August 3, 2023 • 26 mins
Prepare to journey back in time as we unravel the intriguing history of American malls, complete with triumphs, tragedies, and revolutionary architectural concepts. You'll learn how the vision of Austrian-born architect Victor Gruen transformed the retail industry and shaped the urban landscapes we see today. We also shed light on the captivating rise and unexpected fall of East Town Mall, once a bustling hub in Knoxville, Tennessee, that met its demise in the face of economic recession and a horrifying incident.
The second half of the episode takes a poignant turn as we reflect on the lasting legacy of Victor Gruen and the East Town Mall. You'll hear about how the mall's modern architecture and diverse range of stores captivated an entire generation, only to be eclipsed by the advent of e-commerce and shifting consumer behaviors. We wrap up with a discussion on how some malls are adapting to these changes, evolving from mere shopping destinations into holistic spaces for community engagement. It's a riveting story that will have you looking at your local mall in a whole new light. Tune in, be enlightened, and don't forget to follow us on social media for more updates.
East Town Mall Closing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxQh-rnH9uU
East Town Mall Opening:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVaaUXAbwNo
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
You're listening to Tennessee Roads recorded in the
foothills of the Great SmokyMountains.
Well, hey there, everybody, andwelcome back for another
episode of Tennessee Roadspodcast.
My name's Dusty and I'll beyour guide as we hitchhike
through all the towns andcommunities that make up the
foothills of the Great SmokyMountains.
(00:25):
Hey there, guys, my name'sDusty, and welcome back to
another episode of TennesseeRoads podcast.
Guys, I am so sorry for thedelay in this episode.
I'm not quite sure whathappened.
The audio didn't upload to thewebsite correctly and then, when
(00:46):
I made it back to my computerthis week, this whole entry
section from the intro music forlike five minutes into the
episode was just gone.
And I, like I tried to listento it on my phone and it was
just five minutes of awkwardsilence and all you could hear
was just like background noise.
(01:07):
So I needed to re-record this,but I have not been feeling my
best.
My throat's been very sore.
These kind of hit me like abrick wall.
So I've waited until today totake the opportunity to
re-record.
So, with that being said, let'sjump on in for what I think is
(01:27):
going to be a really fun episode.
I am recording today on mypersonal wireless system.
I'm not at home so the audioquality will sound different for
the beginning half of theepisode, but it'll change back
over to the normal as we getlater in.
(01:56):
In the 1950s, america wasexperiencing an economic boom.
Suburban areas were expanding.
The middle class was growing.
Inner the shopping mall, aninnovative concept that would
transform the way that peopleshopped and socialized.
The first enclosed shoppingmall, south Dell Center, opened
in Edidina, minnesota, in 1956,designed by Victor Gruen.
(02:17):
Victor Gruen was an Americanborn architect and urban planner
.
He was born July 18th of 1903in Vienna, austria, and
immigrated to America in 1938after Germany's annexation of
Austria.
Gruen is widely regarded as thepioneer of the modern shopping
mall and is known for hisinfluential designs that
transformed the retail industryand urban planning in the
(02:39):
mid-20th century.
This is why he's often referredto as the father of the
shopping mall.
South Dell Center is consideredGruen's most notable design,
even though it was never fullycompleted.
Gruen had plans to buildapartment buildings, schools,
medical facilities, a park and alake at the mall.
Still, his innovative conceptof an enclosed shopping center
(02:59):
with a central atrium andpedestrian-oriented layout
revolutionized the way thatpeople shopped and interacted in
retail spaces.
Gruen knew that by placinglarger anchor stores at the same
location would double theamount of foot traffic to the
area, and that consumers wouldbe more likely to visit other
stores, since they were alreadyout of their cars in the
elements.
By placing those anchor storeson opposite ends of the building
(03:21):
, with smaller stores betweenthem, people would be likely to
stop and shop at a store thatthey were unfamiliar with
because they were already thereIn shopping malls.
Gruen also contributed to thedesign of various urban projects
, such as the plan for therevitalization of downtown Fort
Worth, texas, and the KalamazooMall in Michigan.
He believed in creatingmixed-use developments that
(03:43):
integrated retail, residentialand recreational spaces,
promoting walkability andcommunity engagement.
Later in his career, gruenbecame critical of the
commercialization andsuburbanization associated with
his shopping mall designs.
He felt that his originalvision of creating vibrant,
community-focused spaces hadbeen distorted and turned into
(04:04):
soulless, consumeristenvironments.
Despite his ambivalence towardsthe commercial impact of his
creations, gruen's legacy as anarchitect and urban planner
continues to influence the waythat we think about and design
retail spaces and urbanenvironments.
His ideas and concepts haveshaped the development of
shopping centers and influencedsubsequent generations of
(04:24):
architects and designers.
Gruen's book the Heart of OurCities the Urban Crisis
Diagnosis and Cure was a biginfluence on Walt Disney's city
planning and his ambitions forhis ideas for the original ebcot
Gruen passed away on February14th of 1980 in Vienna, austria.
(04:47):
With Gruen's idea of aclimate-controlled environment
with a wide array of stores, themall became a symbol of
progress and modernization.
People flocked to thesesprawling retail hubs, eagerly
exploring the latest fashiontrends, dining in trendy
restaurants and watching moviesin the in-house movie theater.
The mall was not just a placeto shop.
It was a social gathering space, a community of sorts.
(05:10):
Over the next few decades,malls continued to thrive across
America, becoming an integralpart of the suburban landscape.
They grew bigger and grander,with luxury amenities like
indoor fountains, elaboratesculptures and even ice skating
rinks.
Malls became the symbol ofexcess and consumerism,
reflecting the prosperity of thetimes.
(05:31):
However, as the saying goes,all good things must come to an
end.
The 1990s marked the beginningof the decline for malls.
Several factors contributed toits downfall, including changes
in consumer behavior and therise of e-commerce.
(05:52):
With the advent of onlineshopping, customers could easily
purchase products from thecomfort of their homes,
challenging the traditional mallexperience.
The convenience and endlessoptions offered by online
(06:27):
retailers posed a significantthreat to the once mighty mall.
People began to embrace theease of one-click purchases and
doorstep deliveries, leavingtraditional brick and mortar
stores struggling to adapt.
The mall culture started tolose its appeal as younger
generations sought more uniqueand personalized shopping
experiences.
The decline in malls didn't justaffect the retail landscape,
(06:48):
but also it had a profoundimpact on the communities that
it once thrived in.
As malls started to shuttertheir doors, numerous businesses
reliant on mall traffic facedsignificant challenges.
The closures resulted in joblosses and the disappearance of
one's vibrant social spaces,leaving empty shells scattered
across the American landscape.
However, amidst the decline,some malls managed to reinvent
(07:12):
themselves.
Faced with the need to adapt orperish, mall owners transformed
their spaces into mixed usedevelopments incorporating
residential units, offices andentertainment centers.
These reimagined spaces becamelifestyle destinations, offering
a more holistic experiencebeyond that of just shopping,
similar to what Victor Gruenoriginally sought for these
(07:33):
spaces.
Today, malls that havesuccessfully reinvented
themselves served as a testamentto the resilience of these
structures.
They showcased the power ofadaptation in an ever-changing
retail landscape.
However, the fate of many mallsremains uncertain, with the
continued rise of e-commercethat reshapes the retail
industry and the COVID-19pandemic that furthered
(07:55):
accelerated these challengesfaced by malls worldwide.
As we reflect on the rise andfall of malls in America, it's
important to acknowledge therole that they played in shaping
our society.
Malls were not only centers ofcommerce, but they were cultural
touchstones representing thedreams and aspirations of a
nation.
While some may view the declineof malls as a loss, it also
(08:17):
presents an opportunity for usto reimagine our cities and
communities Now.
(08:46):
In our previous episode, wediscussed Marvell, tennessee,
and we touched on the life ofFoothills Mall.
I don't really have any moreupdates regarding Foothills Mall
since the last time we talkedabout it.
The publics is still beingconstructed, there's still some
empty stores, but for the mostpart, foothills Mall seems to be
doing alright.
Now, just up the road inKnoxville, we have the thriving
(09:08):
Westtown Mall, which is owned bySimon Property Group.
Westtown Mall first opened itsdoors in 1972.
And since then, it hascontinuously evolved to meet the
changing demands of shoppers.
Originally featuring fouranchor stores and a handful of
smaller shops, the mall hasundergone several renovations
and expansions, transforminginto a sprawling retail complex
(09:30):
that covers over 1 millionsquare feet.
Over the years, westtown Mallhas established itself as a hub
of commerce, entertainment andcommunity engagement in
Knoxville, but this, of course,couldn't have happened without
some growing pains the mallsuffered through the mid-2000s.
A decline in mall culture andtough economic conditions led to
several stores closing theirdoors, but the leaders that
(09:53):
controlled Westtown Mall wereready for the challenge.
The mall stayed on top ofkeeping the architecture up to
date.
When a store closed, the mallworked diligently to get the
vacancy filled, and when Searsclosed in January of 2019, it
set empty for only one year,until the location was
demolished to put in a DicksHouse of Sports, a new type of
Dicks sporting goods.
(10:13):
This interactive shoppingexperience serves as a research
and development for emergingretail brands, with influence on
what happens to more than 700Dicks sporting goods stores
nationwide.
The store includes 100,000square feet of indoor shopping
and activity space, along with a24,000 square foot outdoor
field.
Now, one of the great aspectsabout the store is customers
(10:35):
actually get to test equipmentbefore they purchase it.
This means that consumers cantest out swinging a new club in
the golf bays or go jogging on atreadmill.
Athletes can test out a newpair of cleats on the outdoor
field, or see how a new pair ofshoes will hold up on the
surrounding two-lane Olympicgrade track, or climb the
40-foot rock wall.
Now, one of the main highlightsof Westtown Mall through the
(10:56):
years was FunScape.
Now, this was a multi-levelplay area featuring air blasters
that would propel plastic ballsat other people, and there were
experiences to be had all overthat structure.
Guests could use a hose to suckup the plastic balls and then
they would move into an elevatorthat would supply the upper
levels of the structures withammunition to keep all the fun
(11:16):
going.
Now, sadly, as malls begantheir decline, funscape fell to
the wayside.
It eventually closed its doorsin the early 1990s and on
November 6th of 1998, regalCinemas opened a nine auditorium
in FunScape's old locationafter expanding the building by
adding space on the mall'sexisting roof.
Now, this happened during oneof Westtown's many updates.
(11:39):
To stay relevant to theever-changing consumer world,
the movie theater underwent amajor remodel again when it was
updated for a new generation ofshoppers in 2018.
When it reopened, it was knownas Cinnabar, described by Regal
as a way to bring together thebest of restaurant dining and a
state-of-the-art movie theaterexperience.
(12:00):
It offers a full bar and menu,open with or without a ticket to
a movie.
It also hosts a two-storyfamily-friendly arcade and pool
games.
Now food and drink are servedin the theater, starting 40
minutes before the show and 10minutes into the previews.
Servers take orders and deliverthe food, while guests just sit
(12:20):
in full recliners with tablesattached to them.
Now, while Regal was in theprocess of bringing this new
experience to moviegoers, themall had additional work going
on completely outside of thatrenovation.
A fifth entrance was added nextto the food court, which has
been renamed the Dining Pavilionplus the pavilion got new seats
and TVs throughout, entrancesgot signs and lights, while the
(12:45):
mall interior got new tile andcarpets, led lights throughout,
new signs and a new color scheme.
There was also a new play areathat was built in front of the
internal JCPenney entrance tothe mall for families to enjoy,
and with that we saw thefountain that had the center
bridge over it.
Leave the mall Now.
This was one of those thingsthat came to malls when, you
(13:08):
know, excess was popular andthese grand sculptures were
happening, and this fountain andbridge combo was between
Hollister and I call it the emostore.
I used to shop there all thetime in high school hot topic
and it's now gone.
You know there's nothing thereto say that it was ever there,
(13:31):
which I think is a truetestament to the times of how
mulls have changed.
Um.
Now, in 2018, with thoseupdates and kind of the years
following that Um, they had somenew tenants come to the mall,
such as fanatic Bruin company,honeyby coffee, pop culture, toy
store, hawson dog ice cream andcinnabon, highway 55 burgers
(13:51):
and, most recently, loco burrowNow, sadly, highway 55 burgers
and some other stores didn'tsurvive through the pandemic,
but I don't know if that'sexactly why they closed, but
still the mall has held strongand it showed continued growth
as time has passed.
Now, another mall that's beenwell known for years and has a
bit of a sadder story isKnoxville center mall, or, as it
(14:14):
was originally known, east townmall, and that would be east
town With an e at the end.
I don't know why, but it had it, and it was also located in
Knoxville, tennessee.
East town mall was once abustling hub of commerce and
community.
Opening its doors in 1984, theiconic establishment quickly
became a symbol of economicprosperity and a social
(14:36):
gathering place for residents.
However, as the years passedand changing consumer
preferences, economic shifts,evolving retail landscape and a
shooting from a disgruntledcustomer would ultimately
contribute to the decline ofeast town mall.
The following audio is newscoverage from WBIR of east town
mall's grand opening.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
The balloons fell and the doors went up as east town
mall officially opened today.
25 000 were on hand for theopening ceremonies and to be the
first inside the brand newstores.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
And just as soon as those doors opened, cash
registers started ringing In1984 east town mall opened its
doors to the public, bringing anew era of shopping and
entertainment to east Knoxville.
With its modern architectureand a wide selection of stores
and its convenient location justoff interstate i640, the mall
quickly became a populardestination in the area that had
(15:37):
seen significant growth fromthe 1982 world's fair.
It bolstered anchor stores likemiller and hess, dillard's
Sears, jcpenney, belk formerlyknown as profits and Regal
Cinema.
A variety of specialty shops ina vibrant food court under a
circus light tent atrium becamethe centerpiece for this vibrant
location.
The mall wasn't even finishedbeing constructed when it opened
(16:00):
, but that didn't stop thousandsof people from attending the
opening day ceremonies.
For years people traveled fromthe tri cities in the far
northeast corner of the state ofTennessee.
Now this trip would take abouta hundred miles each direction
and it would be about an hourand a half to traverse.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
They say, with a good economy things should look up
for quite some time.
Susan Minner action 10 news.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
What no one realized was that she was speaking a
prophecy that would leave a scaron the scruffy little city on
the river.
Now east town mall would go onto have a thriving time.
It would receive a majorrenovation from its owner, simon
property group, in 1997.
The outside was left unchanged,aside from a new entrance, but
(16:43):
the inside was renovated withnew paint, trim and other
features.
The mall adopted a Tennesseemountain home theme and once
this renovation was complete,the name was changed to
Knoxville center mall.
Now the mall was thriving upuntil the recession in 2008.
The decline started whenDillard's, a longtime anchor
store, announced its closure.
(17:04):
But the closing of this storewould be overshadowed when, on
October 8th 2008, chaos eruptedas hundreds of shoppers fled
from the mall or sought shelterin stores when a 42-year-old
gunman entered the mall andgunned down Mohamed Adnaul, a
29-year-old employee of RenoMenzware.
The gunman was upset with apurchase and he demanded
(17:26):
satisfaction.
When a mod explained that thestore had a no refund policy,
the gunman pulled out a handgunand shot a mod several times,
killing him.
Two uniform Knoxville PoliceDepartment officers confronted
the gunman as he left the storeand exchanged gunfire, hitting
him once in the arm and once inthe leg.
No one else was hurt and thepolice recovered the suspect's
(17:46):
handgun and took the shooterinto custody.
The gunman was William Johnson,a white male, 42 years of age.
He was charged with murder,aggravated kidnapping and two
accounts of attempted murder.
Our thoughts and prayers gowith those affected that day,
mohad Adnaul and his family.
In November of 2007, a man wasshot during a fight in a locker
(18:09):
room at the Rush Fitness Complexin the mall, and two months
later, an 18-year-old male wasshot in the leg outside of Regal
Cinemas at the mall.
After the shootings, the mallcontinued to see a steady
decline as more and more storesbecame vacant.
Now, in 2010, knox CountySchools opened Volunteer Academy
, which occupied 6,400 squarefeet of the mall.
(18:32):
The school offered a home toacademically challenged students
.
It was the 87th school in theKnox County school system and it
was geared towards students whohad issues and challenges with
traditional high school settings.
Students could recover creditsor conduct their education at
their own pace.
More than 7,000 studentsreceived diplomas, with a
graduation rate of 90%.
(18:54):
Things started to look up when,in 2016, new investors purchased
the mall for $10 million, withnearly $4 million being paid
upfront, with the remaining $6million due by the end of August
of the same year, these newinvestors met with the people of
the community to hear what theywanted to see in this space.
The new investors also sharedwith the people some of their
(19:14):
plans that they had, includingchanging the name back to the
original Easttown Mall, and someof their additional plans were
that they wanted to place condos, apartments and a hotel in the
mall parking lot.
In addition, they wanted towork with the University of
Tennessee to add medical offices.
However, some of the peoplewere skeptical of these new
(19:35):
investors as they had been tiedto several failed projects that
included multiple leans andlawsuits, including an
unsuccessful attempt to bringWildwing Cafe to the downtown
Crest Building.
Any faith the community had inthese new investors was
shattered in 2017, when theystopped paying for security
bills, and in 2018, when theystopped paying maintenance and
(19:56):
janitorial bills, a lawsuit wasbrought against them to seek
nearly $950,000.
Security bills totaled $505,000, $152,000, and maintenance and
janitorial bills amounted to$439,746.
After spending time in court,the mall owners paid up the
overdue back taxes by late 2018.
(20:18):
But by the time the mall closed, they owed nearly half a
million dollars to the city andthe county.
By this time.
Jcpenney had closed in 2017,with Victoria's Secret and Sears
following suit in early 2018.
By that summer, gold's Gym,formerly the Rush Fitness
Complex, and Knox County SchoolsVolunteer Academy had also
(20:41):
closed their Knoxville Centermall's locations, with the
school looking for real estatesomewhere else in North
Knoxville.
The mall was barely hanging onby a thread, with only 10 stores
remaining and one Chinese foodstall in the once vibrant food
court.
Belk and Regal Cinemas were thelast anchors to try to bring
people in.
One could walk through thisalmost abandoned mall.
(21:01):
Half the lights were turned off, presumably to save on
electricity, and randomcorridors were boarded up,
leaving customers with only asmall footprint to enjoy.
Belk finally announced in Augustof 2019 that they would be
closing.
In early November, just beforethe holiday rush of sales,
signature Diamonds joined Belkin announcing that they would be
closing their location atKnoxville Center Mall as well.
(21:23):
In September of 2019, gate 19opened as a live performance and
concert space in the mall,hoping to provide a fun and
entertaining live music venue.
Like the Concourse and theInternational.
The owners were excited for thepossibilities of the future,
but one morning the regal signon the movie theater was blacked
(21:44):
out and their website didn'tlist anything past October 31st.
The last movie played onHalloween night and the cinema
then closed forever.
That same day, mall ownersannounced that, after nearly 35
years, that the Knoxville CenterMall would close on January
31st of 2020 we get to breakingnews this morning Knoxville
(22:04):
Center Mall is closing after adecade of decline.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
The shopping center, long known as East town ball,
will shut down its last storesin January after 35 years in
business.
What was once a promise ofeconomic growth for East
Knoxville has now been nearlyempty for years.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Again, there is some audio obtained from WBIR local
news station here in Knoxville.
I'll place the links to thatArticle and the previous article
from the grand opening in thedescription box.
If you would like to watchthose entire videos, they will
be there for you now.
Now the people of Knoxvillequickly had their spirits
(22:42):
brightened when Amazon announcedthat they had purchased four
parcels of land for $22.1million and plan to build a new
Amazon fulfillment center by2022.
The fulfillment center wasprojected to create hundreds of
full and part-time jobs paying aminimum of $15 per hour.
That would be creating over 40million dollars in wages coming
(23:03):
to the people of Knoxville.
But 2022 came and went andwhile the building in Knoxville
was completed, it remainedclosed, and the same can be said
for the second fulfillmentcenter Amazon built in the
neighboring city of Alcoa,tennessee.
In November of 2022, amazonofficials told local news
station WVLT that plans werestill moving forward, but no
(23:25):
opening dates were given.
Most assumed that the delay wastied to Amazon's layoff of
thousands of employees andcanceled plans to build
warehouses in other cities inthe country.
Council member Lauren Rydertold WVLT reporters that the
project had been delayed byabout 12 months due to supply
chain issues, but despite rumorsthat it would happen, then a
(23:46):
rough opening would be summer,mid 2022, but by the time we've
recorded this episode, mid-julyof 2023, no movement has been
made to start hiring, puttingthe project off by another year.
As we look back on the rise andfall of shopping malls like
Southdale Center and KnoxvilleCenter Mall, it becomes evident
(24:07):
that these once thriving retailhubs have left a profound impact
on American culture and urbandevelopment.
Victor Gruen's innovativeconcept of the enclosed shopping
mall revolutionized the retailindustry and brought people
together, transforming thesemalls into bustling social
centers.
As we move forward, it'sessential to remember the role
(24:28):
that malls played in shaping oursociety and communities.
The decline of malls presentsan opportunity to envision new
possibilities for cities andcreate spaces that resonate with
the needs and aspirations ofmodern generations.
While some malls may neverreturn to their former glory,
their legacies live on in thememories of those who's
experienced them during theheyday of mall culture.
(24:49):
As we navigate the future ofretail and urban planning, let
us learn from the successes andchallenges of these
architectural marvels andcontinue to shape the world in
innovative and meaningful ways.
Until next time, stay safe andstay educated.
Today's episode has been aTennessee Rhodes production.
(25:14):
I hope you enjoyed it and Ihope that you'll share it with
someone else so they can learn apiece about history.
Please be sure that you like,rate and share this podcast from
whatever platform you stream,and be sure to follow me on
Facebook and Instagram to seewhat I'm doing when I'm outside
of the studio.
Until next time.
You're listening to Tennessee Roads recorded in the
foothills of the Great SmokyMountains.
Well, hey there, everybody, andwelcome back for another
episode of Tennessee Roadspodcast.
My name's Dusty and I'll beyour guide as we hitchhike
through all the towns andcommunities that make up the
foothills of the Great SmokyMountains.
(00:25):
Hey there, guys, my name'sDusty, and welcome back to
another episode of TennesseeRoads podcast.
Guys, I am so sorry for thedelay in this episode.
I'm not quite sure whathappened.
The audio didn't upload to thewebsite correctly and then, when
(00:46):
I made it back to my computerthis week, this whole entry
section from the intro music forlike five minutes into the
episode was just gone.
And I, like I tried to listento it on my phone and it was
just five minutes of awkwardsilence and all you could hear
was just like background noise.
(01:07):
So I needed to re-record this,but I have not been feeling my
best.
My throat's been very sore.
These kind of hit me like abrick wall.
So I've waited until today totake the opportunity to
re-record.
So, with that being said, let'sjump on in for what I think is
(01:27):
going to be a really fun episode.
I am recording today on mypersonal wireless system.
I'm not at home so the audioquality will sound different for
the beginning half of theepisode, but it'll change back
over to the normal as we getlater in.
(01:56):
In the 1950s, america wasexperiencing an economic boom.
Suburban areas were expanding.
The middle class was growing.
Inner the shopping mall, aninnovative concept that would
transform the way that peopleshopped and socialized.
The first enclosed shoppingmall, south Dell Center, opened
in Edidina, minnesota, in 1956,designed by Victor Gruen.
(02:17):
Victor Gruen was an Americanborn architect and urban planner
.
He was born July 18th of 1903in Vienna, austria, and
immigrated to America in 1938after Germany's annexation of
Austria.
Gruen is widely regarded as thepioneer of the modern shopping
mall and is known for hisinfluential designs that
transformed the retail industryand urban planning in the
(02:39):
mid-20th century.
This is why he's often referredto as the father of the
shopping mall.
South Dell Center is consideredGruen's most notable design,
even though it was never fullycompleted.
Gruen had plans to buildapartment buildings, schools,
medical facilities, a park and alake at the mall.
Still, his innovative conceptof an enclosed shopping center
(02:59):
with a central atrium andpedestrian-oriented layout
revolutionized the way thatpeople shopped and interacted in
retail spaces.
Gruen knew that by placinglarger anchor stores at the same
location would double theamount of foot traffic to the
area, and that consumers wouldbe more likely to visit other
stores, since they were alreadyout of their cars in the
elements.
By placing those anchor storeson opposite ends of the building
(03:21):
, with smaller stores betweenthem, people would be likely to
stop and shop at a store thatthey were unfamiliar with
because they were already thereIn shopping malls.
Gruen also contributed to thedesign of various urban projects
, such as the plan for therevitalization of downtown Fort
Worth, texas, and the KalamazooMall in Michigan.
He believed in creatingmixed-use developments that
(03:43):
integrated retail, residentialand recreational spaces,
promoting walkability andcommunity engagement.
Later in his career, gruenbecame critical of the
commercialization andsuburbanization associated with
his shopping mall designs.
He felt that his originalvision of creating vibrant,
community-focused spaces hadbeen distorted and turned into
(04:04):
soulless, consumeristenvironments.
Despite his ambivalence towardsthe commercial impact of his
creations, gruen's legacy as anarchitect and urban planner
continues to influence the waythat we think about and design
retail spaces and urbanenvironments.
His ideas and concepts haveshaped the development of
shopping centers and influencedsubsequent generations of
(04:24):
architects and designers.
Gruen's book the Heart of OurCities the Urban Crisis
Diagnosis and Cure was a biginfluence on Walt Disney's city
planning and his ambitions forhis ideas for the original ebcot
Gruen passed away on February14th of 1980 in Vienna, austria.
(04:47):
With Gruen's idea of aclimate-controlled environment
with a wide array of stores, themall became a symbol of
progress and modernization.
People flocked to thesesprawling retail hubs, eagerly
exploring the latest fashiontrends, dining in trendy
restaurants and watching moviesin the in-house movie theater.
The mall was not just a placeto shop.
It was a social gathering space, a community of sorts.
(05:10):
Over the next few decades,malls continued to thrive across
America, becoming an integralpart of the suburban landscape.
They grew bigger and grander,with luxury amenities like
indoor fountains, elaboratesculptures and even ice skating
rinks.
Malls became the symbol ofexcess and consumerism,
reflecting the prosperity of thetimes.
(05:31):
However, as the saying goes,all good things must come to an
end.
The 1990s marked the beginningof the decline for malls.
Several factors contributed toits downfall, including changes
in consumer behavior and therise of e-commerce.
(05:52):
With the advent of onlineshopping, customers could easily
purchase products from thecomfort of their homes,
challenging the traditional mallexperience.
The convenience and endlessoptions offered by online
(06:27):
retailers posed a significantthreat to the once mighty mall.
People began to embrace theease of one-click purchases and
doorstep deliveries, leavingtraditional brick and mortar
stores struggling to adapt.
The mall culture started tolose its appeal as younger
generations sought more uniqueand personalized shopping
experiences.
The decline in malls didn't justaffect the retail landscape,
(06:48):
but also it had a profoundimpact on the communities that
it once thrived in.
As malls started to shuttertheir doors, numerous businesses
reliant on mall traffic facedsignificant challenges.
The closures resulted in joblosses and the disappearance of
one's vibrant social spaces,leaving empty shells scattered
across the American landscape.
However, amidst the decline,some malls managed to reinvent
(07:12):
themselves.
Faced with the need to adapt orperish, mall owners transformed
their spaces into mixed usedevelopments incorporating
residential units, offices andentertainment centers.
These reimagined spaces becamelifestyle destinations, offering
a more holistic experiencebeyond that of just shopping,
similar to what Victor Gruenoriginally sought for these
(07:33):
spaces.
Today, malls that havesuccessfully reinvented
themselves served as a testamentto the resilience of these
structures.
They showcased the power ofadaptation in an ever-changing
retail landscape.
However, the fate of many mallsremains uncertain, with the
continued rise of e-commercethat reshapes the retail
industry and the COVID-19pandemic that furthered
(07:55):
accelerated these challengesfaced by malls worldwide.
As we reflect on the rise andfall of malls in America, it's
important to acknowledge therole that they played in shaping
our society.
Malls were not only centers ofcommerce, but they were cultural
touchstones representing thedreams and aspirations of a
nation.
While some may view the declineof malls as a loss, it also
(08:17):
presents an opportunity for usto reimagine our cities and
communities Now.
(08:46):
In our previous episode, wediscussed Marvell, tennessee,
and we touched on the life ofFoothills Mall.
I don't really have any moreupdates regarding Foothills Mall
since the last time we talkedabout it.
The publics is still beingconstructed, there's still some
empty stores, but for the mostpart, foothills Mall seems to be
doing alright.
Now, just up the road inKnoxville, we have the thriving
(09:08):
Westtown Mall, which is owned bySimon Property Group.
Westtown Mall first opened itsdoors in 1972.
And since then, it hascontinuously evolved to meet the
changing demands of shoppers.
Originally featuring fouranchor stores and a handful of
smaller shops, the mall hasundergone several renovations
and expansions, transforminginto a sprawling retail complex
(09:30):
that covers over 1 millionsquare feet.
Over the years, westtown Mallhas established itself as a hub
of commerce, entertainment andcommunity engagement in
Knoxville, but this, of course,couldn't have happened without
some growing pains the mallsuffered through the mid-2000s.
A decline in mall culture andtough economic conditions led to
several stores closing theirdoors, but the leaders that
(09:53):
controlled Westtown Mall wereready for the challenge.
The mall stayed on top ofkeeping the architecture up to
date.
When a store closed, the mallworked diligently to get the
vacancy filled, and when Searsclosed in January of 2019, it
set empty for only one year,until the location was
demolished to put in a DicksHouse of Sports, a new type of
Dicks sporting goods.
(10:13):
This interactive shoppingexperience serves as a research
and development for emergingretail brands, with influence on
what happens to more than 700Dicks sporting goods stores
nationwide.
The store includes 100,000square feet of indoor shopping
and activity space, along with a24,000 square foot outdoor
field.
Now, one of the great aspectsabout the store is customers
(10:35):
actually get to test equipmentbefore they purchase it.
This means that consumers cantest out swinging a new club in
the golf bays or go jogging on atreadmill.
Athletes can test out a newpair of cleats on the outdoor
field, or see how a new pair ofshoes will hold up on the
surrounding two-lane Olympicgrade track, or climb the
40-foot rock wall.
Now, one of the main highlightsof Westtown Mall through the
(10:56):
years was FunScape.
Now, this was a multi-levelplay area featuring air blasters
that would propel plastic ballsat other people, and there were
experiences to be had all overthat structure.
Guests could use a hose to suckup the plastic balls and then
they would move into an elevatorthat would supply the upper
levels of the structures withammunition to keep all the fun
(11:16):
going.
Now, sadly, as malls begantheir decline, funscape fell to
the wayside.
It eventually closed its doorsin the early 1990s and on
November 6th of 1998, regalCinemas opened a nine auditorium
in FunScape's old locationafter expanding the building by
adding space on the mall'sexisting roof.
Now, this happened during oneof Westtown's many updates.
(11:39):
To stay relevant to theever-changing consumer world,
the movie theater underwent amajor remodel again when it was
updated for a new generation ofshoppers in 2018.
When it reopened, it was knownas Cinnabar, described by Regal
as a way to bring together thebest of restaurant dining and a
state-of-the-art movie theaterexperience.
(12:00):
It offers a full bar and menu,open with or without a ticket to
a movie.
It also hosts a two-storyfamily-friendly arcade and pool
games.
Now food and drink are servedin the theater, starting 40
minutes before the show and 10minutes into the previews.
Servers take orders and deliverthe food, while guests just sit
(12:20):
in full recliners with tablesattached to them.
Now, while Regal was in theprocess of bringing this new
experience to moviegoers, themall had additional work going
on completely outside of thatrenovation.
A fifth entrance was added nextto the food court, which has
been renamed the Dining Pavilionplus the pavilion got new seats
and TVs throughout, entrancesgot signs and lights, while the
(12:45):
mall interior got new tile andcarpets, led lights throughout,
new signs and a new color scheme.
There was also a new play areathat was built in front of the
internal JCPenney entrance tothe mall for families to enjoy,
and with that we saw thefountain that had the center
bridge over it.
Leave the mall Now.
This was one of those thingsthat came to malls when, you
(13:08):
know, excess was popular andthese grand sculptures were
happening, and this fountain andbridge combo was between
Hollister and I call it the emostore.
I used to shop there all thetime in high school hot topic
and it's now gone.
You know there's nothing thereto say that it was ever there,
(13:31):
which I think is a truetestament to the times of how
mulls have changed.
Um.
Now, in 2018, with thoseupdates and kind of the years
following that Um, they had somenew tenants come to the mall,
such as fanatic Bruin company,honeyby coffee, pop culture, toy
store, hawson dog ice cream andcinnabon, highway 55 burgers
(13:51):
and, most recently, loco burrowNow, sadly, highway 55 burgers
and some other stores didn'tsurvive through the pandemic,
but I don't know if that'sexactly why they closed, but
still the mall has held strongand it showed continued growth
as time has passed.
Now, another mall that's beenwell known for years and has a
bit of a sadder story isKnoxville center mall, or, as it
(14:14):
was originally known, east townmall, and that would be east
town With an e at the end.
I don't know why, but it had it, and it was also located in
Knoxville, tennessee.
East town mall was once abustling hub of commerce and
community.
Opening its doors in 1984, theiconic establishment quickly
became a symbol of economicprosperity and a social
(14:36):
gathering place for residents.
However, as the years passedand changing consumer
preferences, economic shifts,evolving retail landscape and a
shooting from a disgruntledcustomer would ultimately
contribute to the decline ofeast town mall.
The following audio is newscoverage from WBIR of east town
mall's grand opening.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
The balloons fell and the doors went up as east town
mall officially opened today.
25 000 were on hand for theopening ceremonies and to be the
first inside the brand newstores.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
And just as soon as those doors opened, cash
registers started ringing In1984 east town mall opened its
doors to the public, bringing anew era of shopping and
entertainment to east Knoxville.
With its modern architectureand a wide selection of stores
and its convenient location justoff interstate i640, the mall
quickly became a populardestination in the area that had
(15:37):
seen significant growth fromthe 1982 world's fair.
It bolstered anchor stores likemiller and hess, dillard's
Sears, jcpenney, belk formerlyknown as profits and Regal
Cinema.
A variety of specialty shops ina vibrant food court under a
circus light tent atrium becamethe centerpiece for this vibrant
location.
The mall wasn't even finishedbeing constructed when it opened
(16:00):
, but that didn't stop thousandsof people from attending the
opening day ceremonies.
For years people traveled fromthe tri cities in the far
northeast corner of the state ofTennessee.
Now this trip would take abouta hundred miles each direction
and it would be about an hourand a half to traverse.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
They say, with a good economy things should look up
for quite some time.
Susan Minner action 10 news.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
What no one realized was that she was speaking a
prophecy that would leave a scaron the scruffy little city on
the river.
Now east town mall would go onto have a thriving time.
It would receive a majorrenovation from its owner, simon
property group, in 1997.
The outside was left unchanged,aside from a new entrance, but
(16:43):
the inside was renovated withnew paint, trim and other
features.
The mall adopted a Tennesseemountain home theme and once
this renovation was complete,the name was changed to
Knoxville center mall.
Now the mall was thriving upuntil the recession in 2008.
The decline started whenDillard's, a longtime anchor
store, announced its closure.
(17:04):
But the closing of this storewould be overshadowed when, on
October 8th 2008, chaos eruptedas hundreds of shoppers fled
from the mall or sought shelterin stores when a 42-year-old
gunman entered the mall andgunned down Mohamed Adnaul, a
29-year-old employee of RenoMenzware.
The gunman was upset with apurchase and he demanded
(17:26):
satisfaction.
When a mod explained that thestore had a no refund policy,
the gunman pulled out a handgunand shot a mod several times,
killing him.
Two uniform Knoxville PoliceDepartment officers confronted
the gunman as he left the storeand exchanged gunfire, hitting
him once in the arm and once inthe leg.
No one else was hurt and thepolice recovered the suspect's
(17:46):
handgun and took the shooterinto custody.
The gunman was William Johnson,a white male, 42 years of age.
He was charged with murder,aggravated kidnapping and two
accounts of attempted murder.
Our thoughts and prayers gowith those affected that day,
mohad Adnaul and his family.
In November of 2007, a man wasshot during a fight in a locker
(18:09):
room at the Rush Fitness Complexin the mall, and two months
later, an 18-year-old male wasshot in the leg outside of Regal
Cinemas at the mall.
After the shootings, the mallcontinued to see a steady
decline as more and more storesbecame vacant.
Now, in 2010, knox CountySchools opened Volunteer Academy
, which occupied 6,400 squarefeet of the mall.
(18:32):
The school offered a home toacademically challenged students
.
It was the 87th school in theKnox County school system and it
was geared towards students whohad issues and challenges with
traditional high school settings.
Students could recover creditsor conduct their education at
their own pace.
More than 7,000 studentsreceived diplomas, with a
graduation rate of 90%.
(18:54):
Things started to look up when,in 2016, new investors purchased
the mall for $10 million, withnearly $4 million being paid
upfront, with the remaining $6million due by the end of August
of the same year, these newinvestors met with the people of
the community to hear what theywanted to see in this space.
The new investors also sharedwith the people some of their
(19:14):
plans that they had, includingchanging the name back to the
original Easttown Mall, and someof their additional plans were
that they wanted to place condos, apartments and a hotel in the
mall parking lot.
In addition, they wanted towork with the University of
Tennessee to add medical offices.
However, some of the peoplewere skeptical of these new
(19:35):
investors as they had been tiedto several failed projects that
included multiple leans andlawsuits, including an
unsuccessful attempt to bringWildwing Cafe to the downtown
Crest Building.
Any faith the community had inthese new investors was
shattered in 2017, when theystopped paying for security
bills, and in 2018, when theystopped paying maintenance and
(19:56):
janitorial bills, a lawsuit wasbrought against them to seek
nearly $950,000.
Security bills totaled $505,000, $152,000, and maintenance and
janitorial bills amounted to$439,746.
After spending time in court,the mall owners paid up the
overdue back taxes by late 2018.
(20:18):
But by the time the mall closed, they owed nearly half a
million dollars to the city andthe county.
By this time.
Jcpenney had closed in 2017,with Victoria's Secret and Sears
following suit in early 2018.
By that summer, gold's Gym,formerly the Rush Fitness
Complex, and Knox County SchoolsVolunteer Academy had also
(20:41):
closed their Knoxville Centermall's locations, with the
school looking for real estatesomewhere else in North
Knoxville.
The mall was barely hanging onby a thread, with only 10 stores
remaining and one Chinese foodstall in the once vibrant food
court.
Belk and Regal Cinemas were thelast anchors to try to bring
people in.
One could walk through thisalmost abandoned mall.
(21:01):
Half the lights were turned off, presumably to save on
electricity, and randomcorridors were boarded up,
leaving customers with only asmall footprint to enjoy.
Belk finally announced in Augustof 2019 that they would be
closing.
In early November, just beforethe holiday rush of sales,
signature Diamonds joined Belkin announcing that they would be
closing their location atKnoxville Center Mall as well.
(21:23):
In September of 2019, gate 19opened as a live performance and
concert space in the mall,hoping to provide a fun and
entertaining live music venue.
Like the Concourse and theInternational.
The owners were excited for thepossibilities of the future,
but one morning the regal signon the movie theater was blacked
(21:44):
out and their website didn'tlist anything past October 31st.
The last movie played onHalloween night and the cinema
then closed forever.
That same day, mall ownersannounced that, after nearly 35
years, that the Knoxville CenterMall would close on January
31st of 2020 we get to breakingnews this morning Knoxville
(22:04):
Center Mall is closing after adecade of decline.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
The shopping center, long known as East town ball,
will shut down its last storesin January after 35 years in
business.
What was once a promise ofeconomic growth for East
Knoxville has now been nearlyempty for years.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Again, there is some audio obtained from WBIR local
news station here in Knoxville.
I'll place the links to thatArticle and the previous article
from the grand opening in thedescription box.
If you would like to watchthose entire videos, they will
be there for you now.
Now the people of Knoxvillequickly had their spirits
(22:42):
brightened when Amazon announcedthat they had purchased four
parcels of land for $22.1million and plan to build a new
Amazon fulfillment center by2022.
The fulfillment center wasprojected to create hundreds of
full and part-time jobs paying aminimum of $15 per hour.
That would be creating over 40million dollars in wages coming
(23:03):
to the people of Knoxville.
But 2022 came and went andwhile the building in Knoxville
was completed, it remainedclosed, and the same can be said
for the second fulfillmentcenter Amazon built in the
neighboring city of Alcoa,tennessee.
In November of 2022, amazonofficials told local news
station WVLT that plans werestill moving forward, but no
(23:25):
opening dates were given.
Most assumed that the delay wastied to Amazon's layoff of
thousands of employees andcanceled plans to build
warehouses in other cities inthe country.
Council member Lauren Rydertold WVLT reporters that the
project had been delayed byabout 12 months due to supply
chain issues, but despite rumorsthat it would happen, then a
(23:46):
rough opening would be summer,mid 2022, but by the time we've
recorded this episode, mid-julyof 2023, no movement has been
made to start hiring, puttingthe project off by another year.
As we look back on the rise andfall of shopping malls like
Southdale Center and KnoxvilleCenter Mall, it becomes evident
(24:07):
that these once thriving retailhubs have left a profound impact
on American culture and urbandevelopment.
Victor Gruen's innovativeconcept of the enclosed shopping
mall revolutionized the retailindustry and brought people
together, transforming thesemalls into bustling social
centers.
As we move forward, it'sessential to remember the role
(24:28):
that malls played in shaping oursociety and communities.
The decline of malls presentsan opportunity to envision new
possibilities for cities andcreate spaces that resonate with
the needs and aspirations ofmodern generations.
While some malls may neverreturn to their former glory,
their legacies live on in thememories of those who's
experienced them during theheyday of mall culture.
(24:49):
As we navigate the future ofretail and urban planning, let
us learn from the successes andchallenges of these
architectural marvels andcontinue to shape the world in
innovative and meaningful ways.
Until next time, stay safe andstay educated.
Today's episode has been aTennessee Rhodes production.
(25:14):
I hope you enjoyed it and Ihope that you'll share it with
someone else so they can learn apiece about history.
Please be sure that you like,rate and share this podcast from
whatever platform you stream,and be sure to follow me on
Facebook and Instagram to seewhat I'm doing when I'm outside
of the studio.
Until next time.
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