13 Malls That Were Once Famous and Are Now Ghost Towns
Once bustling temples of consumerism, these abandoned malls now stand as haunting monuments to a bygone era of American retail dreams.
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
Once vibrant hubs of community and commerce, many iconic American malls have fallen into eerie silence, their food courts empty and escalators frozen in time. These ghost malls tell a deeper story of shifting economies, changing consumer habits, and the rise of digital retail. Exploring their rise and fall reveals not just architectural decay, but the cultural transformation of a nation.
1. Randall Park Mall – North Randall, Ohio
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Once the largest shopping mall in the world when it opened in 1976, Randall Park was a symbol of American retail excess. It had over 200 stores, including a movie theater and an ice skating rink, but competition and economic decline hit it hard in the ’90s. By 2009, it was completely shuttered — its cavernous halls silent except for the occasional urban explorer.
2. Dixie Square Mall – Harvey, Illinois
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Famous for its car chase scene in The Blues Brothers, Dixie Square was already closed by the time the film was shot there in 1980. The mall had opened in 1966 but was plagued by crime and dwindling foot traffic. For decades, its decaying structure stood as a haunting monument to urban blight before it was finally demolished in 2012.
3. Rolling Acres Mall – Akron, Ohio
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Rolling Acres was the pride of Akron in the late ’70s, known for its futuristic design and indoor trees. But by the 2000s, it became a shell of itself — violent incidents and retail flight scared away both shoppers and tenants. It was closed in 2008 and partially demolished, leaving behind a ghostly landscape of empty escalators and broken skylights.
4. Valley View Center – Dallas, Texas
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Once a bustling shopping hub in the ’80s and ’90s, Valley View was known for its upscale stores and holiday decorations. However, as newer malls and online retail took over, it rapidly declined. Today, it’s a haunting mix of art installations and empty storefronts, its redevelopment stuck in limbo for years.
5. Northland Center – Southfield, Michigan
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Northland opened in 1954 as one of the first open-air malls in the U.S. and was later enclosed due to its success. However, shifting demographics and economic hardships turned it into a relic by the early 2000s. When it closed in 2015, the mall’s once-iconic Hudson’s department store was left crumbling.
6. Jamestown Mall – Florissant, Missouri
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This mall opened in 1973 with big dreams and anchor stores like Sears and JCPenney. By the late 2000s, empty storefronts and safety concerns kept shoppers away. After years of decline, it officially closed in 2014 and now sits abandoned, its vast parking lots reclaimed by weeds.
7. Crestwood Court – Crestwood, Missouri
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Crestwood was a vibrant cultural hub in the ’80s and ’90s, and in its final years, it even turned part of its empty retail space into an art center. Despite this creative attempt at revival, the mall couldn’t escape its fate. It closed in 2013 and has since been demolished, leaving only memories for the community that once loved it.
8. Century III Mall – West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
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Built on a former slag heap, Century III was once the third-largest mall in America. Its massive size was both a strength and a curse — maintenance and foot traffic couldn’t keep up. By the late 2010s, it was virtually empty, resembling a post-apocalyptic film set until its final closure.
9. Owings Mills Mall – Owings Mills, Maryland
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When it opened in 1986, Owings Mills was a luxury retail destination. However, a lack of public transport and growing crime pushed it into decline. It was torn down in 2016 to make way for an outdoor shopping complex, but its indoor mall heyday is still a source of nostalgia.
10. Metro North Mall – Kansas City, Missouri
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This mall once boasted a skating rink and a bustling food court. However, by the 2000s, newer developments nearby siphoned off its lifeblood. Left mostly vacant, it closed in 2014 and was finally demolished, though its empty shell lingered for years before disappearing.
11. Lincoln Mall – Matteson, Illinois
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Lincoln Mall thrived in the 1980s but was ultimately undone by mismanagement and declining sales. By 2015, it was forced to close amid safety violations, including exposed electrical wiring and a leaky roof. Now it’s just a memory, with only pieces of its sign remaining.
12. Eastland Center – Harper Woods, Michigan
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As one of the Detroit metro area’s first suburban malls, Eastland was a retail haven in the ’60s. Over time, store closures and economic downturns transformed it into a near-empty labyrinth. The mall officially closed in 2021, its echoes of Christmas music and chatter now replaced by silence.
13. Landover Mall – Landover, Maryland
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Opened in 1972, this mall was once the largest in the D.C. area and featured flashy décor and bustling anchor stores. However, by the late ’90s, crime and retail shifts drove tenants away. It was demolished in 2006, with only a lone Sears left behind, standing like a forgotten tombstone.