c/dead-mall-explorers

I keep seeing people blame the internet for every dead mall, but that's only half the story

I've been exploring these places for a while now, and the easy answer is always 'online shopping killed it.' But I was just at the old Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, and the story is way more local. The roof leaked for years, the owner didn't fix it, and the anchor stores left because of the damage, not just Amazon. Once the big stores were gone, the smaller shops had no reason to stay. I think we give too much power to the internet and not enough to simple bad management and neglect. If the owners don't care, the mall will die no matter what. What's a dead mall near you where the local story matters more than the big online trend?

The one time ignoring the 'no entry' sign actually paid off

I was at the old Valley View Galleria in Springfield last month, the place that's been a ghost town since the Sears left. Every door was chained, every loading dock gate was down, and the usual spots were a bust. I was about to call it when I noticed a single, unmarked metal door near the old food court, half hidden by overgrown bushes. The handle was just a flat piece of metal, no lock in sight. I figured it was welded shut like the rest, but gave it a solid shoulder check. It swung right open with this awful groan, leading straight into the back halls of the mall. It was like a time capsule back there, with old store stock still on carts and employee time sheets from 2012 pinned to a board. I got shots of the main concourse from a service balcony nobody had seen in a decade. Sometimes the most obvious looking door is the one everyone forgets. Has anyone else found a weird, unsecured entry point that felt like a secret backstage pass?

Found a 1990s directory for the old Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights

I was cleaning out a storage unit and found a paper map from 1994 listing all the stores. It had a full arcade, two bookstores, and a music shop that sold CDs. Does anyone know what the final store to close there was?

I thought the 'mall smell' was just nostalgia until I visited the old Northgate Plaza

Turns out that specific mix of stale popcorn, floor wax, and old carpet is actually from a cleaning chemical they used everywhere in the 80s. A retired janitor I met there said they called it 'Sunshine Mist' and it came in big blue drums. Anyone else run into a specific smell that tells you a mall is from a certain era?

Hot take: I spent a whole afternoon trying to find the old fountain at the Sunrise Galleria

I was sure it was near the old food court, but that whole wing was sealed off after a roof collapse in 2019. I ended up circling the main concourse three times before a security guard told me they filled it in with concrete two years prior. Anyone know of another dead mall in the region that still has its original water feature intact?

Heads up about the old Westgate Mall in Springfield, the second floor is not safe

I went there last month to take some pictures of the empty food court and noticed a huge water stain on the ceiling right above where the old Orange Julius used to be. When I looked closer, I saw a big crack running through the drywall and part of the ceiling tile was sagging down. The whole area smelled like wet carpet and mold. Has anyone else been up there recently and seen how bad the water damage is getting?

Stumbled on a simple light bounce method for mall interiors

Was exploring the old Valley View Mall last week. Corridors were pitch black. Tried using my phone flash, but photos looked harsh. Remembered a trick from a friend. Use a white piece of paper to bounce light. Held it near my lens when shooting. Got softer, more even shots of the empty stores.

Just realized I was missing the best parts by sticking to daytime visits

I always explored dead malls during the day because I thought it was safer and easier for photos. But after a late evening trip last week, the way the sunset light hit the broken skylights totally shifted my view (and my photo album). Has anyone else explored at different times and spotted new details?

Why I began asking questions instead of just taking photos

I used to only capture images when I went to abandoned shopping centers. Then I made a habit to speak with old workers, and I realized how much community was lost. Has anyone else found that listening changes what you learn?

Showerthought: My summer dead mall tour through the Midwest... any must-see spots?

I'm hitting the road in June to check out some forgotten malls in Ohio and Indiana... I've got a list from old forums, but things change fast. Last year, I went to the Sunrise Mall and it was already half-demolished, which was a bummer. I love capturing that sad beauty before it's gone forever... it's like history fading away. I'm looking for places that still have that eerie, frozen-in-time feel... like the food court with chairs still stacked. Any tips on malls that are safe to explore and not totally locked down? Also, what gear do you guys bring for photos? I use my phone but thinking of upgrading.

Can we talk about the wild plants I found in the empty food court?

I explored the shut down Grand Plaza Mall last month. In the food court, sunlight from a broken ceiling panel has let ivy and small trees grow through the floor tiles. It's like nature is fixing what we built, which got me wondering if we should help turn these places into parks or farms. Has anyone else seen this happen, and what are your thoughts on using dead malls for green projects?

Last weekend at the deserted Plaza Mall, I noticed we all snap photos but rarely discuss the actual reasons these places go under. Some prefer the adventure, others the analysis. Where do you fall?

Summit Center's rot proves it's not just about buying stuff online

I snuck into the old Summit Center mall last weekend and the damage inside was SHOCKING. Folks blame websites for killing malls, but this place had leaks and crumbling walls way before that became a trend. Do you think we give mall owners too much slack for letting buildings fall apart?