I know shopping malls are still a thing, but in the '70s and '80s these commercial centers were the thing. They stormed into every city across the United States, big or small, leaving a huge urban footprint wherever they landed while simultaneously destroying the beloved Main Streets of America—you know, the place where all the quaint mom 'n' pop shops used to be before Captain Commercialism came to town and sucked everyone into these gargantuan indoor spaces that were considered architectural consumer marvels for the time and became black holes for everything that went down in town. The future was so bright! Unless you happened to be George Romero, that is, who clearly saw the apocalyptic writing on the wall for our first world renowned civilization and satirized it ever so well in Dawn of the Dead (1978).
But enough about the dystopian decline of everything we've ever known and loved in our silly consumerist lives. And enough of my fuckin' blabbering. I've wallowed in so much existential dread the last couple weeks that I feared no amount of uplift mojo party plans were ever gonna put some spirited pep back in my step. But you know what? This video did. It stabbed a li'l shard of light into my ol' heart of darkness. It's so great. And I'm so happy for Max and Josh and everyone else involved with this unique Wisconsin endeavor that their archaeological adventures are now here for all to bear witness and enjoy. Two thumbs up! —Sean Cliver
Are you suggesting that Mallrats would’ve been a completely different movie if Jason Lee was allowed to skate in that mall?? I don’t disagree, and I for one, am here for it!
My first job was at the Ponderosa Steak House in that mall (‘87). I managed to get suspended for 3 months for skateboarding through the mall, only allowing myself to return on a work only basis. These fellas did some poetic justice for me. You bet I scooped up that copy of Thrasher and the folllow up El Chunkos Memoir.
Glad to see a WI skate crew getting some recognition! Love the editing. I’m from the area, any idea what abandoned mall this is?
This part is absolutely rad in every way. From the 80’s mall manual vibes to max and the MKE boys destroying this place. It may have looked like a bag of shot before they started, but it was destroyed when they were done…. well done!