Who remembers the mall! The go-to place for moms, teens, and anyone else wanting to shop, see a movie, meet for coffee, or just hang out. . .and to see Santa!

Video may have killed the radio star, but it was computers — big, small, and handheld — that snuffed out this delightful icon of the pre-millenium and replaced it with one-day-delivery ordered from virtual warehouses, where you may return items with no fee but you will never have the unique experience of an Orange Julius. Or a massage chair.

Or photos with Santa!

This was Marketplace Mall in Henrietta (Rochester) NY, back when I was shooting Olympus. I had a feeling even then that I was chronicling a bit of local color that would soon become history — and I was and it did. After tempting buyers with alternate use ideas and then spending some time in the ghost-mall stage, the 43-year-old Marketplace closed in 2025.

Hope you enjoyed this walk down Memory Lane!

(published February 12, 2026)