Undead fans hope to keep Monroeville Mall alive
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Director George Romero in 2010. Photo: Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Fans of legendary filmmaker George Romero are pushing to preserve a piece of horror film history – a suburban mall with an uncertain future.
Why it matters: Romero filmed his groundbreaking 1978 zombie classic "Dawn of the Dead" at the Monroeville Mall, which has become a cultural landmark.
- Thousands of fans gather there each year to celebrate the Pittsburgh icon at Living Dead Weekend, a convention with movie screenings, cast meet-and-greets, vendors and tours.
Driving the news: Walmart recently purchased the 186-acre mall for $34 million; a Dallas-based development firm will manage the site and possibly redevelop it into a mixed-use retail, commercial and entertainment destination.
- Plans are still in the works, but managers are exploring all options and may consider at least partial demolition of the mall.
- Walmart did not share specifics when Axios asked for comment.
The big picture: Kevin Kriess, founder of Living Dead Weekend and The Living Dead Museum, tells Axios he expects a high turnout for the June convention as passionate film buffs rush to visit before redevelopment starts.
- Kriess hasn't heard from the mall's new managers yet, but he hopes they leave "at least some parts" of the mall intact to honor the film's influence. "I'm just hoping we can find a way to fit within their plans, I want them to know I'm willing to work with them and make that happen," he says.
- This year, "and likely longer," it's business as usual, he says. He even plans to open a new space for events and vendor shows.
What they're saying: Michael Lancaster hosts a YouTube channel dedicated to Romero from his home in Indiana. He says visiting the Monroeville Mall feels like meeting the lead character in his favorite film – one that inspired his love of filmmaking.
- Living Dead Weekend is "the one time of year Romero fans can come together and speak the same language," he says. "It's our Disneyland. I personally know people who have gone to Pittsburgh from Japan, the U.K., New Zealand, just to see the mall."
- He implores new owners to be good stewards of the property but recognizes the economic challenges facing America's shopping malls.
- No matter what happens, he wants this year's Living Dead Weekend to be its biggest yet. "Even if it can't go on after this year, we're passionate enough to make sure (Romero's) legacy lives on," he says. "We'll still gather somewhere."
What's next: If Kriess' lease isn't renewed next year, he said he'd consider returning to Evans City in Butler County, where Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" was filmed, but he'd prefer to stay in Monroeville – the mall itself "is the museum," he says.
If you go: Living Dead Weekend is June 6-8 at the Monroeville Mall.
- 📍 200 Mall Circle Drive
- 🎟️ Weekend passes start at $43.
- Don't miss the bronze bust of Romero on the mall's first floor outside of Dick's Sporting Goods.
- Visit the Evans City Cemetery at 8600 Franklin Rd. about 45 minutes north of Pittsburgh.