I've commented on this mall on other channels but I'll say it here again, THIS MALL IS INCREDIBLE! The sheer size of it and the colorful mid 90s aesthetic combined with how empty it is just amazes me. I still think a community college or high school should buy it up and turn it into an educational property. It clearly isn't destined for retail anymore, it would be a shame to see it torn down for an Amazon facility :/
@@cincinnatinorthernkentucky2224 Same. If you want to know what it looked like in its prime, watch Stranger Things when Eleven goes to the mall for the first time and her eyes light up. Except this mall was 100 times that.
This is a very bittersweet thing for me to see. This was “THE” hangout spot for me and old friends and a couple family members back in the 90s. I miss those days. It’s very unfortunate this mall had to end up this way. It’s very heartbreaking and it very much does hit home. Thank you for showing. 🙏🏻🥺☺️(oh that rain the way you saw it in one place and not the other 🤣🤣That’s Cincinnati for ya loool) ☺️☺️
u are right that was all bigs......an that mall opened when i was 10 y/o started going there every weekend in the 90s... the movies was only 75 cents to go in to an my neighbor was the one who did the electricians stuff to it........ It was so cool to go there on the weekends an see it maxed out... All the mall noises echoing threw the halls. an then in 96 i started going to the honky tonk cheyenne calltel co in it........Good old memories.... was a great mall to bad it never made it...
I snuck inside of a shop inside the mall yesterday and the movie theater by lifting the gate. It was really cool, I got to see the theater rooms and the projecting room!
She's a beauty… Must have been something to see back when it opened; love the ones that still have some carpeting!!!! This would do great in the right area as long as there wasn't another Mall within' 30++ miles.. That's how the busier ones around here survive...In decent neighborhoods along with Restaurants nearby... Upkeep and with the latest stores.
I remember the arcade section being great. A laser tag and a VR simulator area was close by the large quarter arcade. I have to write about the George Rhodes ball machine (art piece similar to a marble machine scalled up) that used billard balls to go thought the track. Thank you for bringing back some great memories.
Another great video. I think the thing that amazes me with this mall most is how many times it failed. So many ideas and owners were thrown at this property but nothing worked. While the mall does look like a Nickelodeon set, I think that it would look just fine if it were full of stores. I’m shocked the mall is still open, with only three tenants inside still operating.
I enjoyed your tour a lot. I visited this last may and It was very impressive. I know some of the music in this vid but I'm curious how you add that effect that makes it sound like it's playing through the speakers?
This one may be the most fascinating dead mall I've seen. It's just so unbelievably huge and it being so empty all the time (but for some reason still open) really gives it this eerie vibe. And the design is so beautiful! Some malls are just depressing concrete blocks, but this... really want this mall to be repurposed for some kind of innovative community space-concept. Put a college in there, or a living complex for the elderly and young families and singles alike (with nice, bright shared spaces where people can meet).. or stuff like that.
I grew up in that area, there were always talks in the community about what to do with the empty space. Talks about indoor skating rink, and other community activities but, its not a wealthy area and there are already established business . There used to be arcade in there that did really well for itself but ended up relocating. Other than that its just sits. I have really cool and vivid childhood memories walking around and shopping at that mall.
I made numerous trips to this place back in the very early 90's until the late 90's. What helped kill it were the Northgate & Tri-County Malls, cheaper cost & more affordable shopping manufacturers. Being closer to I-75, the Tri-County also made getting to it quicker from the north & south. You had virtually 3 large shopping Malls within 15 minutes of each other. A smarter move back then would have been to build on the east side of I-75 to draw folks from the richer areas of Sharonville, Blue Ash, Milford, Deer Park, ect.
Awesome video as always. It is hard to believe this place remains open and powered up. This may very well be the last mall that has the Mills design since Simon has been neutering them one by one.
I googled a few of those movies, and am surprised per the movie titles shown, that this theater was open all the way till 2015. Didn't realize it lasted as late as then, in business. This video noted that the theater closed in 2010, but was there one last mom and pop movie theater operator that tried in that space after whatever theater closed in 2010? And I am extremely impressed that Kohl's still hangs on here, and didn't close in the round of store closings earlier in the mid-2010s when the Charlestowne Mall store shut down, among about 15 other stores. I wish something would be done to attract non-retail tenants here and improve Forest Fair, but sadly I fear that may never happen.
I'm pretty sure that Kohls does well there. Im about 20 mins or so from that Kohls, so I have one closer, but occasionally if something i want isn't in stock, I'll drive to the Forest Fair kohls and it always seems to have many shoppers. Its a huge kohls too. It has a 1st and 2nd floor. The only one I know of in the Cincinnati and surrounding area that has that. However, it always seems to be one of the less organized and clean Kohls I've been in.
My mom worked at Bigg's there in the late 90's throwing groceries overnights. The mall was once a bustling and busy place. Great arcades, even a ferris wheel and putt-putt minigolf area! Perspective--I haven't seen the inside of that mall since 2000 when I was still a boy. Seeing it now 20 years later in this video sort of breaks my heart.
Same. I just commented that I shopped here and hung out here as a teenager in the late 90s, and i went to Bourbon Street bar in my early 20s which was early 2000s. I feel like I remember it never having a ton of stores, always vacant stores, but somehow what was there did bring a lot of people at one time. People loved Biggs, that dollar store across from Biggs, the bar, the arcade and ferris wheel. Those were things I remember most people going there for. It is kinda sad. I don't even get why it never did well though. Now I live 10 minutes from Kenwood Mall and that mall is ridiculously crowded at all times. I also grew up shopping at Northgate Mall because it was closest to where I lived at the time, but I haven't been inside there in years either.
You should have gone into the elevator. The certificate inside is from the 1990s! I stop in here each time I am in or passing through Cincinnati. Most recent was around this time.
@@Karmy. very late to this comment, but can confirm it is extremely scary. The creaking of the cables and shaking of the compartment makes for an anxious ride.
I shopped here and hung out here as a teenager, and went to the bar in my early 20s. Hopefully you mention the name of the bar because I cant think of it right now, but it was a popular place. Edit: I had to look up the name of the bar because I couldn't take it anymore! Lol it was Bourbon Street. That was the place to be in the late 90s and early 2000s. Damn, the memories. I do still go to the area for the Kohls every now and then, if my kohls nearest me doesn't have something I'm looking for but that one has it in stock. Its about a 20+ min drive though.
I live not to far from this mall. Took my kids to Wonder Park every pay day in the winter. We also would go to the movie at the Dollar saver movie a lot. I would also go to the Club inside in the 90's and 2000's. This mall was great back in the day. We also want to Time Out with my oldest. So many store and so much to do when was first opened. It so sad it want down hill.
If you wanna go, you better do it now or never. The township is starting to take notice, and wants it closed down for the multiple code violations in place.
@@leesanders6914 all malls are closed for the pandemic, yes. Id assume this is as well (although you're not likely to be within 6ft of other people lol)
recently in 2018 This Mall was recently announced to NOT be owned by Amazon or FCC. Recently back in 2018, someone started a studio in the Mall, and the community voted for the mall to stay.
I drove by Forest Fair today on my way to Jungle Jim's. There were more vehicles than I expected. I think some of them were Amazon delivery trucks. BTW, that garage has always been creepy.
There are a couple of things still open? What a HUGE waste. Security arrest you for taking pictures? There aren't any laws against photography. I wonder where they get the money to pay these rent a cops?
Sad wondering what that guy at @24:31 is doing sitting there by himself. Also, if anyone wants to see some pics of what the mall looked like when it was still occupied, this blog has some pics from 2004: www.labelscar.com/ohio/forest-fair-mall-cincinnati-mills-cincinnati-mall-cincinnati-ohio