I spent $20 on a mall food court map from 1992

Found it at a flea market in Akron, Ohio, and it paid off huge. The map showed me the exact layout of the dead mall I was exploring, including a hidden service corridor behind the old Orange Julius. That corridor led to the original arcade room with all the neon signs still hanging. Has anyone else found old mall memorabilia that actually helped on a trip?

2 comments

2 Comments

jake_owens13d ago

Any old map or directory from a dead mall is worth grabbing if the price is right. Your mileage may vary on whether it actually helps you find stuff, but in my experience, these things are incredibly accurate for service routes and back hallways. I once found a 1987 directory that showed a loading dock entrance that had been completely walled over by the 2000s. That dock door let me get into a maintenance area full of old signage and fixtures nobody had touched in decades. The key is to pay attention to the small details like elevator locations and emergency exits, those rarely change even when the stores get gutted and rebuilt. Grab old directories and tenant lists anytime you see them under $10, they are usually worth the gamble if you are doing any serious exploration.

mila_perry1313d ago

Used to think old mall maps were just silly collector junk, but this totally flips it. Never considered they'd actually show you secret hallways and stuff that got sealed up later. Guess I'm grabbing every dusty directory I see now.