Ghost sign for a ghost newspaper, Chicago
10.03.2026 21:57
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Ghost sign for a ghost newspaper, Chicago
Polaroid scan. A dozen or so mallwalkers on a pair of escalators separated by a static flight of stairs. Gardens line both sides of the escalator, tall palm trees on the left. • Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera • Polaroid B&W 600
Polaroid scan. A pair of coffee bean-shaped, 90-degree bent discs balance atop one another before the entrance to a JCPenney department store. Shoppers walk past on the balcony. • Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera • Polaroid BW 600
"Hemisphere Orange" (in B&W) by Fletcher Benton
Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve dreamed of being in a Taco Bell themed art show! On Friday, I will realize this dream. On 3/13 at @toydejour.bsky.social you can pick up a print of “Yo Quiero Free Bankruptcy Info Tapes” along with a bunch of other great TB art! #chicago
Polaroid scan. Black and white photograph of a large metal sculpture rising through the atrium of a bilevel shopping mall. A broken circular piece rests on a left-leaning slanted slab - its broken bit also rests on the slab, just above. The circular piece frames the leaves of a palm tree while the break in the circle connects with a ceiling skylight. Vacant retail storefronts, and a handful of mallwalkers, are visible in the background. • Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera • Polaroid BW 600
Untitled sculpture by Buky Schwartz
Lakeside Mall - Sterling Heights, Michigan (2024)
#deadmalls #mall #retail #publicart #polaroid #MI #photography
A number of friends also came out to send the place off; collectively we amassed one of the strongest visual records of any dead mall in its twilight days.
Ultimately our work will be gifted to the village of Bloomingdale and their public library, who maintain archives on the mall.
In addition to 38 Polaroids I shot 40+ rolls of 120 film, or about 300 6x9 negatives, which I'm still scanning nearly two years later.
This mall no longer exists. Save for Kohl's, everything was torn down for redevelopment in the early half of 2025.
After the village purchased the mall from Namdar I got in touch with their public relations director and was granted full access during its final month or two of operation. After it closed in April I was allowed back this final time to shoot the roof. Absolutely incredible experience, overall.
Polaroid scan. A large atrium within a bilevel shopping center. An elevator tower in the center. High ceiling with glass skylights and oak acoustic panels supported by oversized capitals and skinny, fluted columns. Empty kiosk space and felled trees on the ground. No shops open. The mall is permanently closed. • Polaroid SLR-680 SE • Polaroid Color 600
Polaroid scan. View through a glass storefront window into the atrium of a permanently closed shopping mall. Open floorspace on the upper level. A pair of structural columns in the distance featuring sconce lighting and oversized capitals. Stained glass at the top of the window. The number 904 is visible in the glass, mirrored. This retail space is a former Zumiez, a specialty store focused on skateboarding and apparel. • Polaroid SLR-680 SE • Polaroid Color 600
Postmortem / May 19, 2024
Stratford Square Mall - Bloomingdale, Illinois
#deadmalls #abandoned #mall #retail #zumiez #architecture #polaroid #IL #photography
Polaroid scan. Black and white photograph of a large metal sculpture rising through the atrium of a bilevel shopping mall. A broken circular piece rests on a left-leaning slanted slab - its broken bit also rests on the slab, just above. The circular piece frames the leaves of a palm tree while the break in the circle connects with a ceiling skylight. Vacant retail storefronts, and a handful of mallwalkers, are visible in the background. • Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera • Polaroid BW 600
Untitled sculpture by Buky Schwartz
Lakeside Mall - Sterling Heights, Michigan (2024)
#deadmalls #mall #retail #publicart #polaroid #MI #photography
So far nothing's official -- but given the history, the parent company of Budweiser forcing the execution of Schlitz wouldn't surprise me
AB InBev took over the Pabst Brewing contract. Production of their boomer brews has been shifting to St. Louis for a while, with City Brewery in LaCrosse taking on Old Style and a few others. Now it appears ABI is culling the portfolio -- in addition to Stag kegs I've heard bad rumors about Schlitz.
I believe this was painted over, last year
Polaroid scan. Facade of a commercial retail building. A mural depicts a smiling sun next to a barn and silo, over the name "Woodman's". Below reads "Employee Owned". • Polaroid SLR-680 SE • Polaroid Color 600
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Polaroid scan. A glass skylight in the center court of Hawthorn Mall, with a large chandelier hanging from its center point. The chandelier is shaped like giant dandelion seeds floating in air. • Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera • Polaroid B&W 600
Hawthorn - Vernon Hills, Illinois
The footage from this is nuts, I have no idea when I'll do something with it
Photograph. A pair of Honda Motocompactos parked in the conversation pit of a dead shopping mall. A towering chrome/glass shard sculpture rises above all. Two levels of vacant storefronts in the background.
Bandocompacto(s)
Google Lens is one of Google's better ideas until Pinterest completely hijacks the search results and renders it useless behind their login wall
Photograph. Voidboi with bug orange eyes.
jun-bug
The food court and central atrium are mostly intact.
Chicago.
Polaroid scan. A sign atop a black-painted brick building with white window frames reads "MAYER Rexall DRUGS" against a blue sky. • Polaroid SLR-680 SE • Polaroid Color 600
Kenosha, Wisconsin (2024)
Polaroid scan. Large atrium of a bilevel shopping center with no open stores in frame. An intricate ceiling with glass skylighs, oak acoustic paneling, capitals trimmed in oak slats, fluted concrete columns, live trees, an elevator tower capped with a square clock, and an empty kiosk in the center. A handful of people wander the concourses for the final time. • Polaroid SLR-680 SE • Polaroid Color 600
Polaroid scan. A group of two or three dozen people walk the concourse of the dead Stratford Square Mall together, with a closed Carson Pirie Scott department store in the background. A "jazz funeral" was held for the mall on its final day of operation. • Polaroid SLR-680 SE • Polaroid Color 600
There were a couple of "jazz funeral" marches throughout the mall in its final hours, they also brought cake. Of all the dead malls I've hung around on their final day, Stratford Square's ironically felt more like a celebration of life.
This place did not deserve the wrecking ball.
Well, gas is expensive, and food is expensive, and we’re doing a war nobody wants, but at least there are no jobs
And a reminder that Chicago Place opened as a full-up vertical shopping mall in 1990, with Saks as anchor. It took less than 18 years for the mall to empty out and close, another 18 for Saks to follow it into oblivion.
lynnbecker.com/repeat/deadm...
Saks Global culling another 12 Saks Fifth Avenue and three Neiman-Marcus stores. Chicago Michigan Avenue SFA will close.
Photograph. Black mosaic tile wall with colorful shape pieces stuck to the facade. More mosaic tile forms black and white film strip shapes with colorful round trim pieces that accent the top and bottom of the black wall. Surviving decor of a 1990s Disney Store. • Polaroid SLR-680 SE • Polaroid Color 600
There was a reunion of former Disney Store employees who came to reminisce and take a group photo by their former store, which had mostly remained unaltered since closing long ago, despite being reused as a childrens playplace. They also yoink'ed some of the wall shapes.
Polaroid scan. Main entrance to the former Stratford Square Mall. A brick structure with a glass greenhouse entrance. Peaked center reflected in the glass. Name signage over the doorway. Former Red Robin on right. • Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera • Polaroid 600 B&W
Closing weekend: April 20-21, 2024
Stratford Square Mall - Bloomingdale, Illinois
#deadmalls #mall #retail #architecture #polaroid #IL #photography
Polaroid scan. Architectural details of the ceiling, lighting and roof support columns of the former Stratford Square Mall shopping center. A fluted concrete column branches into four pylons forming a capital, illuminated by three (of four) sconces, below. The capital's infill contains oak wood slats, concealing the mall's PA speakers. Acoustic slatwood panels hang from above, on the mall's ceiling. Flood lighting, mounted atop the capital, is aimed upward at the ceiling panels to cast shadows and add depth to the slats. • Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera • Polaroid 600 B&W
Polaroid scan. Entry and signage for the food court of the dead Stratford Square Mall shopping center. Tiled floor. Seating and gardens at the foreground. Trellis structure over the food court seating area, letter signage atop spells "FOOD COURT". Empty seating area and foodservice stalls. More empty mall shops visible on the upper level. • Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera • Polaroid 600 B&W