Do you ever find yourself wondering about “abandoned malls near me?” It’s only natural; for most of us, malls were a quintessential part of our tween and teen years; the mall was the place to hang out with your friends! In fact, there are few things more American than the ubiquitous shopping mall, though today, it’s abandoned shopping malls that are more commonly seen. Blame it on the rise of online shopping and the ease with which stores make e-commerce possible; today, shopping malls are a relic of a bygone era, with modern “malls” more a bespoke and curated collection of carefully chosen shops and attractions.
Take a look at some of these surreal photographs from abandoned shopping malls across the country. Be sure to check out the Dead Malls Enthusiasts Facebook group for more info on where these places are located.
This map shows where the nation’s abandoned malls can be found. So if you’re looking for an “abandoned mall near me,” you’re sure to find one (or, if you’re in the Midwest, many) near you!
Dead Malls Enthusiast/Google Maps
As online shopping and megastores grow in popularity, malls across America have begun to wither away.
Flickr/Nicholas Eckhart
The Rolling Acres Mall in Akron, Ohio, opened in 1975. It had over 140 stores before closing in 2013.
Flickr/Kamil Dziedzina Rolling Acres, Akron, OH, USA
Today, the glass ceiling of the mall has collapsed in places, allowing snow and rain to enter the building.
Flickr/Logan Elliott
In 2007 a homeless man was found to be living in one of the vacant stores. He had been living off of power bars and sports drinks found in an abandoned fitness store.
Flickr/Logan Elliott
The Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, Illinois, was used to film part of the car chase scene in the film “The Blues Brothers.” Today, much of it is waterlogged and in ruins. Unfortunately, all of Harvey, Illinois, has fallen on bad luck, with the town rated as one of the most dangerous in Illinois in recent years.
FLickr/Matt B. Harvey, IL, USA
The Cloverleaf Mall in Chesterfield, Virginia, is one of many abandoned places in this town. The mall first opened in 1972, and included 40 bustling and popular shops.
Flickr/Will Wisher Chesterfield, VA, USA
In the 1990s, the Chesterfield Observer wrote that women were beginning to avoid the mall due to the high numbers of “intimidating” teenagers that were hanging out at the mall. The mall closed permanently in 2007.
Flickr/Will Fisher Today, the shops and food stalls are in disarray.
When the Randall Park Mall in Randall, Ohio, first opened in 1976, it was the largest shopping center in the world. With over 2 million square feet of real estate, the mall was a maze of hallways and corridors.
Flickr/Mike Kalasnik North Randall, OH 44128, USA
The mall actually included three 14-story apartments and a performing arts center. It was built on the site of an old horse racing park called the Thistledown Race Track.
Flickr/Eddie S
The mall’s decline began when a suspected shoplifter was killed by an off-duty police officer.
Flickr/Logan Elliott
The mall closed in 2009. After the doors shut, vandals began roaming the empty structure.
Flickr/Logan Elliott Much of the mall has been demolished, though some of the anchor buildings are still standing.
We can easily understand how someone could get extremely lost in one of these massive abandoned shopping malls. Can you imagine your local mall going out of business like this? Would you ever want to explore one of these dead malls? Have you ever searched for “abandoned malls near me?” Share your finds and experiences with your fellow intrepid explorers in the comments below!
Dead Malls Enthusiast/Google Maps
Flickr/Nicholas Eckhart
Flickr/Kamil Dziedzina
Rolling Acres, Akron, OH, USA
Flickr/Logan Elliott
FLickr/Matt B.
Harvey, IL, USA
Flickr/Will Wisher
Chesterfield, VA, USA
Flickr/Will Fisher
Today, the shops and food stalls are in disarray.
Flickr/Mike Kalasnik
North Randall, OH 44128, USA
Flickr/Eddie S
Much of the mall has been demolished, though some of the anchor buildings are still standing.
Of all the dead malls on the above list, one of the most fascinating is definitely the Cloverleaf Mall in Chesterfield, Virginia. The Old Dominion is home to numerous abandoned places, in fact, and we share some of the most fascinating spots in this article.
Looking for more abandoned places? Check out these 19 abandoned cities & towns in America.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Abandoned malls near me May 01, 2022 Sarah M. In addition to the above abandoned malls, how can I learn about more abandoned places near me? For some reason, we all seem to be wholly intrigued and fascinated by abandoned places. There’s something unsettling about abandoned places – and not just for ghost hunters. While Ghost towns and old cemeteries, derelict buildings, and forgotten sites are definitely at the top of the list of abandoned places in the country, there are so many more places forgotten and forsaken by time, from abandoned shopping malls and roller rinks to crumbling restaurants and amusement parks. With each passing day, these forsaken locations continue their descent into oblivion, banished to obsolescence. However, there are some that remain relevant; ironically, these sites are now defined by being abandoned. We can’t resist exploring them, which is why we put together a list of 19 of the most fascinating abandoned places in the United States. They are known because they’ve been forgotten, and so once you’ve scratched your “abandoned malls near me” itch, we challenge you to explore some of these other decaying ruins in the country, starting with:
Peter Iredale Ghost Ship - Oregon Garnet Ghost Town - Montana Santa Claus Land - Arizona Glenrio - Texas and New Mexico Joyland Amusement Park - Kansas Dinosaur World - Arkansas
The OIYS Visitor Center
Abandoned malls near me
May 01, 2022
Sarah M.
In addition to the above abandoned malls, how can I learn about more abandoned places near me? For some reason, we all seem to be wholly intrigued and fascinated by abandoned places. There’s something unsettling about abandoned places – and not just for ghost hunters. While Ghost towns and old cemeteries, derelict buildings, and forgotten sites are definitely at the top of the list of abandoned places in the country, there are so many more places forgotten and forsaken by time, from abandoned shopping malls and roller rinks to crumbling restaurants and amusement parks. With each passing day, these forsaken locations continue their descent into oblivion, banished to obsolescence. However, there are some that remain relevant; ironically, these sites are now defined by being abandoned. We can’t resist exploring them, which is why we put together a list of 19 of the most fascinating abandoned places in the United States. They are known because they’ve been forgotten, and so once you’ve scratched your “abandoned malls near me” itch, we challenge you to explore some of these other decaying ruins in the country, starting with:
Peter Iredale Ghost Ship - Oregon Garnet Ghost Town - Montana Santa Claus Land - Arizona Glenrio - Texas and New Mexico Joyland Amusement Park - Kansas Dinosaur World - Arkansas
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
For some reason, we all seem to be wholly intrigued and fascinated by abandoned places. There’s something unsettling about abandoned places – and not just for ghost hunters. While Ghost towns and old cemeteries, derelict buildings, and forgotten sites are definitely at the top of the list of abandoned places in the country, there are so many more places forgotten and forsaken by time, from abandoned shopping malls and roller rinks to crumbling restaurants and amusement parks. With each passing day, these forsaken locations continue their descent into oblivion, banished to obsolescence. However, there are some that remain relevant; ironically, these sites are now defined by being abandoned. We can’t resist exploring them, which is why we put together a list of 19 of the most fascinating abandoned places in the United States. They are known because they’ve been forgotten, and so once you’ve scratched your “abandoned malls near me” itch, we challenge you to explore some of these other decaying ruins in the country, starting with:
- Peter Iredale Ghost Ship - Oregon
- Garnet Ghost Town - Montana
- Santa Claus Land - Arizona
- Glenrio - Texas and New Mexico
- Joyland Amusement Park - Kansas
- Dinosaur World - Arkansas
