Dead Malls Season 4 Episode 17 - Stratford Square Mall
Вставка
- Опубліковано 25 лис 2022
- Among the miles of suburban tract housing developments and McMansions that litter Chicagoland lies one very specific oasis.. A break from the green and a trip back into the day. This is Stratford Square Mall, sort of hidden away from Interstates and freeways. This mall once boasted 6 massive anchors and over 200 stores across 2 levels. In it’s time, it was the prime time mall for Bloomingdale but today.. It sits nearly 90% vacant with only 1 anchor left and is slowly etching closer to that chopping block. What happened here? And what does the future hold for Stratford Square? Join me today as we take a tour and tell its story, and see where it’s going for this concrete jungle…
Music used
Lonely Party - Arc De Soleil
Mall Muzak of 1959 and 1974
Infatuated - Toadofsky
Polystyrene Snow - FUTURE/PAST
A Place That Only Exists in a Dream - ROMAN BUST
Crying Out Your Name - Nikki Gee
Tuesday Television - MALLCORP
Thank you all for watching! Subscribe for more! ٩(^ᴗ^)۶
Links
Instagram - / the_northern_films_insta
Patreon - / northernfilms
#northcdogg22 #deadmall #deadmalls #northernfilms
I grew up in nearby hanover park and this was the mall I always went to. I remember the old multilevel fountians having a bunch of coins at the bottom. The benches were right next to them. The fountians were massive in person, the bottom level was like a deep swimming pool. From what i remember the original theaters were behind the fountians or atleast the entrance was. I remember alot of brown concrete that was smooth and not rough. I forgot about the red and concrete elevator until i saw it in the video and this was all back in the 90's. Was so disappointed when they did the renovation and got rid of the fountians and the whole ascetic i loved as a kid. They did keep the wood work on the ceiling though. I remember pennys, kaybee toys, sears, kohl's and in recent years an asian decor shop as well as a disney store. Hot topic was there too. Last time i was there was sometime around 2018-19 and it still had some life left in it. The food court had sabarro's and a Chinese restaurant amongst others. Used to get dvds from FYE. I'm really sad to see the state it's in. This was my favorite mall next to woodfield. Thank you for the walk through, I may take a trip out to see it one last time. Creepy guy following you around was worrisome though.
That mall looks like someone puts a lot of love into it.
I’m originally from the Chicagoland area, and this was so well done. We saw A Christmas Story in that theatre in 1983. The original building was designed by a protege of Frank Lloyd Wright. I hope to God they can repurpose it somehow. With Bloomys pulling out of downtown Chicago and San Francisco, maybe they can reinvent the retail space. Thank you.
I worked for the original mall developer, Urban Investment and Development (JMB Realty purchased Urban from Aetna in late 1984), starting within a few weeks after the mall opened in March 1981. Urban was very proud of this project. It was part of planned development that was to include a community of homes to be built by Urban's residential affiliate. It was not easy to get too and probably should not have been built. It was part of strategy that the anchor stores, particularly, Marshall Fields, Sears and Carson's had with Urban and Homart (Sears' development company) as to the placement of malls circling the Chicago metro area. The original malls being Old Orchard, Oakbrook and River Oaks. The later malls being from north to south - Hawthorn, Stratford Sq, Fox Valley Mall and Orland Square (being Urban's). Woodfield was developed by Taubman. Homart had a few, one being near Hoffman Estates and the other Louis Joliet.
In my opinion this is one of the most beautiful malls. I've never been there but I love the design with all the geometric design and skylights. So sad because it is a beautiful looking place.
I went here 3 weeks ago, about a month before its permanent closure. There were only about 6 stores left and one of them was closing the day after I visited, and only one restaurant was left in the food court, which was Ana's Kitchen. The whole place had such an amazing atmosphere despite being on its last legs, and if it had still been busy, it would have been such an amazing place to be. Something also worth noting is that an old directory still exists by the Sears wing that displays the map before the demolition of Macy's, which highlights a fourth mall entrance, and I saw that not realizing it was outdated and was so confused when that entrance didn't exist... 😅
Love the ceilings and lines in this mall. Absolutely beautiful. It looks pristine, very well maintained.
Here’s what’s sad…… kids nowadays don’t get to experience the joy that came with hanging out in a mall. Such great memories. It’s was such a better time back in the 80’s.
I worked at Woodfield Mall (JCP) and they would send us to Stratford for training. I loved that mall, it reminded me of a city with it's architecture. PS - it is prounounced WEE-boldts - that store was fun. :)
I’ve been coming to Stratford Mall since 1984. Pushed my kids in strollers in late ‘80s/early’90s. Booming place back then. That sea of parking lots would be full all during Christmas shopping season. I still walk the mall weekly. Sad to see it’s decline, but hope it hangs on. Great place for senior walkers.
Stratford Square Mall just closed its doors yesterday 4-21-24. So sad by this. I’ve been a bit depressed the entire day. I just appreciate beautiful things. I’m glad you’re preserving a part of retail history at a time when most of us lived through the 80s,90s, early 2000s and even before my time in the 60s and 70s have cherished these places to gather and hang out. In my opinion, this mall is by far one of the most beautifully designed and aesthetically appealing I’ve seen on the internet. The wood paneled ceilings, the high columns and wooden pillars. So impressively beautiful. The aesthetics are phenomenal. The wooden work all around its architecture is just absolutely impressive. I’m hoping they preserve the architecture & aesthetics of this mall for the planned redevelopment instead of demolishing it completely. This mall was an architectural masterpiece. Why not revitalize the mall as part of the redevelopment plan? Repurpose instead of demolishing it. I’ve heard of malls that perished but repurposed as a community college, a multi purpose facility without the thought of demolition. Can it be revitalized to attract retail stores back and bring back the awesome Century Theater? There are more visionary ideas to revitalize the structure rather than demolishing it. They can put a museum to store artwork by local artists throughout the Chicago area. Add indoor park & recreation, medical offices, business offices, retail, events center, gyms, restaurants, a bank. A mini city inside the building. Stratford Square Mall deserves better than this. The community deserves better than letting them take away a beautiful part of its history. I’m praying that they don’t demolish this mall. Just subscribed because I appreciate your work and support in preserving retail history. 🙏
I wouldn't even know where to begin sharing my memories of this mall so I'll just drop one. Back in 2013 it was a rainy Halloween and we decided to take my son trick r treating in the mall and we were not the only ones with that idea. It was PACKED. I mean like Times Square NYC packed. It breaks my heart to see the place the way it is now but thank you for preserving it anyway.
It was great to see a video about this mall; it is so sad that it is nearly empty. I used to go to this mall all the time as a kid in the 80's (and still continued going to it until about a year ago), it looked very different then. I remember the giant cascading fountain that was there before the remodel that replaced it with the FYE. That was the coolest fountain I've ever seen in a mall. it had walls like a cheese grater, so as the water came down off the top part it would hit the parts sticking out and spread the water around as it fell. The FYE used to have an arcade in it. Did you notice that small entrance to FYE on the Left side near the bathrooms? that used to be the entrance to the arcade, there was also an entrance in the back of the store near the T-shirt section. But that arcade lasted maybe a year before they closed it; it wasn't a very good arcade. It was mostly redemption games. It was definitely a poor replacement for the arcade that used to be there.
Great video. I currently live across the street from Stratford Square Mall since 2003, but I have lived elsewhere in the area and visited this mall 100's of times since the late 80's.
I worked at Sears for 9yrs from 17-26 yrs old. It was an awesome time in my life. That mall was awesome. The friends that were made, that hanging out with friends after we got off whether it was to go to a movie or go out afterwards. Or hanging out at someone's job waiting for them to get off. Christmas season was enjoyable there. Sad to see what it came to.
I don't understand the downfall of malls. It's so relaxing just being able to walk-around indoors and not worry about traffic and weather. If these places had a better mix of stores it might work better.
I guess one would call this mall the diamond in the rough that got ignored. It is a shame that they did come when they built it, but that this mall didn't stand a chance outside the better times precisely because of its location. Too bad that Feldman had to let it go to Namco or whatever that mall slum lord's company name is. Please don't say that the next one is the finale! I hope your seasons are closer together than today's unpredictable tv programs. I know that there are only so many dead malls to cover in relatively close proximity to you, but this almost weekly look into the dead mall documentary world is something I honestly look forward to. Thanks again for all the effort that goes into these videos, especially with ones like this.
I was a northwest suburbs kid in the 80s so spent most of my mall time at Woodfield in Schaumburg and Hawthorne in Vernon Hills. I only got down to Stratford Square a couple times. I was always shocked as how out in the middle of nowhere it was. These malls were always the place to be during the holiday shopping season to see the Santa displays and just always jam packed with people. Like others have said, like absolutely packed and you could barely walk. I miss those days.
I went here as a kid so many times. Thanks for capturing this place before it's gone. There used to a big water fountain inside, and the movie theaters in the corner were a great touch.
I think it’s so cool you travel around to document all these malls