CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — Bright Sun Films, a film production company, has been capturing the final days of the Chesterfield Mall for a new documentary in the making.   

Chesterfield Mall officially closed Aug. 31 as plans move forward for a $2 billion, 117-acre development called Downtown Chesterfield to take its place.

Bright Sun Films documents abandoned buildings, bankrupt companies and canceled projects. The crew's latest project, “Mall Odyssey,” is about the death of the American mall with the Chesterfield Mall as the film’s main focus, according to producer John Shaw.

“We fell in love with the people here and we fell in love with the different stories,” he said. “It’s just been a really good representation of everyone’s hometown mall.”

Shaw said the Chesterfield Mall was unique compared to other closed malls because there was a closure date, liquidation, and plans for a demolition and redevelopment.

“Most malls you come across, they just shut the doors. They run out of money, and it’s just abandoned, and nothing happens,” he said.

“We wanted to follow the story all the way through.”

Bright Sun Films began filming in March where Shaw and the crew saw small businesses and retailers operating with most of the storefronts filled.

However, when they recently came back, the mall was completely different.

“When we walked in this time, we were just shocked. It’s totally empty,” Shaw said.

They saw a “very chaotic scene” where panels of glass were being pulled, doors being sold, people buying tile off the floor, as well as pickleball and badminton courts.

“We’ve never seen a mall repurposed and saved by the community,” Shaw said.

He explained that when malls typically close, everything is left exactly the way it is.

Over the course of filming, the production crew has heard both sides of the community’s perspective regarding the Chesterfield Mall and redevelopment.

Shaw said some are excited about the redevelopment while others are furious that the mall is going away.

“The polarizing opinions over something as minuscule as a mall have been really surprising,” he said.

But the Chesterfield Mall’s transformation into an eclectic community of small businesses has been the most surprising to the film production crew.

There was a clown school, a banana comedy show, a prayer chapel, a history museum, an art gallery, pickleball and badminton courts, among other businesses.

“That’s just not something you ever get to see in any mall,” Shaw said. “It’s just been a fun adventure getting to know everybody.”

As demolition of the building is slated for Oct. 15, Sun Bright Films plans to continue documenting through the new development.

The final documentary would be released in 2026 or 2027.

“I think everyone will get a good glimpse of what’s to come,” Shaw said regarding the documentary. “I think people don’t realize how fast retail like this is going away.”

“I hope people get to take a further look at the places that they may not think have value.”

The new development will have a 3.5-acre central park, grocery, retail, street parking for 450 cars, 1.25 mile trail, townhomes, office space and potential for expansion.

A neighboring $1 million redevelopment project, Wildhorse Village, is already underway.

For those who want to share memories, photos and videos about the Chesterfield Mall for the documentary, they can send an email to mall@brightsunfilms.ca.