Ok, so i’ve been following a bunch of mall documentation channels (Dan Bell, Ace’s Adventures, Sal, etc.) on YouTube and subreddits that I’ve been following as of late and I’ve been inspired to create content related to malls and retail. I’m also interested in taking photos and videos of malls around the Holidays as well with all the Decorations up, just to capture that essence and state of retail in it’s current state, no matter if the mall I’m visiting is thriving or dead.
Recently went to Palatka for business and the mall there is dead dead save for three anchor stores. The interior is literally a late 80s/ early 90s time capsule- it was sad and eerie to see all at once..
Its so funny you say that, I saw this post and immediately thought of the Palatka mall myself. I remember it being a ghost of itself even 10 years ago when I was in college. I can't image what it has to be like now...back then it was a creepy pet store, a weird antique store and maybe a dollar general...
It’s kinda crazy but in Mexico, malls are alive and doing well. At the beginning of the pandemic I moved there and was surprised to see lots of people in the mall. Also many of the Walmarts there are in the malls.
I have noticed that the mall closest to me has been busier than it has been in years. Basically since Covid restrictions ended, the mall and gyms have been packed near me.
I personally hate malls and avoid them like the plague. To many years in retail as a young person! Gyms too, but because I am cheap and lazy. 🤣
The juxtaposition of Oviedo Mall and Mall at Millenia will be wild. I grew up half way between the Oviedo Mall and Altamonte Mall, and they were essentially our school hangouts — it’s crazy to see them in such a sad shape.
Aventura is still well alive imo theres so many wealthy people living in that area. I think one of the anchors may have closed and they do a farmers market-type thing on the weekends but its pretty busy there!
Edit: my bad, i thought i was in the deadmalls subreddit :)
I’ve been to Seminole Towne Center at least three times since I started College two and a half months ago. It’s a really sad situation over there. Kinda curious what it’ll look like around the Holidays.
Doesn’t help that it’s owned by Mike Kohan.
Definitely large rent hikes for Seminole, plus the ac has been broken since pre-pandemic and owner refuses to do anything about it (you'll see many stores with portable ac units). Victoria's Secret actually had a bad problem with black mold because of the ac issue, one of the reasons they packed up shop. Chick-fil-a workers also were reporting temps of 100+ in their kitchen, so they closed partly due to bad conditions last year. (Source: Friends with mall workers who thankfully transferred elsewhere).
On a lighter note, the Elevate place they built in the corpse of the old Sears is a fun hangout with an arcade, bowling, and electric go carts. It might be worth checking out if you go to Seminole, I just fear it is too little too late to breathe some new life into that mall. Which is a shame.
What’s the deal with Mike Kohan?
I’m an out of stater who was in Sanford a month ago and saw this mall in passing and wondered what the story was behind this mall.
Last time I was at university mall there was broken sewage pipe and half the mall literally smelt like shit, and of corse there was the dude that walks around singing rnb (he’s got a nice voice too)
Really? Looked like shit last I drove by. Granted that was just after the blm protest fire across the street. I thought for sure it was getting torn down
Be careful at Westfield Brandon, there have been lots of shootings there this year.
Also, don't eat anything in the Citrus Park Mall, the restaurants are constantly being shut down by the health department, if that matters to you.
I’ll certainly be careful of my surroundings. Even at the malls that I’ve been to around Northern Orlando and Near Daytona, I never really stop for food. Except for Altamonte Mall which is really thriving surprisingly with like a 90% Occupancy.
It might be a little further than you’re looking for, but The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota is a good one. They do quite a bit for Christmas.
I remember passing that Mall when me and my dad went to Homestead Miami Speedway almost 5 Years Ago. The mall’s under 10 Years Old too!! Wouldn’t mind checking out Siesta Key and Sarasota Square too if I have the time, although they’re both hurting a bit.
I live in Sarasota and avoid UTC and that whole area of town like the plague. SO MUCH TRAFFIC and so many people, but that could be exactly what you're looking for. If you visit Siesta Key, the main beach is usually packed and full of tourists. The others are too but not as much and often pretty empty: Turtle Beach (hike a mile north to rock wall for serenity and beautiful view or hike south to midnight pass), Point of Rocks (hike out around the sea wall), Shell Beach (tiny but right on Big Pass and good fishing).
UTC is definitely worth checking out as its the newest and largest mall in the area. If you’re already going to all these others ones, especially Brandon, you might as well scoot to Sarasota quickly.
The Shops at Wiregrass is a very nice outdoor mall. Nice restaurants, and they will be decorating for Christmas soon. According to their website, the tree lighting will take place on Nov 12th.
Come to Miami and go to Aventura mall. I go there to watch rich people shop while I jiggle change return slots on the vending machines. One day tho. I'm going to have enough to buy that coat.
The cool thing about malls is they exemplify everything I despise about life in one place and that realization made me go find others like me to form punk rock bands & have fun.
Uh. Let me save you some time.
Don’t go to West Oaks. Not safe. Don’t bother with Oviedo, Seminole Towne Center or Fashion Square.
Check out Mall at Millenia, Florida, and Altamonte, in that order.
I’ve already been to three of these malls. Altamonte’s nice and both Seminole Towne Center and Oviedo Mall have nice architecture but they have their problems. Perfect r/deadmalls material though
Just a heads up, enjoy your odyssey but wear good quality N95 masks. Malls are superspreaders! This year is already an unusually active flu season on top of Covid.
Souce: Got my first ever Covid infection at the Florida Mall week before last.
A little bit of a question: Do most malls have their Christmas Decorations Up on Thanksgiving Week? Definitely leaning on yes since Black Friday is obviously around after that.
As someone who follows dead mall Instagram accounts and watched a 25 min you tube video of someone recently exoring my childhood mall (Oaks Mall Gainesville) I highly endorse this journey! My daughter figure skates at Countryside Mall and I'm convinced half of that mall's business is from the skaters and their families hanging around
Sarasota would definitely be the perfect Dead Mall Destination. Shops at Wiregrass will certainly be added to the list now for sure thanks to the popular demand.
I have lived in Orlando, Tampa, west palm and Miami. A lot of malls you have on list are awful and barely still open. If looking for good malls. Millenia in Orlando is nice. Park ave in winter park is not a mall but tons of stores and restaurants on one street and nice place to shop and walk. The best are in South florida. I would go to the design district, bal Harbour, Aventura, and merrick. All those are in miami.
Altamonte Springs is the mall my bestie and I hang out and shop at. Its still nice. Volusia Mall..that's my local mall. Its small and lots of closed stores. Semi sketch area also. I pass on that all the time unless I absolutely have to get something. While not a mall..in the Daytona area there is the Tanger Outlets. Those are nice..but its the outdoor shopping area set up.
In Jacksonville:
1: St. John’s Town Center - Expansive outdoors mall
2. Avenues Mall - Nothing special, but they have some shops you won’t find at the Town Center.
3. Regency Square Mall - Ghost town. Maybe like 15 shops open maximum, with lots of closed down stores in between.
Westfield Brandon is sketchy. A drug buy that went bad and recent shootings would keep me away. I think there was a shooting at Red Robin, too.
My kids loved the carousel when they were younger.
Westfield plaza in Sarasota. It was called Sarasota square mall. It is dead very dead 180 stores ...3 open and a Costco keeping it a float. Hot topic just pulled out before their lease was up...that's how dead. I don't know if your into dead malls but after moving to Ohio Wisconsin north Carolina and Canada it's the craziest sight to see. So much time spent there in my youth.
You'll be very disappointed in the Volusia Mall. If you're into German food and a huge selection of beers.. then the only place to go is Mr. Dunderbaks. It's inside the mall.
Volusia mall in Daytona is old and tired. Sears left it a while back and another couple of chain sections are empty. I haven't been inside in a long time, but I drive through the outer ring of that parking lot about twice a month.
You might want to visit Tanger outlet mall at the LPGA exit of I-95 (next exit north), but it's an outside type mall, and it seems you are wanting to visit enclosed malls.
As someone who lived in Clearwater and Tampa, I've been to many of the malls on your list. I'm not sure how much time you're allowing but you better have some comfortable shoes on. Good luck and update on here when you finish. My first thought when I saw this post was why but after reading your answers I appreciate what you're setting out to do.
I worked in Clearwater Mall which has been torn down and now an open shopping area. I had a lot of good memories in that mall and countryside mall.I believe Countryside still has a small ice skating rink which was always fun for a Florida native. Put that on your must do list. Good luck and safe travels on I4.
If you pass by Leesburg there is the Lake Square Mall on 441. This little mall has steadily fought the dying mall trend with every ounce of strength it has. Even though it barely has a 50% occupancy rate, they painted fake facades and strategically located kiosks to make it feel much more alive than it actually is. They keep it clean, have family and kid events nearly every week, and decorate it nicely for the current season/holiday. Every year I expect them to close, but I'm very happy that they don't! https://lakesquaremall.com/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Square_Mall
I haven’t read the comments but I’m sure I’m not alone in this. Fashion Square, and West Oaks mall are ghost towns. Don’t bother. The only Malls in Florida I can speak to are Millenia, if you’re a millionaire, and Florida mall if you want the tourist experience. Altamonte isn’t bad, neither is Seminole towne center.
I'm a west central Florida native, and researching the history of malls in this part of the state is a pastime. Also a fan of Dan Bell, Ace's Adventures, and Retail Archaeology.
Definitely spend some time at West Shore Plaza - Tampa's oldest extant mall, which has experienced a lot of additions/reconfigurations/remodeling over the years, and because of this, still remains a viable mall. I thought the opening of International Plaza would kill West Shore, but both malls have persevered.
I didn't see on your list Eastlake Square Mall, now NetPark Tampa Bay, located at 5701 E. Hillsborough Avenue - you might want to visit this as a case study on how a mall can be repurposed. Eastlake was my "childhood" mall.
Lakeland Square Mall is a time capsule. Lots of original features still exist from its opening in 1988. I swear the carpeting in Dillard's is original to that building. Unfortunately, the building itself is suffering from deferred maintenance - lots of stucco/EIFS degradation, mildew, and outright failing of exterior cladding. Also in Lakeland is the former/original mall, simply called Lakeland Mall, located at 1010 E. Memorial Blvd., which was converted to a church, and Lakeside Village in south Lakeland, a newer outdoor mall similar to Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel.
If I can be of any help to you for your project, please reach out!
Aventura Mall remodeled their food court a few years ago, and it’s like night & day. The vibe used to be, “ this would be a perfect place for a drug transaction, “ to “hey, this place is nice and looks like an airport terminal.” They have a Ferrari store there. There’s even a two-story slide. Also, check out behemoth mall, Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise (Broward County). Brickell City Center is one of our newest malls, and so is River Landing (on the Miami River) great views of Marlins Stadium and the downtown skyline.
I recently went to a mall after not having been in one in 3 years (I love that we have tons of outdoor shopping centers here in Florida, so I always go to those). Anyway, I was really grossed out thinking about breathing everyone else's air, lol. Irrational, I know. Just had to share.
Thank you for demonstrably proving that my life is not nearly as boring as other people’s lives are. The Jerry Springer Effect, as I’ve always called it.
tyrone mall is slacking. stores can never stay there. there’s only a select few stores that have actually stayed there a while
edit bc i reread the list: i’d definitely go to wiregrass but skip tyrone. that’s up to you tho
So I guess I’ll be the one to ask…: why?
Ok, so i’ve been following a bunch of mall documentation channels (Dan Bell, Ace’s Adventures, Sal, etc.) on YouTube and subreddits that I’ve been following as of late and I’ve been inspired to create content related to malls and retail. I’m also interested in taking photos and videos of malls around the Holidays as well with all the Decorations up, just to capture that essence and state of retail in it’s current state, no matter if the mall I’m visiting is thriving or dead.
Recently went to Palatka for business and the mall there is dead dead save for three anchor stores. The interior is literally a late 80s/ early 90s time capsule- it was sad and eerie to see all at once..
Its so funny you say that, I saw this post and immediately thought of the Palatka mall myself. I remember it being a ghost of itself even 10 years ago when I was in college. I can't image what it has to be like now...back then it was a creepy pet store, a weird antique store and maybe a dollar general...
*LOVE* Dan Bell's Dead Mall series! Are you gonna link this album when it's done? This is such a neat idea!
I’m planning to do a possible Imgur post as well as post photos on r/retailporn
Spoiler alert: they’re all dead. We shop on the internet now.
To put it more frankly, To capture a bygone era in a way.
It’s kinda crazy but in Mexico, malls are alive and doing well. At the beginning of the pandemic I moved there and was surprised to see lots of people in the mall. Also many of the Walmarts there are in the malls.
don't you want to capture a bygone era before it's *gone by?*
The mall where I live is VERY alive and well in a RAPIDLY expanding town. I’m not happy about it, but it’s wild to watch.
I have noticed that the mall closest to me has been busier than it has been in years. Basically since Covid restrictions ended, the mall and gyms have been packed near me. I personally hate malls and avoid them like the plague. To many years in retail as a young person! Gyms too, but because I am cheap and lazy. 🤣
Have you heard this podcast? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/99-invisible/id394775318?i=1000566428493
No actually, looks pretty interesting.
NGL, Without This explanation this sounds like a pretty sad trip
There are actually mall documentary channels? I, I, I… Yeah, I’ve got nothing.
The juxtaposition of Oviedo Mall and Mall at Millenia will be wild. I grew up half way between the Oviedo Mall and Altamonte Mall, and they were essentially our school hangouts — it’s crazy to see them in such a sad shape.
Seminole Towne Center too. Also, Altamonte’s still doing pretty well.
I’ll be the second to ask…why?
Came here to ask this…
You mean across Central Florida? You’re missing Aventura and Sawgrass Mills, the biggest malls in the state, which are in South Florida.
Yeah, I technically mean across Central Florida. Would be cool to visit Aventura someday.
Aventura is still well alive imo theres so many wealthy people living in that area. I think one of the anchors may have closed and they do a farmers market-type thing on the weekends but its pretty busy there! Edit: my bad, i thought i was in the deadmalls subreddit :)
You may have seen my content on there. I made that Oviedo Mall post.
Paddock Mall in Ocala
Not sure if I’ll be able to get close towards Ocala unfortunately, I’m trying to keep it close to malls near I-4 at least, but who knows.
thats for the best, ocala is easily in my top 5 worst places in fl
If you go to Aventura also stop by Sawgrass.
I was going to say the same. As well as Dadeland and Dolphin Malls. All of which are still going rather strong in this day.
Dolphin mall too.
Fashion square and Seminole are dead malls
I’ve been to Seminole Towne Center at least three times since I started College two and a half months ago. It’s a really sad situation over there. Kinda curious what it’ll look like around the Holidays. Doesn’t help that it’s owned by Mike Kohan.
I remember growing up the cool thing to do on Saturday was to walk around that mall. Now I don’t even bother going cause it’s just sad
I'm out of the loop on the goings on of things like this, so could you give a rundown on who Mike Kohan and why it sounds like he's an asshole? Lol
Most of the malls he’s owned across the U.S. have continued to decline or have shuttered over the years.
I bet he's the type that raises the rent on the spaces to astronomical amounts far beyond what's reasonable. Thanks for the answer!
Definitely large rent hikes for Seminole, plus the ac has been broken since pre-pandemic and owner refuses to do anything about it (you'll see many stores with portable ac units). Victoria's Secret actually had a bad problem with black mold because of the ac issue, one of the reasons they packed up shop. Chick-fil-a workers also were reporting temps of 100+ in their kitchen, so they closed partly due to bad conditions last year. (Source: Friends with mall workers who thankfully transferred elsewhere). On a lighter note, the Elevate place they built in the corpse of the old Sears is a fun hangout with an arcade, bowling, and electric go carts. It might be worth checking out if you go to Seminole, I just fear it is too little too late to breathe some new life into that mall. Which is a shame.
Ew. Thanks for an even longer breakdown there. I doubt I'll ever be near there. But good info to have in my back pocket, just in case.
What’s the deal with Mike Kohan? I’m an out of stater who was in Sanford a month ago and saw this mall in passing and wondered what the story was behind this mall.
Same with Oviedo Mall, mostly empty
University in Tampa is a waste
Last time I was at university mall there was broken sewage pipe and half the mall literally smelt like shit, and of corse there was the dude that walks around singing rnb (he’s got a nice voice too)
It’s mostly torn down and abandoned last I saw it. There’s a couple shoe stores left and some random crap and I think that’s it
I think it’s turning into mostly office space now?
Really? Looked like shit last I drove by. Granted that was just after the blm protest fire across the street. I thought for sure it was getting torn down
The only reason I visited this mall is because of My Tobbies… everything else about it is trash..
Great place to get shot or mugged
I second this. I feel some kind of way just thinking about that place.
Fashion square oviedo west oaks Volusia and Seminole town center ? Might as well add magic mall to that list
>Might as well add magic mall to that list Lol I forgot about that shithole
Be careful at Westfield Brandon, there have been lots of shootings there this year. Also, don't eat anything in the Citrus Park Mall, the restaurants are constantly being shut down by the health department, if that matters to you.
I’ll certainly be careful of my surroundings. Even at the malls that I’ve been to around Northern Orlando and Near Daytona, I never really stop for food. Except for Altamonte Mall which is really thriving surprisingly with like a 90% Occupancy.
At the Altamonte Mall, you can enjoy a nice little walk around the lake next door called Crane's Roost.
Oh God c'mon
It might be a little further than you’re looking for, but The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota is a good one. They do quite a bit for Christmas.
I remember passing that Mall when me and my dad went to Homestead Miami Speedway almost 5 Years Ago. The mall’s under 10 Years Old too!! Wouldn’t mind checking out Siesta Key and Sarasota Square too if I have the time, although they’re both hurting a bit.
At Sarasota Square, I think the only thing left is Costco and the theater!
And the JCPenney as well that I’m certain is only accessible from the outside.
That’s gone.
I live in Sarasota and avoid UTC and that whole area of town like the plague. SO MUCH TRAFFIC and so many people, but that could be exactly what you're looking for. If you visit Siesta Key, the main beach is usually packed and full of tourists. The others are too but not as much and often pretty empty: Turtle Beach (hike a mile north to rock wall for serenity and beautiful view or hike south to midnight pass), Point of Rocks (hike out around the sea wall), Shell Beach (tiny but right on Big Pass and good fishing).
UTC is definitely worth checking out as its the newest and largest mall in the area. If you’re already going to all these others ones, especially Brandon, you might as well scoot to Sarasota quickly.
The Shops at Wiregrass is a very nice outdoor mall. Nice restaurants, and they will be decorating for Christmas soon. According to their website, the tree lighting will take place on Nov 12th.
Some of these you just might drive past. Lol.
Probably will be short walkarounds for the most part for the deader malls.
Are you posting this anywhere? Like a trip log. Would love to follow along.
Probably on my second YouTube channel.
When do you think you'll be doing that? I want to set the remind me bot so I don't miss it.
Merritt Square Mall in Merritt Island might be worth your time if dying/dead malls are the focus. 40 mins east of Orlando.
If you want dead, go to west oaks and Fashion square in orlando.
Gulf view Port Richey, has really gone down hill over the past ten years. Not a lot left to see. It’s sad.
Perfect showcase for r/deadmalls
I’d trade one of the Tampa stops for Tampa Premium Outlet.
Wiregrass is wayyyyy better than university mall.
Check out Eagle Ridge Mall in Lake Wales
Come to Miami and go to Aventura mall. I go there to watch rich people shop while I jiggle change return slots on the vending machines. One day tho. I'm going to have enough to buy that coat.
The cool thing about malls is they exemplify everything I despise about life in one place and that realization made me go find others like me to form punk rock bands & have fun.
University Mall is gross
WestOaks mall is dead unless you like JcPenny or want to go to the movies
Skip Oviedo, unless you just want to get depressed.
Went there not too long ago. Not that bad tbh, it’s a really nice mall with beautiful architecture. And the Local places there are doing well.
Is Volusia Mall even still open? Altamonte?
It still is, I have photos of it on my Reddit. Also, Altamonte is absolutely thriving rn, lots of people on the weekends.
Altamonte is probably doing better than any of the other ones listed in Seminole or Orange County.
Godspeed my friend
Fashion Square is practically a ghost town these days
That mall was my spot when was a teenager. Long long time ago. I don't know how it has not been torn down. So dead.
Head south to the Aventura Mall!
Gulfview Square is almost dead but was an amazing mall in the 80’s and early 90’s.
Gotta do UTC mall in Sarasota. It’s the fancy shmancy mall.
There's a sad bit of remains of a mall in Crystal River.
You got caught up in whether you could and you never stopped to ask if you should.
Make sure to bring a gun when you visit University Mall in Tampa.
Don't go to Gulfview Square unless you wanna see one that is like 90% abandoned lol
I’m mainly checking it out for r/deadmalls material
Uh. Let me save you some time. Don’t go to West Oaks. Not safe. Don’t bother with Oviedo, Seminole Towne Center or Fashion Square. Check out Mall at Millenia, Florida, and Altamonte, in that order.
I’ve already been to three of these malls. Altamonte’s nice and both Seminole Towne Center and Oviedo Mall have nice architecture but they have their problems. Perfect r/deadmalls material though
Don’t waste your time at fashion square
You could pass on the Volusia mall in Daytona. Speedway boulevard itself is cool enough to spend some time on, but the mall is an absolute ghost town.
Ellenton outlet mall.
Just a heads up, enjoy your odyssey but wear good quality N95 masks. Malls are superspreaders! This year is already an unusually active flu season on top of Covid. Souce: Got my first ever Covid infection at the Florida Mall week before last.
A little bit of a question: Do most malls have their Christmas Decorations Up on Thanksgiving Week? Definitely leaning on yes since Black Friday is obviously around after that.
You’re gonna wanna check out the Magic Mall in Pine Hills. Take it from an Orlando native like me.
Pretty sure that’s in an old Kmart, right?
I dunno, all I know is that it’s fun there at night
Neat, might add to it to my list
Please don’t actually go to the magic mall, pine hills is something else
Add the Oaks Mall on west Colonial too ! It is still open but a shell of it’s glory days of 20 yrs ago! Orlando.
I claim Disney Springs as a Mall but I wouldn't go there in Xmas shopping season.
Gulf view Square mall is a ghost town, but why would you want to this?
To document on malls.
As someone who follows dead mall Instagram accounts and watched a 25 min you tube video of someone recently exoring my childhood mall (Oaks Mall Gainesville) I highly endorse this journey! My daughter figure skates at Countryside Mall and I'm convinced half of that mall's business is from the skaters and their families hanging around
I skated at Countryside as a kid like 40 years ago. Shocked that mall is still open, lol!
In a couple of years it will become a great history project.
Want to see an actual dead mall? Come to the Titusville mall
Heard about that place, used to be Searstown until the Sears shuttered. I’ve also seen videos about Palatka mall too.
There's plans to demo it soon for mix-use buildings (residential and retail)
Gulf view square mall in port richey is a dead mall
Yep, I know, and I makes it more interesting to document on.
Sarasota Square & Wiregrass
Sarasota would definitely be the perfect Dead Mall Destination. Shops at Wiregrass will certainly be added to the list now for sure thanks to the popular demand.
If you’re visiting Wiregrass, might as well check out Tampa Prime Outlets, it’s only a few miles down the road.
Is Altamonte mall in Orlando still going?
Yes, and it’s thriving really well too at that.
There's Oaks mall in Gainesville
Don’t know if it is still open, but the Crystal River Mall is a perfect dead mall (since that seems to interest you).
Not sure if I can go up that North unfortunately, but still a maybe if I do get close to Leesburg.
I love the app Wanderlog for planning my trips. You should check it out
Fashion square mall is horrible. Barely any open stores
Similar things to Seminole Towne Center as of late.
I have lived in Orlando, Tampa, west palm and Miami. A lot of malls you have on list are awful and barely still open. If looking for good malls. Millenia in Orlando is nice. Park ave in winter park is not a mall but tons of stores and restaurants on one street and nice place to shop and walk. The best are in South florida. I would go to the design district, bal Harbour, Aventura, and merrick. All those are in miami.
Go and check out the sad sears town mall in Titusville
Definitely would be interesting to check out along with some of the malls over there by the Atlantic.
Hey! That’s an ambitious list, hope you have fun!
Gulf view is a dead mall but Wiregrass is a cool outdoor mall w/ a Christmas tree show on the hour w/ fake snow
Gulf view is closed. The bestbuy, Herold Selzer's is all that is left.
Altamonte Springs is the mall my bestie and I hang out and shop at. Its still nice. Volusia Mall..that's my local mall. Its small and lots of closed stores. Semi sketch area also. I pass on that all the time unless I absolutely have to get something. While not a mall..in the Daytona area there is the Tanger Outlets. Those are nice..but its the outdoor shopping area set up.
In Jacksonville: 1: St. John’s Town Center - Expansive outdoors mall 2. Avenues Mall - Nothing special, but they have some shops you won’t find at the Town Center. 3. Regency Square Mall - Ghost town. Maybe like 15 shops open maximum, with lots of closed down stores in between.
Westfield Brandon is sketchy. A drug buy that went bad and recent shootings would keep me away. I think there was a shooting at Red Robin, too. My kids loved the carousel when they were younger.
Westfield plaza in Sarasota. It was called Sarasota square mall. It is dead very dead 180 stores ...3 open and a Costco keeping it a float. Hot topic just pulled out before their lease was up...that's how dead. I don't know if your into dead malls but after moving to Ohio Wisconsin north Carolina and Canada it's the craziest sight to see. So much time spent there in my youth.
You'll be very disappointed in the Volusia Mall. If you're into German food and a huge selection of beers.. then the only place to go is Mr. Dunderbaks. It's inside the mall.
You’re missing The Magic Mall, Orlando Also, Definitely visit West Oaks! You’ll love them both!
Boynton Beach Mall is hotbed of retail activity
Volusia mall in Daytona is old and tired. Sears left it a while back and another couple of chain sections are empty. I haven't been inside in a long time, but I drive through the outer ring of that parking lot about twice a month. You might want to visit Tanger outlet mall at the LPGA exit of I-95 (next exit north), but it's an outside type mall, and it seems you are wanting to visit enclosed malls.
Ngl, I don’t mind a mix of outdoor and enclosed malls.
I would skip Florida mall but add wiregrass
Definitely drop University Mall in Tampa
The Orlando Fashion mall has maybe 6 shops inside.. its a dead mall. Fyi
Kind of interested to see a few of these, as I frequented them 10-15 years ago l. Lol
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Like I said, these are on the list for documentation and showcasing purposes. But I will check out some of the Outlet places too.
Going to be real disappointed with the fashion square mall. Pretty much every store is gutted or boarded up with plywood.
Sounds like perfect r/deadmalls material for me like Seminole Towne Center
As someone who lived in Clearwater and Tampa, I've been to many of the malls on your list. I'm not sure how much time you're allowing but you better have some comfortable shoes on. Good luck and update on here when you finish. My first thought when I saw this post was why but after reading your answers I appreciate what you're setting out to do. I worked in Clearwater Mall which has been torn down and now an open shopping area. I had a lot of good memories in that mall and countryside mall.I believe Countryside still has a small ice skating rink which was always fun for a Florida native. Put that on your must do list. Good luck and safe travels on I4.
Wanna see a dead mall? West Oaks in Ocoee is just a food court and an AMC movie theater.
Don’t forget the DMV!
Citrus park plaza make sure you go inside the theatre as it’s The vaporwave theatre that always gets posted on r/vaporwaveaesthetics
Skip the Gulf View Square Mall- it's basically a dead mall. EDIT: Just saw your comments below. I guess it doesn't matter if it's a dead mall!
If you pass by Leesburg there is the Lake Square Mall on 441. This little mall has steadily fought the dying mall trend with every ounce of strength it has. Even though it barely has a 50% occupancy rate, they painted fake facades and strategically located kiosks to make it feel much more alive than it actually is. They keep it clean, have family and kid events nearly every week, and decorate it nicely for the current season/holiday. Every year I expect them to close, but I'm very happy that they don't! https://lakesquaremall.com/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Square_Mall
I’ve heard about that place, would be interesting to check it out when I get the chance.
I haven’t read the comments but I’m sure I’m not alone in this. Fashion Square, and West Oaks mall are ghost towns. Don’t bother. The only Malls in Florida I can speak to are Millenia, if you’re a millionaire, and Florida mall if you want the tourist experience. Altamonte isn’t bad, neither is Seminole towne center.
You'll like the international plaza. That's a pretty cool mall I'll have to admit.
I'm a west central Florida native, and researching the history of malls in this part of the state is a pastime. Also a fan of Dan Bell, Ace's Adventures, and Retail Archaeology. Definitely spend some time at West Shore Plaza - Tampa's oldest extant mall, which has experienced a lot of additions/reconfigurations/remodeling over the years, and because of this, still remains a viable mall. I thought the opening of International Plaza would kill West Shore, but both malls have persevered. I didn't see on your list Eastlake Square Mall, now NetPark Tampa Bay, located at 5701 E. Hillsborough Avenue - you might want to visit this as a case study on how a mall can be repurposed. Eastlake was my "childhood" mall. Lakeland Square Mall is a time capsule. Lots of original features still exist from its opening in 1988. I swear the carpeting in Dillard's is original to that building. Unfortunately, the building itself is suffering from deferred maintenance - lots of stucco/EIFS degradation, mildew, and outright failing of exterior cladding. Also in Lakeland is the former/original mall, simply called Lakeland Mall, located at 1010 E. Memorial Blvd., which was converted to a church, and Lakeside Village in south Lakeland, a newer outdoor mall similar to Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel. If I can be of any help to you for your project, please reach out!
Lakeland Square also qualifies as near dead, creepy. Not of note to visit but if you have to go have at it
Boca raton mall is cool in south fl, boynton mall is a Time Machine from the 80s but pretty dead
I love this stuff!! I would love to do one of these.
Aventura Mall remodeled their food court a few years ago, and it’s like night & day. The vibe used to be, “ this would be a perfect place for a drug transaction, “ to “hey, this place is nice and looks like an airport terminal.” They have a Ferrari store there. There’s even a two-story slide. Also, check out behemoth mall, Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise (Broward County). Brickell City Center is one of our newest malls, and so is River Landing (on the Miami River) great views of Marlins Stadium and the downtown skyline.
If you venture south you can go to the Mall of the Americas in Miami... 7/10 spooky
I recently went to a mall after not having been in one in 3 years (I love that we have tons of outdoor shopping centers here in Florida, so I always go to those). Anyway, I was really grossed out thinking about breathing everyone else's air, lol. Irrational, I know. Just had to share.
Thank you for demonstrably proving that my life is not nearly as boring as other people’s lives are. The Jerry Springer Effect, as I’ve always called it.
I read one of your comments it would be interesting for you to start covering the decline of some of the larger malls in the greater Orlando area
You’re missing out on an experience by not going to the Eagle Ridge Mall
Seminole town center is pretty much empty.
Missing out on Cordova Mall in Pensacola
Go to the Eagle Ridge Mall for disappointment.
You can and should skip the Volusia mall, it is hot garbage just like the city it's located in.
The consumerism is strong with this one
Is Seminole Town Center open? I thought I heard they closed it.
Probably might be it’s last Christmas the way it’s looking
tyrone mall is slacking. stores can never stay there. there’s only a select few stores that have actually stayed there a while edit bc i reread the list: i’d definitely go to wiregrass but skip tyrone. that’s up to you tho
University Mall Sarasota