c/abandoned-mall-stories

My sister said something weird about the old Sun Valley Mall fountain

We were looking at my pictures from last month's trip to the dead Sun Valley Mall in Phoenix. I had a shot of the empty fountain, and she goes, 'You know, that's where I learned to tie my shoes.' She was dead serious. Our grandma took her there in like 1998, and she sat on the fountain's edge to practice. I'd only ever seen it as a sad, dry pit, but for her it was a core memory. It made me realize I'm just looking for decay, but other people are looking for their past lives in these places. Has anyone else had a totally normal memory pop up in a spot that's now just ruins?

The old food court at the Westgate Plaza still had a working soda machine last Tuesday

I was poking around the upper level near the shuttered Orange Julius, and the red light on a Coke Freestyle was just glowing, humming away like it was 2015. My buddy thinks it's creepy and part of the decay, but I felt it was a weirdly hopeful little glitch, a piece of the past still running on autopilot. Do you find these leftover functioning bits more unsettling or kind of comforting?

Pro tip: Check the old food court for the best light

I was reading a blog post from a guy who explores malls in Ohio, and he said he always finds the most interesting stuff left behind near the old Orange Julius stands. I went to the dead mall in my town yesterday and spent an hour just looking at the faded menus and broken chairs in that exact spot, it was wild. What's the most specific piece of mall history you've ever found tucked away somewhere?

So I tried to re-create the old food court cookie smell in the dead mall in Akron, and now my car permanently smells like burnt sugar and regret.

I brought a portable butane stove and a tube of pre-made dough into the old Summit Mall last weekend, thinking I could film a funny 'ghost of snacks past' video, but the security guard who found me just sighed and said 'kid, the only thing haunting this place is your decision-making' before escorting me out, so I guess my takeaway is that some atmospheres are best left to memory (and also that butane stoves and carpet glue fumes are a bad mix).

Update: The old food court floor at the Sunrise Galleria in Tampa gave way

I was there last weekend checking out the old Orange Julius spot, and a whole section of the floor near the fountain just collapsed under me. It was just rotted plywood under the tile, looked fine from the top. I got a leg through up to my knee before catching myself. Anyone else run into hidden floor rot in these places, especially around water features?

Warning: Tried to get a photo of the old fountain at the Galleria and my flash just made it look flat

I mean, the whole vibe was this cool blue light from a skylight, but my camera made it look like a gray puddle. Anyone know a better way to shoot those dim food courts without wrecking the mood?

Update: The old food court at Riverside Mall smells like damp concrete now

Last month, I finally checked out the abandoned Riverside Mall on the town's outskirts. It was super quiet, with broken floor tiles and layers of dust. I used to go there for arcade games when I was young, but now it's just empty space. What got me was all the faded 'For Lease' signs still hanging in windows. It really shows how tough it is for these spots to get a second life. I walked around for a bit, snapping pics of the vacant shops and sunlight coming through roof holes. It's a mix of sad and pretty, you know? Have you seen other malls in your town end up like this? What do you think about it?

Pro tip: The echo in an empty mall changed my mind about open offices

Last weekend, I checked out the old Pine Valley Mall that's been closed for a decade. I crept through the dark halls where stores used to be full of life. In what was left of the food court, I found cracked floors and dusty benches. The silence was so deep, my own breathing sounded loud. That quiet got me thinking about my loud office with phones ringing and people chatting all day. Why do we accept so much noise when we could have calm? Maybe I should look for a job that lets me work from home. Stumbling into that still space made me see how much peace I lack at work.

Totally bummed about the security patrol, but finding that old photo booth made the whole trip worth it

Went back to the mall where I had my first job and it's eerie now

I worked at a music store there in the 90s. Any advice on what to look for when exploring abandoned spots like this?

Just realized I miss the old mall security guard who'd wave at us kids.

Walking through the empty halls now, I can almost hear his friendly 'hello' bouncing off the closed storefronts.

Got skilled at decoding old mall maps, but my team can't agree if it's helpful.

Exploring the empty Gateway Center, I got good at reading faded store maps to find my way. Half my friends say this saves time, the other half thinks it's missing the point of adventure. Do you rely on left-behind clues or go with your gut?

I always brought a friend for safety, but my last solo mall walk taught me to trust my own gut more.

Changed my tune on flash photography after the Eastgate visit

I always avoided using flash in abandoned malls, thinking it ruined the mood. But last month at Eastgate, I tried it to highlight the peeling paint and old storefronts. The details popped in a way natural light missed, and now I see it as a tool, not a cheat. My photos from that trip are some of my best because they show the texture of decay.

I finally had an epiphany about why abandoned malls are sealed so tight

After cutting through three fences last weekend, it clicked that liability fears are what really keep these spaces empty.

My cubicle job makes me crave the decay of old malls

Another day of staring at spreadsheets while my boss yells about numbers. Snuck out early to walk through the shut down Valley View Center, floors covered in dust. Remembered going there as a kid for new shoes, now it's just echoes and cracked tiles. This place feels more honest than any corporate mission statement.