Dead Malls Season 5 Episode 23 - Burnsville Center

Once one of the largest malls in all of Minnesota, and all of the northern United States. Spanning out across 1.1 million square feet at 2 levels with 4 anchors and over 200 stores. Burnsville Center was everything and anything you could want in the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s. It even featured a basement level food court giving the mall a unique 3 story appearance in the center court. A feature that has surprisingly stuck around.. But as an oversaturated Minneapolis market was dominated by the Mall of America just 7 miles away. A mall in itself that actually features a fully functional theme park, and 4 stories of shopping. Burnsville Center just couldn’t keep up. And today it sits ailing, completely dead, and abandoned by those brands which once called it home. The mall itself is SWELTERINGLY hot as AC has been cut for weeks, most likely to save money.. And after seeing it just a few weeks ago. I can tell you for certain, this is the last year of Burnsville Center… So join me today, as we head in, tell the story, and see how Burnsville Center is doing as of August of 2023.

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#northcdogg22 #deadmall #deadmalls #northernfilms

[ajafischer]

I feel like I’m mourning a loss. So many memories of the mall…shopping, hangout, it was a whole thing when I was younger.

[dchapero]

I met my wife, in that mall. She was working at the Gap and I was Christmas shopping. She went on lunch and I saw her in the Claire’s you see at the bottom of the stairs. I tapped her on the shoulder, at the top of that staircase, and asked her to go to dinner. December 23, 2004.

[Attkinz]

To all the Minnesotans, there is a new owner of Burnsville mall as of May 2024 and he promises to restore the life it used to have. We’ll see how it goes.

[jonreicherts]

Haven't commented in years on YouTube but I just have to say you made an amazing ode to this mall. The music, history, just a fantastic job. I worked there in the late 90s and early 2000s as a security guard and even met my wife there. I knew the place like the back of my hand. My wife and I watched this together and it was so nostalgic. I thought about this video for a couple days afterward and had to come back and comment. Great job and thanks for the memories!

[shannon]

this is my childhood mall and it's so sad to see what it's turned into...

[johnpratt]

I'm not sure If someone answered, but that abandoned golf course next to the food court was a black-light, pirate themed mini-golf course. it was right next to some arcade machines. I remember playing through it with my family, it was fun.

Thank you for making this video, Burnsville center was a massive part of my life growing up. My mom would take us to the JCPenny's for pictures, then we would eat in the food court.

[dieselrotor]

Life long resident in Minnesota, just want to thank You for this northern series. I have been to all these malls and live by what used to be Brookdale Mall and we still have Northtown (for now). Brings back a lot of 80's teenage memories. Funny how these can make You happy and sad at the same time.

[AndyVanHalen]

My god, the memories this video unlocked. Seeing the pictures of the food court brought me back to sitting with my dad having a bite to eat after he brought me to see Star Wars in 1997 when the Special Editions were released. What a great memory.

[christagreen]

Makes me so sad and nostalgic loved hanging out here as a teen and young adult soo sad I don’t like how the world is changing shopping online is not the same as the memories and excitement of going with friends and family and making a day of it.

[barngoth]

I spent who knows how many hours in this mall in my youth. I still have a lot of memories tied to it, and I've even had dreams where I'm back there. Seeing it dead feels odd. Like a family home that's been sold off but left abandoned. Thanks for visiting and covering it again.

[davewatne]

This is where I grew up. Definitely adds to the emptiness of a Sunday night to see the new plans for it. Even empty, it's comforting to know it's there right now.

[TimothyKindem]

My grandfather owned a clock store in the Burnsville Center (imagine that!) Which my Mom managed. It was on the lower level near Sears from 1980ish to about 1986ish. I literally grew up in that mall. My mom knew all the store managers (and yes, the security guard too). I could run around, and they all knew me. I could run in the back rooms of a number of the stores and it was no problem - it was like a small town. In fact, they used to have Halloween there, and we'd trick or treat in the mall and it was way cooler than the neighborhood. It seemed like the whole world went there on Halloween (at least from the memory of a 6-year-old at the time).

I wonder where it would be had they not ripped out the plants and the conversation pits and all the things that made it unique. Would it be charmingly retro? Even though it was done to modernize it, it instantly rendered it soulless. I can't remember wanting to go back after that. It was so sterile. To me, that's when it died. It's been slowly rotting away ever since.

Thanks a ton for making this. Loved seeing the old pics one last time. It really was something back in the day ...

[wstulberg]

Thanks for doing this. I grew up at this mall. So many foundational experiences and core memories all over this place. The old movie theater, the arcade playing DDR. The old pet store. Seeing Santa. Friends working at the CD store in high school. Makes me want to visit one last time before it’s gone.

[skweemkween]

I'm actually crying now. My husband from England only got to experience a quiter Burnsville starting in 2015 but my heart remembers all of the incredible stores and atmosphere. I've shown him a lot of old pictures my family took there and tried to find any old video footage. This was my late childhood/all my teen years mall. It was my Friday night ritual. It was date night. I wish like hell we could save it

[angelm]

Oh my gosh! The opening photos of the mall are just delicious! The variety of stores, the uniqueness of the fronts, the neat names, Oh I could go on and on...

[alvicoto]

Dude the Dead Mall Soundtrack is Vapor Wav'n to the max!!!!

[jimlarson]

I was 10 years old when it opened. My family would go there for a treat. It was amazing and I remember feeling like it was it’s own city. Once able to drive, it was THE place to go for just about everything. This end of an era has brought a tear to my eye. My kids will never experience what I got to. 😢😢

[mangoismangois]

The crazy thing is the rest of Burnsville around the mall is crazy busy even on weekdays during work hours

[SkakinBaconMedia]

I used to live in Farmington, and a good part of Dakota County until recently, in 1999 I actually pre-ordered my Sega Dreamcast as well in 1998 Zelda Ocarina of Time (I've got both still, the battery in Ocarina of Time still functioning) and Majoras Mask in 2000 from what was "electronics boutique" aka EB games. Was in the corner of the food court next to the restrooms. I live in St Paul nowadays, seeing this brought back memories. Thank you. 🎮😊 Marcus

[jjbottem]

My aunt's father died while working on the construction of this mall. There have been reports that a ghost haunts the stairwell he fell down. Adds even more creepiness to this!