The Hudson Valley Mall in Kingston, New York was once overflowing with stores and people. Now it’s nearly empty, and the photos are haunting.
It’s a tribute to the best of 1980s and 1990s culture and a shell of a time capsule. This iconic mall was once filled with shops and eateries of almost every kind. Moms shopped for zone 6 perennials at garden stores while teens hopped around the dozens of options selling the best jean shorts, bathing suits, accessories and in-the-moment must-haves.
The mall, now over 90% empty, is mainly used as a hub for a few local businesses. The only places we saw with any significant traffic on a recent visit were the Unisex Hair Salon and large walk-in Urgent Care centers.
A few other name-brand stores including Jimmy Jazz and Game Stop are still tenants, with a handful of other local mom-and-pop businesses like gyms and martial arts centers continuing to exist. But business looks sparse.
The hallways are now mostly used by indoor walking enthusiasts, who deem the property “the best place to get steps in when the local Ulster County weather looks pretty bad.”
It’s relatively surprising, though, because Ulster County and the greater Hudson Valley region have seen noteworthy population upticks since covid. One might expect foot traffic to pick up, but in an era of online shopping—it just hasn’t happened.
Have you been to the Hudson Valley Mall recently and have your own photos or thoughts to share? We’d love to hear from you.
