Us older millennials have so many memories in these malls in the 90s parents just let you go No cellphones no one watching us. We spent hours in these dark arcades and it was Awesome! I love retro malls w arcades so rad thanks Anthony👍

VCC has plummeted over the past ten years or so. Back in '08 I used to work at the Circuit City right across the street . I'd always go to the VCC food court for my lunch break. The place was always busy. I also have very fond childhood memories of going up there after Christmas to spend my money at EBGames & KB Toys. The place was absolutely jammed during that time. That whole area still seems to do quite well. Not sure why the mall has fallen into such a pit..

The loss of the modern day "mall" is a HUGE cultural shift for our culture. You and Dan Bell and others are documenting the end of an era. Keep up the good work!

I love the "Empty Fountain" then the Sign that says"the Water Feature is provided for your enjoyment!!!!!

I vividly remember going to this mall a lot as a child and eventually my family stopped going due to the fact that crime increased. It’s really tragic to see this place die like this. The arcade is horrible because when I was little I used to think it was the coolest place ever and now it’s just dead. Sad that indoor malls are dying

I’m an old millennial I always say I’m more gen x but the mall was part of my teenage years. I lived outside of Akron Ohio so most of my Saturdays were spent at Rolling Acres Mall. I still remember when the arcade closed most of the games by that point were either broken or hopelessly outdated. It’s such a change seeing these once thriving malls become so desolate and then torn down. It’s hard to watch sometimes.

It's embarrassing how much money I spent in that arcade playing Mortal Kombat 2

It’s been bought by Henrico county and is being partially demolished for the new Henrico county sports and events center. The rest of the mall is being reimagine

Grew up shopping here. Still remember 2000 like it was yesterday, with this place packed with people, and every storefront occupied. Truly a sad sight for us 90's kids to see. Spent a ton of money in that arcade growing up.

Also Regency mall is very close and dead as well. My family moved near VCC when I was 14. But we by passed it to go to Regency. In '03 two open air malls Short Pump and Stoney Point opened that killed Regency and VCC.

I've been there plenty times over the last 5 years, and I always hated how empty it was, when me and my mom go there, it's so weird. None the less, great video!!

Excellent video !. Thank you for posting. I remember when this mall was brand-new. The news anchors in the archive footage we're not exaggerating - it used to be jammed packed with shoppers. Traffic would black up on Route 1 for almost a mile to get into the mall on weekends. The mall did well for many years, but then things begin to decline as crime began to increase. I had my license plates stolen twice while shopping there. Then in 2003 Short Pump Town Center opened and siphoned a huge amount of business from Virginia Center Commons. Things really started to deteriorate when Macy's closed it doors - That's never a good sign for any mall.

This saddens me a great deal. I loved this mall and my first time there was in 1995, on the way home from my High School marching band performing in the Richmond Christmas parade of that year. It was packed with shoppers and still new and shiny. My last time there was probably around 2003-04, and it was still doing great other than a couple of roaches spotted in a food court eatery. The arcade was always my favorite part. My time being a part of this mall's life always had it resembling the 2008 footage that you showed. The arcade had a full redemption counter and in its heyday at least 4 pinball machines in the back. I have seen a couple of other videos about this mall recently and although these KZfaqrs proved that the arcade was still there, they failed to show what it has become. I was actually thinking of returning to this mall soon in my first trip back to Virginia in over ten years. Your video has shown me that this mall is better left in the past. I remember some of my friends and I having the best time in "Fun and Games" and working up a sweat on the DDR machine. It was so popular that it had a ten to fifteen minute wait period to get a turn. Now it is just another unattended mall arcade that is more or less a graveyard of a store. My memories are worth more as just that. As heartbreaking as it is to see the decline of this wonderful mall on film I can only imagine how tragic it would be to experience in person.

GREAT video dude! You caught such a break with security there. They were on me like white on rice. I'm really glad you gave this place the coverage it deserves. And you did it raw! The sounds of a mall are a large part of the experience. If there isn't pop music obviously playing, this aspect is as important as the visuals are. The echoes of the crowd, the reverb of machinery and (sometimes) fountains, this is what being in mall feels like! Much respect for providing accurate documentary footage of this mall. 👍

1:37 - the fountains are turned off. That is a bad sign. I know it sounds trivial, but it seems to me once they turn off the fountains or other water features ... or remove them complete ... that is a signal the end is near!

Growing up in nearby Mechanicsville, this was THE mall when I was growing up. Until Simon sold the property in 2014, it was pretty full on most days (good luck trying to walk through the mall on the weekends). But the beginning of the end for this mall came in 2003 when Short Pump Town Center was developed by Forest City Enterprises (who, ironically, developed Rolling Acres and subsequently owned it until 2000). Very sad to see it this way. Great video, Ace!

I remember going here many times in the early 2000s with friends I had from Ashland, VA. Pretty amazing watching this now, considering VCC has now been demolished. Nothing lasts forever

During my childhood, this mall was really packed. The answer to why it’s dead now is....... Short Pump

That arcade used to be something.

Willow Lawn still exists as a strip mall. Fairfield was demolished and replaced with the open air center Eastgate Town Center

All of this beautifully done, Anthony. The addition of vaporwave and the old school footage on point 👌🏻Thx for sharing. Have a great weekend.

I went there after school the day this place opened. It was packed with people. My friends and I stayed for a few hours and then it took us another hour to find my car in the parking lot. It was that crowded.

Awesome and beautiful Mall Anthony! Beautiful sky light too!

I used to love this mall as a kid. I haven’t been here in about 5-6 years. The arcade by one of the entrances was my favorite along with a long-gone toy store.

My first 3 jobs were in this mall back in the 2000-2001/2 ish. Worked at the Bugle Boy, then The Wall (music store that was later bought up by Kamelot, which was then bought by FYE) and then KB Toys. It was dead on the week days then too on our side. Most of our time was spent standing around after we did all the stock we could do. That KB toys and the Wall got maybe 3-5 customers a day during weekdays, we were off to the left when you come in through the food court. It was a pretty dead area of the mall, when The Wall merged with Kamelot (in the space where the Hot Topic is) traffic was a lot more plentiful.

Being at the mall with ur high school friends in weekend and during the holidays was awesome .

I lived in short pump about 10 years ago and I have been to this mall many times. Your is probably the best video as security there are real jerks and will run you out if they catch you filming. The last videos I seen there is an entire empty wing. It wasn't empty when I was last there in 2009. Security rides around on little scooters. Looks like the Chick-Fli-A is still there?

This is incredible! Great video!

Love your video's ace ! Keep iT up !!

This is so cool!!! Great work!!

Henrico pronounced hen-RYE-CO

This is my childhood mall and it was very sad watching it die over the years. Finally the Burlington is leaving, which was one of the last anchor stores left

VCC was the hangout spot for teenagers. Man I miss this place and how it use to be. 😞

What a really nice looking mall sad to see it so empty but I guess you could say that all the other dead malls. For me the stand out piece is that sad looking arcade, it reminds me of going back to places I once use to go to all the time as a kid only to see it in a sad state.

It's really sad to see the arcade like that. I spent so much money in there playing Mortal Kombat 2 back in the day.

"Water feature."

That's where I grew up and it opened when I was in high school. It's a giant pink nightmare. It was much smaller when it opened, and used to end at what was a Hess Department Store, now it's Burlington. The part going past went to Macy's and Sears was built years later. It was always kind of a lower end mall, but was okay. I haven't been in there for probably 15 or more years though.

I also like the "HAUNTED ARCADE"!!!!!

I've been looking forward to this video. I'm pretty sure this mall will be gone by 2020. Kohan hasn't been paying their taxes on the mall and according to some sort of contract they cant legally do anything until January of 2020. This mall did siphon off a lot of business from surrounding malls. In fact the Sears at Virginia center commons moved from east gate mall. Azalea mall was knocking on deaths for by the time this mall opened due to bigger better malls opening and of course crime in that area. I'm glad you didn't have any problems with security here. Great video!

I live about 15 minutes from it. I always used to go to it because it was so popular. I miss coming here. Now it’s run down.

This mall reminds me of the River Falls Mall in Clarksville,Indian before Bass Pro Shops bought them out. You should visit sometime. The mall across the street Greentree Mall is dying as well. Sears closed last year and still sits empty.

I recently spent a lot of time at this mall and even interviewed for a management position at the Charlotte Russe store. It's a pretty mall, but it's a shame what happened to it. I worked a few miles from this mall at a store called Peebles in Ashland, VA.

Your videos have really improved.

I grew up in Ashland, and it’s a shame to see VCC go down

7:08 on the left was the Shoe Dept. That was there over 20 years.

Plenty of parking!

Awesome video as usual! While the building itself is not aesthetic, but some storefronts are 90's original, Hot topic, payless and victorias secret. Loved the end, lol. 💜

Very interesting video. Hopefully something can be done to revitalize this mall. It still has a few national tenants but as those stores continue to close their stores here the chance of revitalization gets smaller and smaller

Great vid, I’m a new sub!

I bought my 9th grade prom dress at this mall. Visited many times over the years while visiting family. Last time at this mall was during a hurricane on the way back on a tour bus.

I remember when this place was built. It was packed every day.

My internet was out for a week. This was the first youtube video I watched. Great video. I love the columns and gas lamps. I wonder if that is a tribute to Richmond and its Victorian architecture. The entire city of Richmond was burned to the ground during the civil war, which is why you can walk for miles and see nothing but Victorian buildings. I am glad that Richmond's inner city is making a comeback, even if it is at the expense of the suburban malls.

love the new camera

I can remember not being able to get a seat at the food court because it was so crowed. I got to where i would only go there during the day on a weekday, it would be so crowed. The theater and restaurants in the area where also packed. This was only 15ish years ago.

Damn last time I was there was in 2005 . I'm from Portsmouth Va we have no mall we had Tower mall of victory blvd when I was a kid now we just go sorry little victory crossing outdoor mall.

it's so over for this mall and most others. what's so tragic is the death of what many of us grew up with, and the huge waste- these very expensive buildings in most cases cannot be repurposed and will be demolished.

so sad...i was been there in 2001 ..it was great place..friendly..nice..whit much people..

They have just announced finally that the Sears is closing. I met the mother of my first child at this arcade while she worked there...man...this is full on depressing. I hate that they built a wall in the back to make it even smaller. That arcade used to the massive and filled with kids in 1998ish.

dude i remember going to this mall as a kid and it would be filled with people and the food court was good it was the first time i tried chick fil a

I love the way he pronounced Henrico. People never pronounce it right if they never lived here. This mall has been dead for years even when I was a little kid back in the early 2000s it was dying.

I used to work in Macy's in that mall in 2015-16. Macy's is no longer there & the whole mall went down hill 👎 idk what will happen to it but I miss this mall!

I helped open the Dollar Store there when the mall first opened. I spent a lot of time in that mall. Even at opening, it had a VERY heavy Security presence. Sad to see it so dead though... In its day, that place was always packed. I hated working weekends, it was so busy

The really scary things are the one or two remaining open spots in the food court. How fresh can their food be with no customers?

You see them big black sconces on the columns round the food court? I done bought one! I'm going to install it on the end of my New Kent trailer, facing Mountcastle Rd. Halloween was the last day of business. I walked around a bit then went to my old church, Winn's, for the fall festival. I'll miss it but excited for what'll be in its place!

Loved this mall as a kid. Hate what it has become. 😢

Another great video. That arcade there was sad like whats the point of keeping it open.

The arcade is gone as of 4/6/19. All the machines have been taken out and the rolling door is closed. Chick-n-Burger is also out of business (while no Chick-fil-A, I’ll miss them - their food was actually decent!)

old memories.

I used to work at va center commons mall long time ago at Wendy's in the food court

good 1bub. Nice music.

1:21 was a carousel there at one time.

A suggestion. If you go to South Carolina go to Charleston and visit Citadel Mall.

Another work of art video of a very sad mall. But I guess it shows Karma exists for it wounding and killing three other malls it comes back to haunt it. OF course with another Moonbeam in charge of the mall (inheriting from the Wal Mart of Mall operators, the uncaring Simon Malls) I can see how VCC is collapsing. I laughed to see a Sears actually open and fully stocked with no "Closing, Everything Must Go" signs. Hope it sticks around for awhile or another wing will become a ghost town, much like I think was the Macys Wing. The arcade was very sad to see too. It's one thing I think can save malls. Kids and grown kids like you can hang out there play games and have fun. Probably better than local retail which could get kicked out for missing the rent. Thought the Chick and Burger was an old Chick Fil A. Thank you for the uplifting funny end on the very short slide. We need that after the sadness seeing a mall on its big decline. Really enjoying your adventures in the South searching for interesting dead and dying retail.

I have shopped here since pretty much day one, but only use Hot Topic now.

Really good video! I like the appearance of the court(seating/fountain) areas of this mall, myself. Shame the arcade neon is no longer turned on, and that the fountain you saw in one of the courts is now turned off. :( My question is at 6:10, what former anchor did that store used to be? And is 6:31 an old Mrs. Field's Cookies? I'm going to suggest a mall that while it isn't a 90s era mall, I think it's one you would find interesting: Golf Mill Mall in Niles, IL. It was originally built as an outdoor shopping center in the 50s or 60s(not sure exact year it first opened), was enclosed around 1985 from what I heard, and got a renovation(except for the northmost wing of the mall between Sears, Kohl's, and Target) in 2007. If you ever come back to the Chicago area, I'd be more than glad to meet up with you at Golf Mill and tell you more of the history of what I know about it. And we could walk through together, and could point out things about that mall. You'd also find the 'golf ball' office tower's outside appearance, to be interesting. I guess the main reason this mall popped up in my mind, is that it had an arcade like VCC does. Sadly, Golf Mill's arcade closed about 2 or 3 years ago I believe. ETA 10/3/18: It was just announced that Sears(the walk-thru anchor) will close at Golf Mill. Have no idea if they'll build a walled off hallway to walk through both halves of Golf Mill to the quieter north part of the mall(where Kohl's and Target are), like what Brickyard Mall in Chicago did after JCPenney closed.

I've clicked onto the bell but I never receive your notifications. I've tried again I hope it works this time. You are bringing out the truth and I don't want to miss anything ! The work you guys are doing is so important. Your vid is great but the truth of what's happening is horrible !

Wowowow that arcade is just sad looking.

God I have so many memories of this place, I've been to one of the Chinese restaurants there at one point so much they knew me by name (despite knowing very little english), I practicly lived in that old arcade, now the only thing left there are lost memories, gumball machines and a hollow fealing of sadness. ( Also it's pronounced like hen-ryeco)

You should check out Valley Mall in Harrisonburg Virginia it's on the western side of the state it's really Dead 2 right off the Interstate 81

Wish I could have seen this one before it was closed.

funny when u see people u know in a video and cool old mall went there for 20 years

Lots of blue and pink colours in late 80’s/early 90’s Malls

Great video Anthony, that mall is really dead.

What is shocking to me is how quickly this mall died.

HOLY SHIT! I live over here, and yeah this mall is so dead it has mainly become an area name. Also this isn't the only dead or dying mall in the Richmond area, did you hit up Stoney Point (dying), and Regency Square (dead) as well?

This is what my mall looks like when its open! lol

Anthony! I love what you do and I think it's such an awesome thing you're doing! I wish there was more Vaporwave played in your videos though! Like in your old videos! Keep up the great work!

2022 mall still here only a few stores remain now and only one guy in the food court although his food is good. Penny's building is still there they are using it for construction equipment for the sports center. Source:I work at the mall.

Interesting all these malls closing. near me In south jersey / philadelphia all the malls are still packed every day of the week.

I used to live in the Richmond area from 2005-08 and that mall was always busy. What happened to it?

The Macy building was owned by Macy and is currently up for sale

This was a beautiful mall with a great restaurant! It's sad to see it in this video. It is pronounced Henr - I - co. I think what happened is a lot of houses were built not too far away from the mall and parents used it as a babysitter. Kids were hanging in the mall and behaving badly. The same thing happened to Regency Mall in the west end of Richmond. More hanging around than shopping. Then they started building outside malls where the kids couldn't hang out as badly.

That arcade place had the old nicktoons racing game and the sonic basketball game. It’s a shame that nobody is even using them.

MY CHILDHOOD ARCADE..........gone.

This place is spooky inside. There a dentist in the darkest corner of that place 😂

Ah yep! I live in Richmond and this is my favorite local dying mall! Between the weird-smelling dead arcade and the 20 minute wait for Chinese food despite nobody being in line, I absolutely revel in this garbage place

It’s confirmed to be demolished in 3 weeks

Even the Hot Topic is gone now.

1:30 Disney store, then Jimmy Jazz

Also Lohan has other malls that he purchased but has allowed to become run down..google it