The Deadness of the Orchards Mall, Benton Harbor

Looking at the gallery below, you might think the photos were taken when the mall was closed.....

NOPE. It was OPEN. So what happened?

Orchards Mall in Benton Harbor opened in 1979, named after an apple orchard that once sat on that piece of land. Like any other mall, it was packed with shops & stores...it did a great business, too.

Over the years, many of their major stores ended up leaving: Walgreen's, Ponderosa Steak House, Sears, Carson's, JC Penney, FYE Music, and others. So now it's just a shadow of what it once was.....many closed signs, litter, shops left unattended, and hardly anyone around...

What made the businesses leave? It was partly due to a string of crimes which included the nearby Aldi's which was robbed at gunpoint. A local murder didn't set well with tenants, either - the manager of Red Lobster was murdered one night after hours. These instances were enough to send some of the stores packing. Others, like Sears, were company-wide closings around the country.

To be fair, this is just one of hundreds of malls across America who are suffering the same fate.

The boys from Ruin Road paid a visit to Orchards Mall and were amazed at how empty it was.

Take a look and see for yourself!