Interesting fact about the Staten Island Mall that the narrator failed to mention: the music video for the New Radicals's 1998 hit song "You get what you Give" was filmed inside the Staten Island Mall. Anyone alive in the late 90's who had access to a radio or MTV knew that song. It was huge and played everywhere. The video was quite entertaining as well. I'm actually surprised the narrator didn't even say one word about it as that was most likely the Mall's closest brush with celebrity and probably the only large scale production ever filmed at the Mall. Plus, having the music video for one of the biggest songs of a decade (the 1990's) filmed inside the Mall is a big event that should be mentioned if you're discussing the Staten Island Mall's history. It's forever a part of pop culture because of that music video and the narrator doesn't even say one word about it. Apparently, he did not research quite well enough. Either he didn't know or didn't want to mention it. Whatever his reason, it was a major detail to leave out. Mr. Narrator, shame on you, sir.
I remember once around 2014-2016, I was a kid and witnessed a shoplifting on the second floor of Macy’s. I vividly remember a security guard chasing after them and brought them back inside the store where they were handled by security. I have heard of stories that somebody was shoplifting on the second floor of Macy’s and jumped into the fountain, and I always wondered if I witnessed that same event. I think the fountains were already gone by that time so it was most likely a different event.
I remember SI Mall use to do it big for Christmas, with the talking tree, Santa’s huge castle, the train, etc. Sad to hear Santa has been reduced to a corner. I remember going to Friendly’s and Roy Rogers too. One thing I haven’t seen in FL malls (surprisingly)...birds. I remember always seeing birds in the malls up there.
Worked at Macys 1973 - 1976 , Remember Bun and Burger, The Ground Round, Musicland, Peking Garden, Baker shoes , Just n Time. They only store left from that era is Spencer Gifts which still has the Farah Fawcett poster somewhere.c
I went to Staten Island mall yesterday, after not having been there for more than 30 years. I was completely surprised that the fountains were gone. I even had a pocket full of quarters for it -- kinda disappointed. On the good side, everything seems brighter.
In addition, there was a daycare place around the area the food court is. For a fee parents can drop off kids while they shopped. Kids a little older would be left to play in a small play area with a wooden play structure, first floor, by the Macy’s wing. Parents would shop in the stores closest to the play area. There was a tower records in that area there too.
I definitely remember that elevator, remember me and my family taking it down to meet Santa on the ground floor. I also remember going to Roy Roger's, although I was a little kid back then and think only went once. Does anyone remember Ground Round and their big projection screen where they would show classic cartoons like Popeye, Looney Tunes, and Better Boop? (I know for sure they showed Popeye at the very least) I remember my mom taking me there whenever she was done shopping at the mall, and we'd eat lunch, she would share 1-2 potato skins and some wings as well :)
When I saw the video, my mind went back to the little train they used to setup during christmas. I remember riding that and sitting on santas lap when I was a kid.
The Honeycomb was a group of stores in the center of the mall. In the 70’s and early 80’s, Before the fountain, there was a raised section. It was kind of like a a giant stage. It’s where Santa was and events were held like craft craft shows and such. The stores were underneath.
I am a Brooklyn native and really started to go the the mall in the late 90's when I needed a suit and shoes for a friend's wedding. I picked up one with shirt and tie at Archie Jacobsen which is still there and shoes at this florsheim shore store that was across from Warner Brothers where the diamond store is, I think. When we had our first son, we brought him to Kids Cuts up on the second floor in the Macy's wing across from the Asian Pacific restaurant with the fountain with the large round stone that rolled with the water, which was still there when I visited there in the summer time. All 3 of my boys used to get there hair cuts there by a sweet lady named Jeannie until they closed several years ago. On the first floor I remember the Walden books and borders books . Was borders in the Sears wing and Walden books in the jc penny wing? I remember this big learning store in the jc penny wing on the first floor on the same side as fredericks of Hollywood and across from where game stop is now. They had a huge selection of thomas the tank engine wooden trains that we used to buy for the oldest.I remember Santa and the huge tree. My boys always rode the train in around the tree. Johnny Rockets was on the first floor with the singing waiters and waitresses. My kids threw coin in the fountain by sears. On the second floor Kay bee toys was always the most important place to go to with the boys. I still ha e stuff from the Warner brothers store. The Disney store by the food court. I remember Wendy's where burger king is, loved cinnabon,Ragin cajun with the bourbon chicken,nathans,baskin Robbins, green leafs which is still around. We used to eat at friendly's sometimes across from the food court on the same side as Kay bees. I remember picking up stuff at the old navy in the Macy's wing on the second floor, directly across from there was a sports card and memorabilia called field of dreams. I also remember shopping at the kiosks on the first floor-ballons,candy,Pokemon and yu gi oh cards...
Omg he really had me in so many flashbacks. I miss the old island. It's still beautiful but its changing. We need an update mall report. Now it looks so different.
The honeycomb was in the mid to late 1980s. let me tell you about it. the center of the mall where they have the big open courtyard, used to be raised off the ground. the honeycomb was like a basement they dug underneath the center courtyard. the honeycomb was long narrow walkways with small low rent, low square footage shops. You might call it a section with small flea market booths. one was a coin dealer.
Honeycomb was put there originally in 1970 by the first owners. Second owners (Rouse) removed it around 1980-1981 when they remodeled after taking over. The honeycomb stores had grates between them instead of walls - like a flea market.
Time Out,The Ground Round. There was an AWESOME record store called RECORD TOWN I believe. Back in the day when rock was ROCK. Posters hanging from the ceiling. Awesome.
I am a long veteran of Staten Island and was on the island around 4 to 5 years after the mall was built and here's what I remember. 1) There was a newsstand (not a Waldenbooks an actual newsstand) where you could get newspapers, magazines and of course comics. This is where I would go to get my local Marvel fix. 2) Next to the KB Toys was a Chinese Restaurant and it was pretty awesome!3) There was also a Jim Hanley's Universe store in the mall for those that don't know Jim Hanley's Universe sold just comics and collectibles at first there were in the same location as the old newsstand but then moved to another location.4) There was also a Chinese food place in the food court that made mushroom chicken and it was AWESOME! They would deep fry the chicken like they would for lemon chicken but then put a brown gravy with small button mushrooms over it. It was HEAVEN on a plate. 5) Ground Round: A restaurant that served great food and played cartoons!
@@stephenmattice755 You are thinking of "Farrell's" I bet, they had great hot fudge sundaes and a candy section in the front of it. My husband and I went on our first dates there in 1976.
j.denino57 yes!! That was it. My parents took my brother and me there when we were kids in the mid 70s. My dad was a long time Staten Island school teacher at IS24.
Farrells was the best. I remember them banging the drum if it was your birthday. As a kid I loved the ice cream. Best reason to go to the mall as a kid.
Why isnt anyone commenting on the "elephant in the room" with the #1 problem with this mall? Let me give you a hint: headaches and nausea.. for those of you that didn't grow up around this mall in the summers and pretty much any time of the year but especially in the summers it stinks so bad and the smell was so strong that people didn't even go.. it's right next to Fresh Kills dump and yes inside the mall it's stank in the summer especially it was pungent but it stank all year long outside the mall and in the summers it stank in the mall very badly.. let me tell you about Staten Island the people that would come and visit they could smell it but the people that were there they got used to it and would get desensitized to it. It was all over the south of the island stank you could smell it everywhere.. I realize it's changed I realized it decades ago and there's a lot of people I love there but there's a lot of illness and there was a lot of bad things going on there and the Catholic churches there should have had awesome youth programs I hope they change that, they wouldn't be losing I many to these Hillsong type churches I'd they would change and care about the kids and have fun getaways to get those kids away from that God forsaken sardine box mac and cheese for supper Staten Island🦵🤛🦵(kick) I think it was kind of torture to put 3 million people around the dump it was torture to do that.. if you were there in the '80s and the '90s then you know what I mean if you were a kid in the '80s and the '90s and you didn't smell it then you were just desensitized. It really gets me worked up to think of all us kids having to put up in the summertime with that stench you could drive anywhere up and down Hylan or Amboy and still smell that nasty stench and wander why your parents lived cramed in there little condo on that island on a hot summer afternoon.. it was like living in a tin can of sardines with all the people and the stench you know the people didn't stink as bad as the dump.. and getting on that boat and go over going over to Manhattan made me feel like an immigrant each and every trip made me feel like a poor immigrant going over to America so no Staten island brings back bad memories bad memories..There are things I miss, but turning what was once a beautiful lil Island into a dump with 3 million people to smell it..it should have been buried decades before the 1990s/2000s. If you still live there and you have good Italian meals invite your kids friend for supper who doesnt. Be kind to the kids and let them know the rest of America doesn't live like a rat race..he's right about trying to see Jeter, people treat kids like stray dogs here and shouldn't!
Friendly's right on the corner near KB Toys. Before the JC Penny (which was originally on Forrest Ave), there was a small hallway with a petshop and insurance co on the bottom floor, on the top floor I don't remember one side but the other was Pizzaz, which was like Claires. I think there was a Ferrals? Restaurant, which turned into a Red Robbin?, it had a candy shop at the front register area. I remember when Applebee's went in. Spencers was the best, there was a Children's clothing store with a slide, I think it was the same store that sold the Communion clothing. Same Goody, later The Wall for music. Lerner and Dress Barn were my mothers favorites. I remember Sears during the holidays and for appliances and tools, the 3rd floor of Macys for Christmas, furniture, rugs, and concert tickets.
There used to be a bear that used to walk around near the Macy's court and he interacted with guests similar to the living character initiative from Disney and Oscar the Robot from South Florida Fair except it had a animatronic head similar to the articulated characters from Disney World
Peking garden Chinesse restaurant, Wiss and Lambert Bros jewelers, Hickory Farms........These were great places that were there in the beginning . Chic Filet, Farrells Icecream Parlor, Vincent's Jewelers, and many more good ones. I worked in a few of these places.
Hi Joe thanks for making this video I love it. Ok Joe I have a good one for you FARRELL'S ICECREAM PARLOR everybody loved it till this day I miss it I LOVED IT. 😁
The mall was always there in my lifetime, but do vaguely remember Majors. If I am correct was replaced by Beefsteak Charlie's or ShopRite (both in very close proximity regardless). Also remember the DMV and Rockbottom in the same strip.
The south philly steak and fries was there since at least the mid 90's with the same sign. Friendly's used to be there and a place called bun n' burger. Spencer gifts has been in that same spot near Macy's for decades although it's been renovated a few times.
Sam goody was awesome. There was another record store across from Walden books. I forgot the name. Record hut maybe? And there used to be a Chinese restaurant upstairs separate from the food court. I miss the mall. Oh, there used to be a pay phone bank also and next to it was a photo develop store.
In the 1970s on the upper level was a Chinese restaurant. Very early 1970s they had a branch location of the old zum zum restaurant. Downstairs across from baker shoes was the bun n burger restaurant. women's wear included chess king, fashion bug, lerners, ....spencers was on the lower level. there was the old east river savings bank. outside bakers shoes was the candy kiosk. I never liked licorice, but I liked seeing the long strands of licorice in the kiosk. they sold a lot of nuts also. early 80s there was the ground round restaurant.
I remember the weird blue awning thing that was in front of the JC Penney entrances that all the seagulls from the dump would perch on and crap on people.
I’ve never been to the mall, but I remember KB toy stores you always have those big punching balls right when you walked in the door. Does anyone else remember that?
I remember the mall in the 70’s and early 80’s. Especially during the transformer years. Lots of toys throughout the mall. As well as thee old food court. Roy Rogers use to be the biggest draw. In addition I remember Kay bee toys and also outside of the mall Rock Bottom, TrUS and Kmart. I went to the mall once on the night that Jame Bond’s octopussy came out. The theatre was packed and sold out. I have vivid memories of that as well as Christmas season at the SI mall. When the 90’s came, the mall lost a lot of its magic.
idk exactly if this is why the fountain on the macys wing was taken down, but a while ago a woman who shoplifted was running from a police officer on the second floor and then she jumped off and landed in the fountain, my mom was there when it happend
I met Derek Jeter at Waldenbooks in 2000, it was right before we moved off Staten Island, awesome memory. Wish I had a picture of him, I still have my signed autobiography by him. He was very nice!!!!!!!
So-Fro Fabrics...upper level Macy's wing...first on one side, then moved to the other side. Also, Brooks Clothing....women's chain. Macy's upper wing near the center.
In the late 70s early 80s on the 2nd level in the center of the mall there was a newsstand: Magazines; newspapers; lottery; cigarettes. Do they still have a place like that anymore? also cohens optical was middle of the mall, second level.
Gee Diesel no it's not. It's by the Sears wing lower level across from lids in the middle of the wing. RadioShack was on the opposite side, which is now picture people.
Timeout arcade was the shit there used to be a great record store in mall also were they had all tshirts of rock bands rap groups etc with a high dj booth in front of store forgot name
I have a childhood mystery memory I would love to solve. Arthur kill road, between Richmond blvd and Armstrong avenue. BEFORE THEY BUILT the waldbaums and homes on the hill behind the waldbaums: around 1972. grassy wooded acres, and the remains of an old abandoned possibly burned Down house. Is there some prominent family and story behind that site? probably somewhere in the county archives the story could be found. Trace landowners names to the early staten island newspapers. I don't have the time and money to research this.
I remember an old house that burned down on Ridgewood Avenue many years ago, I think the "Warehouse" family lived in it. Vaguely remember this. This happened around 1970 - 1972 I think. I was only about 10 years old.
the honeycomb was in the middle b4 the fountain and it was a buncha stores on a lower level i always remember it had a joke prank store where my sister and me would buy fake poop n puke...... then in early 80s they renovated n put the fountain along with the glass elevator
Around 83 was when they introduced the food court. there was a time when a food court was a new revolutionary concept that was new to malls. The first food vendors they had: I remember one vendor sold stuffed baked potatos. I can't friggin believe Barnes and noble left. nobody reads anymore? nobody likes a good coffee table book? what the hell!!!!
Barnes and Noble's got its own place on Victory Blvd in the early 2000's? I could be wrong about when. I'm surprised Star Bucks (early or mid-90's) is still there near the Dickies sports store.
Bavarian Hut, top level, near the center of the Mall, across from the elevator... BEST SOFT HOT PRETZEL EVER! And washing it down with a cherry cola Slushee! PURE HEAVEN!
Than I realized he is way too young to remember Farrell's. No big deal. I had many parties there and they used to bang the Drum. it was so fun. when your a kid
I went to / had parties at Farrell's myself. And remember they had fake cardboard mustaches for the kiddies. And of course during / after our outing at Farrell's, there was quite conveniently a video game arcade right across the corridor.
Korvettes was on the other side closer to the bus depot - by where Shoprite eventually went the stop and shop. Beefsteak Charleys - I think was also in one of the outer strip malls surrounding the SI Mall property.
I don't comprehend the sentence "they're a much bigger studio now.". Huh?? Warner brothers goes back like 90 years. They were pioneers of the movie business. Looney Tunes came in the 1940s, like 15 to 20 years after Warner brothers started making movies. The movie companies were reluctant to make cartoons, but it became a big side business.
