What I want to know is did the producers of that commercial just use the first person they interviewed and call it a day or were the other ones even weirder?
I think he said listen to the kids sing. Maybe they had some sort of shows, or maybe it was Christmas. But yeah, no offense to Mr. Shopper there, but that was creepy.
He said he comes to watch the kids sing because back then they used to have live performances in the food court where local bands would play and I'm thinking it mostly consisted of college and high school age.
Oh my word I lived in Evansville 1993-1997. My Dad worked at the Arby’s in the food court. I remember that commercial. There’s a picture of me with the Easter Bunny from the mall, and we did all our trick or treating there. The neon was amazing back then the food court was magical. We met my dad for lunch when he worked at Arby’s it was a good mall back then before the casino came in, and it became a huge city. It was still cornfields and nothing back then. So many good memories. Thank you for this video it’s a walk down memory lane for me!
I have so much nostalgia for this mall and I wish it could be restored to its former glory. I went here a lot as a teenager (in the early to mid 2000s) with my younger cousin. We would ride the city bus and get dropped off at the front doors. We'd go eat pizza at Noble Romans and play games in the little arcade. We'd check out Sears, Fashion Bug and DEB (the latter had the *best* clearance section ever, I routinely bought jeans there for $5 or less!) and wander around the other stores for hours on end. Then we'd walk down the Lawndale strip and go into Books a Million, KB Toys, etc and then catch the bus back home at the terminal in front of Target (which has now moved as well). This mall used to be really cool, they had a pet store at one time that I think is where the doctor's offices are now. There was once some sort of kids museum type thing near the Sears, I think it was basically a glorified daycare where you could drop your kids off to play while you shopped. I think I only went there once or twice but I remember having a blast in the dress up room where they had costumes, fake jewelry, etc. That was eventually changed into an antique store (like a consignment store that specialized in old stuff but had newer stuff too) but that eventually closed too. I spent so much time in this place and I actually got locked inside once with my boyfriend (now husband) while waiting for our ride home, the security guard had to let us out through the employee doors, lol. It's interesting to me that the Lawndale strip mall has been revitalized quite a bit but the mall has gotten worse and worse over time. The strip mall was pretty dead compared to what I remember but they've added a Planet Fitness, brand new grocery store, and pet supplies store in the past few years. It's too bad they can't do the same for Washington Square Mall. :(
I've been waiting for one of these channels to finally come to our tiny dead mall. I miss the way this place was in the 80s - early 90s. Seemed so much bigger when I was a child and it was filled.
The food court 's under the BIG TOP design paired with the neon throughout this is so cool. makes this mall one of the most amazing "dead malls" to date. It was so much fun getting a glimpse of it. Thanks for sharing. Moving forward I wish the Washington Square mall the best.
My hometown. This was thriving in the 70`s. I remember going to swiss colony,for cheese pretzel samples,yes just like Jackie served,in"That 70's Show". I could hear the bells of Holy Rosary,in the background. Let us pray!
I would love the smell of this mall when you walked in during the 80’s. There was an instant smell of mint chocolate from the Libs chocolate that was located in this mall.
I modeled in this mall in 1999. SEARS did modeling classes. I remember I shopped at DEB all the time! Fashion Bug was right across from it and my mom was ALWAYS trying to take me in there and I HATED it. I wanted DEB, so when I turned 17 that's where my best friend and I would be on the regular. We would eat at Noble Romans. We hung out at Eastland Mall a lot as well. That Elder Beerman was the first credit card I ever had.. $300 limit. Good memories.
I used to hit the arcade here every weekend when I was a kid back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. They had a great bookstore and the Sears also had the latest Nintendo/Sega system that you could play for hours if no one else was waiting. Noble Romans had good pizza at one time. At one point there was a retro 50’s store with a working soda fountain in the back. I loved this mall.
Where was the retro 50s store? I am trying to pinpoint it in my mind....but could of been before my time, haha. I'm sure I would have been in it all the time. I know I would be now. 😊
@@Whitetrashdixie it was at the south end of the mall next to what was at the time Elder-Beerman. This would have been in the late 90’s/early 00’s. I used to also kill time at the antique store near Sears as well. As much as I loved it, even in the early 90’s it was already starting to die off.
@@TheChoochooboy99 I loved that antique store also. I would always get overwhelmed by all the stuff in it....only because I wanted to buy it all though. Haha. I remember there was this old yellow dining booth that was in the store for sale and I always wanted it and would drool over it every time I was in the store....I of course could not afford it, haha. I also liked the Traderbakers store that was in Elder-Beerman also. I would spend hours there just in awe...haha. Haven't found a good junk shop I like as much as I liked that one. Only comparable one I'd say is the one off Riverside and 41.
@@Whitetrashdixie I actually ended up working at Mr Bulky’s in Eastland Mall as my first job in 1991 and eventually helped open the Hardee’s on Covert Avenue. And of course I ended up at the Green River Road location before finally working at the Disney Store and Chuck E Cheese my senior year. I would not recommend working at Chuck E Cheese….no matter how desperate one is for a job. 😖
Loved the intro ya did....with the commercial....definitely added some flair! I too, remember throwing coins in the fountain.....going to the pet shop, and just "hanging out" at the mall.....before eventually migrating to Eastland Mall. Lol. It was definitely a different era in time....and a missed one all the same. ❤
I grew up in Henderson. I remember going to the Mall between 1990-1998 before we moved. I remember Elder-Beerman and Lazarus. My Mom and Grandma loved them both. Sometimes, we’d go to Owensboro to go to Bacon’s. Everytime we stopped at Washington Square, we’d make it up to Eastland Mall, too, about fiver miles up the road. De’Jon’s was still there then before the Food Court and that whole side of the mall was remodeled. I remember Noble Roman’s in the Food Court at Washington Square. I remember getting Superman ice cream from the ice cream place. For a time, there was a cigar store. My Dad took me to show me how expensive the cigars were. Just Cookies has been there forever.
@@taylorpayne8269 Thank you for sharing. How cool is that! I can't believe I've never heard of that store before. I used to frequent Owensboro very often growing up with my grandparents......and one store we would always go to was Goodys....and then of course eat at Moonlite or Long John Silvers...haha. I like the fact that this Bacon's stores had midnight madness sales....pretty cool and definitely adds that edge to marketing purposes too. Thanks again for sharing the link!
When did this mall get a tile floor that color? This place used to have a dark brick floor and the fountain matched. How I know? I grew up with the way it looked fifty four years ago. It was so nice. There were music stores, Sears and on the corner from it was a Singer store that sold sewing machines and later became an At&f store, a Libs candy store,a restaurant and a lot more.
I live here! My mother used to work at the SEARS anchor when i was a kid. I still remember this mall in the 90s, while on the decline it still had many stores and a lot of people shopped here. In 2020 the Census used one of the empty stores for their local headquarters and I took a temp job there. it was nice getting to see the place again. Nowadays most people use it as an indoor walking place. theres one bar inside that does pretty well in addition to the clinics. I think the pizza shop is all thats left for the food court. there used to be an arcade in the corner of the court, for a short time it became a slot car club. (I wonder how long until the aforementioned Eastland mall up the road shows up on this channel, its not dead yet but man its a shadow of its former glory)
I live by this town. I used to go to this mall all the time. I can't remember a time when it wasn't dead. I used to call it the Circus mall, because of the poles. I also used to always throw coins in that fountain!
As someone working on their PhD in history, I really appreciate how much effort you put into documenting this niche, and rapidly disappearing, current of American culture. Both your documentation of the architecture, the malls' history, and the inclusion of contemporary advertising/videography will prove invaluable to future historians studying post-WWII US consumer culture and/or youth culture.
I used to live in Evansville area my last memory of that mall was I was eating in food court by myself n this cute little 6 or 7 year old boy kept talking at me. I don’t think he ever saw a young Asian woman (me) His mom seemed embarrassed😆
Wow, the "tent" ceiling and raised platform elements in the food court remind me A LOT of the old boat-themed food court at Sunrise Mall (Corpus Christi).
Lived in Eville the past 2 years, been really hoping someone documented it. The mall just sold not long back and they are going to try to revitalize it. Resealed the parking lot and added a new led sign out front. Cool to see this on here!!
The grace of god couldn't even revitalize it now, especially with the coronavirus. Right now they are just burning money by keeping it open ... Just take it off life support already, It had a good run during its time ... tear it down and build something else or sell the land to Amazon.
I think I can answer your question about the name change dropping "Mall". The current owner is a mysterious New York-based real estate developer who is hiding his identity using the LLC. He announced extensive remodeling plans including removing the front entrance and large sections of the roof, then reorienting all stores to have exterior doors: Basically turning the mall into a shopping center. This all fell through, with so far only the new sign and some parking lot improvements happening. This mall's failure is IMHO mismanagement, and this has been going on for years with multiple new tenant deals falling through. There are TWO strip malls being built very near to Washington Square, and the area still has heavy traffic. Two new tenants have recently opened in the Mall's parking lot, but not inside. Although it might just be cursed, since it DID first opened its doors on Halloween. The night before it opened years ago, anchor Elder-Beerman's unused third floor actually caught fire. Now just the children's rides sound haunted.
hey man, if youre passing thru virginia along that dead mall road trip, check out Regency Square Mall in Richmond. also Short Pump Mall if you want to see a slightly more successful one, that place is still somehow kicking ass.
I love the beautiful purple and green neon lights of this mall!!!! It is a beautiful dead mall. Anthony could you please tour Hickory Hill Mall in Memphis, TN if possible? I know you said you were going to see malls in Tennessee but I am not sure if you are going to Memphis. If so please try to tour this mall. Thanks so very much for your excellent work as always!!!! Take care and stay awesome!!!!! 👍🏻😬
I know it's dead I work there as a janitor today .Only older people come there to walk.Noble Roman's only shop left and a few doctors offices.So sad its dying off .
@@nickbrandon2055 have you seen it lately ? H&M just left, tenants have been leaving or shuffled around , 3 of the 4 diamond stores left, and The old toys r us is filled with crappy flea market vendors ... Marshalls is leaving that area which Eastland owns ... Everyone knows it's falling apart. It's on retail life support
It’s so sad to see the decline of this mall but it always was in some form of decline in my lifetime. We’d go to the pet store, Deb, I believe Cato was in there, and I loved the fountain. There was a wood craft store, Goose and Gander that mom would drag me into all the time. There was a vendor that made custom Christmas ornaments, and at one time, Christmas was a lot of fun there. There was a small business that you could stop by and have them wrap your gifts. Cool shops. Oh, also loved the 50s diner themed shake shop! Their main counter was recently up for sale by Salvage Candy!
I remember going to the mall in Evansville growing up. It was a beautiful place back in the 60s. Instead of a food court it had at least three restaurants a candy shop record shop music store that sold instruments and at&t store. The food court was a few years ago.
We were RVing at "Lincoln State Park" - the walmart in Evansville was about the closest (and we had no choice) so we want...and made a side trip here. While there, we went to "Hacienda" -- a really in-authentic mexican restaurant that is HQ'd in my home town --- So this was my first "taste" of Salsa and chips...I just can't help it.. But it was right across the street from this mall so we decided to make a visit. You're right, the neon was cool, the water fountains were sadly shut off. I didn't see any less stores than were in this video --- so in the last month, not much has changed. When we were leaving we lingered at the history display at the main entrance. It had 15-20 photos of the mall over time. I was feeling a little uneasy for some reason -- I think the child laughter from the kiddie rides was what was disturbing me so bad....the sounds were different than in this recording.
I remember when the mall was built. Last time I was in it was 1977. Obviously changes were made after that. Used to ride my bike from our home, that is no longer there, at the corner of Washington and Harlen. Evansville has really changed. Hope to visit as my wife and I travel this summer (2020) with our camper.
This mall was busy and still quite alive into the 90s Around 2000 was when the decline started As stores and shoppers left out became more of a place for elderly people to get their walking in and as such more businesses (and doctors) moved in The mall was pretty much dead when the Sears closed and the anchor store space on the other end is some kind of fiberglass packing warehouse It truly is a depressing place
I remember this mall. My mom and I used to go to this mall all of the time. This used to be a busy mall. Sears was the only big store that stayed open when other Sears stores were closing. I didn't know that this mall was so small. I know that Eastland Mall was big because I want to sit down when I got to the other end of the mall.
I live in Evansville Indiana so I'm sad to see this place fall apart almost all of the stores are gone I wish it could be restored to new with new stores I've had so many good memories there I got my first pet from a pet store that was there and the only things that are there is Noble Romans & KC Time Out & Haircut and nail salon 😭😭😭
This was a beautiful place back during the 60s and 70s. It looked nothing like it does now. I remember when the didn't have a food court. There were five good restaurants including one in Stewart's upstairs. Back then the mall looked so modern. I'm surprised the fountain is still there.
They gotta be thinking a canvas roof was a good idea...once. It does make for a light and airy space, too bad the food court is so dead. Anthony, you've got to swing up to Colorado Springs. The Citadel Mall isn't dead yet but it's going down the tubes rapidly. The gorgeous food court original 70s fountain has been shut off the last couple of times I was there, never a good sign. We also have Chapel Hills Mall which is doing better but is much less aesthetic.
I remember going to this mall occasionally during the 2010s, then like a year later coming by and it was almost completely empty. I doubt they're still open after COVID, but I'll have to check again sometime
Something to add to a 'want list', I'd love to see inside the Kingsway Mall in Sikeston MO(south of StL). After being a somewhat successful mall in the 70s(surprising since the town was only 15k), they finally turned it into warehousing. When I was a preteen, my father had his optometrist office in this mall. The big perk for me, the mall was closed on Sunday due to MO blue laws regarding Sunday sales, but my dad had a key to the mall so he could access his office during closed hours. I had the mall all to myself and could roam with no security or open stores. A kid's dream. Anyway, they now have access to the inner mall shut tighter than Fort Knox, but if you could gain entry it might be very unusual and interesting tour.
What I like about your work is every mall matters. Not just the mega dead malls but places l IP keep this. All malls need neon, unique decor and fountains. Any money tossed in can go to a local.charity that helps children or cats needing homes. The commercial is a hoot. Looks like the dude was paid in beer. But he got his 15 minutes of fame. Keep these videos coming
it's mainly doctors and medical places in Washington Square now , maybe one day it'll be back to it's glory , but I love Eastland Mall here in Evansville as well
I have wished for the longest time they would revamp this mall and bring it back to life....and leave the 80's vibe and original aspects....but just needs a little TLC so to speak....a TLC that only a millionaire could afford the real estate. Oh how I wish! Why fix things when they aren't broke? Just sayin. Show it some love and it'll shine again! ❤ A gal can dream can't she? ❤❤❤
My kids loved coming to this mall to throw pennies in the fountain. They are pretty sad it is not operating anymore. I still like bringing my kids here for a cookie & to hang out in the food court!
One former mall you might check out in Indianapolis is Eastgate Shopping Center. It is now owned by Lifeline Data Centers and is used primarily as a Data Center .
Wait, theres a Washington sq mall in Evansville too?? Theres Washington sq mall here in Indianapolis, on Eastside, and its just like this, almost dilapidated
I used to work in the mall as a busser/entertainer during my senior year in high school (1987-1988). Too bad your video didn’t show the pictures of the mall’s history near the front entrance. My picture is there with some of the other kids who worked with me(there’s four of us in the picture). We were hired to keep the food court clean and once an hour sing it entertain the patrons. I would dress in mime on the weekends and special occasions, like when Michael Damien performed at the mall.
This mall was the place I spent a lot of time and money in the 70s. Then Eastland mall came along in the 80s and the decline of Washington Square Mall. Chess King was the place in this mall.
I went here when I was younger because my grandparents lived in Evansville and used to take me here with my cousins often, when I was about four I remember my cousin telling me to jump in to the fountain and get some money as a joke and I got made at her. I think I was 4?
Lifelong resident here, and there was so much in here when it first opened. Always loved to come to the Baynhams shoe store which was located near the food court area because they had a bunch of spider monkeys (yes, live) in one section of the front windows. The 'circus' tent roof in the food court came quite a few years later, and supposedly if you check out location on Google maps it look like a pair of breasts emerging from the building. Since Sears folded, this became a very dead mall and that's sad because of it's history,i.e. first covered mall in Indiana. Everything has moved North into what was cornfields and the like, leaving these properties empty. The Lawndale shopping center across the street is just as empty, and now they are creating another office/retail space across the street from that. ??? There is so many nice places like WSM why keep building more that will be mostly unoccupied? Okay stepping off my soapbox now :)
I live here too. I think the area is becoming revitalized, albeit very slowly. Hopefully more businesses will be attracted to the area and fill up Lawndale. Moving Schnucks over there has helped as well.
That ad was hilarious. "Sometimes I just come and buy a soft drink and watch the kids?" Wonder where that guy is today, Leavenworth?
What I want to know is did the producers of that commercial just use the first person they interviewed and call it a day or were the other ones even weirder?
I think he said listen to the kids sing. Maybe they had some sort of shows, or maybe it was Christmas. But yeah, no offense to Mr. Shopper there, but that was creepy.
It was a skinnier Jared from Subway 😅
If I'm not mistaken the guy that said that was a young Jeffrey Epstein.
He said he comes to watch the kids sing because back then they used to have live performances in the food court where local bands would play and I'm thinking it mostly consisted of college and high school age.
Oh my word I lived in Evansville 1993-1997. My Dad worked at the Arby’s in the food court. I remember that commercial. There’s a picture of me with the Easter Bunny from the mall, and we did all our trick or treating there. The neon was amazing back then the food court was magical.
We met my dad for lunch when he worked at Arby’s it was a good mall back then before the casino came in, and it became a huge city. It was still cornfields and nothing back then. So many good memories. Thank you for this video it’s a walk down memory lane for me!
I have so much nostalgia for this mall and I wish it could be restored to its former glory. I went here a lot as a teenager (in the early to mid 2000s) with my younger cousin. We would ride the city bus and get dropped off at the front doors. We'd go eat pizza at Noble Romans and play games in the little arcade. We'd check out Sears, Fashion Bug and DEB (the latter had the *best* clearance section ever, I routinely bought jeans there for $5 or less!) and wander around the other stores for hours on end. Then we'd walk down the Lawndale strip and go into Books a Million, KB Toys, etc and then catch the bus back home at the terminal in front of Target (which has now moved as well).
This mall used to be really cool, they had a pet store at one time that I think is where the doctor's offices are now. There was once some sort of kids museum type thing near the Sears, I think it was basically a glorified daycare where you could drop your kids off to play while you shopped. I think I only went there once or twice but I remember having a blast in the dress up room where they had costumes, fake jewelry, etc. That was eventually changed into an antique store (like a consignment store that specialized in old stuff but had newer stuff too) but that eventually closed too.
I spent so much time in this place and I actually got locked inside once with my boyfriend (now husband) while waiting for our ride home, the security guard had to let us out through the employee doors, lol.
It's interesting to me that the Lawndale strip mall has been revitalized quite a bit but the mall has gotten worse and worse over time. The strip mall was pretty dead compared to what I remember but they've added a Planet Fitness, brand new grocery store, and pet supplies store in the past few years. It's too bad they can't do the same for Washington Square Mall. :(
Jessica Holbrook I remember that pet store and the kids museum! I always wanted to go cuz they had a Castle play house!
Remember Sir Beef? I never ate there, but I remember it.
You just sum up my entire childhood here in Evansville!
i worked there from 2002 to 2004 . i did the floors , windows , took care of the food court , etc.. great memories!
I love the neon purple lights all around the ceiling. Don't see that in malls any more.
I've been waiting for one of these channels to finally come to our tiny dead mall. I miss the way this place was in the 80s - early 90s. Seemed so much bigger when I was a child and it was filled.
The food court 's under the BIG TOP design paired with the neon throughout this is so cool. makes this mall one of the most amazing "dead malls" to date. It was so much fun getting a glimpse of it. Thanks for sharing. Moving forward I wish the Washington Square mall the best.
My hometown. This was thriving in the 70`s. I remember going to swiss colony,for cheese pretzel samples,yes just like Jackie served,in"That 70's Show". I could hear the bells of Holy Rosary,in the background. Let us pray!
I would love the smell of this mall when you walked in during the 80’s. There was an instant smell of mint chocolate from the Libs chocolate that was located in this mall.
Love the prologue footage! Adds such a "what came before" vibe and I'm here for it!
I modeled in this mall in 1999. SEARS did modeling classes. I remember I shopped at DEB all the time! Fashion Bug was right across from it and my mom was ALWAYS trying to take me in there and I HATED it. I wanted DEB, so when I turned 17 that's where my best friend and I would be on the regular. We would eat at Noble Romans. We hung out at Eastland Mall a lot as well. That Elder Beerman was the first credit card I ever had.. $300 limit. Good memories.
I loved DEB also...I was in the store entirely too much.
I love how you can hear the church bells from Holy Rosary just across the street at 10:00
Glad you got to visit this mall. I live 35 minutes from it and remember when it was a busy mall with lots of stores.
I used to hit the arcade here every weekend when I was a kid back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. They had a great bookstore and the Sears also had the latest Nintendo/Sega system that you could play for hours if no one else was waiting. Noble Romans had good pizza at one time. At one point there was a retro 50’s store with a working soda fountain in the back. I loved this mall.
The good old days!!! 😊
Where was the retro 50s store? I am trying to pinpoint it in my mind....but could of been before my time, haha. I'm sure I would have been in it all the time. I know I would be now. 😊
@@Whitetrashdixie it was at the south end of the mall next to what was at the time Elder-Beerman. This would have been in the late 90’s/early 00’s. I used to also kill time at the antique store near Sears as well. As much as I loved it, even in the early 90’s it was already starting to die off.
@@TheChoochooboy99 I loved that antique store also. I would always get overwhelmed by all the stuff in it....only because I wanted to buy it all though. Haha. I remember there was this old yellow dining booth that was in the store for sale and I always wanted it and would drool over it every time I was in the store....I of course could not afford it, haha.
I also liked the Traderbakers store that was in Elder-Beerman also. I would spend hours there just in awe...haha. Haven't found a good junk shop I like as much as I liked that one. Only comparable one I'd say is the one off Riverside and 41.
@@Whitetrashdixie I actually ended up working at Mr Bulky’s in Eastland Mall as my first job in 1991 and eventually helped open the Hardee’s on Covert Avenue. And of course I ended up at the Green River Road location before finally working at the Disney Store and Chuck E Cheese my senior year. I would not recommend working at Chuck E Cheese….no matter how desperate one is for a job. 😖
Loved the intro ya did....with the commercial....definitely added some flair!
I too, remember throwing coins in the fountain.....going to the pet shop, and just "hanging out" at the mall.....before eventually migrating to Eastland Mall. Lol. It was definitely a different era in time....and a missed one all the same. ❤
I grew up in Henderson. I remember going to the Mall between 1990-1998 before we moved. I remember Elder-Beerman and Lazarus. My Mom and Grandma loved them both. Sometimes, we’d go to Owensboro to go to Bacon’s. Everytime we stopped at Washington Square, we’d make it up to Eastland Mall, too, about fiver miles up the road. De’Jon’s was still there then before the Food Court and that whole side of the mall was remodeled. I remember Noble Roman’s in the Food Court at Washington Square. I remember getting Superman ice cream from the ice cream place. For a time, there was a cigar store. My Dad took me to show me how expensive the cigars were. Just Cookies has been there forever.
What was Bacon's?
@@Whitetrashdixie en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon%27s
@@taylorpayne8269 Thank you for sharing. How cool is that! I can't believe I've never heard of that store before. I used to frequent Owensboro very often growing up with my grandparents......and one store we would always go to was Goodys....and then of course eat at Moonlite or Long John Silvers...haha.
I like the fact that this Bacon's stores had midnight madness sales....pretty cool and definitely adds that edge to marketing purposes too.
Thanks again for sharing the link!
@@Whitetrashdixie We went to Evansville more than Owensboro, but I have fond memories of Owensboro, too.
When did this mall get a tile floor that color? This place used to have a dark brick floor and the fountain matched. How I know? I grew up with the way it looked fifty four years ago. It was so nice. There were music stores, Sears and on the corner from it was a Singer store that sold sewing machines and later became an At&f store, a Libs candy store,a restaurant and a lot more.
I didn't realize there used to be a singer store in there....pretty cool!!! Where abouts was it located inside the mall?
I live here! My mother used to work at the SEARS anchor when i was a kid. I still remember this mall in the 90s, while on the decline it still had many stores and a lot of people shopped here. In 2020 the Census used one of the empty stores for their local headquarters and I took a temp job there. it was nice getting to see the place again. Nowadays most people use it as an indoor walking place. theres one bar inside that does pretty well in addition to the clinics. I think the pizza shop is all thats left for the food court. there used to be an arcade in the corner of the court, for a short time it became a slot car club. (I wonder how long until the aforementioned Eastland mall up the road shows up on this channel, its not dead yet but man its a shadow of its former glory)
I live by this town. I used to go to this mall all the time. I can't remember a time when it wasn't dead. I used to call it the Circus mall, because of the poles. I also used to always throw coins in that fountain!
Same I also live close to Evansville
As someone working on their PhD in history, I really appreciate how much effort you put into documenting this niche, and rapidly disappearing, current of American culture. Both your documentation of the architecture, the malls' history, and the inclusion of contemporary advertising/videography will prove invaluable to future historians studying post-WWII US consumer culture and/or youth culture.
thats the goal to preserve our past!
I used to live in Evansville area my last memory of that mall was I was eating in food court by myself n this cute little 6 or 7 year old boy kept talking at me. I don’t think he ever saw a young Asian woman (me) His mom seemed embarrassed😆
Wow, the "tent" ceiling and raised platform elements in the food court remind me A LOT of the old boat-themed food court at Sunrise Mall (Corpus Christi).
Looks like it was dead 8 years ago and it has totally died. Amazing they still have the fountain on.
Not any more. Fountain is gone too
The fountain has been drained since then.
I love the aesthetic of this mall
Lived in Eville the past 2 years, been really hoping someone documented it. The mall just sold not long back and they are going to try to revitalize it. Resealed the parking lot and added a new led sign out front. Cool to see this on here!!
The grace of god couldn't even revitalize it now, especially with the coronavirus. Right now they are just burning money by keeping it open ... Just take it off life support already, It had a good run during its time ... tear it down and build something else or sell the land to Amazon.
@@ironeo bullshit
That have to add more coins from one of those kid rides would drive me crazy if I worked there. It also sounds creepy in that empty space.
sschoeppey I went in there at around 7:00pm about a month ago and got scared half to death by that.
I love the purple neon color lights.
This footage makes it look booming compared to today.
That food court ceiling looks just like the one in Knoxville Center Mall in Knoxville, TN. I hope you get to document that one on your trip!
I think I can answer your question about the name change dropping "Mall". The current owner is a mysterious New York-based real estate developer who is hiding his identity using the LLC. He announced extensive remodeling plans including removing the front entrance and large sections of the roof, then reorienting all stores to have exterior doors: Basically turning the mall into a shopping center. This all fell through, with so far only the new sign and some parking lot improvements happening. This mall's failure is IMHO mismanagement, and this has been going on for years with multiple new tenant deals falling through. There are TWO strip malls being built very near to Washington Square, and the area still has heavy traffic. Two new tenants have recently opened in the Mall's parking lot, but not inside. Although it might just be cursed, since it DID first opened its doors on Halloween. The night before it opened years ago, anchor Elder-Beerman's unused third floor actually caught fire. Now just the children's rides sound haunted.
Those old commercials crack me up!! 🤣🤣🤣
hey man, if youre passing thru virginia along that dead mall road trip, check out Regency Square Mall in Richmond. also Short Pump Mall if you want to see a slightly more successful one, that place is still somehow kicking ass.
That cookie place is fire
I love the beautiful purple and green neon lights of this mall!!!! It is a beautiful dead mall.
Anthony could you please tour Hickory Hill Mall in Memphis, TN if possible? I know you said you were going to see malls in Tennessee but I am not sure if you are going to Memphis. If so please try to tour this mall.
Thanks so very much for your excellent work as always!!!!
Take care and stay awesome!!!!! 👍🏻😬
Evansville resident here. I’m sad to say, the purple neons were put in during the 2000s. So, not as much “old character” as everyone thinks. :(
I miss this mall and discovery zone both places were a big part of my childhood
another good one ace!! thanks!
I know it's dead I work there as a janitor today .Only older people come there to walk.Noble Roman's only shop left and a few doctors offices.So sad its dying off .
Omg, I remember that mall, my dad would take me there so we could explore! It was so dead but quiet and cool.
Eastland Mall is next to suffer the same fate ... So sad. Its great to see someone document so many malls as they are apart of America's history.
I really doubt that
@@nickbrandon2055 have you seen it lately ? H&M just left, tenants have been leaving or shuffled around , 3 of the 4 diamond stores left, and The old toys r us is filled with crappy flea market vendors ... Marshalls is leaving that area which Eastland owns ... Everyone knows it's falling apart. It's on retail life support
It’s so sad to see the decline of this mall but it always was in some form of decline in my lifetime. We’d go to the pet store, Deb, I believe Cato was in there, and I loved the fountain. There was a wood craft store, Goose and Gander that mom would drag me into all the time. There was a vendor that made custom Christmas ornaments, and at one time, Christmas was a lot of fun there. There was a small business that you could stop by and have them wrap your gifts. Cool shops. Oh, also loved the 50s diner themed shake shop! Their main counter was recently up for sale by Salvage Candy!
I remember going to the mall in Evansville growing up. It was a beautiful place back in the 60s.
Instead of a food court it had at least three restaurants a candy shop record shop music store that sold instruments and at&t store. The food court was a few years ago.
We were RVing at "Lincoln State Park" - the walmart in Evansville was about the closest (and we had no choice) so we want...and made a side trip here. While there, we went to "Hacienda" -- a really in-authentic mexican restaurant that is HQ'd in my home town --- So this was my first "taste" of Salsa and chips...I just can't help it.. But it was right across the street from this mall so we decided to make a visit.
You're right, the neon was cool, the water fountains were sadly shut off. I didn't see any less stores than were in this video --- so in the last month, not much has changed.
When we were leaving we lingered at the history display at the main entrance. It had 15-20 photos of the mall over time. I was feeling a little uneasy for some reason -- I think the child laughter from the kiddie rides was what was disturbing me so bad....the sounds were different than in this recording.
I remember when the mall was built. Last time I was in it was 1977. Obviously changes were made after that. Used to ride my bike from our home, that is no longer there, at the corner of Washington and Harlen. Evansville has really changed. Hope to visit as my wife and I travel this summer (2020) with our camper.
I worked at Sears soon after they opened but I don't remember an A & P store
This mall was busy and still quite alive into the 90s
Around 2000 was when the decline started
As stores and shoppers left out became more of a place for elderly people to get their walking in and as such more businesses (and doctors) moved in
The mall was pretty much dead when the Sears closed and the anchor store space on the other end is some kind of fiberglass packing warehouse
It truly is a depressing place
I was so sad to see Sears go....
I remember this mall. My mom and I used to go to this mall all of the time. This used to be a busy mall. Sears was the only big store that stayed open when other Sears stores were closing. I didn't know that this mall was so small. I know that Eastland Mall was big because I want to sit down when I got to the other end of the mall.
0:20 can we talk about the fact this man is dressed in clothes people would wear today? He doesnt really look dated at all.
I live in Evansville Indiana so I'm sad to see this place fall apart almost all of the stores are gone I wish it could be restored to new with new stores I've had so many good memories there I got my first pet from a pet store that was there and the only things that are there is Noble Romans & KC Time Out & Haircut and nail salon 😭😭😭
Really cool food court. The curvy neon was nice.
This was a beautiful place back during the 60s and 70s. It looked nothing like it does now.
I remember when the didn't have a food court. There were five good restaurants including one in Stewart's upstairs. Back then the mall looked so modern. I'm surprised the fountain is still there.
I remember when they didn't have a food court at the mall. This mall was beautiful years ago I grew up with the place from the sixties and up.
I live across the street from this mall. My friends and i used to work at the pizza place. We used to call the tent 'the bra'.
They gotta be thinking a canvas roof was a good idea...once. It does make for a light and airy space, too bad the food court is so dead. Anthony, you've got to swing up to Colorado Springs. The Citadel Mall isn't dead yet but it's going down the tubes rapidly. The gorgeous food court original 70s fountain has been shut off the last couple of times I was there, never a good sign. We also have Chapel Hills Mall which is doing better but is much less aesthetic.
I remember going to this mall occasionally during the 2010s, then like a year later coming by and it was almost completely empty. I doubt they're still open after COVID, but I'll have to check again sometime
I live in Indianapolis, seeing this mall is a trip! Nothing like our Washington Square that we have here. Did you make it to Lafayette Square too?
Something to add to a 'want list', I'd love to see inside the Kingsway Mall in Sikeston MO(south of StL). After being a somewhat successful mall in the 70s(surprising since the town was only 15k), they finally turned it into warehousing. When I was a preteen, my father had his optometrist office in this mall. The big perk for me, the mall was closed on Sunday due to MO blue laws regarding Sunday sales, but my dad had a key to the mall so he could access his office during closed hours. I had the mall all to myself and could roam with no security or open stores. A kid's dream. Anyway, they now have access to the inner mall shut tighter than Fort Knox, but if you could gain entry it might be very unusual and interesting tour.
Hearing a bell while you walked through the food court. Church nearby?
That church is used to say a prayer for this mall.
Catholic Church across the street.
Catholic Church and private school across the street.
4:55 5:15 purple And Yellow mall Real Liminal Space
What I like about your work is every mall matters. Not just the mega dead malls but places l IP keep this. All malls need neon, unique decor and fountains. Any money tossed in can go to a local.charity that helps children or cats needing homes.
The commercial is a hoot. Looks like the dude was paid in beer. But he got his 15 minutes of fame.
Keep these videos coming
it's mainly doctors and medical places in Washington Square now , maybe one day it'll be back to it's glory , but I love Eastland Mall here in Evansville as well
wow for a small mall it sure had a nice big food court there!
Those chairs at the food court!
Damn I haven't been there in a minute... Wonder do they still have the cake shop?
Born and raised ville youngin ! Still a good place to go walking in .
How is this place still open?
I guess time out lounge is helping eat cost ?
Are you going to the dead mall near Indianapolis motor speedway
Nice little mall
Suggestion: Sell a dvd with your malls filmed to date. I personally would love that
That neon light is very neat.
Is that a bar near the entrance?
Yes. Time out sports bar if i recall correctly
3rd comment yes! Love the videos ace! keep them coming.
Interesting theme, but nothing will ever beat the Schuylkill Mall theme. I still listen to it on one of my NewRetroWave cd compilations. :)
I have wished for the longest time they would revamp this mall and bring it back to life....and leave the 80's vibe and original aspects....but just needs a little TLC so to speak....a TLC that only a millionaire could afford the real estate. Oh how I wish!
Why fix things when they aren't broke? Just sayin. Show it some love and it'll shine again! ❤
A gal can dream can't she? ❤❤❤
My kids loved coming to this mall to throw pennies in the fountain. They are pretty sad it is not operating anymore. I still like bringing my kids here for a cookie & to hang out in the food court!
I remember going to this mall when I would visit my grandparents
WOAHHHH
One former mall you might check out in Indianapolis is Eastgate Shopping Center. It is now owned by Lifeline Data Centers and is used primarily as a Data Center .
I have memories here from 1990 on. there's a bar there now where that entrance was
Wait, theres a Washington sq mall in Evansville too?? Theres Washington sq mall here in Indianapolis, on Eastside, and its just like this, almost dilapidated
good job, it's amazing how u could walk through it, no people Wooooh!!! signs of a mall on it's last legg. 😞
yo, right about that.
Wow that first view of the mall looks like a grocery store
man, this place is nuffin now. my dad worked here in the 80s.
I would totally steal those chairs from the food court!
I used to work in the mall as a busser/entertainer during my senior year in high school (1987-1988). Too bad your video didn’t show the pictures of the mall’s history near the front entrance. My picture is there with some of the other kids who worked with me(there’s four of us in the picture). We were hired to keep the food court clean and once an hour sing it entertain the patrons. I would dress in mime on the weekends and special occasions, like when Michael Damien performed at the mall.
This mall has been dead for over twenty years. I can't believe it's still standing.
They need to just take it off life support already.
I miss how malls used to have supermarkets, drug stores, and stand-alone restaurants...
It's like 90% of the malls in my country. From groceries to shoes to vitamin pills, they have everything you need.
Someone turn the lights out I think this mall may be a wrap
michael blair I live a few blocks away, there is still a big bar there and a couple doctor offices so yea
i live nearby! i had to sell girl scout cookies there once. our only customers were the old people walking around and a barista.
to be honest this mall barley had stores in 2009 ..the most they had was an antique shop and the food venders
This mall was the place I spent a lot of time and money in the 70s. Then Eastland mall came along in the 80s and the decline of Washington Square Mall. Chess King was the place in this mall.
When you come to TN you might want to check out East Town in Knoxville it's nearly totally dead.
Is Washington Mall permanently closed now?
No this is open! Last NOV the county did voting in this mall
Two businesses just opened there in the parking lot outbuildings.
i live up the street from this mall........there are even less stores now and it is still open somehow
Just not sure about the design with what it looks like a circus tent?
I went here when I was younger because my grandparents lived in Evansville and used to take me here with my cousins often, when I was about four I remember my cousin telling me to jump in to the fountain and get some money as a joke and I got made at her. I think I was 4?
Lifelong resident here, and there was so much in here when it first opened. Always loved to come to the Baynhams shoe store which was located near the food court area because they had a bunch of spider monkeys (yes, live) in one section of the front windows. The 'circus' tent roof in the food court came quite a few years later, and supposedly if you check out location on Google maps it look like a pair of breasts emerging from the building. Since Sears folded, this became a very dead mall and that's sad because of it's history,i.e. first covered mall in Indiana. Everything has moved North into what was cornfields and the like, leaving these properties empty. The Lawndale shopping center across the street is just as empty, and now they are creating another office/retail space across the street from that. ??? There is so many nice places like WSM why keep building more that will be mostly unoccupied? Okay stepping off my soapbox now :)
I live here too. I think the area is becoming revitalized, albeit very slowly. Hopefully more businesses will be attracted to the area and fill up Lawndale. Moving Schnucks over there has helped as well.
I have a suggestion, try to visit dead mall Fiesta Mall in Mesa, AZ.
evansville buddy!
There is a 90% dead mall in Muskogee Oklahoma that looks nearly identical to the one in this video.
Today, a big chunk of the mall is occupied by a gigantic night club....the rest of it seems to be occupied by medical offices.....
😍neon