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Rapids Mall Decline in Photos | Forum
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Maklarr4000
Dec 26 '17
A few more photos from the early December excursion from the other camera.
Some sort of device to catch rainwater leaking in I presume.
Some sort of device to catch rainwater leaking in I presume.
Maklarr4000
Dec 26 '17
Some pictures of the outside, the abandoned Shell gas station island, and the vacant restaurant on the outlot...
"Sofia's Family Restaurant" has been at least three restaurants in the last decade or so. It's previous tenant wasn't even Sofia's, they just never changed the signs.
The "Sofia's" sign was finally blacked out by the Mall owners probably about the same time they took down the Shell gas sign. The restaurant has operated under different names with the sign in this state. A running joke is that this should become a Wisconsin Rapids landmark- the Rapids "Black Diamond".
The Mall sign on the "visible" side (the other side is partly hidden by trees and the defunct metal casting facility behind it) leaving this as the "better" side. The Centralia Center's sign is painted onto wooden pieces mounted to the former Walmart sign which does not light up. The Rapids Mall sign (complete with old logo) lit up until about 2012 if memory serves. The sign reads "Locally Owned, Locally Operated" (both of which haven't been entirely true for the last few years), and then offers others to "Join in our success!" which is terribly ironic.
It appears the last people who ran the "Sofia's" restaurant have left quite a bit behind.
"Sofia's Family Restaurant" has been at least three restaurants in the last decade or so. It's previous tenant wasn't even Sofia's, they just never changed the signs.
The "Sofia's" sign was finally blacked out by the Mall owners probably about the same time they took down the Shell gas sign. The restaurant has operated under different names with the sign in this state. A running joke is that this should become a Wisconsin Rapids landmark- the Rapids "Black Diamond".
The Mall sign on the "visible" side (the other side is partly hidden by trees and the defunct metal casting facility behind it) leaving this as the "better" side. The Centralia Center's sign is painted onto wooden pieces mounted to the former Walmart sign which does not light up. The Rapids Mall sign (complete with old logo) lit up until about 2012 if memory serves. The sign reads "Locally Owned, Locally Operated" (both of which haven't been entirely true for the last few years), and then offers others to "Join in our success!" which is terribly ironic.
It appears the last people who ran the "Sofia's" restaurant have left quite a bit behind.
The Forum post is edited by Maklarr4000 Dec 26 '17
Maklarr4000
Dec 31 '17
It's almost over.
Stores remaining, in alphabetical order, on 12/30/17.
Austin's Craft World
Bath and Body Works (Chain)
Hallmark Gold Crown (Chain)
Junction City Clothing Company
Little Country Bakery
Sylvios Pizza
Only the Hallmark (which has an outside entrance) is expected to still be operating after the new year, and then only until it's inventory is cleared out.
The Forum post is edited by Maklarr4000 Jan 19 '18
Maklarr4000
Jan 19 '18
Well, time to plan your final visits if you're interested in seeing the Rapids Mall before it is gone for good.
Stores remaining, in alphabetical order, on 1/19/2018
Hallmark Gold Crown (Chain)
Junction City Clothing Company
Little Country Bakery
Sad to see it go.
Stores remaining, in alphabetical order, on 1/19/2018
Hallmark Gold Crown (Chain)
Junction City Clothing Company
Little Country Bakery
Sad to see it go.
Maklarr4000
Jan 30 '18
Went back and got pictures on the 19th, but they were on the other camera. Apologies on the delay, but here they are for posterity...
Towards the main entrance from the South Court.
Former Bogs Cranberry Gift Shop, devoid of curious wooden signs, salt lamps, and handmade jewelry for good.
Hope you enjoyed the last slice of Sylvio's pizza you had- it was the last one you will ever have.
Not much has changed in this corner of the South court in the last 6 months.
The light still pours in from the former J.C. Penney store.
The South Court again. The only things "open" for business are Valley's candy machines and the sketch machine. The kiosk in the center is still selling "high traffic advertisement space!" which strikes me as kinda funny.
When the Genius repairs looks like the only store that might still be open someday, it's pretty sad.
Linda's Craft World, closed up for good.
Bath and Body Works, also gone for good.
Former Senior Craft Shop, North Court.
Former Timeless Quality Images studio, North Court.
Former TQI, and stall B-8A, the proposed site for my Project Hudson. Yes, I'm still salty about it.
Former Younkers store, pretty much unchanged from the day it closed years ago.
Pretty sad shape I'm afraid.
Towards the main entrance from the South Court.
Former Bogs Cranberry Gift Shop, devoid of curious wooden signs, salt lamps, and handmade jewelry for good.
Hope you enjoyed the last slice of Sylvio's pizza you had- it was the last one you will ever have.
Not much has changed in this corner of the South court in the last 6 months.
The light still pours in from the former J.C. Penney store.
The South Court again. The only things "open" for business are Valley's candy machines and the sketch machine. The kiosk in the center is still selling "high traffic advertisement space!" which strikes me as kinda funny.
When the Genius repairs looks like the only store that might still be open someday, it's pretty sad.
Linda's Craft World, closed up for good.
Bath and Body Works, also gone for good.
Former Senior Craft Shop, North Court.
Former Timeless Quality Images studio, North Court.
Former TQI, and stall B-8A, the proposed site for my Project Hudson. Yes, I'm still salty about it.
Former Younkers store, pretty much unchanged from the day it closed years ago.
Pretty sad shape I'm afraid.
Maklarr4000
Jan 30 '18
There's more, if you can believe it.
Some plants in the North Court planter that seem to be doing better than most remaining plants in the mall now.
The "back room" of the Bethesda Thrift Shop, with the door leading into the former Smoothie shop propped open with a bakery cart. I did wander inside, but the whole thing is gutted from when the smoothie shop moved out, and there wasn't even a light to get any decent photos with.
Inside the empty Bath and Body Works, which left a lot of shelves and things behind it looks like. Maybe they don't care.
At Christmastime, Santa was packed into this narrow strip just inside the former Vernox computers stall. They left Santa's "wonderland" behind, and as of this writing, it is all still there.
Closed stores leading down to the empty South Court.
The lights are still burning bright in the former tanning studio, even all these years later.
The former Rapid Rehab location. Their new place is a former used car dealership, and they've renovated the outside rather nicely. As for this stall, I discovered shortly after this picture was taken that this gate lifts up without any trouble. But, you didn't hear that from me.
Weight Watchers is seeking a new place to call home in Rapids, and until then the Chamber of Commerce is letting them use space in their building on Lincoln Street. The unusual handwriting is what really caught my eye on this one.
You cannot get this view any more. There is a wall that extends from the black line on the far wall all the way across.
Same.
Bethesda Thrift Shop, empty and gone.
The main entrance to an empty mall.
Stores remaining, in alphabetical order, on 1/19/2018 (when all these photos were taken)
Hallmark Gold Crown (Chain)
Junction City Clothing Company
Little Country Bakery
Some plants in the North Court planter that seem to be doing better than most remaining plants in the mall now.
The "back room" of the Bethesda Thrift Shop, with the door leading into the former Smoothie shop propped open with a bakery cart. I did wander inside, but the whole thing is gutted from when the smoothie shop moved out, and there wasn't even a light to get any decent photos with.
Inside the empty Bath and Body Works, which left a lot of shelves and things behind it looks like. Maybe they don't care.
At Christmastime, Santa was packed into this narrow strip just inside the former Vernox computers stall. They left Santa's "wonderland" behind, and as of this writing, it is all still there.
Closed stores leading down to the empty South Court.
The lights are still burning bright in the former tanning studio, even all these years later.
The former Rapid Rehab location. Their new place is a former used car dealership, and they've renovated the outside rather nicely. As for this stall, I discovered shortly after this picture was taken that this gate lifts up without any trouble. But, you didn't hear that from me.
Weight Watchers is seeking a new place to call home in Rapids, and until then the Chamber of Commerce is letting them use space in their building on Lincoln Street. The unusual handwriting is what really caught my eye on this one.
You cannot get this view any more. There is a wall that extends from the black line on the far wall all the way across.
Same.
Bethesda Thrift Shop, empty and gone.
The main entrance to an empty mall.
Stores remaining, in alphabetical order, on 1/19/2018 (when all these photos were taken)
Hallmark Gold Crown (Chain)
Junction City Clothing Company
Little Country Bakery
Maklarr4000
Feb 7 '18
Photos taken on January 30th, 2018.
Stores remaining, in alphabetical order, on 1/30/18
Little Country Bakery
The Little Country Bakery was the last store standing, for what that is worth.
Stores remaining, in alphabetical order, on 1/30/18
Little Country Bakery
The Little Country Bakery was the last store standing, for what that is worth.
Maklarr4000
Feb 7 '18
A final few from 1/30/18...
Only one "store" open in the entire facility. The place was almost totally empty too, which was really weird.
I do like the notion that someone came back for the one lonely payphone that was still attached to the payphone kiosk near the front door.
I guess that's that.
Only one "store" open in the entire facility. The place was almost totally empty too, which was really weird.
I do like the notion that someone came back for the one lonely payphone that was still attached to the payphone kiosk near the front door.
I guess that's that.
Maklarr4000
Sep 22 '19
I really didn't think I'd have anything more about the Rapids Mall. The thing is almost entirely demolished, save for a chunk of the entrance structure they couldn't demo without damaging the Veterans Clinic, and the Centralia Center, the former Walmart anchor that the City of Wisconsin Rapids owns and operates in conjunction with various agencies to provide senior services mostly.
However, driving through recently I spotted some storm damage- the Centralia Center's cheap plywood signage had been knocked about, revealing part of the old "WAL-MART" sign underneath. The way the wind hits it, I expect more of it is bound to come down sooner than later. The mall may be gone, but it's vestiges are everywhere.
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