Who remembers the mall! The go-to place for moms, teens, and anyone else 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 that 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 sit in a massage chair.

Or photos with Santa!

I took these photos at Marketplace Mall in Henrietta (Rochester) NY, back when I was shooting Olympus gear. 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 a 43-year run and a few desperate years spent in the ghost-mall stage, Marketplace closed in 2025.

Hope you enjoyed this walk down Memory Lane!

(published February 12, 2026)