These dead malls have so much potential as TV/film sets. We're long overdue for a 2000s throwback mall movie.

I never felt so invested in a mall I've never been in before

if you roll back time, that "mystery" restaurant was a Chick-fil-a

its sad how malls are closing down left and right, they were sure the rage in the 70s-90s

R.I.P. Metrocenter 1973-2020 I'm gonna miss this place. It was quite historic to me. It was the first two-story mall in Arizona. Although I never lived in the mall's heyday, I still liked going here.

The abandoned textbook made me really sad at first, not disgusted. I pictured some high school or college student needing to bring it to work to study and then not being able to get it back after the store closed suddenly, and then their grade in that class tanking because they no longer had the book.

21:52 I remember this play area because I let my daughter play there when she was 1 1/2 years old. I snapped a picture of her playing on the Saturn planet seen at the bottom, she is now 15 this put tears to my eyes.

You know it's a dead mall when the Bath & Body works is closed...

As a lifelong Bill & Ted fan, this makes me very sad. Glad you got to show us around a couple more times.

It's terribly sad how people have to screw up places like this. Looks like such a beautiful mall too!

The Imaginarium, Natural Wonders, The Tinder Box, Suncoast Motion Picture Company...and that amazing arcade. I missed out seeing the Ice rink since I moved there in 91, but I do remember that arcade. I loved that arcade. I loved the mall in general too. Not just the mall but the stores surrounding it too on the outside. I used to go to Atomic Comics all the time, and sometimes spending afternoons at the branch of the Phoenix Public Library. Metrocenter in the 90s ruled. Farewell old friend...

Don't forget, "take me home tonight" with Topher Grace was filmed here back in 2006

This makes me sad. I grew up in Phoenix. I have many fond memories of going to Metro Center. Us locals just called it "Metro". The 80s and 90s were the peak times. Sigh...

2:19 Code Geass making a cameo in a Retail Archaeology Video.

I've been sad about this mall dying for a few years now, considering a lot of my childhood was here. Halloweens especially were fun, and before moving to the west side, my parents both worked here at some point and shopped here often. You're right about malls like this probably never being built again, and the designs are going to be well missed. I would have loved to see B&T3 add it into the movie and talk about how it declined, maybe it would have gotten some fame back into the place, even if it was just pushing back the inevitable. Funny enough, when you started talking about all the repairs needed, I was able to let the place go. I hope something good is put in its place, I couldn't stand to see it a huge dirt lot after all the time it's sat there.

God I love this mall I was so sad to not be able to be there closing day. I'm super grateful you filmed it in all the stages over the years so I can go back anytime and relive the memories I had of Saturday's spent in that Sears with my dad and going there with my best friend having a blast.

I used to work at All 4 Anime. I remember when I first found it. It started out as a Morning Glory stationery shop way on the other end of the mall. The owners are very kind and put their all into the business. I hope they are able to move into a thriving mall to keep it going. My partner worked at Suncoast and it was always fun when they had their anime events with trivia and cosplay contests. It also meant a surge of business over at A4A. These Metrocenter videos have been bittersweet, the mall played a significant role in my life. It was the first mall I'd ever been to. My dad bought me to take pictures with santa and I remember so vividly the tile walls of Macy's, and I have always been enchanted by the architecture. When I was a fledgling mall goth, it was THE place to be. When I was in university, student housing was literally next door so I visited the mall a lot and eventually found work there. I have plenty of fond memories of time spent at the mall with my partner as well. Thank you so much for documenting this mall.

Metrocenter. The best decorated mall at Christmas. Thank you Metro for the fun times.

Having shopped their from ~1991-2006, I clearly remember pretty much all these stores. I remember them full of retail, Christmas time, wall to wall people. I see the empty stores but in my mind I'm walking the walkways, hearing the noise of the people and music, everything. It does feel surreal to see this. I mean, I remember, I bought the 3DO when if first came out from MetroCenter mall. I was living in Prescott at the time, drove all the way down, bought the 3DO, had lunch, drove back up. I think it was a Babbages back then, a little fuzzy on the exact store.

I just read and saw the video that 12 News did on you! I’m happy to see that your work is being shared to more people within our community of Arizona!

6:06 The fast food restaurant use to be a Chik-Fil-A at one point during late 90s early 2000s! Use to go there when the Game Nightz and another older board/tabletop game shop(both located on the lower floor) from before use to host TCG weekly events & seasons.

Mall are really great. They have stores for stuff you didn't know you wanted

I would like to believe there is someone driving around looking for stores closing just to run in and leave a half drunken cup behind as proof he or she was there.

The mall was a big part of my childhood. It’s sad to see something so special go.

I spent so much time in this mall in the 80s and early 90s. I worked at one pptato two. It was the best! I wish I could go back and take a look but I haven't been back to Phoenix since 1999. Cruisin metrocenter was our thing.

Gosh, I miss this mall. I remember growing up and visiting my mom while she was at work. She was a store manager at B. Dalton Bookstore and that was probably at Metro's highpoint. RIP.

I bet bored security guards might have played with the fire extinguishers... like low budget paint balling.

It's not an RA episode without random stuff and drinks left behind in odd places.

I still can't get over how beautiful those skylights are. Such a shame they're just going to be demolished...

4:57 a retail archeology staple "someone leaving a can, a Bottle or fast food restaurant to go cup of some beverage left in random in the abandoned or going out of business retail store empty shelf or counter".

I've never been to this mall or area, but this makes me sad. Edit: a closed up GNC and Bath and Body Works; that is a first.

Amazing how you got to go into everything and get a really good look around.....I love the instrumental background music you use in your explorations..its just quiet enough to almost have a relaxing exploration with you and you partner recording.

With the way that stores are closing and going basically online, there'll never be any more to fill malls, it sucks.

seeing the original space of the anime store and seeing it all empty with just the fixture including those anime posters still stuck on the counters it's kind of depressing to look at

RIP Metrocenter Mall

A-MAZ-ING! I feel so OLD. I'm from the east coast. I moved to Tucson in '97 to attend the U of A. I got a part time job at Circle K during the first week of classes. Immediately, I dropped out of the U of A, started to work full time at Circle K, and married a co-worker there. We lived in Phoenix '01 to '03. Metro Center was BOOMING then. I remember dropping my stepson off at the indoor Vans Skatepark, then my wife and I would take our baby for overpriced portrait photos. The mystery restaurant was a Chik Fil A (I only know that from the comments here,) however, I think the stain came from water dripping out of their soda fountain.

So sad to see it go! A lot of my teen years were spent in this mall, especially all for anime 😢

That restaurant with the giant stain was a chic-fil-a, my buddies and I used to grab lunch there during pokemon tournaments at the game nightz downstairs

A great send off to a pretty cool mall. Thank you for your coverage of this big giant over the years.

Literally just finished watching your first video on Metrocenter and being nostalgic. I moved away from Arizona before it closed and didn't know it was fully dead. Really hit me in the feels in a heck of an unexpected way. Seems like every mall I grew attached to is dying or has died a slow, ignoble death.

I was stationed in MCAS Yuma from the mid 80's to the mid 90's. Would take the family on a grand adventure to the Metrocenter every once in a while and we all loved it. The people, the shops, the overall ambiance drew us there time and time again. I miss those days for many many reasons and it's sad to me to see this form of shopping fade away. (Takes off rose colored glasses)

That black and white tile store looks like an old New York & Co store. Wonder if it was since the entire company went under recently

the required rent are to high and the tenant can not afford it ---this has been going on for years

I started going to the mall at 14 at MetroCenter mall in Phoenix Az. My teens and early years were spent not only shopping but too, working at the mall. I worked for Bakers Shoes, KG Men's store, Metro Cinema's and Joske's. I am now 62 and raised four children that I have memories of taking to that mall. It saddens me to see the death of the mall and the death of all the wonderful stores I grew up with. Gone forever. Lot's of nostalgia and memories.

Metro Center was my favorite mall, I was 16 when it opened, I don't know if you remember the Alley that used to be on the top level at the south end, right next to where Broadway used to be. I also remember the Metro Lounge, which was right above the skating rink, my girlfriend worked there in the 1980s.

I would love to see a video where you show the mall at different times to contrast how busy it could get, with what it looked like when it was dying, to an empty husk.

We grew up there. Cruised the roads, flirted with the boys and caused general mischief. We all went to the two last cruises. So fun.

I am so saddened by this. I feel like I've come a complete circle. I was a young teen in the 70's when I 1st went here. It was AMAZING! My 1st huge mall. The two things I remember most was the big airplane restaurant sticking out above the ice rink and the futuristic store (forgot name) which was huge due to Star Wars and Logan's run and all the Scifi coming out at that time. The infinity mirror blew my mind lol. A decade later I moved to SF and started my adult life with fond memories of my teen years at this mall (my 1st pathetic attempt at meeting a girl). Now seeing it's sad fall just makes me feel old.

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure was filmed there and at Paradise Valley Mall. The PV Mall part was not used. They were my local malls when I lived there in the early 80s. Saw 48 hrs there in 1982.

Sad, coming from a small town, big malls like this were definitely a highpoint of any road trip or vacation. Its a lost opportunity to meet and greet new people. Everybody needs close social interaction (not overload mind you) but a place to be around other people, be reminded of the other kinds of people around us. With the decline of malls, I wonder what will replace them as hubs of social interaction. It wouldn't surprise me if malls in other countries start to close down, it would still be depressing though. Its scary to think that nothing will replace them and we, (not just the USA) will become totally non-social, no thought of other people because we're not around them. Sure we wouldn't have to interact with jerks or very dangerous people, but we would also lose the opportunity to meet new people, a special someone, or just a casual hang out to share an experience with.

One of my first jobs was working at Goldwaters and before that was Swiss Colony which was downstairs. I worked at Goldwaters from late 1977 to 1980 when I moved to CA. It's sad to see Metro in this condition. Everyone from Cortez H.S. used to go to the mall on half-days and hang out...that started around 1975 when about 1/2 of the stores actually had a business in them. There was a Farrell's Ice Cream above the ice skating rink close to the food court. Ah, the good old days 😉

Its always fascinated me to see all these videos about dead malls in the US. Here in Australia I dont think I have ever seen something that would quality as any kind of "dead mall" or "dying mall". Although a lot of that is probably down to differences between the US and Australia and how things work. In Australia a centre this size would have multiple supermarkets and discount department stores as anchor tenants which I think helps keep people comming. Plus the idea of a big-box all-in-one store ala Walmart (that has everything from pineapples to paint to prescription drugs) never took off in Australia (the Australian version of K-Mart did try stores that basically combined a K-Mart and a Coles Supermarket into one store but it failed and the stores were converted into standalone K-Mart stores and standalone Coles Supermarkets)

I think my GF in high school worked in that store. If it's the same one there's a reason it gives you a 90s vibe.

I was in the Sears wing a few years ago and watched a guy get beat up on the stairs in front of Sears

Idk why they don’t turn this mall or another Phoenix mall that’s closing into a fun place packed with a huge arcade, laser tag place, some indoor rides that shoot you straight up & down, Restaurants, bowling alley, bars/lounges. Bring back the Movie theatre & add other entertainment. That would be a hit because it’s hot af in the summer & we could have everything in doors. So sad.

My wife and I were in the Phoenix area back in 2018 for the adoption of our son, and the family we stayed with lives just south of the mall. I drove up to see it and actually went in the Walmart that is now there for baby formula. I always remember seeing this mall in Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure, and to this day regret not going in. Drove the loop around it though.

I discovered your channel randomly when i was sick with covid. Since i had to quarenteen this really helped me get through it and im an arizona native so i know all of these places. Ive been a fan since then. Thank you

I've been watching videos about Metrocenter and Fiesta malls. Those were the two I spent the most time in. It's weird to see empty stores and walkways that I remember walking by. It's shocking that both these malls were opened, prospered, declined, and died all within a 40 some year period. I can remember both malls being packed with employees and customers. Where did they all go?

I loved this mall when I was a kid. It’s where we went to hang out with our friends in junior high and high school. My first job was at that anchor blue, then I worked at Robinsons May (previously Goldwaters) which Macy’s eventually bought. Lots of memories there.

Love that RA opening, synthesizer into. That sound brings me back to being a kid in the 70s/80s. Another great episode. Thanks!

The dress store with the tiles was originally a Lane Bryant. Upscale plus size. But it was owned by Ny&co/Lerner so similar look. I grew up in the 80s/90s here so I know most of the stores here. The Harkins is still open.

Metrocenter, Fiesta and Paradise Valley Malls are gone now and it is such a shame. They were super cool malls.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane man. This was the 1st mall in Arizona I went to moving here back in 1996. The thing I miss the most about the metrocenter mall is the Christmas season and how they would decorate the place with lights and trees and santa's and it was just so joyous and lively. I will miss that tremendously.

Looks like a classy nice mall with a lot of character. Really hope malls make a comeback before we continue to lose these masterpieces

Man this brings back so many memories

I miss malls. I suppose they're not entirely dead, but don't feel like going to them during covid.

Last time I went to Metro Center back in 2003 my car was stolen. It was recovered but it was stripped

My old apartment was over on Dunlap, so I walked over to Metrocenter mall. I went to the Just Sports over there and then my friend and I went to the Harkins a lot. But I always ended up going to either Tempe Marketplace or SanTan Village in Gilbert. Phoenix has a lot of nice malls. It's too bad Metrocenter didn't survive. Love your videos!

Not even the legacy of the Bill & Ted franchise is enough to save this mall.

The empty brick façade was a Just Sports store. I worked for them from 2013-2015 and a memorable moment was my colleague trying to fix the lights and causing a small electrical fire. Also, the jewelry store was a Hickory Farms seasonal location, but I closed it before Christmas in 2015 because of extensive employee theft, a recent shooting, and incredibly lackluster sales. I'm familiar with all the malls in AZ and this is taking me back in time.

That intro took me right back to after school cartoons!

Live across the street from the Metrocenter while I was going to college, even worked at the Sears, how time flies! Sad to see it go! Wow I feel old now.

I remember first seeing the rather unique-looking Western Savings building from I-17, back around 1970-71, as it was the first structure that was built in that area. It was *completely surrounded* by cabbage fields to the west, which eventually became Metrocenter. In those days, I thought it rather odd that somebody would build *anything* like that in the middle of nowhere!

Yea I remember how dark suncoast constantly was

Used to come here as a kid … was a weekly thing from like 2002-2007 . It’s insane . All the memories.

Man, so many memories in this mall. It was always so fun coming heading south to Phoenix from up north. We always went to this mall back in the 90s.

I think I've commented this on your previous Metro Center Mall videos, such a uniquely and beautifuly designed structure, it really is a damn shame, it going to be reduced to dust an rubble.

I appreciate the fact that you don’t disrupt the fixtures and items in the stores!

Somebody with Photoshop skills needs to add Bernie Sander onto that chaise lounge!

Pretty sure I mentioned my earliest memory of this place before but seeing this video really got to me. We used to have to travel to Phoenix to see my grand-parents a few times a year. When we'd want a break or whatever during our visit we'd drive down to Metro Center Mall. I remember the skating rink. It was noisy but cool. There was a Nintendo store just inside the wing near the foodcourt/rink. We'd pass by it. I always wanted to go in, but my dad would tell me no or next time. No next time for me.

Would cruise that mall in 1988. If You did it more than once, the Police would give You a ticket, wasn't much else to do in Phoenix on the Weekends.

The last time i was at this mall, I was there to watch THE DARK CRYSTAL, opening weekend. I still remember the day in the HUMONGOUS arcade followed by the most frightening 90 min of Jim Henson, perfection id ever witness ;) Actually It might have been the arcade across the street at the Castles and coasters. The 3 story tall arcade amusement park, across the parking lot.

So sad to see the old girl in such a state. I used to go there regularly as a young teenager in the late 1970's. I got my Sears Free Spirit 10 speed bike there. They had a B. Dalton's and Walden's Book store. A Radio Shack...Chess King and Miller's Outpost. I ice skated at the rink. I also remember the mid to late 80's...the place was a zoo on Friday nights with cruisers circling the outer loop. "Three times past same point in one hour" was considered cruising and was banned. The outer loop had a Golf N Stuff and a Bennigan's Tavern. And a library if you can believe it. It had 5 anchor stores---which was a little unusual. There was Sears at one far end. On the Sears end on the left lower there was a Walgreen's and then a Walden's book store.Then a long straight away to a Rhodes or Joske's at the other end. There was a Radio Shack on the right bottom in this area. Also a pretzel place. Then you had to turn left for another straightaway. B Daltons bookstore was on the left by the escalators. I think it was that jewelry store you went in to in on one of your vids. Same area anyway. Further down on the left you came to Goldwater's, the third anchor. Then you had to turn right. Down the straightaway on the left about 2/3rds of the way you had the 4th anchor-- Diamonds I think. You kept going to the far end and came to the 5th anchor which was The Broadway. Opposite the Diamonds on the right side was the portal towards the movie theatre, arcade, food court, and ice skating rink. There was also a lounge that had a boarding ramp like an aircraft. The theatre was opposite the rink. There was also another theatre on the loop. In the 70's and 80's...even in to the early 90's the mall was THE place to go to meet friends, hang out, shop, catch a movie, or just be seen. So much has changed and not for the better...

RIP Metrocenter. Thank you so much for all your coverage of this icon. I will likely watch your playlist for years, you are a gem!

Generation x grew up around the mall. They tossed the one I knew since I was three in 1969. Everything from my buster browns to the engagement ring I bought my wife came from there. It’s been gone since 2012. I spent a lot of time there as a teenager in the early 80s. Lots of girl watching. How times have changed.

I was passing by on the freeway few years ago, before the pandemic. I thought, why not check the old place out? Then there was random stores open here and there. The place was definitely on its way out. I just remember the place was hopping when I was a kid. I’ll always remember Kay Bee’s toy store and shopping at Christmas time.😌

After blitzing all your vids last couple weeks looks like I've caught up

I'm the one who bought that stack of food court tables at 7:50 in the video. I still have a bunch left if anyone is interested. I grew up down the street from there in starting in the late 80's and hung out there all the time. Metrocenter was an amazing place.

So glad to see some uploads, hope your holiday was good. These videos are the highlight of my week.

Gonna miss that mall. Great memories. I kind of hope it gets so delapidated that I can easily urbex into it in the future

I’ve been waiting for this forever it feels like. I love this,but it’s so odd seeing all those stores so empty. Especially that hot topic I spent a lot of time there in my youth. It really is sad to see the mall in this state. I have so many memories there.

I remember metro center mall. I bought my suit for interviews when I graduated college in the 80's. I would go through there on my way to school as well as going to the many stores there. Now, it's just an empty shell. I remember the concourse where there was an ice rink and many restaurants.

wow I lived in Phoenix when this opened, it was like Disney World...I literally would take people there with the promise of "day of your life" it was so awesome....what a shame, glad I got to be there in it's hey day.

moved to AZ the year this mall opened - was amazed at the ice skating ring. So sad to see this gone.

A real tinge of sadness, seeing what used to be amazing, pretty much, used up, and destroyed. Life lived, memories made, it really is sad, that it just is sent out, quietly into the night. I work in retail, myself, and have for years. Thanks for sharing.

I used to service the ATMs at Metro Center, back in the 90's. It was pretty hopping then. So sad to see any mall close. Fryers have grease bin in the bottom that help filter crumbs from when cleaning the grease. Looks like someone forgot and accidentally dumped them. Level it like Tri-City mall. I remember going there to visit Wallace and Ladmo

Was looking forward to this video! After your last video documenting the lower floor, I looked into when the next auction preview was so I was there exploring the upper floor that day as well! Really fascinating to see. The back of that Zuly's you showed at the end had so many food containers still in there. I also found a teddy bear just sitting out in the middle of nowhere? Security let me take it home so now I have a fun souvenir. It was certainly a once in a lifetime experience. Would have never known I could have gone without your channel!

The abandoned restaurant is an old Chick-Fil-A . I remember them handing out samples there as a kid when it first opened up.

Who remembers the pressurized water cannon fountains in this place? Also I think that red area with the rolls and the bad stain may have been a chick fil a. There was definitely one on the seccond floor there for some time that had a long thin seating section just like that. I used to request to go there every time we came down from Prescott as a kid. It was definitely a destination stop for our family whenever we went to Phoenix since we lived in Prescott and they had no shopping centers at the time

I am from New Mexico, and my 4 friends and I took a trip to Phoenix back in October 2002. Growing up, I've always heard of the mile long mall in Phoenix call Metro Mall. So we checked it out, and I remember walking through the mall, and the song: Oh Yeah- by BIG TYMERS was playing, in a hip hop clothing store, so everytime i hear the OH YEAH song, It reminds me of the trip to Phoenix and the Metro Mall. RIP Metro Mall....