Jasper Mall takes you inside the titular mall in Alabama to witness the slow, monotonous process of its closing down. To stem the bleeding. Stopped by Jasper Mall on the way home from a road trip. Highly Not trashy. WBHM's Andrew Yeager spoke with Thomason. The mall is viewed as being notorious passe than modern. This film nailed this phenomenon.& man I'd hire that security man.what a good dependable worker! The mall is largely vacant today and mostly abandoned, yet amazingly, was still open for foot traffic as of 2018. The soundtrack was released on vinyl and cassette via the Alabama-based independent record label Earth Libraries. Where are. 118 Temple Ave N Fayette, AL 35555. Jasper Mall Q&A. There would be winners and there would be losers. This shows the lives of some everyday people going about their everyday lives and I found that surprisingly interesting. Cloverleaf Mall opened in 1972, but unfortunately, a new mall opened up just three years later and only 5 miles down the road. If youve ever driven on I-95 between Pennsylvania and Delaware, youve no doubt seen its water tower. A group of lovely people caught up in an inevitable economic tragedy that is coming their way. But in the 1970s, it was the premiere mall in the area. (205) 295-2007. The economic hardships of a once-thriving mall in Jasper, Alabama are highlighted in this film. Material on this site is provided for purposes of education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Jasper Mall opened in August 1981. Filmed at a slow pace and completed with mall music and sounds, it makes you feel you are actually there.I loved it. 0. I would definitely recommend the Jasper Mall to anyone looking for a great shopping experience. A few of your favorite all-time documentaries? I felt like I really new the people and their stories. After filming for a year at the malls patrons, tenants, and employees, the store closed its doors permanently on July 31, 2020. This documentary directed by Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb didn't really give much of any educational, scientific or historical value for the audience to look over. The store closed in March 2017. Thomason: Its definitely presented some challenges. Learn more. Scroll on for a peek inside some abandoned malls and the sad histories of their demise. is jasper mall in alabama still open - coachchic.com To add onto the mess, the shopping center itself sits in a predominately rural mountainous forest area with barely any locals due to the location's violent tornado patterns and borderline economic poverty problems. Slamdance 2020: JASPER MALL Review | Film Pulse Also, I remember being at Brookdale Center in Brooklyn Center, MN before it closed. . Now that you know, have fun looking around! Another thing that the film doesn't point out is how many times, the mall went through foreclosure and who currently owns it. By NICOLE SMITH Daily Mountain Eagle nicole.smith@mountaineagle.com. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Did malls serve a social role for you growing up? It's seemed out of character for them to interact at that location. My parents always visited the department stores, so I spent a lot of time in JC Penney, Palais Royal and Sears. They weren't just places for shopping. Posted 6/17/20. Documentaries like "Jasper Mall" are why I initially started getting into watching docs. The documentary is available for free through Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Vudu, and PLEX. Has anyone seen the documentary "Jasper Mall"? - Reddit All in all I enjoyed this documentary about a dying mall in Jasper Alabama. View all photos (30) Traveler (7) Room & Suite (9) Dining (5) Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety. Wed get there. By | March 10, 2023 | 0 . Recommended Reviews Your trust is our top concern, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. It's easier than ever to make those connections and collaborate. Jasper Mall, Elegy for the Dying Shopping Malls of America - Jezebel (https://catsystemcorp.bandcamp.com/album/--10)#deadmall #deadmalls #mallsoft #deadmallseries Piccadilly Cafeteria in Alameda Mall was a big one for me. I didnt know how there were regulars. Currently there is one anchor store, Belk, and about ten smaller stores. is jasper mall in alabama still open May 21, 2021 For better or worse, malls were and in many places still are, a central gathering place for a town, a place where people meet, couples go on dates, kids get their first jobs, someone opens a business they've always . is jasper mall in alabama still open. [7], Ethan Brehm of Spoiler Magazine named it the best film of the year. Now that you know, have fun looking around! The mall is largely vacant today and mostly abandoned, yet amazingly, was still open for foot traffic as of 2018. Numerous plans for redevelopment have come and gone; the latest was proposed a few months ago. It's called "Jasper Mall" and is named for the shopping center in Walker County, northwest of Birmingham. A growing number of hikers are tackling Alabama's longest continuous footpath and trail communities are welcoming the growth. Jasper Mall hours of operations Store hours may vary. The mall has been sold for $55 million to a New York investment group. The film offers a cross section of people who work there and shop there as well as efforts (generally not successful) to increase foot traffic. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, small businesses will account for 33.3% of all new jobs by 2021. The United States had 116,000 shopping malls in 2017, which is a slight increase over the previous year. You can find a story anywhere in the world, travel to shoot it, and edit it fromyour car if you want. Still, Cloverleaf held on through the 90s, but by 2008 there were so many store vacancies that the mall closed for good. HBCUs capitalize on growing interest by adding sport options, Increasing popularity of Alabamas Pinhoti Trail sparks economic opportunity, Rocky start for Alabama school choice bill, Any school can get you a diploma. The filmmakers don't even give key data like where this mall is even located. Stay up to date on new open call deadlines, film releases, filmmaker interviews,career and film fundingopportunities, and thoughtful words on the South. They shot Jasper Mall throughout 2018. However, without more information it is difficult to provide a definitive answer. An intimate glimpse into the waning days of a dying mall and the souls whose lives are touched and in many ways dependent on it. It is a clip, a small view into what makes our communities work. Facebook. A few key retail places moved so the whole mall is dying. . Zales to close in Jasper Mall. The film will premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival on January 24th, 2020. The new developer intends to convert the space into a community that includes homes, offices and a grocery store. If you have a subscription for Amazon Prime or Sling TV, its available there as well. The stores home will be at the Jasper Mall where the Kmart used to be. The PRICE Act would give families $6,900 in taxpayer money which could be used for private school tuition or homeschooling. Good documentary. I turned this on to use my Amazon Prime Account. [4], Towards the end of the film, more shops including Subway, Grady's Sandwich Shop, Robin's Nest Flowers & Gifts and Jewelry Doctor all close or move. One such example is the filmmaker's request in telling a teen couple's story about the struggles of starting an interracial relationship in the deep south. Co-directors Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb spent a year shooting the film. It certainly made me wistful for the shopping malls of my youth. Some people even chose to move their business to another location by the end of the film. The developer will come to do a land acquisition at the Jasper Mall in the next six weeks. There is no definitive answer to this question as it is unclear who Mike is and where Jasper Mall is located. It is a touching story of the mall manager, who used to keep wildlife in Australia, to the older white men who like to play dominoes at the mall. And so the concept exploded across the country, with multiple malls being built in the outskirts of every major American city and some smaller ones, too. A good example of this was their appearance in the food court toward the end of the film. From Dying to Living: How One Nonprofit Reimagined Vacant Jasper Mall So interesting! Beautifully photographed and lovely interviews. Whitcomb: Films can change your life and we wanted to be a part of that. The absence of youth culture throughout the film is really alarming; seeing how in the 1980s & 1990s, malls would be the ultimate hangout spot for children, while older people were more interested in local ma & pa's downtown stores. A documentary playing at the Sidewalk Film Festival later this month looks at one dying mall here in Alabama. "Jasper Mall" caught my attention instantly with its fascinating protagonist, a Tiger King-like British-Cajun-sounding young guy who ventures into the heart of the Jasper Mall's darkness to mop floors. It captures the struggle of everyday life brilliantly and without narration, but there is always hope tucked away if you look. And stare at the Reebok Pumps I desperately wanted before school started again. Such examples are the amazing analogically-like footage where mostly elderly customers order funeral flowers, play dominos in an empty food court, sing contradicting gospel music and unable to connect with modern technology. Consider These Factors, Bayside Mall: A Popular Shopping Destination In Toronto, The Pros And Cons Of Teen Curfews In Shopping Malls, The Americana At Brand A Luxury Shopping Mall In Los Angeles To Close Its Doors, The Importance Of The Quinceanera Dress And Mass, As Electric Cars Become More Popular Free Charging Stations Are Popping Up Across The Country, The Fashion District: A New Shopping Mall In Philadelphia. Below are more edited excerpts from my recent interview with the "Jasper Mall" filmmakers. Jasper Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Jasper, Alabama, United States, approximately 30 miles (48km) west of Birmingham.[2]. When I see a mall thats kind of barely hanging on or thats not what it once was, I reflect a little bit on the fact theres probably similar stories in all of them. is jasper mall in alabama still open. Frozen Yogurt Shop. what denomination is closest to pentecostal. is jasper mall in alabama still open - internetdominators.com I kept rooting for the store managers that have put their lives into their business. Fisher's - Home - Facebook That would be Victor Gruen, the architect who conceived and planned the first climate-controlled indoor mall in the US. It was respectful and in good taste. Like so many abandoned malls, its decline started in the 80s, accelerated in the 2000s, and by 2011 Woodville was not only struggling to stay afloat, but the structure was in such a state of decay that a judge ordered it closed. That young couple at the fair were pretty adorable. 200 The Mall Way, Jasper, AL 35504-7515 Visit hotel website 1 (800) 566-0916 Write a review Check In / / Check Out / / Guests Hotel direct offer! Jasper City Council approves agreement between city, Rural King for It takes on a sort of community center vibe, I think. ago That first photo brought me back in time to the mid 80's. That was exactly what malls looked like when I was a tiny, new person. In addition to its beauty, the mall is a symbol of the American dream, but it eventually succumbs to the ebbs and flows of time. You can rate this movie to give feedback. Sweet good people affected by change. ago I think it'll make a comeback, eventually. Being 58 myself, this captured so many memories of my days hanging out at the mall. This documentary is not quite good enough to be putting on your shopping list. National Retailers Are Abandoning Small Town, USA - Bisnow Maybe the movie should have focus on that, rather than wasting film footage on the manager/security guard's Mike McClelland romanticizing his past job as a Tiger King type zookeeper. I remember watching Vernon, Florida for the first time and not being able to shake it for a while. In the 90s Toys R Us was a retail powerhouse then the internet happened. SURESTAY HOTEL BY BEST WESTERN JASPER - Prices & Reviews (AL) - Tripadvisor But that property at least has been redeveloped. See all. document.write ("'> Home; News; Sports; Extras; Walker Magazine; Subscribe; Seeing the Jasper Mall for the first time: I was driving back from Nashville one day and saw that the Jasper Mall was right there and just pulled off and walked around for a little while and was immediately taken by how it looked. What impact do you hope your documentary has on people who watch it? is jasper mall in alabama still open - wtlw.com The building was demolished in 2014. [2] The mall's frequent visitors including groups of mall walkers and domino players are also frequently shown. The movie theater in particular was where all the major first-run movies played; I saw all the big blockbusters of the era there, like the original Star Wars movies, Superman (the Christopher Reeves version) Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T. But even by the mid-80s, the mall was getting long in the tooth. Brett Whitcomb: I think the way the mall looked inspired us the most. The opening date for the mall was August 8, 1981. We never did find out if she left her job and travel the world. Jasper, Alabama, near Birmingham 20 xaervagon 6 mo. I would always get my mom to drop me off there for hours and I would watch a movie, eat pizza or if I had enough money eat at Lubys, play video games at Aladdins Castle, shop for CDs at Sam Goodie, walk around Radio Shack. OMary hopes Rural king will attract not only customers, but new businesses to the mall. As the cost of utilities rose throughout the 70s and beyond, retailers had higher overhead to pass on in their pricing, combined with the fact that Americans discretionary income was also on the decline, especially compared to the rollicking consumerism of the 50s and 60s. Seniors get their morning walks in. Because the leasing would be centralized, businesses could reside near each other more strategically than what usually occurred in a typical downtown proper. The director did a great job in letting the story play out, accompanied by savvy camera work. Rock music fans might have seen Windows fun 2019 release Lost Weekend, a documentary short about two Pennsylvania teens who won an MTV contest and got to party with Van Halen for 48 hours. Jasper, AL 35501 205-221-2840 Follow us. Residents of Walker and surrounding counties used to flock to the Jasper Mall for their weekly shopping trips. Added to that, the couple are not really employees nor persistent shoppers at the mall. ClickAmericana.com is made with and by Synchronista LLC 2011-2022. Some people even chose to move their business to another location by the end of the film. Jasper Mall opened in August 1981. Post author: Post published: March 15, 2023; Post category: christina cassini images; Post comments: . Of course, the dreamlike pace also comes from the disciplined editing, the reflective ambient score, and the beautiful photography. And nothing much has changed except we dont get DVDs in the mail anymore. 12 abandoned malls & the history of their heartbreaking decline The decades-old Jasper Mall was once a bustling shopping hub for the residents of Walker and surrounding counties; however, since two of its three anchor stores closed in 2017, both the north and south ends of the mall have remained dark. But with the rise of online shopping, many indoor malls have suffered. It's a both a story of a mall as a physical entity but also as a reference point in the lives of all these invdividuals and their personal stories, from the Zookeeper turnded security and custodian, to Robin the retiring florist, and young starry-eyed interracial couple, the old men playing dominos, the tattooed hair stylist who wants to escape Jasper to do great things in her life. The local paper has reported that it is unusual for a mall to have Kmart as an anchor. By the late 90s, the mall began to falter. Required fields are marked *. [4][5], Sharp Development Group, led by Sam Sharp,[6] purchased the mall from Jasper Mall Associates in 1996. Jasper Mall is still surviving after malls started dying: Are malls We didnt go to film school or anything, we just rented lots of DVDs from Netflix and watched obsessively. Sometimes overlooked is the overbuilding factor that the pace of mall growth was never sustainable, and populations could not realistically support the sheer number of malls built in their communities. Jasper, Alabama's mall is not too far off from this unfortunate fate and is struggling to keep its doors open for the dwindling populace who still walk its hallowed halls, despite the problematic convenience of online . Don't forget to write a review about your visit at Belk in Jasper Mall and rate this store . Whether you're looking for a new outfit, a new book, or just a place to walk around, the Jasper Mall is a great option.