When you think about an eyesore, what comes to mind? Something big, ugly. Maybe something overly bright? Well, whatever your criteria is, I found something in my neck of the woods that is so ugly and useless, that it's a shock it's still standing in such a nice town.

Why is This Thing Still Here?

The biggest eyesore in Cedar Falls is part of a largely defunct property, the College Square Mall. Now, malls in general seem to be vanishing in many places. Not all, certainly. There's this place called the Mall of America that's thriving. Closer to home there's the very popular Coral Ridge Mall. But in Cedar Falls, that's not the case.

The mall is still presentable from the outside, but its sign is just... not.

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Take a look at a once really unique beacon of shopping treasures from back in 2012 when the mall was still a thing:

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Google
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Now, this is during the day, and a shot from Google Street View. I didn't live here in 2012, but I assume this puppy lit up at night.

Fast forward to summer 2024, here is what the sign looks like now...

Johnny Marks/TSM
Johnny Marks/TSM
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Yikes... a little closer up, you can really tell it's just been left to rot.

Johnny Marks/TSM
Johnny Marks/TSM
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Eek. The movie theater, once advertised below the College Square sign, has closed. That just leaves this tall, relic to stand guard over prime space advertising a (nearly) dead shopping center.

Johnny Marks/TSM
Johnny Marks/TSM
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As you can see, this old thing is due to be removed, or renovated. The mall does still have a Von Maur and Bath And Body Works. Not to mention HuHot is still thriving and is technically in the mall. Anyone of those stores could put up signage to replace this ol' thing.

So what do you think? Does Cedar Falls have a larger, more prominent eyesore that I missed?

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