Can New York's Dead Malls be Saved?

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For decades, shopping malls were among the busiest gathering places in New York. They were more than places to shop. They served as social centers where families ate dinner, teenagers spent Friday nights, and communities came together under one roof. Today, many of those once thriving malls stand nearly empty or have disappeared altogether. The rise of online shopping, changing consumer habits, and shifting demographics have transformed many of New York’s malls into what are now commonly known as “dead malls.”

Photo: By Bellerophon5685 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

During the 1970s and well into the 1980s, new shopping malls were opening throughout America. These shopping nirvanas provided an indoor escape for the masses, particularly in New York, where those living outside the city could enjoy an atmosphere filled with stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and bustling food courts. Sitting at one of those tables with a slice of pizza or Chinese food in front of you was one of the best places to people-watch, flirt, and simply spend the afternoon.

The Golden Age Of The Shopping Mall

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While Manhattan has shopping centers such as the Westfield World Trade Center and the Shops at Columbus Circle, suburban shopping malls once defined the retail experience for millions of New Yorkers. Communities throughout Upstate New York, the Hudson Valley, and Long Island built malls that became gathering places for generations of families.

Some malls evolved from modest outdoor shopping centers. The Baldwin Place Shopping Center in Mahopac, New York, for example, gradually expanded with covered walkways, benches, and additional stores. When a McDonald’s opened there in 1970, it became major local news. Shopping, dining, and socializing all became part of one convenient destination, reminding many longtime New Yorkers of the department store cafeterias and automats that had once filled Manhattan.

The Rise Of New York’s Dead Malls

Today, many of those malls have either closed or been converted into office complexes, medical facilities, or big box retail centers. New York State has one of the highest concentrations of dead malls in the country, particularly throughout Upstate New York.

Among the better-known examples are Amsterdam Mall, Cohoes Commons Mall, Johnstown Mall, Latham Circle Mall, Malta Mall, Mohawk Mall, and Northway Mall. In the Hudson Valley, Kings Mall, Apollo Plaza, Orange Plaza, and the Nanuet Mall have all experienced similar declines. These represent only a small sample of the many malls that have disappeared from New York’s retail landscape.

When Pop Culture Celebrated Mall Life

The 1980s truly represented the glory days of the American shopping mall. Popular culture embraced mall life in films such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High, where much of the action revolved around food courts, movie theaters, and retail jobs. Kevin Smith’s Mallrats celebrated the culture of teenagers spending entire days wandering indoor shopping centers. Even horror films embraced the concept, most famously George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, which was filmed largely inside Pennsylvania’s Monroeville Mall.

The Fascination With Abandoned Shopping Centers

While many people simply miss the shopping experience, others have become fascinated with documenting abandoned malls. Urban photographers, historians, and explorers search for these forgotten spaces much like photographers of abandoned institutions such as Kings Park Psychiatric Center and Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center. Empty food courts, silent escalators, and abandoned storefronts have become symbols of a changing America.

The Malls That Continue To Thrive

Not every shopping mall has disappeared. Large destination malls continue attracting millions of visitors each year. Syracuse’s Destiny USA remains one of the largest malls in America, drawing tourists from throughout the Northeast. At the same time, Syracuse has witnessed the closure of several smaller malls, illustrating how only the largest and most diversified shopping destinations have remained competitive.

Many former malls have found new life through redevelopment. The Dutchess Mall in Fishkill, once Dutchess County’s first enclosed shopping mall, now features big box retailers where department stores once stood. Although the original mall is gone, portions of the property continue serving shoppers in a completely different way.

The Decline Of The Source Mall

Some filmmakers and photographers seek out malls that still operate but appear to be struggling. The Source Mall in Westbury has long been viewed as one such example. Although portions of the mall remain occupied, many longtime visitors remember it as the Fortunoff Mall, with Fortunoff serving as its defining anchor store.

The Source Mall. Photo: By Jtalledo (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The first sign that many malls are in trouble often comes when their anchor stores begin leaving. Stores such as Macy’s, J.C. Penney, Sears, and Fortunoff historically generated the foot traffic that sustained smaller retailers. Once those anchors disappear, many malls struggle to survive.

Today, restaurants with outside entrances remain among The Source’s strongest attractions. The beautifully painted carousel still stands as a reminder of the mall’s more prosperous years. Although it has not completely become a dead mall, it possesses the quiet atmosphere that often precedes one.

Why Shopping Malls Continue To Disappear

Internet shopping has unquestionably changed retail, but it is not the only reason malls have declined. Some shoppers have grown concerned about safety following years of highly publicized incidents at shopping centers. Others simply prefer the convenience of online shopping.

Demographics have also played a role. The Baby Boomer generation helped fuel the expansion of enclosed malls during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. As that generation aged, fewer people spent entire afternoons walking through sprawling shopping centers. Younger generations often socialize online rather than gathering at malls the way previous generations did.

Many malls now stand as reminders of a different era of American life. Some have been demolished; others continue to search for investors willing to reinvent them. Ironically, online retailers such as Amazon have begun opening physical stores, raising an interesting question about the future. Perhaps one day enclosed shopping centers will return in an entirely different form. Until then, many New Yorkers will continue remembering Orange Julius, crowded food courts, movie theaters, and weekends spent wandering the mall with friends.