I Spent a Day in San Francisco's Dead Mall

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  • čas přidán 11. 02. 2024
  • The San Francisco Center, Formerly Westfield Center, used to be a shopping destination for all of Northern California. Today, a lot has changed. So I spend the day there to see what it's really like. Is it still amazing? Is it unbelievably boring? What does someone do if they're spending the entire day in the mall?
    And most importantly, will I meet some new friends along the way.
    🤘 If you like this video, you can make my day by subscribing, leaving a comment, or watching another video!
    😎 Or just click this to subscribe: youtube.com/@AdamDoesNotExist?sub_con...
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Komentáře • 297

  • @shaneenzensperger7559
    @shaneenzensperger7559 Před 3 měsíci +172

    I used to spend an entire day at this mall with my friends when I was in High School. We would hang out eating croissants under the dome, see a movie and go shopping at United Colors of Benetton.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci +15

      There were some high school age kids hanging out at the mall for most of the day when I was there too. But they were sitting at a table in the food court mostly on their phones.

    • @BigJokeMortgageBank
      @BigJokeMortgageBank Před 19 dny +5

      Those days were long gone...

    • @NikkiRowCoxx
      @NikkiRowCoxx Před 17 dny +1

      Remember Blondie’s Pizza & Rasputin Records?!

    • @rodneynoriel1528
      @rodneynoriel1528 Před 10 dny +2

      I was working at Benetton on opening day back in 1988 or so. Was the most amazing mall bragging to have the largest spiral escalator.

    • @hugoballs
      @hugoballs Před 9 dny

      Same! they should take a note from Stonestown and turn it into a giant food court.

  • @allanombina
    @allanombina Před 12 dny +29

    If they turned most of it into apartments this would be a crazy cool village

  • @doodleblockwell2610
    @doodleblockwell2610 Před 19 dny +120

    I arrived in San Francisco in 1981 at the age of 21 and for next twenty years, San Francisco was my home. I loved it dearly. The City offered this high school graduate enough job opportunities to afford my own apartment, good friends and fun times. Then suddenly everything changed and I was feeling really financially squeezed out. I left in 2001 for New Hampshire, but the hold The City had on me never let go. I am so glad I left earlier than most. I never had to witness everything tearing San Francisco apart with my own eyes. I still have uncorrupted memories of the place I still love. This clip was just so sad.

    • @ja01975
      @ja01975 Před 19 dny +9

      Thanks Democrats!

    • @cherylrichard3059
      @cherylrichard3059 Před 19 dny +5

      Yes, in the 70's and 80's, if you had a good, full-time job out of high school, you could afford a one bedroom apartment that today costs $3,000. The government has lowered our living standards dramatically. It's sad.

    • @ja01975
      @ja01975 Před 19 dny

      @@cherylrichard3059 illegals now get higher living standards thanks to Biden.

    • @crassirus
      @crassirus Před 14 dny

      @@ja01975 guess I'll take the bait.
      Dems aren't fixing the place, but if you don't think big silicon valley money and an unwillingness to fund housing solutions (omg, that's socialism!!!!) arem't also responsible, then you aren't paying attention.
      The common denominator behind the shittiest politicians isn't party, it's accepting rich peoples' money. The citizen's united ruling was a fucking mistake. Lobbying is bribery.

    • @JamesHorton-fo3yv
      @JamesHorton-fo3yv Před 13 dny

      The reason why this mall is dead because San Francisco refuses to cleanup the city and enforce crime.

  • @apumpernickel4035
    @apumpernickel4035 Před 21 dnem +77

    Truly heartbreaking. The memories I have attached to this mall are priceless.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 20 dny +4

      I hope it comes back!

    • @MrManfly
      @MrManfly Před 19 dny +2

      @@AdamDoesNotExistI doubt it ! Although malls across North America are going the way of the dinosaur 🦕 let’s not brush aside why they’re closing and that’s because of retail theft ! And the fact that there’s no consequences for it ! 🤷🏻‍♂️

    • @user-ei2lm6us2e
      @user-ei2lm6us2e Před 19 dny

      or cheap ?

    • @ChrisRGB
      @ChrisRGB Před 12 dny

      @@AdamDoesNotExist It will! But it will likely be luxury retailers that have relocated and converted the smaller stores. There are several shopping centers in the Bay area that have seen this. Mid-market retail shopping is dead. Have you been in a Best Buy lately?

    • @SWalkerTTU
      @SWalkerTTU Před 11 dny +1

      ​@@MrManflyMalls were dying before ORT became a thing.

  • @blaisewinterhalter2758
    @blaisewinterhalter2758 Před 18 dny +33

    I worked at this Bloomingdales from 2019-2023. The change was immeasurable after the pandemic, nothing was the same. I’m glad I left and am on to bigger and better things.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny +3

      Good Luck to you! This is exactly what the guy outside said to me. Tourism in SF is far from what it was pre pandemic.

  • @AslanKyoya1776
    @AslanKyoya1776 Před 23 dny +42

    I went to this mall just 5 years ago and it was very crowded and bustling, relatively speaking that was not that long ago. I am in shock!

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 20 dny +9

      It's a really different area of SF post pandemic.

    • @lestranged
      @lestranged Před 15 dny +3

      @@AdamDoesNotExist A big part of that is that so many office workers continued to work from home after the pandemic, so the downtown area never recovered the lunch hour and after-work traffic from locals. It can't survive on just tourists. Friday at 5 pm, the streets are empty when 5 years ago they would be bustling with people getting out of work, getting a drink or dinner after work, starting their weekend. Now all those people are in their pajamas on their couch.

    • @adefset4811
      @adefset4811 Před 2 dny +1

      Me too visited from Sydney 🇦🇺 Australia in September 2022 and it was super busy
      Shame to see what has happened great spot there

  • @j.h.6081
    @j.h.6081 Před 19 dny +22

    "I'm counting them as friends." As someone who was born in San Francisco and spent my youth in the Bay Area, I love this:)

  • @jons.6216
    @jons.6216 Před měsícem +27

    When I moved here in 1990 this was definitely a destination point! Two underground lines stopped here and the stores in it were great! Emporium was still around then and the Nordstrom Cafe with the overhead domed windows was a great spot to eat - especially on a rainy day! Around last Christmas I came over here and didn't realize so much had closed since I basically got tired of the nastier crowds that hung around the area since the late 90s! Very sad!

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 26 dny

      It's really cool to hear about those days. Hopefully they return!

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 26 dny

      It's really cool to hear about those days. Hopefully they return!

    • @Here4TheHeckOfIt
      @Here4TheHeckOfIt Před 22 dny +2

      ​@@AdamDoesNotExist I lived in SF in the early 90s also. People forget that NYC was almost bankrupt in the late 1970s. These historical cities will rise again.

  • @Jordantmori
    @Jordantmori Před 16 dny +9

    Before COVID this place was thriving. I went about 6 months ago because i was in the area and omg was i shocked at the condition of this mall. Completely insane how dead the mall got in just a few short years.

  • @57thorns
    @57thorns Před 3 měsíci +37

    Considering the mall guards also have to spend the whole day (and every working day) in the mall they would also be bored out of their mind.
    And I think that expelling the mall rats means less business for the food outlets, and the mall becomes just a bunch of shops, so you go to the one you plan to go to and then leave. This means the restaurants close, making it harder for people to spend any significant time there.
    There is a reason why every IKEA has a reasonably prized restaurant in the middle.
    Of course the death of mall culture can be either good or bad depending on what people do instead.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci +3

      I saw security talking to a few people who didn't seem to have good intentions, but in general they didn't have a ton to do on this specific day. Though I do know there have been some very busy days for the security team!

    • @crassirus
      @crassirus Před 14 dny +1

      It's funny how we built these places explicitly to attract people to hang out and buy things, but when people hang out and buy things in a certain way then "Ewww, get them out of here! They're making me feel slightly gross while I shop for my expensive things! I'm ever so slightly more aware of the tenuousness of my position in the middle class! Hisssss, get them away from meeeee!"
      US culture is a fucking trip when you're not immersed in it.

    • @ThePathbauer
      @ThePathbauer Před 4 dny

      Can you afford living in SF on a Mall Guard salary? Or do they live at the mall?

  • @SPMNDK89
    @SPMNDK89 Před 16 dny +6

    As a high schooler, this mall gave me a lot of memories, it's a shame it's turned into this. I remember seeing Pirates at World's End at that exact movie theater and we waited for the start time at the borders bookstore just a floor below.

  • @auberginebear
    @auberginebear Před 17 dny +5

    That mall was busy and moderately of people and stores when I was visited in 2021, so it’s sad to see what was a nice place be so empty.

  • @bonniekwong9564
    @bonniekwong9564 Před 3 měsíci +13

    I remember when they opened the "new" extension side. The "new" extension used to be a department store called the Emporium. It's the part with the food court in the bottom. It was amazing. Lots of local food stalls and also a fancy Bristol Farms market down there. Increasing crime and the pandemic was the nail in the coffin.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci

      It’s come a long way since then

    • @jfungsf882
      @jfungsf882 Před 3 měsíci

      Bristol Farms closed back in 2017 long before the pandemic & crimemongering even existed

    • @chrispnw2547
      @chrispnw2547 Před 3 měsíci +3

      When I moved to the SF Bay Area, I loved having Bristol Farms downtown and was amazed by the busy foot traffic. S.F. now resides in Europe. The streets are busy, the transportation is great, and you have stores large and small in the city centre. America is in decline and there is no denying it.

    • @syncswim
      @syncswim Před 16 dny

      That Bristol Farms was incredible. First stop right after getting out of Powell Station

  • @jfungsf882
    @jfungsf882 Před 3 měsíci +49

    Another good video. As a SF Native I've been to this mall many times including its movie theater. It's such a beautiful modern mall.
    I'm so saddened by how fast it has fallen. I'm even more irritated by how some people lie about this mall being unsafe when it's one of the safest places to be. In all of the times I've visited, not once did I ever feel unsafe.
    In my opinion Westfield or San Francisco Centre is a much safer place than that part of Oakland you visited in your previous video.
    I'm hopeful of its revival in the future.

    • @Tummie39
      @Tummie39 Před 23 dny

      Oh this mall along with many other malls in the SF area are NOT safe. There are plenty of gang fighting, smash and grab activities in these malls. Just do a quick google search and u will see.

    • @bvincesf
      @bvincesf Před 19 dny

      The old mall is safe, but walking to the 5th & Mission parking garage or getting on Powell St. BART/MUNI is risky and dangerous.

    • @jfungsf882
      @jfungsf882 Před 19 dny +1

      @bvincesf From my experiences walking to and from the Powell St Station is mostly *not* dangerous.
      Matter a fact I was there yesterday, and it *wasn't* even close to being unsafe. Though occasionally there are some undesirable people, but not unsafe for the most part.

    • @SP-ie5by
      @SP-ie5by Před 19 dny

      Born and raised in San Francisco. Still live here. It safe, motherfuckers are just soft now.

    • @cottonycloud-
      @cottonycloud- Před 7 dny

      @@bvincesf My daily commute includes that stop and I never see anything happening. Maybe during the late night you could be right, but if you're going to this mall nothing should happen.

  • @riacardi7011
    @riacardi7011 Před 26 dny +13

    man i remember 2014 this place was hella busy

  • @MikstyOnYt
    @MikstyOnYt Před 3 měsíci +23

    The last time i went here, it was filled with ppl and it was a year ago, but now its dead? Wth

  • @sreeenivas00706
    @sreeenivas00706 Před 11 dny +4

    I was there a few months ago. It wasn't Dead. There were not as my people as before the Rona but definitely wasn't dead. It's gets packed on weekends!

  • @accuratebrickinnovations
    @accuratebrickinnovations Před 3 měsíci +8

    To me, it's considered a huge problem if the LEGO store has to close. Which there was one there, and it's last day of business was nov. 30, 2023.

  • @charlestonpinballarcade
    @charlestonpinballarcade Před 3 měsíci +6

    Very fun video! Nice work. The dead mall community has a typical posting style and format that most channels offer. Your style is a great change of pace away from the common dead mall vids. 🎉🎉🎉

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci +1

      Thank you! I didn’t even realize there was a dead mall community. Glad you liked the video

  • @Fogoat
    @Fogoat Před 2 měsíci +8

    Solid video, I should probably visit this mall since I'm pretty close to a BART station now. I usually visit Chinatown and a couple of other places in SF, but never really stopped by the Westgate Center for as long as I've been in the bay area.

  • @unconventionalideas5683
    @unconventionalideas5683 Před 19 dny +21

    Part of the situation with this mall is that traditional malls in general are struggling. The sorts of stores that they used to attract, especially their anchors, have almost all imploded in recent years, from Lord and Taylor to Sear's. Even those that have survived with physical stores worth in quantities worth mentioning thus far, like JC Penny and Macy's, are in real trouble, and nothing has necessarily emerged to replace them. As such, it is really difficult for malls to survive much of anywhere. Even some in busy locations with strong policing are seeing a notable emptiness.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny +1

      Totally. They've tried to attract luxury tenants, but this area in general isn't much of a shopping destination any more.

    • @stevens1041
      @stevens1041 Před 2 dny

      Go 80 miles south, same brand's mall, the Westfield/Santana Row in San Jose is booming. Massive crowds all the time. So looks like you're wrong.

  • @drewmonroe3747
    @drewmonroe3747 Před měsícem +3

    What a shame to see such an icon of a mall closing up. So many of our huge malls in Vancouver, Canada have unfortunately met the same demise. Great video!!

  • @AgentJ415
    @AgentJ415 Před 16 dny +2

    This mall was a gem back in the day. I'd go for lunch if i could. When it came for shopping, we'd make our way out there and would walk the mall all day going store to store. Eating on the level where the Bart station is was a treat because of the variety. It truly is sad to see how this mall turned out over bad city politics.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny +1

      There still is some variety down there, but things have surely changed!

  • @FruddyG
    @FruddyG Před 18 dny +3

    This was a great video and I'm surprised at the sub count. Just here to say, I was here before Adam made it big! It's only a matter of time if you keep pumping videos like this out

  • @SpicyMang0s
    @SpicyMang0s Před 6 dny +1

    Oh no. I remember going to this mall maybe a year ago. It was pretty active but didn’t expect it to go down the drain like this.

  • @Worldtraveler2003
    @Worldtraveler2003 Před 15 dny +2

    I shopped in this mall as a teen and then worked in this mall 2008-2009.. shocked to see how downhill it’s gone.. it was booming back then. Sad.

  • @looneytoastywolf
    @looneytoastywolf Před měsícem +3

    I still go to the mall where I live, and they are fun to hang out in, and you still see alotta life☆ great video btw!!

  • @SlyFortres
    @SlyFortres Před 10 dny +1

    There's that many security guards because of how much theft there was at the mall prior. It's been like that throughout most malls in California unfortunately.

  • @AliasHSW
    @AliasHSW Před 5 dny +2

    Stonestown Mall at edge of town is busy and lively serving the locals. For this mall to bounce back tourism and office workers need to return to the area.

  • @vanessap337
    @vanessap337 Před dnem +1

    i really liked this video!!♥️ i miss california so much, especially SF! moving to the east coast makes me appreciate california more :(

  • @eurobeatking
    @eurobeatking Před 19 dny +3

    I worked at the Century/Cinemark theater in that mall from when it opened in Fall 2006 to when it closed on March 17th, 2020 due to the pandemic. I never went back even when it reopened in 2021, and was surprised that it closed so suddenly in July 2023 (right before "The Flash" opened that weekend) Oh well..

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      I guess it's tough competing with the Metreon? The AMC on Van Ness closed pretty abruptly too.

  • @jagdipsingh1272
    @jagdipsingh1272 Před 3 měsíci

    Hiya Brother Adam 👨🏼
    Sad too see what happening over there.Many great famous store's in the malls is closed down. Such a modern mall.
    This mall remind me of Zombie 80's movies ( Dawn Of The Dead and Night Of The Comet) i hope you have seen them.
    In Malaysia we also have few new malls which is closed/ empty.
    Great video by the video

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci +1

      My guy! Thank you! I agree, this would be a great set for a zombie movie.

    • @jagdipsingh1272
      @jagdipsingh1272 Před 3 měsíci

      @@AdamDoesNotExist 🤗 you are welcome.
      Thank you agree with me sir

  • @j.lietka9406
    @j.lietka9406 Před 15 dny

    How many stores are still open? How many stores does the mall have?

  • @Moskeeto
    @Moskeeto Před 14 dny +1

    6:11 "Pretzels is the same" - Hannibal Buress

  • @erinmalone2669
    @erinmalone2669 Před 19 dny +2

    I would take personal days there in college in the late 90s. It was packed. So sad to see such desolation. Great memories

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      Honestly not a bad place to take personal days now! But the experience will be quite different.

  • @Nsmitty1
    @Nsmitty1 Před 15 dny +2

    Malls in California don't offer the one major advantage that they do in other areas of the world; an escape from absolutely miserable weather. Ever go to a mall in Indonesia? They're amazing, and filled with people because it's 95 degrees and 85% humidity outside.

  • @SDZ675
    @SDZ675 Před 8 dny +1

    Last time I was at the Westfield Center was back in 2016 and it was really bustling. Moved away before the pandemic, but still sad to see the direction the city is going.

  • @e.tezani3877
    @e.tezani3877 Před 17 dny +1

    Remember when it was packed. I used to go to that salon.. it used to be so crowded..
    This was back in 2012-2016

  • @myatypicalworld
    @myatypicalworld Před 7 dny +1

    I was in San Francisco the summer of 2022 for my friends wedding and I was at the mall. I loved the spiral escalator.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 7 dny +1

      That escalator is so cool! So is the dome upstairs.

    • @myatypicalworld
      @myatypicalworld Před 7 dny

      @@AdamDoesNotExist Guess, you got over your fear of escalators

    • @Buschaga
      @Buschaga Před 4 dny

      There are very few spiral escalators installed across the United States (six locations). These were the first! The only other spiral escalators I’ve been on were in the Bloomberg headquarters in NYC.

  • @guyinthewhiteT
    @guyinthewhiteT Před 10 dny +1

    Man every time I go there I feel like it’s too many people in the mall

  • @topherbec7578
    @topherbec7578 Před 14 dny +1

    Being a teenager in the 80's. I remember malls as depicted in the movie Fast Times at Ridgmont High. Malls was where we socialized.

  • @PaulStevens-se9lc
    @PaulStevens-se9lc Před 9 dny +1

    Confucius says: "if the stores aren't open, the criminals can't shoplift"

  • @nullexpessions6565
    @nullexpessions6565 Před 3 měsíci +7

    I work here!!! Dang I would have loved to talk to you physically there.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci +1

      No way! What do you do there? I would have loved to put you in the video. I’ve made a bunch of videos in SF so maybe I’ll stop by again some time. I’m still pretty afraid to ask to film people. It’s almost always a no.

  • @co6308
    @co6308 Před měsícem +1

    The last time i was there was in late 90's. The mall had a lot of people shopping back in the day. Im really shocked to see this now.

  • @johndersham1
    @johndersham1 Před 8 dny

    Great job!

  • @mixedhairless
    @mixedhairless Před 16 dny +1

    I’m from a different era , that mall didn’t exist when I was a child in 1971. Woolworths was across the street from said mall and that was the destination for us.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      I love watching the videos of Market street from that time. It's so intersting to see how much has changed, and how many landmarks haven't changed at all!

  • @carefulconsumer8682
    @carefulconsumer8682 Před 15 dny +1

    Lovely.

  • @bcues3399
    @bcues3399 Před 9 dny

    Worked here from 2015 till 2018. Went back a few after the pandemic and it was a night and day difference from what I was used to. There were signs of it dying back then, but the pandemic really brought about a lot issues that were hiding under the surface

  • @roguephoenix
    @roguephoenix Před 18 dny

    i used to go there a lot after work when i lived there and it was always busy. it was still very busy when i left. so sad.

  • @sneakerjockCA
    @sneakerjockCA Před 3 měsíci +1

    Adam 😍

  • @davidlara4170
    @davidlara4170 Před 11 dny

    it is crazy to see this mall as a dead mall after having spent so many years shopping here as a local

  • @cmelle
    @cmelle Před 3 dny

    I went to this mall in 2019, before the pandemic hit, with my friends on vacation and it was pretty bustling. There were benches and seating with tables where the dome section was at from what I remember. Kinda sad to watch it so empty.

  • @andyc.8772
    @andyc.8772 Před 11 dny

    This video is so cool. It definitely feels like there is a difference even from when I went in 2022 and now in 2024, unfortunate to see. Crazy how many stores were there in 2022 that are now gone

  • @Hawaiiangr0wn1993
    @Hawaiiangr0wn1993 Před 18 dny +1

    I remember taking Bart out to the city to hang there. Always looked forward to seeing my homies in the city! crazy how it is now.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      It's a different feeling in mid market. Everywhere else is about the same.

  • @yayforeals
    @yayforeals Před 20 dny

    I grew up here in the Bay Area by SF and worked in that mall for many years and that is a shadow of what it use to be like even on a Monday, sad

  • @LastiJerb
    @LastiJerb Před 11 dny

    wow, I lived in SFO since 2014 and just recently moved out last December of 2023 to Reno, ever since after Covid San Francisco just went down drastically.

  • @paulrom446
    @paulrom446 Před 27 dny +3

    I used to go out to Stones town Mall when I was on Vacation out in San Francisco! Is it still there? BTW where is this Mall located?

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 26 dny

      It's called Stonestown Galleria now, and it sure is still there. They opened a Marugame Udon a few years back which I went to a few times.

    • @paulrom446
      @paulrom446 Před 25 dny

      @@AdamDoesNotExist Glad to hear it! I used to take the MUNI # 29 Sunset 🌆 or an M-Oceanview Train to get out there! I usually stayed at a Basque Hotel in Chinatown when I was vacationing out there Always bought a MUNI Pass to get around! Do you cover anything in the East Bay? Do you know if Larry Blake's and Freight and Salvage are still over in the East Bay in the Oakland/Berkeley area? Loved this video!

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 25 dny

      @@paulrom446 I do quite a lot in the east bay! But can’t say I know those places.

    • @paulrom446
      @paulrom446 Před 25 dny

      @@AdamDoesNotExist Okay Thanks! Just curious!

    • @californiaplant-basedeater2761
      @californiaplant-basedeater2761 Před 17 dny +1

      This mall is at the Powell Street Bart stop, between 4th and 5th Street on Market in SF. What's left of it, anyway. It's at least half empty. Three empty spots on the main floor do have "just been leased" signs, if true.

  • @regieds
    @regieds Před 5 dny

    I did my grad degree in this place from 2016-2019. SFSU occupied one of the upper floors for some of its grad programs. I remember going to this place after work to take night classes and it was so busy! Kinda sad to see what it has become.

  • @nabi5864
    @nabi5864 Před 12 dny +1

    This mall is absolutely or was as stunning and gorgeous as the ones in Paris or Berlin…. Back in the 80s during the holiday probably one of the most breathtaking scene… Unfortunately, I dont see it ever going back to it former self…. Society is indifferent… technology has completely turned the malls upside down and annihilated what it all used to be

  • @TheDoho
    @TheDoho Před 17 dny

    I think I remember going to this mall a lot as a kid in the 90s. I only sorta remember it, but it used to be so cool.

  • @CW-hh8yz
    @CW-hh8yz Před 17 dny

    Seeing this really hurts. I used to live off Leavenworth & Polk and would go to some of the restaurants in the food court. They actually had some really good places to eat and not just your usual mall chains. It used to be a very busy place. IIRC, Borders bookstore was at the very top, and they had a small Newstand satellite store on the bottom.

  • @lonelykangta
    @lonelykangta Před 3 dny

    i spent alot of my teenage days at this mall, was sweet on a girl who loved just hanging at the rotunda and chilling out, enjoying whatever holiday displays they had going.

  • @shelz0rtf2
    @shelz0rtf2 Před 7 dny

    I used to walk through this mall every day on the way to/from work. I'd get off at the BART station in the basement and catch a shuttle right outside the mall. Sad to see what the pandemic did to the area.

  • @S.C.-wo8hq
    @S.C.-wo8hq Před 10 dny

    What time of day did you go? I never see it that empty.

  • @andytang04
    @andytang04 Před 15 dny

    During the holidays that food court is usually packed

  • @cesartrackstar452
    @cesartrackstar452 Před měsícem

    Man, I remember. When I was 16 years old, my brother took me here, they had a lot of people. Now it’s not the same no more 😔

  • @pgbollwerk
    @pgbollwerk Před 14 dny

    I’ve been to that mall countless times over the years when I worked in the area, or visited the city.
    The food court has had lots of outstanding food over the years.

  • @skye7218
    @skye7218 Před 13 dny +1

    AIRSOFT HERE

  • @ParisLawLess
    @ParisLawLess Před 20 dny

    That was one of my favorite balls to go to I've spent a lot of money at Nordstrom's in a lot of other shops there. Also the Century Theater was not bad at all. Last time I was up there was before covid so is sad to see it being so empty. 😔

  • @bbblahoo7
    @bbblahoo7 Před 4 dny +2

    If ur from Cali u know exactly why.. great video though I made banana bread while I listened to this. And yes.. the mayor will b around because of agenda pleasing

  • @tylerllewtaing
    @tylerllewtaing Před 3 měsíci +2

    New viewer! I moved back to my hometown after spending my college years in San Francisco just last September.
    Right when movie theaters were starting to open right back up in 2020, I worked at that Cinemark location you visited. I knew it had probably closed by now as the mall was slowly dying (and with it being so hidden away at the top floor) but seeing it fully defunct through this random video in my suggestions box was fucking surreal. I eventually took on a better job as a box office clerk at the Alamo Drafthouse in Mission.
    Anyway, love what I’ve seen of the channel so far. I get a lot of horrible “Isn’t San Francisco dangerous/dirty?” questions now that I’m back in SoCal, and though the city I left behind certainly has seen better days, I got to really appreciate my time there for what it was - your videos are a perfect encapsulation of what I mean by that.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci +1

      Thanks! Great to have you here! SF makes my head spin sometimes. There is so much that should be so much better. At the same time, there is still so much that keeps me in the area.

  • @asaadlewis328
    @asaadlewis328 Před 3 měsíci +2

    I also like my coffee black 😂😂😂

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci +1

      Sometimes I feel like I'm offending Starbucks by getting black coffee there lol

    • @asaadlewis328
      @asaadlewis328 Před 3 měsíci

      Haha I mean that’s honestly the method I used when I try a new coffee shop. If their black coffee is good then I trust all of their coffee drinks lol

  • @animangafan342
    @animangafan342 Před 4 dny +1

    Have lived in SF for all 27 years of my life. Its the only home I know. Terrible what they've done to my city.
    They built up this mall to have everything. Even a movie theater that is now gone. Used to take the muni with my mom after summer classes to go catch movies there together, not too long ago. Ridiculous how this city deteriorated but kinda obvious. bunch of nobodies from the midwest came here in the 2010s with a "progressive" mentality. They voted for stupid policies & terrible people as politicians. Then prices went up & they all dipped when the crime started going up (both consequences of the policies these jerks voted for.) They left the city in shambles & moved on to go suck the next town dry. SF is so sad now. This mall was full of people during black Friday. U can barely walk around now at night down the street from telegraph hill.
    Can't blame the outsiders completely. Terrible leaders like London Breed come from our city. Mayor Ed Lee was also bad. He's the one who sold the city out to developers in the first place. From there, the corruption just kept getting worse. And it got really bad under DA Chesa Boudin & that stupid california law that diminished the punishment for theft. All we needed was the summer 2020 riots which was the final nail in the coffin.

  • @xoxinthebox
    @xoxinthebox Před 13 dny

    That kid is back on the escalator!

  • @user-or6yn8pm3c
    @user-or6yn8pm3c Před 12 dny

    There was a hot dog stand near the mall that had really good pretzels. Not sure if its still there as last time was there was 2012. Time flies.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 8 dny

      A LOT has changed since 2012. But it might still be there!

    • @user-or6yn8pm3c
      @user-or6yn8pm3c Před 8 dny

      @@AdamDoesNotExist It was across the street from the entrance.

  • @Lp0tr33
    @Lp0tr33 Před 18 dny

    Is this the mall that has a BART exit next to the food court? Would have been nice to see a tour of what's open and what's not. And if there is any poop in the elevators like the news suggested.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      Didn't find any poop, but I walk though the Bart station at the end of the video

    • @lestranged
      @lestranged Před 15 dny

      They closed the BART entrance that went directly from BART to the food court. on the north end. There is still a BART entrance to the southern section of the mall where Nordstrom was,

  • @SKippySounds
    @SKippySounds Před 18 dny

    I had no clue this place was even dying. The last time I was there was back in 2015 around Christmas time, and this place was PACKED

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      I'm sure it picks up around Christmas, but it probably isn't like you remember.

  • @Hp-dg3he
    @Hp-dg3he Před 18 dny

    A friend or mine just posted a video from a couple of days ago and there were less people. This is pretty sad!

  • @SippyCupAdventures
    @SippyCupAdventures Před 3 měsíci +10

    So freakin sad. It's just a giant domino game, right? One retailer leaves, and the rest do as well. I still "believe" in the city, and as in the past, it will rebound. Something unique will come of the mall (and thanks for acknowledging it's no longer the Westfield Mall, as we asked that at the beginning of the video). IDK, maybe London Breed is not the answer. I don't know enough about her tenure to make a decision on that. Funny, I consume quite a bit of SF content, and I still don't know the answer. 🥤

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci +2

      I think you're right. The big retailers like Nordstrom (or even the movie theater) draw people in, then they stay and shop at the other stores. So when a big store leaves, it really hurst the others. There are still a bunch of really high end shops, and security there is top notch, so there's still hope for this mall.

    • @JoseGonzalez-wt1do
      @JoseGonzalez-wt1do Před 3 měsíci

      Liberal policy's not working is why SF is a laughingstock all-round the US or maybe even the world.

    • @captaintalon4485
      @captaintalon4485 Před 9 dny

      I was in Sydney overnight once at the end of my cruise and got to stay in the equivalent of their business district. Whether it’s the Australian culture or the lesser population density their business district is thriving with people out and about with restaurants and malls completely packed with people

  • @ThePathbauer
    @ThePathbauer Před 4 dny

    A little background on why it is dead? It's history?

  • @Antonin1738
    @Antonin1738 Před 19 dny

    Man my friends and I used to go to this mall afterschool

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      I saw some highschoolers in the food court. But it certainly wasn't busy...

  • @iamthebestGDplayerever
    @iamthebestGDplayerever Před 7 dny +1

    Fun fact I live near that mall

  • @doraima29
    @doraima29 Před 13 dny

    It is pretty depressing that this mall is dying with all of the popular retail chains closed and moving away from San Francisco. London Breed should be recalled a long time ago. I hate how her ideas are not helping SF as a thriving community especially in the Downtown SF and the Financial District. Homelessness has become a hub there when other people from different states brought them there. I used to go there for their food, window shopping and their food court options. I stopped going there in 2015.

  • @paolaperez2591
    @paolaperez2591 Před 16 dny

    This makes me so sad, I live going to malls. I wish they weren’t dying

  • @HyperKilljoy112
    @HyperKilljoy112 Před 17 dny

    This mall was once my Rendezvous point with my girlfriend. It also marks the spot of the beginning of our relationship… when I heard that Westfield was closing its doors due to the increase theft and organized crime in the city, it wasn’t surprising that they were pulling out. It’s depressive, but the citizens here get what they voted for. I miss the LEGO store down by the Jamba Juice.
    All the more reasons to move away from San Francisco.

  • @staggerlee9362
    @staggerlee9362 Před 17 dny +2

    This isn't a mystery. I've lived in S.F. since 1994 and malls have been falling out of fashion since before then. The specific mall you're in catered largely to tourists as it's in the heart of downtown where most locals never bother going, then the pandemic hit and tourism died coinciding with the work from home movement. S.F. has one of the largest tech worker populations so the offices downtown emptied as well removing the lunch and happy hour crowd. If you visit the S.F. people still work and live in it's bustling and nice but that isn't a very interesting story so everyone makes videos focusing on the part that took the hit. It's a dishonest representation as 90% of the city is mostly unchanged.

    • @joshsalwen
      @joshsalwen Před 17 dny

      So true. The residential neighborhoods are alive. Downtown is empty.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      Totally agree. But I wanted to see the mall for myself. I made a video about how great the Tenderloin is... which you don't see much these days

  • @nicodaddio5077
    @nicodaddio5077 Před 3 dny

    The restaurant waiting area was to M.Y. China. I used to go there after seeing every new exhibit at the SFMOMA with my grandmother. It was a tradition that I was sad to see end when the pandemic hit and the restaurant closed. I hope to see the mall revitalized but definitely not as a stadium on Market. If they really want to do that use one of the empty piers and create mixed use spaces around it. Love this city forever tho

  • @BoCaine
    @BoCaine Před 9 dny

    Younger people just don't spend time in malls and places like this anymore... the vast options and changes in priorities for young people along with the economic and housing markets are also to blame. I find the change has its pros and cons. Same goes for large corporate campuses and high rises... Hopefully we can evolve and learn ways to utilize these spaces for more modern uses and relevant activities

  • @christhompson6010
    @christhompson6010 Před 13 dny

    as a native of the bay area from the early 60,s to present. these malls since the early 2000,s have become nothing more than tourist trap,s baiting outsiders with overpriced goods.Not to mention the redundancy in goods being offered. As far as Nordstrom's surprised they stayed open that long considering any local shopper could get the same quality for half the price at their outlet right across the street. The main use of these malls were just for hangouts for school kids who had nothing better to do. Would say the biggest impact came from the pandemic shelter in place which changed the workforce layout and how people purchase goods as whole permanently. online shopping as standard and working remote were probably going to happen anyway the pandemic just accelerated it. With people working remotely the amount of local foot traffic is cut way down affecting the local business that rely,s on that. people are more reluctant to go in house gatherings like theaters. lots of restaurants still maintain outside seating. most have adapted to the new lifestyle. and the fact that there's another mutated stain out there dont see things changing back

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 8 dny

      Especially in San Francisco. Things are still shifting back towards pre pandemic norms. But It's hard to imagine things going back 100%

  • @bartwilloughby2909
    @bartwilloughby2909 Před 13 dny

    Westfield mall foreclosed on that Mall

  • @Ed209sect32
    @Ed209sect32 Před 5 dny

    Damn 2019 was the last time I visited SF. That mall was packed. Now it looks like a ghost town.

  • @specialcookday
    @specialcookday Před měsícem +2

    Future Milsim airsoft game event place sight. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

  • @cpcxgsr
    @cpcxgsr Před 3 měsíci +2

    Shocked tha Rolex and Panerai will allow their ADs to sell their products without any real foot traffic. It contradicts their corporate business model.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 3 měsíci

      That section of the mall is all high end, and there is some visibility from the street, but yeah, I agree.

    • @cpcxgsr
      @cpcxgsr Před 3 měsíci

      @@AdamDoesNotExist I wish The Bay well. I’m from NYC and the entire place is falling apart. I understand why your mall is where it’s at… politics aside, there’s no reason why it’s like that. Especially for a “major city”.

  • @HectorMurrieta
    @HectorMurrieta Před 18 dny +1

    Go to Mexico City and malls are thriving everywhere! On my most recent trip, I saw a couple new ones - super impressive. I think they are dying in the US because people can buy everything online... why bother going somewhere, when all these things are at the tip of your fingers...&, covid didn't help at all.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny

      Some bay area malls are doing well, but certainly not this one. Can you not clothing and stuff online in Mexico City?

    • @Hetch79
      @Hetch79 Před 14 dny

      @@AdamDoesNotExistyes they buy online in Mexico. But people in Mexico love and prefer to go to the malls and try things and enjoy the day like back in the day in the USA 🇺🇸 they prefer to enjoy a few hours eating out , watching movies in theaters and trying on clothes and make sure they fit ,

  • @fleasname
    @fleasname Před 16 dny

    You can for sure go to the roof. You have to exit the mall to get to the elevator. Eat lunch up there sometimes

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 16 dny +1

      Wait really? The security guards told me it's been closed for years. How do you get there?

    • @fleasname
      @fleasname Před 15 dny +2

      ​@@AdamDoesNotExist 835 market, there is a door with a guard that lets you in the elevator. Just checked today and its closed for painting, but they assured me it's open normally, Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4:30 pm. I don't work downtown so much anymore, but usually there are zero people up there. Cool ass spot to chill.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 15 dny

      @@fleasname Thank you! Next time I'm in the area, I'll have to check it out!!

  • @ChrisRGB
    @ChrisRGB Před 12 dny

    Commercial activity is decentralizing in San Francisco. While there is a perception of crime and homelessness to blame, these issues were present when the city was bustling and were even more severe. Changing consumer habits are to blame, people no longer feel the need to shop for everyday clothes in stores. The mall, which once catered to the mid-market economy, now sees its customers shopping online or at outlets. Even in 2018, it had numerous vacant storefronts, like many other malls in America. Without office workers, stores that sold items like ties or socks closed quickly. However, high-end luxury retailers in Union Square still attract a decent amount of traffic. We anticipate that luxury shopping will become more centrally located as the area shrinks overall.
    Mid-market shopping is redistributing to commercial streets in various neighborhoods, accompanied by a few luxury boutiques. This is beneficial for the city, as it increases traffic in each neighborhood, boosts restaurant patronage citywide, shortens commutes to downtown, and promotes commercial expansion in local areas. For instance, while real estate in my downtown neighborhood (Rincon Hill) has dropped by over 20%, Hayes Valley has seen a 20%-30% year-over-year increase. People are taking breaks during their workday and staying in their neighborhoods. In my area, four restaurants and two retailers are preparing to open.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 8 dny

      I wonder how this sort of thing affects tourism in the long term. Do tourists realize they need to visit Hayes Valley instead of Union Square. Or do they just stop coming?

    • @ChrisRGB
      @ChrisRGB Před 7 dny

      @@AdamDoesNotExist definitely a good question. I think interest is well spread through SF. I’m not sure mid market can be a tourist destination in the future. A shopping destination for high dollar retail perhaps, but the retail as a whole is shifting.
      Shopping tourism still happens but larger percentages of it are luxury brands. We may see more luxury brands and luxury hotels as a result.
      People generally already go to the neighborhoods with tourist attraction for boutique shopping. North Beach and Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharf, GG Bridge and Sausalito, Yerba Buena and Moscone/Oracle/MoMa, Haight and GG Park. I would expect these areas to increase in commercial development for tourism, and Hayes Valley or Noe/Dogpatch/Potrero/Marina to develop local retail that in time becomes a destination; Haight Ashbury, Mission and Castro are great examples of that. They have specific historical interest and charm so people shop there.
      Locals are big box averse in SF and love a boutique. Honestly it would be a good time to open a coffee shop in an up and coming neighborhood!
      A moderate investment into that mall could turn it into an attraction. It’s a terrible location for an arena and lacks the transportation infrastructure. An interactive technology hub, aquarium, science center or museum or some other controlled traffic attraction would create much needed foot traffic for the area especially in the corridor down market from the ferry building. It’s also surrounded by theaters and restaurants.
      Just my thoughts though.

  • @michaelmassaro6694
    @michaelmassaro6694 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Hey bro, your way of making videos means with different shorts are very nice and i know it needs lot of effort. okay I want to give you a golden tip to increase your subscribers in no time, visit Pakistan and remember if you create positivity, it will come back to you too in someway n you will be admired too. Everything has positive n negative aspects, so it's in your hands. I will say please first go n watch other non-Pakistani vlogers how fast they grow their channel.

    • @AdamDoesNotExist
      @AdamDoesNotExist  Před 2 měsíci

      I'd love to. But that's a pretty big trip. Not sure I can swing it at the moment.

  • @IGtyi39AL78F56
    @IGtyi39AL78F56 Před 9 dny

    Or Legoland or affordable housing.

  • @JBoy340a
    @JBoy340a Před 11 dny

    Looks like most malls. With online shopping deliver to your door, why go to a mall?

  • @EshaanR
    @EshaanR Před 6 dny

    Now nitendo is the only hope to save it