I was there a couple days ago with my girlfriend, it's so sad to see, especially considering I'm not that old but still remember when most of the shops were full and the mall was the catchall place to hang out
At 8:06 the writing on the wall that says “Heems world” was for a classmate of mine, Joheem Meredith, that was shot and killed the day before our graduation this year. He’s been on my mind a lot recently, and it’s crazy that somebody put that there.
This is horrible. Why hasn't the city demolished the building? I remember in HIgh School, three of the four major malls closed in columbus. They city demolished the malls to the ground within the same year.
To all those disheartened by this Mall's condition: I feel your pain. Sadly, this is the fate of 90% of malls (arbitrary number). Here in KC, we've seen plenty go up and down over the past few decades or so. The one I most remember as a kid is Metro North Mall, which was at 169 and Barry road. It too met this fate and then was torn down. Malls carry such an odd energy, like ancient civilizations. Places that once held so much life, now in ruins, within a fraction of our lifetimes. Nostalgia is at an all time high in our lives, as the world changes so fast and so dramatically nowadays... Whoa, okay that one got away from me.. Haha. Hopefully this comment resonates.
I lived there as a child. I remember going to a few shops in there in the 90s, but mostly I remember going to Westridge where everything was. So sad to see it in such disrepair.
Never forget Aladdin’s Castle! 5 tokens for a dollar , and the most diverse selection of arcade machines in Topeka! I want to say that it closed in 95, which was well into the dying days of Whitelakes Mall, and arcades in general in the United States. Had several birthday parties there on Saturday mornings. Nothing spelled happiness like a 4 player game of Ninja Turtles, followed up by a little Uzi action with Operation Wolf. Good times! As the neighborhood decayed around the mall, you’d finish your game of Double Dragon , Narc, or Bad Dudes, and step outside into the sunlight to see an environment eerily similar to the game you were just playing. The only other competition it had was “Jolly Time”, across town at the newly built Westridge Mall. While a good arcade, it never had the sense of mystery, wonder, danger, and adventure that Aladdin’s Castle had. I still miss it. 🕹
I remember Christmas shopping there when I was a kid in late 70s and early 80s. It had industrial styled art structures and fountains, it was quite the place.
Not naming any names, but the individual who owns this (last I checked maybe it has changed since) and many other run down properties does nothing but bad things for Topeka and has no place in our community.
I heard he was forced to sell the properties, unfortunately those who purchased them are doing nothing with them other than let them rot like this mall. Topeka has no building ordinances, which is obvious the way city council allows so much to go to ruin. Plus a lot of business owners went out due to non payments of taxes.
@@moonwolfdancer1103 He lost some properties when Kaw Valley bank pulled the notes on them. And he lost the mall just recently. I work next door and have seen some surveyor work this past summer. Hopefully some happens soon.
I remember when the parking lot was so full that was nothing but wall-to-wall cars on Friday nights and all the kids went up there to take and drag their cars. Also it was either 78 or 79 the number 3 most cruised strip in the United States was Topeka Kansas white Lakes Mall but boy has it gone to shit
I remember back in the mid '80s when it was a great adventure to travel to Topeka to shop at White Lakes Mall. The other great road trip back in the day was to Oak Park Mall in KC. Which is still going strong! Topeka should be ashamed that now they have allowed a 2nd mall to fail from lack of local support. RIP West Ridge Mall!
I so agree with you. Now you pretty much have to travel to Kansas City to go to the mall and evidently the people who own the mall in Topeka doesn't care!
This makes me so sad. I'm a lifelong Topekan, except for a couple years...and now I live on the east side of town, having this mall open would be so awesome....but now, if you want/need something, you must travel to the west side of town where the Westridge Mall is. And now, the Westridge Mall is suffering. Many of the stores are gone. It's just a sad state of affairs all around.
I too live in east Tijuana. The city did a drag net on our humble obscure neighborhood a couple years back for any petty little thing that violated their newer property code that allows for zero percent peeling paint. Close to 200 low income properties were wrote up from a code that was adopted from (uppity) localities like Johnson and Wyandotte county's. But yet nothings done to White Lakes because the city can threaten to fine or demolish normal citizens properties, but the (previous?) owner of White Lakes has the money, clout and skillful legal team to get away with two different shootings of trespassers (not saying the self defense shootings weren't justified, but twice at two different vacant commercial properties in one year?), escaped federal gun charges after hiding purchases during his bankruptcy, suspicious fire where not one later model Shelby was stored, but two, plus many other instances. The city seems to not mess with this property or owner, but has no problem harassing with the average citizen who has no connections/clout/resources. Even Westridge mall made the news this spring, its lawn being a couple feet tall because of some issue with (new?) owners/management and the city on camera saying "if we have to mow that huge area, it will wreck our mowing budget for the year", but yet how many other citizens through illness, age, broken mower or other circumstances 'got behind' mowing in a wet spring, and get a nasty gram letter from the city. No talk of wrecking the budget in these cases of the average citizen, only wreck the budget when it comes to wealth and power. Just my two cents worth on the code injustice of this one horse town and embedded beurocrats.
In the mid-seventies, at White Lakes, I negotiated financing with my mom to buy a Soundesign stereo. I don't remember the name of the store but the stereo had to be great - it had big speakers and was cheap! If I remember correctly, there was also a Jenkins music store at WL. It mostly carried organs and would have someone playing one with those "amazing" rhythm machines as folks walked around. The guitars, drums and other "cool stuff" was at their downtown store on Kansas Avenue. One more vivid memory - across the street there was a restaurant called Kings (famous for their Cheese Frenchy deep fried sandwich). Kings was so high-tech that each booth had a wall mounted phone for customers to place their orders. If speed dial had existed then I'm sure there would have been a button for the Cheese Frenchy!
So cool! I’ve been wanting to do this. I remember when I was a little guy and adults were sitting around the fountain smoking cigarettes. They used to have an Aladdin’s Castle arcade! Me and my son have talked about exploring but I was seriously concerned about all of the meth heads and bath salt bandits in the area. I didn’t want us to find ourselves in a fallout 4 scenario.
Oh wow brings back 90s child hood memories. We went there to visit in the 90s and went to that mall once when I was a kid and we went to the toy store I got a new beanie baby and then we went to the food court. When we left and got to the care I realized I left my little kid purse with my new toy in it we went back and it was gone someone stole it . I was so upset.
I got hired by Sears in 1964 to help them open their beautiful new store in the White Lakes Mall. Sears on the north end, Penneys at the south end and about 60 good stores and places to eat and thousands of shoppers in between. It ruined downtown for shopping at the time, but that was progress. Now the malls are dying a slow death and all we need is the smart devices we can hold in one hand and I guess this is progress, too. What do you think is next?
Hey THE JUNE 8th 1966 TORNADO WIPED OUT HOMES AND DID EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO TOPEKA,,,,My parents loaded us kids up and went to Burnettes Mound to ''watch'' the twister sweep thru T-Town....Anyone remember The Wind Jammer Inn ??? I totally got drunk in there with my cool happenin' friends! White Lakes Mall was t.h.e. coolest place to hang out in the 70s early 80s! Orange Julius stands were popular, this mall had it all tho-JCPenny, Sears, Foxworths, T-Shirt Iron On shops with the Keep On Truckin' sign ironed on a shirt, my Momma was the best, she'd take us kids out to the mall every weekend, we were so spoiled!! White Lakes Mall became The ''BOULEVARD'' AND ALL HOT RODS WERE OUT EVERY WEEKEND,,,,WE WERE IN OUR 1972 MUSTANG MACH 1 factory metallic dark green/silver with a 351 Cleveland motor & 4 on the Floor!! I wouldn't trade my memories at White Lakes for a million bucks people!! Still here!!! The Martin Family comin' atcha
Spent a lot of time at Aladdin's Castle. Sad to see it like this. With West Ridge dying down in favor of strip malls, would be nice to see some economic development resources utilized to help the east side of Topeka.
I loved White Lakes Mall as a kid in the 70s! It was so full of life. (You can still see the top of the Orange Julius stand in the video, and Aladin’s Castle where I dropped endless quarters on video games). Then as a teenager cruising the boulevard from White Lakes to Holliday Square and back again...over and over. Left Topeka many decades ago. So sad to see what has happened to it all!
I can remember when this mall back in it's Hay Day's was alive and well running. It was the All American Mall just like Bannister Mall was in Kansas City for many years. It amazes me how fast time goes by and the memories are still fresh in your memory.
Great video, the mall itself has been mostly abandoned most of my life. It housed small businesses when I was younger along with a hair school. There have been squatting happening off an on since the last tenant left. The guy who bought it is garbage, we all knew that nothing was going to happen with the property when he bought it. There used to be a Mexican restaurant at the south end of the building, not sure if it is still there or not.
Im also a Topeka Native. I remember going to the mall 100s of times it seems back in the 1960s and 1970s. So sad to see it in such disarray. I remember when she opened up it was fantastic. You could spend hours there shopping and looking around. I delivered TVs and appliances for Penneys. The place had the smell of new clothing and fresh paint. Good memories.
Yaaaaaasss! I’m from Overland Park but visited family in Topeka every weekend and school break as a child. Finally! I find a vid with my state featured :)
You should have added photos from the heyday of White Lakes to give a better idea of just how fantastic this place was. If you grew up in the area during the 70s or 80s it was THE place to go shopping and have a bite to eat. There was always something going on there like baseball card shows, craft shows, Jerry Lewis telethon, Santa Claus and even band concerts (I played a Christmas concert with the National Guard band there). When my wife and I first got together we could do our entire Christmas shopping there. One of our favorite stores was The Nut Hut and that was the first place I could find Jelly Belly in Topeka. It's just too bad that this place full of great memories for so many people was allowed to end up in this state.
@@AcesAdventures1 I have several I downloaded from Topeka history geeks facebook page that is run by a reporter for the Topeka Capital Journal. A post about White Lakes comes up every couple months and new photos are posted. I'm sure other cities you film in have Facebook groups as well and can have a wealth of information if you ask about the place you are wanting to film.
I’m from Topeka KS, this mall looks super rundown but it’s only been closed for maybe 10 years. Or that was the last time I’ve been in there at least. At that time there was only a book store, hair salon & tax place inside
Interesting to see Leeds on some signs lol, I live in the city of Leeds, UK 😂. Never knew there was a shoe company in America with that name. Love seeing footage of these abandoned Malls, Very interesting but also quite sad.
Wow really sad remember mom and dad took us there 70s 80s would go to long John's silver then go to the mall it was really awesome at that time especially christmas...
My Grandmother was born and mostly raised in Topeka. We went to Topeka for my Great Grandmother’s funeral in the ‘90s I believe and visited this and one other mall. Crazy to see it like this 25/30 years later!
Myself, my dad, and my boy scout group spent the final night in the mall that it was open. Only thing left at the time was one of those empty rooms (where we slept on the floor, on sleeping bags.) as well as an arcade with a marvel fighting game. We got to eat a bunch of free pizza and all hang out and tell stories before the night was out. That was a good 20 years ago now... Holy hell where did the time go.
There waa also an Orange Julius, in the pagoda with white roof you show, a Town Crier book store and a music store out in the open that had self playing organs and electric pianos
I remember when White Lakes Mall opened. When I was in kindergarten in 1963 we learned the very long word "escalator," which was built in the Sears at White Lakes. It may have been the only escalator in town at that time. The town had elevators, of course, but no escalator. White Lakes was several miles from our house, but when I was 11 and my brother 8, we were allowed to walk to the mall, by ourselves, and get soft-serve ice cream for 10 cents. The mall also had a good bookstore, The Town Crier, which was also a tobacco shop. My dad bought his pipes there.
My grandfather developed that property and was part in construction in the mall. I grew up going to this place in the 80s. We went to the arcade often. Now I drive by looking at it everyday sad site to see. So many memories from my childhood and teen years. It used to be a place to walk before the homeless and criminals came in destroying it. The floors were all hardwood at one time. Interesting video thanks for sharing light to our history.
Pretty torn up building. It looks like damage from at least one or multiple strong storms have left the roof how it is. With all of the leaks and mold growth, I doubt the building can be saved. Thanks for bringing this mall to your channel. Props to the guest as well, some really nice recording on a slippery and unstable floor throughout the mall.
There was a Cosmetology College on the East side of the mall until they were kicked out by the owner. Thw mall wasn't in great shape when I was in College there, but this is sad to see. I used to walk through it and go to Las Fuentes for lunch!
Reminds me a lot of Shepherd Mall in OKC. Thankfully, redevelopment worked pretty well there but a lot of these classic malls end up just like this one and it’s sad.
Ah, those Taco burgers were so good. One of the things that caused the demise was that the rents were raised and the owners did not do repairs. The new mall was just nicer. There was a book store, a pipe shop, and a gift shop. One feature was a little pool with a bridge that I loved just outside Sears.
I grew up in Topeka Kansas, moved to Baltimore MD in 1992. Was my favorite mall that I shopped at. Remember when they builted west view mall. Hated to see it dwindle down,. I never went much to the new mall only when I came to Topeka to visit.
I felt dread when I heard about west ridge bankruptcy, I may not go to the mall at all, but I know it keeps jobs here. Plus maybe I just a little paranoid with hearing about all these other stores closing there doors for good.
LOL my cousin worked there in the early 80's we used to get stoned in the parking lot. Most of the malls in the greater area that close have been torn down. Many are just huge wastes of space now like Indian Springs in KC. Metro North in Gladstone is the one I miss. The most disgusting mess is the Leavenworth Shopping mall. They tore it down and left westlake on one end and the old sears(closed) on the other. In between is a huge space of destruction and it's been that way for awhile. So these malls didnt work they decide to build an outdoor mall in Wyandotte. Hello, Kansas is cold. Ive been there a couple times in winter and the employees are shocked when you walk in. I will say when it's nicer the place is hopping but come on.
This makes me so sad to see. My Husband's Father and Uncle were the architect and builder of White Lakes Mall. I used to go there often in the 70s and 80s. There was a fun little bead shop where you could go in and make your own jewelry at one point. Orange Julius, Brass Rail yum !! So many memories made there with family and friends. My Husband was a kid when his Dad worked at White Lakes, he remembered so many times going with his Dad during the building process of the mall. Tears me up seeing it look like this now. Which there were pictures of it in it's hay days !!
I’m from Topeka, and remember this mall when I was little ...so sad .I live in GA now and only visit every year because my family still there or I wouldn’t go back.
I grew up in Topeka. I remember this mall. I'm class of 1996 from Washburn Rural. I remember I would go walking in this mall with friends and family. I think I even took my kids here 18 years ago....we would go walking. There are so many memories from this mall. I wonder how Westridge mall is doing? I remember when that mall first opened,that was the favorite hang out place after school
