At one time Middletown Mall had FOUR anchor tenants--Sears (which later became Hill's), Stone & Thomas (a better department store based in Wheeling WV), Gee Bee (a large discount store from Johnstown PA) and hess's (a better department store based In Allentown PA)--as well as a nice assortment of smaller stores. Sadly all the anchor stores are all out of business today.
Fantastic video, I always enjoy how you go into the history of the malls and pick out small details most people would never care to mention. This takes me back to my first job ever which was at a Save A Lot, I enjoyed it.
Without rent paying tenants, there is some company or some gov't agency that is providing funding to keep this mall open. Perhaps the local municipality was already covering the rent and utilities in anticipation of turning-over the property to a 'town centre'. The 'marbled type' floor you are referring to is/was known as Terrazzo. Originally, it was made of actual marble chips mixed with refined concrete then polished smooth. All encased in a metal grid of linear squares. The metal used for this purpose 90 years ago was brass, then later it was stainless steel. Once polished, the Terrazzo was sealed with a resin that was also polished. Even if it wears in-spots, it can be re-ground to make the high-traffic areas more level. Most public schools, jails, gov't offices, legislative buildings, court houses etc. constructed in the late 19th century and right up to the 1960s had this flooring. It's a lost artform and prohibitively expensive now in the 21st century. It's now pre-fab machine made of composite materials, no more marble chips, brass or stainless steel.
Dang. I'm from Fairmont but I haven't been there since 2011, and it's funny to see the most random stores that are hanging on... That high roller lounge, subway, Regis, and d&s collectables have been there since at least 2008! How the heck have they specifically survived, I wonder?
Watching the end of this video (and many other videos you have made) I am struck by the thought that Ahmaud Arbery was killed for doing the same thing; And cant help but wonder if any of the losers that defend his murderers because "he was trespassing" watch your content or content like yours and enjoy it. prolly not.
I love stumbling upon some random collectible card shop in a seemingly deserted place. There is such an enigmatic aura about it that makes you think you'll find something very exciting and rare there.
There are so many of these in the south that are still open for one reason or another. I love to picture them full of shoppers back in the day on a Saturday afternoon. Then they progressed to a gathering place for older folks where they would eat then walk for exercise. Now there just sad relic of another time. Interesting concept.
This mall looks like it was super cheaply built-looks like it was designed to last 30-35 years. Just concrete block walls and poured concrete floors. The owners depreciated it out years ago, and on the boooks at zero value. Open air malls are the hot thing now-too difficult for thougs to operate in them.
That or old Crossroads sans Plaza Mayor. Up until a few years ago our Oklahoma Model Railroad club occupied the old Borders space. Man that mall had fallen so so far down hill since I was a kid...
@@HamburgerAmy Yep we moved out, it was quite the process! We are now set up in a building of our own right next to the train tracks across from Broadway I235 near the capitol. 4300 N Sewell Ave. We also have a live 24/7 webcam set up that watches the tracks and the highway north and south.
In the town I live in the old mall was turned into offices an a restaurant . except when i went in it .I can smell mold an mildew an leaking ceiling s .plus the malls Dan shows us seems to have the same problem leaking ceiling s ..even if the malls are just barely hanging on
