Comments on: Great Northern Mall; Clay, New York http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall News and Views of Malls, Shopping Centers, and Retail Chains Past and Present Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:08:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kattenijin http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-93782 Kattenijin Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:28:52 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-93782 I had to chuckle at people talking about how boring the mall looked. I worked for Addis and Dey's and opened that location with them. Even back then we nicknamed the mall "Great Boredom" ; this was back in...I forget... 87/88ish. I had to chuckle at people talking about how boring the mall looked. I worked for Addis and Dey’s and opened that location with them. Even back then we nicknamed the mall “Great Boredom” ; this was back in…I forget… 87/88ish.

]]> By: Beth http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-67000 Beth Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:03:55 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-67000 I remember the mall when it first opened- my mother and younger sister were actually among the first shoppers to enter the mall when it opened (I was stuck in school that day). Except for stores, it hasn't really changed much since it opened in '89. The center court fountain used to be amazing, and during holiday seasons the fountain was drained and turned into an elaborate setup for Santa or the Easter Bunny. I can't believe they turned it into a Dunkin' Donuts- there's a Dunkin's across the street from the mall! It's great to see an article about Great Northern, even though it has gone downhill lately- I practically grew up there and in the long-dead Penn-Can mall. I remember the mall when it first opened- my mother and younger sister were actually among the first shoppers to enter the mall when it opened (I was stuck in school that day). Except for stores, it hasn’t really changed much since it opened in ‘89. The center court fountain used to be amazing, and during holiday seasons the fountain was drained and turned into an elaborate setup for Santa or the Easter Bunny. I can’t believe they turned it into a Dunkin’ Donuts- there’s a Dunkin’s across the street from the mall!

It’s great to see an article about Great Northern, even though it has gone downhill lately- I practically grew up there and in the long-dead Penn-Can mall.

]]> By: XISMZERO http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-13370 XISMZERO Thu, 24 May 2007 20:06:32 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-13370 Here's a more complete set I failed to capture last August. I took a three day "vaca" just this May to upper Syracuse but more specifically for that Toys "R" Us I've been pining over shooting obsessively for almost a year. I suggest you edit this article in forgetting to mention the Sears here has the rare red-plated plexiglas. Feel free to request or add any photos you want to the entry should you decide to edit. I couldn't make the place seem that interesting as most of the corridors look the same but at least it has that wideness Wilmorite charm. Here's the full gallery of the Great Northern Mall... http://new.photos.yahoo.com/xismzero/album/576460762402563486 I came here last year (2006) and the mall was going through a transition (removal of fountain, Kaufmann's to Macy's, loss of Bon-Ton). Funny thing about Great Northern, a Macerich-owned center originally built by Wilmorite, it's not going to receive a complete makeover (beyond the recent fountain removal for Dunkin' Donuts coffee bar) like many other centers including one like-owned center just south of it (Shoppingtown Mall) which is getting the top blown right off! Here’s a more complete set I failed to capture last August. I took a three day “vaca” just this May to upper Syracuse but more specifically for that Toys “R” Us I’ve been pining over shooting obsessively for almost a year. I suggest you edit this article in forgetting to mention the Sears here has the rare red-plated plexiglas. Feel free to request or add any photos you want to the entry should you decide to edit. I couldn’t make the place seem that interesting as most of the corridors look the same but at least it has that wideness Wilmorite charm. Here’s the full gallery of the Great Northern Mall…

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/xismzero/album/576460762402563486

I came here last year (2006) and the mall was going through a transition (removal of fountain, Kaufmann’s to Macy’s, loss of Bon-Ton). Funny thing about Great Northern, a Macerich-owned center originally built by Wilmorite, it’s not going to receive a complete makeover (beyond the recent fountain removal for Dunkin’ Donuts coffee bar) like many other centers including one like-owned center just south of it (Shoppingtown Mall) which is getting the top blown right off!

]]> By: XISMZERO http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-4242 XISMZERO Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:56:39 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-4242 Jack, go check the Dick's Sporting Goods topic at Ames Fan Club. There's an aerial of the Dick's I discovered from before the remodel posted. Also, there's a few older red locations (with the lower case logo) still out there; one in Horseheads, NY, and even one like it in West Springfield, MA. I'll have to go get some shots and present them there soon once this dreadful snow goes away. Argh. Jack, go check the Dick’s Sporting Goods topic at Ames Fan Club. There’s an aerial of the Dick’s I discovered from before the remodel posted. Also, there’s a few older red locations (with the lower case logo) still out there; one in Horseheads, NY, and even one like it in West Springfield, MA. I’ll have to go get some shots and present them there soon once this dreadful snow goes away. Argh.

]]> By: Jack Thomas http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-4240 Jack Thomas Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:30:00 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-4240 I'm the one that XISMZERO refers to in his comment as the one who was forced to delete my pictures. Even more frustrating is that the Dick's Sporting Goods at the time, had the old logo.. now it's been remodeled. doh! Also, Hess's was in where Dick's is now, and Addis and Deys was were Bon Ton was(future JCPenney). If you notice, the Bon Ton store has the same architectural features as their Saratoga Springs store, which was also a former A&D store. I’m the one that XISMZERO refers to in his comment as the one who was forced to delete my pictures. Even more frustrating is that the Dick’s Sporting Goods at the time, had the old logo.. now it’s been remodeled. doh!

Also, Hess’s was in where Dick’s is now, and Addis and Deys was were Bon Ton was(future JCPenney). If you notice, the Bon Ton store has the same architectural features as their Saratoga Springs store, which was also a former A&D store.

]]> By: daniel Fife http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-695 daniel Fife Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:25:33 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-695 I went to this mall last march and got in trouble for taking pictures as well, It seems this mall is very strict about picture taking. the security guard told me they got complains from ruby tuesday. I have only had two picture taking incidents at malls in the last 10 years in this mall and holyoke. I was told to stop and they have this rule due to advertising issues, but continued across the street. they said for picture taking when I said I was a tourist "you need written prior approval", but there is no guarentee of that. this mall is medium sized, and the bon ton lebel scar was there when I was there. I loved how the toys r us near was brown. I went to this mall last march and got in trouble for taking pictures as well, It seems this mall is very strict about picture taking. the security guard told me they got complains from ruby tuesday. I have only had two picture taking incidents at malls in the last 10 years in this mall and holyoke. I was told to stop and they have this rule due to advertising issues, but continued across the street. they said for picture taking when I said I was a tourist “you need written prior approval”, but there is no guarentee of that. this mall is medium sized, and the bon ton lebel scar was there when I was there. I loved how the toys r us near was brown.

]]> By: Scott http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-677 Scott Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:52:45 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-677 Why not take pictures of individual storefronts? Let me guess, trade secrets? Cause when a trade secret is publically displayed, it isn't a secret!!! Those malls are so full of themselves, no wonder they are dying. Smug. Scott Why not take pictures of individual storefronts? Let me guess, trade secrets? Cause when a trade secret is publically displayed, it isn’t a secret!!!
Those malls are so full of themselves, no wonder they are dying. Smug.
Scott

]]> By: DayGlo! http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-673 DayGlo! Thu, 26 Oct 2006 20:10:40 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-673 The Toys R Us pics from the first comment look just like the Catonsville, MD store, which also hasn't been touched since the 70s or so. The entire shopping center has been refaced in the past few years, and Pier 1 and Panera Bread were added to the lineup, but yet that store remains as a flashback to the past. I've wondered if that's a harbinger of doom; there are two bigger, newer, better located, and busier stores within a 10-mile radius, and consequently, I've always been surprised when the store closing lists came out and Catonsville wasn't on them. Anyway, great pics, and while that does look like the most boring mall in the world, I loooove that sign. The Toys R Us pics from the first comment look just like the Catonsville, MD store, which also hasn’t been touched since the 70s or so. The entire shopping center has been refaced in the past few years, and Pier 1 and Panera Bread were added to the lineup, but yet that store remains as a flashback to the past. I’ve wondered if that’s a harbinger of doom; there are two bigger, newer, better located, and busier stores within a 10-mile radius, and consequently, I’ve always been surprised when the store closing lists came out and Catonsville wasn’t on them. Anyway, great pics, and while that does look like the most boring mall in the world, I loooove that sign.

]]> By: Matt http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-669 Matt Thu, 26 Oct 2006 08:26:26 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-669 Yeah, careful with pictures. If you don't have a camera phone, turn off the flash on a digital camera. Sure, the pictures will turn out worse than if you used a flash, but there's less chance of being nailed. If asked to stop, do so, and if to leave, also do so. It's not worth having your expensive things confiscated, never to be seen again. A couple years back I was snapping interiors of Woodfield in IL (featured a few posts down). Of course, security approached, but I just explained that 1: I was a tourist, and 2: I was just doing concourse shots and shots of the sculptures. Thankfully he was cool with that, so long as I didn't take pics of individual storefronts. Then again, Woodfield probably expects this of tourists, being such a huge mall and everything. This is why I focus more on the struggling malls, than the ones that still have some life in them. Then again, after PrangeWay's experience in PA, I may have to take my words back. My most recent roadtrip I had no issues whatsoever. I was up in Manitowoc to document the dying Edgelake Plaza...I hope to get my writeup and images to this blog, if I knew who to contact and send the images to. Yeah, careful with pictures. If you don’t have a camera phone, turn off the flash on a digital camera. Sure, the pictures will turn out worse than if you used a flash, but there’s less chance of being nailed.

If asked to stop, do so, and if to leave, also do so. It’s not worth having your expensive things confiscated, never to be seen again.

A couple years back I was snapping interiors of Woodfield in IL (featured a few posts down). Of course, security approached, but I just explained that 1: I was a tourist, and 2: I was just doing concourse shots and shots of the sculptures. Thankfully he was cool with that, so long as I didn’t take pics of individual storefronts.

Then again, Woodfield probably expects this of tourists, being such a huge mall and everything.

This is why I focus more on the struggling malls, than the ones that still have some life in them. Then again, after PrangeWay’s experience in PA, I may have to take my words back.

My most recent roadtrip I had no issues whatsoever. I was up in Manitowoc to document the dying Edgelake Plaza…I hope to get my writeup and images to this blog, if I knew who to contact and send the images to.

]]> By: Caldor http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-666 Caldor Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:16:50 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/new-york/great-northern-mall#comment-666 That's why I use a camera phone. The pictures obviously aren't as good (especially if pocket lint gets on the lens and I forget to clean it off!) but I'm generally able to not worry about it. As a result I haven't ever had any major issues with mall security, though Prangeway certainly has--read his post about the Washington Mall in Pennsylvania, where he talks about how he was chased onto the highway! That’s why I use a camera phone. The pictures obviously aren’t as good (especially if pocket lint gets on the lens and I forget to clean it off!) but I’m generally able to not worry about it. As a result I haven’t ever had any major issues with mall security, though Prangeway certainly has–read his post about the Washington Mall in Pennsylvania, where he talks about how he was chased onto the highway!

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