Watching old friends fade away...dying malls.

This video in no way condemns or critcizes the owners or tenants of the included properties. I am providing these views for those that have left the area, and those who may have the capital or interest to revitalize them. The malls shown are Rolling Acres (and some of its outparcels) in Akron, Ohio, Randall Park Mall in Cleveland, Ohio, Montgomery Ward in Cuyahoga Falls and Euclid Square Mall in Euclid, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland.)

As shopping habits change, the way shopping centers are designed changes. Initially open air plazas were in vogue, replaced by enclosed shopping malls...which are now being replaced by open air "lifestyle centers". Unfortunately, these changes in habits and design often leave much in terms of retail blight.

These are just a handful of malls in Northeastern Ohio, but the situation of decaying malls exists all over the USA. Some communities have come up with unique ways of utilizing the space, while others just close the malls down or bulldoze them. As with most buildings that are demolished, much local history and innovative architecture are lost. Design of shopping malls in the 1970s had a definite vibe to it, organic and modern at the same time. Randall Park Mall in particular showcases some Frank Lloyd Wright-esque design touches.

Like I said, I am not placing these images online to condemn the owners, but perhaps to inspire others to step forward and help breathe new life into the centers. A friend of mine always tells me "the most dangerous time in the lifespan of a building is between its loss of popularity and the realization that it is cultural history."

Please comment, and let me know what you think. The Pretenders provide a fitting musical soundtrack (special thanks to mp for selecting it.) For more information on malls in decline, check the website www.deadmalls.com

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  Travel & Events

[patriciaannpat]

We are not making anything in America so there are lower paying jobs for the future generation ..thank Daddy Bush then a real big thank you to Bill Clinton and then baby Bush and now Obama ..they all helped take jobs to other counties ..so you will always be shopping the dollar tree.....once many years ago ..when you got out of high school you could get a job in a factory with health care and benefits and a living wage

[cotaman7]

Poor city management and greedy corporate investors is what destroyed the Malls. The monthly lease was out of this world.

[SuperDover2010]

crazy monthly lease, thats usualy the reason, they close. your right!

[SuperDover2010]

where is Euclid?

[SuperDover2010]

whats the song called ?

[PMOHGUILD]

Not sure It has been quite awhile. If it isn't empty there is probably just one store in the old Dillards/Sears Sections (Big Department Store entrances). There is definitely no mall per se as it once was. Just as eventually happened to Randall in 2009 ish.

[SuperDover2010]

NICE SONG

[gumdokim]

Is this mall still empty?

[PMOHGUILD]

Miss Euclid Square Mall, was a nice place when I was a young kid. By the time I was 11 though the schools were fucked in Euclid. Once the schools got bad crime, neglect, and poverty seemed to ransack the city overnight. My grandparent's old home on South Lakeshore is in the only neighborhood not very blighted in Euclid anymore.

[TeeheeSamson]

I've never seen a dying mall. All the ones in my area are thriving quite well.

[pinkfreud62]

Figures I unwittingly stumbled upon a video about my area. I used to like to take a bus rides to Rolling Acres in the late '70's when it was still a safe place to go, but then the gangs took over. That's one big reason RA started to die when other malls on the area are still thriving. Randall Park, another huge nice mall at one time, the same reasons. Can you guess??

[MetaKnight964]

You still don't know for sure what will happen.