Terrifying images reveal the inside of an abandoned 550,000 square meter shopping center that was left ‘frozen’ in the 1990s after falling into financial ruin

Travel

In the middle of a Canadian city lies an abandoned shopping center that serves as a time capsule for the ’90s, as a fascinating documentary reveals.

Filmmaker Jake Williams was granted access to the City Center Mall in Hamilton, Ontario, and he took a thorough walk around to examine its innards.

He was shocked to discover that the mall – which opened in 1990 after a CA$150 million investment and closed in 2022 – appeared frozen in time, with the interior “completely preserved and completely unchanged.”

In one scene, he enters a former office, where he finds clothes in a closet, photos lying around and a retro computer on the desk. As he turns the camera around, he says, “Oh my God, has anyone been here since 1990?”

Filmmaker Jake Williams was given access to the City Center Mall in Hamilton, Ontario, and he took a thorough walk around to examine its innards.

Jake reveals the mall was originally called the Hamilton Eaton Center and faced several hurdles over the years as footfall declined

The developer who bought the abandoned shopping centre, IN8 Developments, said plans to convert it into residential and retail space had been “paused until the property market improves”.

After the mall closed, there were plans to demolish it to make way for a billion-dollar mixed-use residential and retail development, but plans are currently on hold.

“There are pictures of them building this room… and painting it. I think I accidentally entered the 1994 office. This is bizarre…the clothes are scattered everywhere,” he added.

In another scene, Jake ventures to the mall’s food court, where he finds the remains of several eateries, including a Persian restaurant and an Italian that sells a plate of pasta for CA$3.99.

Other items on the menu include 12 wings for CA$10.99 and a hot chicken sub for CA$5.49.

While looking around the dining room, Jakes tells viewers that “the whole place stinks like hell.”

Of the food court design, he says the aqua green “chairs and tables bring back so much nostalgia” and “even the hip cans are straight out of the 90s.”

As Jake walks through the mall, viewers get a sense of its scale, with the main atrium having a grand vaulted ceiling and a glass elevator providing access to two balcony levels.

When it was open, the City Center Mall offered more than 50,000 square feet of commercial space, and hundreds of people worked in the sprawling building.

Jake reveals that the mall was originally called the Hamilton Eaton Center and has faced several hurdles over the years as footfall declined. After the name change and sale to a new owner, it finally closed its doors on December 26, 2022.

In Jake’s film, it appears that after the mall closed, most of its contents were left behind

When it was open, the City Center Mall offered more than 50,000 square feet of commercial space, and hundreds of people worked in the sprawling building.

Vintage images show the mall when it was at its peak and busy with shoppers

Jake makes his way to the mall’s food court, where he finds the remains of several eateries, including a Persian restaurant.

In Jake’s film, it appears that after closing most of the contents are left behind.

A Dollar Store in the mall still has “closing sale” stickers taped to the outside, along with other signs informing shoppers that a 70 percent discount applies to all merchandise.

At the discount store, Jake discovers that many unsold items have been thrown away, while he also notices a ‘wall of shame’ behind the cash registers with photos of unruly customers still taped up.

In another part of the building, Jake discovers an office space that was used as a call center, with cubicles still intact and decorated with headsets.

Meanwhile, another corner of the mall was converted into a gym to attract customers. However, no machine was left behind.

Regarding the condition of the building, Jake says that the “disrepair doesn’t look that bad, but when you look in certain corners it starts to show that this building has only just been here.”

He notes that there is water damage in some parts of the structure, with the “paint starting to peel.”

His images also show that some interiors, such as the elevator doors, have been vandalized with graffiti.

After the shopping center closed, there were ambitions to demolish it to make way for a $1 billion mixed-use residential and retail development, but plans are currently on hold.

The developer who bought the abandoned mall, IN8 Developments, said CBC in December 2023 that it had “halted the project and demolition until the real estate market improves.”

Company Chairman Darryl Firsten offered hope to the city’s residents, adding, “In the meantime, we will continue to refine and improve our design.” It will be a great project.’