The Marketplace Mall — Attraction in Town of Henrietta

I used to come here when I was a kid. I'm 23 years old now, but when I was 10 or 11, I came here, and it brought back memories of seeing my friends from middle school. We’d pass by each other, walking and exchanging smiles because we knew each other. Through the crowded food courts and along the mall's pavements, stores lined my view—a new one every time I turned my head.

There were so many shops inside the mall that I still remembered: Hollister, Gap, Victoria’s Secret, T-Mobile, Footlocker, Macy’s, Sears, even a STARBUCKS, Old Navy, Arby’s, Subway, Zumiez, Payless, Lids, GameStop. With every step I took, there was a new store on the horizon. Stores were all open and populated with people inside shopping, store's were busy and there was so much different things to buy. And even if you didn't have money, it felt surreal and entertaining just to walk inside each of the stores and look at all the shoes, clothes, jewelry, toys, appliances that you wish you could buy, and just looking through all the fascinating products they had on display.

During Christmas, the whole mall was decorated with ornaments, snow posed as cotton on the ground, and you’d see a line of kids waiting to take pictures with Santa where he was sitting in a chair in the front. I still have a polaroid strip of three pictures that I took with my mom back in 2010 in one of the photobooths, which were in the middle of the walkway in the mall.

Then, going back to the mall just a week ago in 2024, all of those stores were abandoned, locked off with gates in front of what used to be doorways, darkness filling the spaces where businesses once thrived. What was once a vibrant, bustling mall every weekend had become a ghost town—one of the biggest attractions on Calkins Road now a shadow of its former self.

It feels so strange to walk back here in 2024 compared to the 2010s. Today, every step you take brings you past shops that are closed down. You can walk through an entire wing of the mall without seeing a single store that's still open. It’s really depressing to see this place I once loved—the heart of Henrietta and Rochester, where I’d meet friends from middle school to hang out on Saturdays—now an abandoned wreck, slowly transforming into yet another...

Service at Cellaxs was horrendous! I was quoted a price and was told that it would take 4-10 days for the screen to arrive and only 25 minutes to replace it. I waited 2 weeks, I hadn't heard anything from them so I went in to see what was going on. I went in only to find out they had shipped it to the wrong shop. Mistakes happen, i was told that it would arrive Monday. Monday rolled around, I went in only to find they had ordered the wrong screen. They apologized and said that it would be another 4 days. I went back 4 days later, and the screen still hadnt arrived. Another two weeks go by, and I go in and the screen has arrived. The worker told me 25 minutes. . . I was there for SIX HOURS!!!!! He told me that the reason it took so long was because in case the new screen didn't work he could put the old screen on. between the creepy/demeaning conversation, the screen he put on was defective. I had to leave my phone over night and he promised it would be fixed the next day. Went back the next day and my phone was still taken apart. I said I wanted my money back and my old screen back on. He said no,I couldn't make him do that, and it was bad for his business. All he cared about was his business and not the customer. I said I wanted a discount he gave me $10 off! A measly $10 for a month of me going back and forth to the mall and them failing to do what they promised. When I finally got my phone they had cracked the screen puting it on. They promised to order a new one for free, that was a month ago and I still haven't received the new screen. The one they put on after a week pieces started falling off and the edges started coming off. The workers were demeaning and patronizing. They talked down to me and only care about money then those they serve. I would never go there again. Office Max fixes phones and they are professional and deliver on...

To Mall or Not to Mall. That is the question. I remember when Marketplace was the newest mall in the area, sparkling and clean with lots of new stores. It is still clean, don't get my wrong. They do a good job of keeping it up. However, it has lost its new car smell.

They have a good amount of empty store fronts right now. There is mention of it turning into more of an outlet mall and that would be cool. People are looking for a deal. I tend to only shop there when I know one of the stores is having a big sale.

It is still a good place to go to get out of the cold/rain/other inclement weather to walk. I still see people doing that all the time. You need that in NY. It is free use of a track without having to brave the weather.

The play area in the middle is nice for younger kids. The food court is still a staple for many people looking for something quick and you really can't beat walking around with an Auntie Anne's pretzel. YUM! So, it's okay. It's not stellar and it's not the worst. I will continue to shop there as long as their doors are open and they have good stores...