Abandoned Mall: Villa Italia Mall - Lakewood, CO
Villa Italia Mall in Lakewood, Colorado, opened in March 1967.
It closed for good on July 15th, 2001.
I'm not going to get into the biography of the large shopping mall. My experiences there number a grand total of two. Once in June of 2000 (for a baseball card show), and the other in May, 2001, when I took these pictures. Since there was no emotional attachment on my behalf toward the place, I know next to nothing about it.
There are a few good sites with real information and more pictures of Villa Italia. Both in it's heyday and in it's depressed run down state. I consulted these for this story.
Deadmalls has a basic biography, that is a good starting point.
A link appears at the bottom of the page that takes you to another site with a nice selection of Villa Italia photos. Or you can just click here...
So let me add my piece to that total!
In May 2001, my mom was in town from Minnesota. She was in Denver visiting my sister (who lived in Lakewood) and myself (I lived in Englewood). This Colorado appearance was timed so that she could see a Rockies game with me...
That also happened to be an Expos game!
As I said, I have no emotional attachment to Villa Italia. I was aged 21-26 when the mall was open and I lived somewhat close. So going to shopping malls was something I avoided if at all possible.
My mom told me that one afternoon she was going to look at the closing mall and check out any "Going Out Of Business" sales taking place. Even though it wasn't something I put much thought into at the time, I decided to go along, bringing my very crappy 35mm camera with.
I’m sure people that are interested in Villa Italia Mall, know it a whole lot better than I do. So I’m just going to present my pictures and what I think of them. Hopefully these will trigger some memories for anyone who spent more time here than I did…
Now I regret not shooting more than one roll of film!
Hi Mom!
They ultimately lost their lawsuit, but their building ultimately won...
While the rest of Villa Italia was demolished, Foley's old building was saved and repurposed for a buncha Dick's!
Had I possessed a better camera, I would have gotten a much clearer picture of this directory.
Let me try to zoom in a little…
Not a whole lot better, but somewhat readable in places...
Damn I wish this was a better photo…
A small fountain in the middle of the mall, with a soon-to-be closed Zales Jewelers sitting the background.
I don't know if those people are customers or mall employees.
None of Yum Brands’ nasty wet cat food tacos are available here anymore…
In fact the entire Food Court is wide open with ample seating, but there are zero open food options.
The Asiana Grill has gone cold…
Luca Pizza is fresh out…
More tables for no customers…
Further away from the Food Court was the Swiss Pretzel Shop.
Which looked more open than most of the closed up retail spaces.
Dillard’s was the first mall anchor to close on October 31, 2000. Before Dillard's, this space was Joslyn's department store. They were an original Villa Italia Mall tenant, dating back to it’s opening in 1966.
Despite having closed over seven months before these pictures, the Dillard’s store still had a lot of fixtures left inside. Should have tried for better pictures.
Walking up the non-operational escalators, here’s the second floor entrance to Dillard’s.
Goody aint got it anymore…
And when they did, they charged 25% more than other retailers for it!
Picture Perfect in an imperfect picture!
About 15 years ago, I was working on a story about a dying mall in my hometown. Most of that project was eventually scrapped, and what did see the light of day can be found here (20/20 Sound at Northtown Mall). At the time, I was recording audio interviews with my friends about our memories of certain locations around town. These recordings would be transcribed for stories in future issues of Wasted Quarter. When it came time to talking about that mall, and in particular, the Suncoast video at Northtown, he summed his views up something like this:
Suncoast Video… Where you can pay $25 for a VHS cassette that you can get at Best Buy for $17. The smarmy attitude of the cashiers loved to lord over your head that they could look things up in their computer. As if it was some spectacular piece of miracles. Neither of us had ever bought anything at Suncoast, but we looked there each time we went to the mall. But even looking at their inventory was difficult. For whatever reason, Suncoast decided to display the VHS cassettes facing out. So you could see the titles and pictures on the boxes. Up front, but not behind them without moving a bunch of tapes. Media needs to be displayed spine out!
Something tells me that our gripes with the Northtown Suncoast would have also applied to the store at Villa Italia Mall…
Speaking of stores that strike an emotional kick to my groin, would be Waldenbooks. I loved Waldenbooks as a kid. It was a much better book store than B. Dalton’s Booksellers. Walden stocked better comic books, better comedy books and more (for a brief period) Dungeons and Dragons stuff than B. Dalton did. Walden also sold packs of baseball cards during the junk wax era, which I never saw at the Dalt.
Next door to ex-Walden was Pocket Change, the remnants of Villa Italia’s video arcade. Shockingly still open at this time, but breathing it’s last gasp. The sign in the doorway was informing customers that most of the remaining machines inside were for sale to anyone interested.
Inside and around the back sat the last three video games at Villa Italia. Galaga and Ms. Pac Man were selling for close to $1000 each. Not a bargain at all considering the condition of the machines. Arkanoid in the middle had a lower price tag on it, but it was still well over $500. And it’s not even an original Arkanoid machine!
Before leaving, I played a game of Ms. Pac Man. The joystick was loose and not as responsive as it needs to be. Sure, I’ll waste a quarter on it, but not $900 to keep the cabinet.
As nice as she would have looked in my (then) apartment, sitting next to her husband…
Montgomery Ward closed their Villa Italia Mall location in March, 2001. Anchoring the west end of the mall, with an mall entrance next door to an abandoned glasses store.
With another fountain next to another store gasping for breath, with the mall closing around it…
You know, I bet they sold FILM inside that store!
Because unfortunately, I’ve run out of Villa Italia pictures to talk about...
So I guess it’s time to leave…
Villa Italia closed the mall on July 15th, 2001.
After the expected period of asbestos removal and interior pre-demolition work, actual demolition of Villa Italia Mall started in January, 2002.
By the fall of 2002, construction had already began on the BelMar development. The entire mall property would be redeveloped into a new “downtown” for Lakewood.
Not sure if this 1960’s inspired sign for BelMar was placed to hint at the land’s past, but I’ll give them points for trying. The new mixed use-use retail/residential development would be similar in scope to what many other suburban areas that once held a large shopping mall, did with the land after redevelopment. Amidst the overpriced luxury apartments and condos, retail anchors such as Target, Best Buy, Whole Foods and a 16 screen movie theater would be built on Villa Italia’s grave.
I saw one movie there:
I remember falling asleep during it at one point, only to be jolted awake by a chick screaming.
In the movie, not the theater.
The current main drag of Bel Mar.
Almost following the east/west path of Villa Italia’s main mall walkway.
Hope you have better memories of the place than I do.
Which are pretty much, none.
Whoa!! Very cool, very eerie. Wish the abandoned mall could’ve stayed.
ReplyDeleteIt was beautiful and had great stores with style
ReplyDeleteI miss this mall and all the days I spent in it. I remember these last days in the photos here so well lol!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in this mall. I used to be babysat by the employees at Asiana grill. I would collect trays and draw pictures in the back room. I’d watch the old chinese dudes flame wok while they smoked cigarettes.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the restaurant that had s huge tree inside?
ReplyDeleteIt was a Mexican restaurant that I remember being called "El Charrito" but I don't know if that name is correct. I've been trying to track down info and possible pictures of tis restaurant for a long time. I remember eating there as a kid and I loved their beef enchiladas. It had to have closed sometime in the early to mid 70's. By 77, that area under the fake tree had become multiple little shops.
DeleteIt was YumYumTree. Had a variety of food counters inside.
DeleteWhat was the restaurant that had s huge tree inside?
ReplyDeleteI think the restaurant was Chicas. My grandmother owned the Merle Norman franchise just across from the restaurant. Ate there plenty in the late 70's early 80's when I was a kid.
DeleteI vividly remember Villa Italia. It closed when I was 12. I remember buying Pokemon cards there, and my love of that specific neon-tubing and plants and faux marble aesthetic definitely came from my time spent at Villa Italia. I still have dreams set there. The cobblestone-like floors, damn, I remember...I remember all of this.
ReplyDeleteOh man, I remember being dragged around the mall with my mom after school and I remember the smell of the Wilson Leather store. This is wild to see.
DeleteI remember going to Villa for much of my youth, from Holiday shopping and the Arcade to just going for an Orange Julius, I hold fond memories. During its last days I was in High School and wandered about the few remaining stores, it was a sad end to a once bustling hub of the community.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memoriam!
I was 6 years old when the mall opened and spent a lot of time there with my Mom and as I got older just hanging out there. I hated the way they remodeled the mall in the 80's with the second level. They got rid of the Italian theme and it's unique look and made it look like any other generic mall. There was a cool area that was located about where the Broadway Southwest/Foleys store was eventually built that had this huge, fake weeping willow tree. There was a Mexican restaurant under the tree that gave you the feeling you were eating outside at night. I've been trying to track down info and pictures of this restaurant if anyone else remembers it.
ReplyDeleteHi! My name's Jeremy Morton, and I'm an exhibit developer and historian. I'm writing an article about Villa Italia for the History Colorado Center. Can I please your photos in the article? Please let me know if you have any follow up questions. Please email me at jeremymorton86@gmail.com Thank
ReplyDelete