This mall98% vacant yet also 98% open to the publicis hardly unique, even by Cincinnati standards, which, like most metros of its size, is no stranger to . The previous half of this mega-blog post explored Forest Fair Village pictorially, showing what happens when an investment company is left wringing whatever remaining profit they can derive from an almost completely dead attraction. LJ Hooker filed for bankruptcy in 1989 due to debt accrued during the companys expansion in the United States, leading to the malls sale to FFM Limited in 1990. [47] After a $70 million renovation project, the mall reopened officially as Cincinnati Mills in August 2004. This generally well-run company, weathering the paradigm shift in retail better than most, usually seems impeccably maintained, but a quick glance into this location revealed heaps of disheveled clothes strewn about. Forest Fair Village, a dead mall outside Cincinnati, may be the most visually spectacular mall I've seen. This was the first of three stores opened that year upon the chain's entry into the Cincinnati market. But inside, with all this space, its inevitable that a few darkened corners would just get treated as disposable. And these are just two guys; there are many more doing great work. If the deteriorated condition isnt obvious enough, the naming should be. Renovations started almost immediately, with new floors, paint, and signage all throughout the mall. Ill be completely corny and say I feel like my life is richer for having seen Forest Fair Village, all the more so because I suspect its days are numbered. Almost directly after the wing of the mall where Biggs was located was completed and ready to open, Elder-Beerman took over the empty space. In that previous paragraph I demurred before using the word austerean unlikely adjective for such a meretricious and kitschy place. Hello, why did the mall fail in your opinion? The second thing I find fascinating is how it had two promising starts, with 90+% occupancy, but in both cases the tenancy quickly crashed. The mall was opened in August 1974, and was the largest shopping mall in the Cincinnati area at the time. Meanwhile, Steve and Barrys, the college-themed sports gear store, hasnt been in business since 2009, serving as a clear indicator of how long much of Forest Fair Village has sat vacant. Sure, Id imagine virtually everyone in greater Cincy had heard of it, and probably half of all households had someone who had visited it. Ive heard rumors that the food court used to be upstairs, and that it burned down, but I cant find any concrete evidence of this online. My dead mall postings have routinely become some of my most popular articles, and I still have quite a few great spectacles that I could share someday, stored a Bio Press City Albany Albuquerque Alexandria VA Ive read there was a CompUSA in the mall that also moved near Tri-County, but I cant find much about it. So Forest Fair Village was the direct manifestation of a massive error in judgmentperhaps two or three. 2 killed, 4 wounded in Mississippi shooting; man arrested, 150 years later, Dixon bridge tragedy among nation's worst, Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says he wants to 'shut down the FBI' and replace it with something that sounds a lot like the FBI, Sanders: Biden could win in a landslide. Just my guesses. It still says Cincinnati Mall, the facilitys official name from 2009 until around 2013. Its a relative latecomer in the era of malls, and the location was pretty lousynot a high-end part of town and way too close to two other malls (both of which now are also failing). And they are probably less favored because either the location is sub-par, the management isnt as astute (less good at updating amenities or securing good leases for tenants), or there are simply far more malls than there is demand, and many people are willing to travel 5 miles further to the better mall, rather than settle for the mediocre one closer to home. But the new paint, floors and signage didn't help the property as businesses closed or relocated during the company's five-year ownership. While Id like to assert that its reasonable to assume that Forest Fair Village wont be around much longer, it has suffered for at least a decade, possibly fifteen years, where virtually all retail and commercial real estate analysts determined it was beyond resuscitation. Theres a couple of things I find fascinating about it. You could hang out with the mallwalkersthough something tells me your ambitions are a big higher than that Nice to hear from you! thanks! Over the years, the Cincinnati Mall, known currently as Forest Fair Village in 2022, has changed names numerous times. With all the trouble that its gone though, its mind boggling that it hasnt been demolished or at least decanted into a power center or lifestyle something or other. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Potential plans for the property include converting it to light industrial use or creating new commercial spaces that better serve the communitys needs. After having been renamed to Cincinnati Mall and again to Forest Fair Village in the 2010s, the property received significant media attention as an example of a dead mall. And what a sightnot pretty, per se, and probably not most peoples definition of classy, but absolutely distinctive. Pop-A-Razzi Gourmet Popcorn. Started in 2011 this unique store has 18,000 square foot of retro goodies sure to blast you right into the past. Simon Property Group, an American real estate investment trust that invests in shopping malls, outlet centers, and community & lifestyle centers, acquired the entire Mills portfolio during this same year. But all things considered, its amazing how unlittered, vacuumed, and generally clean the mall appearedwith very little graffiti (outside of that playground) or vandalismexcept for one feature.Yikes. Well Cincinnati is 10-20 years behind the times. Over the next few years, the mall would see the closure of Dawahares in 1996, but the addition of Guitar Center, which replaced CompUSA in 1998. In addition, the president of Bigg's reported that their store in the mall had constantly struggled in sales due to it being located at the back of the property. I used to have a store there, and we had a great community of business owners. [10] As a result, the rest of the mall's opening was delayed to October 1988, and again to March 1, 1989. Is it a non-profit? Apr. The malls former names include Cincinnati Mall, Cincinnati Mills, and Forest Fair Mall. Unless the mall has changed significantly in the last yearand the economic conditions of 2020 would make it hard for real estate has depressed as Forest Fair Village to either improve or to decline even furtherId imagine it looks about the same. The only other tenant, Bass Pro Shop, will vacate its location to move to a new one being built in West Chester Twp. Continue with Recommended Cookies. [28], The mall was put up for sale again in 1995, with FFM representatives noting that the partnership did not intend to maintain ownership for over five years. That B Adventurous place was originally called WonderPark, and it was an arcade owned by Namco. The easel made overt reference to the notion of keeping the heat inthe businesss way of acknowledging that the interior hallways of Forest Fair Village offer little protection from the December chill. When it was built, Forest Fair Mall became the region's largest shopping center, based on leasable space. Contact&Address: 600 Cincinnati Mills Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio - OH 45240, US . [20][17][21] The other six B. Altman stores began liquidation in November 1989, although the Forest Fair store was kept open at the time, due to concerns by LJ Hooker's lawyers that closing the store would lower the mall's value. They Refused to Fight for Russia. In Late 1994, Kohls took over the former B. Altman store space. Is Forest Fair Mall Still Open Elsewhere in the mall, at the convergence of several of the neighborhood themed corridors, is the old movie theater (at the upper level) and the food court (lower), with an unusual underwater motif that may have helped divert attention from the comparatively low levels of natural light, compared to other parts of the mall.Its rare to see a food court with such low ceilings.The atrium above features aquatic creatures suspended by wires.Apparently the giant fish are inflatable?This area also features one of Forest Fair Villages two surviving inline tenants: Arcade Legacy, seen in the space below.It boggles the mind how this business can continue operatingone of three locations in metro Cincinnati, and it apparently keeps chugging along until midnight on the weekends, long after Forest Fair Village would have remained open when functional (movie theater notwithstanding). The next phase opened the following year. Nonetheless, Im going to call this one a montage, because the photographs will dominate throughout this article, and I havent created a montage post in ages. Shopping mall has over 21 stores and address is: 600 Cincinnati Mills Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio - OH 45240. [57] Under North Star's ownership, Steve & Barry's vacated due to the chain going out of business,[56] while Off 5th, Guess, Lane Bryant, and Dress Barn relocated to a newly built outlet mall in Monroe. Yet, despite the challenges faced over the years, it remains a beloved part of the local communitys history. [22] Liquidation sales began in August 1990 at Forest Fair's locations of all three department stores. Great Lakes Crossing Outlets has over 25 stores and restaurants that can't be found anywhere else in Michigan, including SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Rainforest Cafe, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Neiman Marcus Last Call Clearance Center, Calvin Klein Company Store, Coach Factory, Michael Kors Oulet and Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store. Key Tenants during Cincinnati Mills EraTenantStatusElder-BeermanClosed in 2003Babies R UsReplaced Stein MartJohnnys ToysOpened in former Elder-Beerman spaceMedia PlayClosed in 2006. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'architecturalafterlife_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_13',140,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-architecturalafterlife_com-medrectangle-4-0'); In 1986, plans for construction of the 1.5 million square-foot retail space were underway, placing about 70 percent of the mall in Forest Park, and the other 30 or so in Fairfield. Usually a number of a factors help contribute to a malls decline and demise. That was a play-it-safe tale put out by the ownership. New Albany, IN used to have two malls right next to one anotherafter about a decade, the newer and glitzier of the two failed. Im not picking on either Forest Park or Fairfield, which this mall straddled. [34] A gym called Moore's Fitness also opened during this timespan. A staple in the Cincinnati area for many years, the Forest Fair Village has been where locals and travelers go for when they need a bargain. A Parisian store and BonWitt teller store in Forest Park/Fairfield area was out of place. At this point, it was far out of reach to attempt any kind of redevelopment, as stores were dropping left and right, and unpaid taxes continued to pile up. B Adventurous store, location in Forest Fair Village (Cincinnati, Ohio) - directions with map, opening hours, reviews. Perhaps theres a reputation for crime even amidst the low patronage; I did witness one ostensible security guard on a Segway. The mall changed hands again in 2002 when the Mills Corporation acquired and renamed Cincinnati Mills. The mall's former names include Cincinnati Mall, Cincinnati Mills, and Forest Fair Mall. One of the largest malls in Greater Cincinnati is under contract, with plans to demolish it to make way for a $150 million development. [18] In 1996, Meijer opened across the street from the mall. It is sad that the mall is now basically abandoned but the development was doomed from the start as the project went $50 million over what the estimated budget was when it was built and the owner and developers almost immediately declared for bankruptcy. The Kohl's wing of Forest Fair Village, May 2018, 1990s: The Shops at Forest Fair and redevelopment, 2008present: Cincinnati Mall, Forest Fair Village, "Larger Bigg's mall planned in Fairfield", "Developers optimistic about five mall stores", "B. Altman to be a Forest Fair Mall anchor", "Forest Fair Mall's full opening delayed", "Forest Fair tenants slow in opening stores", "Beer down under: Pub opens at Forest Fair", "Success of Forest Fair Mall isn't assured", "Hooker wants OK to close 3 Forest Fair Mall stores", "Last B. Altman's changes focus to stay in business", "Cities count on Forest Fair's full recovery", "Kohl's Department Stores to open at Forest Fair Mall", "Meijer hyperstores boost competition in Southwest Ohio", "Saks bought by Proffitt's in $2.1B deal", "Media Play helps jazz up renewed Forest Fair Mall", "Shoppers check opening of Saks discount outlet", "New owners, new theme give hope to Forest Fair", "Forest Fair Mall tenants upset by operator's timing", "Mall to reopen with focus on families, discounters", "Johnny's Toys opens in Cincinnati Mills", "Two years after makeover, mall struggles to find niche", "Development of former Cincinnati Mall still in 'holding pattern', "Bass Pro moving to West Chester, adding eatery", "New in Town Burlington Coat Factory moving from Cincinnati Mall to Springdale", "Bass Pro move to further slow Forest Fair mall development", "Future of the former Cincinnati Mall in limbo again", "Cincinnati malls' death spiral: Will yours survive? Antiques can enrich our lives, add to personal collections, offer . I didnt have to dig too far to find images of Forest Fair Mall from before the massive renovation; go to the mostly inactive site, Dead Malls (http://deadmalls.com/malls/forest_fair_mall.html), and scroll to the oldest entries at the bottom (yes, it was being written about as a dying mall even in 2003). [71] Officials of both Butler and Hamilton County submitted plans to the state of Ohio in 2022, calling for $9.5 million in funds to demolish the mall. ), http://deadmalls.com/malls/forest_fair_mall.html. As for the fast pace of the malls downfall, I dont think it helps that it never really achieved its peakthat is, it never sustained an occupancy rate that was high enough that it was much of a money-earner. As updates on the demolition and redevelopment plans become available, they will be shared with the public, ensuring the community remains engaged and informed throughout the process. Interestingly, this business has one of the most elaborate ornamentations Ive ever seen to a mall store entrance, let alone a mom-and-pop, whose entrances tend to be visibly economical.While it wasnt crowded, it wasnt empty either, though perhaps one might have expected a gloomy winter afternoon during the holidays to be peak business. The parking garage was closed by the Fairfield Fire Dept. Apr. All Rights Reserved. There have been talks of converting the property for light industrial use, but as of October 2022, there are no plans set in motion to demolish or do anything else with the mall. The group purchased the property in 2010. It is the largest shopping mall in the state of Ohio. Thanks for reaching out. Around this same time, the cinema was closed. But under the current ownership, the mall has fallen into further decline. Issues arose even before the mall was opened, when Higbees withdrew from the project just a month prior to its July 11, 1988 opening date after being purchased by Dillards. Yet it never was a real success. Money will also go into the parking lot and the building's exterior. Either way, I revisited in 2021 and its completely haunting yet magical to see. During this same year, Meijer opened across the street from the mall. [4] Also in 1987, Hooker bought controlling interest in both Bonwit Teller and three other department stores: B. Altman and Company, Parisian, and Sakowitz. Not far from the Kohls is the only other viable inline tenant: Interestingly, this business has one of the most elaborate ornamentations Ive ever seen to a mall store entrance, let alone a mom-and-pop, whose entrances tend to be visibly economical. Shopping mall has over 21 stores and address is: 600 Cincinnati Mills Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio - OH 45240. When it opened there were a number of anchor stores that catered to high end retail items. And they wont have the bragging rights of a 90s funhouse interior. I have shopped there many times. Under North Star's short ownership tenure, most of the businesses that left relocated to Cincinnati Premium Outlets in Monroe. So what were those errors? (If they keep the lights on. [30] Several anchor stores in the mall changed under Gator's ownership: Dawahares closed in late 1996 due to poor sales,[31] Berean Christian Stores signed a 10-year lease for a 21,250 square feet (1,974m2) Christian bookstore at the mall in late 1997,[32] while Parisian closed in June 1998[33] and Guitar Center replaced CompUSA in August 1998 after that store moved to a larger location across from Tri-County Mall. Developed by Australian retail developer LJ Hooker, it was located at the junction of Interstate 275 and Winton Road (Exit 39) and boasted a total retail floor area of 1,500,000 square feet (140,000 m2). These two Oshkosh West students have earned Herb Kohl Educational Foundation awards. FOREST FAIR VILLAGE MALL - EULOGY FOR A MALLMy part 2 walk thru of Forest Fair Village Mall in Forest Park, OhioSpecial Thanks to NAE -Janae Contag and her t. The playground serves as a mini node that breaks up the long corridor into separate themes, or neighborhoods, as Forest Fair Village refers to them. [53] Simon Property Group acquired the Mills portfolio in 2007. In the same year, the mall lost Burlington Coat Factory. Though the mall I featured recently wasnt a high end area, it was much more successful than Forest Fair, and I noticed virtually every in-line store with two entrances had closed the gates on one of the two. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. My dead mall postings have routinely become some of my most popular articles, and I still have quite a few great spectacles that I could share someday, stored away in my photo archives. However, competition with Northgate and Tri-County malls continued, and by 2006, many stores had started to close. [42] These stores were part of a reconceptualization of the mall as "a value retail center with new-to-the-market merchants". Since the two inline tenants clearly have heat, I guess they have functional restrooms as well? The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The story of Forest Fair Village has been a rollercoaster ride filled with ups and downs. It was doomed from the start. I guess if they concentrate customers through one entrance/exit, its easier for the staff to monitor if something bad is happening. Just be warned: it would be only about 10 degrees warmer than the outside air. One can only imagine the sort of hullabaloo within the Cincinnati metro when this mail first had its soft opening: who isnt going to be willing to load the kids up in the minivan and drive them out to see a gazebo of flying pigs?And yet this also becomes the imagery of a bitter irony: Forest Fair Village would only succeed when pigs fly. Search USA shopping malls near you: Search popular stores in America: Type store name: Do not miss. It was always a great day out, with so many stores to explore and the excitement of finding something new. Jane, former mall visitor, Its sad to see the mall in this state. With Forest Fair Village, an almost completely dead mall straddling two mature northern suburbs of Cincinnati (Forest Park and Fairfield, hence the name), we have a mega-facility that, from all Ive read, after a slow rollout in 1988, never achieved roaring success and therefore underwent numerous rebranding efforts over the years in an attempt to resuscitate it, concomitant with all the name changes. Lighting is patchy toonot completely dark (skylights help), but certainly less artificial light than one would expect from a commercial facility open to the public. In addition, I will couch my exploration of Forest Fair Village (formerly Cincinnati Mall, as well as a couple other names) in terms of a broader understanding of the socioeconomic forces at work, particularly in light of developers increasingly desperate attempts to transform centers of commerce into major eventsanimated landmarks of regional significance. [75], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}391812N 843107W / 39.303262N 84.518603W / 39.303262; -84.518603. At this point, only 65 percent of the inline mall space was occupied,[11] and the mall was described as "struggling" due to the large number of vacancies, primarily in the B. Altman wing. Perhaps B Adventurous offers access from Forest Fair Villages massive covered garage nearbyif the garage is safe to use (from both a structural and security standpoint); neglected parking garages are usually a bad sign.