California Built a Glittering Mega Mall in 1977. It Took 22 Years to Abandon It One Floor at a Time

In 1977, California unveiled a glittering mega mall that symbolized the future of American shopping. With multiple floors, major department stores, restaurants, and endless retail space, it was designed to attract millions of visitors and dominate the region for decades. But the future never arrived as planned. Over the next 22 years, store closures, changing consumer habits, and growing competition slowly emptied the mall one floor at a time. What was once a bustling retail destination became a ghost of its former self, leaving behind vacant corridors, dark storefronts, and a cautionary tale about America's retail decline. In this video, we explore the rise, success, decline, and eventual abandonment of one of California's most ambitious shopping centers. How does a mall built to last generations end up forgotten? And what remains of it today? Watch until the end to discover the full story.