The timbre in his voice gives this some nostalgia too. Sounds like he's about to do a review of a PS2 game or about to give his thoughts on his Game Informer collection
This is my childhood mall. Fun fact: the Wishes store used to be an American Girl store. The glass cases you commented on are the old doll displays. Last time I was there that space was empty
Years ago my family took a trip up to Settle from Oregon. We came to this mall years specifically to go to that American Girl store for my younger sister's birthday. I'm sad to find it was gone now in this video :(
I remember going there for my sister’s 6th birthday and buying her one. When i used to live near there (Mill Creek), there was also a claim jumper restaurant that my family would go to often for celebrations. Sadly there isnt one there anymore
I like how casually Ian says "on the last episode" in the beggining, as if it was not, like, 7 months since that last episode, but as if it was a weekly show. Thanks for occasionally showing up in my yt feed and making my day better, Ian!
I didn't realize that Nordstrom being used as a hallway was a universal thing, I always assumed that it was just a weird design quirk with my local mall.
It is on purpose. They sell the same overpriced clothing as anywhere else. They pay for extra space, but at the cost of being a walkthrough. Which can be a benefit because it means more foot traffic, but also means the floors need cleaning more. I'm with Ian. I don't like shops where their colour scheme is sterile white.
We actually have a Nordstrom serving as an anchor store at one of our local upscale malls too -- and the last time I went in there, it also had a cafe. Though it does lack a skybridge, and I'm not sure if the cafe's been branded an EBar.
I worked at Hot Topic from 2002 until 2013. Harry Potter was always a major brand that they loved to sell. I remember when they had a recall on the vibrating brooms because they were being used "inappropriately."
Bless you for actually talking to the shoe cleaning guy. Those middle-of-the-store kiosk sellers always activate my social anxiety, and I powerwalk so quickly past them that the employees don't really know what to do.
@@subzeroburwell I always see those peddlers in middle of mall corridor as scammer, cuz they always be selling non-quality items at mark-up price. And then the same thing would stay at the peddle store for months or even years. That is how greedy, or rather un-salesmanlike the peddler is. So yes, i agree with you
Ian really feels like that kind of friend you can just vibe with and go on small adventures with. Like he would really just enjoy your company above the atmosphere and I dig that vibe
I’m imaging one of those prerecorded tapes some museums have so you can give yourself a self-guided audio tour, but instead it’s just a minute or two of Ian’s comments and thoughts about each piece lol
The space the Wishes store is in used to be an American Girl store, you can tell by the glass displays and pink and purple carpeting! That Tokyo store gets a bonus point for having Avatar the Last Airbender merch at 18:21. And funny you mentioned Miniso reminded you of a Daiso, because Alderwood was actually home to the very first Daiso in the US! That aside, your choice of (elevator) music really made this. It fits your style perfectly and one can just sit back, relax and enjoy the insignificance
I love these videos because they fulfill my desire to go to a mall. I can't do it irl, I'm autistic and it's just too overwhelming for me, but there was a time where I could do it fine and I miss that. These videos scratch that itch.
So glad to see this has turned into a series!!! I love malls a lot for some reason, something about the general mood, the air, the food, etc. Is super calming and memorable. I find it hard to forget my occasional mall visits, they are almost always incredibly memorable.
Despite being capitalist heaven, malls somehow manage to be really cozy. Either that or it's just my nostalgia neurons firing off whenever I go inside one
A banger as usual. Ian, you have NO IDEA how much your videos actually improve our lives. It’s funny, it’s honest, it’s wholesome. I’m in the process of getting my greencard and emigrating to the US, and these “a day in life” vids are just the boost I need for all the bureaucracy and money spent and time waiting, to finally get there and live my life like this. Thank you. Obrigado.
As a non-American, it is so interesting to see such a familiar mall layout and aesthetic (especially at 2:59) but also have a ton of stores I've never seen or heard of. Would love to explore this mall.
Same, it felt weird to see a layout I usually see used in big malls in Manila in an American mall. Always strange to see something familiar in an unfamiliar place.
@@thecosmicradiation me too. It’s intriguing for SURE. I was so surprised when Ian showed Costco last time because we have it where I am too. And um I’m British 😅 I would gladly visit the mall for the awesome anime stuff
I'm not really able to get out of the house very often, so these little slice of life kind of videos are really enjoyable and appreciated. Thanks for the great content, as always.
Going to the back of a Spencer's just for an accurate mall review...such bravery. It's not a true American shopping mall experience without the smell of Cinnabon lingering throughout...I can smell it through the screen. I love the chill vibes of this. Kudos to Alderwood for trying to reinvent itself. With the rise of online shopping, malls have struggled and shuttered, so in order to survive, they must change to be more appealing whether it be to include an indoor theme park or a housing development. My local mall has a lifestyle village too, which replaced a cinema with a Chico's, Hallmark, Dick's Sporting Goods, Cheesecake Factory, and Barnes & Noble. This is where the mall's bus hub is. My mall also has the only Bahama Breeze in NY, which it gets bonus points for because I enjoy their key lime pie and guava barbecue ribs. And the mall's Sears lasted until 2020. That's how I tell if a mall is thriving or not, based on the Sears scale of how long into the 2010s/2020s that a mall's Sears store lasts.
It's always so trippy seeing you explore every place I grew up with (based on the few clues you've dropped I suspect I live 1 city away from you). I'd love to see you explore the haunting remains of Northgate Mall
Of course I've been to shopping centres before but American malls seem like such a different experience. Thank you Ian for this experience of a lifetime, truly the perfect Christmas gift.
@@HookedonChronics the feel is different, all i can guess is that Amarican malls are made to linger at. I'm from Germany, our shopping centers are designed for you to get your shopping done and leave!
From the UK and the amount of street venders who'd shout you over in the halls was a big thing when I visited Florida. Plus they were displaying BuzzFeed articles on mall TVs everywhere? Plus I went round one corner and there was like a waiting room with sofas and WiFi codes for just people waiting? I can't really tell if those last two are standard but judging by Ian spending a bunch of money on shoe shining equipment, I guess the first one is.
@@carrotman The 'vendors shouting at you' thing has largely gone by the wayside as far as I can tell, at least in the north. But random places to hang out with wifi are pretty common. And idk about the Buzzfeed thing, that's weird lol
I really like how you narrate these videos. It's very nostalgic. It reminds me a lot of TV in the 90s, and early 2000s. I can't think of a specific show, but like a public broadcasting type how it's made style show, or something. Thoroughly enjoy all your videos, but these ones in particular make me feel very nostalgic, I like, and appreciate them/you very much. Happy holidays Brutal Moose Ian! And I hope you have a great 2023!
@@chadmasta5 exactly! the background music, the pov style camera work, the narration! So nostalgic. There is a specific show that this has the same vibe of, but I can't think of it. Though this has a much better narration lol.
this is crazy to see in my recommended, i’ve worked at this mall for the last of my teen years… boxlunch, tokyo japanese lifestyle, and the mens wearhouse right outside of it! this mall is awesome, hasn’t exactly hit the “mall death” yet and is surprisingly fun to walk around. it was cool to see some work friends/acquaintances throughout this video. great stuff!!!
Fun fact: Based off the carpeting, indoor displays and outdoor paint, I'm 100% sure that the Wishes store used to be an American Girl store! I didn't know they closed one of the stores in Washington. I have to say it was very strange seeing them use the American Girl displays and shelves and have it not...be American Girl dolls. LOL
@@ZylphiaCrowley And I wish Wishes would stay in that location but they are supposed to move into that empty store he pointed out by Build-A-Bear. It used to be a Christopher and Banks. I am sad that American Girl closed cuz I was eventually going to send my dolls to a doll hospital though them.
I remember going to that American Girl store as a kid, it's so weird that it's just gone now. This video is surreal in general as I've gone to this mall dozens of times since I was a kid.
When I was little, I viewed the Everett mall as the 'cheap' mall, and the Alderwood mall as the rich one hehe.. probably because the Alderwood mall was farther away so it was more of a treat when we went. But I loved both of them. Insane that you have reviewed both of my childhood malls. I moved away so it's nice to see 😭
ALDERWOOOOOD!! My childhood mall!!! I haven’t been there since before I moved away pre-pandemic so this was a nice way to revisit it and see how it’s doing. Thank you Ian!!! ❤️🎄 Edit: highly recommend the Frangos area outside of Macy’s, those things are killer and I love walkin thru the display they have out front of em
I saw a bunch of familiar decor while you walked around and filmed and sure enough, Alderwood is owned by Simon, the same company that owns my local mall. Gotta admit, whatever Simon is doing, they’re keeping malls alive and they’re doing a good job at it.
Super weird to see a mall you recognize in a youtube video. I used to go here on trips to the USA from my hometown. When I saw the "poop statue" my jaw dropped. Had to google it to find the floor murals I remembered. Seeing how it's changed in the decade since I've been there was a fun treat. Thank you for the mall review! I miss seeing places like this, and the little doses of mall have been great :)
Got so excited when you started talking about Spencer's. The location I worked at for years was actually INSIDE the food court at a mall, like it was one of 3 retail stores on that floor and everything else was restaurants. I don't know why they do this. Also! I may be wrong, but that store looks to be a testing store for t-shirt designs. They have a lot of prints that I haven't seen, and a lot of facings compared to most stores, so I would guess that the location you visited is one of the test locations for the district. Very cool!
funfact: that wishes store was once an american girl doll store, i used to go there frequently when i was little!! thanks for the great video ian, this brought back so many good memories!!❤️
Hey Ian, I didn't find your videos until I moved away from Washington a few years ago but this is a huge treat. I enjoyed the video of Everett Mall and now Alderwood, two malls I used to visit often. Thanks for sharing and helping us all feel the warmth. Wishing you happy holidays!
@@zbcrazy The only one I ever liked and thought of buying was Pete from Kingdom Hearts but that character was blocky to begin with so the transfer to Funko style wasn't jarring.
Ian, my wife and I go to that mall every Wednesday to go to Dave n Busters because they have half price on all games. You have no idea how much money was spent on that spongebob Coin pusher game. We literally have a HUGE stack of cards. This is such a cozy vid. Thanks Ian!
This is so relaxing and nostalgic, I love it 😭 I haven’t been to a mall in like 3 years because the place I live now doesn’t have one but it’s funny how all of them look kind of the same. Huge ceilings, tons of glass, disjointed art/water features
Oh man, this video takes me back. My dad used to take us to this mall all the time when we were kids, and that skybridge to the Nordstrom is how we always entered. It's remarkable how similar things look 10-15 years later. The Lego store was always our favorite one to visit. Thanks for making this video! The nostalgia is so awesome.
This was definitely a cool way to experience other malls you wouldn’t go to normally (either out of state or country). I’m always curious how these kind of videos are filmed usually but Ian did a great job on this one!
It's so freaky seeing you go to malls that I also go to semi regularly. Fun fact that wishes used to be an american girl doll storefront I believe! Also if you ever go again you might wanna check out lolli and pops, its a cool candy store that has a fair amount of stuff you usually can only get online.
@@John_Locke_108 kinda sorta, generally name brand stuff but they sometimes have really good discounts and clearance sales. I got my current favorite pair of sneakers at 60% off from a Nordstrom
Nordstrom is NOTHING compared to the insane overpriced items and snobby clients you would find at Saks Fifth Avenue or Neiman Marcus. I always feel welcome at Nordstrom whenever I go to a mall, but every employee I have ever met at Saks has been rude to me.
i loitered in a nordstrom in a walmart hawaiian shirt and swim shorts while waiting for my friends so we could go to the military surplus semi-nearby. i had to pretend to look busy and interested in the clothes worth more than all the money i currently had in my bank account while walking past salesmen in well-tailored suits. they had a vending machine with various forms of expensive beef jerky, for some reason. kind of a fun experience, would recommend.
When I was a kid I literally lived 2 minutes away, in the apartments overlooking this mall - used to come here all the time, never expected you to cover it 👀 Sometimes I forget you also live in Washington haha
Lucky! When I was younger, the closest malls were 30 & 40 miles away & as a lower class family, we had to REALLY need something that we couldn't find anywhere else in order to make trip to the mall.
We all know Ian but he does not know all of us, and yet, those vlog videos going to malls, arcades and more, make me feel like we've been friends for years and years
It's so cool to see a mall that's thriving. my "local" mall was Cincinnati Mills, which is unfortunately closing. It was held up by a single arcade for years, but they moved to a new location earlier this year. Seeing a bustling mall like this makes me nostalgic for the days when I would go to the mall as a treat, usually after Christmas with pockets full of gift cards.
This was the coziest video. This channel in general always makes me feel like I have a warm mug of tea and its snowing or raining outside. Just nice vibes.
I dont know how to explain it but as someone whos not from america seeing how malls are over there is an interesting experience. over here malls are filled with people and not 'dead' and I personally LOVE to explore a new mall and browse stores even if they sell stuff I'm not really interested in. so I guess what I'm trying to say is I really enjoy these types of vids you make because it always makes for an interesting comparison also I feel like I'm exploring a new place w a friend (?) so. thank you :]]
I've been having an incredibly upsetting Christmas with my family this week and I cannot tell you how relieved I am to see you've uploaded today the timing couldn't be better. Your videos are so comfortable and inviting especially the ones where you explore public spaces like malls and arcades. Thank you.
I absolutely love the chill, cozy vibe of these videos. It reminds me of simpler times when I used to regularly go to the mall with a friend or with family to browse the various stores, make the occasional purchase, and just catch up with one another in the food court or while walking.
i used to live in the North Seattle area and frequented this mall when i had mall-related endeavors to undertake. it's genuinely bizarre to see streets and businesses i'm familiar with here in a youtube video made by an actual Ian Brutalmoose. thank you for the experience
It’s crazy how many brutalmoose viewers seem to live in (or used to live in) Washington haha I agree, the experience of watching him visit these places that I’ve been to plenty of times in my life is such a strange but fascinating thing~ Glad you enjoyed this mall Ian ^-^
Weird thing to get nostalgia over. My childhood mall also had a nordstrom entrance from the upper level of the parking garage. I'd go shopping with my mom a lot, and haven't thought about that since probably then. Cool.
Here in Mexico Miniso definitely tries to sell itself as a bit of a more premium store and it kinda feels like it since cheap dollar stores aren't that common in here so the products in Miniso seem not cheap but "good value". At the very least they have a lot of good product branding, like if you're gonna get some cheap headphones at least they have them in some cute packaging, and they also have some good licensing agreements with We Bare Bears products and the like.
Also their tagline here is "I didn't know I needed it" because the common sentiment in their customer base is that you go in just to browse and you come out having purchased 5 or 6 things.
The part about taking a shortcut through a fancy store that you don't feel like you belong in really resonates with me. Nordstrom looks a lot like John Lewis here in the UK
Hudson's Bay Company is the Canadian equivalent, I've walked through the one at my local mall a million times. In fact, the Bay store at the Eaton Centre in Toronto is literally part of the underground path network that you can use to get around the city centre,
Man UA-cam is so bad at showing good videos I actually wanna watch. So glad for your videos, I can always throw them on as something reliable when they just try and serve so much slop!
These mall review videos are so calming and casual, it brings a really chill vibe with a hint of liminal/aesthetic cuz ya know its a mall.. need more of these. Sick Yu-Gi-Oh! shirt also.
Glad to know I'm not the only one who was talked into the shoe cleaning kit. And yes, it is extremely awkward having your shoes cleaned in a public space. Edit: Holy crap! I made this comment before you said that you paid $65 for the kit! I got it for $30, which is waaay more reasonable of a price!
thank you for this video! something about your mall reviews are really wholesome and entertaining. it really feels as if the viewers are just traveling the mall with you and it's very cozy to sit down on a winter morning with a cup of tea and just listen to what you have to say. thank you again, and i can't wait for the next one!
I went to this mall a few months ago when I was visiting some friends, and I'm very thrilled to be moving just up the road from there in a few months from now.
Alderwood is often home to promotinal stuff from microsoft and nintendo. Ive gotten a lot unique promotional nintendo stuff during the holiday season there.
props to your transition from driving through the tunnel to the mall! Always love your videos and your clever video editing chops don't go unnoticed :)
it's always a treat going into a mall that's full of life. it's such a great place to go when you're looking for gifts or just a good time with some mates.
Oh you've GOTTA go to Bellevue square. More upscale but the interior layout is very neat and very well decorated. Stunning multilevel interior spaces, indoor TREE and a very high up play place where I nearly got a concussion as a little kid. Good memories.
It feels like such a weird connection, but I love the feeling of being at a bustling mall with my buddies. It's nostalgic for me like crazy, especially during the holiday season.
I love these mall videos
In before someone calls you Danny
great to hear drew
Well hello there drew
Can we get a Drew and Ian collab? (asking for a Christmas miracle)
@@skippertheartist5751 Yes please
These videos are so goddamn cozy. It's like a mix between HGTV and UA-cam nerdy tomfoolery. I love it.
Amen
Yes. I feel like we’re just hanging out. It’s so nice
I feel it. There's no better way to enjoy the holidays than to sit down with some cocoa and have Brutalmoose review your local mall lol
The timbre in his voice gives this some nostalgia too. Sounds like he's about to do a review of a PS2 game or about to give his thoughts on his Game Informer collection
Seeing Brutal Moose make a video on your local mall is a crazy sight
I know, Right?
Dude same
Yeah, still find it weird how he lives like ~20 min away from me lol
It’s so wild!!
I wouldn’t know Donnie, you lucky bastard you..
This is my childhood mall. Fun fact: the Wishes store used to be an American Girl store. The glass cases you commented on are the old doll displays. Last time I was there that space was empty
Years ago my family took a trip up to Settle from Oregon. We came to this mall years specifically to go to that American Girl store for my younger sister's birthday. I'm sad to find it was gone now in this video :(
I remember that 😢
@@cat4517 I was sad too! The store didn’t last long at all
I remember going there for my sister’s 6th birthday and buying her one. When i used to live near there (Mill Creek), there was also a claim jumper restaurant that my family would go to often for celebrations. Sadly there isnt one there anymore
It’s strange to see how much has changed since the last time I visited a few years ago!
I like how casually Ian says "on the last episode" in the beggining, as if it was not, like, 7 months since that last episode, but as if it was a weekly show. Thanks for occasionally showing up in my yt feed and making my day better, Ian!
I didn't realize that Nordstrom being used as a hallway was a universal thing, I always assumed that it was just a weird design quirk with my local mall.
Mine has a Boscov's for that purpose! My childhood one had a Macy's.
Can vouch. Childhood mall had three mall connected parking garages. Nordstrom, JC Penney, and Macy's 🤔
i think its on purpose, entice you to spend extra in these expensive stores on your way out
It is on purpose.
They sell the same overpriced clothing as anywhere else. They pay for extra space, but at the cost of being a walkthrough.
Which can be a benefit because it means more foot traffic, but also means the floors need cleaning more.
I'm with Ian. I don't like shops where their colour scheme is sterile white.
We actually have a Nordstrom serving as an anchor store at one of our local upscale malls too -- and the last time I went in there, it also had a cafe. Though it does lack a skybridge, and I'm not sure if the cafe's been branded an EBar.
Couldn't have asked for a better treat for Christmas than another video from Ian.
It was out for like 15 seconds when you posted this 💀
@@revine9243 I would have made that comment the second he posted the video if I could type that fast. Ian's videos hit different
@@jonahbrown5669 what if it’s a 30 minute video of Ian shitting in a coffee pot?
@@revine9243 we are still all in, even if it’s a coffee pot shitting vid. It’s Ian bro…step your shit up. Get with it.
@@beaulaplume what the hell are you saying?
I worked at Hot Topic from 2002 until 2013. Harry Potter was always a major brand that they loved to sell. I remember when they had a recall on the vibrating brooms because they were being used "inappropriately."
Just take them across the hall and sell them at Spencers.
Harry Potter has become so annoyingly overdone. Would love to see that much attention paid to other fantasy franchises.
Considering how you ride a broom, that seems like you wouldn't even need to use it incorrectly 😅
I heard about the broom thing lol
@@metalgrinch like the witcher. Imagine if they turned it into a video game
I can’t explain how happy the brutal mall series makes me. So cozy. So fun. I feel like I’m just chillin with Ian at a mall. This is my self care.
Real
Yeah they definitely help me, but honestly people like brutalmoose have been helping me for years so it’s nothing new.
That's sad.
Bless you for actually talking to the shoe cleaning guy. Those middle-of-the-store kiosk sellers always activate my social anxiety, and I powerwalk so quickly past them that the employees don't really know what to do.
And buying something too major kudos to him
Working in a shoe store in the mall I can tell you it’s never worth it to buy from those guys. Way overpriced when you can buy shoe cleaner for $10
@@subzeroburwell I always see those peddlers in middle of mall corridor as scammer, cuz they always be selling non-quality items at mark-up price. And then the same thing would stay at the peddle store for months or even years.
That is how greedy, or rather un-salesmanlike the peddler is. So yes, i agree with you
@@frds_skce And they’re rude if you do decline them. Malls would be better without them lol
most of em are mlm peddlers. waaaaay overpriced and desperate for a sale
Ian really feels like that kind of friend you can just vibe with and go on small adventures with. Like he would really just enjoy your company above the atmosphere and I dig that vibe
same, it sounds kind of parasocial-y but still i really wish i was his friend
Actually he seems like the type you could go on _big_ adventures with. Like the cross-country kind. Many, many times.
parasocial L
Yeah he’d be cool as a pal
@@shiori4671 ,,n,,.
Having lived walking distance from here my whole life, seeing Ian make it feel somehow fresh and exciting again is an odd feeling.
I grew up with this mall, and it's so cozy to see Ian walk through it now ^^
Yeah same
I KNOW YOU I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE I LIVE IN YOUR WALLS
After that fountain section, i think we need some brutalmoose art critique segments. Its amusing
I’m imaging one of those prerecorded tapes some museums have so you can give yourself a self-guided audio tour, but instead it’s just a minute or two of Ian’s comments and thoughts about each piece lol
@Joeseph Espinosa
That’s going to be a lot of “I don’t know about this one”, and “Eeeehhhhhh….” and “I don’t like it”.
The space the Wishes store is in used to be an American Girl store, you can tell by the glass displays and pink and purple carpeting! That Tokyo store gets a bonus point for having Avatar the Last Airbender merch at 18:21. And funny you mentioned Miniso reminded you of a Daiso, because Alderwood was actually home to the very first Daiso in the US! That aside, your choice of (elevator) music really made this. It fits your style perfectly and one can just sit back, relax and enjoy the insignificance
Something the people of NK will never do
I love these videos because they fulfill my desire to go to a mall. I can't do it irl, I'm autistic and it's just too overwhelming for me, but there was a time where I could do it fine and I miss that. These videos scratch that itch.
If there’s a Heaven it’s just a room where you sit and listen to BrutalMoose narrate his simple adventures. It’s a kind of calm that money can’t buy.
Actually tho
@@J242DJust actually.
So glad to see this has turned into a series!!! I love malls a lot for some reason, something about the general mood, the air, the food, etc. Is super calming and memorable. I find it hard to forget my occasional mall visits, they are almost always incredibly memorable.
Despite being capitalist heaven, malls somehow manage to be really cozy.
Either that or it's just my nostalgia neurons firing off whenever I go inside one
A banger as usual. Ian, you have NO IDEA how much your videos actually improve our lives. It’s funny, it’s honest, it’s wholesome.
I’m in the process of getting my greencard and emigrating to the US, and these “a day in life” vids are just the boost I need for all the bureaucracy and money spent and time waiting, to finally get there and live my life like this. Thank you. Obrigado.
This is so sweet ❤❤ good luck on your journey here!!!
Good luck bro!
BrutalMoose is definitely my #1 comfort channel. Such a warm, cozy, and welcoming atmosphere in all of these videos. Never stop doing what ya do, Ian!
I start to get really sad when I can tell the video is ending.
Also, I love that you always take the time to act out your Hello Fresh sponsorship.
Dude I love your washington based videos. As a local it's awesome to see someone else talk about these places and experience them.
As someone who moved away in 2013, its a good way to fix my home sickness :'^) brings back so many memories
Alderwood is good but they need to bring back the Mariners team store.
As a non-American, it is so interesting to see such a familiar mall layout and aesthetic (especially at 2:59) but also have a ton of stores I've never seen or heard of. Would love to explore this mall.
As an American, I am now curious about your malls too!!! Where are you from??
@@maddieb.4282 New Zealand!
Same, it felt weird to see a layout I usually see used in big malls in Manila in an American mall. Always strange to see something familiar in an unfamiliar place.
This mall design, at least the interior and hallways, are also in Norway. I wonder if its the same guy who designs these
@@thecosmicradiation me too. It’s intriguing for SURE. I was so surprised when Ian showed Costco last time because we have it where I am too. And um I’m British 😅 I would gladly visit the mall for the awesome anime stuff
I'm not really able to get out of the house very often, so these little slice of life kind of videos are really enjoyable and appreciated. Thanks for the great content, as always.
I like how Ian knows the traps he's falling into yet still willingly falls for them
We've all been there. I once paid $12 for a fancy 6-sided nail buffer. It still stings.
Going to the back of a Spencer's just for an accurate mall review...such bravery. It's not a true American shopping mall experience without the smell of Cinnabon lingering throughout...I can smell it through the screen. I love the chill vibes of this. Kudos to Alderwood for trying to reinvent itself. With the rise of online shopping, malls have struggled and shuttered, so in order to survive, they must change to be more appealing whether it be to include an indoor theme park or a housing development.
My local mall has a lifestyle village too, which replaced a cinema with a Chico's, Hallmark, Dick's Sporting Goods, Cheesecake Factory, and Barnes & Noble. This is where the mall's bus hub is. My mall also has the only Bahama Breeze in NY, which it gets bonus points for because I enjoy their key lime pie and guava barbecue ribs. And the mall's Sears lasted until 2020. That's how I tell if a mall is thriving or not, based on the Sears scale of how long into the 2010s/2020s that a mall's Sears store lasts.
It's always so trippy seeing you explore every place I grew up with (based on the few clues you've dropped I suspect I live 1 city away from you). I'd love to see you explore the haunting remains of Northgate Mall
Oh also: I would love your take on the ultra-boujee University Village
I would also love to see Ian visit Northgate! Would be a short video tho 😅
@@ashyboo74 He should wait till they are done with the outdoor expansion next to the hockey arenas.
I see your Northgate and raise you Federal Way (formerly SeaTac Mall). Found an old 1981 ad for it on UA-cam recently and man is it sad now.
Northgate isn't even a mall anymore 😭
God i could watch your mall videos for hours, they are so genuinely relaxing and entertaining.
Very nostalgic as someone who was born and raised near the Seattle area
Of course I've been to shopping centres before but American malls seem like such a different experience. Thank you Ian for this experience of a lifetime, truly the perfect Christmas gift.
What's the main differences? Assuming just bigger?
It's consummerific!!
@@HookedonChronics the feel is different, all i can guess is that
Amarican malls are made to linger at. I'm from Germany, our shopping centers are designed for you to get your shopping done and leave!
From the UK and the amount of street venders who'd shout you over in the halls was a big thing when I visited Florida.
Plus they were displaying BuzzFeed articles on mall TVs everywhere?
Plus I went round one corner and there was like a waiting room with sofas and WiFi codes for just people waiting?
I can't really tell if those last two are standard but judging by Ian spending a bunch of money on shoe shining equipment, I guess the first one is.
@@carrotman The 'vendors shouting at you' thing has largely gone by the wayside as far as I can tell, at least in the north. But random places to hang out with wifi are pretty common. And idk about the Buzzfeed thing, that's weird lol
I really like how you narrate these videos. It's very nostalgic. It reminds me a lot of TV in the 90s, and early 2000s. I can't think of a specific show, but like a public broadcasting type how it's made style show, or something. Thoroughly enjoy all your videos, but these ones in particular make me feel very nostalgic, I like, and appreciate them/you very much. Happy holidays Brutal Moose Ian! And I hope you have a great 2023!
They have that cozy PBS show you watch when you're home sick from school and there's nothing on energy.
@@chadmasta5 exactly! the background music, the pov style camera work, the narration! So nostalgic. There is a specific show that this has the same vibe of, but I can't think of it. Though this has a much better narration lol.
this is crazy to see in my recommended, i’ve worked at this mall for the last of my teen years… boxlunch, tokyo japanese lifestyle, and the mens wearhouse right outside of it!
this mall is awesome, hasn’t exactly hit the “mall death” yet and is surprisingly fun to walk around. it was cool to see some work friends/acquaintances throughout this video. great stuff!!!
Fun fact: Based off the carpeting, indoor displays and outdoor paint, I'm 100% sure that the Wishes store used to be an American Girl store! I didn't know they closed one of the stores in Washington.
I have to say it was very strange seeing them use the American Girl displays and shelves and have it not...be American Girl dolls. LOL
It absolutely was! It became a Wishes sometime during the height of the pandemic iirc.
@@ZylphiaCrowley And I wish Wishes would stay in that location but they are supposed to move into that empty store he pointed out by Build-A-Bear. It used to be a Christopher and Banks. I am sad that American Girl closed cuz I was eventually going to send my dolls to a doll hospital though them.
I remember going to that American Girl store as a kid, it's so weird that it's just gone now. This video is surreal in general as I've gone to this mall dozens of times since I was a kid.
YOU ARE CORRECT
It was, I distinctly remember going with my cousins when I was a little baby child
When I was little, I viewed the Everett mall as the 'cheap' mall, and the Alderwood mall as the rich one hehe.. probably because the Alderwood mall was farther away so it was more of a treat when we went. But I loved both of them. Insane that you have reviewed both of my childhood malls. I moved away so it's nice to see 😭
and that food court in the alderwood mall always hit way harder than the everett mall! lol
Lol, back in the 90s I viewed every Mall except for Bellevue square as cheap 🤣🤣🤣
Same here! The Alderwood mall was always a special outing
ALDERWOOOOOD!! My childhood mall!!! I haven’t been there since before I moved away pre-pandemic so this was a nice way to revisit it and see how it’s doing. Thank you Ian!!! ❤️🎄
Edit: highly recommend the Frangos area outside of Macy’s, those things are killer and I love walkin thru the display they have out front of em
I saw a bunch of familiar decor while you walked around and filmed and sure enough, Alderwood is owned by Simon, the same company that owns my local mall. Gotta admit, whatever Simon is doing, they’re keeping malls alive and they’re doing a good job at it.
Super weird to see a mall you recognize in a youtube video. I used to go here on trips to the USA from my hometown. When I saw the "poop statue" my jaw dropped. Had to google it to find the floor murals I remembered. Seeing how it's changed in the decade since I've been there was a fun treat. Thank you for the mall review! I miss seeing places like this, and the little doses of mall have been great :)
New Brutalmoose video combined with very close to Christmas ambiance is the ultimate cosy vibe
Got so excited when you started talking about Spencer's. The location I worked at for years was actually INSIDE the food court at a mall, like it was one of 3 retail stores on that floor and everything else was restaurants. I don't know why they do this. Also! I may be wrong, but that store looks to be a testing store for t-shirt designs. They have a lot of prints that I haven't seen, and a lot of facings compared to most stores, so I would guess that the location you visited is one of the test locations for the district. Very cool!
Brutalmoose videos always fill a very specific aesthetic void in my life
funfact: that wishes store was once an american girl doll store, i used to go there frequently when i was little!! thanks for the great video ian, this brought back so many good memories!!❤️
Hey Ian, I didn't find your videos until I moved away from Washington a few years ago but this is a huge treat. I enjoyed the video of Everett Mall and now Alderwood, two malls I used to visit often. Thanks for sharing and helping us all feel the warmth. Wishing you happy holidays!
Finally a youtuber who sees Funko Pops for the abominations that they are instead of lining their bedroom walls with them.
jermas greatest sin
you haven't watched Ashens.
they are so fugly not even a custom rebuild or repaint can save them
also you haven't watched Ashens (2)
Right lol. I have a small handful of my favorite characters I actually thought were cute, but 99% of them aren’t even appealing.
@@zbcrazy The only one I ever liked and thought of buying was Pete from Kingdom Hearts but that character was blocky to begin with so the transfer to Funko style wasn't jarring.
Ian, my wife and I go to that mall every Wednesday to go to Dave n Busters because they have half price on all games. You have no idea how much money was spent on that spongebob Coin pusher game. We literally have a HUGE stack of cards. This is such a cozy vid. Thanks Ian!
for a second i thought you were saying you and your wife go to the mall with ian every wednesday
@@uncommonwren3894 Oh, they do, I know because that’s the same day I take MJ and Great Wolf Lodge every week. 😉
A+ mall and video! It's nice to see a lively mall for a change, I don't spend much time in lively malls 😂
My favorite channel commenting on my other favorite channel 🤯 you both make such great mall videos!
This is so relaxing and nostalgic, I love it 😭 I haven’t been to a mall in like 3 years because the place I live now doesn’t have one but it’s funny how all of them look kind of the same. Huge ceilings, tons of glass, disjointed art/water features
There's something about these mall/arcade videos that is so immensely comforting. Gives me nostalgia vibes but also just so chill
Oh man, this video takes me back. My dad used to take us to this mall all the time when we were kids, and that skybridge to the Nordstrom is how we always entered. It's remarkable how similar things look 10-15 years later. The Lego store was always our favorite one to visit. Thanks for making this video! The nostalgia is so awesome.
Nothing more cozy than a Brutalmoose vlog
It's nice to see that some malls are still thriving. The mall near me isn't doing too shabby.
This was definitely a cool way to experience other malls you wouldn’t go to normally (either out of state or country). I’m always curious how these kind of videos are filmed usually but Ian did a great job on this one!
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More wipes than Star Wars.
I love it!
It's so freaky seeing you go to malls that I also go to semi regularly. Fun fact that wishes used to be an american girl doll storefront I believe! Also if you ever go again you might wanna check out lolli and pops, its a cool candy store that has a fair amount of stuff you usually can only get online.
Nordstrom is definitely a store that you walk through to get somewhere else and it feels like all of the cashiers and salesmen are judging you
Is it really upscale? I've never shopped there but I assumed it was the new Sears.
@@John_Locke_108 kinda sorta, generally name brand stuff but they sometimes have really good discounts and clearance sales. I got my current favorite pair of sneakers at 60% off from a Nordstrom
@@John_Locke_108their website seems more “upscale” than the actual storefronts since they have more pricey items on the site
Nordstrom is NOTHING compared to the insane overpriced items and snobby clients you would find at Saks Fifth Avenue or Neiman Marcus. I always feel welcome at Nordstrom whenever I go to a mall, but every employee I have ever met at Saks has been rude to me.
i loitered in a nordstrom in a walmart hawaiian shirt and swim shorts while waiting for my friends so we could go to the military surplus semi-nearby. i had to pretend to look busy and interested in the clothes worth more than all the money i currently had in my bank account while walking past salesmen in well-tailored suits. they had a vending machine with various forms of expensive beef jerky, for some reason. kind of a fun experience, would recommend.
When I was a kid I literally lived 2 minutes away, in the apartments overlooking this mall - used to come here all the time, never expected you to cover it 👀 Sometimes I forget you also live in Washington haha
Lucky! When I was younger, the closest malls were 30 & 40 miles away & as a lower class family, we had to REALLY need something that we couldn't find anywhere else in order to make trip to the mall.
We all know Ian but he does not know all of us, and yet, those vlog videos going to malls, arcades and more, make me feel like we've been friends for years and years
I was in high school when I would go to this mall, was the staple hang out spot for us teens back in the day. I loved coming here back in the day
I really liked how you showed off that shoeshines work. He did an excellent job and deserved that recognition.
Outside of the wonderful world of Gerbert and the D-com reviews, these mall field trips are probably my favourites!
It's so cool to see a mall that's thriving. my "local" mall was Cincinnati Mills, which is unfortunately closing. It was held up by a single arcade for years, but they moved to a new location earlier this year. Seeing a bustling mall like this makes me nostalgic for the days when I would go to the mall as a treat, usually after Christmas with pockets full of gift cards.
This was the coziest video. This channel in general always makes me feel like I have a warm mug of tea and its snowing or raining outside. Just nice vibes.
I dont know how to explain it but as someone whos not from america seeing how malls are over there is an interesting experience. over here malls are filled with people and not 'dead' and I personally LOVE to explore a new mall and browse stores even if they sell stuff I'm not really interested in. so I guess what I'm trying to say is I really enjoy these types of vids you make because it always makes for an interesting comparison also I feel like I'm exploring a new place w a friend (?) so. thank you :]]
That is a beautiful mall! I'm happy to see malls like this do still exist
I've been having an incredibly upsetting Christmas with my family this week and I cannot tell you how relieved I am to see you've uploaded today the timing couldn't be better.
Your videos are so comfortable and inviting especially the ones where you explore public spaces like malls and arcades. Thank you.
I hope that you have a great newyear if you didn’t have a good Christmas. The holidays are always difficult for some so I hope that you are ok.
I love how Brutalmoose can just make a video walking around the mall and I'll love it. Fantastic, amazing video.
I absolutely love the chill, cozy vibe of these videos. It reminds me of simpler times when I used to regularly go to the mall with a friend or with family to browse the various stores, make the occasional purchase, and just catch up with one another in the food court or while walking.
Dude the fucking shoe shine guy. Absolute CLASSIC Alderwood mall experience. Every time bruh
i used to live in the North Seattle area and frequented this mall when i had mall-related endeavors to undertake. it's genuinely bizarre to see streets and businesses i'm familiar with here in a youtube video made by an actual Ian Brutalmoose. thank you for the experience
It’s crazy how many brutalmoose viewers seem to live in (or used to live in) Washington haha
I agree, the experience of watching him visit these places that I’ve been to plenty of times in my life is such a strange but fascinating thing~ Glad you enjoyed this mall Ian ^-^
Weird thing to get nostalgia over. My childhood mall also had a nordstrom entrance from the upper level of the parking garage. I'd go shopping with my mom a lot, and haven't thought about that since probably then. Cool.
Here in Mexico Miniso definitely tries to sell itself as a bit of a more premium store and it kinda feels like it since cheap dollar stores aren't that common in here so the products in Miniso seem not cheap but "good value". At the very least they have a lot of good product branding, like if you're gonna get some cheap headphones at least they have them in some cute packaging, and they also have some good licensing agreements with We Bare Bears products and the like.
Also their tagline here is "I didn't know I needed it" because the common sentiment in their customer base is that you go in just to browse and you come out having purchased 5 or 6 things.
These mall videos are great - growing up in Seattle I’ve spent many hours in these places! RIP Northgate Mall.
Can't believe I have been watching you a decade and your content is still engaging. I love the mall videos so relaxing.
So good to see an Alderwood review, I grew up going to this mall and it's so nice seeing it get in depth coverage like this!
The part about taking a shortcut through a fancy store that you don't feel like you belong in really resonates with me. Nordstrom looks a lot like John Lewis here in the UK
Hudson's Bay Company is the Canadian equivalent, I've walked through the one at my local mall a million times. In fact, the Bay store at the Eaton Centre in Toronto is literally part of the underground path network that you can use to get around the city centre,
Man UA-cam is so bad at showing good videos I actually wanna watch. So glad for your videos, I can always throw them on as something reliable when they just try and serve so much slop!
Alderwood mall has always been the mall I go to. Its so cool to see a place I know being talked about!
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These videos make me want to go to the nearest mall and just have a walk around
These mall review videos are so calming and casual, it brings a really chill vibe with a hint of liminal/aesthetic cuz ya know its a mall.. need more of these. Sick Yu-Gi-Oh! shirt also.
Ian working on revitalizing the Mall Experience, one video at a time.
This mall is 10 minutes away from me. Easily my favorite mall. Nothing back home on the east coast compares. Plus that AMC theater is beautiful.
Still crazy to see many different kinds of people talk about your local mall and compliment how nice it really is.
Glad to know I'm not the only one who was talked into the shoe cleaning kit. And yes, it is extremely awkward having your shoes cleaned in a public space.
Edit: Holy crap! I made this comment before you said that you paid $65 for the kit! I got it for $30, which is waaay more reasonable of a price!
yeah he got mega scammed, its 25 bucks online
thank you for this video! something about your mall reviews are really wholesome and entertaining. it really feels as if the viewers are just traveling the mall with you and it's very cozy to sit down on a winter morning with a cup of tea and just listen to what you have to say. thank you again, and i can't wait for the next one!
I'm counting this video as one of my Christmas gifts 😊
I went to this mall a few months ago when I was visiting some friends, and I'm very thrilled to be moving just up the road from there in a few months from now.
Alderwood is often home to promotinal stuff from microsoft and nintendo. Ive gotten a lot unique promotional nintendo stuff during the holiday season there.
oh man, it’s DEFINITELY christmas. i love the mall videos especially. thanks so much ian!
Alderwood honestly looks like a freaking awesome shopping center. I wish I had a mall like this in my area.
You've got me wanting to go to a mall on the literal opposite side of the country!
Your mall and road trip type vids are my favorites. So cozy and re-watchable
props to your transition from driving through the tunnel to the mall! Always love your videos and your clever video editing chops don't go unnoticed :)
The big mall review is what we’ve all been waiting for
I feel like I'm chillin at this mall's hotel watching their TV about what this location has to offer. This whole video is cozy af.
it's always a treat going into a mall that's full of life. it's such a great place to go when you're looking for gifts or just a good time with some mates.
Oh you've GOTTA go to Bellevue square. More upscale but the interior layout is very neat and very well decorated. Stunning multilevel interior spaces, indoor TREE and a very high up play place where I nearly got a concussion as a little kid. Good memories.
as someone who's lived in Seattle their whole life Alderwood makes me so nostalgic love the video moose
Come to NJ
lmao the shoe cleaning hustle never stops
It feels like such a weird connection, but I love the feeling of being at a bustling mall with my buddies. It's nostalgic for me like crazy, especially during the holiday season.
YES. Mall video. Those shoes look clean.
Ah so many memories at that mall. I used to work at that Blazing Onion and the Claim Jumper’s that is 100ft away a several years back