Abandoned - Jamestown Mall

Since the 1970's, the Jamestown Mall in St. Louis, Missouri has been a local shopping staple. For decades it was a popular, regional shopping mall which housed major retailers like JCPenney, Macy's and Sears. However by the turn of the millennium, its decline was palpable and it ultimately closed in 2014. By that point, various factors were playing against the mall and for the next 10 years, it would sit abandoned and rotting away as an infamous, million square foot hazard. Join me today as I find out what led to the mall's closure and why it took so long for new development.

Travel Channel - @BrightSunTravels

Other Jamestown Mall Videos -

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Bright Sun Films 2023

Presented in 4K

[A-Michele]

I grew up at this mall! We continued shopping until it closed in 2014. I was there on demolition day so I got a little footage and will continue checking on the status. Very nostalgic pics and video footage.

[MikeKalasnik]

Thanks for using my photos.

This mall fascinated me as it was not off a major highway and plunked in a residential area. It expanded way to fast and the area overall was over-malled. This is one of many malls in the area that failed. I'm glad I got to visit it when I did!

[Bubblun]

Worth noting that the paintball damage was actually done by the local police as a teambuilding day after the mall was cleared for demolition the first time (which didn't happen and it continued to rot for several more years).

[jasonwomack]

I watched this mall rise and fall. From its opening, it was the most profitable mall in the St Louis Metro for 20 years. It didn't just draw shoppers from the county itself. Jamestown was "the big mall" everyone from across the river in Illinois went to. Which was an additional 200k+ population base.

Its demise was a combination of the usual change in shopping habits that plagued all malls, and the surrounding area going through an economical demographic change. North county was where people had moved to for nice houses in the 50's-70's. By the 90's they were shifting to West county and St Charles. Property values fell, ownership diminished, rentals increased.

[catbuthuman]

I absolutely love the abandoned series and how it’s progressed! Great work as always!

[Alxium]

For anyone unaware, demolition has since continued and most of the structure is gone at this point. There are plans to use the land for an open air shopping center, but who knows what will happen.

[SpinoKingandSports]

I remember the days my family and I would visit the mall. We usually go to the theater to see a movie, and sometimes we would go to the food court on the other side of the mall. It's sad to see what used to be a great mall in such a state.

[stephen]

I’m going to make a point of shopping at my local mall this holiday season. Always depressing to see boarded up stores you used to enjoy, but have seen a local mall die, with just a k-mart and 2 small shops left in a big space, and then those closed. The main area was just echoes, and a musty smell. My current local mall might get to that point in 10 years, so I’ll enjoy it now while it is there. The food court though is already half empty - possibly the first stores to go due to the business model.

[filet-o-frisch]

Wow, this is basically my backyard. Crazy to see Jake talking about it.

[lofiurbex]

I'm pumped you used one of my clips! Been watching you for some time now and I was surprised you did a video on Jamestown Mall. Its demolition is a big deal here locally and it was nice to see someone else help preserve its legacy. Thanks for the informative video!

[lesterscrugs]

The story of Jamestown is def. one that all of St Louis knows. Very cool to see it in your channel and also the mention of St Louis Mills also closing. Thanks for all you do bringing us these stories.

[wilkywit]

I've been watching this channel for years, what a thrill to see Jake cover my childhood mall! I grew up going here, Northwest Plaza, and later the Mills, all of which have closed. It makes me feel weirdly guilty? I don't want to take other malls for granted, and I try to shop there as often as I can.

[alexlents]

When exploring the St Louis area on Google Earth, Jamestown is always easy to spot because it’s just so out-of-nowhere. Most malls have a pretty extensive commercial area around it, but Jamestown has literally nothing. You just see a bunch of quiet tree-covered neighborhoods, then suddenly this massive mall and a sea of concrete parking lots, then right back to the quiet neighborhoods. I have to imagine that played a role in its eventual demise.

[Taffthat]

Hey Jake, born and raised in STL I lived about 30 mins from this place growing up but never knew about it until about 5 years ago. Thanks for documenting places here, there’s a lot more! Best channel on YT, yours is!

[dracorex]

The demolition crew going on strike and then the building catching fire was hilarious.

[kelm]

This is the first time you've covered a mall I'm actually familiar with. I used to go to the Jamestown Mall when I was little, with my mom and grandma. There used to be a restaurant on top of one of the anchor stores that we would eat at.

It's also funny that you pointed out the Saint Louis Mills Mall, because that one also drastically lost its customer base. The latest I've heard is that it was being converted to a sports complex.

[rebeccareid]

I went to this mall as a kid and until it closed. So many wonderful memories there. They just started to demolish it a few weeks ago. So sad. I love your channel and it’s nice to see something that I was a part of on your channel.

[realbenhayen]

Love the content Jake! There is another Missouri mall that closed about 10 years ago that has since been demolished but was captured by Seth Lawless and other urban explorers before its demolition. Similar to this one, it was in a really bad state shortly after closing and Seth called it one of the creepiest malls he ever did. It is called Metro North Mall in Kansas City and I think doing a video on it would be cool. It was included in your Montgomery Ward video with the original font signage.

[tvforeverus]

Nothing better than a new episode from Bright Sun Films and a “What’s Up Guys?” from Jake to make my Friday!

[benjaminleffler]

In 2007 I was "offered" the General Manager position at the cinema by the District Manager who actually was the GM who opened it. I say "offered" because he said "The President of the company is offering you Jamestown and I'm here to talk you out of it." That's how bad it was starting to get and we ultimately abandoned ship and turned it over to mall ownership. It would have actually been a pay cut along with an hour drive each way so the finances were my main reason for turning it down.