Fond memories getting dropped off at Lloyd Center by my parents during summer vacations from middle school during the 90s. Would spend hours strolling the mall, hanging with friends, watching movies at the theatre by the food court, ice skating on the ground floor, getting accidentally lost in the confusing parking garage, checking out Oregon stores like Meier & Frank, etc. Such an idyllic time to grow up in Portland, when it felt more like a tranquil big town without the big city problems like today. Also remember that catchy theme song “In the Center of the City” from the Lloyd Center commercials on TV, right before watching Jeff Gianola on the news. The 90s in Portland were a magical time.
My grandparents used to take us there in the early 60s . It was the pride of Portland and had such a amazing energy especially at Christmas time . This is like going to a funeral watching this . The optimism and forward looking world of the 50s and 60s is dead . No experience online can replace the sense of wonder and community I experienced at Lloyd Center .
Repent to Jesus Christ “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NIV h
I couldn't agree more. My mother worked here for many years, and all through grade school, and some of high school, I spent at this mall, visiting with the her co-workers at her store, and then visiting with some of the managers and employees of all the other stores over time, and the restaurants as well. Morrow's Nut House made their own candy on-site, and you could smell it throughout the mall, it was incredible. My mouth Still Waters for some of their confections! It was an open-air Mall back in the sixties and seventies, and at Christmas time, the trees would be so tall, that they would protrude above the buildings, and you could see them from the city and the neighboring areas around the mall, all lit up, even before you got there. It was truly a magical experience! Aladdin restaurant that used to hang over the original and larger ice rink, was amazing, and the bridge connecting the two sides of the mall over the ice rink, was always a treat, but was removed when they sized down the ice rink a few years back. It seems like the place went downhill immediately afterwards. I miss this place terribly, and this broke my heart, as well as brought back fond, fond memories of the past. Thank you for your comments, they were really appreciated, and I could relate to everything you said. Perhaps we saw each other there from time to time?! My best to you, and everyone watching this video, and my best to the future of the Lloyd Center area, whatever happens. A special thanks to the creator of this video, as well. 💗
@@iwannabethekid34xc some of us tried. My generation was part of the hippie generation and I thought we were going to change the world. Then the government started handing out free drugs to people and it all just went down the toilet. All of my friends are still liberal, but most of the people that are a little older than I am are extremely conservative and I just don’t get it. You can’t blame me and my friends! We were environmentalists in the late 60s and early 70s when people used to talk about zero population growth. That’s a term I haven’t heard in decades. What happened?
Joe Brown's Carmel Corn! They've been at the mall since it opened in 1960 and are the only original store still in business. Good to see them hanging on. There was a Suncoast up on the 2nd floor that closed about a year ago. I miss going in there and finding OOP movies.
It's really crazy to think this used to be the "good" mall on the eastern side of Portland. I remember days when it was crazy packed, especially around winter. Ironically, my friends and I predicted it would be the Clackamas mall that would go under, but it's actually doing fairly well for itself, these days, all things considered. Either way, the way you included the rich history of this building is really awesome and I'll have something to look back on when I miss it.
@Finessnu2 I think she ment Eastside. Since that's where Loyd center is, the northEAST side. It's on the East side of the Willamette River. Maybe you aren't from here. Me, I was born and raised.
Repent to Jesus Christ “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NIV h
So many memories I have of this mall growing up as a kid. The mall use to have a movie theater next to the food court. There also use to be a arcade next to the theater as well. So sad what the mall has become. Thanks Ace for a trip down memory lane! 😊
@@lisacastano1064 Do you have any pictures of when you were there?!?! That would be amazing if you could upload a short video of the pics to show us the rink, just block out your face for privacy ! Thanks.
This is so sad to see, the mall interior looks so nice and modern. My mom visited this place a few times in the 1960s, and I went here in 2012 when the anchor lineup was complete with Nordstrom, Macys, Sears, Marshalls, Ross, old navy, H&M, Regal Cinemas, Barnes and Noble, and even a Suncoast store. 10 years later and it’s all gone 😢
I worked at the Lloyd Center from late 2015 until late 2018 - the organization I work for leased the old multiplex movie theater (it's still on the signage in the mall as "Theatre" on the 3rd level, but hasn't been a theater in years) as office space. It was nice space, too, but as time went on, the mall around us declined pretty steeply. The previous management (Cypress?) did a lot of renovation in around 2014-2016, spending well into eight figures, adding back the spiral staircase that had been there originally, redoing the ice rink and freshening the place up...but they didn't seem to have a clue how to market the place. I remember the day they cut the ribbon for the "grand reopening" - you'd think they'd have had an event on a weekend, when they could expect some kind of crowd, maybe offer entertainment or food for visitors...it was on a weekday afternoon, and attracted a few dozen people, none of whom seemed to be under 70 except for a few people who worked in the mall office. That's when I knew it was doomed regardless of how much they spent on the cosmetic refresh. And as far as I could tell, they didn't sign a single lease for a new tenant between then and the next foreclosure. I stopped commuting there in fall 2018 to work from home, and haven't been back in the door since. I'm honestly shocked it's not scheduled for demolition already.
The first dead mall on your channel that I've actually been to. Crazy how quickly it's fallen; I remember it being pretty lively in the mid 2000's. Insane to see it dead especially for such an urban location.
As a native Portlander, I have many memories here. As a young adult, I had eye doctor and OB/GYN appointments in the 3rd floor area. It was great to get the baby check-up and get some shopping done afterward. I remember coming here before it was covered and then after it was roofed in.
I have tons of them they're too. But you know what? That's exactly what they wanted to take away from everyone and that's why they are moving everybody off of boxes and everything else. Just today the crackerjack boy is now five different crackerjack girls.
Wow. I'm sitting here with watery eyes. This mall broke ground the year of my birth and was a big part of my life. Drs, dentists, opticians, school clothes, carmel corn, ice skating, Christmas shopping, Lippmann's, etc. I didn't realize it closed. Mall 205 closed this month also. Sad, but it is what it is. BTW, Lloyd Center is far from downtown and it's pronounced Ory-gun. Thanks for the video.
I got a ride home from a pirate guy balloon vendor who lost his car...i remember watching him bound like luigi around and across this massive empty garage in the distance looking for his car
I live here. . This is close by. . I went here with my friends for years. . Busy busy busy everytime I went. . This shocked me a lot. . All my memories and adventures when I was a young kid. . . Crazy how time flies and things change. . .
It's so sad today's generation will never experienced shopping malls and small amusement parks and Drive ins like we did when we were younger amazing job on this Ace
I grew up as a native Oregonian, in and around Portland. Tom McCall was our last great governor, as we had billboards on the freeway that said " thanks for visiting, please don't stay" . Made In Oregon shops had t-shirts that said " people in Oregon don't tan, they rust" . It was such a great state then. In the 70's and 80"s was the push by environmentalists to stop logging throwing thousands of hard working men out of work. Small towns that once had a vibrant community of people , simply disappeared. As people with good intentions , but very small minds in California trashed their state, they migrated here and have now trashed this one. I actually heard a transplanted Californian complaining about all the farm land that is covered by tracts of housing here in Oregon , you see what what I meant by small minds. I have since moved to a small conservative town where idiots are easier to spot. There is a lot of nice empty land where undesirables can simply vanish. Thank god my parents are not here to see this.
can you imagine with the people and World War II and all the other Wars after are feeling right now as well with the state of things to? It's such a shame
This was my childhood mall. it’s been heartbreaking to watch it wither away throughout the years. i haven’t been in a while now, seeing this and realizing that everything is gone is quite sad. Lloyd center was my favorite mall, so unique. in the winter, faux snow would fall over the rink while people skated. twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling, orchestra music playing. the mall would be full of people. i would go school shopping there every year. every store was occupied and filled with people. i wish pdx could’ve saved lloyd center.
PDX needs space for a women's shelter that they can't fit downtown so this seems to be the perfect next space for it. I'm sure they're going to take really good care of it. 🤔
Ace, I think I speak for all of us when I say I appreciate the absolute craftsmanship of your videos. It’s clear the time and effort you put into them. I never miss one. Keep ‘em coming!
As a young adult now I think of Lloyd center as a dead mall. As a kid though I have so many memories of going there with my older sisters and skating on the OG Ice rink. Sad to see it this way but time always reclaims what’s been forgotten. RIP LLOYD CENTER
Clackamas Town Center was my brothers’ local mall and I went there often while visiting. Heard it’s not doing good either and considering Mall 205 closed… I wouldn’t be surprised.
I used to work in a doctor's office attached to the mall and would see Tonya Harding skating on the rink on lunch hour frequently. At the theater I saw the premier of "the Birdcage" with Robin Williams and ran into the lead singer of a popular alternative band. Eating at the lunch counter at Woolworths with my pop when I was a child. I will have fond memories of the mall. Thanks so much for this. ✌🏼💗
Do you remember anythhing about there being a another lower level parking lot that was filled up or closed down? On the side where the Sears is at? They have this part that is covered in dirt. Do you know what that was? THanks!
I wondered if this was ice rink where Tonya Harding practiced, thanks ffg or mentioning that! Would there have been a comic book store there in mid 1990's by any chance?
Breaks my heart. But, I suppose it’s just the passing of an era. I was in the seventh grade when Lloyd Center opened. In those days we still dressed up to go downtown and since the new mall was advertised as the biggest mall in the world, we wore our Sunday best. By high school, casual dress was acceptable and it became the place to go. I left Portland a good forty years ago; but, visit often and have seen the many incarnations Lloyd Center has gone through. Due to Covid, I’ve skipped several years. My last visit, I bought some fashionable boots from Macy’s. In fact, just so happened that I was polishing those boots today. I saw this video and clicked on immediately. Farewell Lloyd Center! Thanks for the memories!
Bought my wedding ring at LC. My Dad bought his work briefcase there when we returned to Oregon in '84. That place is great. I still go. Still love it. The people watching there is amazing! The only constant is change.
I live in The Fontaine condos adjacent to Lloyd Center and my window overlooks the mall. It's so sad and depressing and despite the promises of the new owners from Seattle and Portland's pathetic myopic "leadership" I can't keep from thinking that it's an ever deepening abyss of failed urban planning and the continued decay of a once wonderful American city.
I loved this mall so much. I used to go there with my mom in the 70's and 80's. I remember when it looked like the old pictures in the beginning of your video. I took skating lessons at the ice rink, and would watch the Christmas tree lighting every year the day after Thanksgiving. Also the Rose Festival has a rich history with Lloyd Center. For years the annual rose show would be held there and the Rose Festival Queens pictures would be displayed in the Van Dyn's candy shop. There used to be a restaurant called the Aladdin that overlooked the skating rink. It was replaced with the eating area/ restaurants that you see in the video. I could go on and on, it is so sad to see the decline. But I knew it would become this way due to high crime around the area.
Thanks for the memories, I remember this place being packed I loved coming here as a kid. Had my first date here, had my first migraine here, discovered many new hobbies, bands, movies, etc here. I went here again in October of 2021 and yeah, just like this vid, absolutely empty. It was eerie how empty it was. Times, they are a changin' lol. Cheers 🍻
I’m from a large city in Western Canada. Within the last few days my family visited Portland for the third time. We previously were there in 2010 and 2014. Needless to say we we’re quite shocked to see how Lloyd Center had deteriorated. Our first visit in 2010 was during their 50th. Anniversary. As a history nut I was impressed to see they had an area set aside full of pictures and other memorabilia. The footage of the newscast from 1958 was really interesting. I feel for the citizens of Portland who have submitted comments of their Lloyd Center memories and experiences. I hope that this mall can somehow get a second life.
It's been four years since I last went to this mall, I happened to be in Portland over spring break and had planned to go here but didn't have time. Seeing the emptiness of Lloyd Center now just makes me sad, as four years ago it was a bustling epicenter of spending way too much money. The whole time I was watching this video I kept saying to myself, "Man, and I thought Pioneer Place was empty!" It's nice to see that the ice rink is still open, but it would be hard to feel the same joy I had when I first visited Lloyd Center on my birthday in August of 2018.
My father was a construction inspector for the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). We had moved to Portland from northern Idaho so that my father could supervise the construction of the Memorial Coliseum, but it was delayed, so SOM had him do his inspections at the Lloyd Center site. He went on to supervise the construction many of the buildings of the era in Portland. Lloyd Center was a really big dill when it opened. It was BIG. For me, Lloyd Center was the social and commercial hub of 'my' Portland. For a time, my dentist's office was amongst the third floor offices. I went to high school at Benson, right across Sullivan's Gulch (in which I-84 runs) from Lloyd Center, so I 'hung out' at the mall as a meeting place. I remember all the huge trees in park which were blown down in the Columbus Day Storm.
Seeing the ice skating rink gives me major nostalgia. I'm from Corvallis but remember going to the LC between 2000-2005 to go shopping and skating. So many memories from a much simpler time.
Growing up I spent a lot of time at the Lloyd Center Mall. This was way before Clackamas Town Center Mall and Washington Square was even built. Christmas time at the Lloyd Center Mall was awesome. This is way back in the day when there was Jantzen Beach Amusement Park on Hayden Island. The memories.
Believe it or not, the Lloyd Center, is making a comeback, in the most Portland type of way! The new management is encouraging local small businesses to open up, and it has a bit of a warehouse arts district feel. Several oldschool Portland businesses moved from the rundown Chinatown into the mall, and other new shops have opened up over the past few months. There is an arts organization with giant murals in the old Ulta Beauty space, and they are doing weekly performances by artists from all over the world. There is talk of turning the old Macy’s into a film studio and soundstage. I am actually optimistic about the direction they are going, and hope you will make a follow up video a year or two from now showing it blossoming into something better than it ever was.
If you want a good chance to get ROBBED or jacked in the Lloyd Center area, this is your place. Also the CRAZY illegal street racing going on during the weekends right by the mall with hundreds of hooligans and Portland Police cannot not do a thing because of the size of the crowd, and the restricted use of tear gas, flash bangs. Yep BLOSSOMING into something and it's not going to be better. 🤔
Was very very cool tonight to see the play Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (sold out) performed in the former Victoria secret store. Very very surreal and beautiful and timely and sad all at once fitting to the tone of the ‘absurd theater’ experience
Thank you so much for documenting this. I worked at this mall a decade ago and I didn’t fully realize the state of it presently. I used to park in the under ground garage every shift and was definitely creepy leaving at night. I wish they would bring back the charm of the original open air mall.
This makes me sad. I first went up there in the 90s while visiting Portland. Loved the place. And came by whenever I was in Portland. To see it like this....
I grew up close to the Lloyd center. When I found out about it’s closing i wasn’t surprised but definitely sad. So many memories. I’m only 21 but this made me feel so much nostalgia like so much time had passed
Wow the nostalgia is hitting hard. I spent so much time here in early 2000's. I had no idea all the history behind it. Sad to see it in this state. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
The end of Lloyd Center is and end of a era for me. We lived on the east side of the mall and walked through the construction site to get to Holladay grade school on the west side of the mall. I was in the 3rd grade when the mall opened and from age 13-19 my life was the mall and the ice rink. My best friend and I were asked to help with projects - handing out pumpkins at Halloween, working during free skate during birthday week, putting rubber bands around the Christmas lights (remember the mall was not covered), using a counter and standing by the Woolworth Store counting mall customers, a sting on panhandlers, teaching beginner lessons to children, leading tot sessions on Sundays (being evacuated during a threat of rioting which did not happen) and other happenings. We both started work at 16 in the snack bar at the rink and then promoted to the ticket office. We had a strong social group referred to as “rink rats’”and for a few years felt that the rink was ours. I am sure there were others that came before and after us but for those it was a world of our own. There are so many memories of crushes, first love, drama, intrigue and fun!
This was my mall, nearly the only mall I knew aside from Jantzen Beach growing up. I remember before the roof went on. Back then all my memories are of being there when it was raining. And later when they added the roof, food court and theater when I was a teenager. Between the Lloyd Cinemas and the Lloyd Mall theater you could ALWAYS find a movie to watch. Played the x-men arcade game for the first time at its arcade. This is really sad to watch, but thank you for it.
Amazing work thank you for documenting this mall I have a lot of memories here. I was there a few weeks back and there were still several open stores near the ice rink I assume you went early in the day and many were closed. There is still a Ross and a Barnes and Noble somehow still open in this mall. Also if you visit on the weekend the ice rink is very busy which is why the Cinnabon reopened after the lockdown was lifted last year. Some life left in this place but the mom and pop stores now likely outnumber the national chains not to mention all the business on the third level being what is really left of this place. I spoke with one store owner who said they are making businesses relocate to the 2nd floor as the first floor is getting “redeveloped” but the only evidence was that Lids moved up to the next floor but the hot topic is still operating on the ground floor last time I visited with the staff saying no plans to close yet but the store was low on merchandise.
I am happy to see you in my neck of the woods, the pacifc northwest, I am also saddened to see that a Mall i visited as part of an Orchestra tour in 2006 for my High School out of Washington is now as bad as this. I am even saddened that we are losing one of the largest urban malls in the area but i am happy to say that I had a chance to experience Lloyd Center before it got so bad. I had fun on that field trip and I wish i could have seen the mall once more. I know you've covered a lot of malls that even if not in great condition financially would a grate place for mall enthusiasts like you and I to see at least once. I have said to myself several time recently that if i didn't have as many issues with being on camera or having to listen to my own voice recorded i'd gladly do what you do. Thank you Ace, you got me into urban exploration and into the idea of exploring dead malls that i wish i knew about this kind of thing before a very very famous mall near me, Northgate Mall in Seattle, got a total transformation in to phase one of the Northgate Station redevelopment by Simon Malls. I grew up with some ever changing malls and now i'm saddened to see a mall i actually loved doing so bad. Thanks again for covering all that you have and helping those of us who can't travel to see these places before they are gone to get at least a glimpse in to what they are like and peak at the history of what once was. Keep up the good work and I hope one day I can do what you do. Your loyal viewer Rayven Vulpes
Online shopping and Amazon are to blame. You don't even have to leave your seat and be able to buy even more options. So many malls look like this. I haven't been to a mall in like 20 years because I don't need anything at them. You can't save money at the mall like you can a store you can get coupons for.
@@steveo1240 Every time you go there there’s someone stealing something from the two or three stores that are still open, eh? BTW, nice Black person emoji - I’m sure it’s completely random and unrelated 🙄
These videos probably mean more to me for having moved out of the US well over a decade ago, and living in Hawaii last up until 14 years ago. The 2000s weren't the peak decade for malls but it wasn't over yet. New things always replace old things, to some extent, but it's sad to see these places go.
I moved to Hawaii 16 years ago and moved away from there 14 years ago, and both times are over a decade ago, so that can be read as wrong or as completely accurate. It was possible to add one more sentence worth of content to clarify that as a short bio, but the point was that I've been out of the US for over a decade, during which time many malls have failed. Referencing Hawaii more specifically was about mentioning a specific time away from mainland US mall experience. There is a shopping mall in Honolulu I went to many times but it was at the edge of Waikiki, more a tourist sales center than local hangout or retail outlet for residents.
Great video I liked the “Lloyd center…HAS IT ALL!” Commercial there in the middle. I spent lots of time and my parents money at this mall back in the day and went back there to ice skate about a year ago. Sad to see what’s happening to malls these days but happy for the memories I have.
I ice skate in a dead mall, the rinks are so expensive to upkeep. I’m really surprised that Namdar fixes it when it breaks.... Loved the video! Thanks!
OHHHH...Memories of Christmas time at Lloyd Center....The enticing smells from Morrows Nut House and the fresh Carmel Corn.....Glad I lived nearby as a kid, a wonderful time to grow up....same house in the family 1961-2015... .. .. ..
This makes me truly sad. I loved Lloyd Center. I spent all of my 20s there shopping, hanging out, and socializing with friends. It defined my young adult hood. To see it never coming back is truly sad and hard to accept. R.I.P Lloyd Center.
I've not been to Lloyd Center since the late 80s; I'd forgotten what a unique looking mall it was. I DO remember that commercial too. Nice work as always Anthony.
When we were in our early teen years, in the middle to late 1960s, we rode our bicycles from the far Northeast edge of the Parkrose Heights district down through the city into the Lloyd Center Mall, in the Summer months, [when it was still the then new Open Air Mall. It was beautiful in the early mornings to ride bicycles through it, as there were no gates or security locking, restricting it during the night hours then. The city was virtually free of any crime. Just to ride through the Mall in the early mornings, with the raised flower beds blooming and trees, with birds singing in the trees, it was gorgeous. As an adult, I later remember taking a lunch break during work one day from downtown, and meeting my wife and daughter at the Aladdin Restaurant which overlooked the old original large skating rink, and the open air sky above. Our daughter was just a toddler then in the early 1980s. I stopped on the way into the restaurant at the upper level of Meier & Frank's, in their bookstore section, picked up a few children's books for our daughter before I met her and my wife for lunch at the Aladdin Restaurant. [In the historic films, at about six minutes into the beginning of the video, you can see that restaurant above the ice rink in a short sequence still shot within the video, with the open sky above the old full sized ice rink.]
Such a beautiful area. Many memories!. Shopping there as a kid in the late 60s. Working at M&F in the early 70s. I loved (then) the crush of the Christmas season. The old huge registers. Most of all, anytime I smell Carmel corn it takes me back to the smell of Joe Brown's Carmel Corn wafting down the mall and the bridge over the ice rink.
I’ve been watching your work for several years now and this was another great one.Lloyd Center was one of my hang outs as a kid.Definitely gonna share this video with friends.
That garage brings back memories. It's a throwback to the outdoor mall days. Back then parking went right up to the ice rink. Joe Browns is legendary and has been there since I was a child back in the 70s. Develop the land and repurpose, but leave the rink and Joe Browns...
This mall used to,be my favorite place to hang out. I would watch people ice skate. I would check out the latest video games, and I enjoyed going to the movies too. I will miss this lovely mall. I didn’t know it’d be closed indefinitely. 😢
Oh my gosh, so many memories of this mall. I visited often as a child, and later worked there at JC Penney. I loved to shop at Lloyd Center. When it was still an open air mall they used to put up a huge Christmas Tree in the courtyard on the level above the ice rink. Back in the day, before the remodel, there was a bridge which arched over the ice rink from one side to the other. Thank you for sharing this video.
The bridge is still there, Tamara and they do put up a nice fake tree and some large ornaments in the ice rink they debuted after the last renovation (carpet updates, LED lights along walkways, uncovering old terrazo style columns).
great video! a few clarifications: lloyd center is actually in "the lloyd district", not considered a part of downtown but it is east of downtown. the Lloyd family used to own the entire district -- Lloyd center had a steam plant that provided steam to all these buildings and more that was called 'central plant' and it still exists as the mechanical room where the mall's chillers are located. 2nd is that there are several long term tenants there with years left on leases that would cost the new owners a pretty penny to break, these include the remaining junior anchor stores, Ross, H&M, F21, and Barnes and Noble as well as office level tenants. other tenants include those in the food court, gambits game store and a few others. it looks like you were there early before stores open as they have late starts nowadays, usually 10am or 11am. 3rd there have been plans to redevelop the mall for almost a decade now, right before the pandemic there was serious talk of turning nordstroms into a livenation venue but all that has been shut down. the latest I've heard is to add some residential spaces. ps i have pictures and video of every vacant space in lloyd center and of the roof!! very good post apocalypse vibes as you said.
I remember walking from Boring to Gresham to the Max and riding it to Lloyd back in the 90s it was fun . Go see a movie and thier was a arcade right next to the movie theater .
Interesting story associated with Portland's decline. Of note is the "news analyst," Tom McCall (appears at 02:38 in the video) would go on to become Oregon's iconic governor.
So called proud native Oregonians need to be reminded that their beloved Tom "we don't like them outsiders" McCall was NOT a native Oregonian, he was from Massachusetts.
I used to come down here with my Grandma and we ALWAYS went to MYER AND FRANKS AND JCPENNEY'S and I would get the most delicious Carmel Corn oh it was so good. I would also occasionally go there with my mom but mostly my Grandma because I was with her during the day while Mom worked. I also loved to watch the skaters from the overhead bridge at the Ice rink. That was back in about 1963/64. I don't know why but it always seemed like such a grand event to go shopping at the LLOYD CENTER. To be honest I really will miss it a lot. To me as a young boy it was like THE BIGGEST STORE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!
I was there the same day this video was uploaded! It was a nice time. Dying mall sure but I got Dickey’s for lunch, some cool books, and there’s a lot of cool small local stores that you don’t see in malls much, like a high end street wear boutique, an independent video game and toy import shop) that hopefully these cool locals will find other locations once the place is gone).
i've lived here all my life. being 18 and seeing the mall i practically lived at in such a cinematic and beautiful way, it's kinda a sad thing to see that my favorite place to be at is going downhill. i appreciate this vid. i subbed, i look forward to seeing more content from you
I was a teen in the 1980's, great memories. So sad to see Portland change so much over the years. Sorry to say it's not a beautiful city anymore. Breaks my heart..😭
Nice collection of early Lloyd Center pictures. I remember that, prior to the Center construction, the Ringling Bros circus would come into town and set up their tents in the several vacant lots where the Center was eventually built. You soft-peddled the demise of the Lloyd Center by not mentioning all the crime that was occurring in and around the mall. A lot of that crime was violent, including several gun killings across the street and armed robberies inside the mall.
Really good production, but I might recommend re-recording the voice over stumbles… and of course the pronunciation of “Oregon”. I particularly liked the archival footage and the old KGW broadcast. It should be noted that the reporter, Tom McCall became the governor of Oregon just a few years later.
My apologies if this came across as anything other than constructive. The only reason I even commented was because the vast majority of the production and the voice over work was excellent! The pacing was great, the enthusiasm was spot on, and the consistency was excellent. There were only a two spots where the script was repeated and distracted from the otherwise clean recordings. (And the quality of the audio recording technically is no small feat.)
please also thank all the men and the veterans who decided to simply walk away and let it all burn. in other good news the County Police Department is going to ask for another budget pump from their current running budget of approximately 13 billion dollars. much of that is a cover the lawsuits especially that guy named Forest who died at The Inverness Jail of a drug overdose in front of 79 other inmates. with all this money they still couldn't keep the battery charged on the defibrillator. or have Personnel who knew how to use it properly. I should know, I watched it happen
That's the trend now, less brick and mortar stores, more shopping online. I'm surprised Washington Square and Clackamas Town Center are still surviving.
thank you so much for making this, i grew up going here and if it does indeed go under i'm glad there's a walkaround out there to watch. loved the history portion as well.
you know the only thing that was really painful is that they took out all of the Great Water except it's that they had outside. It's one of the things I wish they kept the only had a fraction of the stuff I had before and the little fountains as you entered or usually out of order as well.
Rains bullets now days. Don't fool yourselves, your voted leaders did this for you. It's only the beginning. Portland progressive? I guess so. Only in the wrong direction. Move out now while you still have a chance. It's not getting better look around you and tell me I'm wrong. Denial got us in this mess.
Fantastic intro + review as always, Anthony. 👍 The ol’ girl had a real sense of style and panache in her early days. My dad started his career at a Woolworth’s, so it was also pretty cool to see that.
YOOO I worked here at the Marshalls until it closed and then at another store there! I thought it was already empty when I left in 2020 but visited in late 2021 and it got so much more empty in that time.
So sad seeing this. My grandmother took me there often as a kid in the 70's when it was mostly outdoors and a wonderful fun place to go, experience. Lots of happy people. It's outdoor skating rink was really neat. The part you show at 25:00 used to be open all the way past where you see a wall. That's how much of the mall looked, open, alive and thriving though, of course. I think converting it to a clone mall just like every other mall didn't help, but the economic changes, and how the Great Recession never really ended for many people, and businesses, is a culprit as well.
I've been here almost 7 years and now within 2 years it closed. 😳 Now, why is that? I've also observed the City. It was absolutely beautiful & clean. Now, most of the city is run down & filthy. Now, why is that? The answer is real simple. Thanks for the commentary. Peace
Oddly depressing. Because i rarely went to the mall unless it was to go to a store that i needed to go to that happened to be at the mall or with my family as a child . Never went to hang out or just look around. But many people did go and enjoy it and its the end of an era i think the next 10 years we will see a large portion of malls close nation wide.
Lloyd center probably best known for where tanya Harding skated. I lived about 4 hours away but was always a big deal to go there while in the city. Saw Star Wars episode 1 there. Last time I was there around 2013 or so, I stopped in while in portland on business and wanted to go buy a CD ive been wanting. I asked the kid at the information desk where the cd store was and he just stared at me like I was speaking a foreign language or something. No musicland, no sam goody. He didn't even know what a CD store was. I actually ended up finding it at Barnes and noble of all places. But that is when I first realised that malls were officially dead.
Yeah, Lloyd Center was quite the mall to visit way back when. If you (we) had a vehicle to take us there in high school, from across the river, here in Vancouver, WA it was a big deal - for me to get out of the house and go "do something" at Lloyd Center mall was total entertainment for me. Used to watch films at the theater across the street from the mall - memories...
Across the street is even more sadness with the LLoyd Cinema slowly dying and the fact that a developer bought it's parking lot next store to it and decided to gate up the entire lot allowing no one to park and see a movie for years now is adding to the theater's demise. :(
this was one of the reasons why voice Center had so many people shop there because after they got off work this is exactly what they would do to wait out the traffic. When they closed those lots this is exactly what happened.
LLOYD CENTER is not slwoing diein it get new owners if it wa dieing no oen wodo have payed to own it dude but it ge enw owns aons poople are steel going there so no it nto slwonig dieing
I guess I really haven’t been there in a while…..wow. I do remember that “center of the city” commercial when I was a kid! The Newberry’s stores there and at Eastport plaza will always be my favorites.
Fond memories getting dropped off at Lloyd Center by my parents during summer vacations from middle school during the 90s. Would spend hours strolling the mall, hanging with friends, watching movies at the theatre by the food court, ice skating on the ground floor, getting accidentally lost in the confusing parking garage, checking out Oregon stores like Meier & Frank, etc. Such an idyllic time to grow up in Portland, when it felt more like a tranquil big town without the big city problems like today. Also remember that catchy theme song “In the Center of the City” from the Lloyd Center commercials on TV, right before watching Jeff Gianola on the news. The 90s in Portland were a magical time.
My grandparents used to take us there in the early 60s . It was the pride of Portland and had such a amazing energy especially at Christmas time . This is like going to a funeral watching this . The optimism and forward looking world of the 50s and 60s is dead . No experience online can replace the sense of wonder and community I experienced at Lloyd Center .
Yea your generation sure did a whole lot to ensure their kids inherited such a great world eh?
Repent to Jesus Christ
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 NIV
h
I couldn't agree more. My mother worked here for many years, and all through grade school, and some of high school, I spent at this mall, visiting with the her co-workers at her store, and then visiting with some of the managers and employees of all the other stores over time, and the restaurants as well. Morrow's Nut House made their own candy on-site, and you could smell it throughout the mall, it was incredible. My mouth Still Waters for some of their confections! It was an open-air Mall back in the sixties and seventies, and at Christmas time, the trees would be so tall, that they would protrude above the buildings, and you could see them from the city and the neighboring areas around the mall, all lit up, even before you got there. It was truly a magical experience! Aladdin restaurant that used to hang over the original and larger ice rink, was amazing, and the bridge connecting the two sides of the mall over the ice rink, was always a treat, but was removed when they sized down the ice rink a few years back. It seems like the place went downhill immediately afterwards. I miss this place terribly, and this broke my heart, as well as brought back fond, fond memories of the past. Thank you for your comments, they were really appreciated, and I could relate to everything you said. Perhaps we saw each other there from time to time?! My best to you, and everyone watching this video, and my best to the future of the Lloyd Center area, whatever happens. A special thanks to the creator of this video, as well. 💗
@@BDBELL101
Wow.
@@iwannabethekid34xc some of us tried. My generation was part of the hippie generation and I thought we were going to change the world. Then the government started handing out free drugs to people and it all just went down the toilet. All of my friends are still liberal, but most of the people that are a little older than I am are extremely conservative and I just don’t get it. You can’t blame me and my friends! We were environmentalists in the late 60s and early 70s when people used to talk about zero population growth. That’s a term I haven’t heard in decades. What happened?
Joe Brown's Carmel Corn! They've been at the mall since it opened in 1960 and are the only original store still in business. Good to see them hanging on.
There was a Suncoast up on the 2nd floor that closed about a year ago. I miss going in there and finding OOP movies.
It's really crazy to think this used to be the "good" mall on the eastern side of Portland. I remember days when it was crazy packed, especially around winter. Ironically, my friends and I predicted it would be the Clackamas mall that would go under, but it's actually doing fairly well for itself, these days, all things considered. Either way, the way you included the rich history of this building is really awesome and I'll have something to look back on when I miss it.
Clackamas when they still had the merry go round was on that path but I’m thankful they turned it around and is still kicking.
@Finessnu2 I think she ment Eastside. Since that's where Loyd center is, the northEAST side. It's on the East side of the Willamette River. Maybe you aren't from here. Me, I was born and raised.
I'm already missing it 😔 ; • (
Repent to Jesus Christ
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 NIV
h
Also because clackamas has the theater
So many memories I have of this mall growing up as a kid. The mall use to have a movie theater next to the food court. There also use to be a arcade next to the theater as well. So sad what the mall has become. Thanks Ace for a trip down memory lane! 😊
Ty!!!
Same
I learned to skate there when it was still open air.
I talked to guy at the foot locker in the mall. He told me "this is the only mall you buy shoes and might see someone get shot in the mall".
@@lisacastano1064 Do you have any pictures of when you were there?!?! That would be amazing if you could upload a short video of the pics to show us the rink, just block out your face for privacy ! Thanks.
This is so sad to see, the mall interior looks so nice and modern. My mom visited this place a few times in the 1960s, and I went here in 2012 when the anchor lineup was complete with Nordstrom, Macys, Sears, Marshalls, Ross, old navy, H&M, Regal Cinemas, Barnes and Noble, and even a Suncoast store. 10 years later and it’s all gone 😢
H & M and Barnes ares still open...with Joe Browns....the later two are reasons enough for me to keep going.
I worked at the Lloyd Center from late 2015 until late 2018 - the organization I work for leased the old multiplex movie theater (it's still on the signage in the mall as "Theatre" on the 3rd level, but hasn't been a theater in years) as office space. It was nice space, too, but as time went on, the mall around us declined pretty steeply. The previous management (Cypress?) did a lot of renovation in around 2014-2016, spending well into eight figures, adding back the spiral staircase that had been there originally, redoing the ice rink and freshening the place up...but they didn't seem to have a clue how to market the place. I remember the day they cut the ribbon for the "grand reopening" - you'd think they'd have had an event on a weekend, when they could expect some kind of crowd, maybe offer entertainment or food for visitors...it was on a weekday afternoon, and attracted a few dozen people, none of whom seemed to be under 70 except for a few people who worked in the mall office. That's when I knew it was doomed regardless of how much they spent on the cosmetic refresh. And as far as I could tell, they didn't sign a single lease for a new tenant between then and the next foreclosure. I stopped commuting there in fall 2018 to work from home, and haven't been back in the door since. I'm honestly shocked it's not scheduled for demolition already.
The first dead mall on your channel that I've actually been to. Crazy how quickly it's fallen; I remember it being pretty lively in the mid 2000's. Insane to see it dead especially for such an urban location.
Younger People rather shop online, thrift or support smaller businesses
As a native Portlander, I have many memories here. As a young adult, I had eye doctor and OB/GYN appointments in the 3rd floor area. It was great to get the baby check-up and get some shopping done afterward. I remember coming here before it was covered and then after it was roofed in.
This hurts my heart-so many memories at this place.
I have tons of them they're too. But you know what? That's exactly what they wanted to take away from everyone and that's why they are moving everybody off of boxes and everything else. Just today the crackerjack boy is now five different crackerjack girls.
Wow glad I got the memories of skating and sneaking down to meet the love of my life at 14 Years old lots of good times.
I can remember watching the people ice skating @ Christmas time. It always seemed like such a magical place to me.
Wow. I'm sitting here with watery eyes. This mall broke ground the year of my birth and was a big part of my life. Drs, dentists, opticians, school clothes, carmel corn, ice skating, Christmas shopping, Lippmann's, etc.
I didn't realize it closed. Mall 205 closed this month also.
Sad, but it is what it is.
BTW, Lloyd Center is far from downtown and it's pronounced Ory-gun.
Thanks for the video.
The mall where the Polybius urban legand began. The arcade was located next to The Ice Chalet in 1981.
I did not know that. Thought I remebered something about a mall in NW
Doubtful. The original Coinop article says a suburb of Portland. Lloyd Center's smack dab in the middle of town.
Daaaamn, dude! That underground garage with buzzing fluorescent lights and seemingly endless repeating geometry has some _serious_ backroom vibes. 😱
Ted Bundy abducted one of his victims there. The exact part of the garage was torn down and a fitness center was constructed in its place.
I got a ride home from a pirate guy balloon vendor who lost his car...i remember watching him bound like luigi around and across this massive empty garage in the distance looking for his car
@@lynnpayne9519 a friend of mine was shot and killed in that garage only two months ago.
I live here. . This is close by. . I went here with my friends for years. . Busy busy busy everytime I went. . This shocked me a lot. . All my memories and adventures when I was a young kid. . . Crazy how time flies and things change. . .
I think it is fairly active but not from a retail perspective
It's so sad today's generation will never experienced shopping malls and small amusement parks and Drive ins like we did when we were younger amazing job on this Ace
The loss of shopping malls is no big deal but I’ll agree with you on the other things
Hey, we still have Oaks Park... At lease, for now.
Malls still going strong in Texas
I grew up as a native Oregonian, in and around Portland. Tom McCall was our last great governor, as we had billboards on the freeway that said " thanks for visiting, please don't stay" . Made In Oregon shops had t-shirts that said " people in Oregon don't tan, they rust" . It was such a great state then. In the 70's and 80"s was the push by environmentalists to stop logging throwing thousands of hard working men out of work. Small towns that once had a vibrant community of people , simply disappeared. As people with good intentions , but very small minds in California trashed their state, they migrated here and have now trashed this one. I actually heard a transplanted Californian complaining about all the farm land that is covered by tracts of housing here in Oregon , you see what what I meant by small minds. I have since moved to a small conservative town where idiots are easier to spot. There is a lot of nice empty land where undesirables can simply vanish. Thank god my parents are not here to see this.
can you imagine with the people and World War II and all the other Wars after are feeling right now as well with the state of things to? It's such a shame
I loved Portland when happy valley was farmland. Sunnyside was a two lane backroad and Farrells was still open. Oh and Roarkes when they first opened.
This was my childhood mall. it’s been heartbreaking to watch it wither away throughout the years. i haven’t been in a while now, seeing this and realizing that everything is gone is quite sad. Lloyd center was my favorite mall, so unique. in the winter, faux snow would fall over the rink while people skated. twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling, orchestra music playing. the mall would be full of people. i would go school shopping there every year. every store was occupied and filled with people. i wish pdx could’ve saved lloyd center.
PDX needs space for a women's shelter that they can't fit downtown so this seems to be the perfect next space for it. I'm sure they're going to take really good care of it. 🤔
@@MickeyMishra nobody gives a fuck we want the rink
eve ting is notn gone there steel good sutff there they just need put bak int he mroe food joints and bring back fly and some mroe sutff
I remember being a kid in the 1960s & going to the Loyd center mall to ice skate. ❤️☮️🙏
Lifelong Oregonian here... feeling about as obsolete as a dead mall myself, but this is a sadly fantastic video.
Thanks!
Ace, I think I speak for all of us when I say I appreciate the absolute craftsmanship of your videos. It’s clear the time and effort you put into them. I never miss one. Keep ‘em coming!
Ty i try
As a young adult now I think of Lloyd center as a dead mall. As a kid though I have so many memories of going there with my older sisters and skating on the OG Ice rink. Sad to see it this way but time always reclaims what’s been forgotten. RIP LLOYD CENTER
Go to Beaverton town square mall , it’s like the 90s in there .
Place is packed all the time
Do you mean Cedar Hills Crossing or Washington Square or Clackamas Town centre?
@@BendawgLJ
I meant Washington square 😂
I live in the city but it always seems busy when I go there .
Good day sir
Clackamas Town Center was my brothers’ local mall and I went there often while visiting. Heard it’s not doing good either and considering Mall 205 closed… I wouldn’t be surprised.
I used to work in a doctor's office attached to the mall and would see Tonya Harding skating on the rink on lunch hour frequently. At the theater I saw the premier of "the Birdcage" with Robin Williams and ran into the lead singer of a popular alternative band.
Eating at the lunch counter at Woolworths with my pop when I was a child.
I will have fond memories of the mall.
Thanks so much for this.
✌🏼💗
Do you remember anythhing about there being a another lower level parking lot that was filled up or closed down? On the side where the Sears is at? They have this part that is covered in dirt. Do you know what that was? THanks!
I wondered if this was ice rink where Tonya Harding practiced, thanks ffg or mentioning that! Would there have been a comic book store there in mid 1990's by any chance?
Sorry I meant thanks "for" mentioning. 🙂
Breaks my heart. But, I suppose it’s just the passing of an era.
I was in the seventh grade when Lloyd Center opened. In those days we still dressed up to go downtown and since the new mall was advertised as the biggest mall in the world, we wore our Sunday best. By high school, casual dress was acceptable and it became the place to go.
I left Portland a good forty years ago; but, visit often and have seen the many incarnations Lloyd Center has gone through.
Due to Covid, I’ve skipped several years. My last visit, I bought some fashionable boots from Macy’s. In fact, just so happened that I was polishing those boots today. I saw this video and clicked on immediately. Farewell Lloyd Center! Thanks for the memories!
Great Video! Best Mall Video I've ever seen!! This Mall should be declared a "National Historic Landmark" & Saved at all cost !
Bought my wedding ring at LC. My Dad bought his work briefcase there when we returned to Oregon in '84. That place is great. I still go. Still love it. The people watching there is amazing! The only constant is change.
I live in The Fontaine condos adjacent to Lloyd Center and my window overlooks the mall. It's so sad and depressing and despite the promises of the new owners from Seattle and Portland's pathetic myopic "leadership" I can't keep from thinking that it's an ever deepening abyss of failed urban planning and the continued decay of a once wonderful American city.
The word “leadership” is lost to those that run/govern and supposedly “work for” PDX.
well another good news, they're going to turn it into a woman's homeless shelter.
That’s condos?? I always thought it was a blimmin old peoples home!!
Stop voting for democrats
@@intentionallyleftblank3016 “blimmin”?
I loved this mall so much. I used to go there with my mom in the 70's and 80's. I remember when it looked like the old pictures in the beginning of your video. I took skating lessons at the ice rink, and would watch the Christmas tree lighting every year the day after Thanksgiving. Also the Rose Festival has a rich history with Lloyd Center. For years the annual rose show would be held there and the Rose Festival Queens pictures would be displayed in the Van Dyn's candy shop. There used to be a restaurant called the Aladdin that overlooked the skating rink. It was replaced with the eating area/ restaurants that you see in the video. I could go on and on, it is so sad to see the decline. But I knew it would become this way due to high crime around the area.
Yea lots of nonwhites in the area and shit lmao
Thanks for the memories, I remember this place being packed I loved coming here as a kid. Had my first date here, had my first migraine here, discovered many new hobbies, bands, movies, etc here. I went here again in October of 2021 and yeah, just like this vid, absolutely empty. It was eerie how empty it was. Times, they are a changin' lol. Cheers 🍻
I’m from a large city in Western Canada. Within the last few days my family visited Portland for the third time. We previously were there in 2010 and 2014. Needless to say we we’re quite shocked to see how Lloyd Center had deteriorated. Our first visit in 2010 was during their 50th. Anniversary. As a history nut I was impressed to see they had an area set aside full of pictures and other memorabilia. The footage of the newscast from 1958 was really interesting. I feel for the citizens of Portland who have submitted comments of their Lloyd Center memories and experiences. I hope that this mall can somehow get a second life.
It's been four years since I last went to this mall, I happened to be in Portland over spring break and had planned to go here but didn't have time. Seeing the emptiness of Lloyd Center now just makes me sad, as four years ago it was a bustling epicenter of spending way too much money. The whole time I was watching this video I kept saying to myself, "Man, and I thought Pioneer Place was empty!" It's nice to see that the ice rink is still open, but it would be hard to feel the same joy I had when I first visited Lloyd Center on my birthday in August of 2018.
omg I forgot about Pioneer Place!
My father was a construction inspector for the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). We had moved to Portland from northern Idaho so that my father could supervise the construction of the Memorial Coliseum, but it was delayed, so SOM had him do his inspections at the Lloyd Center site. He went on to supervise the construction many of the buildings of the era in Portland. Lloyd Center was a really big dill when it opened. It was BIG. For me, Lloyd Center was the social and commercial hub of 'my' Portland. For a time, my dentist's office was amongst the third floor offices. I went to high school at Benson, right across Sullivan's Gulch (in which I-84 runs) from Lloyd Center, so I 'hung out' at the mall as a meeting place. I remember all the huge trees in park which were blown down in the Columbus Day Storm.
Do you recall which dental office you went to? My grandpa used to practice on the 3rd floor
@@noelkbang I'm not sure, but I believe it was Dr. Anderson.
Seeing the ice skating rink gives me major nostalgia. I'm from Corvallis but remember going to the LC between 2000-2005 to go shopping and skating. So many memories from a much simpler time.
Growing up I spent a lot of time at the Lloyd Center Mall. This was way before Clackamas Town Center Mall and Washington Square was even built. Christmas time at the Lloyd Center Mall was awesome. This is way back in the day when there was Jantzen Beach Amusement Park on Hayden Island. The memories.
Believe it or not, the Lloyd Center, is making a comeback, in the most Portland type of way! The new management is encouraging local small businesses to open up, and it has a bit of a warehouse arts district feel. Several oldschool Portland businesses moved from the rundown Chinatown into the mall, and other new shops have opened up over the past few months. There is an arts organization with giant murals in the old Ulta Beauty space, and they are doing weekly performances by artists from all over the world. There is talk of turning the old Macy’s into a film studio and soundstage. I am actually optimistic about the direction they are going, and hope you will make a follow up video a year or two from now showing it blossoming into something better than it ever was.
If you want a good chance to get ROBBED or jacked in the Lloyd Center area, this is your place. Also the CRAZY illegal street racing going on during the weekends right by the mall with hundreds of hooligans and Portland Police cannot not do a thing because of the size of the crowd, and the restricted use of tear gas, flash bangs. Yep BLOSSOMING into something and it's not going to be better. 🤔
Was very very cool tonight to see the play Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (sold out) performed in the former Victoria secret store. Very very surreal and beautiful and timely and sad all at once fitting to the tone of the ‘absurd theater’ experience
Thank you so much for documenting this. I worked at this mall a decade ago and I didn’t fully realize the state of it presently. I used to park in the under ground garage every shift and was definitely creepy leaving at night. I wish they would bring back the charm of the original open air mall.
Love the song....out of sight... thanks for that song!!! It's now part of my music library
This makes me sad. I first went up there in the 90s while visiting Portland. Loved the place. And came by whenever I was in Portland. To see it like this....
I worked across the street from this mall back in the early 2000’s and it was still not that bad.
Such awesome production work Ace! Without people like you these places would be completely forgotten. Keep it up!!
Ty ty!
I grew up going there. Good memories.
I grew up close to the Lloyd center. When I found out about it’s closing i wasn’t surprised but definitely sad. So many memories. I’m only 21 but this made me feel so much nostalgia like so much time had passed
Wow the nostalgia is hitting hard. I spent so much time here in early 2000's. I had no idea all the history behind it. Sad to see it in this state. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
The end of Lloyd Center is and end of a era for me. We lived on the east side of the mall and walked through the construction site to get to Holladay grade school on the west side of the mall. I was in the 3rd grade when the mall opened and from age 13-19 my life was the mall and the ice rink. My best friend and I were asked to help with projects - handing out pumpkins at Halloween, working during free skate during birthday week, putting rubber bands around the Christmas lights (remember the mall was not covered), using a counter and standing by the Woolworth Store counting mall customers, a sting on panhandlers, teaching beginner lessons to children, leading tot sessions on Sundays (being evacuated during a threat of rioting which did not happen) and other happenings. We both started work at 16 in the snack bar at the rink and then promoted to the ticket office. We had a strong social group referred to as “rink rats’”and for a few years felt that the rink was ours. I am sure there were others that came before and after us but for those it was a world of our own. There are so many memories of crushes, first love, drama, intrigue and fun!
This was my mall, nearly the only mall I knew aside from Jantzen Beach growing up. I remember before the roof went on. Back then all my memories are of being there when it was raining. And later when they added the roof, food court and theater when I was a teenager. Between the Lloyd Cinemas and the Lloyd Mall theater you could ALWAYS find a movie to watch. Played the x-men arcade game for the first time at its arcade.
This is really sad to watch, but thank you for it.
I was really sad when they closed down tilt . it was the arcade that was right outside the theater.
Amazing work thank you for documenting this mall I have a lot of memories here. I was there a few weeks back and there were still several open stores near the ice rink I assume you went early in the day and many were closed. There is still a Ross and a Barnes and Noble somehow still open in this mall. Also if you visit on the weekend the ice rink is very busy which is why the Cinnabon reopened after the lockdown was lifted last year. Some life left in this place but the mom and pop stores now likely outnumber the national chains not to mention all the business on the third level being what is really left of this place. I spoke with one store owner who said they are making businesses relocate to the 2nd floor as the first floor is getting “redeveloped” but the only evidence was that Lids moved up to the next floor but the hot topic is still operating on the ground floor last time I visited with the staff saying no plans to close yet but the store was low on merchandise.
I've got so many memories of hanging out with my family and just having fun at the LLoyd Center, so it's pretty sad to see its downfall :(
I am happy to see you in my neck of the woods, the pacifc northwest, I am also saddened to see that a Mall i visited as part of an Orchestra tour in 2006 for my High School out of Washington is now as bad as this. I am even saddened that we are losing one of the largest urban malls in the area but i am happy to say that I had a chance to experience Lloyd Center before it got so bad. I had fun on that field trip and I wish i could have seen the mall once more. I know you've covered a lot of malls that even if not in great condition financially would a grate place for mall enthusiasts like you and I to see at least once. I have said to myself several time recently that if i didn't have as many issues with being on camera or having to listen to my own voice recorded i'd gladly do what you do.
Thank you Ace, you got me into urban exploration and into the idea of exploring dead malls that i wish i knew about this kind of thing before a very very famous mall near me, Northgate Mall in Seattle, got a total transformation in to phase one of the Northgate Station redevelopment by Simon Malls. I grew up with some ever changing malls and now i'm saddened to see a mall i actually loved doing so bad. Thanks again for covering all that you have and helping those of us who can't travel to see these places before they are gone to get at least a glimpse in to what they are like and peak at the history of what once was.
Keep up the good work and I hope one day I can do what you do.
Your loyal viewer Rayven Vulpes
Online shopping and Amazon are to blame. You don't even have to leave your seat and be able to buy even more options. So many malls look like this. I haven't been to a mall in like 20 years because I don't need anything at them. You can't save money at the mall like you can a store you can get coupons for.
@@steveo1240 Every time you go there there’s someone stealing something from the two or three stores that are still open, eh? BTW, nice Black person emoji - I’m sure it’s completely random and unrelated 🙄
@@gregbors8364 Are you assuming Steve isn't black? Are white guys only named Steve?
These videos probably mean more to me for having moved out of the US well over a decade ago, and living in Hawaii last up until 14 years ago. The 2000s weren't the peak decade for malls but it wasn't over yet. New things always replace old things, to some extent, but it's sad to see these places go.
Do you not include HAWAII AS THE U.S. JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE YOU SAID IT.
I moved to Hawaii 16 years ago and moved away from there 14 years ago, and both times are over a decade ago, so that can be read as wrong or as completely accurate. It was possible to add one more sentence worth of content to clarify that as a short bio, but the point was that I've been out of the US for over a decade, during which time many malls have failed. Referencing Hawaii more specifically was about mentioning a specific time away from mainland US mall experience. There is a shopping mall in Honolulu I went to many times but it was at the edge of Waikiki, more a tourist sales center than local hangout or retail outlet for residents.
Isn't Hawaii in the U.S.A?
Hawaii is in the US though… sure it’s far and and an island(s) but that doesn’t means it’s not part of the United States 😂
You mean Continental USA...you must be Public Schooled?
So sad. Grew up going here 60’s through later the 90’s with my family. So many great memories. Can still smell the hot caramel corn.
Great video I liked the “Lloyd center…HAS IT ALL!” Commercial there in the middle. I spent lots of time and my parents money at this mall back in the day and went back there to ice skate about a year ago. Sad to see what’s happening to malls these days but happy for the memories I have.
I ice skate in a dead mall, the rinks are so expensive to upkeep. I’m really surprised that Namdar fixes it when it breaks....
Loved the video! Thanks!
Tbh idk any other public ice rink around so that might contribute to that
OHHHH...Memories of Christmas time at Lloyd Center....The enticing smells from Morrows Nut House and the fresh Carmel Corn.....Glad I lived nearby as a kid, a wonderful time to grow up....same house in the family 1961-2015...
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This makes me truly sad. I loved Lloyd Center. I spent all of my 20s there shopping, hanging out, and socializing with friends. It defined my young adult hood. To see it never coming back is truly sad and hard to accept. R.I.P Lloyd Center.
I've not been to Lloyd Center since the late 80s; I'd forgotten what a unique looking mall it was. I DO remember that commercial too. Nice work as always Anthony.
When we were in our early teen years, in the middle to late 1960s, we rode our bicycles from the far Northeast edge of the Parkrose Heights district down through the city into the Lloyd Center Mall, in the Summer months, [when it was still the then new Open Air Mall. It was beautiful in the early mornings to ride bicycles through it, as there were no gates or security locking, restricting it during the night hours then. The city was virtually free of any crime.
Just to ride through the Mall in the early mornings, with the raised flower beds blooming and trees, with birds singing in the trees, it was gorgeous.
As an adult, I later remember taking a lunch break during work one day from downtown, and meeting my wife and daughter at the Aladdin Restaurant which overlooked the old original large skating rink, and the open air sky above. Our daughter was just a toddler then in the early 1980s. I stopped on the way into the restaurant at the upper level of Meier & Frank's, in their bookstore section, picked up a few children's books for our daughter before I met her and my wife for lunch at the Aladdin Restaurant. [In the historic films, at about six minutes into the beginning of the video, you can see that restaurant above the ice rink in a short sequence still shot within the video, with the open sky above the old full sized ice rink.]
Thank you for those wonderful memories that we both share.
progress is really starting to suck. at least you have some really good memories.
I loved this video. As a near 60 yr resident on and off...Thank you.
Such a beautiful area. Many memories!. Shopping there as a kid in the late 60s. Working at M&F in the early 70s. I loved (then) the crush of the Christmas season. The old huge registers. Most of all, anytime I smell Carmel corn it takes me back to the smell of Joe Brown's Carmel Corn wafting down the mall and the bridge over the ice rink.
Great video! Loved it. Great music.
Thanks Nancy
I’ve been watching your work for several years now and this was another great one.Lloyd Center was one of my hang outs as a kid.Definitely gonna share this video with friends.
One of my hangouts as well . I'd ride the bus from Beaverton to Lloyd Center and make a day of it , shopping and going out to eat with friends .
That garage brings back memories. It's a throwback to the outdoor mall days. Back then parking went right up to the ice rink. Joe Browns is legendary and has been there since I was a child back in the 70s. Develop the land and repurpose, but leave the rink and Joe Browns...
This mall used to,be my favorite place to hang out. I would watch people ice skate. I would check out the latest video games, and I enjoyed going to the movies too. I will miss this lovely mall. I didn’t know it’d be closed indefinitely. 😢
Oh my gosh, so many memories of this mall. I visited often as a child, and later worked there at JC Penney. I loved to shop at Lloyd Center. When it was still an open air mall they used to put up a huge Christmas Tree in the courtyard on the level above the ice rink. Back in the day, before the remodel, there was a bridge which arched over the ice rink from one side to the other. Thank you for sharing this video.
The bridge is still there, Tamara and they do put up a nice fake tree and some large ornaments in the ice rink they debuted after the last renovation (carpet updates, LED lights along walkways, uncovering old terrazo style columns).
great video! a few clarifications: lloyd center is actually in "the lloyd district", not considered a part of downtown but it is east of downtown. the Lloyd family used to own the entire district -- Lloyd center had a steam plant that provided steam to all these buildings and more that was called 'central plant' and it still exists as the mechanical room where the mall's chillers are located. 2nd is that there are several long term tenants there with years left on leases that would cost the new owners a pretty penny to break, these include the remaining junior anchor stores, Ross, H&M, F21, and Barnes and Noble as well as office level tenants. other tenants include those in the food court, gambits game store and a few others. it looks like you were there early before stores open as they have late starts nowadays, usually 10am or 11am. 3rd there have been plans to redevelop the mall for almost a decade now, right before the pandemic there was serious talk of turning nordstroms into a livenation venue but all that has been shut down. the latest I've heard is to add some residential spaces. ps i have pictures and video of every vacant space in lloyd center and of the roof!! very good post apocalypse vibes as you said.
H&M closed. Looks like you can add some more photos to your collection. :-(
Yup he was definitely there before the mall even opened lol, there are still like 6 places open in the food court
Born in Portland 1979
LLOYD CENTER will always be Top 3 places of memory if you grew up in the City of Roses 💯
I remember walking from Boring to Gresham to the Max and riding it to Lloyd back in the 90s it was fun . Go see a movie and thier was a arcade right next to the movie theater .
No way, i ve walked it as well!
I was the manager at the Excalibur Cutlery there for 10 years before we went out of business, it's very sad seeing this mall fail ...oh well.
I bought my first mall ninja katana there in the late ninties.
@@whitemagus2000 I was more than likely the manager at that time.
Interesting story associated with Portland's decline. Of note is the "news analyst," Tom McCall (appears at 02:38 in the video) would go on to become Oregon's iconic governor.
It is actually physical malls decline. Portland may be declining for other reasons, but mall closures would not really count as one.
So called proud native Oregonians need to be reminded that their beloved Tom "we don't like them outsiders" McCall was NOT a native Oregonian, he was from Massachusetts.
I used to come down here with my Grandma and we ALWAYS went to MYER AND FRANKS AND JCPENNEY'S and I would get the most delicious Carmel Corn oh it was so good. I would also occasionally go there with my mom but mostly my Grandma because I was with her during the day while Mom worked. I also loved to watch the skaters from the overhead bridge at the Ice rink. That was back in about 1963/64. I don't know why but it always seemed like such a grand event to go shopping at the LLOYD CENTER. To be honest I really will miss it a lot. To me as a young boy it was like THE BIGGEST STORE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!
One of my earliest memories is of Lloyd Center. My mom took me their for portraits when I was maybe two years old, so around 1973.
I was there the same day this video was uploaded! It was a nice time. Dying mall sure but I got Dickey’s for lunch, some cool books, and there’s a lot of cool small local stores that you don’t see in malls much, like a high end street wear boutique, an independent video game and toy import shop) that hopefully these cool locals will find other locations once the place is gone).
i've lived here all my life. being 18 and seeing the mall i practically lived at in such a cinematic and beautiful way, it's kinda a sad thing to see that my favorite place to be at is going downhill. i appreciate this vid. i subbed, i look forward to seeing more content from you
This one was great and worth the wait. I like the old TV footage too!
I managed a Musicland there when it was an open-air mall. Very busy back then and sort of magical during the holidays.
I was a teen in the 1980's, great memories. So sad to see Portland change so much over the years. Sorry to say it's not a beautiful city anymore. Breaks my heart..😭
yeah, it's almost like the people who actually did all the work and Care decide to just walk off the job. it's a real mystery
Nice collection of early Lloyd Center pictures. I remember that, prior to the Center construction, the Ringling Bros circus would come into town and set up their tents in the several vacant lots where the Center was eventually built. You soft-peddled the demise of the Lloyd Center by not mentioning all the crime that was occurring in and around the mall. A lot of that crime was violent, including several gun killings across the street and armed robberies inside the mall.
I have so many memories in that mall. It's so sad to see it dead like this. I will always love that place.
Damn, Ace… you’ve outdone yourself, man. Rest easy knowing that all the time you put into this paid off.
This is by far your best produced episode Anthony! You deserve so many more subscribers. Keep it coming Sir!
Ty ty
Really good production, but I might recommend re-recording the voice over stumbles… and of course the pronunciation of “Oregon”. I particularly liked the archival footage and the old KGW broadcast. It should be noted that the reporter, Tom McCall became the governor of Oregon just a few years later.
@@RossOlsonDotCom speaking is very difficult for me due to a busy injury, please be cautious before questioning someone
My apologies if this came across as anything other than constructive. The only reason I even commented was because the vast majority of the production and the voice over work was excellent! The pacing was great, the enthusiasm was spot on, and the consistency was excellent. There were only a two spots where the script was repeated and distracted from the otherwise clean recordings. (And the quality of the audio recording technically is no small feat.)
Thank our local government for turning Portland into a ghost town. People are afraid to go to town.
please also thank all the men and the veterans who decided to simply walk away and let it all burn.
in other good news the County Police Department is going to ask for another budget pump from their current running budget of approximately 13 billion dollars.
much of that is a cover the lawsuits especially that guy named Forest who died at The Inverness Jail of a drug overdose in front of 79 other inmates. with all this money they still couldn't keep the battery charged on the defibrillator. or have Personnel who knew how to use it properly. I should know,
I watched it happen
That's the trend now, less brick and mortar stores, more shopping online. I'm surprised Washington Square and Clackamas Town Center are still surviving.
@@lamarravery4094 I wonder what could it be?
Jeff Bezos laughs
@@MickeyMishra
Those brave men you speak of were the police who were downsized from the force.
Thank you for bringing these years of memories ❤
thank you so much for making this, i grew up going here and if it does indeed go under i'm glad there's a walkaround out there to watch. loved the history portion as well.
Remember---It Never Rains at the Lloyd Center.
you know the only thing that was really painful is that they took out all of the Great Water except it's that they had outside. It's one of the things I wish they kept the only had a fraction of the stuff I had before and the little fountains as you entered or usually out of order as well.
Rains bullets now days. Don't fool yourselves, your voted leaders did this for you. It's only the beginning. Portland progressive? I guess so. Only in the wrong direction. Move out now while you still have a chance. It's not getting better look around you and tell me I'm wrong. Denial got us in this mess.
Fantastic intro + review as always, Anthony. 👍 The ol’ girl had a real sense of style and panache in her early days.
My dad started his career at a Woolworth’s, so it was also pretty cool to see that.
Always so on-point with the music ! Excellent job again 👍
YOOO I worked here at the Marshalls until it closed and then at another store there! I thought it was already empty when I left in 2020 but visited in late 2021 and it got so much more empty in that time.
So sad seeing this. My grandmother took me there often as a kid in the 70's when it was mostly outdoors and a wonderful fun place to go, experience. Lots of happy people. It's outdoor skating rink was really neat. The part you show at 25:00 used to be open all the way past where you see a wall. That's how much of the mall looked, open, alive and thriving though, of course. I think converting it to a clone mall just like every other mall didn't help, but the economic changes, and how the Great Recession never really ended for many people, and businesses, is a culprit as well.
I've been here almost 7 years and now within 2 years it closed. 😳 Now, why is that? I've also observed the City. It was absolutely beautiful & clean. Now, most of the city is run down & filthy. Now, why is that? The answer is real simple. Thanks for the commentary. Peace
it must be the patriarchy? ????? 🤣
It's not closed. Not many stores left but I go to school here and quite a few shops are open while I'm there.
Great Video. This was a very interesting mall. You did a wonderful job. I loved the view you had in the end. Great scenery.
Thanks so much for uploading this ... Heartbreaking.
Oddly depressing. Because i rarely went to the mall unless it was to go to a store that i needed to go to that happened to be at the mall or with my family as a child . Never went to hang out or just look around. But many people did go and enjoy it and its the end of an era i think the next 10 years we will see a large portion of malls close nation wide.
Lloyd center probably best known for where tanya Harding skated. I lived about 4 hours away but was always a big deal to go there while in the city. Saw Star Wars episode 1 there. Last time I was there around 2013 or so, I stopped in while in portland on business and wanted to go buy a CD ive been wanting. I asked the kid at the information desk where the cd store was and he just stared at me like I was speaking a foreign language or something. No musicland, no sam goody. He didn't even know what a CD store was. I actually ended up finding it at Barnes and noble of all places. But that is when I first realised that malls were officially dead.
Clackamas Town Center was her usual practice rink, she lived in OC
I always enjoy your videos. The intros are great and the music also. Thanks
Yeah, Lloyd Center was quite the mall to visit way back when. If you (we) had a vehicle to take us there in high school, from across the river, here in Vancouver, WA it was a big deal - for me to get out of the house and go "do something" at Lloyd Center mall was total entertainment for me. Used to watch films at the theater across the street from the mall - memories...
Across the street is even more sadness with the LLoyd Cinema slowly dying and the fact that a developer bought it's parking lot next store to it and decided to gate up the entire lot allowing no one to park and see a movie for years now is adding to the theater's demise. :(
Frustrating, right? At least crossing NE Multnomah is fairly easy/safe from the surface lot.
this was one of the reasons why voice Center had so many people shop there because after they got off work this is exactly what they would do to wait out the traffic. When they closed those lots this is exactly what happened.
LLOYD CENTER is not slwoing diein it get new owners if it wa dieing no oen wodo have payed to own it dude but it ge enw owns aons poople are steel going there so no it nto slwonig dieing
One day there will be a DEAD MALL video for EVERY Mall‼️
Probably lol
I guess I really haven’t been there in a while…..wow. I do remember that “center of the city” commercial when I was a kid! The Newberry’s stores there and at Eastport plaza will always be my favorites.
Throwback to the arcade that used to be by the movie theatre, so many memories growing up :(