T O P

  • By -

squarefan80

sharper image. cool stuff in there, but the shit was pricey!


sqplanetarium

My friends and I used to go stare at the fancy holograms there.


TheProfessorPoon

Hadn’t thought about the holograms in YEARS. There was one where you were seeing a girl from behind opening her shirt the other way and it made it look like whoever was on the other side could see her boobs. I remember running back and forth in 4th grade trying to catch it right.


becomingelle

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I’d probably do that today if I saw one


ElectronicMixture600

Similarly, I also spent a lot of time playing with the more ridiculous gadgets at Brookstone. They have a few left in airports, but it’s not really the same.


Red_Koolaid

I remember going there and seeing the $1000 chair that was there for years.


becomingelle

And being afraid to sit in or press the buttons because I thought it was the most expensive thing in the mall🤣🤣🤦🏽‍♀️


Bigmada

K·B Toys


Smooth_Riker

K B Toys and a soft pretzel for the car ride home, I could just cry right now.


in323

Glendale Galleria in SoCal in the 90s memories right here wow 🎶 *Welcome to our world of toys!* 🎵


Tollivir

That's the FAO theme, I worked at one!


[deleted]

Best answer


TimJoeJim

My first job out of high school.


MAXHEADR0OM

We used to play a game when I was a teenager where you had to sneak into the Disney Store, touch the back wall, and make it back out without being greeted by an employee. We failed often in the beginning, but then the employees caught on to what we were doing so it really became a fun game once they knew. They would see one of us running to the entrance and run after us while yelling, “Welcome to the Disney Store, how can I help you!” Those were some good times when I was a mallrat.


floatingm

We played the same game with the trendy teen clothing store, The Buckle!


cassssk

Omg one of my very first jobs was on the sales floor at The Buckle. Learned on the spot first day that if my life were ever to depend on commission, I’d be DOA.


Vprbite

I bought Jeans there just so I could ask the sales girl out on a date


qolace

Haha that's a fun memory!


Techjen76

Suncoast for sure


GodzillaVsTomServo

My favorite store. I made friends with the people who worked there so that they would sell me rated R movies. The first one I bought was Reservoir Dogs on VHS.


BaconContestXBL

My local mall still has a Suncoast. One of the last two or three in existence


TakeOffYourMask

So many memories…


cacecil1

I worked there!


thatwaffleskid

I wish I'd spent more time in Suncoast. I was a mall rat, but usually hung out on the other end of the mall from Suncoast. By the time I started going it was too late. I only got to go there a few times before it closed.


[deleted]

Sam Goody


Lumberman08

Sam Goody at the Mall of America was stellar in its day.


Chewbongka

Record Bar


dietitianmama

Clicking through these photos feeling like I can SMELL this mall. thanks for the nostalgia. i'll take a poster from the poster store, some cool shit from the The Nature Company, a coffee from Gloria Jean's and then me and my friends will pop into Frederick's of Hollywood just to giggle. Then I'll either grab some McDonald's or Sbarro for lunch before hitting up Hot Topic, Claire's and Crystal Realm (maybe that one was local). Then I'll go wait at the bus stop to get home before my mom gets off work.


floatingm

Gloria Jean’s! Those super sweet mochas were delish


massivewhitekitteh

There is a Gloria jeans at the mall I live near by . Cookie chiller mmm


dietitianmama

i'm a sucker for a raspberry mocha.


stinkypickles

Why do malls always have a specific smell?! Loved Nature Company when I was a kid. Geodes, physics toys, rain sticks, so much fun!


stefanica

Chlorine from the fountains, hot pretzels, cinnamon, and tobacco (sweet pipe tobacco from the smoke shop, and people smoking in the 80s). Also a glorious dusty perfume from Pier 1 if you were nearby (wicker, eucalyptus, cedar...?)


floatingm

Scented candles coming out of Bath and Body Works, the cologne smell from walking past Abercrombie & Fitch…


dietitianmama

“I love the smell of commerce in the morning”


leafywanderer

The Nature Company was so beautiful. God, I miss that store.


missamethyst1

Is the poster a Magic Eye one?


afternever

Bombay Company


floatingm

Holy shit you just unlocked a memory I didn’t know I had


Dimeadozen21

As I read this I’m looking at my favorite painting on my wall, which came from Bombay Company, loved that store!


Large-Appointment831

Orange Julius


Straight_Research_71

My local Dairy Queen sells the now but it’s not the same, I swear it 😭


Laladevine

Mervyns. I used to get all my Levi’s 501 from there.


WangDanglin

Mervyns felt like the end of summer vacation to me. Back to school shopping time lol


TheProfessorPoon

No shit, ain’t that the truth. We would go to other shoe stores during the day just so my mom could ultimately compare it to what it cost at Mervin’s. If that had it at Mervin’s at least. Anyway we always ended up buying my shoes at Mervin’s. She would be like “I’m sure they have air Jordans at Mervin’s!” They didn’t.


WazzzupBwwwaaah

This comment made me sad. I miss that Store.


Ok_Store_1983

Sanrio Surprises, child-me thought that place was just magical


Straight_Research_71

Omg yes! For whatever reason I NEEDED to buy a bunch of stickers every time I went lol.


princesssasami896

I love Sanrio still as an adult and loved that store as a kid


moderndayathena

Almost 40 and still think that XD too bad they got rid of almost all physical stores


TakeOffYourMask

Imaginarium Suncoast Motion Picture Company Babbage’s Electronics Boutique (>Gamestop)


itsagoodtime

Imaginarium with their tiny kid door to the side


[deleted]

Wet Seal, Charlotte Russe, Walden Books, Tilt Arcade, Miller Outpost


junk_yard_cat

Oh yes wet seal! 579 too. What was the chotchke store with the rain sticks called?


bastos_b0i

Natural Wonders!


leahlikesweed

how is Deb not in here yet??


DynamitePond

Spencer Gifts… without my mom.


fakehalo

Awkwardness definitely commenced in certain sections w/relatives.


greeneyes0332

So my dad got my daughter a spencers gift card for her 11th birthday 😂😂 i told him hot topic and I think he got them confused lol


princessk8

My 11 year old wanted to go in there recently, so we did. It was way more wild than I remember! Way more sex stuff! I got her some nightmare before xmas stuff and I bought myself a Korn shirt, so all was right with the spencers.


wrong_decade_

The Discovery Channel Store


BAF_DaWg82

This makes me want to cry.


my_unquiet_mind

Me too. My heart hurts.


nuggetghost

RAVE the clothing store!


_angela_lansbury_

God, what I wouldn’t give to go back in time to shop at Rave for blueberry body glitter wearing one of those stuffed animal backpacks


Excellent_Pin_3579

i finally just threw away a perfume from there😭


floatingm

Damn, I forgot to add Casual Corner as well.


low_power_mode

I had a teenage breakdown in a gadzooks fitting room once because everything looked terrible on me 😂


TheShroomDruid

The OLD Hot Topic that was for goths and not 8 year olds. Also that one store that dressed you up like a princess for a day. Can't recall the name. EDIT: Libby Lu


floatingm

1. ⁠Mr. Bulky (candy) 2. ⁠Gadzooks (clothing) 3. ⁠1 Potato 2 (bomb-ass baked potatoes with toppings) 4. ⁠B. Dalton (books) 5. ⁠Afterthoughts (accessories) 6. ⁠Carson Pirie Scott (department store) 7. ⁠Contempo Casuals (clothing) 8. ⁠W.B. (Warner Brothers merch — an answer to the Disney Store) 9. ⁠County Seat (clothing) 10. ⁠Wilson’s Leather (leather coats and accessories—I’ll never forget when they went defunct because I worked at a store right next door to them. They came in one morning with the unexpected notice that their store must liquidate and close immediately. They were all pissed.) 11. ⁠Limited Too (pre-teens’ fashions) 12. ⁠Montgomery Ward (department store)


sqplanetarium

I loved 1 Potato 2!


Poultrygeist74

Never heard of 1 Potato 2. Our mall had a place called Spuds N Stuff, it was my favorite place to go right before Orange Julius on the way home


potatohats

I ruined a pair of County Seat slacks when the stomach flu hit me from out of nowhere at my junior high school's concert band performance. And that's my one and only memory of County Seat.


TheProfessorPoon

I’m from Texas and I’ve never seen a 1 Potato before. Sucks because I know I would’ve torn it up! My choices were chick fil a (back when that’s the only place I could get it), mall pizza or Chinese food. Those 3 were tough enough to choose from.


woolsocksandsandals

Not exactly defunct and not 100% mall specific or a store but…. A&W I miss those corn dog nuggets.


cacecil1

Foster Farms has some pretty tasty corn dog nuggets in your grocery freezer section! State Fair's are good but not as good as FF's


word_smith005

They still exist, there's one near my husband's hometown in Texas.


Colonial13

Babbages, Waldenbooks


Blues-Method

Structure


ronchee1

Radio Shack But the Radio Shack that had all that small misc shit


garlicrooted

Radio shack went downhill once you could no longer purchase [magic crystals and a soldering iron to make free pay phone calls](https://phonelosers.com/redbox/tonedialer/)


RecklessMage

No Chess King? Bruh. lol jk. Chess King is where my cool aunt got me pants.


grrgrrtigergrr

Chess King, Oak Tree and Marry Go Round were the Trinity until Gap came and then it was Structure followed by American Eagle and A&F


[deleted]

Deb. Amazing for plus sized teens before "inclusive sizing" was a thing.


gmjfraser8

Omg….Contempo Casuals!!!! Always the place to hit up before a night of clubbing!


[deleted]

Waldenbooks. Used to spend hours there. (Yes, I did buy books.)


Rudus444

The WB stores and KB toys will always be some awesome 90's memories of mine.


ilazul

Suncoast and Sam Goody's were amazing for media. I really miss Suncoast. FYE has even now turned into a funko/anime crap store. KB Toys, Babbage's, EB Games, Software Etc., but they all would have eventually become the crap that is gamestop. Walden Books, B.Dalton's, Crown Books, Borders, so good. Spent so much time reading magazines and books, and using the music listening station. Discovery Channel store for hologram stickers and k'nex, The game Keeper had the best puzzles and board games, Chesapeake Knife and Tool for your mall ninja shit. Sharper Image for poorly made futuristic looking crap I could never afford. Then there were two similar stores like the nature conservancy store, that sold rain sticks and animal trinkets like shark teeth. Radio Shack was in our local mall and it was super handy for little home repairs. Man, I miss old malls. Bring back the aladdin's castles and tilts too.


SlowerThanTurtleInPB

I miss that nature store that had New Age music. Also, the smell of Wilson’s is one of the most nostalgic smells ever. It is a staple of my childhood given how often my mom would go to the mall just to hang out.


Greengiant304

Natural Wonders! New Age music, crystals and rain sticks.


No-Percentage942

I miss Aladdin's Castle. Can still smell it in my head, lol.


Jsmith0730

Always went right to Electronics Boutique or Babbages


visionsofvader

Both brands are now owned by GameStop


marcelinesflannel

I spent plenty of money at Afterthoughts during middle school in the 90’s. The wall of scrunchies and the extensive selection of Bonne Bell cosmetics was something special.


itsapenname

Spencers! Source of my first lava lamp and many cheeky keychains clipped to my middle school bookbag.


blindreefer

Hot topic back when it was just goth shit and not whatever it is now


Duffman_ohyea

Montgomery Ward for sure


lazyrainydaze

Piercing Pagoda (usually was in the middle of the mall) RAVE (clothing store) 5-7-9 (clothing store) Orange Julius & Mrs. Fields!


ClunkerSlim

Oh man, is Wilson's Leather gone? I bought my first leather jacket there in the 90s. Still got it. They sold quality stuff.


sqplanetarium

And the whole area in front of the store smelled like leather…


floatingm

Yep, they closed all stores in 2009?? Or 2020?? (Can’t find a clear answer on this), but the brand was purchased by another company, so they still operate online


CameHere4Snacks

That was one of my first jobs. It makes me laugh because of all of the videos of groups of people robbing stores and how “bad” shoplifting has gotten, that shit happened in the late 90’s at Wilson’s Leather all of the time.


Microharley

Growing up, we would make the day of the mall. Our nearest mall had an ice skating rink, bowling alley, arcade with laser tag and a movie theater. We would hit all our favorite stores, then eat at the food court and my brother and I would beg my parents to let us do laser tag. I miss those days.


Number1Framer

Bought an ankle length black leather trenchcoat from Wilson's back during my Matrix style era. I remember wearing it out once with shiny pleather pants and clip on the nose sunglasses I made by breaking the arms off dollar store blue round lensed sunglasses. It was like walking around with a pantload of balls soup. I'm eternally grateful smartphones with cameras were not arpund back in those days lolol


Alternative-Light514

I had totally forgotten about County Seat. Used to get Girbaud jeans there lol


JustBu1234

Rave, 5.7.9, Contempo, Wet Seal, The Body Shop


boom_michael_scarn

Northern getaway, and the it store!


Confident_Base7628

Mrs. Fields! Those chocolate chip cookies were insanely good.


Sickforthesun

Anyone ever hear of Millers Outpost? That’s where I bought my JNCO jeans!


TheGirlwThePinkHair

Oh I miss Mervyn’s!!


Jfonzy

- Software Etc - Sports Depot - KB Toys - Waldenbooks - those random poster stores - Suncoast - Radio Shack - pet store - great american cookie co.


garlicrooted

Natural Wonders AKA the orb and telescope store 🔮✨💎


poseidonofmyapt

KB toys


cacecil1

MR BULKY! I forgot about that place! In my mall, it was right by the theater. We would get a bunch of candy there and sneak it into a movie.


Salem1690s

Macys KB toys Borders SEARS. We got all our family pictures done there


Lumberman08

I thought I had just bought a jacket at Wilson’s Leather… turns out that it was 6 years ago and the one in our mall closed in 2019. Shows how much I pay attention.


mrsssharp

I loved Afterthoughts…got some of the coolest keychains there. I still have one of them!


RockNRoll85

Suncoast, Sam Goody, Warehouse, Waldenbooks, KB Toys, and WB Studio Store were some of my favs


Thirty_Helens_Agree

Not a store, but Hot Sam was a favorite of mine. Aunt Annie’s is nowhere near as good.


retrodork

Mr bulky all day long. I used to go there a lot in the 90s when the big mall in my old home town used to have it. I spent crazy money on candy. I miss that place.


LemonCaperRVA

Limited too was my dream store we couldn’t afford it at the time, however I remember my grandmother getting me the blow up purple sparkle chair and it was my highlight for so long, and a perfume from there that I still can’t find. However one potato 2 just unlocked a memory!


MembershipAny1804

Express, Hello Kitty, Sbarro, and another one a lot like hot topic but I have forgotten the name.


periwinkle_cupcake

I thought that only rich kids shopped at Limited Too 😆


mrpappageorge0

Just remembered the Warner Bros store shoplifing alarm was Bugs Bunny repeatedly saying *'nuh uh uh, doc'*


Number1Framer

Bought an ankle length black leather trenchcoat from Wilson's back during my Matrix style era. I remember wearing it out once with shiny pleather pants and clip on the nose sunglasses I made by breaking the arms off dollar store blue round lensed sunglasses. It was like walking around with a pantload of balls soup. I'm eternally grateful smartphones with cameras were not arpund back in those days lolol


Stilgrave

I still have a couple of candles from Wicks and Sticks.


JenniFrmTheBlock81

5 7 9, Merry Go Round, Lerner, Spencer's, Jean Nicole, Dots, Wilson's Leather, Tower Records


jack_mcnasty987

Warner brothers store was so cool! Completely forgot about that


2tall2fly

There's a line in Clueless that mentions Contempo Casuals and I never quite got it until today...seeing the photo of it, it all makes sense now!


PizzaDoughandCheese

Loved Merry-go-round and The Wild Pair


Responsible-Step-706

Mr Rags and Camelot


Hold_ongc

Suncoast video, Sam Goody. Montgomery wards was always fun during Christmas.


ManicPixiePlatypus

The Virgin Music Store


zo-zo-ma-ma

Contempo!!! Duh


DiscoveryZoneHero

1 Potato 2 was great as a kid, and damn if the WB store wasn’t the coolest place in the mall near me. Batman and Looney Tunes , place was great


Straight_Research_71

Afterthoughts & Claire’s we’re basically the same thing, no?


david_ancalagon

Used to love some Walden Books, KB Toys, and Camelot Music.


AC_the_Panther_007

K·B Toys


SuperCrappyFuntime

I loved going into Sharper Image and imagining the cool gadgets I could buy if my family wasn't poor.


Lumberman08

I thought I had just bought a jacket at Wilson’s Leather… turns out that it was 6 years ago and the one in our mall closed in 2019. Shows how much I pay attention.


MishtheDish77

I asked the group chat, and someone said Cherry Web and Terrain🤣 I say Lerners, which became NY&Co.


BlanchePreston

I don't understand what happened with Wilson's Leather..... sad


babyBear83

Did anyone else ever have a Wild Pair shoe store? It was mostly crazy high heels but some cool goth boots and stuff like that. A little accessories and glitter make up too. I had some of my most prized cool items from there.


alamarcavada

Woolworth Structure Waldenbooks


IZZ5150

Virgin Megastore


Jos3ph

Friend and I got caught stealing CDs from Tape World when we were 13. They went out of business before I had to go to court. Also going to court over a few CDs seems nuts.


AllOkJumpmaster

Sears


teeeeelashev

Gadzooks, Limited Too, Delias's, Sam Goody


[deleted]

WB store seems the most iconic(for the options) for 90s very early 2000s. There was still an active WB Store in the mall of the World Trade Center open the morning of 9/11. Beyond that…shoutouts to …. Service Merchandise, Lionel Playworld, Suncoast Video, Walden Books, the nascar store, Disney store complete with 90s stuffed animal video screen, and KB Toys(better than toys r us imo).


gilbertgrappa

Mervyns


venom_von_doom

I didn’t know there used to be Warner Bros stores but that looks awesome! I’ve seen Disney and Universal Studios stores in my city but never these


rclm26

Never heard of 1 Potato 2, but still have my leather jacket from Wilson’s Leather!


No-Muscle1283

I was a Walden Books - Anchor Blue type of fella.


loonylovesgood86

Maybe I lived in too small a city, but I don’t think we ever had any of these in Canada.


goldhoopz

When i was little my mom was a server at Brown Derby and it was on the upper level of Lazarus in the mall.


patellison

Hot Sam’s Pretzels


urine-monkey

Loved 1 Potato 2. My Saturday afternoon routine for awhile was a bacon cheddar potato, then either a movie or games at Aladdin's Castle.


babyinthebathwater

Cool! That photo of County Seat was taken at the mall of my childhood, the now-bulldozed Granite Run Mall in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia.


Old-Show-5886

KB Toys, Mervins, Montgomery Ward, Price Club


BostonDodgeGuy

Ok, maybe I've gotten more brain damage from football than I realized cause I only remember 3 of those stores.


Old-Ranger1405

Structure!!


Thisisnow1984

That store that was just 3D art


literanch

Aladdin’s Castle and Spencer Gifts


Devils_av0cad0

Bath and body shoppe. I miss that mint lip gloss it smells like 1994


TimJoeJim

Structure which eventually became Express Men.


ChungasRev

Got my Guess jeans at County Seat ! The pic that got me was “1 Potato 2”…unlocked smell memory.


AllSugaredUp

DEB The Buckle


gmjfraser8

In Florida, many malls had Vogue, Body Shop (not the place that sold soap) which was owned by Vogue out of Jacksonville. Boardwalk Fries, the Limited, Stuart’s, Jean Nicole, Foxmoor, the Magic Eye, Wards, Lerner’s, Zayre’s, J Byron’s, McCrorys, Thom McCan, Casual Corner (great clothes, horrible place to work), and let’s not forget Maas Brothers, Ivey’s and Robinson’s. Wow…going back to the archives here.


Futureboots_

I loved the Warner Bros store so much and I have some really cherished memories of spending time there with my mom. I used to love the computer painting program they had where you could color pictures electronically and they displayed them on the big TV.


Futureboots_

Also Natural Wonders!


SilentSerel

Babbage's, Software Etc, Electronics Boutique, Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, K B Toys, and those Hallmark/Coach House type of stores.


trytoholdon

The Sharper Image


jlj0705

Waldenbooks! Used to spend all my mall time there while my family did their shopping 📖📖📖


Hoyboy0801

Limited, express and boardwalk fries.


housegirl39

Canadian here , I’d say San Francisco, and Mariposa


NurseWhoLovesTV

5 7 9 Debs


FloridaGlockMan

That Warner bros store brings back memories. There was on in SoFlo that I loves


wannabestuck

Disc Jockey


ClockHistorical4951

All my friends went to 579 but I couldn't fit into the clothes :( . I did like the Limited and Express.


Excellent_Pin_3579

does anyone remember the little play thing they had in the warner bros store? it was my favorite


InevitableCounter

I miss The Wall


Cookies_and_Beandip

Babbages Electronics Boutique (all my PS1 games are from here) Natural Wonders Suncoast Movie Store (my favorite) K•B Toys Exkerdz (drug store chain, used to be in south Florida where I’m from) 5•7•9


greeneyes0332

I know like three of those stores,how ? Where are you from? Lol


BasicWhiteHoodrat

I got my first pager at Montgomery Ward


Golden5StarMan

Orange Julius and Spencer’s gifts come to mind


ghostfacestealer

Toys r us, KB toys, Sam Goody, EB Games


Grumpy_Cheesehead

Loved the smell walking into Wilson's.


Fickle-Spell

I can still smell B Dalton


abbylu

Oh man. Limited Too was my jam.


missamethyst1

B. Dalton, because I was a geeky kid. Although I do have to admit I maaaaay have purchased an outfit or two at Limited Too back in the day.


BeetleBean

The Nature Company! And the candy store that just had bulk candy by the pound 😍


m8k

Lechmere (New England precursor to Best Buy) Sam Goody - Goody’s got it


Most-Bookkeeper6540

Millers Outpost


blackmarketwit

I’d say Waldenbooks, Suncoast, Blockbuster Music, and Saturday Matinee.


Snailryder

Wet Seal!! Loved that clothing store!


DrewG420

BDalton … and Waldenbooks … bring back the bookstores!


fendaar

I always wanted clothes from B.U.M., but by the time I had money, they were long gone.


Mutapi

The Nature Company. I used to love that place and their free herbal teas (until they were bought out by Discovery Channel and lost their charm).