That tip about checking the parking lot first saved me a wasted trip

A guy on this forum named Mike from Ohio told me to always check Google Maps satellite view of the parking lot before driving out to a dead mall. I thought it was overkill but tried it on the old Granite Run Mall near Philly last weekend. Sure enough, you could see the roof was totally caved in and the lot was being used for construction storage. Saved me a 45 minute drive for nothing. What's your go-to trick for scouting a spot before you head out?

2 comments

2 Comments

robert_jones8d ago

That bit about checking the satellite view is solid, I've been doing that for a while now. Another thing I always do is hit up local Facebook groups for the town the mall is in. People are always posting about construction or demo plans, sometimes even before it hits the news. Got tipped off about the Coventry Mall in CT that way, knew the Sears was getting bulldozed before I drove an hour. Also check recent Google reviews, look for ones complaining about the parking lot or stores closing.

angelacooper7d agoTop Commenter

Wait, is checking satellite views and Facebook groups really THAT important for a mall visit? I mean, @robert_jones, I get that you don't want to waste a drive but aren't you overthinking this a bit? Like, who's really gonna be crushed if a Sears is gone or a parking lot is empty? Most malls are half dead anyway, you can usually tell from the road if it's worth stopping. I pulled up to the Coventry Mall last year without any research and it was fine, just sad looking. Honestly feels like you're doing more work than a real estate agent for a trip to the food court.