Xennial family ! These are some pics from the mall I grew up near from the 1980’s and early 90’s (Smith Haven Mall) smoking inside the malls was a thing back then Back then. Indoor malls was my lifeline to see friends and hang out on Friday nights …..I miss those days !
Posted by ComplexWrangler1346@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 124 comments
PlantAcrobatic302@reddit
I sometimes forget how crowded malls were back in the 80s and 90s given how empty they usually are now. Back then, malls were much more of a social gathering place and hangout destination - generally fun places to be, especially around December. Now, at least half of the malls from the city I grew up in are closed or gone. Changing times, I guess.
ZophieWinters@reddit
12 that guy is definitely selling some weed to the other guy
lsp2005@reddit
This is so Long Island.
Pale_Row1166@reddit
As a teenager in the 90s, I went out to Garden City from NYC to go to a mall for the first time and I was blown away that this thing that I’d only seen on TV actually existed, the way TV depicted, and it was only like 30 minutes away.
lsp2005@reddit
I spent every weekend at the mall. You would walk around, window shop, and have lunch at the food court. It was the place to see and be scene. This was an integral part of my teenage life.
Pale_Row1166@reddit
We did the urban version of all these things. Took the subway to different neighborhoods to eat, window shop, walk around. Go to parks and people watch. I think it’s the same activities, just wildly different contexts.
ScreenTricky4257@reddit
IKR? Hello to my fellow Xennial Long Islanders.
lsp2005@reddit
One of us!
Antricluc@reddit
Damnnn I forgot about smithhaven mall in Long Island right!?
ScreenTricky4257@reddit
on Long Island
Antricluc@reddit
Innnnnn the middle?
ComplexWrangler1346@reddit (OP)
Yep !
nucl3ar0ne@reddit
Although part of it is now medical offices.
Liljagaren@reddit
I miss those big Christmas mall displays with all the fun animitronics
landoawd@reddit
Props to Micheal Galinsky for the photos.
mgalinsky@reddit
Thanks for the nod - first and last are from south square in durham nc
landoawd@reddit
You got it. I was a kickstarter backer for the first release of Decline and have Malls as well. I live just down the road (greenway) and have fond memories of South Square.
mgalinsky@reddit
Appreciate it man. Message me your address
mgalinsky@reddit
Appreciate it
TummyPuppy@reddit
I owned the pants in slide 6
anhydrousslim@reddit
You know I don’t remember smoking in the mall being a thing. Even in the 80s. Maybe it was regional.
Sedona83@reddit
I don't remember it, either, as I was allergic to cigarette smoke. Our family never went to bowling alleys or most restaurants due to it, but malls were fine.
Wolfwoods_Sister@reddit
Same here? I was raised in NC too, in the tobacco belt, but I don’t recall smoking indoors at the mall just in general. You could in the restaurants.
neo_neanderthal@reddit
The ones in Denver allowed smoking up until at least the mid-90s or so, though only in certain smoking areas.
DominaSaltopus@reddit
It was regional. I'm in the Northeast, we could smoke in the smoking sections in restaurants in the mall but not in the main areas. I visited Texas in the late 90s and you could smoke in the main promenade areas, ashtrays everywhere
WENUS_envy@reddit
Seaview Square Mall (RIP) in NJ allowed smoking through at least part of HS! It was gross but also a novelty
chicapoo@reddit
In upstate New York, I remember there being smoking in the main area of the mall in the mid 80s. I think it stopped by the late 80s.
anhydrousslim@reddit
Yes - that sounds right to me
GreenZebra23@reddit
In the ones in my town there was always an old guy sitting on a bench smoking a pipe and it always smelled amazing
troma-midwest@reddit
Malls in the 90s were just smoky bars for the blue hairs. And their private walking gym before 10am.
DevTheGray@reddit
This is a bot post. These pics make the rounds at least a few times a year across various subs.
ARazorbacks@reddit
I do not miss the restaurant smoking section separated from the non-smoking section by a chest-high wall.
That malicious compliance came from the same people who said they couldn’t wear a seatbelt because they might have an accident on a bridge, fall off, and drown. Fucking dummies.
Mstiecrow@reddit
Our Ryan's had more than a chest high wall, thankfully. It was lattice that started chest high and went to the ceiling. The smoke was polite enough to not go through the 5 inch square holes in the barrier, very convenient.
pinkocatgirl@reddit
It was funnier when they put up full glass enclosures around the smoking area, it was like the restaurant had a zoo exhibit lol
ARazorbacks@reddit
Dude, I remember seeing the glass smoking enclosure in an airport once. For everyone who was too young or not around at the time, I‘m going to paint you a picture.
You’re walking down the concourse passing gates and food joints on your way to your gate. Your family’s with you because, ya know, patriotism in the face of terrorism hasn’t happened yet. You’re about halfway down the concourse when, on your left, an area opens up. There aren’t any seats in the area because it’s basically taken up by a big, glass room with a single door. There’s no seating in the room, so it’s packed with standing people. The air around you is crystal clear which means the pea soup-like haze in the glass room is…well, it’s jarring because it’s so out of place.
I don’t know from first hand experience what those people smelled like when they came out, but I can imagine it. I’d probably ask to be re-assigned a new seat if I had to sit next to one of them.
Allaplgy@reddit
"Designating a smoking section in a restaurant is like roping off a peeing area in a pool."
ScotterMcJohnsonator@reddit
My first "career" was at a big box home retailer, and there were ash trays in all the service desks
Ayuuun321@reddit
This was my mall, too! Small world
fyrefly_faerie@reddit
It’s amazing how many Long Islanders are in this subreddit.
caldor_commander@reddit
I’ve been following this subreddit for less than a week and have already zoomed in on 2 different posts to see if I happened to be in the background 🤣
mlm_24@reddit
I don’t miss the smoking indoors
gvsteve@reddit
In my college town they had a big discussion about banning smoking in bars and restaurants, around 2004. There was a huge outcry, letters to the editor, radio shows, people were PISSED about this infringement on their freedom by nanny government.
The first night of going to bars, coming home and waking up the next morning and you don’t smell like absolute ass, I literally never heard a single complaint about it ever again.
mlm_24@reddit
When the state passed smoking ban a guy I met lit up in a the Huddle House. His little protest got him arrested
mhyquel@reddit
I don't miss other people smoking indoors. I miss smoking indoors.
Ippus_21@reddit
Right. Gross. Part of the reason I didn't hang out in places like that.
jstbcs@reddit
not a smoker, never have been, the world was a better place when there was indoor smoking.
Grammareyetwitch@reddit
Padme: because we were kids then, not the smoke, right?
nneighbour@reddit
As a kid, there was a department store that didn’t let you smoke in the rest of the store, but did let you smoke in the bathroom. I remember my grandmother taking me to the bathroom of the store so she could have a dart.
Britlantine@reddit
Everyone looks to be a healthy weight
Slim_Margins1999@reddit
From all the smoking…
harrimsa@reddit
The fake plastic trees cleaned the smoke out of the air.
96385@reddit
I still see the occasional woman rocking that big hair and bangs because they haven't changed since 1988.
btrumpatori@reddit
Smithaven mall was my mall growing up. Spent a lot of weekends walking around there with friends in the '90's. Definitely don't miss indoor smoking though.
Buckeye_Randy@reddit
Ikari warriors was not a game for the weak.
TheDankMiss_@reddit
Oh, take me back. I miss pre internet days.
loztriforce@reddit
I recall malls smelling like cigarettes and chlorine from the water fountains.
nola_mike@reddit
Everything smelled like cigarettes
Silent_Ad8059@reddit
Those women in the first pic are in their early 40s. Don't smoke, kids.
whorf-street@reddit
Is it wrong my first reaction to these photos was that I’m happy online shopping killed the mall? As a Xennial, I’m too young to be a crusty old man, yet.
fyrefly_faerie@reddit
I have fond memories of that mall.
VectorJones@reddit
Clouds of cigarette smoke at every family reunion. "Smoking or non-smoking?" was the greeting by every waitress at the restaurants we went to (not that I have an issue with wait persons, that's just what we called them at the family dining places we went to.) Ashtrays at McDonalds, ashtrays in movie theater seats. My dad's collection of branded ashtrays. Collecting the little inserts that came with my grandmother's packs of Marlboro's and organizing them by color and content. Sitting in the passenger seat of the family sedan pushing the cigarette lighter and then looking at the coils glow red hot.
So much of my childhood involved cigarettes.
TP_Crisis_2020@reddit
Ashtrays and cigarette lighters in cars too.
johndicks80@reddit
Love these. I remember going to the food court in the late 80s and it being so packed it was hard to find a seat. Tons of foliage everywhere.
TP_Crisis_2020@reddit
Malls were ALWAYS crammed, especially during the christmas rush. I worked at our mall in high school and black friday was a literal nightmare.
lieutenantLT@reddit
It was a simpler time.
No_Raisin_250@reddit
I’m surprised someone hasn’t come on and told you wasn’t simpler but people don’t get when we say this what it mean is we lived in the moment, we enjoyed friends company, we laughed, we played. We didn’t worry about other generations, what ailments we had, what we were a victim of, what generational trauma affected us, didn’t read into everything anyone said, we just were, we lived.
TP_Crisis_2020@reddit
We were social because personal technology devices had not been invented yet.
jamesfox019@reddit
My mall Paducah, Ky had a seating section outside the sears where the old men would smoke pipes and cigarettes even had a store called tobacco lane - I LOVED that store !!!!! This and getting Boston baked beans out of a candy machine in the same area are my core child hood memories
MoulanRougeFae@reddit
My mall in Bloomington Indiana had a Tobacco Lane! It's where I bought my camel vanilla and camel chocolate mint cigarettes. I still have a few of the tins from those flavored series.
I honestly miss the mall. Maybe because i.met my husband at the mall and it was also where my first real job was. I worked at Hot Topic, Spencer's and the pet store there.
TP_Crisis_2020@reddit
My high school job was at our mall's Sam Goody. Working at the mall, especially a music store, earned you a lot of cred at school.
TP_Crisis_2020@reddit
Our mall had a tobacco store too. My dad was into cigars, so he'd always stop by there. I hated smoke, but strangely loved the smell of that tobacco store.
PuppyJakeKhakiCollar@reddit
Look at that. Crowds of people hanging out and interacting with each other, not staring down at a screen. I had forgotten what that looked like.
TP_Crisis_2020@reddit
Or with earbuds in 24/7 ignoring the world around them.
dundeegimpgirl@reddit
The memories I have of going to the mall. My dad would take my older brother and younger sister and I to give mom a break. I remember at 7 or 8 walking around while he sat in the food court smoking. Later when I was 10/11 he'd take us, give my sister and i 5 bucks each and we would pool the money to get the latest Babysitters Club book at Waldenbooks. Dad always had book money. We would meet him and on occasion mom at Hardee's where they sat, talked, had a cup or two of coffee and smoked. I miss my parents but the memory's are nice.
ToastyWonder@reddit
Not mall related, but Hardees was the hang out spot for all the old men in town at breakfast time. My dad was there about every morning.
kellyk311@reddit
Hear me out - I say we turn all existing mall property into xennial retirement communities. Walking track, food court complete with orange julious and an aladins castle just outside if it, movie theater - Perfect! Each old regular store could be 3-4 apartments but department stores could easily be 30 or so. Throw an urgent care in the middle of it and BAM!
IncompetentFox@reddit
San Junipero.
kellyk311@reddit
Thats top 3 black mirror for me!
Mopa304@reddit
80s Ash Ketchum playing Ikari Warriors. I wonder if he loves it because it's so bad.
SweetCosmicPope@reddit
I remember when indoor smoking was banned in our town in the late 90s or early 2000s. The very next day all of the smoking pedestals had been put outside. Dozens of them at each mall entrance. lol
codebygloom@reddit
A few by me setup event tents outside some of the entrances with heaters during the winter for the workers and visitors to smoke in. Until some idiot flicked his butt on the floor instead of putting it into the pedestal and set one one fire.
username__0000@reddit
A huge popular bar rented an apartment next door for VIP smokers. lol
It didn’t last long because of complaints. But I remember it making the news or something.
erino3120@reddit
The brand new clothes in the stores used to smell like smoke.
MiserableMood5158@reddit
Where’s the Orange Julius?
ComplexWrangler1346@reddit (OP)
Here you go
Jolly-Owl-7583@reddit
Ahhhhh!!! I still go to Smith Haven!! Wild to see it like this.
Level_Improvement532@reddit
Smithaven mall. Oh look who’s fancy! 😉
Walt Whitman mall was for us poors to the west 😂
Ok_Land_38@reddit
I loved going to the the Smith Haven Mall back in the 90’s.
SnareHanger@reddit
Ever go to Spaceplex in Nesconset. That place was amazing. Rad if you will
VotingRightsLawyer@reddit
Whether you went to Spaceplex or Sports Plus is the Xennial-Millennial divide for kids who grew up in Suffolk County.
SnareHanger@reddit
I was so bummed when it switched. One of my best birthdays growing up, my dad took me and a friend to Spaceplex and he got us both a huge bag of tokens. Played games for hours. Mostly NeoGeo arcade, Time Traveler, OG Street Fighter and some kind of motorcycle game
Wise-Tourist-6747@reddit
Haha I went to stony brook universe. Frequented smith haven mall a lot on those years!
WendyWilliamsFart@reddit
Ooh is #7 single?
monsterlynn@reddit
Malls were wonderful places especially where winters could be harsh. I miss them especially for that.
LittlehouseonTHELAND@reddit
They were great for summers too! It was an air conditioned place where you could hang out for a few hours, and it could be free if you didn’t buy anything. Nothing like that really exists any more.
magsli@reddit
I’m from LI, too!!
jgnp@reddit
Ikari Warriors was the shit!
chawrawbeef@reddit
I can smell these pictures. Seriously, scent memories kicked in right away. Smith Haven was the only mall I’d been to for most of my life- definitely until I was at least 18. And it was a big deal to go there. Like, a 45 minute drive. And we always drove in from the side where we had to pass the Toys R Us first and we would beg to go in there, but it was so rare that we actually did. The worst was the time when I thought we were going to the Toys R Us after the mall because we went into that parking lot, but my mom actually took us into the Service Merchandise or whatever it was next door to it.
HumbleAbbreviations@reddit
Hate smoking but miss the access to free/cheap third spaces.
BugEquivalents@reddit
I remember back to school shopping with my mom consisted of her sitting on a bench smoking in the mall while we picked stuff out and tried it on. It was a task we all dreaded.
Flashy-Share8186@reddit
some GREAT shots of 80s bangs in the later photos! Crunchy!
ryhoyarbie@reddit
Looking at all those smokers 🤢
_dangling_participle@reddit
The women in the first slide were 35 years old.
SnowMission6612@reddit
You got 2 laughs out of me. One for the joke and one for saying "slide", like reddit is just our uncle's family room bringing out the slide carousel after he got back from Hawaii.
_dangling_participle@reddit
LOL
All 657. With steady running commentary and colorful jokes about being lei'd.
nvmls@reddit
Our mall doesn't even have benches anymore. People sit on the floor and you trip over them half the time.
PistolGrace@reddit
Above the food court in the local mall in my area had a huge play area called Physical Whimsical.
There was big soft blocks, a trike race track, shadow wall, a thing you climbed that was weaved with flat rubber bands that pulled your hair out add you climbed up, and other play areas.
Parents would pay the cheap fare and leave all the kids there while they shopped the mall. There was a water fountain that probably gave everyone chicken pox.
Latch key kids are a different breed.
theshub@reddit
Take me back
Jerkrollatex@reddit
It looks like Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach in the 1980-1990s.
yellow_pomelo_jello@reddit
Everybody is skinny. Maybe from the cigarettes.
panda_9779@reddit
Someone said that all the old run down shopping malls should be converted into Gen X retirement homes. Give me an apartment above the Waldenbooks, and down the way from the food court and I'm there!
Putrid-Art-1559@reddit
This brings back memories of my mall. My mom let me sit on the bench in the middle of the mall outside a store so she could run in. I saw the cool looking black sand in the ashtrays and decided to play in it. I can still hear my mom yelling at me to get the hell out of there. The 80’s were certainly a different time.
Thorn_and_Thimble@reddit
I miss mall Christmas displays. They always made everything seem magical
Dense_Surround3071@reddit
I don't think modern generations understand the prolific nature of smoking indoors back then.
draculasbloodtype@reddit
I lived in Coram for a few years in the late 2000s. Been to Smith Haven many times!
gummi-demilo@reddit
Makes me nostalgic for early Metrocenter, aka San Dimas Mall
Itchy-Noise341@reddit
I remember smoking at the mall was a big deal for my group. We could do it but also had to look out for family or someone that we were hiding it from. Otherwise it was a big time rebellion moment.
HratioRastapopulous@reddit
7 of that dude standing by the wall should be an album cover
samsghost28@reddit
Look how crowded it is! Ah, in person shopping.
graveybrains@reddit
Having recently made a Double Dragon reference, of course someone would post a Double Dragon arcade machine 😂
ErnieBochII@reddit
I hope the kid from Kings Park didn’t get jumped by those toughs from New….whatever I forget.
Eredic@reddit
We actually went to the Mall of America a couple weeks ago, and I was shocked at your many kids WERE there. Very packed on a Saturday night. Good to see!
mattchewy43@reddit
KINGS PARK HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES!!!!!
pleasentlyPizza@reddit
Double Dragon!