It's a fact of the business world that firms will come and go as the market dictates.
Sometimes, it's a gradual decline, and sometimes, it's a brutal, sudden collapse that leaves thousands of people unemployed.
Collapses like this don't just affect people, they can also leave massive business premises suddenly unoccupied.
In a lot of cases, those sites are targeted by developers and turned into something else, for example new business premises or housing.
But in some instances, the sites are just left standing empty for many years, gradually becoming derelict and a timely reminder how things can go very wrong very quickly.
Here are 10 spooky abandoned business sites.
Detroit’s Packard Automotive Plant
A derelict building at the abandoned Packard Plant in Detroit. Image: Ken Lund - Flickr
This site has been abandoned since 1958.
Once a symbol of America's industrial might, the Packard Automotive Plant in Detroit has now not been used for anything for 66 years.
Its vast sprawl of 40 acres stands as a testament to what was once the pinnacle of American automotive engineering.
It is now a haunting sight of broken glass and graffiti-covered walls.
Ohio’s Rolling Acres Mall
The entrance to the derelict Rolling Acres Mall in Ohio. Credit: UA757 -Wiki Commons
Rolling Acres Mall in Akron, Ohio, serves as a stark reminder of how quickly retail trends can change.
It opened in 1975 and closed in 2013, its once-crowded corridors and vibrant stores are now a playground for urban explorers navigating through its decay and darkness.
Pennsylvania’s Dixie Square Mall
The Dixie Square Mall in Pennsylvania’s closed in 1978. Credit: JonRev Wiki Commons
Famous for its chaotic cameo in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers, Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, Pennsylvania, has been left to crumble since its closure in 1978.
The mall's deteriorating structure is an example of the very different 1970s retail design.
It is now overgrown with vegetation and stripped of its former glory.
The Bethlehem Steel Mill
The Old Bethlehem Steel Mill. Credit: w_lemay, Flickr
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, houses the skeletal remains of what was once one of the largest steel producers in America.
The Bethlehem Steel Mill closed its doors in 1998.
It stretches across 1,800 acres, standing as a monument to the rise and fall of the American industrial age.
California’s Hawthorne Plaza
The abandoned car park at Hawthorne Plaza. Credit: PontiacAurora, Wiki Commons
Built in the heart of Hawthorne, California, the Hawthorne Plaza has been void of life since its closure in 1999.
The center was once a buzzing hub of commerce, but now is only used in films and television shows that capitalize on its post-apocalyptic aesthetic.
The Armour Meat Packing Plant in East St. Louis is a relic of the early 20th century’s industrial prowess.
Abandoned in 1959, the plant is now a complex of crumbling structures that overlook the Mississippi River, telling tales of a bygone era of American meat production.
New York’s Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel
The former golf course at Grossinger's resort. Credit: Acroterion, Wiki Commons
Once a bustling resort in the Catskills frequented by New York's elite, Grossinger's is now a ghostly complex of empty swimming pools and overgrown tennis courts.
Its closure in 1986 marked the end of an era for luxury resorts in the area.
Now, its only visitors are urban explorers curious about how it has changed in the past 38 years.
North Carolina’s Henry River Mill Village
The former village store at Henry River Mill Village. Credit: Upstateherd, Wiki Commons
This former mill village in Burke County, North Carolina, became a ghost town after the decline of the textile industry.
Abandoned in the late 20th century, the village's empty homes and silent streets were famously featured in the movie The Hunger Games, portraying a haunting picture of desolation.
Maryland’s Glenn Dale Hospital
The Glenn Dale Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanitarium was founded in 1934, but closed in 1981.
Originally opened to treat tuberculosis patients, Glenn Dale Hospital in Maryland was closed in 1981 due to asbestos and other hazardous conditions.
The sprawling campus now stands off-limits, surrounded by fences, yet it continues to attract those fascinated by its forbidden grounds.
Florida’s Miracle Strip Amusement Park
The entrance to Florida’s Miracle Strip Amusement Park. Credit: relux, Flickr.
Panama City Beach's Miracle Strip Amusement Park closed its gates in 2004, leaving behind rides and attractions that once filled the air with the laughter of families.
A new version of the park briefly opened in 2014, but quickly closed again.
Today, the park is overgrown and rusting, a poignant symbol of the transient nature of entertainment and leisure industries.
