Providence Place Mall: I Survived Rhode Island's Largest Shopping Mall! Spring 2023.

In my opinion, the only reason to go to this mall is for the IMAX experience. This mall has the only IMAX theater and the largest screen in the state of Rhode Island. What’s very special about this IMAX screen in particular is that it’s an IMAX 70mm screen, which is a large square screen which is perfect for any film shot with IMAX 70mm film, especially considering that Oppenheimer, as of right now, is playing in IMAX 70mm. It offers more image and stellar sound than any traditional movie theater. I guess I could also recommend Newbury Comics for anyone who’s interested in today’s pop culture.

When the mall opened, it was said the levels of the mall were based on social class. The higher end stores (pottery barn, crate and barrel, brooks brother etc) was on the first floor. Middle class stores were on the second floor (gap, Abercrombie, Victoria secret). The third floor was the food court and stores that catered to teens (Claires, Spencers, CD stores, Charlotte Russe) The higher end stores left and mostly went to Cranston to Garden City Center which is an outdoor shopping center and have been replaced with less established named stores which has reduced foot traffic

Ahhh.. memories. Thank you for the nostalgic tour..🙏💕

I’m from Rhode Island but figured I’d mention because you didn’t go up the escalator in the middle of the food court but there’s also a Dave & Busters & movie theatre/IMAX

Grew up in Providence and been to Prov Place a bunch. I don't think it's dying, but it's definitely getting there. In comparison to other malls in the surrounding area (Warwick, Emerald Square, etc.) it's definitely light years better. There's an effort to keep this place above water so I don't think it'll lose that much steam any time soon. Regarding the crime, I've been here countless times and I've never once seen an incident occur. You're absolutely safe in there. The incidents that you referred to were basically isolated ones.

What about Emerald Square Mall in N. Attleboro? Once a premier mall that did nonstop Christmas business. As the Aerosmith song says, "No more. No more!".

Regular shopper since it opened. Never a problem, in mall, or multiple levels of parking. Nice enough place, but I miss Nordstrom. And Filenes.

That abandoned store was a bed bath and beyond also that space at 9:26 was were lord and Taylor and JCPenney were

I worked there for 4 years, the first few weeks the mall makes you sick depending on what level you are on because it constantly rocks when large amounts of cars are leaving or coming. Mostly felt on upper levels. Also there are some cool hallways that take you from end to end behind the stores.

I live down the street from Providence Place, the reputation of upon walking in and immediately being mugged is an urban legend. There’s definitely crime and I would say the area surrounding the mall carries more danger especially under the 95 overpass right next to the mall. One of my buddies got mugged there.

While Providence Place has certainly taken a hit since the pandemic, it’s usually busier than in this video. I don’t think it’s dying, but certainly slowing in its older age. It’s still usually busier than most other malls I’ve been to in Southern New England in recent years. I think it’s central location to the heart of Providence and the ease of parking there for events at the Dunkin Donuts Center (sporting events and concerts) give it more foot traffic than many others.

I was in high school when the mall opened. Its failure to maintain its original concept -- a high-end shopping experience -- was sealed when they decided it was OK for teens and gangs to run all over the place. Mall security has always been an issue, especially on the food court level, which ultimately cost them tenants including its anchor stores, especially Nordstrom's. They pulled out long before COVID happened because shoppers who wanted the kind of "experience" Providence Place was supposed to have didn't want to deal with poor security, teens skipping school, and gang members shanking each other in the food court. Those incidents don't happen on a daily basis but they happened enough, and too frequently, to make the news and damage its reputation. Instead that demo left in favor of Garden City (outdoor mall in nearby Cranston which has always been well run and maintained) or went up to Chesnut Hill instead, and the Mall has regressed into what it is today in terms of shopping. There are still some stores like the Apple Store and Lego Store which are "destinations" but there's an awful lot of nothing comprising it today, as you can see in Tom's video. Financially it's been a drain for the city as it was never, ever supposed to be "just another mall" filled with teenagers. Combine it with the confusing parking garage and we have an eye sore that blocks what was once a clear view of the State House and will probably end up becoming reconfigured as living spaces in the not too distant future.

I visited this mall on a Saturday recently. Such a strange layout.

It's Rhode Island, people always would say that Providence is dangerous because it's a city. I don't think there's hard number on the national level but I expect that post-Covid we're going to see an increase in crime continue to grow in correlation with the growing wealth gap.

My parents live in RI and this is probably one of my favorite mall's I've ever been to. It's easy to get into and out of, the footprint is small enough so you don't feel like you're going hiking every time you visit and there's enough stores that i enjoy visiting that i go there every so often. It's also a great place to stop if you're planning on going downtown or walking around the providence streets.

I haven't stepped foot in my home state in 3 years, but I am not surprised that the roads near the mall are still torn up.

Thank you for the tour! I’m going soon and I wanted to get a better idea of the layout ^^

I love seeing videos of my home state.

I haven't been to the Providence Place mall in about twenty years but I recall it being constructed and how the downtown area of Providence has seen tremendous revitalization over the last 25 years. When the mall opened, it featured an eclectic mix of high-end retailers with mid and lower-tier ones such as the old favorite Spencer Gifts and also featured a few pricey places to eat as well in addition to the food court. From this video, it appears to be a shadow of the mall I visited. It no longer seems to be a place I'd drive to visit and shop as it once was. Sic transit gloria mundi. Or something.

The first and only time I went to this mall was in 2004, on a Sunday after a hockey game. We basically walked through the closed mall to the Dave & Buster's, so my memory of what was there at the time is pretty non-existent.