Silly me. When I was typing up the Indoor playground places, I must have lost my mind. For Technically Chandler Mall is the final place we go during the week, not the 5 and final place we normally go into to play.
When I got pregnant with my daughter, my close friend who had a baby at the time invited me to go walking with her at the Chandler Mall before opening. At the time I was working full time for the local School District and while I was up at 5:30 to be at work for just one hour, I would go back home, have breakfast, and change to go meet her. It became a habit after that, where I went even after the kids were both born and walked until I lost the baby weight.
Note: Going through my second course of KETO to get rid of Wills baby weight and to go beyond that. I will do another post about my KETO to let you know how its effecting me during this years HOme Schooling.
Back to the topic. Back when I Just had Livi as a baby and even after I had Will. I would walk with them around the mall with my amazing stroller for over 30-45 minutes and once the mall opened, we would go to our favorite stores.
ANOTHER Note: I once had a baby blog with the best products a first time mom could buy, and I think I will post those on this site, as buffers between blogs about Home School. Just like I am doing here with the Before Covid blogs.
Now back to Chandler Mall.
Chandler Mall opened up my Senior year of high school, 2001. It was supposed to be the next Fashion Square mall, but It ended up being something in the middle of that and AZ MILLS. Course in recent months with the mall loosing NORDSTROMS, who knows what will happen to it.
Anyways, we would start our time off with Build a bear. For those who do not know I worked there for a number of years. During college during the holidays, and when I quit working for the School District when Livi was 6 months old, I went into the store, walked right up to my old boss and asked for my job back, but part time all year long. GOT IT BACK. Was working there for the past 4 years, and then I had to leave because I was wanted at home, and something told me I needed to. Little did i know that COVID was just on its way three weeks later.
Build a Bear is still one of the best concept ideas on the planet. Its getting better and better with time, as there are more requests for things for them to create. Like THE CHILD. Most popular item. Anyways, I love it there. Especially the staff. Not everyone is as lucky as we with the people we work with to become our second family. Everyone there, right now, is an amazing person. Love each and everyone of them. Our customers are mostly usual’s who love our staff. So even when I wasn’t working there yet, and walking my babies, I got to see them and they got to see the kids. Even when I worked there, I took the kids there during the week to say hello to everyone and sometimes to make a new animals. Mostly the Birthday Bears.
Disney store was usually our second stop. It is one of the prettiest Disney Stores in the State. With a Huge Play Castle at the front entrance and a huge screen at the back with a dance floor and coloring table. It has the best selection of the newest products, and has the only DISNEY BABY section in the valley too. Each Disney Store is unique in the state. I think that is another IDEA for a Post. Since we are a Disney Family.
Barnes and noble was our next stop sometimes, to go read in the children’s book section and also they have toy section as well. This toy section was always the kids favorite because they had some classic toys from like the 80’s that they use to love playing with.
There are other stores we would go into. Since the second floor towards Macy’s and Dillard’s was considered the Children’s Wing, we kept pretty close to that area. There is a Lego Store next to Barnes and Noble, but they didn’t provide much excitement for my kids, unless they had a building tournament going on. There is also the Pet Adoption place, and they loved seeing all the of Kittens. Since Kittens aren’t as expensive as Dogs, I always told my kiddos we would get one one day. However my son having since now been told he is allergic to them, can’t have one in the house anymore. Oh well.
Now last year during the summer, the newest excitement came to the Chandler mall. And with it, lots of business. The Crayola Experience.
I thought it was going to be amazing, but it turns out it really isn’t. When I looked it up, i found the one in Pennsylvania. Holy Cow, that one has way more to offer than ours does. I mean look at it.
Ours only has coloring, molding clay area, chalk area, melting crayons, and a craft zone. It’s fun and like I said colorful, but it isn’t a great experience. Does that look as exciting as Pennsylvania one. NOOOOOOOO. Now since the membership is a good price, and since the kids still love coming here, I hope to bring them back one day. Just WOW.
Since then Sears has closed and now NORSTROM. Now with huge spaces not occupied, what kind of store or entertainment would go in those places. HMMMMM.
A little birdie told me that a new adventure is coming to chandler mall and moving in on the top floor of what use to be Sears. Apparently, Harkins Theaters bought it and is turning it into some “entertainment concert”. Something called BACKLOT.
From what it sounds like is it is another MAIN EVENT. Bowling, laser tag, outdoor patio, etc. However It will be a nice new entertainment to the mall and bring business back. ONCE COVID GOES AWAY. I mean picture the perfect date, at least in my mind. Go to a Movie and then Go to Blackout afterwards across the parking lot for Games and Dinner, or do the complete opposite. There is even another option. While waiting for your movie to start, just go in and have a beer. Course now the parking lot on that end is going to be SOOOOO BUSY.
Back to walking the mall. After we did all of our activities, we would finish our time with going to the food court and get a treat. Now there use to be a MCDONALDS in there, ( why did you get rid of it, such a STUPID MOVE) , and it was the only thing my kids ate. So now I went to Dairy Queen to get an ice-cream before we left.
There is a little playground inside the mall but it is so small compared to other playgrounds, that we only went in, because it was not busy when the mall opened. We also met a few friends there to play. The only thing now is both my kids grew up since the last time we went, that they aren’t allowed in their anymore. OH well not really a big loss. GERM CENTRAL.
In closing remarks; when it comes to taking the kids out and into the world, I am all for it ( BEFORE AND POST COVID) its just these past 7 months have felt like an eternity.
Now the ZOO does have a CRUISE THE ZOO thing going on right now, which i think they should have all the time during the summer since its just too hot to walk. Plus all the store in the mall and the play places have cut their capacity down to 20% vs what they are use to, its still not the same. Plus it isn’t safe. Just hope this country will get through this and it will be gone by the new year. HERES HOPING.
The TAWL Mom 