LOOK: Photos Show the Inside of Tuscaloosa’s Abandoned McFarland Mall
McFarland Mall is the oldest indoor mall in the Druid City, and a portion of the building was demolished in February to make room for a proposed sportsplex.
Many Tuscaloosans are curious as to what the mall actually looked like before demolition crews began tearing down the portion that once housed Woolco, Michael's, and Shoe Station (to name a few).
Local resident Jonathon Childs felt a special connection to the mall which inspired him to explore the property and take photos of the conditions inside.
"I felt like I was in a movie [...] when someone walks through an abandoned building and it brings back all the times they spent in that particular place," Childs said.
"I remember getting dropped off with my friends for the movies, chasing girls around the mall, the arcade, and most of all Piccadilly [Cafeteria] because that’s where my late grandmother Gertha Edwards worked for over 25 years. Whenever I came in the mall I would run alongside the brick flower bed and look for her in the window," Childs said.
Childs is optimistic about what the future holds for the property.
"Everything good must come to an end, and [I'm thankful] it served it’s purpose and brought some of the best memories to a lot of people, and I hope the new complex does the same," he said.
After all these years, Childs still has a special connection to the Tuscaloosa mall scene--his girlfriend, Ashley, operates Crème de la Skin, a wax studio in Midtown Village.
Check out Childs' photos in the gallery below.
Take a Look Inside Tuscaloosa's Abandoned McFarland Mall
Owner Stan Pate plans to build a state-of-the-art sportsplex on the property; however, the Dollar Tree remains open for customers.