Lakeforest Mall - Gaithersburg, Maryland | Abandoned

     

Lakeforest Mall, taken by Jennie Moore

     Today’s blog post is a bit different than usual, but exhibits an interest of mine that I have had for a long time. Abandoned retail is a niche but passionate community that I stumbled upon several years ago. Something about the fallen empires of the modern world is alluring, yet haunting. My favorite content on the subject is created by Jake Williams (Bright Sun Films) and Dan Bell (This is Dan Bell) on YouTube. I highly reccomend you check them out. 

Lakeforest Mall, taken by Jennie Moore

     I visited Lakeforest Mall on my 8th grade field trip to Washington D.C. It was around that time that my eye for dated architecture began developing, giving me some new found inspiration for my photos. The photos I took, at age 14, are the ones you see in this post. Although they are far from professional, they are still some of my favorites in my portfolio solely because of the subject matter. 

Lakeforest Mall, taken by Jennie Moore

     Lakeforest Mall was built in 1978, at the height of the American mall boom. It was wildly successful, as most were at the time. People flocked from all over to the trendy stores and flashy food court. The facility became a local staple, continuing to grow throughout the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. This trend was steady, until the arrival of the 2010s, when the mall began to see a change. This change, is known as online shopping. The wide variety along with availability that could once only be found in a mall, had come to the people’s fingertips. 

Lakeforest Mall, taken by Jennie Moore

     In 2012, the mall was valued at $100 million dollars. This would ultimately be the last hoorah for Lakeforest. In the following years, all four anchor stores would leave the mall, along with their smaller counterparts. Lakeforest was sold for $19.1 million dollars in 2017, a minuscule amount compared to just five years earlier. I visited the mall in 2016, and I remember it’s quiet, echoey wings were far from active. 

Lakeforest Mall, taken by Jennie Moore

     Lakeforest Mall’s final day in business was March 31st, 2023. It was open 44 years. It is set to be demolished in 2024. I wanted to share my photos of Lakeforest, to forever capture it in time. They are my first photos in the genre, and ignited my interest in liminal spaces. I hope you find these interesting and inspiring like I have.