dead mall to legendary foodcourt | It's Always Sunny at Philly's Market East | ExLog 108 

I ate way too much in Philly. Subscribe or I'll cry. Also, please give Dan Bell some love and tell him I sent you. Here's his incredible Gallery at Market East video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lNVTM6vE42o.html

Good job nice video I don't think people realize how much time you put into making these videos and how much research you do

Reading terminal closed as a rail station in 1984, replaced by the Market East station. Except for the market on the ground level, Reading Terminal was vacant for a decade before being turned into the convention center in the late 1990's.

Sal, I'm genuinely dumbfounded as to why you don't even have 100k subscribers yet! Your content is outstanding, and you put in a TREMENDOUS amount of effort with your narrations explaining the history of every place that you feature on your channel. Other dead mall channels just simply film and don't explain anything. I like that your channel isn't just an "urban exploring" channel and it's more like a documentary. 👍 Keep up the stellar vids man, your work is GREATLY appreciated and admired!

I'll add to the other comments that the work you do is criminally underrated. Definitely one of the best channels on RU-vid. You always provide such an in depth look into the history, numbers and all. It really gets my wheels turning. This is the third comment I've started. I deleted the other two drafts because they were going to turn into a another long diatribe into the void. Applicable thoughts about the subject matter, but do people even read these 1000 word essays I post in the comments...besides the bots? Literally this video gave me a great insight into why malls fail. I've got a good theory, but I need to stew on it for a few and then draft a concise opinion. I've got some ideas for the perfect mall. Anyway, thanks for the good work you do. The Library of Congress and The Smithsonian should be paying you for this shit. ;)

Sal, your food segment made me ravenous. The problem being I'm 1,800 miles from Philly so if it it's "food to travel for," I'd better get packing. You're giving Fieri a run for his money. Outstanding work Sir!

Thank you for showing me what’s left of my childhood mall. I always wanted to see the renovated Gallery, but I’m now 1,200 miles away with little other reason to go back. Thank you again. And you rock for showing Reading Terminal. MAN, that takes me back. Did you visit the Italian Market on South 9th Street (9th & Washington) a mile away?

When I used to go to the Auto Show at the Convention Center (pre-Covid), I took PATCO from Lindenwold to 8th & Market, then walked through the Gallery on my way to the Reading Terminal. Loved that I could walk multiple city blocks in climate-controlled comfort. Also, in 2010, I actually ate Pat's & Geno's on the same day, within minutes of each other. Wouldn't recommend that today, but I was a younger man then. You should check out the Center City Macy's (nee John Wannamaker's), as it was the primary shooting location for the movie "Mannequin."

I saw Jake's DisneyQuest film a few times. I love his channel. Yesterworld and Defunctland are great, too.

When I was in Philly 10 years ago, I ran up the Rocky steps - and then had a cheese steak at Pat's.

A couple of things: 1) a good chunk of the concourses were closed due to crime and homeless issues that were plaguing the city at the time. 2) As Jersey Mike Rail Video's stated, the Reading terminal was a major hub before its closure in 1984, replaced by Market East "Jefferson Station" with the construction of the Rail tunnel connecting the Reading and the Pennsylvania Railroad sides of the Septa system.

Well Child another Grand Venture. There was such an air of charm throughout. It would be quite an adventure to tour this behemoth shopping icon. By the way you are not an A-H-e you have to run the Rocky stairs. Just hope you didn’t do it on a full stomach. The Fella standing on his bike may have stolen the show. Myrna is a breath of fresh air in a crazy world. It’s so impressive he amount of research you put into all of your videos. Proud Mama🥰🥰

This makes my heart happy my hometown I’m definitely gonna watch this one for sure just like the other videos and yes I’m already subscribed

A new dead mall video drops….yay. Content for me while I wait for my next physical therapy session at the rehab clinic. You’re the man, Sal.

I do not know how you ran up those steps after all of that food but wow is all I can say lmao. I am a vegetarian so I won't be trying any cheesesteaks anytime soon but I still love your videos! Thank you for the hard work you put into them for us to enjoy😊

OMG! Steak-ummms! Prime mid-Atlantic college student "fancy" food back in the 1980s!

I forgot about that "Where's the beef" commercial. Still funny after all these years. Glad you and Dan were able to help each other. He's such a treasure when it comes to this stuff.

Pat's and Genos failed years ago when they became tourist traps. Quality is way down from the days I was working in Philly and eating there occasionally.

Once again a piece of art with great music as I watch slicing files to 3d print an astromech droid! Great stuff!

It is a shame that they destroyed the charm of the old mall. Philly looks like a very lively place, I need to go one day.

The Block at Northway in the north hills of Pittsburgh is like a mini version of that fashion district. It’s trying to be chic modern but it’s cold and has too many corners and layers that make navigation confusing… if you don’t know a store was there, you would never find it

I use that mall passage on a regular basis taking Amtrak from Baltimore to Philly and transferring from 30th St station to the PATCo rapid transit line at 8th St. Before the recent crime issues, you could use the underground concourse system to go from 8th St all the way to 18th St past Suburban Station, but SEPTA just locked up all the underground areas because their police force went on strike.

I love the after credits!!♥️Can you add more to future videos please??☺️🙏🏽

Hopefully not close to Kensington Ave......not familiar.....? GOOD!😳

Love this film and thumbnail choice

Another legendary mall food court was the International Food Court at Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California. It was featured in movies like "Valley Girl" with Nicholas Cage and "Jackie Brown" along with several TV shows. Unfortunately, the Food Court was completely renovated and looks nothing like it used to.

The Victor Gruen-Robinson Dept Store building you noted in the video became a Kiddie City Toy Store years later. I used to beg my mom to take me in there everytime we went downtown to shop in the 80’s.

It looks so empty. I lived in Philly for 10 years, and also worked close to the mall, up until the late 1990's. I did a lot of shopping and eating there, especially in Strawbridge's Food Hall. I know things change, but for a big city, you'd think a mall at its location would be busier.

NY NY. Million thanks. Have been afraid of crime on the streets and not visited Phila since Pre-C-V. . Even though I live in middle of NYC (and limit nights and subway travel). Glad to see there is some life there.

The Gallery mall had a second (main?) food court in the middle of the lower level, right where that random ramp is now. It extended to the north and is now occupied by a wine bar / event space. That is what everyone would consider the "food court" as it had all the tables and such. The one up by the convention center I seem to recall had a bunch of retail in it as well.

Wait. WAIT. Sal, are you serious??? My childhood mall (which I will forever call The Gallery) which got turned into a nigh-soulless store museum is STILL dying? I moved from the metro-Philly area in 2013 when I couldn’t find work. Like the Gallery I went through renovations of a personal sort (a Bachelor’s, a decent job and a better city over 1,200 miles away). I thought that the renovations to the Gallery would sustain it longer than this…

Ha! Jack Klugman in the commercial! He was an epic individual.EDIT : That soft pretzel place looked fn amazing!

I notice the "Reading Terminal Market" logo mimics the old Reading Lines railroad logo with the yellow and green diamond.

Liking before I watch it as Sal has NEVER disappointed.

Sal, at @18:20 you mentioned that many cities had their Downtown shopping districts go downhill beginning in the 70's due to suburban malls. That's very true of New Orleans as well. Although the Downtown shopping district held on for much longer. It started to decline in the late 80's and early 90's, and by the early 00's pretty much most of Downtown retail shopping was gone. I do believe they held on a lot longer than the 70's because the downtown area was a major bus hub. Most of the city bus routes ALL converged to Downtown on Canal street. If you needed to transfer to a different bus route, you would ride the bus to Canal street and get off to switch to another bus route that would go the area you were headed to. So many people who didn't have cars would still do their retail shopping downtown since they would always be downtown anyways. When the larger downtown department stores like D.H. Holmes, Maison Blanche, and Krauss all eventually closed, that was the nail in the coffin.

I went to Pat's when I visited Philly the first night and I took a bite and I burnt the shit out of my tongue and couldn't taste anything for the rest of the week it was good for that 0.01 second. P.S. love the vids

Every time you say one bite then proceed to take two bites lol!!!

Cheesesteaks give me an instant pounding constant migraine that takes 2 days to go away.

EVERYONE Runs up the Art 🎨 Museum (Rocky's steps as u called them) steps , u should have stopped by the Rocky House 🏠. It's still there but if u go in that neighborhood DO NOT STAY FOR LONG, Don't talk to anyone b/c anyone/everyone is looking at u for something

If the 76ers Think it's a Good idea 💡to put a Stadium in the middle of CENTER CITY(that's what us locals call it) 🤔 well their NOT SMART AT ALL.!! Even w/ the the diff sport Stadiums 🏟 that r around s. Philly The Traffic is Still Horrific 😤

Fun fact Reading Terminal Specially Tommy DiNicxs Was On an episode of Diner, Drive-in's & Dive's With Guy Ferrari (spelled his Last Name Completely Wrong *)

Why do the 6ers want to build at Fashion District? For starters, the company that owns the mall is in trouble, which is why they are receptive to the Sixers buying a portion of the mall. They can consolidate the stores remaining in the 2/3rds of the mall to be left behind, as well as other currently empty properties owned by the holdong company. If the Sixers arent allowed to bulld the arena, what happens to the mall, and how long do those other spaces remain empty? You mention traffic concerns with the proposed location. That's a problem at sports complex in S Philly, and leads complaints in fan experience surveys. While the Broad Street Line subway serves the complex, it's one line going in one direction, and taking it for many in the area means riding multiple transit vehicles for often well over an hour, even from some locations within the city, whereas a drive is usually much less than that. Hence, the traffic situation will never change at the complex, because they aren't going to get many more to use transit as inconvenient as it is. Having said that, roughly 2000-4000 people do take transit according to Comcast and the Sixers, but that's only 10-20% of total attendees to games. As you are aware, the Fashion District sits atop Jefferson Station as well as a Market Frankford subway station, and is with 1,000 ft of trains serving Jersey, Broad Street Ride Spur, and 5 light rail lines serving West and Southwest Philly. All of these are CLOSER to the proposed arena than the subway station at the sports complex is to any of the stadiums down there, AND one can enter the mall currently and arena in the future without having to be exposed to the elements, unlike the 5 to 10 minute walk one must make between the subway station and stadiums in S Philly, or if parking as well. Long story short, transit will be attractive to a lot more people than it is now, even to people from burbs. From many places, like Villanova, Malvern and Collingwood NJ taking transit is FASTER to 11th & Market, even before accounting for the walk from the parking garage to the arena. Speaking of parking, there are 9000 spaces within a 5 block radius of 11th & Mkt, which is about the distance of the subway station to the Sixers current arena. Only 6500 drive to events now according to Sixers, so supply currently exceeds their needs, but again more people will use transit, or just walk, as many people who go to games live or work in Center City already, or take an Uber from Center City to go to games. They are already in CC, and many will just walk. There are plenty of solutions in the works to deal with traffic, solutions that aren't really available to S Philly given how it has been built, and the team wants to work with the various neighborhoods to make sure they'll thrive with the arena down there. It would be a good project for the city, better than just building a new arena at the complex which is what the Sixers will probably do if blocked from Center City; they have already stated their intention of moving on from the Wells Fargo Arena in 2031. I look forward to them moving to Center City.

I love the video. We drove down from Trenton for the opening of the Gallery in August, 1977. BTW, the cavern portion of the convention center was the Reading railroad "deadhead" station for the trains heading north including West Trenton. Our version of the big dig was the creation of a subterranean station called Market East which was a connection to Pennsylvania Station at 30th Street allowing for trains to run through without having to get off and transfer. The Gallery and the headhouse for the Reading Terminal are used prominently in the Brian DePalma film, BLOW OUT. Strawbridge's was a wonderful store and had an excellent store restaurant on the 4th (?) floor in the older section of the building. It was called the Corinthian Room...Penny's and Primark - who would've thought!

Great video on a very weird mall with a very weird history! Parts of it are EXTREMELY dead, while parts are doing just fine. There's also been issues with ~rowdy teens~ so there's currently intermittent ID checks to make sure you're old enough to go to the mall, which is actually pretty sad - malls used to be such a good teen hangout but this place just bans them now ... Fashion District is a weird incarnation but I kind of like it. Ulta and Eddie Bauer are both nice features, plus there's a bubble tea spot at street level that isn't bad (though you can also just head a block or two north and get bubble tea in Chinatown ...) Also, as a current Philly resident: I HATE the Sixers proposal, not at alllllll into it. A big part of why I hate it is because of its proximity to and threat to Chinatown. I used to live in DC and I remember how badly the intro of a big arena space screwed over Chinatown there. Philly's Chinatown is super vibrant and lively and full of fantastic businesses and I would hate to see that community get screwed over the same way DC is. DC's Chinatown area is now basically a few streetsigns and the dragon gate, with very few Chinese businesses or restaurants or residents left in the area. Very depressing. So I do not at all want to see that happen to Philly the way it did to DC ... Commenting before seeing the food reviews but I'm going to hit play again! edit: heck yeah millers' pretzels are SO good, i gotta get one this week

Philly resident here. Born and raised. The mall is called Philadelphia Fashion District. Which was once the Gallery. Philly closed The Gallery for many years due to crime and the homeless. When the mall was opened they cut business hours to only 6pm to prevent crime; that obviously failed. Then an investor came in and spent millions to remodel the mall. This mall actual does quite well now. The Philly 76ers are now building a new arena around the mall. It will expand across Filbert street.

Gaaaaaaaaaaaah! I just ate and now I'M HUNGRY AGAIN! Thanks a lot, Sal! PLEASE tell us you didn't eat all of this in one day, or the American Heart Association will likely put a hit out on you! OMG.

Another great vid! This had a perfect GTA video game type feel with the map and walk… Metal Gear for the 8-bit folks

I was here just as the new mall was finishing up (bad timing) and am sure that Century 21 closing was another bad hiccup for them. I was intrigued after Dan's visit to the old Gallery mall before it was almost entirely demolished. Reading Market is great; very similar to Seattle's Pike Place. There's a reason my friend's convention chose to take over Reading and have attendees dance with outdoor live music, enjoy food samples all over the market, and more. It was as fun (or more) than the other time when we were in Universal Studios with included food and short theme park lines!

I guess I’m sentimental, but I wish malls would have kept their 1980s neon look. I wonder what happened to the Philly cheesesteak shops. I don’t see them anymore. One thing that definitely needs to go from the 80s are those ugly ceiling panels which were really a holdover from the 1970s. Get rid of them. They belong in office buildings not a mall.

I live in Society Hill, a few blocks south of Fashion District. I dont know how to help Center City but Fashion District wasn't it. It is just a giant barrier cutting off North from South.

Watched this one again tonight. From Philly and homesick. This was a labor of love. One of my favorite vlogs ever.

I say absolutely no Sixers stadium. A waste of money and resources, disrupting once again businesses just trying to make it. Philly can't keep doing the same thing over and over again, not to mention destroying a large portion of its China Town.

Sal this is one of your best productions!

Its funny because real philadelphian's no that Pats and Ginos are the worst of the steak shops. Great job on the video.You showed a lot of my Fav's.If you want a great Italian Hoagie go to Marinucci's in Port Richmond. Have a great day be safe.

Omg I love Cheesesteak's Some day going to have to make it to Philly... Been wanting to for years.. The Boyz To Men video Motownphilly got Geno's steaks in it.. An I have seen it in other movies an video's.. An need more salt on my pretzel lol..

I agree with your assessment of Genos and Pats cheese steaks. I was raised around Philly in the 50s and 60s. I had never had a cheese steaks from Genos or Pats until 2018 and I wasn't impressed at all. I could get a better one any day of the week outside of the city, where I was raised. But I love the food in the Philly area better than anywhere else in the country. I have lived all over the country from the North to South and East to West and Philly is still the best to me for food. I live near Miami, Fl.

U Really want great Cheese steak 🧀 , u have to try Max's it's right at the Corner of Broad st. & Erie Ave. (B careful it's a lil rough neighborhood there fyi)

*Mint Chocolate Chip* Ah, I See You're a Man of Culture As Well. Loved the ride as always, keep rocking 👍

It bewilders me that people think you can resuscitate a mall in general, let alone one of this magnitude, by simply remodeling it and totally ignoring what's going on outside; demographics, online shopping and peoples tastes and trends.

Man, looking at you eating those sandwiches .. wish we had something similar to those in Sweden but closest is Subway frozen crap 🫤

I really like your videos but as a Christian I have to tell you I get offended when you use the Lords name in vain. I don’t think you care but wanted to let you know you’re fun to watch and you are a very likable person and that’s why I gave you my criticism. Otherwise I wouldn’t of cared.

My go-to spot in Philly for cheesesteaks is Sonny’s in Old City although Campo’s is pretty good too.

They have a Round 1! Heard that’s an awesome arcade/bowling alley

I’ll send you $1000 on PayPal if you go back and lick that pay phone 😆 Great content as always.

Sal I was born and raised in Philly! I enjoyed this video soooo much but I enjoyed you indulging in the yummy food even more :)

45:25 This is a passage underneath Market Street and over the Market-Frankford subway train line at 11th Street Station.

I think planners know that brick and mortar retail and especially malls will continue to decline in popularity over the next decade. Fashion District will likely be hurting (they probably already are since opening a few months before the pandemic must have been a crushing blow) and the owners will be more than happy to sell part of the footprint for the Sixers since it will alleviate the debt they will probably be facing by then plus the influx of people it will bring will give a reprieve to whatever retailers are still left in the remaining mall space.

I enjoyed this video so much! Thanks Sal, as always, you did an awesome job 👍👍

The Intro always brings the nostalgic Vibe. Fantastic!🥲

So the whole thing was fantastic, but to answer a suggested question, I want hours of that food walk and talk soundscape run. Hours and hours.

I remember my parents telling me boring old stories about how things have changed since they were kids. Now I get to tell the same boring old stories to my kids too!

Used to get school clothes here in the 90s.

I have been going to that mall off and on for years, mainly to eat in the food court. Lots of ghetto fabulous. The shopping was never good.

I remember the Robinson building as Kiddie City. Great toy store.

I still call it "The Gallery"...

I've lived in Philly My who life & I remember going to the Gallery as a kid, wit my dad.

I really like the dead mall stuff and long form content is the best. the food reviews at the end are icing on the cake. I grew up somewhere with malls and now live a day drive from a real one. I never appreciated a food court until I couldn’t go to one

Remember when it opened...

I live about 10 minutes from here and I agree with your opinion. Not into it

I totally did not see the upload till now I was just so busy with work. Great Video as always Sal!

Did you find the fabled Milk-Steak?

Yeah, man. Pat’s and Gino’s are posers. Tourist traps. No real Philadelphian eats that crap. But there are gobs of AMAZING authentic chesesteak shops all over the region. Every time a football game in Philly is nationally televised and they run the obligatory cameo of Pat’s anf Gino’s, I think to myself, “Why haven’t these guys ever done their homework after all of these years?” Also-Philadelphia’s concourse level is one of my favorite oft-overlooked features. It is amazing how far you can get around underground when the weather outside is frightful. Thank you for sharing it!

I’m so confused. Is it Reading Terminal Market, like reading a book, or, Reading Terminal Market, like Redding, the color red? I’m curious about the grub for sure in Philly and your comments made me smile 😊 One little pet peeve, don’t call women dear. Please 🙏 If you want to call the wife or girlfriend dear, that’s dearly sweet and ok with me. 🎉

"One bite, everyone knows the rules" he says but takes 3more 🤦‍♀️🤣 What's the point of "the rule" 🤷‍♀️🤣🥴

I loved Dan's channel until he went all loopadoo with that annoying Hotel Room guy. Then I discovered you!

Gooey Louis' (sic) if they still live, is worth a nod.

Shit, that’s the same music in the mall on GTA VC

Mushrooms? that's a violation

Was there in 1977. Went to Gimbels.

Tony Luke's is abominable.

Thank you, sall i have always wanted to visit this mall and now i can

Sal's Perfect Meal Drink - Pineapple Smoothie (9.9) Main - Jim's Steaks Cheesesteak (9.7) Dessert - Soft Pretzel (9.6) Sal's "Only good when stoned" Meal Drink - Lemon Green Tea (0.2) Main - Chicken Steamed Bun Thing (1.7) + Spring Rolls (1.2) Dessert - Mint Chocolate Chip (8.5) Thanks as always for the awesome content brother 🏆

This place is absolutely massive,Liked vid, Full view always

okay u incorporated Reading terminal with the Fashion District , we still call it The Gallery! Reading Terminal is its own entity.

Got to visit Philly back in 2016. I wish I had known the area better enough to visit some of these spots, even if some were under construction. I did get to go to the old Wanamaker Building/Macy's, which was cool.

Dang, I want a cheesesteak now.

Why is it that the best Dead Mall Vlogumentarians and Exloggers ALWAYS have 3 letter first names? Sal... Dan.... _Coincidence?_ *THERE ARE NO COINKIDINKS!*

Hi Sal are memberships paused?

Say what you will about Philly, they have a TON of good food. And for my money, my favorite mac & cheese place is Mac Mart, but their shop is near Rittenhouse Park, so it wasn't really in the area you were visiting. Definitely not a 3.9. Also, thanks for making me miss Clover yet again. That was the best store, like the perfect combo of Walmart practicality/wide offerings with Target style. EDIT: Holy cats, this is the first I've heard about that Sixers Place plan. That's gonna be a transit NIGHTMARE if it happens.

I lived in Philly for 9 years-I agree Jim’s is best. I moved to NOLA in 2013 and lived there for 6 years.