What makes me surprised about the malls around the Vancouver area where I live at is that they're still around and yes, I still go to those very malls even to this day.
I should have touched on the subject back when I started this Blog back in January 2023 but I held it off for the longest time until now.
One of the many reasons that I want to touch on the subject of my own Childhood malls is that I'm seeing on the internet, Particularly from people living Semi-Rural areas in the UNITED STATES, on how people bitch and rant about how either their childhood malls are no longer there or are their malls are still standing but have since declined in the eyes of whoever is posting about their malls due to favorite stores or anchors closing or changing.
I really shouldn't use CAROLINA CIRCLE MALL's 1987 Emblem....
But alas, I did.....
Here where I live in Vancouver, BC, CANADA,
I'm glad my Childhood malls are still around and I'm also glad that they are still intriguing enough for me to come there personally by myself or when I'm with my mother or my friends.
Here are a list of Childhood Malls that I still personally go to:
01: Metropolis at Metrotown-Burnaby, BC
This is a mall that I still go to even to this day.
Opened in 1986, This mall would be the centerpiece of a Shopping Centre adjacent to the Skytrain Station bearing the Mall's namesake.
At first, there wasn't that much aside from some former Woodward's and Sears Stores that used to be here but many of those stores have closed in the ensuing years.
In 1998, the mall saw it's largest expansion ever which added several stores, including a 10-Screen FAMOUS PLAYERS SILVERCITY Multiplex Cinema at the top of the Mall which opened in 1998 to coincide with the releases of films like A BUGS LIFE, ANTZ, Waterboy, Practical Magic, Price of Egypt, Wizard of Oz 60th Anniversary, Rugrats, You've Got Mail, whatever was big in 1998.
As of post-2023, the SILVERCITY Sign, Aliens, King Kong,
They've all been removed because they're all of the old FAMOUS PLAYERS facade
which the current brass of Cineplex want nothing to do with.
Others included a restaurant called RAINFOREST CAFE.
Man, I still go to this mall to this day but I can tell there are some people out there in my generation pool, especially on FACEBOOK, where they complain that they can't feel anything exciting about the mall anymore, aside from the Cineplex that's still operating there.
The Rainforest Cafe closed on October 2001 and in it's place is an OLD NAVY store.
But one thing that greatly distressed a friend of mine was when in December 2016, HMV closed their Metrotown Location which led to said friend of mine going on a EXTREMELY PROFANE RANT on the closure of said store on FACEBOOK.
Not even it's replacement SUNRISE RECORDS was enough to calm him down.
Despite all this and despite the damages done by COVID-19, the mall is still standing strong with no sign of decline.
And yes, I still go here for the occasional shopping but these days I'm picky about what movies to watch in the theatre, I don't care much for clothes shopping since I have a sizable wardrobe at home, etc.
So I mostly go to the BEST BUY at STATION SQUARE.
My most recent visit to the Mall as of this writing was probably to watch the 50th Anniversary screening of JAWS at the Cineplex Cinemas there..... IN 4DX OF ALL FORMATS!!!
And the seats did not disappoint.
02: The City of Lougheed-Burnaby, BC
This is another mall I frequented during my Childhood. Also in Burnaby, BC.
When the Millennium Line opened in 2002, access to this Mall was made easier for many of us so instead of having to rely on a bus like a lot of us did before 2002, we can just take the Skytrain just to get to this mall.
When my mother and I came to this mall during my Early Childhood, we mostly went to the now defunct HUDSON'S BAY store but most of my memories are within the Wal-Mart that's in the Mall.
I know I know, mentioning Walmart can be controversial to some people but this particular Wal-Mart was my childhood, not because of the exploration potential but because of the McDonalds in there.
While the McDonalds is still operating to this day, it's changed to the point where the GOLDEN ARCHES at the entrance of the restaurant have long since removed.
Nowadays, we go mostly when my mother wants to go there once in every blue moon, metaphorically speaking.
03: Pacific Centre Mall-Vancouver, BC
You can't wander around Vancouver without first going to the PACIFIC CENTRE Mall in the downtown area for your shopping needs.
Sorry for my use of just this single Building which is of the former Nordstrom.
The Mall is mostly underground or covered by tall Buildings
as to be Conspicuous.
Opened in 1971, the once controversial Mall in Downtown Vancouver now has become an important part of a Vancouver Shopper's Consumer Needs.
Many things include the Old Granville Theater row, the nightclubs,
three adjacent Skytrain stations BURRARD, GRANVILLE, & VANCOUVER CITY CENTRE.
(Waterfront Station doesn't count due to it's harbor proximity)
The Shopping Centre was a joint venture by EATONS, CEMP INVESTMENTS, and TD Bank.
The EATONS name was very important because that was the namesake for the former building situated near VANCOUVER CITY CENTRE Station that later was demolished and replaced with a NORDSTROM Building.
Like the caption below the NORDSTROM Building suggests, the mall is mostly underground due to the proximity of the buildings and considering the controversies in the early 1970s regarding demolitions and a freeway that never came to be, the Mall had no choice but to hide in the facade of existing buildings such as the former HUDSON'S BAY building.
04: Brentwood Town Centre-Burnaby, BC
This is another childhood mall of mine. I distinctively remember the mall mostly for three things:
It's close proximity to the BRENTWOOD SKYTRAIN STATION, the Zellers that used to operate at the Mall as well as it's visibility in the outdoors, and the Mall's most famous design piece: A tent like Roof.
Yes, the mall is the pinnacle of a BC resident's childhood.
But by 2014, Redevelopment of the mall's area caused some people to be wary of the shopping center until the redevelopment finished.
The result of the redevelopment is the opening of this new Shopping Centre neighborhood THE AMAZING BRENTWOOD which not only consisted of an enlarged Mall with more stores as well as a Cineplex, but also resulted in Highrise apartment integration.
Because of THE AMAZING BRENTWOOD's existence, it became clear that the older mall can't co-exist so by March 2025, the older mall was closed and is set to be demolished.
05: Oakridge Park-Vancouver, BC
This mall is sort of one of my more recent ones I've been to.... at least between 2011 to 2019.
The EB GAMES that was here was also the place where I bought my NINTENDO SWITCH in 2017 so that counts for much nostalgia than one can prod on.
In 2020, the majority of Oakridge Mall was demolished in favor redeveloping the Mall into something modern with Highrise Apartment integration but in my mind, We know that this integration is just a Land Property Owner's jealousy.
I've always joked with my friends that Oakridge Park's redevelopment is just because of BRENTWOOD's redevelopment so the Property Owner got very jealous to the point he decided to do the same SHOPPING NEIGHBORHOOD Renovation to the Oakridge Mall.
As of this writing, the Redeveloped Mall is planning to open later this year in 2025 but my guess is what with the slow progress and all the Anti-Construction posters I'm seeing on the security plyboards, the opening might not be until June 2026.
We'll see.
06: Surrey Central City-Surrey, BC
When my mother and I came back from our third trip to Mexico in October 16 2011, we could not go back to our old apartment so until we moved to my current residence in Clarendon Street, we stayed at my father's apartment which was a walking distance to this mall right here.
This mall sure is big but that's to be expected for a Shopping Centre that's also a neighborhood.
Not much is known about my visits but I mostly went there for this one store where you can trade in Video Games.
I haven't been to this mall in the recent years due to the proximity of it's location as well as the news of gun nuts in the the Surrey, BC area that I'm hearing and reading about.
07: Kingsgate Mall-Vancouver, BC
Another mall that my mother and I sometimes like to go to whenever we want to go across to Broadway Street.
Despite the smaller size of this mall, hence the affectionate name
"THE LITTLE MALL THAT COULD",
KINGSGATE MALL still holds a lot of special memories for me. Situated on the Mt. Pleasant Roadway alongside BROADWAY ST. and also has a road that goes to the MAIN ST. SKYTRAIN Station, this mall is known for it's single story layout with a lot to offer. Plus, it's interior has got that 1970s vibe that most people like.
It's also the same mall where I got both my BLACK MATTE NINTENDO DSi Handheld as well as my 32GB Black Wii-U Deluxe Set.
Both at the still operating SHOPPERS DRUG MART that's near one of the entrances.
Both Game Consoles which I still have in my possession.
There was also this store I used to go to for my DVD & Blu-Ray fix called:
LELY'S BOOKS & TOYS.
Unfortunately, that closed years ago.
In 2024, the Mall has celebrated it's 50th anniversary.
08: Lonsdale Quay Market-North Vancouver, BC
If there's one place that I remember going to during my childhood, it's this right here.
Not really a mall but rather a Marketplace and one that's located in the harbor area of NORTH VANCOUVER.
My mother and I often went here to shop for food, look around, eat McDonalds, and play at the Playground that surrounds this station.
Out of all these Childhood Malls,
Metrotown is the only Childhood mall that I know of that has an integrated Cinema.
Brentwood doesn't count since the original mall never had a cinema, unlike the modern AMAZING BRENTWOOD which I barely even explored aside from a job interview in 2022.
I missed out on both the Lougheed and Oakridge cinemas growing up.
And the 2-Screen Cinema that used to be in downtown is now a TOM LEE MUSIC.
Plus, there are two Multiplex theatres adjacent to DOWNTOWN.
One is INTERNATIONAL VILLAGE near Stadium Station, and the other is SCOTIABANK THEATRE near Burrard Station.
