El Pedregal: The Dead Mall With JRPG Aesthetic | Retail Archaeology
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- In this episode we return to the El Pedregal mall in North Scottsdale, AZ. This little dead mall feels like your exploring an abandoned town in a JRPG!
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Of all the dead malls you've done, this one is the most tragic to see go. The architecture was a work of art.
this place should be made into apartments or condos - beautiful architecture and so unique! I"d love to see that place myself...
Same
It could be a zoning issue. I don't know about this area but it seems most City governments are either corrupt or out of touch with reality.
This is the saddest mall I think I've ever seen. No just because it's absolutely dead but because the person who was responsible for it's existence obviously really put his/her all into it. Looks like it was a project of passion and dreams unlike most square bland malls. Even the employee area was nice with the balcony to smoke on. Shame that this goes down in flames and any Walmart anywhere is succesfull.
@@hoppingrabbit9849 believe me Wal-mart will be back for round 2 in Germany. This time they won't fail either.
I wonder if the 2008 economic downturn killed this place.
Andrew Lounsbury then let’s kill Walmart in USA :)
Conrad Leather Boutique.
Hopping Rabbit Walmart is doing great in Europe now. They’re going to try again in Germany with this new CEO
It would be gorgeous as an office complex with that huge open space. Or make it as a school for children with a huge space to play at.
i know it’s tacky but i love all the turquoise and coral highlights everywhere
I don't think they're tacky at all. This would make an adorable site for wedding pics or a wedding and reception.
Since I've been watching Dan Bell and now Retail Archaeology, I've been inspired to get out and document at least the neon signs and other older retail spaces in my hometown. I'm still kicking myself that I didn't take a look at the two story chinese restaurant that had been around for nigh on 30 years before it was shut down and now turned into a sports bar. You just don't know when these things will go away or be redeveloped.
Looks like Conrad and Imagine sold clothing "Fashions by Imagine Gallery and Conrad Leather Boutique at El Pederegal at the Boulders will be modeled." from the Arizona Republic Newspaper published on February 12, 1999.
That is a really cool retail mall and I'm still surprised it's not doing better with that resort near.
Wish more malls would have unique architecture. This sets its self apart because of its uniqueness.
If it's a failure as a mall, I think making it maybe into some kind of community center could be the way to go. That place just looks way too unique not to do something with it to attract people towards.
I was thinking an art and craft school, workshop, and gallery. More restaurants and taverns. Maybe a cooking school.
Or convert it into a convention space, since this has some kind of JRPG aesthetic in it and cosplayers would kill for a photo-op for it.
@@InfinityR319 ^ THIS!! That's actually a REALLY good idea!!
I attended nearby Cactus Shadows HS in the early 1990s, and I remember El Pedregal was doing very well back then. Sure, business was slower in the summer -- the Boulders shut down for the summer season -- but overall, people still shopped and dined there. It had great restaurants and lots of unique galleries and shops. It is a shame to see it suffering like this.
a dead mall in my town got re-purposed as a branch of the community college and its now a super cool campus, i can totally see someone doing something similar to this place
Wow, that is one of the more beautifully designed shopping malls I have ever seen! It is a shame that it's not doing better than it should! It certainly looks like a destination mall where you can hang out and enjoy all the lovely views! Another great video!
It's one of the most (actually I guess the most) beautiful malls that I have ever seen. Too bad I am living 8700 km away from it. Would love to visit. If you would pick this complete complex up and place it over here in The Netherlands, you would have an instant success and great tourist attraction. I can't believe how gorgeous it is. On one hand I am very glad that I can 'visit' these kind of places through your videos. But on the other hand it makes me sad, although I probably won't come near it ever in my life haha. I feel bad for all the people who put in their hearts and souls to make this a success. They didn't fail regarding the design. Thanks for sharing. Seen a lot of your video's. This is the best yet.
Glad you returned to El Pedregal. Honestly, the appearance makes me want to refer to it and other places like it as a... "dormant mall." Somehow by some impossible chance, I wonder if/when it would have a ''revival."
I agree, it’s a lovely place architecturally. And if it’s next to a resort, I wonder why it’s dead?
Btw- I hope you clean your camera after sticking it in that koi pond. Don’t catch any amoebas!
"El Pedregal: The Dead Mall With JRPG Aesthetic" - Make it into an Anime/Video Game Convention space.
cesariojpn Bingo! 🧝🏻♂️🧝🏻♀️🧚🏻♀️🧙🏻♂️🧙🏻♀️🧚🏻♂️
Cosplayers will pack the mall like sardines to get their pictures shot.
Make an independent movie "Dead Mall Recon" where you are the 1st person shopper and the abandoned anchor store is the lair of the final boss Dr. Simon Buzzsaw LMAO !
Hell yeah, Scottsdale Comic Con. Phoenix Comic Con is huge, could use some competition.
There's the Tanger Outlet near Casa Grande that has been closed for a while now. There's a Wendy's in the parking lot that has been closed, also for a while ... yet you look into the windows and the menu boards are still there, all of the chairs are placed on the tables in the dining room ... just looks like it's waiting for the opening crew to come and open for the day.
Stuck in time.
silicon212 I actually have a video covering the old Casa Grande outlet mall and that Wendy's 😀
I remember going to that exact wendy's as a kid to visit with some friends from tucson, and now it is almost unsettling to drive past that mall on the i10 and see it as a shell of its former self
These videos are so relaxing.
I know right, lol.
It's a shame it's not more active. The architecture and landscaping are still well maintained and beautiful.
These spaces & retail locations could be short term living or 🏘 in urban areas but cities, communities do not want the red tape, 🗂. Legal hassles, crime, soc problems.
I love that you guys ate at the restaurant!! I feel like it's giving back to this poor, pretty, lonely mall
You should do a little 10 second raw audio of Mall's Court yard to give us a little feel of how it would be to be there and take it all in.
It would be cool but i dont think he could.. many malls have music playing in the background that is copyrighted....hed still have to edit it out so as not to get copyright striked..thats one of the reasons he uses the music he does
Your videos and your commentary make me so happy. I’ve been binging all of your videos whenever I feel more depressed and it’s so comforting, idk how to explain it
I feel like the resort owns this & keeps it up- in their best interest to keep it nice.
If this place got used as a film set It'd be a great first step to any revitalization efforts
I loved your first video! I always talk about how this is my favorite dead mall ever. It looks pristine like there was an apocalypse and it was left in perfect condition
I can imagine when the Arizona weather is tolerable just sitting in this courtyard, sipping on a beverage and either writing or drawing enjoying the day passing by.
yeah you know it did seem right out of a JRPG! loved the underwater shot of the koi pond, how cool!
Grew up and still work near El Pedregal. When I was younger it was always a mall for kids not to touch anything. Upscale mix of clothing shops and interior design.im glad you captured the fountain as it is the certerpeice of the whole mall.
LOL ''Sunday bowls'', does that mean they were to be used for sundaes or only _on_ Sunday? We may never know. It's sad because it is so nice. A possibility might be the fact that it isn't enclosed. Walking around shops in triple digit temps does not sound like a pleasant experience. Good thing Koi are pretty hardy fish, as long as the water's fairly clean and not completely frozen over and they have food, they'll survive.
It's a couple feet higher than old town Scottsdale so it's a little cooler. And the sunken courtyard with high walls keeps out the sun and the trees and water keep it cool. And you can see at 4:37 they had misters.
Beautiful mall with beautiful landscaping. The Fish 🐠 are a nice touch
What's sad is how this is almost entirely dead, yet so beautiful. I don't understand why someone isn't trying to recreate it into something cool. You could turn it into a Photoshoot place. A Convention Center. A school. There's so many different options of what you could do with this space!
I agree with you. I love AZ desert. I like that adobe look even if it is fake
I loved this place. So many unique shops. Gone.
This place would make the best School. Jr College
I wonder what happened to this mall since this video was taken. An update video would be good.
If it's maintained so impeccably, it isn't really abandoned. It's just closed for commercial business.
The one with the pretentious sign would have been clothing since they were selling NYDJ.
I don't think that he knew it is a brand of clothing.😅
Love your videos. Thanks for all the effort. You have the perfect vouce for this and great nusic choices. Miss AZ and look forward to moving back. Really enjoy your work. Well done sir
Omg that fish 🐟🐡🐠pond with that waterfall was so impressive and the layout makes me want to go visit arizona I'm from Texas and am so impressed great video 😎Man that mall is so artistic beautiful and unique hoping one day it might come back to life🤔😆😃The mountains is something that adds charm to the state😃
Staying at boulders, shopping center is so nice but still looks just as dead! Spotted donkey is thriving as its owner by boulders and highly promoted by the resort, there’s an art exhibit and boulders gift shop/store but nothing else!
Great explore, guys! Love seeing these empty or old malls!
Also, what a gorgeous spot this place is!
I wonder if they rent out the center area for events. It is too beautiful and well-maintained to go unused.
Also: I gasped when your camera took a dip into the pond! 😳
Right time of year that would be a great place to have a big party, wedding reception, etc. The grounds are IMO stunning.
This is so beautiful ! Excellent video, very well done ! It's so sad to see what has happened in our country ! I'm so thankful to all the guys doing this ! We all need to see what's really going on !Keep up the great work !
So happy to see this, it's a damn shame that malls with such beautiful scenery are dying. What's weird is the mall near me was damn close to dying, but they poured ALOT of money into it, and traffic is actually improving, and there are less empty stores. They gutted the macy's and they're doing 3 million in renovations. I can't wait to see what comes of it. Since I started watching this I've become more and more interested in brick and mortar stores.
Wow who would dislike this video ? Awesome video been watching since last year.
This could be a fabulous movie location. Hope someone buys it or they find a way to reboot it. It'd be a shame to demolition it. At least now, it's online.
I grew up in the Cave Creek/Carefree area and remember this place. I didn't go there often but it was definitely a sight to behold. Haven't thought about it in years, thanks.
I wanna film that elevator! It's an 80s Dover Impulse! I love the interior and the doors.
This might be the most beautiful Mall that I've ever seen! What a terrible waste this Retail Apocalypse is. This was a loving tribute by you to a wonderful retail space. Good Job!
BEST THING TO HAPPEN TODAY
I first visited El Pedregal in the summer of 1989, a year out of college, and it looked recent then. I went many times I was in Phoenix, and it was always thriving...until a decade passed in 2018 and it was mostly abandoned. Apparently the owner changed a couple times. It's classic southwest, circa 1980's.
Seriously. Thank you for that tour. I really enjoyed it.
this video was awesome, i love the aesthetics of that mall.
I love coming back to this video. 😌💕
Such an amazing mall!!
Looks like a town in Phantasy Star 4.
This is kind of unexpected to come across. Wasn’t expecting they would shut that place down.
Man your camera records at such good quality! I want to visit Arizona just to see all of these quirky, cool dead malls
I am glad the Koi fish is taken care of, and the courtyard maintained, looks nice. Guess the 1 Restruant that is still open is taking care of the landscaping and fish
Thank you so much for this video i only just found you but i’m gonna watch every single one of your vids
My favorite little mall-so pretty! Saw your other good video on this. Sounds like it's possibly mismanaged? I don't get why there are so many vacants. It would be a real shame if this goes. I'd love to see in person but I'm in Northern CA. THANK YOU
Astonishing that such a beautiful place could be abandoned.
I am loving the footage of the underwater fish! That's so cool!
The fish are looking at the camera like "hey, this is our place, you can't bring that thing in here!"
As opposed to the birds I see flying across the courtyard from time to time. They seem more comfortable being close to the architecture than I usually see them in malls with lots of people around. I look forward to the time when jackrabbits and coyotes are running all over the place.
Yaaay I love your videos, so relaxing ☺
Darn it, now I want an action RPG set in a dead or abandoned mall! Something like Dead Rising but more eerie feeling and abandoned instead of packed with early Xbox 360 zombie models.
740th like, I played on that very stage 4/4/14 A corporate party with the Michelle Lynn band. I have pictures of us on stage, it was a great gig, paid very well. Also used to work in the boulders area building custom furniture from the mid eighties through 2008 Very upscale area. Couldn't believe it when I saw the mall was in decline. Thanks for the post. John.
I want to visit! It looks like a lovely place to spend an afternoon.
As a fan and owner of Cosmic Fantasy 2....I salute you.
I was straight hoping you would go here again! Thank you!
Love the Southwestern Adobe style! What a waste it’s just rotting away but I’m assuming it’s run of the mill for Arizona.
I’m a security officer at the boulders, I walk through el pedregal at night it’s weird.
These videos are so much damn fun and this place is SO aesthetically satisfying. Also, I was genuinely worried for a second when the camera went straight into the koi pond, tho it was a really cool shot
This mall is really neat, I love the unique style, it’s so nicely done.
> enters mall
> immediately walks into random encounter
> "Kiosk Worker uses 'Aggressive Sales Tactic'!"
> "Critical Hit! 9999 DMG!"
> fuckin die and start over at save file 2 hours back
One of the things about this Place is that when ppl see things in shops at a Resort, now days, is I don't have room for it in my luggage (over weight charges) or Duty Fees! If the stores mail your purchases, domestically, you might not be there bc you're traveling! Or think you could just buy something like it online for a cheaper price! Using a SPA outside your Hotel is inconvenient!
Plus it's just HOT in AZ for so many months if the year, ppl don't want to stroll around in the Heat! Or even go to AZ bc it's so Hot!
That little door next to the Mineral and Fossil place could’ve been an apartment. Most of the stores in my city’s downtown area have apartments up top for either the shop’s owners or some of the college kids.
I love the uniqueness of it. With a resort there it's surprising it's not been able to be a repository of restaurants if shops didn't work out. The restaurant you went to looked good.
I have been to this mall, around 12 years ago and it was dead even then, but a few shops were still open on the bottom along with Ben & Jerry's. Anyone thinking of going to take a look at the mall should, it is really quite impressive to see in person.
It’s like Louran from Terranigma: the illusion of a thriving town hiding a reality of shambling undeath.
ETA: Having seen the rest of the video, I think it’s less “dead” and more “repurposed.” Less mall, more venue. You don’t spend that much money to maintain a space that isn’t bringing in profit.
Grew up in Scottsdale/Paradise Valley and never knew this place existed. Now seen both ends of Scottsdale, Rd.
Awesome mall! Crazy it’s in such amazing condition.
Next time I visit my hometown in Az I might have to stop by to take a peak. Seems pretty interesting.
I love this place! Great explore, Dan. Love the Koi!
Aw, I was hoping you would have a boss fight at the end! But I had fun watching none the less!
That was a paddle from dazed and confused Bannon !!!!!
Dunking your GoPro into a koi pond is next level content.
OMG Cosmic Fantasy 2! I knew I loved this channel!!!
I live up here and for some reason locations are destined to fail. Carefree Rd and Scottsdale/Tom Darlington is the busiest road intersection up here, hence the recent expansion construction of the section from Cavecreek Rd to Scottsdale.
In my opinion the problem with ElPedrigal is the layout and location from the road. It has a weird parking system and everything is so hidden back there. Technically still in Scottsdale I believe some of the signage restrictions prevent people from knowing what’s in there (or was). The Spotted Donkey does get a lot of business but browsing type shops are more suited for CaveCreek where most tourists go. If they had easier in and out, more visible signage at least letting people know there is a mall back there and a popular anchor restaurant it would thrive. Oreganos just around the corner is pretty much packed all the time, having something like that in there would have made a difference.
Who knows maybe rent was high there, advertising by the mall limited, etc. Like being part of a franchise it’s the corporation that advertises on behalf of the franchises. Maybe more events, etc.
It’s a shame because it’s a gorgeous mall and definitely has a desert vibe.
You went through the door... you *do* know that's how several horror movies have started, right?
This is my favorite, definitely visiting if I'm ever in the area. We need an El Pedregal 3! See if the pizza board is still there!
I love cosmic fantasy
Great choice in music
Unfortunately cosmic fantasy was never translated to english although i haven't looked for a fan translation in a while.
Cosmic fantasy II is what people got outside of japan for some reason...
The music of the Turbo was very relaxing.
Love these videos.
Since i just moved to Arizona about a year ago i would love to check out some of the places that you've covered that i haven't been too yet.
You're Definetly a retro gamer with good taste 😀
I moved to Phoenix from Portland OR last September, and honestly I never heard of this mall until now. It is pretty unique and reminds me of the now demolished Papago plaza. This place has so much potential, and it could be a great convention place & shopping center combination.
It’s in a high end real state area, million dollar homes in Carefree Az, and the division line of CaveCreek of horse property’s. Battle of the haves and have nots
Looked at some trip advisor reviews and the oldest one is from May of 2012 and even since then, the reviews mention that most stores are either on a closing sale or just empty. So yeah, sad to see that happen. Also, Brugo's seems to have moved out either in late 2015 or Jan of 2016, as they announced their reopening on the February 4th of 2016 in Cave Creek.
Damn, i never been here before. Didnt know this existed and i lived in Phoenix for like 20 years. I just stayed around North Phoenix and Glendale and Peoria mostly. Sometimes i'd go to Fountain Hills but not often.
I wondered, "Is Papago Plaza that one way down on Scottdale with the sort of stalagmite aesthetic?" Pop over to Google Earth and..."was" appears to be the operative word.
such a wonderful looking place esp the Koi pond
Shame nobody is there anymore.
Dang Jacques Custeau! nice shot of the koi. How was the water? Oh at 14:40 Conrad, I did some looking up on this resort, its owned by a Hilton Hotels subsidiary called, Curio. Conrad Hilton was the founder of the Hilton chain. Maybe named after him? just my guess.
Weird seeing so many lights on inside the abandoned stores. And those had to be the cleanest glass storefronts in an abandoned mall. Actually as you say, its pretty darned nice and well maintained.
20:17 it's not a pizza board, its a spanking paddle 😉
You should visit Viejas outlet center in Alpine, California.... it’s a similar to this episode
Good video. Very interesting. Nice mall. Thanks for filming.