Hey guys! It's almost one year since I published this video, and I'm so grateful for the engagement you've all made! I have some huge news regarding this mall...so keep an eye on my Twitter and Discord server for more...
Hey Sal, I just discovered your channel, I happen to work at an office located within a dying mall and enjoy vapourwave music so this video really strikes a chord. I especially appreciate how respectful you are to the property and the history of those whose dream it was to open a place to bring life to its community. Keep up the good work!
Why don't you start maaking some calls, try to contact Mall ownership, I'm sure someone would LOVE to sell that statue. Then contact THE PHILADELPHIA ZOO and tell them about the statue, that it's for sale and send them some pics and your contacts at the mall. Broker a sale of the statue YOURSELF, to save it. Not only would you save something you love, but you'd be written into the statues history as saving it... Food for thought...
I worked in the Burlington Center in 1989 at The Gap and another retail clothing store called the Weathervane. I was there at the Grand Opening as a 10-Year Old on August 5, 1982. I cannot find the newspaper clipping but there is one of me (and my brothers) from the Burlington County Times. I LOVED THIS PLACE! it breaks my heart every time I drive by. This was such an important part of my teenage years! Thank you for sharing it’s history and for being so passionate about Petal!
The Burlington Mall...I bought my first pair of Nike Air Max there when I was in sixth grade with my birthday money in 1986. I was the first kid in school who had them and everyone oooohed and awwwed...Last time I was there was the day the PS2 was released and I waited outside the Sears at 4am, third guy in line, they had 5 in stock. That was about 20 years ago...had some good memories there, like the times my dad took me Christmas shopping for my mom, meals at the friendly's, and the time my mom had her purse stolen at the KB Toy store. sigh. good times.
Outstanding videos. I'm 53 and I really vividly how the mall was where you went to get most stuff. Our main mall had 3 record stores and a video store. All but FYE are gone.
This was actually a VERY detailed video for a small channel. It honestly felt like a bit of a mini documentary. Also, I like the fact that it sounds like you kept what you actually recorded on the video, instead of turning all the sound down for your script only.
This really warmed my heart and brought back sooo many good memories...growing up in Willingboro...my mother always brought me here weekly and I modeled for strawbridge and clothier as a kid... brought candy from the candy shop by the pound... sat on Santa's lap during Xmas time.... that statue "petal" was something we looked forward to seeing and making a wish as we threw change into the water...My mother passed in 1999 but this definitely made my day. thanks so much for the videos and the memories 🙏🙏❤️❤️
I lived at the Burlington Center Mall on the weekends when I was a preteen and into my teen years I worked at the Burlington Center Mall. Following that, I ended up working for The Rouse Company. Best job ever! Eventually I move forward. I miss malls and I miss those days.
I really like these dead mall videos, I follow both Retail Archeology and Dan Bell, but yours seem to have an emotional touch to them that they don't have. You also cover a lot more of the history behind it, which I appreciate, I feel like other Dead Mall UA-camrs try to focus waaay too much on the "creepy" aspect of it, but let's face it, this is not that creepy of a topic. More like a tragic decline of an empire that built more than it's people needed, and is now facing it's downfall (that empire being America's shopping mall industry, of course). Happily subscribed. If you ever wanna do a crossover of sorts (whatever that might be, my videos are kind of a different genre than yours, but I'm sure we can figure something out) hit me up. I hope your channel continues to grow!
Thank you for the support! While there certainly creepy aspects to the fall of the great American mall, I’ve become smitten with the narrative and story behind it. The amazing developers that poured their lives into making these awesome structures, and the toll that’s been taken due to industrial decline...it’s fascinating and I want to tell the story. The visuals help, and I love filming them, but the story and research are what captivated my interest. I’ll check your stuff out after work!
I feel you there with the story behind the labor of something being inspiring. I do record reviews as well as documentary like videos on lost movies, and I feel that the story behind something is often brushed off to the side to focus more on the product itself, which is sad because knowing the story behind it can make that product much more meaningful! Don't let the most recent 2 videos in my list be represent the way all my videos are, that was an April Fool's joke. Thanks for the response! Hope you like what you see!
Idk how I ended up watching these “dead mall” videos, but I have to say that out of all of the ones I’ve seen yours are the best. The amount of research you do for these malls is phenomenal. Subscribed!!
That was Awesome ! I'm Mark a 56 year old Australian. you capture something special here, that is hard to put into words. At my age I saw these places in there prime , Lived in New Jersey in 81'when you would go to the mall arcade with a pocket full of quarters. Its quite bizarre to see all this infrastructure in this condition now , it hides lost American wealth and prosperity and an era we wont see again...sad in a way, but ....things change and move on. Wow...Amazing work, Thank you.
I was 15yrs old in 1980. I remember when the mall opened up in 1981 and this was the hot spot in Burlington. OMG the arcade was the place for me. It was called Spaceport. Willingboro had a plaza and next to the plaza was a movie theater call The Fox. The plaza started to die out due to the Burlington Center Mall taking over. Most of the stores you saw in the mall came from the Willingboro Plaza.
Thats exactly right@David...I remember when this mall opened..I was about 11 years old...one of my friends got hit by a car riding his bike to the mall...Letrick chestnut...rip , we used to go up to this mall and hang out all the time...never could afford anything! lol
...my aunt & uncle had an arcade/pizza parlour/small pool hall about 5 blocks from my house, so i basically lived there all my life til they closed in 2000... most of their arcade/pinballs were bought & sent to Europe... it's a sad, sad thing... another arcade downtown just had to close a couple months ago due to a fire in the restaurant next door that destroyed the restaurant & caused massive water damage to the arcade... it kills me :(
No shit bro! I grew up on Charleston Road in Willingboro New Jersey I remember everything you say! I remember going to the Willingboro Plaza for portraits done at Sears which I believe later on became Ports... there was another strip mall with Acme and a movie theater in Willingboro that was right off of Route 130 across the street from Sunset grade school I believe near the Willingboro bike shop
The Gangs didn’t just fight that night, the Gang members would hang out in groups of 50+ on The weekends and throw trash from the top level down to the bottom it caused a very uncomfortable & unsafe environment to shop. It’s so sad I was there on opening Day in 1982.
Yeah, late 90's, I was there, I'm from Medford lakes and that was the Mount Holly kids that would swamp that place on weekends... But you're right. The mall DID NOT get that reputation over one, isolated incident. It was probably about 6 years the place got swamped, and about three really bad years leading up to the incident he's referring to. I wasn't there that night, but drove by after the police cleared the place out. Police were everywhere, and had the Mall cordoned off. At the time, I thought it was A bomb scare. I found out the next day, from my Mt. Holly friends, what had happened. But yeah, you're absolutely right. Clean cut working class people just didn't want to go there, they'd hit Echelon, Moorestown or shoot across the bridge to Bristol, instead.
My favorite expedition log! Something about how you documented the mall, recalled its history, and admire the statue resonates me deeply. And the music at the end was just perfect.
I remember going to this mall in the 80's and 90's with my cousin and we go into the mall through Strawbridge and Clothier and look around there and then would go out into the mall and we would always say to each other meet you back here in an hour by the Elephant statue. Great memories. Sad to see this mall as it is now.
I love your sensitivity to the life and death of malls coupled with the history that makes the stories so valuable they mark a time and place; thank you!
Had to watch this after the Echelon video because, while I live within reasonable distance from this mall, I've never been. I always wanted to go as a kid but since we already had Deptford, Cherry Hill, Moorsetown, AND Echelon around, there was no real reason (to them) and as an adult I found myself continuously saying "I'll go someday," not realizing just how bad of shape it was in. So I was pretty upset last month when I heard about the damage and the official closing; I'll never get there. Never get to see that statue. But I'm glad you did! Thank you so much for going and filming and all your hard work.
I also remember the Echelon Mall. One of the first memories that always triggers when I hear the Echelon Mall name are the payphones they had and how, as a kid, I always thought they looked like futuristic teleport pods.
They’re the worst. When I was out at Century III, they seemingly employ security guards just to shield the public from seeing how derelict the mall has become. While that’s certainly within their rights, and I can respect it...the secret is getting out...
@foxaddict A Better example is Gwinnett Place Mall, Moonbeam owns that and the latest news about it is not good, one article even said that moonbeam has to go, the Belk Wing is also Walled off and they dont even turn on the lights in the hall(also the store closing signs are still in the belk)
I'm shocked to see a Jersey Mall as a dead mall. In the 80's and early 90's....Jersey was Mall Rat central. BTW I grew up and lived in The NY Metro area accept for 1 yr in Pittsburgh from Late 2015 to late 2016. I was told not to even go to Century III and Pittsburgh Mills because no one went there to shop. I loved The Waterfront Mall in Homestead and South Hills Village.....
Great video. It's interesting how downtowns are getting the attention now instead of the suburbs. In my city, they are investing millions in downtown development and it's thriving. People are moving downtown instead of moving out. Our malls are still doing well though for now because they are in a really busy areas, otherwise they would probably be dying like most others.
Uh have you not seen Lafayette Square Mall in Indianapolis? Washington Square Mall in Indianapolis? Maybe I need to start showing what's really going on in Indianapolis and the Downtown area shed some light on it because obviously the public has the wrong impression...
Thank you so much for making this video of the mall. This was the hot spot when I was a kid in the 90s into the early 2000s. So many memories especially of the water hole. We used to throw coins in the water and I tried to throw coins on top of the elephant when I was a kid hoping I would reach and it would stay up there. So many good memories until the downfall in 2007. I remember when it started getting really bad and I definitely remember the brawl. It was definitely becoming a hotspot for fights every Saturday night. I now live in Delran, which is maybe 15 minutes away from the mall and haven't been there but I drive past it very often. I don't remember that wing being closed down! That's crazy! Last time I went there was maybe four years ago and that wing was open still.
Jim Rouse was such a fascinating individual...I was incredibly intrigued learning what he went through in life to arrive at the point of building this mall. So sad to see it closed now...
I remember going to that mall at 4 years old in 1986 and getting my first pair of jelly shoes from Strawbridge's. We had just finished dinner at Friendly's. Then I was knocked to the ground by a guy running from security through the clothing racks. My mom was so mad that both of them trampled a little kid. I only cared about making sure she was going to buy the Jelly shoes before we left. :)
I had two jobs there in 1982-84 - BookEnd and Print N Things - I even won the Strawbridge contest at the age of 16 of $4,000 in product. I think I worked right above that Elephant - I just forgot about the statue until now. Thank you!
I really enjoy your dead mall videos, Sal! Your intros are great, the history you give of each mall is thorough, and the early commercials you throw in are nostalgic. The statue in this mall is amazing- I hope it makes it's way to a museum or somewhere that it can once again be enjoyed. Keep up the good work, Sal!
Great video!! The Frudakis sculpture is awesome! Hope there are plans to move it somewhere. It seems like a lot of beautiful mall art just goes down with the wrecking ball.
I hope they move the entire statement somewhere. The rocks, the palms, the water fountain... sort of like how the famous Coal Miner statue at Schuylkill Mall was relocated to the Knoebel’s Museum after it closed. It deserves some respect!
Whenever I watch a dead mall video my thoughts turn to all the good times people had there. All the gifts that were purchased, all the friends meeting up there, Christmas season decorations hung there. Now that I'm older, I really dislike going to any mall, but when I was younger it was the place to go.
Since everything but the Sears closed in January, I'm pretty sure you were one of the last people to visit the mall, let alone film it. Thank you so much for filming this - I was born and raised 10 min south of Burlington NJ, and I've been to Burlington Center Mall plenty of times before it closed. When I was in middle school & high school in the mid to late 2000's, our school's choir & band gave performances in front of the Sears every winter as a dry run for the annual holiday concert. Between all us kids setting up/taking down risers, music stands, and mics, it ended up being a day-long field trip to play hooky at the mall. I have so many memories of pushing the tables together at the food court, getting CD's at f.y.e., daring each other to get piercings at Claire's, laughing at the seniors trying to squeeze into the riding toy cars. Even though Cherry Hill and Moorestown were way more popular even then, Burlington Center was a big part of my teenage years. I'm glad you got to see the elephant fountain, everyone who ever shopped there loved that fountain. I heard it's been moved since, I hope it goes to another public place in South Jersey because its too beautiful to go to waste.
I just found you a few days ago...I'm loving all of it! The history, the music, your filming and final product - it's all amazing, I love it! Dan Bell has been an inspiration so I've started looking at others that are interested in these things as I am. I love what you've done! I aspire to do the same :)
Sal I have, my stomping ground Cary Towne Center in Cary, NC. But I aspire to travel but I'd like to do so with other dead/ dying mall enthusiasts. I know ZERO people who are as fascinated as I am. And honestly I'd love to find people to do this with!
Thanks for the great content Sal, you're definitely a sub & binge channel for me. It's also appreciated how informative your video's are, and not douchey in your narration. Great work!
I loved how you went into great detail about Rouse's life! I am a newish subscriber and catching up on the expedition log. Awesome stuff! The malls of my childhood are gone-I grew up in the Chicago area- Dixie Square and Lincoln Malls were my malls. My mom was from West Virginia and we would go to The Huntington Mall in Barboursville when we went to WV to visit family. I heard the mall was doing okay, but would love to see one of the dead mall enthusiasts do something on yhat mall. I am disabled and going to WV myself would be difficult. My dad's family was from Schuylkill and Northumberland Counties in PA and I was so sad to see the Schuylkill mall almost gone.
I *love* the Schuylkill Mall. I always will. Such an amazing place that deserved so many more years. Jim Rouse is also one of my heroes. I hope you like Episode 21! I take another visit to Schuylkill for one last walk through :) Thanks for watching!
It's so sad to keep seeing these places die. I know people often talk of malls callously, as if they're just hubs of junk peddlers and lazy people, but no, they're architectural and cultural marvels, staples of childhood and nostalgia, they're comfort and a place to escape the harsh reality of life for even just an hour or two and search for something you love to bring home with you. It seems the advent of online shopping is slowly but surely destroying the North American mall as we know it, but it's videos like these that capture all the essence of what is so sentimental and iconic about them, so I can't thank you enough for taking the time to explore these places and post them for the world to see one last time. We just lost the Penhorn Mall in my home city of Halifax up here in Canada, and I'm sad to say it probably won't be the only one from around here to be forgotten.
Hey I think your videos are very entertaining I listen to them as I'm driving and it's just amazing I wouldn't know about it if it wasn't for your channel great job
Why are these management and security people so over the top with no filming? They should respect the fact people want to capture the history and save for the future. The same people saying “no filming” would probably like to look at these images and remember working there years from now. Especially when works of art are involved in the filming!
Likely due to strict rules from management requiring security personnel not to allow people in closed off areas. Also, I'd imagine security wouldn't want the liability of being responsible if someone gets hurt. Not everybody is like Sal looking to preserve history. Anyone could use that time to plan to rob the place if they spotted something valuable.Unfortunately there was a high incidence of crime at that location.
I grew up a 5 minute walk from this place and it holds a lot of memories. Thank you for this video it’s so sad what’s happened. Lots of interesting history I never knew, thank you for that. I used to ride that elephant haha. My mom still lives right off Bromley - Sears is closed now too - and I went to high school with that security guard haha
Oh wow. I had heard Burlington County was having problems with gangs... Didn't know this happened. They had a shooting at Deptford Mall a good 20++ years ago. A few people were killed... Can't remember exactly what happened but I think they were trying to rob one of those armored vehicles?? From what I remember it was during the day and near one of the entrances upstairs near SEARS... I can still remember seeing the sprayed bullet-hole marks in the walls near the glass/hand guard rails looking down towards the first floor...
I like how much research you do about your subject. I subscribe to similar channels as well and I think you are the most knowledgeable about the area that you are exploring. I like the adjustments you've made in regards to filming. I think the shots can still be a little more steady and better paced, but I imagine that comes with time/practice. I have watched all of your logs since finding your channel yesterday. Look forward to more.
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback, also! It can be tough filming without drawing attention in a lot of these places...which can yield a less than desirable set of footage. But...I’m learning ways around it through editing and planning. Thanks for the support!
just found your channel today. was in recommended after watching a Dan bell video. your format is very interesting and quite addictive. keep it up. subbed
Thanks for covering this mall dude. I remember going to this mall as a kid and then quite often back in high school. I used to live right near it. It's very sad that it is now a ghost building. I actually came home from out of state one month before it permanently closed. I remember that statue too. I think there was an arcade right across from it. Soooo long ago. awesome vid tho dude. keep at it. ~ CJ
The elephant sculpture is fantastic and deserves to be seen. I hope it finds new digs. Your videos are the best, so interesting and entertaining. Thank you!
Sal: I love your work, the research you put into the videos and your tenacity, as evidenced by all you did to finally get into that closed off section to see the sculpture (which I hope will be saved and placed elsewhere in a more viable location) are second-to-none. I also love hearing about your reactions to the location you're filming. As with every other of your expeditions, I came away feeling almost as if I were walking alongside you, and THAT's what sets you apart from the vast majority artists filming dying or dead (or moribund!) malls out there. (In truth, the only other video maker who accomplishes this level of intimacy with his viewers is Dan Bell, so you're in good company, Sal. And it's also the reason I became subscriber #570 today, something I've yet to do with ANY of my other favorites, including Mr. Bell.) Now for the not-so-good part, and I hope you'll forgive me for my admittedly amateurish opines. The intro/history narration went on far too long, for the better part of half the video, and there were a lot of things I'd have rather heard, the most important of which were your reactions to what you were seeing; those on-the-spot thoughts & feelings are priceless, especially since most of us are probably feeling the same thing. And that's PRICELESS, IMHO. It was just a few seconds past 17 minutes into the video before you finally began to talk about things you felt/liked (which was the way the sunlight came in and lighted the mall so beautifully), and THAT's when I felt like the video at last got 'on track.' Personally, I'd have liked to have known about the food court; how many stalls it had, when the last locations closed, etc., mainly because I have this odd theory that "as the food court goes, so does the mall." I LOVED that you got in to see the elephant sculpture, though I'm at a loss as to why the guard )was being so anal about taking pix/filming it. (That stuff gets me soooo angry, Sal.) Visually, this was one of your usual superb vids; the narration, not so much. Still, it was worth watching, and, as I often do, with my favorite UA-cam video makers, I'll be rescreening it again soon. Hope this helps, and doesn't earn too many 'dislikes.'
This sort of feedback is invaluable. Thank you so much, Mortuus for taking the time to both watch (and subscribe!), and give constructive criticism on my work. I am working to cut the "expedition" portion down to under a minute, as I feel that taking the journey and seeing some of the surroundings is important...but not focal. That part (let's call it the intro) will be shorter going forward, as I'm now catching my stride. As for the historical narration...I am working on the pacing and adjusting the actual editing to focus more on viewing what you're seeing while I'm speaking about it, and also including more opinion. I feel that the history of a place is just as sacred to preserve as the visual aesthetic, and I'll continue to do my homework and put dozens of hours of research into each place...but you're absolutely right. I want to incorporate more observation into these, but in a way that isn't ouvert and pointless. While I'm currently looking at Premiere Pro, working on this week's video, I am taking everything you said into consideration, and hopefully will produce something more appealing as a result. Thanks again!
Thanks for your kind note back, Sal; I was a bit worried I might have offended you, as I am in no way a film maker; just a retired old naval aviator who loves dead mall vids. Yours truly are among the best already, and I can only imagine how they'll improve over time. I see great things here, and I'm lucky to get in this early!
Thank you for your content. I really enjoy the hard work you out into it. I was here when you had nearly 2K subs. Keep it up mate. Hope you come by my area near Detroit. There's a lot of malls around here.
I was there, August 1982 for the grand opening of this Mall. I waa 11, and I walked there, some 9 miles or so, from Mt Holly, where I lived at the time.@ 3:33 in the area between the escalators, was a huge fountain. The fountain used to be shut off, for the holidays, and that is where Saint Nick was setup, before they covered it completely.
So many memories. I played games in the arcade there and went on a few day camp trips there as a lad. I remember the big fountains they had they sprayed so much water into the air. Just this massive column of water that I swear looked it would almost hit the glass sky windows. I remember the last thing I bought from there it was an engagement ring for my girlfriend from the Kay Jewelers. Eighty dollars for a silver band with heart shaped diamond and ruby combo.
Oh man...this so brings back memories. I was born in southern New Jersey but I moved to Bucks County, PA at the age of four. I was still very close to Burlington so my parents and I went to the mall every time we visited my aunt or my dad's friends in the area. I am so sad that this mall went downhill...especially since SoJersey has such vibrant malls like Moorestown and Cherry Hill. Rest in peace, Burlington Center.
My favorite so far! the research into this mall was fantastic. can you find a really creepy mall as your narration/music and atmosphere of these utterly amazing films(not videos) would be perfect.
Hi. I just found your channel two days ago. So I grew up 30minutes from Burlington Center. I went to that mall a lot. When I was a teenager went a long. The last time I went there was 2014 and I can tell then that the end was coming for that mall. I'm not surprised that it close. Thank you for bringing back all those memories for me. I remember that statue.
Thank you so much for this video. Had so many great memories as a kid there from getting my n64 super nintendo and gamecube from babbages there to getting cool stuff from boscovs. I remember my parents getting a new bed set and it blowing away in the sears parking lot. seeing movies at the regal next door. Even though I thought Morris Town and Cherry Hill mall were better this was still a pretty good mall in the 90s.Sadly I moved to florida from Mt Holly in 2003 and havent been back to new jersey since. I cant believe this place is now gone.
Thank you so much for allowing us all to see what you see on each adventure you take. The history that you have taken the time to research is pretty incredible. So many interesting details. To me it is amazing and sad that which people leave behind.
Sal- I was the maintenance manager at BC between 1984 and 1997. If you'd like to chat, I'd love to meet you over there ( if it hasn't been demo'ed yet) . I know more about that mall than any living human being. do another series? if you reach out here- I will find you another way t have a chat. I took care of Petals the Elephant for 13 years. I took pride in maintaining all of the architectural fountains. Boy do I have stories to tell. I made it snow inside several times when our Christmas was beyond all expectations back in the day.
I was the assistant manager for the spectrum showcase store in 87 & 88. We sold sports apparel including starter jackets. We also had a ticket tron machine selling concert tickets and other events. Great job
@@michaelmurray4002 Hi Mike. I was the new assistant engineer. starting in late 1983. - early 1984. I kind of recall the Spectrum Showcase. What level was it on? Can you name some stores close by the showcase? I was still learning back then. I remember being overwhelmed that iIhad over 120 stores to take care of. PAUL BAUMAN was the Chief engineer. He taught me a lot before handing me the master keys to the building in 1989
Wonderful & informative video! I loved this mall, it was just big enough to have all the stores I needed to shop at & was close. S & C was a great store. Sadly, at the time when the gangs started hanging out, I really stopped going. Back in the day, the same thing started happening to the QB Mall, which has since been revived nicely.
I too loved this mall growing up in New Jersey... when I moved away from the area I really had no idea how much it had recessed until I started researching for this grand project. I’m glad you liked the video! Lots more to come...
That place was really cool to go to. I had fun going through it the place looks exactly the same lol. Playing at the arcade was fun. The joys of drinking and exploring.
Thank you for sharing the footage and Rouse’s fascinating history. I’m from NJ. I’ve been to this mall once before (late 90’s) when it was vibrant during the Christmas season. The unfortunate part is that the area has gotten worst, it’s not horrible but crime is on the rise and home values are plummeting. The watering hole sculptor was beautiful, I’m glad you go into the area.
This happens to be my hometown mall. I didn't get there as often as I would have liked when I was in middle and high school, but during college and shortly thereafter (the mid-90s through 2004), I get there pretty often and it was always a place of activity and life. In fact, I didn't even notice a steep decline until about 2008 or so. Sad. Lots of memories there. I wish I had made more.
I was an assistant manager for the spectrum showcase store in 1998 and 1988. We sold sports apparel including starter jackets and we also had a tickettron machine for concerts and events. Cool times
I really hope that statue goes somewhere people can enjoy it. I seen Dan Bell's video from here a while back when that wing was open and the fountain was on and it was beautiful. Great work Sal!
When was this filmed ? I live in Joshua Tree CA but grew up near all these malls. about 7 miles from Moorestown mall. This mall was really nice when i used to go there, but Burlington is a little shady. I always thought something would happen there. The elephant was too cool to see again THANK YOU ! I drove cross country this summer and came off the turnpike onto 541 and went WOW THE MALL !!! There were small trees growing right thru the sign and you could hardly see the mall. All the mall you show were invaded by us as kids in the 80s . The one MINI MALL in cinnaminson NJ was a dead mall from the day it opened . And what mall had the giant eagle ? Moorestown or Cherry Hill ? Thanks for these videos ...usually I feel old when I see something like this...it had the opposite effect today !
This video was amazing. You need to be on PBS, seriously, your video was like watching a special on TV. You should look into that. The mall was very creepy. It is surreal to see a mall in New Jersey so empty, people here love to shop. Very creepy.
11:20 - I heard the 'Raceway Park' commercial in the background there. I haven't heard that for many years since leaving NY. Quick burst of nostalgia there.
Very good video. The background information is great, also that the outdoor facilities are shown. Nice that the visit of the elephant sculpture was made possible for you.
Glad you included the Rouse history in this! I never knew about it. My childhood mall, Mall St. Matthews in Louisville KY, is also a Rouse mall. It opened in 1962, and is still doing very well.
I've watched several of these now, fascinating form of urban (or perhaps suburban) archaeology. However, I recall back in the 90s there was much talk about too many malls being built, that the mega-mall building bubble would eventually burst . . . and so it has. Some malls are still functioning, but my guess is that the heyday of giant mega-malls sprouting up in every suburb has long since passed. I do appreciate the detail you put into explaining the history of how these malls came to be, and their eventual demise.
The effort you put into your videos detailing the history of these malls is truly amazing. I was a Security Director of AZ Mills a few years ago. If you ever need someone inside help let me know. Thank You.
Wow what a sad, yet awesome video. What a beautiful statue, so sad that mall got that bad. I love the research you put into it to tell us about it, I’m appreciative.
I live near this mall and I've grown up visiting at least once a month when i was a kid. I remember it when it was in all of it's glory and it's so sad how fast it declined. fortunately the city of Burlington will be getting Petal, the elephant statue to put down near the water front so we can still in enjoy it.
It's was literally a part of my childhood now turning into just memories... grew up in Willingboro when used to go there all the time with friends, countless hours roaming the top and bottom tier
Hey guys! It's almost one year since I published this video, and I'm so grateful for the engagement you've all made! I have some huge news regarding this mall...so keep an eye on my Twitter and Discord server for more...
Hey Sal, I just discovered your channel, I happen to work at an office located within a dying mall and enjoy vapourwave music so this video really strikes a chord. I especially appreciate how respectful you are to the property and the history of those whose dream it was to open a place to bring life to its community. Keep up the good work!
I live here
Why don't you start maaking some calls, try to contact Mall ownership, I'm sure someone would LOVE to sell that statue. Then contact THE PHILADELPHIA ZOO and tell them about the statue, that it's for sale and send them some pics and your contacts at the mall. Broker a sale of the statue YOURSELF, to save it. Not only would you save something you love, but you'd be written into the statues history as saving it... Food for thought...
I've just to see how dilapidated the mall is and I'm sad to say but its still overgrown with weeds and vines
I worked in the Burlington Center in 1989 at The Gap and another retail clothing store called the Weathervane. I was there at the Grand Opening as a 10-Year Old on August 5, 1982. I cannot find the newspaper clipping but there is one of me (and my brothers) from the Burlington County Times. I LOVED THIS PLACE! it breaks my heart every time I drive by. This was such an important part of my teenage years! Thank you for sharing it’s history and for being so passionate about Petal!
I grew up near Burlington mall.
Spent many a weekend roaming those stores. Brings back beautiful memories. Thank you for posting.
The Burlington Mall...I bought my first pair of Nike Air Max there when I was in sixth grade with my birthday money in 1986. I was the first kid in school who had them and everyone oooohed and awwwed...Last time I was there was the day the PS2 was released and I waited outside the Sears at 4am, third guy in line, they had 5 in stock. That was about 20 years ago...had some good memories there, like the times my dad took me Christmas shopping for my mom, meals at the friendly's, and the time my mom had her purse stolen at the KB Toy store. sigh. good times.
Outstanding videos. I'm 53 and I really vividly how the mall was where you went to get most stuff. Our main mall had 3 record stores and a video store. All but FYE are gone.
This was actually a VERY detailed video for a small channel. It honestly felt like a bit of a mini documentary. Also, I like the fact that it sounds like you kept what you actually recorded on the video, instead of turning all the sound down for your script only.
This really warmed my heart and brought back sooo many good memories...growing up in Willingboro...my mother always brought me here weekly and I modeled for strawbridge and clothier as a kid... brought candy from the candy shop by the pound... sat on Santa's lap during Xmas time.... that statue "petal" was something we looked forward to seeing and making a wish as we threw change into the water...My mother passed in 1999 but this definitely made my day. thanks so much for the videos and the memories 🙏🙏❤️❤️
MR BULKY"S Candy store. I knew the owner back in the day. Fond memories indeed.
I lived at the Burlington Center Mall on the weekends when I was a preteen and into my teen years I worked at the Burlington Center Mall. Following that, I ended up working for The Rouse Company. Best job ever!
Eventually I move forward.
I miss malls and I miss those days.
I really like these dead mall videos, I follow both Retail Archeology and Dan Bell, but yours seem to have an emotional touch to them that they don't have. You also cover a lot more of the history behind it, which I appreciate, I feel like other Dead Mall UA-camrs try to focus waaay too much on the "creepy" aspect of it, but let's face it, this is not that creepy of a topic. More like a tragic decline of an empire that built more than it's people needed, and is now facing it's downfall (that empire being America's shopping mall industry, of course).
Happily subscribed. If you ever wanna do a crossover of sorts (whatever that might be, my videos are kind of a different genre than yours, but I'm sure we can figure something out) hit me up. I hope your channel continues to grow!
Thank you for the support! While there certainly creepy aspects to the fall of the great American mall, I’ve become smitten with the narrative and story behind it. The amazing developers that poured their lives into making these awesome structures, and the toll that’s been taken due to industrial decline...it’s fascinating and I want to tell the story. The visuals help, and I love filming them, but the story and research are what captivated my interest. I’ll check your stuff out after work!
I feel you there with the story behind the labor of something being inspiring. I do record reviews as well as documentary like videos on lost movies, and I feel that the story behind something is often brushed off to the side to focus more on the product itself, which is sad because knowing the story behind it can make that product much more meaningful!
Don't let the most recent 2 videos in my list be represent the way all my videos are, that was an April Fool's joke. Thanks for the response! Hope you like what you see!
Shoegazer Productions - Dan Bell got me into dead malls but I think his focus has shifted. Glad I stumbled across this channel anyway.
Woah Shoegazer is here
yep, a big fan of Dan Bell. Adding you on my list Sal to my list.
Idk how I ended up watching these “dead mall” videos, but I have to say that out of all of the ones I’ve seen yours are the best. The amount of research you do for these malls is phenomenal. Subscribed!!
Thank you so much!!
The research you do on these malls is incredible.
It’s also *incredibly* time consuming...which makes me appreciate your sentiment that much more :)
That was Awesome ! I'm Mark a 56 year old Australian. you capture something special here, that is hard to put into words. At my age I saw these places in there prime , Lived in New Jersey in 81'when you would go to the mall arcade with a pocket full of quarters. Its quite bizarre to see all this infrastructure in this condition now , it hides lost American wealth and prosperity and an era we wont see again...sad in a way, but ....things change and move on. Wow...Amazing work, Thank you.
I was 15yrs old in 1980. I remember when the mall opened up in 1981 and this was the hot spot in Burlington. OMG the arcade was the place for me. It was called Spaceport. Willingboro had a plaza and next to the plaza was a movie theater call The Fox. The plaza started to die out due to the Burlington Center Mall taking over. Most of the stores you saw in the mall came from the Willingboro Plaza.
Thats exactly right@David...I remember when this mall opened..I was about 11 years old...one of my friends got hit by a car riding his bike to the mall...Letrick chestnut...rip , we used to go up to this mall and hang out all the time...never could afford anything! lol
I think that Fox caught on fire.
...my aunt & uncle had an arcade/pizza parlour/small pool hall about 5 blocks from my house, so i basically lived there all my life til they closed in 2000... most of their arcade/pinballs were bought & sent to Europe... it's a sad, sad thing... another arcade downtown just had to close a couple months ago due to a fire in the restaurant next door that destroyed the restaurant & caused massive water damage to the arcade... it kills me :(
No shit bro! I grew up on Charleston Road in Willingboro New Jersey I remember everything you say! I remember going to the Willingboro Plaza for portraits done at Sears which I believe later on became Ports... there was another strip mall with Acme and a movie theater in Willingboro that was right off of Route 130 across the street from Sunset grade school I believe near the Willingboro bike shop
@@Scoobsish you're right now that you say that I remember it clearly it did
I love how you incorporate old commercials. Outstanding.
The Gangs didn’t just fight that night, the Gang members would hang out in groups of 50+ on The weekends and throw trash from the top level down to the bottom it caused a very uncomfortable & unsafe environment to shop. It’s so sad I was there on opening Day in 1982.
Always wondered what really went down... miss this place it is an essential part of my childhood
Were you able to take any pictures or videos on opening day?
Yeah, late 90's, I was there, I'm from Medford lakes and that was the Mount Holly kids that would swamp that place on weekends... But you're right. The mall DID NOT get that reputation over one, isolated incident. It was probably about 6 years the place got swamped, and about three really bad years leading up to the incident he's referring to. I wasn't there that night, but drove by after the police cleared the place out. Police were everywhere, and had the Mall cordoned off. At the time, I thought it was A bomb scare. I found out the next day, from my Mt. Holly friends, what had happened. But yeah, you're absolutely right. Clean cut working class people just didn't want to go there, they'd hit Echelon, Moorestown or shoot across the bridge to Bristol, instead.
Abeonthehill why assume they were people of color?
I was at the Grand Opening too!
My favorite expedition log! Something about how you documented the mall, recalled its history, and admire the statue resonates me deeply. And the music at the end was just perfect.
What a beautiful sculpture! Hope it was saved and moved to where people can see it!
It was!! Currently in storage.
I remember going to this mall in the 80's and 90's with my cousin and we go into the mall through Strawbridge and Clothier and look around there and then would go out into the mall and we would always say to each other meet you back here in an hour by the Elephant statue. Great memories. Sad to see this mall as it is now.
The statue was worth the wait! Nice camera work, editing, narration. I enjoyed this! Thanks!
This makes me wanna cry because i grew up going to that mall i can remember how all the stores were open and now its jus junk😓😢
:(
Same here bro and I feel the exact same way
I have fond memories of this mall, of Petal, of a lot of enjoyable times there... it is so sad to see what Moonbeam and time has allowed it to become.
Same. I used to go there alot in the 1990s and early 2000s. It wasn't my fav, thats Cherry Hill but it still was a great mall in it own right.
I love your sensitivity to the life and death of malls coupled with the history that makes the stories so valuable they mark a time and place; thank you!
Thanks so much for watching!!
Dang brother! Your historical accounts accompanying your videos are awesome! Thank you.
Had to watch this after the Echelon video because, while I live within reasonable distance from this mall, I've never been. I always wanted to go as a kid but since we already had Deptford, Cherry Hill, Moorsetown, AND Echelon around, there was no real reason (to them) and as an adult I found myself continuously saying "I'll go someday," not realizing just how bad of shape it was in. So I was pretty upset last month when I heard about the damage and the official closing; I'll never get there. Never get to see that statue. But I'm glad you did! Thank you so much for going and filming and all your hard work.
I've never been to Echelon either, but being a South Jersey guy (born in Trenton, went to RVRHS), I knew all about it.
What about the Pennsauken Mart does anybody know if that still exists?
I also remember the Echelon Mall. One of the first memories that always triggers when I hear the Echelon Mall name are the payphones they had and how, as a kid, I always thought they looked like futuristic teleport pods.
Moonbeam does not know how to run malls. Just about every mall they own is dead. Century III Mall is a great example of this
They’re the worst. When I was out at Century III, they seemingly employ security guards just to shield the public from seeing how derelict the mall has become. While that’s certainly within their rights, and I can respect it...the secret is getting out...
@foxaddict A Better example is Gwinnett Place Mall, Moonbeam owns that and the latest news about it is not good, one article even said that moonbeam has to go, the Belk Wing is also Walled off and they dont even turn on the lights in the hall(also the store closing signs are still in the belk)
Overall, moonbeam is the worst.
AndroidSunner how long has the Belk been closed?
I'm shocked to see a Jersey Mall as a dead mall. In the 80's and early 90's....Jersey was Mall Rat central. BTW I grew up and lived in The NY Metro area accept for 1 yr in Pittsburgh from Late 2015 to late 2016. I was told not to even go to Century III and Pittsburgh Mills because no one went there to shop. I loved The Waterfront Mall in Homestead and South Hills Village.....
So glad to see that "Petal" has been saved.
Yes!! I’m editing the sequel for this as we speak...episode 40 is coming soon with a preview of Petal’s new home!
Loving your channel here in the UK. @@sal
Great video. It's interesting how downtowns are getting the attention now instead of the suburbs. In my city, they are investing millions in downtown development and it's thriving. People are moving downtown instead of moving out. Our malls are still doing well though for now because they are in a really busy areas, otherwise they would probably be dying like most others.
ReviewsTechNow where do you live
Uh have you not seen Lafayette Square Mall in Indianapolis? Washington Square Mall in Indianapolis? Maybe I need to start showing what's really going on in Indianapolis and the Downtown area shed some light on it because obviously the public has the wrong impression...
Thank you so much for making this video of the mall. This was the hot spot when I was a kid in the 90s into the early 2000s. So many memories especially of the water hole. We used to throw coins in the water and I tried to throw coins on top of the elephant when I was a kid hoping I would reach and it would stay up there. So many good memories until the downfall in 2007. I remember when it started getting really bad and I definitely remember the brawl. It was definitely becoming a hotspot for fights every Saturday night. I now live in Delran, which is maybe 15 minutes away from the mall and haven't been there but I drive past it very often. I don't remember that wing being closed down! That's crazy! Last time I went there was maybe four years ago and that wing was open still.
Awesome backstory and present day story.
Jim Rouse was such a fascinating individual...I was incredibly intrigued learning what he went through in life to arrive at the point of building this mall. So sad to see it closed now...
I remember going to that mall at 4 years old in 1986 and getting my first pair of jelly shoes from Strawbridge's. We had just finished dinner at Friendly's. Then I was knocked to the ground by a guy running from security through the clothing racks. My mom was so mad that both of them trampled a little kid. I only cared about making sure she was going to buy the Jelly shoes before we left. :)
I love the history filled car ride to the mall, nice touch :)
I had two jobs there in 1982-84 - BookEnd and Print N Things - I even won the Strawbridge contest at the age of 16 of $4,000 in product. I think I worked right above that Elephant - I just forgot about the statue until now. Thank you!
your research is outstanding, it's interesting to get a fuller idea of what happened to these places.
I really enjoy your dead mall videos, Sal! Your intros are great, the history you give of each mall is thorough, and the early commercials you throw in are nostalgic. The statue in this mall is amazing- I hope it makes it's way to a museum or somewhere that it can once again be enjoyed.
Keep up the good work, Sal!
Fascinating history. 💙
So Glad The statue..You Really Do A Wonderful job on these..Stay Safe..
Great video!! The Frudakis sculpture is awesome! Hope there are plans to move it somewhere. It seems like a lot of beautiful mall art just goes down with the wrecking ball.
I hope they move the entire statement somewhere. The rocks, the palms, the water fountain... sort of like how the famous Coal Miner statue at Schuylkill Mall was relocated to the Knoebel’s Museum after it closed. It deserves some respect!
@@sal agreed, it's such a neat fountain
There was a story on the local news tonight about a GoFundMe campaign by the sculptor to move the statue. I had no idea this mall had closed.
@@sal Arts Guild New Jersey will receive the sculpture.
Whenever I watch a dead mall video my thoughts turn to all the good times people had there. All the gifts that were purchased, all the friends meeting up there, Christmas season decorations hung there. Now that I'm older, I really dislike going to any mall, but when I was younger it was the place to go.
Since everything but the Sears closed in January, I'm pretty sure you were one of the last people to visit the mall, let alone film it. Thank you so much for filming this - I was born and raised 10 min south of Burlington NJ, and I've been to Burlington Center Mall plenty of times before it closed.
When I was in middle school & high school in the mid to late 2000's, our school's choir & band gave performances in front of the Sears every winter as a dry run for the annual holiday concert. Between all us kids setting up/taking down risers, music stands, and mics, it ended up being a day-long field trip to play hooky at the mall. I have so many memories of pushing the tables together at the food court, getting CD's at f.y.e., daring each other to get piercings at Claire's, laughing at the seniors trying to squeeze into the riding toy cars. Even though Cherry Hill and Moorestown were way more popular even then, Burlington Center was a big part of my teenage years.
I'm glad you got to see the elephant fountain, everyone who ever shopped there loved that fountain. I heard it's been moved since, I hope it goes to another public place in South Jersey because its too beautiful to go to waste.
sitting here in Columbia Maryland watching this! Great Videos, very informative and well produced!
Cheers, neighbor!
though i feel so sad when i watch for i so loved westgate mall and i miss it, i am still grateful for your sharing
I just found you a few days ago...I'm loving all of it! The history, the music, your filming and final product - it's all amazing, I love it! Dan Bell has been an inspiration so I've started looking at others that are interested in these things as I am. I love what you've done! I aspire to do the same :)
Go explore!!! Find interesting places and get stoked!
Sal I have, my stomping ground Cary Towne Center in Cary, NC. But I aspire to travel but I'd like to do so with other dead/ dying mall enthusiasts. I know ZERO people who are as fascinated as I am. And honestly I'd love to find people to do this with!
Come join us in the discord server if you have the app! Lots of nerds in there who love dead malls! You’ll find the link in the video description.
Sal oh I have the app! I'll look into it tomorrow :)
Excellent video. Love the back story. The elephant sculpture is incredible. I reminds me of the elephant in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.
I love your videos!! I'm so glad I found your channel. I love the history that you provide. I'm completely addicted to your videos.
Thank you!! Much more to come!
I love hearing all about the history behind the malls thank you x
Thanks for the great content Sal, you're definitely a sub & binge channel for me. It's also appreciated how informative your video's are, and not douchey in your narration. Great work!
Thanks Justin! Lots more stuff coming up that I really think you’ll enjoy!
I loved how you went into great detail about Rouse's life! I am a newish subscriber and catching up on the expedition log. Awesome stuff! The malls of my childhood are gone-I grew up in the Chicago area- Dixie Square and Lincoln Malls were my malls. My mom was from West Virginia and we would go to The Huntington Mall in Barboursville when we went to WV to visit family. I heard the mall was doing okay, but would love to see one of the dead mall enthusiasts do something on yhat mall. I am disabled and going to WV myself would be difficult. My dad's family was from Schuylkill and Northumberland Counties in PA and I was so sad to see the Schuylkill mall almost gone.
I *love* the Schuylkill Mall. I always will. Such an amazing place that deserved so many more years. Jim Rouse is also one of my heroes. I hope you like Episode 21! I take another visit to Schuylkill for one last walk through :) Thanks for watching!
I saw episode 21 earlier. The sign in the field made me sad :( I am glad they found a home for the Anthracite miner :)
It's so sad to keep seeing these places die. I know people often talk of malls callously, as if they're just hubs of junk peddlers and lazy people, but no, they're architectural and cultural marvels, staples of childhood and nostalgia, they're comfort and a place to escape the harsh reality of life for even just an hour or two and search for something you love to bring home with you. It seems the advent of online shopping is slowly but surely destroying the North American mall as we know it, but it's videos like these that capture all the essence of what is so sentimental and iconic about them, so I can't thank you enough for taking the time to explore these places and post them for the world to see one last time. We just lost the Penhorn Mall in my home city of Halifax up here in Canada, and I'm sad to say it probably won't be the only one from around here to be forgotten.
Hey I think your videos are very entertaining I listen to them as I'm driving and it's just amazing I wouldn't know about it if it wasn't for your channel great job
Sounds like Jim Rouse owes his siblings some SERIOUS money
Why are these management and security people so over the top with no filming? They should respect the fact people want to capture the history and save for the future. The same people saying “no filming” would probably like to look at these images and remember working there years from now. Especially when works of art are involved in the filming!
Likely due to strict rules from management requiring security personnel not to allow people in closed off areas. Also, I'd imagine security wouldn't want the liability of being responsible if someone gets hurt.
Not everybody is like Sal looking to preserve history. Anyone could use that time to plan to rob the place if they spotted something valuable.Unfortunately there was a high incidence of crime at that location.
My family owned a business in a Roush Mall (Boradwalk Fries @ Echelon Mall) in the 80's/90's. It was Roush company policy of no filming.
I grew up a 5 minute walk from this place and it holds a lot of memories. Thank you for this video it’s so sad what’s happened.
Lots of interesting history I never knew, thank you for that. I used to ride that elephant haha.
My mom still lives right off Bromley - Sears is closed now too - and I went to high school with that security guard haha
Oh wow. I had heard Burlington County was having problems with gangs... Didn't know this happened.
They had a shooting at Deptford Mall a good 20++ years ago. A few people were killed... Can't remember exactly what happened but I think they were trying to rob one of those armored vehicles?? From what I remember it was during the day and near one of the entrances upstairs near SEARS... I can still remember seeing the sprayed bullet-hole marks in the walls near the
glass/hand guard rails looking down towards the first floor...
I like how much research you do about your subject. I subscribe to similar channels as well and I think you are the most knowledgeable about the area that you are exploring. I like the adjustments you've made in regards to filming. I think the shots can still be a little more steady and better paced, but I imagine that comes with time/practice. I have watched all of your logs since finding your channel yesterday. Look forward to more.
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback, also! It can be tough filming without drawing attention in a lot of these places...which can yield a less than desirable set of footage. But...I’m learning ways around it through editing and planning. Thanks for the support!
just found your channel today. was in recommended after watching a Dan bell video. your format is very interesting and quite addictive. keep it up. subbed
Thanks for covering this mall dude. I remember going to this mall as a kid and then quite often back in high school. I used to live right near it. It's very sad that it is now a ghost building. I actually came home from out of state one month before it permanently closed. I remember that statue too. I think there was an arcade right across from it. Soooo long ago. awesome vid tho dude. keep at it.
~ CJ
Ahh, the satisfaction of being the 1,000th like on this video. Love the history in each of your videos & the persistence to see the statue.
Yay!! You win a million points from me personally :) thanks for watching!!!
The elephant sculpture is fantastic and deserves to be seen. I hope it finds new digs. Your videos are the best, so interesting and entertaining. Thank you!
'Strawbridge and Clothier Clover Day' now you're just gluing random words together department store!
Sal: I love your work, the research you put into the videos and your tenacity, as evidenced by all you did to finally get into that closed off section to see the sculpture (which I hope will be saved and placed elsewhere in a more viable location) are second-to-none. I also love hearing about your reactions to the location you're filming. As with every other of your expeditions, I came away feeling almost as if I were walking alongside you, and THAT's what sets you apart from the vast majority artists filming dying or dead (or moribund!) malls out there. (In truth, the only other video maker who accomplishes this level of intimacy with his viewers is Dan Bell, so you're in good company, Sal. And it's also the reason I became subscriber #570 today, something I've yet to do with ANY of my other favorites, including Mr. Bell.)
Now for the not-so-good part, and I hope you'll forgive me for my admittedly amateurish opines. The intro/history narration went on far too long, for the better part of half the video, and there were a lot of things I'd have rather heard, the most important of which were your reactions to what you were seeing; those on-the-spot thoughts & feelings are priceless, especially since most of us are probably feeling the same thing. And that's PRICELESS, IMHO. It was just a few seconds past 17 minutes into the video before you finally began to talk about things you felt/liked (which was the way the sunlight came in and lighted the mall so beautifully), and THAT's when I felt like the video at last got 'on track.'
Personally, I'd have liked to have known about the food court; how many stalls it had, when the last locations closed, etc., mainly because I have this odd theory that "as the food court goes, so does the mall." I LOVED that you got in to see the elephant sculpture, though I'm at a loss as to why the guard )was being so anal about taking pix/filming it. (That stuff gets me soooo angry, Sal.) Visually, this was one of your usual superb vids; the narration, not so much. Still, it was worth watching, and, as I often do, with my favorite UA-cam video makers, I'll be rescreening it again soon.
Hope this helps, and doesn't earn too many 'dislikes.'
This sort of feedback is invaluable. Thank you so much, Mortuus for taking the time to both watch (and subscribe!), and give constructive criticism on my work. I am working to cut the "expedition" portion down to under a minute, as I feel that taking the journey and seeing some of the surroundings is important...but not focal. That part (let's call it the intro) will be shorter going forward, as I'm now catching my stride.
As for the historical narration...I am working on the pacing and adjusting the actual editing to focus more on viewing what you're seeing while I'm speaking about it, and also including more opinion. I feel that the history of a place is just as sacred to preserve as the visual aesthetic, and I'll continue to do my homework and put dozens of hours of research into each place...but you're absolutely right. I want to incorporate more observation into these, but in a way that isn't ouvert and pointless.
While I'm currently looking at Premiere Pro, working on this week's video, I am taking everything you said into consideration, and hopefully will produce something more appealing as a result. Thanks again!
Thanks for your kind note back, Sal; I was a bit worried I might have offended you, as I am in no way a film maker; just a retired old naval aviator who loves dead mall vids. Yours truly are among the best already, and I can only imagine how they'll improve over time. I see great things here, and I'm lucky to get in this early!
Tell me when you have anything more on the fate of that statue of the elephant and Mowgili.
I walked every step of the way with Sal on this one from my laptop I woke that Baby up every day for 13 years before I left in 1997
Thank you for your content. I really enjoy the hard work you out into it. I was here when you had nearly 2K subs. Keep it up mate. Hope you come by my area near Detroit. There's a lot of malls around here.
I was there, August 1982 for the grand opening of this Mall. I waa 11, and I walked there, some 9 miles or so, from Mt Holly, where I lived at the time.@ 3:33 in the area between the escalators, was a huge fountain. The fountain used to be shut off, for the holidays, and that is where Saint Nick was setup, before they covered it completely.
I remember that fountain and the other one in front of Sears that they took out.
So many memories. I played games in the arcade there and went on a few day camp trips there as a lad. I remember the big fountains they had they sprayed so much water into the air. Just this massive column of water that I swear looked it would almost hit the glass sky windows. I remember the last thing I bought from there it was an engagement ring for my girlfriend from the Kay Jewelers. Eighty dollars for a silver band with heart shaped diamond and ruby combo.
Oh man...this so brings back memories. I was born in southern New Jersey but I moved to Bucks County, PA at the age of four. I was still very close to Burlington so my parents and I went to the mall every time we visited my aunt or my dad's friends in the area. I am so sad that this mall went downhill...especially since SoJersey has such vibrant malls like Moorestown and Cherry Hill. Rest in peace, Burlington Center.
My favorite so far! the research into this mall was fantastic. can you find a really creepy mall as your narration/music and atmosphere of these utterly amazing films(not videos) would be perfect.
Hi. I just found your channel two days ago. So I grew up 30minutes from Burlington Center. I went to that mall a lot. When I was a teenager went a long. The last time I went there was 2014 and I can tell then that the end was coming for that mall. I'm not surprised that it close. Thank you for bringing back all those memories for me. I remember that statue.
Love the history you include! So interesting! Thanks! Subscribed!
Thank you so much!! So much more on the way!!
Thank you so much for this video. Had so many great memories as a kid there from getting my n64 super nintendo and gamecube from babbages there to getting cool stuff from boscovs. I remember my parents getting a new bed set and it blowing away in the sears parking lot. seeing movies at the regal next door. Even though I thought Morris Town and Cherry Hill mall were better this was still a pretty good mall in the 90s.Sadly I moved to florida from Mt Holly in 2003 and havent been back to new jersey since. I cant believe this place is now gone.
Thank you so much for allowing us all to see what you see on each adventure you take. The history that you have taken the time to research is pretty incredible. So many interesting details. To me it is amazing and sad that which people leave behind.
Sal- I was the maintenance manager at BC between 1984 and 1997. If you'd like to chat, I'd love to meet you over there ( if it hasn't been demo'ed yet) . I know more about that mall than any living human being. do another series? if you reach out here- I will find you another way t have a chat. I took care of Petals the Elephant for 13 years. I took pride in maintaining all of the architectural fountains. Boy do I have stories to tell. I made it snow inside several times when our Christmas was beyond all expectations back in the day.
I was the assistant manager for the spectrum showcase store in 87 & 88. We sold sports apparel including starter jackets. We also had a ticket tron machine selling concert tickets and other events. Great job
@@michaelmurray4002 Hi Mike. I was the new assistant engineer. starting in late 1983. - early 1984. I kind of recall the Spectrum Showcase. What level was it on? Can you name some stores close by the showcase? I was still learning back then. I remember being overwhelmed that iIhad over 120 stores to take care of. PAUL BAUMAN was the Chief engineer. He taught me a lot before handing me the master keys to the building in 1989
Great job. I used to work at the Sears back in 98 through 99. I loved that mall as a kid.
Thanks, Cory!
Very haunting. I worked there 98-99 also in Burger King and Sam goody. Eerie to see what it became.
AMAZING PRODUCTION EXCELLENT MUSIC SELECTION, THUMBS UP
Wow Sal, I can’t stop watching your videos. Well done sir. You earned a loyal subscriber.
That voice announcing sales and things around minute 4:00 is haunting.
Wonderful & informative video! I loved this mall, it was just big enough to have all the stores I needed to shop at & was close. S & C was a great store. Sadly, at the time when the gangs started hanging out, I really stopped going. Back in the day, the same thing started happening to the QB Mall, which has since been revived nicely.
I too loved this mall growing up in New Jersey... when I moved away from the area I really had no idea how much it had recessed until I started researching for this grand project. I’m glad you liked the video! Lots more to come...
Love what you do . Sometimes it brings back great memories. Thank you
That place was really cool to go to. I had fun going through it the place looks exactly the same lol. Playing at the arcade was fun. The joys of drinking and exploring.
Great video about this mall! I'm sentimental as I worked here back in the day. :)
Thank you for sharing the footage and Rouse’s fascinating history. I’m from NJ. I’ve been to this mall once before (late 90’s) when it was vibrant during the Christmas season. The unfortunate part is that the area has gotten worst, it’s not horrible but crime is on the rise and home values are plummeting. The watering hole sculptor was beautiful, I’m glad you go into the area.
I have been watching several of your video's, good content! Keep up the good work.
This happens to be my hometown mall.
I didn't get there as often as I would have liked when I was in middle and high school, but during college and shortly thereafter (the mid-90s through 2004), I get there pretty often and it was always a place of activity and life. In fact, I didn't even notice a steep decline until about 2008 or so.
Sad.
Lots of memories there. I wish I had made more.
I was an assistant manager for the spectrum showcase store in 1998 and 1988. We sold sports apparel including starter jackets and we also had a tickettron machine for concerts and events. Cool times
I really hope that statue goes somewhere people can enjoy it. I seen Dan Bell's video from here a while back when that wing was open and the fountain was on and it was beautiful. Great work Sal!
I love watching these stories on Abandoned Malls. My only advice is could you slow down your panning just a wee bit more?
When was this filmed ? I live in Joshua Tree CA but grew up near all these malls. about 7 miles from Moorestown mall. This mall was really nice when i used to go there, but Burlington is a little shady. I always thought something would happen there. The elephant was too cool to see again THANK YOU ! I drove cross country this summer and came off the turnpike onto 541 and went WOW THE MALL !!! There were small trees growing right thru the sign and you could hardly see the mall. All the mall you show were invaded by us as kids in the 80s . The one MINI MALL in cinnaminson NJ was a dead mall from the day it opened . And what mall had the giant eagle ? Moorestown or Cherry Hill ? Thanks for these videos ...usually I feel old when I see something like this...it had the opposite effect today !
Hey! I filmed this near September of 2017, and the mall has since been shuttered :(
This video was amazing. You need to be on PBS, seriously, your video was like watching a special on TV. You should look into that. The mall was very creepy. It is surreal to see a mall in New Jersey so empty, people here love to shop. Very creepy.
Thank you Janeen! As I’m typing this, I’m actually finishing up the sequel to this video, which I hope to release in the next few days!
Thank you for capturing this part of our history.
11:20 - I heard the 'Raceway Park' commercial in the background there. I haven't heard that for many years since leaving NY. Quick burst of nostalgia there.
Very good video. The background information is great, also that the outdoor facilities are shown. Nice that the visit of the elephant sculpture was made possible for you.
Thank you! I’m so glad I got to see the sculpture even just for a minute before the mall closed... much more content to come!
Glad you included the Rouse history in this! I never knew about it. My childhood mall, Mall St. Matthews in Louisville KY, is also a Rouse mall. It opened in 1962, and is still doing very well.
Thank you for the hard work it must take to do this.
I've watched several of these now, fascinating form of urban (or perhaps suburban) archaeology. However, I recall back in the 90s there was much talk about too many malls being built, that the mega-mall building bubble would eventually burst . . . and so it has. Some malls are still functioning, but my guess is that the heyday of giant mega-malls sprouting up in every suburb has long since passed. I do appreciate the detail you put into explaining the history of how these malls came to be, and their eventual demise.
It's really sad to see mall's disappear. That was cool at the end to see the radio shack sign.
Please be safe. Some of the places you go to are so scary. It's a good thing that you practice diplomacy with the Security Personnel. God bless!
The effort you put into your videos detailing the history of these malls is truly amazing. I was a Security Director of AZ Mills a few years ago. If you ever need someone inside help let me know. Thank You.
You would’ve LOVED going through Penn Can Mall right before it was converted into Driver’s Village!
Superb footage, Big Like, if your ever in the midwest I know of several malls you could video
I’m making plans to travel to multiple locations coming up, so nothing is out of the question!
Sal check out Southbridge mall in Mason City Iowa, we did a video of it 2 years ago, its much more declined since
Wow what a sad, yet awesome video. What a beautiful statue, so sad that mall got that bad. I love the research you put into it to tell us about it, I’m appreciative.
Thanks CeCe!! Make sure to follow me on Twit/Insta and the discord server to see my expeditions in real time!
Loved the elephant sculpture! So sad to see once bustling malls become dead.
Best part of this video, the facts at 9:54
I live near this mall and I've grown up visiting at least once a month when i was a kid. I remember it when it was in all of it's glory and it's so sad how fast it declined. fortunately the city of Burlington will be getting Petal, the elephant statue to put down near the water front so we can still in enjoy it.
It's was literally a part of my childhood now turning into just memories... grew up in Willingboro when used to go there all the time with friends, countless hours roaming the top and bottom tier