Some people go to the mall to shop or meet up with friends at the food court or get a good walk in. Some people work there.
Michael Townsend secretly lived in a mall.
For four years, Townsend and fellow artists co-opted a hidden apartment inside Providence Place Mall, complete with furniture, dishes, a PlayStation and even a waffle maker, all while trying to stay invisible to mall security.
Then, join Chion as she gets to know the manager of Westfarms Mall. After that, she meanders through Buckland Hills Mall, meeting stuffed-animal builders, a carousel operator, and a candy-store owner whose shelves are stocked with exotic treats from around the world.
Suggested episodes:
- The art of the prank with the directors of 'Jury Duty' and 'Bad Trip'
- Why'd You Do It: I snuck my incarcerated boyfriend out of prison in a dog crate
- What Happens When You Act Like You Belong
GUESTS:
- Michael Townsend: Rhode Island-based artist and driving force behind the Secret Mall Apartment, a 750-square-foot space hidden inside Providence Place Mall. He and fellow artists used the space undetected from 2003 until mall security discovered it in 2007. Their story is told in the 2024 documentary Secret Mall Apartment
- Carolyn Edwards: General manager of Westfarms Mall. She has worked in the shopping-center industry for more than 30 years, overseeing everything from retail and marketing to safety and the day-to-day life of the mall
- The Shoppes at Buckland Hills: Alex Cabrera and Aleks Wichowski of Build-A-Bear Workshop; Carousel operator, Silas Carlson; Jessica Holbrook, owner of Passport Candies
Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, and Robyn Doyon-Aitken contributed to this show.
Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tune In, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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