interstate in that area of PA and MD there are GIANT distribution centers on either side. I am shocked that someone doesn't repurpose the land (if not the building) of the mall for similar purposes.
I’ve also noticed the huge influx of semi trucks on 81 in that stretch as well. I’d be shocked if the area is eventually repurposed given the shift in industry. Thanks for watching.
I don't know why but any mall I go to I have a sense of excitement and anticipation when I first walk in, even in dead mall. I've felt that way since I first went into a mall as a little kid in 1986.
I’m the same way! Anywhere I visit I oddly find myself wanting to check out the local mall. No idea why haha. This gave me a totally different feeling obviously, but still a general sense of intrigue and curiosity.
This was lovely. Such wonderful production value
Thanks so much for the kind works and for watching!
As an 80's kid (1981) this saddens me. The mall was more than just a shopping place, it was life in motion. Our mall here in my small WI town was torn down years ago. I miss going and experiencing the adventure and interaction they brought. Replaced by online shopping and whatever else.. Thus is life I suppose.
Unfortunately I think you’re right that this is just how life goes. Malls growing up were always such a cool experience - getting dropped off on a Friday/Saturday night by your parents to roam around with your friends for a few hours. Or how special it felt during the holidays. It’s a shame to see these places be literally just a shell of their former selves. Thanks for watching!
Spent many a Saturday night at this place in the late 90's/early 00's. It's heartbreaking to see it in its current state.
I’d heard that malls were generally becoming less popular, but I was really shocked to see how bad this one had gotten. Thanks for watching!
That mall's days are definitely numbered---I'd be surprised if it was still open a year from now
I was honestly shocked it lasted to Christmas this year.
Just went there today and filmed two videos. Amazing work friend.
NICE! Was everything fixed and back to regular working order?? Haha… hopefully you didn’t run into the security guard too
@@IanMartinExploration Nope! No security in sight… And no, not much was fixed. I could smell mold near one of the bathrooms and saw ceiling damage which had been cordoned off. Sadly I don’t think they’ll be repairing it anytime soon.
Can’t explain why but this feels sad and really eerie
It has just a general weird vibe to it right?
Reminds me of The Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills. When the mall opened in 2005 it was obvious the developers had high hopes for it. It had a food court right at one of the entrances, a large kids play area, a Cinemark theater, several sit down restaurants, indoor mini-golf, and a Borders bookstore. While only one level, it was a nice walk-one lap around is about one mile. I remember plans to build a NASCAR go-kart track and indoor water park near the mall.
Over time, stores kept leaving and now the mall is down to a few stores. The food court and restaurants are gone completely (though tables and chairs remain), and some former stores are used for businesses you normally wouldn’t find in a mall, like a karate school. There’s even a church in there. Cinemark left following the COVID shutdowns and a new theater chain took over last year. When I visited in 2020, many stores looked like the ones in this video: shuttered with the lights off. This mall also had a map and store list that obviously hadn’t been updated. The mall had music playing, which I found a little creepy considering I was one of the few people there.
Black Rose Antiques might be closed off to the rest of the mall because there's no point in keeping the main entrance open,with all the empty stores around it. Also,it provides an extra "wall" to display their wares,instead of keeping that merchandise in a stockroom. Besides,fewer points of entry/exit equals less opportunity for would-be thieves. As for Bath and Body Works,those employees are likely doing double or triple duty- sales,working the cash wrap AND unloading and stocking inventory. Cool video. These are fascinating!
I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t realize the security component of having that entrance closed until well after I filmed. Makes sense now though! And you’re probably right about the BBW employees. Thanks for checking out the video!
@@IanMartinExploration Of course,yvw,and thank YOU for posting it ! 👍
I'm from Greencastle so I live very close to this mall. Both times I've went there, I hardly saw anyone. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if it were still busy. I lived in Florida from 2020-2021, and the mall I used to go to was ALWAYS busy.
You can go into the settings on your camera and turn off the red recording light. That way, it doesn’t show up on reflective surfaces and security won’t notice the camera as fast. 👍
Didn’t even think about this… thanks!
@@IanMartinExploration No problem! I have the exact setup, even the same microphone! 😅
The reason why the antiques store has it's internal mall entrance closed off would be they do not want to have to pay the mall extra money for cleaning, security and building maintenance of the mall side. However, if you called out to the shop staff, they may open the gate for you to enter. Or they may just direct you to the nearest mall exit and tell you to walk around.
One mall that is still open and popular is Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa Oklahoma. We used to go there back in the 80s 90s 2000s and is still a popular place to go shopping.
It’s interesting cause it’s almost like malls are consolidating down to just a few really big successful ones and the rest are run out of business. Interesting that Tulsa has a good one.
I Told All My Family And Friends About Your Beautiful UA-cam Channel
Love the videos but curious , is there any way in changing the idea or market of the mall to save them?
Thanks for watching! In general there still seem to be some malls that are thriving here in the US. What makes them different from these that are dying off I’m not totally sure, but it seems they are doing something different. I wonder if it’s market/location and just overall quality of the place.
Black Rose interior entrance closed off due to staffing. No longer must require staff member to be stationed at front desk. They also are theft protection.
I hadn’t considered that until after I filmed the video. Makes total sense now. Thanks for watching!
Keep up the Great work
Thank You For Sharing This Beautiful Video Vlog
Thank you for watching!
Nice video, well done. I follow 2 other well stablished pages related to the subject and your video was right up there in quality with them. Sub and liked!
Thanks so much for the support, I really appreciate it! And thanks for watching the video(s)!
What is the point of the remaining outlets continuing there?
Wow,,,, I came upon this video by chance. I live in Oregon but have been in this mall a few times while visiting family out there. I remember a great steak restaurant/buffet across from theater and other stores as well. I had heard the city stopped bus routes there and that hurt the mall as well. Memories...
Oh very cool that you’re familiar with the area. I THINK the name of the restaurant you’re referring to is Bonanza, but I could be wrong.
About 10 years ago, my son and I passed through the area on our way to Gettysburg. We ate at the Bonanza in the mall. I understand they are now in a standalone building nearby?
Yep, looks like Bonanza took over what used to be an old Ryan’s restaurant about 10 minutes from the mall.
It’s sad. A lot of people have memories of shopping at malls on the weekends. Malls are generally a good place to hangout and have fun. It so surreal. It’s seems nostalgic in a sense
It definitely invokes some serious nostalgia in me to wander through those places, so I get it
Great video! Love dead mall tours!
Thanks! And thanks for watching!
I still cant figure out why all these malls havent been converted into assisted living/nursing homes. All the infrastructure is there to put an infirmary, kitchen, fitness center, church etc etc. Basically like a space station on earth. With the aging population predicted to grow this would be a huge benefit.
Put in residential areas & the commercial areas would experience a rejuvenation.
Someone else mentioned this too. I really think it’s a solid idea that needs to be tried out. Thanks for watching.
How cool would it be to set them up with little “main streets” inside. Barber shop, ice cream, etc. plenty of sky lights. Climate controlled and places to park the electric scooters. I’d want to live there and im only 45.
@@rustydelorean6405 That would be amazing! I'd also want to live there haha
Last time I been to this mall, I was 13. When I went, it was still doing okay. It had pretty much all those stores mentioned from the beginning and maybe just like 1 or 2 empty spaces. The reason I think for the mall’s decline is because of the owner (which is a bad one) and the location. The mall sits outside of Chambersburg in the middle of nowhere. You get off Interstate 81 and it’s just empty farmland. If they built the mall near most of the businesses in town and got new owners, it would of done better.
In December 2021 in Houston, Texas many shopping malls are blown when and go when !!!!
1 year later, the website says there are six operating stores in the mall, including Black Rose. One of the six is an escape room outfit and one is a "learning center". Other than the antique store they might as well close the rest down.
That part about the leaky ceiling caught me a bit off guard. I last visited that mall in about March of 2020. The signs of decay were there, but I didn't expect it to get that bad after a couple years. I doubt they'll actually get around to doing those "repairs" the sign mentioned. Also while I was there, I remember visiting the 'Extreme Themes' store. I talked a bit* (*bit was an understatement because he ended up telling me his whole life story) with the owner of that store and found out he's also the dude running the 'As Seen on TV' store right next to it. Found it a bit weird that he was running both stores, but whatever. Also a quick question I'd like to add before I press the 'Post Comment' button: Do they still got the Star Wars: Episode I vending machine in front of the AMC?
They absolutely do still have the Star Wars episode 1 vending machine right outside the theater. I got a picture of it, but couldn’t get it on camera before being asked to leave. I couldn’t believe it was there!
the ceiling has gotten alot worse between 7 months ago and now. I was there this past weekend and part of it is ready to cave in any second.
Back in the day, those stages were for performers. Singers, entire groups, military bands. I was in a show choir that performed on stages like that all over the country and in my hometown. Debbie Gibson became famous as a teenager, performing on those kinds of stages. Sometimes there would be extensions into runways, and local pageants and fashion shows were staged there too.
Hope this helps.
Ahh yep! That makes sense. Not sure why I didn’t consider any of those options. Thanks for watching.
@@IanMartinExploration Thank YOU. And good job!
The tables and chairs were for the store with the red framed window which when I was there about 11 years ago was an ice cream, candy sort of thing.
Oh wow, no kidding. Wonder who keeps setting them up now then. Or if they just never get put away. Thanks for watching!
I used to love going to this mall and my dad used to work at the arcade and it really is upsetting to me that this mall is almost dead
I've been wondering if the arcade is totally closed. It sure looked totally closed, but I wonder what they're doing with all the arcade games inside if so. Probably sell them off, I guess. Thanks for watching!
Yeah I don't know for sure I do know that they open in the afternoon but they might be out for sure but thank you for checking out the Chambersburg Mall
I love this kind of story. Subscribed!
Thanks so much for the support!