DEAD MALL - OLEAN CENTER MALL - OLEAN NY

I grew up in Olean. A few details: Back in the day The Bon Ton was AM&A's. The CVS was located mid-mall as there was a 4-screen movie theater in the mall. A great trick back in the day was to use the entrance to CVS, buy candy, hide it in your pocket, and goto the movies. The mall DID have a fountain. It was located outside the JC Penny's which was a Hills Department Store back in the day. The fountain was *beautiful*. Multi color lighting and water effects. There was also a KB Toys next to a Nutrition store by the fountain - next to a McDonalds. McDonalds ultimately left the mall after the landlords raised the rent (foolishly) assuming that McDonalds would stay no matter what. There was also a Ponderosa down the secondary hallway you show at the 8:50 mark in the video. It's super sad because back in the day every storefront was filled. The mall, while not spectacular, was a great asset for a city of 15,000 people. Finally, the mall has undergone ONE renovation: The Kohl's department store didn't originally exist. When the movie theaters left the mall, they built that expansion as a JC Penny department store - Hills became Ames and then closed, so JC Penny took the Amex anchor location at the end of the mall - Steve & Berry originally occupied the JC Penny expansion location circa 2007 but transformed to a Kohls shortly thereafter. Everything else is original. Also: If you've made it this far, Renna's Pizza (located to the right of the main entrance) sells THE best pizza outside of NYC. A little known treasure in the entire world. If you're ever there - splurge the $20 and get yourself a fresh made large pie - you will NOT regret it.!!!

I swear Renna's Pizza could keep that mall open by themselves since the pizza is so good

I used to go to the movies in the mall with my mom. It was our bi-weekly treat - we'd have dinner at Ponderosa (which was also in the mall at the time) and then we'd go to the movies. I remember seeing "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" there so we're talking mid- to late-eighties and into the early 90s. I think the movie theaters (they had two so I think they had four screens total) closed in the mid- to late-nineties.

Great video. I moved to Olean in 1976 round the time the mall opened up. I was a little kid back then and remember having a birthday party at McDonalds, eating at Ponderosa and going to the arcade. I moved away in 1980 but got a chance to stop by about 15 years ago and was shocked at how the mall seemed so empty.

I spent a good portion of my life in this part of New York and although boring (because where I lived we lived in the middle of nowhere and had to drive an hour just to go grocery shopping) I still have some fond memories, and I'd have to say this place is apart of some of them, I'm currently 15 and have since moved to a different part of the state but I used to go here with my family when I was about 6-7 years old, I remember the first time I ever tried a fresh baked pretzel, getting my first mix CDs and funko pops, getting my ears pierced, and I vividly remember that mural by the main entrance of the maple trees. Although I never wish to go back to that area, it was fun for it's time /pos 🧡🧡🧡

there was a HUGE halloween parade here back in 2001 or 2002. Attending it was one of my first memories I can remember. I still look back on those time with joy.

Thank you for posting this! I live 20 mins away and this was my childhood mall. so many memories..

I love ten minutes from olean New York I had to click on this video when it came across my feed !

I am 46 and lived in PA about 30 minutes away or so. There was a movie theater there until at least 1995 I am not sure when it closed. I watched Return of the Jedi there after eating at the Ponderosa Steakhouse. This was my go-to spot from 1992-1995 when I was in high school. There were still lots of people, especially around the holidays. I would walk the small lap of the mall for HOURS! Swing by McDonalds for lunch, browse Chess King for my 90s silk shirts and maybe catch a movie. It always makes me a little sad seeing these videos but I crave the nostalgia. Rue 21 was open still in 2005/2006 I remember because I bought some cringy outfits from there when people popped their collars and wore tight shell necklaces.

Mall looks like it was never even updated since '77. Looks bigger than the McKinley mall. It's a shame. I'm sure it was great in it's day.

I used to work in that mall part time, in the mid 80s. Very nice place.

Oh the memories seeing the sears again! I’ve lived in the area my whole life and live up the street now. Really sad what the town is becoming these days. It’s a lot prettier with the roundabouts and flowers but it’s hard to enjoy past the all the drug addicts on the street when you live here.

This is my home town! I still live here. Would have loved to meet up and show you some of the other locations around the area. If you’re ever back in Olean, let me know!

Before Kohls took over the former JCPenney’s there was a Steve and Berry’s in that location for about a year or two. There was a fountain down by the former Bon-Ton and in front of the arcade. There was a cinema down by the Bon-Ton, a McDonalds, a Baskin Robbins, etc. It’s really sad to see it in ruins like this when I walk in about once a week to go to fye.

There WAS a BAR in the mall too. I worked at the Radio Shack in the mid 90s next to what's now the arcade (it was the movie theatre back then) and the bar's walk in cooler was part of our backroom.

Nice little gem here. One of a kind.

I believe there was three screens. I remember watching the very first Star Wars movie there.

Great video

Great video man!

JC Penny was added later. Not there when it opened. It was Hill's, AM&A's and Bon-Ton