Dead Mall Walking: Eastfield Mall. It's Not Looking Good. Springfield, MA, Fall 2022.
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- čas přidán 8. 11. 2022
- Join me as I take a look at one of Massachusetts' dead malls, Eastfield Mall in Springfield, Massachusetts.
This video was filmed in November 2022 on a Sunday around 3:00pm.
If you liked this video, please give me a thumbs up, leave a comment and subscribe to my channel! Thanks!
Source of information:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastfie...
Music Credit:
CZcams Music Library
#deadmall #deadmalls #mall #massachusetts #springfield #shoppingmall #shoppingmalls #retail
I was a little kid here in the 60/70s and this mall was a beautiful, magical place then - with a stone and jungle vibe, lot's of fountains and plants lining the main walkway and an Orange Julius stand on that walk to where Steigers was. This interior was an unfortunate redo I think sometime in the 80s. Exterior is not altered except for that metallic sign structure at the front - which might have been there but with a clock. Mom was a shopaholic - so we were here a lot. It was an exotic and fun place to run around and I still dream about it. sometimes. Thanks for the walk through.
You are welcome. I wish I had seen this mall in its heyday. The fountains and plants remind me a lot of going to various malls in the late 70's/early 80's!
The Orange Julius stand was more near the Sears & Roebuck
I remember this mall when it was brand new and just opened, they were still working on one of the fountains and finishing up planting the palm trees (I was young and with my parents).... It was an absolutely beautiful Mall and something I've never seen the likes of before.... As I grew older I did all my shopping there, and especially loved it during the Christmas season... It was magical and special... And as I grew older still, I really loved the Flaming Pit restaurant for cocktails and a great meal after a day of shopping..
These “Dead Mall” clips are addictive. Thanks for this late night amusement.
I'm glad you like them! Thanks for watching!
The last time I walked into the Eastfield Mall was in 2016. There was a Ninety Nine restaurant next to Donovan's that me and my friends would go to on some occasions and there was also a pizza shop at the food court which had some real good pizza that eventually closed. But being born in 1998, I don't think I had lived to see a Forbes & Wallace or a Steiger's. But I do remember there was a Filene's at the mall and we would go there all the time as a child. The Eastfield Mall has been a big staple in the Springfield area for decades but it had taken a downturn around 2018 once Sears closed. During the COVID pandemic the mall's parking lot had become a sanctuary for testing and later became the site for vaccinations. But COVID-19 had hit the mall hard financially and to the point of no return. The mall is closing this summer which marks the end of an era for the city of Springfield.
These old malls are dying fast. When the big anchors start leaving, there's no money to keep up the place, then more stores leave, then even less upkeep money. It's a death spiral. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Thanks. Glad you liked it. My guess is that this mall is closed in the next 10 years or so.
I missed when malls had color, plants and fountains, waterfalls and neon lights. Now everything is minimalist designed, white and grey with a lonely bench somewhere
Forbes and Wallace was an old department store. This was the 1st mall I went to as a kid
Thanks for the info. I think they closed before my time. Thanks for watching.
In 70s that was a hopping place. Had animals where fountain was, talking birds, cockatoo, a black talking bird and a parrot or two. An exotic tobacco and knife shop by Kay Jewlers if memory serves right. At one point an arcade The Dream Machine, by theaters. One of the mail attractions for younger people as far as stores went was Spencer Gifts across from Old Navy I think, for all those odd and weird things. Thanks for sharing. Fun walk down memory lane.
It was still like that in the early '90s.
I had lived in Springfield for four years (1994-1998) and I frequented this mall almost every weekend back in that time. I remember it being a busy mall. Seeing this video, it tells me its still doing well by today's standards. Eastfield Mall was (to my recollection of my time in Springfield) only one of three malls you can get to by car or a nice long walk if you have good legs. If Eastfield is a "dead mall," its certainly not a due of oversaturation (too many indoor shopping malls in the area). Anyways, thank you for the video. Brings back a lot of memories...
I'm glad you liked the video! I never saw this mall in its prime, so it's hard for me to tell how well it is doing now compared to that. Somehow I didn't even know this mall existed until a few months ago, even though I live just a little ways over the border in CT. Thanks for watching!
"or a nice long walk if you have good legs"
Have we met in another life? I used to walk five miles to this mall back in the early 90's quite a lot! (lots of energy I guess)😁
I'm newer to Western Mass and I sometimes frequent the Lowes location nearby. I saw the Eastfield Mall and saw it was very much past its prime. Thanks for saving me a trip to investigate more dying retail. Take a look at the Hampshire Mall if it's not already on your list.
I just added Hampshire Mall to my list! Thanks for the info and thanks for watching!
the Hampshire Mall makes the Eastfield Mall look amazing 😂
Yes the Hampshire mall has 2 things movies and the arcade/interskate 91. The funny thing is the strip mall across the street (where Walmart is) used to be the dead mall!
I imagine the Springdale Mall is long gone (it used to be across the street from Eastfield).
Springdale mall was knocked down around 20+ yrs ago. Now there is a Lowes and Super Stop&Shop in its place.
This mall used to have teal neon all through it
Yeah, I saw that in the old photos I found online. I thought it looked nice. I'm assuming they are saving electricity by not turning them on, or they can't afford to fix/maintain the neon lights. Thanks for watching!
Malls are outsourced by the convenience of online shopping and delivery (Amazon) period. Very sad for even the late 90's early 2000's mall goers such as myself. I used to play DDR all the time in arcade at this mall. Your videos are bittersweet. Keep up the good work!
I agree. I do almost all of my real shopping online anyways, so mall closings don't really affect me in day to day life. However, it does make me sad when I see parts of my childhood being erased from existence. Thanks for watching!
Buying online never sticked with me, i dont get the fact that i have to pay shipping and wait 3 to 5 days for an item thats its nearby at a local store ......not to mention dealing with porch pirates🙄😮💨😮💨
I know when J.C. Penny closed for a few years is was used as a seasonal Halloween store and it was used to distribute Covid vaccines during the pandemic. Thank you for making this video. I really enjoyed it.
Tom, I am sorry I must correct myself. The former Macy`s store was used as the vaccination site. The parking lot of the former J.C. Penny was used as a covid test site. So other than the seasonal Halloween store, I can not recall anything else being at the former JC. Penny store.
I just remembered I went there once bx they had a DMV that was open on weekends and until 7 pm on weekdays... Super weird
I have so many memories here/ makes me so sad. So many memories I never thought this mall would die.
Living a few minutes from here and remembering always coming here as a kid sad to see the mall in such a state nowadays
I just saw a home video of this mall from 1992. It had so many stalls and there were so many people. The neon lights were on. It even had a carousel. I saw that Subway used to be in the food court and if you bought a kids’ meal you got a free ride on the carousel. This mall apparently closed this past summer 😢. Being a mall rat in the 80’s-00’s it’s sad to see malls closing.
Yes. I actually have a video of this mall on closing day. Thanks for watching
What a shame.this was the first mall anywhere in the area and i used to visit it from Westfield with my family in the 60s. It was always fun. My dad would buy me an Orange Julius while my sister was off with my mom shopping. My how things change... I used to work at Steiger's in Westfield and there was a Forbes and Wallis in downtown Springfield that closed years ago along with Steiger's.
I think the former JCPenney was used as a Friendly’s Restaurant call center, I remember seeing that on a map and that’s why there were changes made to the inside corridor that you showed a photo of. I remember when the mall had a comic book store, a flea market in the old Macy’s and a sports collectible store. I also remember all the neon and it was so cool! The old Sears basement had large eerie looking restrooms and rooms with display windows all papered off. The movie theater was laid out weird that someone could easily walk in from the outside and go through the lobby as a shortcut to the mall and they had signs on the halls saying tickets were required for entry to those areas but usually they didn’t have the staff to have someone manning each hallway.
Pretty sure it was also a Spirit Halloween.
I love the Fountain!!!!
Visually it's great. Too bad it smelled like so bad.... Thanks for watching!
I was born in 1988. I can remember this mall from the early 1990s. It was such a great place at that time
In your video there was also the Yum Yum Kitchen in the food court just past Donovan’s Pub, which is still open. I believe both Yum Yum & Mykonos were in the food court when it opened in the late 80’s
I saw a restaurant where you are talking about, but it didn't appear to be open. I could be wrong though. Thanks for watching.
This mall opened in 1967 and Mykonos/YumYum Kitchen was there unitl the demolition.
I went here a few months ago, parking lot was mostly empty except for the entrances. A lot of the scores are sketchy, and not having a proper anchor kinda just means this mall’s got a foot in the grave
I agree. The whole place felt sketchy to me. However, I thought Enfield Square Mall would be closed 5 years ago and somehow, it's still open. Thanks for watching.
Come to think of it, it was Showcase Cinemas that built the newer theatres that Cimemark/ Rave later took over when they bought the chain. They wanted to expand and decided that a new addition was the way to go.
Thanks for the info!
Do you remember Wilson's Department Store in Downtown Greenfield, MA? The former Wilson's Building is going to become the new home for the Green Field's Market Co-Op.
No. I don't think I've ever been to Greenfield, MA before. I'm from the northern CT area, so I'm much more familiar with that area. Thanks.
When I lived in Springfield I worked for Steigers in that mall while going to college. Now I live in Fort Lauderdale and we have dying malls here too. Kind of sad. Had a lot of good times there
Thanks for watching!
I heard they were going to demolish the mall to build a low income housing project. Not sure if that was still in the works or not.
I've read that about a lot of malls. They say that they will be putting in apartments or something like that. I don't think any of them have done it yet though. We'll see I guess. Thanks for watching!
Not true
I grew up around the corner from this mall lol there's so many stories about what used to be here and what happened over the decades. I used to camp out in that movie theater lol when it was still showcase before they got bought out by Cinemark. They haven't put money into it because it's not making money - they just got a special permit from the city to basically knock it down and redevelop with mixed use apartments, office space, retail, and restaurants to revitalize that whole plot.
I used to go to Donovans once a year for a family get together. But you are right that mall is desd I only went in once and left immediately bc I didn't feel safe (some creeper was following me around)
The JCPenney was used as a Spirit Halloween for several years after it closed. Up through at least 2020 (maybe still, not sure) friendly ice cream was using part of the old store for storage
Interesting. Too bad I missed that. I would have liked to have filmed inside the old store. See what's left. Thanks for watching!
Crazy that Friendly Corporation is not even a quarter mile from the mall, just past the threshold to Wilbraham. And just BEFORE the threshold off Kent street is - a Friendly's franchise😂
It was cool seeing it in your visit
I'm glad you liked it!
They did one major renovation a couple of decades back when they went to the strange blue warehouse ceiling look with exposed utilities. Forbes and Wallace was a big local department store located downtown that tried unsuccessfully to open branches in suburban areas. For most of the history of the mall the fountain wasn’t working and often had a solid cover over it so they could use the space for community events. When it opened it was probably the first mall anywhere near there. It was certainly the first mall I ever saw or even hear of. It had a lot of strange specialty stores. There was one store that sold nothing but ties. This was pretty common in early malls and some comedy TV show of the period actually did a sketch about a mall store that only sold scotch tape. I don’t believe there was a food court until they replaced the first theater but there were a few places where you could get food but this was so early that the idea that people would want to eat in a mall hadn’t occurred to people yet. The other theater opened quite a bit after the first one closed.
I'd ask you to do the Berkshire Mall up in Lanesborough, MA, but it closed permanently back in 2019. Only the Target remains open there.
Yeah, I saw that.... Oh well. There's plenty of more malls to see! Thanks for watching!
There are tons of modern malls with fountains still. Including fancy ones.
Yes, but not in the northeast where I live.
Btw, Showcase Cinemas were the original theatres in there. They closed sometime in the 90's just after they expanded to 4 theatres. Then the area was opened up to make the food court I believe.
OK. All I could find online was that the original 2 screen theater was in the food court area. Thanks.
Long before the showcase Cinema was built, the mall had a Cinema next to Forbes and Wallace.. which later turned into JCPenney..
I like this mall it peaceful got. Good foods good stores ...and little arcade ...I wish their be a new movie theater...
From what I have heard, it will be closing for good this summer.... Thanks for watching!
@@fleabittenadventures wow ...yw
I haven't seen a water fountain in a mall since the late 80's or 1990 at the latest, I think the Enfield mall had one up until 1990
I missed the one at the Enfield Mall, but I distinctly remember multiple fountains at Westfarms Mall. They were my favorite part of the mall.
The Mall at Steamtown in Scranton, PA that opened in 1993 had fountains until it was foreclosed on and the fountains were shut off, but after 2016 when the place was rebranded to The Marketplace at Steamtown, the fountains were filled in with soil and plants.
I wonder why almost all of the malls got rid of the fountains? In my opinion they made the malls feel so much more alive. Thanks for watching!
@@fleabittenadventures I remembered those fountains in the 80's as a kid. It was hypnotic the way the lights were situated and the coins thrown in at the bottom gave it a fantasy style look and feel. Haven't set foot in the mall since 1996 but the changes to it...had to watch the video a few times just to take it all in. Looking at google map (at least from the outside) it doesn't look too much different from back then. I still remember getting sunflower seeds at the GNC there as a wee tike and SIS Bank being next to it😂
Hah! So true it’s “dumpy”’ The eyebrow threading place there is excellent.
I must be old because I don't even know what eyebrow threading is. Thanks for watching.
I remembered years ago I always went to this mall but ever since Macy's, J C Penney, and Sears closed, the mall hadn't been the same and the vibe was not there anymore.
Yeah, and from what I hear it's going to be closing sometime this summer! I'll have a follow-up video when that happens. Thanks for watching!
I went there many times when I lived in MA.
Somehow I never even knew this mall was there until a couple months ago. I would have liked to see it when it was doing better. Thanks for watching.
This mall was dead in the early ‘80’s recession. We went when I was a kid and was totally creeped out. Good to hear that it revived for a while. But it was even deader than it is in this video.
I was there opening day
You should check out the dead mall at tower square in downtown Springfield! The only thing anyone goes there for is the tiny food court. It's ooooo depressing. It is connected to the Marriott
I saw that, but I wasn't sure if it was still open to the public. It kind of looks like an office building online. Is any of the old mall still accessible? Thanks for watching!
That used to be called, "Bay State West."
I’m sad there taking the mall down😢
Looks like we are down to one mall per city
The decor at East field was actually overhauled in the late '80s/early '90 and doesn't date back to the '70s or '60s.
At least it has a lot of stores open, many malls have a lot less.
It did back then. Now it's closed and they are tearing it down.
@@fleabittenadventuresI hear ya, I live in Connecticut and the Crystal mall in Waterford is a ghost town. Amazon has killed the mall concept I guess.
In the early 80s my sister worked with a woman at Baystate Medical Center whose mother was murdered by the Sears (beginning of the video). In the late 90s I saw a guy working over a woman (GF, wife, Hooker?) in the vestibule entrance by the men's dept. of Sears.
72 stores in 72° degree comfort. Lechemere set Eastfield's demise in motion
Did you have any trouble with security for filming?
Nope. Didn't even see any security. They probably can't afford them anymore, just a guess. Also, my go pro isn't too obvious, so I can usually get past security.
@@fleabittenadventures I'm glad you didn't have any problems! I was here about a month ago and I was kicked out for filming (I make mall videos too). It was the only time this has ever happened to me. My fault, I got cocky and was openly filming with a normal camera lol.
@@RayOutThere I almost wish I would get kicked out of a mall sometime. It may make an interesting video! I always use my GoPro attached to my chest for filming mall videos. It's amazing how many people don't even recognize it as a camera. I also didn't see any security at this mall. The only mall I have been to so far that had tight security was Buckland Hills. They even had bright yellow uniforms on, which made them easier to avoid.
I go to that mall for dread retwist and play at the arcade
I was inside the Steiger's/Macy's area in 2020 to get my COVID vax. It was in good condition. Mostly just empty floor space with a few of the customer service / jewelry / perfume type desks? still standing. They had removed two of those white panels you saw inside for an entrance and exit back into the mall.
Interesting. I wish I had known about that. I would have gone for my shot and taken video of the old Macy's. Thanks for watching.
There was a really cool flea market in there to before the pandemic. I was able to get into the dressing rooms, and there was really good stuff. I went with my son 6 or 7 times. I wish it would come back because it was always pretty crowded.
I haven't been to this mall since 1994, the mall was kind of dead back then from what I remember of it
Somehow I didn't even know this Mall existed until a couple of months ago. I'm glad I found it though. I really don't think it's going to be around too much longer.
Wow!! The neon lights are off 😰🤭😐
Mattress Store is leaving. Awaiting to see what else can’t survive anymore.
Edit: It’s…still going. Definitely run down but the business are open. Obviously seen better days and is “dying” but not DOA yet!!
There seems to be various definitions for a "dead mall". Some people told me that Buckland Hills Mall is a dead mall, which I say it clearly is not. Thanks for watching.
I played here as a misguided youth in 1970's trying to teach the Mina bird near the cinema entrance bad words.
When did the Mall officially close?
July 15, 2023. I have a video that I filmed on closing day. Check it out!
@@fleabittenadventures I will do that!
Ive got plenty of ideas for dead malls like this
To answer your question about the cinemas, they opened in 2005.
Oh. I didn't know they were that new. That's surprising. Thanks for watching.
I believe it switched to rave around 2005, opened in 1999 as a Showcase. I was managing a store in the mall when the did the last remodel and added the cinema (summer 1999)
My mom got mugged in the parking lot in the 80s
I believe it. It's not the best area.
this mall has been on borrowed time for a very very long time. Remember going here in the 90's but more recently when I was living in wmass early 2000's. Thought it seemed pretty dead even back then when the cinemas and Jc penney were still open. Too bad but was bound to happen. It's just in a crummy area to begin with so that doesn't help things. Closed now and currently being demolished to make way for a strip mall/ shopping center.
This mall use to be packed in the 80’s and 90’s when I was a kid hell even up until the lower 2000’s I think it stared to die around 06 and study going down ever since got worst after Sears and JC penny closed
I’ve been to almost every mall in Massachusetts & RI but these northern malls I’ve definitely not taken the drive for. It’s not worth it anymore. The farthest I’ve gone is Danvers.
hi my name is Matthew hart I used to live right down the street from eastfield mall with my family eastfield mall was the very first mall I grew up going to & eastfield mall is actually western ma very first enclosed mall that was built in western ma my grandfather worked on the eastfield mall when it was first being built he had the original blue prints to eastfield mall but sadly those original blue prints my grandpa had got destroyed in a fire at my grandparents house a few years ago & sadly my mom parents are no longer with us they both have passed away my grandpa in 2007 & my grandma in 2019 & eastfield mall was not the only mall on Boston road back in the 1990's & earlyer years there was a mall right across the street where Lowes & stop & shop are now the Springdale mall sadly there's no videos online of that mall or hardly no info on that mall but I remember going to both the Springdale mall & eastfield mall when I was growing up & there is another smaller mall just like eastfield that still open till this very day with all of its anchor stores still open up in hadley the hampshire mall that is a nice little mall but is kinda dieing off & then there's the Holyoke mall in holyoke ma that mall is still doing good & there is a mall up in the berkshires the berkshire mall but sadly that mall is closed only store open at that mall is target & over in Enfield ct the Enfield mall is another small mall is is dieing off that's pretty much it for this area for malls in western ma
Thanks for the info! I plan to look at some more dead malls in Mass in the near future. Thanks for watching!
Thay will be closing down this summer. Its over. (Cue Jimmy Burke in the phone booth after Tommy got killed)
Its over
Any idea on an exact date when they are closing? I definitely want to do another video sometime near the closing date. Thanks!
@@fleabittenadventures the mall is slated to close in July 2023, no exact date was given yet. It’s getting demolished and getting redeveloped “into a mixed-use commercial and retail hub.”
it looks kinda like newman elementary in needham ma
I don't know what Newman Elementary looks like, but I see what you mean. I can imagine lockers lining those hallways pretty easily. Thanks for watching!
@@fleabittenadventures I meant the outside, but it probably looks like that on the inside too; you’ll know what I mean if you look it up
@@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness Oh OK. I see what you mean. It is similar.
This mall is closing in July 2023.
Yes. I saw that. I'll be doing a follow up video sometime around then. Thanks for watching!
damn shame. most of the main stores are gone...Sears, J.C. Penney...Rave Cinemas. They've all run for cover. I feel bad for those who are still working in that mall.... trying to eat. Hope they have a backup plan. 1:26: " Forbes n Wallace which Ive never heard before"....lol def not from this city
It seemed like a lot of the stores in here were mom and pop type shop that are not part of a major chain, more so than at a lot of other malls I have been to.
As dilapidated as it looks on the outside.... I was surprised to see so many stores open on the inside.
Yeah, it was pretty full. However, most of the stores were the type you see in dead/dying malls. They are usually not national chains, but mom and pop type stores. Thanks for watching.
I went there once and felt empty
It's been this way for yearssssssssssssssssssss. I guess the owner doesn't give a shit. This mall can easily make a turn around, but oh well.
I figured. The amount of rust and decay on the outside looks like it took a good 10-20 years to get there. Thanks for watching!
It won't be missed until it's gone... soon Walmart and big box store's and our phone Will be out only choice for shopping... just sad
Malls are a dying trend. With Amazons easy shopping and door to door delivery who even wants to bother driving.
Great video you saved my time and energy by not going to that eyesore.
Cinemas are now closed.
Yes, that's what it looked like. Thanks for watching!
Almost like the malls are turning into the backrooms
Pretty close.
@@fleabittenadventures remember the fairfeild mall
It's closed now RIP
Sure is. I was there closing day.
It's pronounced "Mic a nose", believe it or not.
OK. Got it. Thanks for the info!
This mall is not dead.
I guess it depends on your definition of a dead mall. Thanks for watching.
low income housing going there. and stores there have been given notice .
Thanks for the info! Sounds like I'll be doing a follow-up video sometime in the next few months. I hope they give an exact closing date and don't just close unexpectedly.
It is a dump
I can't really argue with that description.
I own a store in there you passed by Blast From The Past..
You could say I blasted past it..... I would love to film in stores like yours, but always think I'm going to get kicked out. Thanks for watching!
Alot of mold
Where? In the water fountain? It sure smelled like it.