Demolition of Cleveland’s Randall Park Mall, once the biggest mall in the world, began Monday.
Built in 1976, the mall was abandoned during the Great Recession of 2009.
"I remember walking through it and feeling overwhelmed by the memories, most of which were good ones,"
photographer Seph Lawless told CNN Money. "I mean, this wasn't just a place to shop, it was a place people went to talk and meet other people. We didn't have social media or smartphones. We had malls and it was what we did."
The mall’s owner, Industrial Realty Group, plans to convert the site into an industrial park.
Randall Park Mall’s demise began in the 1990s with population shifts, suburban sprawl, and new stores in nearby suburbs choking out the
retail giant that once housed stores, The Plain Dealer said.
The planned industrial park could usher in more than 1,000 jobs in manufacturing, distribution and warehouses, the newspaper said.
Twitter users shared mixed reactions.
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