AKRON, Ohio — Under its cracked glass ceilings, Akron’s abandoned Rolling Acres Mall has transformed into a winter wonderland.
Where millions once found their retail fix, now sits a haunting reminder of Mother Nature’s power to reclaim.
Johnny Joo, a local photographer captured these new images inside the mall after a recent snow storm.
“It was a combination of a strange childhood joy of winter wonderland mixed with a wild feeling of peace, being that my surroundings were so calm and quiet,” Joo explains of being in the snow-covered mall. “At the same time, it was eerie seeing the destruction in such a strange light. As I always notice, nature has a beautiful way of just wrapping the destruction of abandonment into such a breathtaking scenery, different with every place. In this case, the soft and beautiful snow creating a winter wonderland amidst the heavy destruction — and it was amazing.”
Rolling Acres Mall first opened its doors in August 1975 before closing forever in October 2008.
Another local photographer, Seph Lawless, shared Rolling Acres through his lens as well.
Joo is known for capturing images inside abandoned spaces. Last year, his photos took us behind the walls of Rolling Acres Mall for the first time in years.
He also offered a glimpse at the remnants within the gates of Geauga Lake. His photos inside Rolling Acres and Geauga Lake were among two of our top three most-clicked stories in 2014.
He’s also taken us inside Randall Park Mall, which is now under demolition in North Randall. Below, you can see a series of photos from the long-empty property as its reduced to rubble.
Joo is working on his second and third books, which are filled with his photos.