RIP to a piece of movie history

[Ar-Pharazon]

Dixie Square Mall finally demolished

This is, of course, the mall made famous in the indoor chase scenes in the Blues Brothers.

It has been vacant pretty much since that time, with various plans to redevelop or demolish it never materializing.

"the new Oldsmobiles are in early this year"

 

[Draculasaurus]

I like to imagine the mall being demolished by a fleet of hundreds of '74 Dodge Monaco cruisers.
So cool.

 

[T'Baio]

I don't understand the context from one quote from the Mayor;

"However, the filming of this movie left the city of Harvey with an eyesore that has become one of the oldest white elephants in the country."

Is The Blues Brothers somehow responsible for the failure of the mall?

 

[Harvey]

It sounds like he's blaming the mall's appearance in the movie for slowing down the demolition process to me.

 

[T'Baio]

Oh...like nobody wanted to demolish it because it was cinema history, or something like that. I get it.

Thanks.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

They filmed there after the mall closed in 1978. The city had already sold it to the school district, then Landis rented it for a couple months.

Maybe they deluded themselves in to thinking the movie appearance would somehow bring tourism or something.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

About bloody time they finally get this done.

God only knows what kind of filth and asbestos and crap like that must have been sitting around there. Health issues probably delayed the demolition as much as the red tape did. The demo workers should be wearing Hazmat suits by now...

 

[Trekker4747]

It's a dumpy crappy looking mall anyway, even for its own time period. Destroyed decades too late if you ask me even considering it's somewhat noteworthy use in the movie.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Another story from a month or so ago said trees were growing inside the place, what with all the holes in the roof.

Don't know about other places in the country, but we had quite a few dumpy crappy looking malls in the Chicagoland area over the years.

Man I miss those places.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

I just had a craving for an Orange Julius.

 

[nightwind1]

I just had a craving for an Orange Julius.

I just had a craving for four fried chickens and a Coke.

And some dry white toast.

 

[Kira's Mom]

I like to imagine the mall being demolished by a fleet of hundreds of '74 Dodge Monaco cruisers.
So cool.

Wow, that mall was an eyesore even before the Blues Brothers trashed it.

 

[Icemizer]

Disco pants and haircuts

 

[Trekker4747]

Here's a SITE dedicated to the mall and exploring it.

 

[Disruptor]

Do you have Miss Piggy?

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

There's also a piece on it at deadmalls.com

 

[Trekker4747]

The link I shared above is quite fascinating with a lot of great pictures in it from the webmaster. It seems he even managed to make it into one of the mall's managing offices and "looted" some old paperwork, plans and promotional material for the mall.

 

[Disruptor]

Interesting site. I remember a few malls on there when they were still "alive".

 

[Trekker4747]

That kid is still on the escelator!

 

[Mistral]

Do you have Miss Piggy?

Ironic considering John's feelings towards the Muppets.