The Mall America Forgot About - The Abandoned Wilson Mall
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- čas přidán 9. 12. 2021
- Today we find ourselves exploring the notorious abandoned Wilson Mall. This shopping center originally began its life as an outdoor shopping mall in 1964. After its expansion and conversion to an indoor facility in 1979, the mall went from 19 to over 60 independent stores. Sadly it was outcompeted by larger surrounding malls that popped up in the area during the 1990s, and foot-traffic began to slow for the Wilson Mall. As big tenants such as Sears pulled out and moved elsewhere, the mall fell on hard times and announced it would be closing its doors January 2013 never to reopen. The mall now sits abandoned, slowly decaying with an uncertain fate. Join us as we explore the old abandoned mall and see what was left behind
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This mall was a huge part of my childhood and young adult years. I miss it dearly!
It always sad to see dead malls being abandoned and also the remaining furniture or decoration, because at one point, you know there was laughter and joy in this area and maybe someone who was happy to become a business owner and trying to make a fortune.
Or a family going out into the town to buy a small gift or a toy for their young ones, maybe a brand new grandma taking her grandchild out for a stroll and an ice cream treat. 😔
Absolutely agree. What a great comment, I thought exactly the same thing.
@@ThuJ4 Yeah I know what you mean - no matter how much more efficient online business may be, it can never create memories like that. Malls may have been soulless but at least they had real people in them.
20:19 the mall closed January 2013 so it was just after christmas
This animatronic might just be a reindeer and many memories of sitting with santa on a sleigh and shopping all day at sears might lie here
I like how you don’t saturate the video with all kinds of background music. I do like dead mall and abandoned videos with retro music, but there’s something really cool about the eerie silence in these places.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed! I always spend a long time debating my audio overlay, I definitely believe its important to find a nice balance between ambient music and the natural sounds from the location!
Completely agree 💯
@@UnchartedTravel Those photos look like they where abandoned long before the store shut down!
I really hope the construction comes in and fixes it and renames it WILSON PRO MALL as the grand opening
The first checkered floor restaurant you came to with the mirrors on the wall was Andy’s Cheesesteaks and Cheeseburgers that is now known has Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes, and Fries. I worked at that location a few times 20 years ago. It was sad to see it like that. The Tony’s menu you found was to the second checkered floor restaurant you came to.
The Flowers store was actually a shoe store. It was the only one around that carried Stride Rite, the brand that was always my childrens’ first shoe. I remember shopping there and eating at Tony’s. Very sad the state it is in now.
My mommy always got those types of shoes from there for me.
Oh I thought it was a jewelry store
I remember going to this mall In 2003 while we were on field trip in middle school. I ate at Tony's pizza and went to a couple other stores. It's crazy how almost 20 years later its completely ruined. I live in raliegh nc right down the rode I might have to check this place out
High rent rates and the city of Wilson's support of the "Heritage Shopping Center" (they gave 7 million to the shopping center) brought on the demise of this shopping mall.
The large indoor mall in my hometown didn't have a food court. The restaurants and food stands were scattered throughout the mall. Was kinda nice when I was a kid. Sears had its own snack bar, bakery was next to the cigar shop, large Italian restaurant was upstairs, and red robin was located at one end next to a bar. Was booming in the 80's, miss those days.
I used to go to this mall a lot as a child. If I’m not mistaken, the second restaurant that you went to with the Tony’s menu board on the wall used to be a Chick-fil-A. The bigger store right after that near Sears was a Cato clothing store. It’s so sad to see what has become of this mall and many others like it.
I went to the K&W Cafeteria there many times with my grandma.
Yea then Tony moved in then they moved over were old winners dixie used to be at shop oping center use be now small wallmart
@lyndieskurry2379 My dad used to work at that K&W. And I attended a daycare that was close by that mall.
So many memories. I grew up visiting that mall weekly . That fold up stage towards the end , I've stood on and sang with my middle school chorus. The animatronic reindeer was always out at Christmas time and would talk to kids . BTW, Flowers sold shoes , not flowers ironically
Yo I love near here! Welcome to NC, I remember being in this mall when I was a kid man. So many memorys
Amazing how fast these places fall apart once they are abandoned.
The vandals certainly aren't helping to slow things down.
I work across the street from the Mall ( @ Lifestyle Tattoos) and it’s such a dead zone, the only action the parking lot gets is from Roses, K&W and the Movie theater, wish the community would bring the mall back instead of expanding outward. Close down some of the mattress warehouses around the city and divert the money here. Many great memories.
k&w sadly shut down i loved their food
@@matte9789 I didn’t even know, it’s in the cut. They had nice workers, try the one in Rocky Mount
@@daisybland3085 we eat at the one in gville on the way to the beach soemtimes but that’s about it
We miss you SO much ♥...this is great!!! In Zambia they built a mall and the people came...to ride the escalator. It was it's main attraction.
JcPenney sold blinds, curtains, hardware for them. You could even special order not that long ago. Not sure if they still do. They'd color match and even come out to install "window dressing" depending on the size of your order.
I have so many great memories from that place! When you went by the old on kb toys and the dye music store, man that took me back for real! #ripparkwood
I use to eat at the K&W cafeteria there all the time with my Aunt Shirley Boswell and my Grandma Nancy Liles… they have since past away but I have good memories there.
The Christmas decorations really give it an unreal touch. Reminds me of the video game, The Division, set in a city where humanity collapsed during the holiday season.
In almost every abandoned video I've seen there is always Christmas stuff lol its weird
i think its kind of weird most malls that are closed but my mall is still running and there are alot of people still go to it but what an awesome video
Weird seeing this mall in such a state this was a big part of my childhood
This structure should have been converted into a multifunctional venue for various events.
That would have been very cool!
Right!
I'm always SO happy when you release a new video!! Your vlog-style exploration videos are definately my fave, but I love everything you put out! I like the feeling that you take us on your adventures with you exploring places you find interesting!
Went there all throughout my childhood in the 90's and 2000's for a lot of different things. Even when the shops started leaving, it had a decent selection (for a small town like Wilson) and we kept going for a lot of different reasons. By the early 2010's, though, they were done. A shopping center with shops like Target had been built a short ways away by WCA and took away all of their competition, along with the Walmart close by and other, more modern shops opening up around there. During my last two years in Wilson, I worked as an usher in the Carmike Cinema connected to the mall, around the time it was bought out by AMC. Aside from Roses, only the theater and a small strip of shops on the outside were open for business.
Many different businesses closed down around the area too, from the Blockbuster (as well as nationwide except for one town now), and the nearby restaurants. Last I checked, only Bojangles is really staying around there now, but I heard they're changing location. Around that small area I'd say only the hospital is really functioning fully. If you drive from the more active shopping centers are now to where the mall used to operate, the differences are completely night and day.
The mall of my hometown!
14:03 Jake, that Adam's Apple of yours man...
I remember going to this mall a lot… I have relatives that live in the area and I remember eating at the K&W Cafeteria with my Aunt Shirley Boswell and my grandma Nancy Liles many times…I’d never thought shopping malls would be the thing of the past!!!
When businesses close they often sell off all those displays (like In JCPenny) after all the merchandise goes. It’s the last thing to go before it’s abandoned.
I went to this mall once in 2006 it was in bad shape then in terms of stores being closed or closing then I went again in 2012 it looked like an absolute ghost town it wasn't like this video because they weren't completely closed yet but there where literally almost no stores left mostly it was a small group of senior citizens walking around getting exercise. It's weird because I remember these exact closed stores but it feels kinda like a before and after post apocalyptic vibe strange how fast things decay when not active anymore oh yeah and no I'm not from wilson but I was born there but raised a few counties over.
Always love your commentary, thoroughness, professionalism, and balance of audio choices. Thank you! ☺️
we have a mall like this in az, we found j.c.penney gift cards in the same mall, we hooked up a register and using my phone, on the wi fi system activated all those cards over 100,000.00 then went out and used them , all of them worked just fine, bought complete , living room, set, 3 bedroom sets, full kitchen , refer, and dishwasher, washer and dryers, bought at different location, the problem with leaving items around these items are always active .
Watching these abandoned Malls to me feels like you are walking in a cemetery.
I love places like this. It’s really a case of something abandoned in time. Such a shame when they get vandalised but unfortunately that’s the mentality of some people. Great video, many thanks for this.
I grew up going to this mall. There's soooo many memories made from early childhood up into my early 20's when I joined the military. I was disappointed when I got out and came back home to see this once thriving building had shutdown all but a couple of the outside stores. The arcade, the big cookie shop (I forget what it was called), Andy's (AKA HWY 55), Tony's, etc. It's missed by those that grew up in there.
Same here . I grew up going to this mall all the time . I can remember almost every store in the video . Even the talking reindeer head ! Lol
Absolutely fantastic video as always my man!
Love abandoned malls!!! Awesome explore 🙂
I don't know why, but it's hilarious when Brennen says, "Please don't be smelly!" and then he opens the refrigerator and or freezer and sure enough it smells horrendously bad and Brennen runs away from the refrigerator/freezer as quickly as possible! The things he does to entertain us! Bad for him, good for us! LOL! 😁
So sad to see abandoned places that were once vibrant with life. Particularly sad about the photos that should have been given to the customers. Very bad that.
You don’t upload often but when I get that notification I know it’s going to be a great watch.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
I grew up going this mall. Big part of my childhood. Sad to see it like this.
Excellent job, Brennen!
Nice guest appearance by Jake!
I know it is fun to break glass especially when you'r drunk .. But too be honest it's pretty unfortunate seeing all the glass going to waste.
I recently was working in Wilson & had been wondering what the inside looked like since Doomie Grunt last visited. Thank you for this! Also cool seeing Jake, love it!!
It has been so nice having all these videos to watch as I recover from surgery. Great channel!!
Thank you for sharing this video. I spent a lot of my teen years in this mall!
Flowers was a shoe store
Where Roses is now was Belk
That was well spooky 👻 Really interesting. Please don't open fridge and freezers as you'll breath nasty bugs in your lungs. Maybe you'll hear from people that actually worked there and could give more information. Look forward to more videos.
Loved it!! Always excited to see a new video from you!! Great music and interesting details. 🌈🌈 Cindy
Awwwh yay this is like an early day before birthday present for me mate haha. Was a great mission Brennen. Malls are such relics of the past. Also happy to see the return of the fridge openings for the old school fans of this channel at 11:42 lol. Cheers.
Happy almost birthday!!
@@UnchartedTravel thank you so much!
I love how you an Bright Sun Films always seem to run into each other. Love both of your work!
It baffles me thst this place has a cemetary. That might have given this mall bad luck or at least a ghostly vibe. Why is it there of all places? Were the mall owners that desperate for tenants or has it just always been there?
I know! It was extremely weird! Some of the graves were dated before the mall was built so I’m guessing it came with the land and they were forced to build around it. Either way very strange!
Most malls were built on former farmland. Many farms had family /community cemeteries. Which is why you find them in odd locations
The cemetery was their befor the mall was built so they built around it, I have found memories of this mall back when it was parkwood, their was a radio shack, dollar tree (before they branched out) dairyqueen, shoe show Tony's pizza, kayjewlers, sears, belks, jc penny's, even a photography store that sold and repaired cameras,
Always there. It’s weird how when we would leave Parkwood, the cemetery would follow afterwards. By far the weirdest thing about this mall.
NICE BRENNEN, happy holidays thanks.
Excellent video! The one store with the ramp up the right side looked to be a former Radio Shack, you can partly see the old logo on the floor mat as you were entering the back room.
Very interesting! I see it now that you mention it, good eye!
You are correct. It was Radio Shack.
@@avynnebiggs4384 yes 🙌🏻 it was because I’ve been living here for my whole entire life & yes 🙌🏻 it sure was ☝🏻.
The music really adds to it and the lil facts
Also cool you are with jake!
Gosh i love these types of vids
My heart aches for those people who never received photos with Santa or ones from a wedding.
Yeah, me too. I felt like nostalgia and sadness for that people ):
That's so strange, particularly the wedding ones. People just never collected them.
Great video! I always enjoy all your videos.
I love watching your channel! Only wish there were more! ❤️
Thanks for capturing and sharing! I was unaware of this mall.
Love this vid
Alone series again soon?
Great video. Well filmed
Lots of memories of this old mall. I loved the arcade of course and Tony's Pizza.
Woww!! I appreciate this quick walk back in time! I used to go to this mall back in the early 2000's. I remember those small steps early on in the video. The checkerboard eatery was there, but I don't remember if it was 'Tony's" then or not. I do remember buying a heavy buckle Betsey Johnson belt from a small clothing store about 15 to 20 years ago, which lasted about the same time span(threw the belt away only months ago). I think that may have been my last visit there. It's crazy to see how it looks now; like a Survival horror game or movie. Very creepy now and I kept thinking "Nope! No supplies in there" ( Gamer habit? 😂😂) So glad it was a safe visit for you and your crew! 👊🏾
This is sad. I grew up going to this mall. Every year at Christmas, we would go see Santa and Rudolph. Rudolph would be in the little house and he would talk back to you.
Awesome place! Always enjoy your content Brennen!
Thank you so much!!
Omg in the morning I was checking your Channel to see if there was something new and look you posted today
Haha hope you enjoy the video!
It's crazy to see the mall like this! I remember it being one of the last Mall's you could smoke in. One of my last memories in this mall was being over bye that roses and smoking a cigarette with friends. It looks bigger when it's empty like that. It is sad tho
Your videos are always nice surprises!
Thank you! Glad you enjoy them!
Great upload as always.
All these abandoned malls,such a shame,such a waste!! I like the spooky on again off again music so you can follow the narration,nice👍🏻
Amazing video and commentary - thank you. This is the first mall I've ever seen that was just left to the elements, and it's apparent that it doesn't take long for vandals to destroy everything in sight! Wondered if you guys felt like you were being watched while filming?
Very creepy in some parts - bad vibes.
Here in Ontario, it seems that malls that are deemed unsuccessful are "demolished one day and construction started for condos the next". $$$.
Thank you for sharing this location😊
What a awesome video 📹.
I can't believe someone would do that people are so mean these days. I miss the Mall a whole lot especially seeing the Children seeing Santa 🎅 and the Easter Bunny every year there was a lot of memories back then.
I'm suprised you even have our little mall in your videos. Lol our town is so boring I wouldn't think anyone would want to explore it.
Though wilson has quite a lot of abandoned buildings specially downtown.
Awesome video! I remember that mall.
Oooh Yay new video!!!
I live an hour from this mall, my mom lives in Wilson and told me there was an abandoned mall so I headed out with my husband to explore. We weren't able to find a way in (lame) and too many people were out for us to make it inconspicuous. We did go in to Roses' the department anchor which used to be Belk. And we were able to look in the windows but sadly all doors were locked and the only entrance we could see we would have needed to crawl through..crazy to see you explore somewhere so close to me!
That News transition while clips from then and now was really well done
I wish you at least had a clue what that place used to be.. all of it.. most of us around here grew up in and around that place.. it's honestly sad and a she to see what it's become..
I joined the military in 2002 and by the time I came back all the interior stores closed. I was so disappointed to see the mall had closed down.
This mall had some creepy vibes with that classic mall music playing, especially when you went in that run down part of the mall.
love your content my boy!
Thank you! Happy to hear it!
This is a carbon copy of “This is Dan Bell”, Creepy background music, 80s tv intro’s, everything.
I was thinking that myself. 👍👍
that was very interesting, just glad there was someone with you and you didnt have your tent to camp overnight, From UK,
I hope you guys had respirator masks while exploring this place. 😅😂 Awesome video as always
The diner was Andy's which is now Highway 55. No breakfast lol.
Fantastic video as usual Brennen.
Thanks Chris!!
The things that are left behind are more interesting that the building. The old wedding photos, the VHS trying to tackle youth crime, the Santa sleigh - all of it stuff that meant something to someone at sometime, and which is now totally forgotten by everyone.
It haunts me to think someone once made that stuff, and cared about it at least a little.
the photo store was my favorite in this video. good vid btw
My mom got her first job ever at the hair solon, man I've been in there so many times growing up, it's a little sad seeing it in the state such as that
Another awesome upload- always look forward to your content, ty!! *Side note- I love to put the playback speed to 0.25x when B opens refrigerators 😆 He is def bad @$$ for sure!
Haha those fridges always get the best of me😂 but glad to hear you enjoy the content!!
all that’s left is memories. miss the good old days
That Sears is creepy. Like something out of a horror movie.
Worked at Parkwood when I was 16 for a few years and grew up going there. Kerr Drugs was where we went for Rx. That place was awesome back then. Camelot music, B Dalton book store, Maurice’s, the arcade. I worked at Debbie’s Sweet Shop in high school and parked right by that cemetery all the time. Unfortunately there is no hope for it. They could have salvaged the talking reindeer though .. I mean come on.
Thanks for the new video love you guys please also do one of your overnight videos again in the future please ☺️👍
I have one planned for the new year!!
@@UnchartedTravel aww superb will look forward to that 😁👍
Channeling some PP and Bell vibes with this one, nice. 👌
Absolutely!!
Great video brundan
Thank you so much!
One time i loved watching these types of exploration videos and then drove past our burger king that was near a pretty far-away sm savemore (or a supermarket for you americans) and when we packed out groceries to go home i saw out the window the clear windows of that burger king showed the bare cement and that it was completely empty that for me was really chilly but also fricking cool 😆😆
Wow , great job 👍 I love abandoned malls . Do you throw out your shoes in the end of each mall expiration
I was in that place, many times, early 90s...
A lot of times stores will sell their fixtures for a couple of reasons. So they don’t have to move them , to recoup a small amount of money to pay employees. And so no other store gets what they had.
I don't know what it is about this place but a quarter of the way into the video I started feeling nauseated. I watched to give you a full view. Couple times I wanted to say to watch out for zombies and crackheads.
Thank you for watching! Im sorry that you were feeling unwell!
@@UnchartedTravel It's interesting to see what has become of some of these places. Back in the day these were beautiful shopping centers that it was a treat to get to visit. Sorry to see this one in such terrible and dangerous condition. It ought to be torn down. There is no bringing this place back. Anyways thanks, I probably just had indigestion.
"I kicked the glass and it was missing the next morning ", "totally not my fault!"
So many memories.
FYI JC Penny used to offer custom decorating services in its larger stores back then. Those blinds displays were part of the custom decoration shop where you could order by style.