The guy wearing the orange vest saw me snapping a photo with my iPhone 8 and tapped me on the shoulder.
It was against the law to take photos inside Shoppingtown, he told me, calmly. It’s posted on all those white signs in the halls. If somebody from management sees a photo on my social media, they’ll send a cop over to my house to arrest me.
Why just the other day he told this to a teenager who resisted, and a policeman walked over to intervene.
I don’t want to get arrested, I said with a smile, putting my phone in my pocket.
I walked over and read one of those signs. Indeed, one of the 15 or so rules, down near the bottom, it says that you need to get permission first to take photographs in Shoppingtown.
I was taking pictures on a whim.
Having the day off from my library job, I had scooted over to Shoppingtown to buy tickets for the early evening Friday showing of Mary Poppins Returns for my dear wife Karen and I.
She thought the pre-Christmas crowd at Destiny USA on our side of the city would be too much, so suggested we head over to the east. I thought maybe there’d be a line on the opening weekend for this long-awaited sequel. I had a lovely chat with the agent, bought my two tickets, and took a little around the mall.
Regal Cinemas is holding on. There are not a lot other stores in Shoppingtown anymore.
But I am an optimistic guy on this blog. I found some cool photographs.
There were a bunch of guys sitting at a table in food court. Even though there are no longer any restaurants there, they choose to hang out in Shoppingtown!
Shoppingtown from afar. (Photo from Getty Images)
Instead look at the above photo of Shoppingtown from space.
Three retail places on one side have refused to give in. Besides Regal, Rite Aid and a Nail salon are doing business. I was able to get all three in one photograph with creative positioning.
Pin it. (From MapQuest)
Instead look at this map I found through Google. Note that in 2018, it still lists Archbold Stadium. Maybe Shoppingtown can bounce back like this year’s Syracuse University football team!
One storefront was full of art, and even though a proprietor was not there, they listed a phone number to call if you wanted to buy something. I thought made a worthy statement compared to those pulling out altogether.
Over there. (Googled from SyracuseNostalgia.com)
Instead appreciate this old aerial view.
I encountered several groups using Shoppingtown to get their walking exercise. They are not giving up these hall!
Googled from the mall’s site.
Instead, see the route’s they can walk from the center’s site. (Sears has closed, though.)
I have been a patron of Shoppingtown since I moved to Syracuse in the early 1980s. Done right, it balances the mega complex Destiny USA. I root for a comeback of some sort. Call me a cock-eyed optimist.
Mark Bialczak 
I enjoyed my chuckle of your make-do pictures of the complex. Way to comply AND get a little creative. 😉 It’s sad to see the smaller places crumble when the bigger places get built. I am not a fan of the super huge complexes….it’s “too much” at times.
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This mall is a good medium-sized spot. I root for it to come back in some manner, MBC. Thanks for appreciating my photo selection.
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I loved your creativity and lawful behavior.
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they are clearly very sensitive about the current state of the mall, so much so that they have banned photos. hopefully it will begin to fill sooner rather than later. i love the creative and out of the box approach you took to get around the challenges to show us the mall ))
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There is a need for this mall to shine, in my opinion, Beth.
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Sigh. This was a great post, but empty shopping centers depress me. I especially hate it when they build a new one close to an old, empty one.
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Yes, that is very depressing, PK. We let go when there’s no need, I agree.
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Interesting. I’ve never heard of a mall not allowing people to take pictures inside. In fact, I was thinking of going to our local mall, The Galleria, to do just that – until the other night when the cops had to break up a number of teenage fights. I think I’ll wait a month or so ’til things calm down.
PS – You certainly could have published a photo from outside, like maybe from inside your car, right? Or do they monitor that, too?
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I thought of that, CM, but decided to make a point about the whole matter my way.
Dust-ups in malls are too frequent everywhere, from what I hear on the news. Ugh.
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The whole culture seems to be going downhill. There’s absolutely no respect for any kind of authority these days.
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Heh. Anchored by Sears. Say bye-bye. The current trend of the failed retail centers is re-purposing them as forward warehouse/distribution points for online retailers focusing on a means to get products that are hard to buy online (things that require sizes, trying-on, subtle color decisions, etc) closer to the consumer. So maybe you’ll have Amazon position an outlet there. Meanwhile, great photos, I felt that I was right there in Shoppingtown with all the colors, sounds and excitement of the season. 🙂
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Yes, Tom, there are STILL some things too nuanced to buy online. Right?! Amazon and others could be superb community partners.
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Loved your out of this world shots of Shoppingtown! Happy New Year!
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Thanks, Nance. Happy New Year!
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I call you an optimist and a very resourceful blogger, Mark. ❤
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I try, Ann. Thank you.
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Rules 💜
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Somebody has to make them, somebody has to decide whether or not to follow them, Willow.
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Indeed 💚💚 Happy New Year 💜
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