Happy 2024, Legion! This ExLog marks my very first production here at Castle Rathskeller down in Virginia in my new home and studio. My days in Baltimore City are over. I've been waiting years to tell the story of the abandoned Eastland and the infamous but now demolished Westland Malls out in Columbus, OH. Pretty sure I gave Marna a bad case of mesothelioma putting her in Westland, though. Oh well. She's a tough old broad. Subscribe or I'll leave her there forever. Also, please subscribe to @unicommproductions and @darkexploration ! I couldn't have produced this episode without their help!

You’ve been missed! Welcome back ! I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s, never in a million years, would I have ever dreamed malls would close. It makes me incredibly sad. Thanks for doing these wonderful videos, I so enjoy them, as I’m sure many others do as well.

Oh, man, this brings back memories. I spent a lot of time at Westland as a kid in the 80s.

There is an undeniable creepiness in every one of these abandoned, forgotten, dead malls; and at the same time an undeniable nostalgia. Love Love Your Work 💓

Westland was packed all the time. So many good times in there. Went in the Lazarus all the time with my grandma and mom. That was the 90s to 2000s. Last went there in 2011 and it was creepy

THIS is classic Sal cinematography 🤙🏼

I don't know if everyone else appreciates how thorough you are, but I certainly do. Thanks for the hard work and keep up the great content!

Looking forward to seeing your new workshop. Really have missed you. I urned 79 and this video is my birthday prezzie. Thanks, Sal. ❤

Very good video, as I went to both malls (and Northland) while at Ohio State. However, at several points, you talk about Columbus like it is part of the Greater Cincinnati area. The two cities are about 90 miles apart. Columbus is almost halfway between Cleveland and Cincy, and it is a big city on its own.

I live in Puerto Rico and here the malls are better than ever. The malls here are in great shape and full of stores and people. Walking im a mall in Puerto Rico feels like the 80 and 90 are still here. 😂

Thank you to Dark exploration Films! To you and a lot of the viewers Westland mall was just another dead mall. But to me and the people from Columbus Westland mall was a giant staple of our childhood. So many memories came rushing back seeing the inside. Sad to see it demolished this year. Unfortunately Tuttle mall is on the way out too.

I worked at Eastland a few times but primarily worked at Tuttle. Went to Westland quite a bit as an older teen but it wasn’t a very big mall to really hang out at. Also worked at City Center, in downtown Columbus, that was a dangerous mall. Edit to add this was 20 plus years ago

Sal: Your videos have evolved into finely crafted documentary films that not only compete with, but exceed the work of other filmmakers whose focus is mall history. I'm so proud to be one of your patrons. You kick serious butt, my friend!

Good to see you back Sal. I always love your old commercials at the beginning. Your videos are always top notch. Thanks

Well, what a perfect setting for a zombie movie. It’s all set !

This is one of the most beautiful malls I have ever seen. Great video.

I live outside of Columbus & I used to go to Westland a lot, I remember when it was being built, it was an all outside mall at first. Northland was an outside mall at one time too, I used to go there a lot and even lived across from it. It's so sad to see what has happened to them. I remember seeing the Polaris mall going up too, I just wonder how long i will be before it's gone,

As a Columbus native I'm super excited to watch this!! Eastland went through a very slow death over the last decade, and I've been periodically watching Westland get demolished over the last 6 or so months.

My grandparents would take me to Eastland when I would visit as a kid. Sad, but that's life.

I used to visit Northland Mall regularly from 91 to 95. But I do enjoy Polaris and Easton.

Thank you for the trip down memory lane! I grew up going to Nothland and sometimes Eastland malls, before moving away in 1998, and can still vividly remember exactly where my favorite stores were. I’m sad to see how they ended up!

love your videos. remember so much of this form back then. cant say 'better times" but that was cause of my personal life. but 'simpler times' for sure. school. hide from my family. try to sleep. repeat.

Glimcher realty also owned Eastland Mall in Charlotte, NC unfortunately torn down in 2013, a very interesting mall used to have an ice skating rink

You see if anyone asked if the prospect of almost hour long documentaries on the financial and structural history of individual American consumer hubs and the death of traditional US commercialism would be of interest...I’d laugh in their face! Yet here I am clicking play with the short-breathed excitement of a kid going into an arcade that just got a new machine, albeit standing distractedly in my kitchen with piping hot coffee in hand in a small corner of the UK, soaking up every minute once again. Thanks Sal, great to see you back, fantastic work once again. Really is appreciated.

Hi, Arizonan here. I really appreciate your brief Metrocenter shout out at the beginning 🥹🫶

I made it after all! Amazing video Sal! Congratulations on 60k subs!

Hey Sal, as always your narrative is incredible. Thanks for the great content.

Definitely taking your life in your own hands exploring these malls here in CBus. 😅 Eastland will be demolished soon. Glad you’re back. Hope all is well and settled now. 😊

I've been through those Eastland mall doors so many times! I really miss the convenience of shopping there.😢

Sal, WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU AGAIN....... You absolutely MADE my day. Your production AS ALWAYS is excellent. Your southing voice overs and commentary add to the total visceral experience and once again it is like we are walking along side of you. Malls are dying all over and that chapter of life in the better times is fading into history. Thanks for the memories And God Bless

Yay! New sal to watch with dinner!

Westland was the closest I had to a home mall. I never loved the place but the dark and mostly brown aesthetic is what I came to associate with malls instead of the overly bright corridors of white paint that you see in many newer malls. The mall was a dead mall a long time ago. I remember in the late 90s or maybe early 2000s going in there and seeing up store fronts literally boarded up with plywood. It would occasionally host those scammy "super show and sale" deals where you had to pay admission to just get into the mall only to not see any of the advertised items.

same old story of most dead malls... some investment firm buys them, drains every penny they can from them, then makes a deal to sell it super cheap as long as they don't have to pay off any debt... someone buys it super cheap and ends up in court for not being able to afford to fix the mess the investment firm made. you can see the same thing happen with almost any business... your favorite restaurant was good until they got bought by some hedge fund investment group, now the burgers taste like cardboard...

my grandmother used to work in the jcpenney at eastland mall in the early 2000s

Welcome Back! We've been anticipating your return!

Very nice to hear from you.. 👍

Great video Sal, you're closer to finally seeing Michigan malls. You'll love it if you check it out especially if you like Taubman malls.

Probably a silly question seeing as how I've been following Sal's dead malls since practically the start . But do malls in the USA tend to survive if they are spread out ? Just asking because the only ones here in Ireland that have failed is because theres another identical one 3 miles down the road . . The ones that tend to be okay are the ones that were truly destination malls remote from other ones close by. Just wondered if it was the same there

Welcome back Sal! You have been missed 😊glad your move went smoothly. I was smiling so hard when I saw that you had uploaded this video,it was fantastic as usual,love the way you go into the history of these malls. Anyway, I will see you on the next ex log and until then greetings from across the pond 👍🏻👌🔥

Worth it just for the King Kwik advert.

Ahhhh, great to see you back Sal. Another excellent ExLog. 😁

I'm so glad to have you back dude, here come another Dead Mall video, I can't wait.

Just finished watching this! Glad you’re back, Sal! Loved the collaboration on this one.

I had a ladder like that. No matter what you did, it didn't lock correctly.

I'm confused as to why the opening panel says "greater Cincinnati malls."

There’s a mall down here in FL, sarasota square mall it’s been dead for years and about to be knocked down for housing and businesses. The only active parts are the Costco, jc penny, and the movie theater.

Yep, makes sense that some of the exterior covered walkways look circa 1960s while the interior of the mall looks more 80s with the square and rectangular street lights inside. I always try to guess guess what year a mall opened before the content creator tells me. At first I thought it was 1960s or early 1970s from how the mall looked on the outside. But once inside it looked totally 1980s. So it made sense that it was first a 1960 open air mall and then they enclosed it in the 1980s. Dadeland Mall in Miami was the same way.

Spent lots of time at Eastland as a youngun. It became a crime-infested nightmare over the past decade or so but I remember it in the early 90s when it was basically the only place near home that had the *good* toy store

This was a great video Sal. Especially for the part with the gaming ads. 80s Gaming was really different from modern gaming. Also it's sad that this mall fell into ruin, but I am amazed at how many times it changed hands & moreso than they all neglected this property. Anyways, I hope that you're good to go now that your move is over & I hope you have a wonderful 2024.

Congratulations on the new home and sorry to hear you were ill. Thought you were missing from here for awhile and no podcasting with Dan, now makes sense, he was sick too.

Look forward to the memorabilia.

Life is pretty hectic for alot of us these days, excellent work as always on you mall tours, Fullview always! Liked

Looking forward to seeing more content.

Its great to have you back! Absolutely love the detail and history in your videos! Ive even got my husband and 11 year old son looking forward to new videos from you.

Thanks! I really enjoy your videos that you do, very informative and entertaining.👍

hey man, you should check out monmouth mall in Eatontown, NJ. it’s so dead and there’s plans for it but not sure if there gonna happen yet

It's always a great delight when one of your videos turn up. Such fascinating content, and the ads are brilliant!

Love seeing Tecmo Super Bowl in the ad. A classic!

Welcome back man! Great video as usual!

so cool seeing these malls being talked about and brought to a little light. my mom worked at things remembered in eastland, but i was in preschool and early elementary so my memories are fuzzy (ironic). i loved this mall, it was a great part of my childhood. funny enough, eastland closed on my birthday! 😂

Truly great work Sal. I was very happy to see this in my notifications. Take care and looking forward to the next one.

That sad, almost 'creepy galactic 'music at the end, what music is that?

Andrews Jewelers, is still in business apparently. Just in another state. I tend to look up some of the businesses, from these old photage parts. XD

Thanks for the upload.😊 I've been sick. 🤢 I hate being sick. 🤢 I hope all's well with you. 🙏 I hope all's well with everyone. 🙏 I love Dead Malls.❤ This subject really yields GREAT CONTENT. 🐯 Anyway, I'm going to stop typing and start watching. ⭐ I love the color after king kwik. ❤ 🌈👑

So glad you are back! You are my favorite KZfaq content creator.

It’s wonderful that you have your new studio up and running. Another amazing video, your research as always is staggering. When I watch these videos I am always reminded of the retail ghosts. Once thriving entities that no longer exist. I want that ladder. LOL😵‍💫. Great Job Sal✨💫

Great to see you back Sal. Fell asleep and missed the premiere😩 Never disappointed and wonderful work here😊

So happy to see you back!

This made my night new video from Sal

Good luck with that NoVA traffic. Make sure you register to vote.

welcome to northern VA , dont know if you did anything of landmark mall but you should see the site now.

Love your information about retail and the time intro.

Love your information about retail and the intro.

He’s baaaaaaack! Welcome to Virginia!

Brathering to see you back here. Really missed your crzy mth influenced intros, they are so great when you're stoned at night and goin to kll smbdy. 🤪🥴😵

Welcome back and glad your move went great! I look forward to what you bring out next! I love how detailed you get with the historical narratives. Thank you for another awesome video!

Let’s go! New ExLog! Sadly, I might not be able to make the premiere, but I’ll watch it the first chance I get!

Hi sal do you plan to check out the Stratford Square Mall - I have heard it might be torn down after being bought from the slum lord owner Namdar

Sweet footage)))

I remember seeing another video about Westland Mall, I'm not sure whose. But the comments said that it was pretty rife with crime, there toward the end especially. There was virtually no mall security, and thugs and hooligans ran wild. One commenter even said they were SA'd, right in the mall concourse, outside the old Chi-Chi's (this was after it was converted to the name you see in this video). That going inside after it was abandoned was taking a chance on getting shot, either by the armed guards, or by the criminals who continued to use the empty building for nefarious purpose. That whole area of town was rough, in fact, according to the video. And they also captured several shots that showed that the entire basement was, as alluded to in the beginning of this video, absolutely flooded, full of nasty greenish black water almost to the ceiling. And of course there was tons more coming in, from the rotted roof, and God only knows where else. All I can think is the mosquitos had to be at absolute plague levels in and around that place. Between that, and the disrepair and decay, it was surely an accident waiting to happen. The commenters even said that, once it was abandoned, if someone went in and got hurt (like if they actually did get shot, or injured by the innumerable hazards presented by the decay), they were on their own, because emergency services would not enter the building. That's what those red signs with the white x on them mean. They're put on buildings with "structural or interior hazards [that] exist to such a degree that consideration should be given to limit the fire-fighting to exterior operations only, with entry only occurring for known life hazards." And since no one was supposed to be in there, the fire department, should there ever have been a fire, would've considered it too dangerous, and they wouldn't have gone in either. I hate to see malls go. But the abandoned Westland was an eyesore, a danger to the people who lived and worked around it (even if they didn't try to venture inside) and a blight on the community. I think it was a very good thing this decrepit, dangerous place was finally demolished once and for all. Sad, yes. But very, very badly needed.

Thank you

Remember going near this mall in mid-2022, wish I got the visit…

24:42 amtech fun bus spotted

Thank god mentor mall is still around. They sold the one end sears to a developer

Great video! Interesting. Good to see you back. I want more mall videos. Thanks for filming.

Damn it. If I was still on the Discord I could've met up...

im here at work gonna watch it while working and playing minecraft

The only reason I stopped going to the mall is the stores disappeared.

No offense to those who live in Ohio, but when I hear Eastland/Northland/Westland/Southland, I think of the 4 regional shopping centers developed by JL Hudsons and its successors in metro Detroit that predate the malls discussed in this video, 2 of which are still open. Great video as always though.

B-Town's loss is North Virginia's gain. Country road, take Sal home...

Beyond tragic...

Columbus City Center (Downtown Mall) also contributed to the downfall of Eastland, Northland, and Westland. It opened in 1989, closed in 2009, and was demolished that same year. Were you ever able to visit it before it closed? I was at the Grand Opening and was inside a few days before it was closed to the public. You also mention Tuttle Mall. It is now on its last legs. It might be worth a video.

Catching up a few days late, another very detailed video, Sal!

Awesome log! And OMG @29:18 ... "Now it's locked in place." That is great!!! I mean, whenever I climb on a ladder to clean my gutters or paint I first put on a suit and tie... Congrats on your move out of Baltimore BTW :)

cool stuff

I have pics of Westland's demo if you'd like them ..I sent them to Ace .. They hired security about 2013 ish after a couple of scrapers thought they'd be smart and steal the copper out of the AC units and lost their lives .. The Sears building and auto shop are still standing and used as well as the JC Penny building . And so far no new info on what they will do with them property .

Next to your video, the idiot on the ladder was the best

That lapis lazuli exterior of the former Lazarus reminded me a little of the exterior of the Pomona Pedestrian Mall's Buffums department store. Buffums is long gone, but the Pomona store got converted into a medical school. Was Lazarus a high end department store like Nordstrom, or mid range like Dillard's?

Nice video

4:49 That superhero's doing something kind of questionable with his hand 👀