Belknap Mall - Laconia, NH | an elfin dead mall near the charming Lake Winnipesaukee | ExLog 114 

About a year ago, I suggested that one way to save dying malls would be to build apartments on top of them, that way they would have built in customers. I would love to live above a mall and just take the elevator down to go shopping, walking, dining, or taking in a movie. (Without driving, kind of like a mini-town). Yesterday I heard that Costco in turning an abandoned warehouse into a new Costco store with 800 apartments to be built on top in the Los Angeles area. That wouldn't work in areas with low jobs and low population though, which is why many malls are dying. Just some food for thought. Thanks for the vlog.👍

Sal, not only does your content get better and better but you intros are becoming works of art in themselves. LONG time viewer and admirer here. Please keep up the good work and STAY SAFE! God Bless.

I'm always saddened when I see plants left abandoned and suffering a slow death in one of these properties and therefore was very happy to see healthy and thriving plants inside this property.

Pretty accurate depiction and timeline. CVS, 603 Candy, Subway, and the Mattress Store are now gone. Key Nails has been relocated to an exterior storefront in the mall. On a brighter note, they replaced the signage at the street (both entrances) and also repaved the entire parking lot. So, there's hope yet!!!!!

I began working at this mall in the summer of 2022. Seeing what it looked like just 3 years prior and hearing about its former glory is both fascinating and depressing. Thankfully, over the past year, renovations and updates have been coming along well. Newly paved parking lots, fixed ceiling lights, better tiles, and many old closed down stores are transforming into brand new shops, and the old surviving shops are doing great. The optimist in me hopes that all this time and effort won't be a lost cause.

Great stuff, Sal! My wife and I are, ironically, both violinists as well and love your channel. I used to study with a pupil of Heifetz. I could totally relate to your story about not being able to find tails in one of your earlier videos. Love your explorations! Thanks for all your hard work and for documenting these gems.

Marna apparently has asthma or something. I don’t know what happened here, but you have to love her anyway. Massive videos coming…just finished filming Century III in its abandoned state. You’re not ready. Subscribe. Https://discord.gg/dmod

From early 90's to 2014, I visited the Belknap Mall countless times. It was surreal to view your documentary.

Used to go to Laconia every year for vacation when I was a kid 1994-2003. I miss Weirs beach waterslide and surf coaster (Another nearby waterpark that was closed.) Totally went to this mall at least a few times, sad to see it so dead.

Excellent video !!!! I love how you showed the commercials from their peak era. 🥰🥰🥰🥰

That Shaws spot is a gem 😂 I love these petite malls that popped up in the 70s. Sounds like it will be saved

Your videos just hit differently than all the others. Your videos are just amazing and are what got me into malls and retail, and that Shaws commercial was just epic!

I love to play your videos and listen to the history of each mall. I never get tired of rewatching. Always quality content Sal! Thanks a lot!

I remember The Galleria Mall in Ft. Lauderdale in the eighties as a kid. Could never go in. Everything was so exspensive.😅

It's super cool that mr. Lahey pushed carts for them :)

Subway: "Home of the Nearly Meatless Sub! - We'd slice it even thinner if we could!"

I was born in Laconia in the late 80’s and I lived in the area until I was 7 (1995). A good portion of my family still lives there. I live in MN now and I visit Laconia to see my family when I can. Great video!

Little mall, I remember going in there a few times when I worked down the road. Always fun to turn over and see how it changes everytime I go to Funspot.

Love the New England tour so far, and thanks for the commercial, that’s stuck in my head now, lol!!!

I've been to Laconia many times, but haven't noticed this mall. Thanks for sharing!! :)

When I was

That Shaw's commercial may be one of the most 80s commercials ever! 🤣 Did anybody notice Sal has a pizza place in this mall?

I drive by this mall every day for work and it makes me sad... I used to come here and pick out DVDs from Blockbuster. I remember when it closed, they started selling all their stuff. I still have some of those DVDs. There was a pet store, an eyeglass store & (maybe) an eye doctor, hair salon, and a boat was always set up inside for advertising purposes. You cannot access the gym or Big Lots from inside the mall either. Recently, across the street a gas station and aroma joes was opened. and in the little disconnected strip mall to the side, an axe throwing business. I hope this place gets up and running again! So many memories, so much potential!

Mall PA Announcer lady! Glad to see she is back and okay! She sure gets around :)

I used to go to the Shaws here when I was a kid in the early 90's with my late great aunt. It was always very busy and we would go to the bakery for fresh cookies. Good times.

Idk whether you've been, but my local mall is barely alive. It's in Kingston, MA. Currently called the Kingston Collection, it was known as the Independence Mall and up through when I graduated HS (2003), it was doing very well and was the hangout spot.

Hello, Sal. Sure am leased and happy that you are feeling better. I’m still on a cane from the fall but getting stronger everyday. It won’t be long and you will be skateboarding again. Enteresting times we are having

I remember shopping at that mall when I lived in the Lakes Region in the mid 90's to early 00's. Shopped at Shaws, CVS, Radio Shack and Ames and did some browsing at the 2 camera stores. Oh, and that was back when there was a servo outside.

Glad you'r feeling better. Thank you for the video....again.

I shopped here 1986-2001 shoe store / clothing store supermarket etc had Halloween there where all the stores passed out candy. Santa village with Santa & eater bunny.. wonderful memories with my kids.

The mirrors & wooden benches, etc. felt very 80's. Small malls generally seem like they'd be a good place to bring a book & spend an afternoon.

Funny my dad used to be friends with Todd Flatley , I played for their little league team in the late 80s in Randolph Mass . Thanks for sharing bruh

Fantastic video as always! The location of this mall is great, we'll see if it can pull of a successful turn around.

I love that you finally got to do my local malls....thank you so much

That area is fascinating. I love seeing old/abandoned tourist traps; they're snapshots into what was cool many years ago.

The Shaw's commercial is priceless! My coworkers and I made a video like it for our local Sears back in the 80s, but we actually had a script to memorize! I was "Lori the Laundry Lady", shopping for a new Kenmore washer 🤣!

I've lived in the lakes region all my life. Born in Belmont and now live in laconia. I'm in my mid 30s and remember when the belknap mall was a place to go. I also remember when I went down the weirs beach water slides as a kid.. it hurt my back every time I slid across a section of the slide they put together. If you ever need footage from laconia, I can easily get it for you. (I love history) thanks for making this.

In the early 2000's as a manager for Peebles dept. Stores I participated in the grand opening of our location in that mall. I was in Laconia for roughly 8 days. New Hampshire is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been for a set up! I'm from down south and the local folks really seemed upset to have a southern retailer open a store there. I was treated very poorly during my visit. It's a shame that we treat each other so badly in our own country. The civil war is over folks! I'm not trying to be offensive to the people of that community, I just sharing my experience.

Thank you very much for the video Sal , I enjoyed it.

I grew up within 10 miles of here yet hardly ever went to this mall; it didn't have anything out of the ordinary. I am surprised "Shaw's" is still around, they have a hard time competing with "Market Basket". A tenth of a mile just down the road (US 3) is perhaps the best Chinese restaurant in the world: "China Garden". A local favorite, it's been around for at least 60 years. Thanks for the video.

I miss your uploads Sal and I know your busy with life...because DAMN they just are epic and keep getting better and better !! I'm currently rewatching all your videos again for like the 4th time lol 😅

Always love the way you end your videos.

Great Video! I’m glad you’ve made it to my neck of the woods. Can’t wait for the Steeplegate Mall video since I used to stop there to and from college during breaks before it closed last year.

2:57 I never knew Mr. Lahey had a joint venture with Bubbles! 😮

Amazing video as always!

If your looking for a petite defunct mall in NH, try the lilac mall in the worst town in the state, Rochester.

I've lived in NH almost 45 years and have been to Laconia itself a handful of times, but never stepped into this mall. I never knew it existed.

I miss seeing pharmacies in malls. Ours had an Eckerd Drug, where we used to buy snacks to sneak into the dollar movie theater across the street.

Glad you are feeling better Sal, Ames closed all of there stores in Michigan in the early 90s Ames closed in 90 at West Main Mall's last anchor store West Main Mall was dead in the 80s, you know it's a dead mall when SOS is inside a mall LOL had a mini golf played it once which hardly anyone was playing mini golf when I was in West Main when I was a young kid. United Artist Theater and a Fun Factory was the only thing at the mall other than Zayres/Ames.

Man I still remember when Blockbuster was here (it was the area with the walls that still have the yellow stripe near the top). i also remember Strawberries (got some great music here), Ames (where Big Lots is now) and also a nice antique/homemade glass collectable store that I used to visit with my mom. The DMV also had an office here at one point; it's where I got my driver's license, haha. This was the place to be when I was a kid in the 90s. Sad to see it in this state.

Oh, no the creepy claw game kids! “Come and play with us! Come and play with us… Forever”

Welcome back Sal, looking good video, nice man.

Very Well Done 😊 👍👍👍 Liked

I live in NH and go to the goodwill across the street almost every weekend. I have been to that mall and even shopped at maureces when it was open. A few weeks ago i remember seeing them pave the parkinglot which i was very confused by since all i knew of the building was that it was mostly abandoned.

Great videos, Sal. This one gets a 👍🏼 just for the use of “penultimate” in the first 5 mins of the video!

Nice video Sal! Just a heads up, the Fox Run Mall in Newington NH is deserted every time I go there.

I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see malls start to see a resurgence considering how empty office buildings will soon create major usage needs. This, and people (generally) are tired of being cooped up and want to get outside. It will be interesting.

Looks like the perfect call of duty course haha

The ads at the start made me laugh, cringe and ask WTF?! Brilliant - love these vids!

Awsome video I'm in the lakes region and very hopeful to see this mall become something again reach out I will keep you in the loop

Seeing the Mattress Firm triggered the conspiracy theorist that lives in my head.

Thank you 😎

I'm excited to see your Steeplegate Mall footage; it died not long after you would have filmed it. It's technically still occupied, but the interior closed early last year. All that's left are a handful of businesses with exterior access; it _was_ a minor scandal, though! Namdar Realty kicked out all the interior tenants with only a few weeks notice, some of whom had _years_ left to go on their leases. There were notices put up that the the owners had an "exciting new project" underway, but it's been nearly a year and nothing has happened. The Concord city government is _pissed,_ as Namdar has basically gone into radio silence on the subject. Everyone was hoping it would become a mixed-used space with some attached residential, but that's becoming increasingly unlikely.

Missed the premiere, but this is good stuff!

Thank you for documenting the rise and fall of the malls in my lifetime.. it's so sad that it was such a waste of money and resources... And affected people that worked at these malls.. I would love to see a successful mall . If there are any. Thanks Sal

It definitely appears more inviting from the exterior with the signage and fresh paving.Hopeful this coming Spring/Summer can bring in some money. The shaws is pretty rough itself inside. A new gas station mini mart/local popular coffee shop was built across the street as well in a formerly run down disused car dealership so hopeful that will attract some!

It's technically Belmont, NH, that it is in. And just in the summer of 2022, I was part of the crew that repaved that parking lot. I trucked in the asphalt. But yes. Its sad. But the fact that they paved it, may say that they have plans to revive it maybe?

Albertsons did some campy song and dance commercials comparable to Shaw's in the 80s.

Sal you should check out the fox run mall in newington nh if you didn’t while you where here

@SAL hey buddy you should do a video on Funspot. Amazing place. Founder Bob Lawton passed a year-ish ago but it's still a great place.

Got my first COVID vax in the Belknap Mall. Long line snaked through the mall with the National Guard as ushers and NH first responders from all over the state giving the jabs. It was like something out of a blockbuster movie where we all die in the end.

I like your video a lot that have done a few more improvements today is the 1st of February 23 It is not in Laconia It is in belmont You should do an episode on the old dog track in Beaumont

There was that much snow in May!!!! Where is it - Barrow, Alaska? I thought no later than March surely. Is it like 4000 feet above sea level on the Canadian border or something.

I looked this mall up and apparently it’s under new ownership. The company that bought it has a good reputation for bringing in business. Hopefully before long this mall will be bustling.

Love your 80's intro dude! How did you score all those commercials from local merchants? What's an elfin mall?

Holy small market, locally produced advertising, Batman! If you like those old ads, see if you can find ads for Railroad Salvage Stores.

Is that stock sound for the creepy crane game with the kids in it, or they actually had one at that same mall? I remember the video you did with the actual machine, it still haunts me...

They just last month replaced all the flooring and lights on the inside of the mall, looks brand new in there now

WHERE did you find that Shaw's ad! I need to hear the whole thing. 😀

Sal's pizza 👀

the belknap mall is in belmont actually… also seeing the cvs, subway, and 603 candy open is such a flashback

Worked at that shaw's back in the 1990's

I'm a local, born and raised and you got a shot of my mother at about 17:47 walking into the back entrance of the mall, likely on her way to Shaws. I remember as a kid (Born 1991) I loved going to the mall because when we went shopping at Ames most times we got to stop at a food vendor somewhere inside the mall for the best soft pretzels I've ever had to this day in 2022. I try soft pretzels at new places any time I see one and none have come close to the one at the Belknap Mall. I wonder if in your research you came across anything about food vendors like in a "real mall" they have the food court? It is possible the nostalgia around these pretzels is clouding my judgement and they're not the most delicious soft pretzel to ever come to Laconia NH?

I live within walking distance. You know, I sometimes think multiple-mall owners will let one or more of their malls die so that they can claim ridiculously enormous losses for tax purposes. Then they demand absurdly high rents to discourage occupancy in order to keep it that way. Fort Eddy Plaza in Concord, NH actually has two plazas. The one up front that everybody sees has always been full, but the one behind it, which is not visible from most vantage points, was almost completely desolate for decades. There were only a few stores there, and the parking lot was in horrible shape. But then Market Basket opened a location there, as well as Lowes, so now it's thriving like never before. But I always thought that they allowed that part of the plaza to be dead for all that time for tax purposes. Of course, I could be totally wrong about all of this.

8:07 looks like an old Buster Brown shoe store.

YOUR VIDEOS ARE AWESOME BRO!! VERY EPIC!!! Make a video about Kmart!!

I came here last year looking for somewhere to eat but unfortunately it was closed. Unfortunate I didn't know about the limimal interior.

Why dont you come down to harrisburg, PA and do the Colonial Park Mall. the inside is a time capsule. and shortly will more than likely get torn down in the next couple years. we have other malls like capitol city mall and east mall you could include as they are still doing pretty good and use that as a comparison to how badly colonial park is doing. youve done quite a few malls surrounding this area, just none here. btw i love your indiana mall video because thats where my grandparents live and used to go there alot as kids when we visited.

Come to Canada sal

This malls been dying for years, used to go there when I was a kid 30+ years ago.. 15 years ago it looked like it was almost dead.

I was born in Laconia. I remember going to Belknap Mall as a kid. Very disappointed

I had watch a video about the origins of the shopping malls. The shopping malls were intended to be places other than places to shop. While i can't recall the name of the creator of the shopping malls, he had intended the shopping malls to be like a composite of a shopping center and a community center. He had intended to add apartments and professional offices as part of the Mall, too. Yet somehow the original concept of the Mall was replace as an only shopping destination. If most of the creator's plans were pursued, a large number of shopping mall become MALLS as a well as a third place. The creator didn't plan to replace the downtowns. While it is too late for too many malls which had closed, many of surviving malls must focus on returning to the creator's original intent of Malls being a third place instead of a shopping destination. Over the last few years, one school district had decided to lease a large section of one shopping mall to build a High School. Oddly while the High School ideal sound like a crazy ideal, the ideal is reflective of the shooing Mall creator's original plans. While it is likely that the mall where the High School was part of was closed, the ideal of the high school as part of the mall can be used as an example of transforming a lot of malls into mixed used areas. In Northern Kentucky where I lived, the Florence Mall is at the center of a large shopping district. The Florence Mall had its Sears' anchor. Oddly one of the departments of Sears was devoted to automobiles. There is the Newport Levee. The Newport Levee's current owners have asked Barnes and Noble to closed their bookstore. I do believed that closing the Book store was a bad mistake. While it had seem that the Barnes and Nobles was not doing any business, it was doing well. The Newport Levee is design as a Tourist destination. It help to change the image of Newport Kentucky from Sin City of the Midwest into a better image. Yet a lot of people will claim that the Newport Levee is already a dead mall. Yet it can still be restored as tourist destination. To help the Newport Levee, the current owners must focus on one of Newport's greatest assets the Ohio River. Many people tend to forget that the Ohio River is the center of the Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southwestern Indiana Area. While not everyone don't like to pay for parking, most of the fees are focus on repayment of the bonds which help to build the garage. The Newport Levee is going to survive. Yet there are some good ideals to help the Levee. Oddly one way to help the Levee is a Regional Tourist museum which focuses on changing exhibits on the region. The Regional Tourist Museum can help the Newport Aquarium. For the surviving malls, their owners should stop using them as investments meant for tax deductions. The owners must return to most of the original plans of the shopping malls creator. Oddly a mall like the Florence Mall will survived due to the three of the words of malls success, LOCATION, LOCATION and LOCATION. For the resent owners of the Florence Mall, it is a good ideal for them to refocus on most of the original plans of the Father of the (Shopping) MALL.

Belknap mall is in Belmont N.H.

I’m originally from New England and it’s sad the amount of things in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts that are dying off because of bad politics.

I knew it, ur who channel is a real world backrooms.

funny when u began talking about ames closing the older man you have in your video was the last store mgr of that ames

Does anyone know the name of the song that plays at 0:48, I need it for my script!

The only way they could improve on the irony of having a Subway sandwich poster in that creepy dungeon-like cubby hole kids play area, is if it had Jared Fogle's picture on it! 🤣 Why would Subway be advertising in any kid's play area now, with all of his history permanently etched into America's memory? 😫

I think I had to go to an eye doctor in this mall once, it was partially abandoned then. Or was it the steeplegate mall in Concord?

Uh oh. I think Mall Lady might be losing it again. You should probably keep an eye on her.