Cottonwood Mall (JC Penney Parking Lot)
You're here! I trust your drive was pleasant. Go ahead and park in front of JC Penney while I kick off the tour. Let's start with some background to ensure we're all on the same wavelength.
"Breaking Bad" was a TV drama shot in Albuquerque from 2008 to 2013, focusing on Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston),
a seemingly ordinary high school chemistry teacher who gets a rather grim diagnosis of terminal lung cancer with a prognosis of only a couple of years left to enjoy life.
Walter is a dedicated family man whose primary concern is the future of his wife, Skyler (played by Anna Gunn), their son, Walter Jr. (played by RJ Mitte),
and their baby daughter, Holly. As an example, to protect the family from worry, he initially keeps his medical condition a secret.
Later that day, the Whites are joined by Skyler's sister Marie (played by Betsy Brandt) and her husband, Hank Schrader (played by Dean Norris), who is a local DEA agent.
Hank, who is a lot to deal with but cares about his family, senses that something is off with his brother-in-law. To lift Walter's spirits, Hank offers to take him on a DEA bust at a nearby drug lab. While they wait, Hank updates Walter on the lucrative world of meth production.
Hank and his partner leave the vehicle with Walt in the backseat and enter the house to make the arrest. As soon as the commotion starts in the house, Walt spots someone escaping through a window next door. Surprise! His former problem student, Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul), recognizes Walter right back.
Although Walter is confident that Marie and Hank will care for the kids and Skyler, his pride drives him to want to provide for their future. But how?
Walt concocts a plan to use his formidable chemistry expertise to cook up some meth and, with his ex-student Jesse's help and connections, he could sell a few batches and attain the legacy for his heirs.
But here's the catch: he has to be super careful that Hank, who is laser-focused on the meth market, doesn't get suspicious. That will be a tall order since Hank and Marie are involved in the White family life.
This adds delightful suspense and drama, as Walt could easily be caught red-handed.
After "Breaking Bad" wrapped up, "Better Call Saul" emerged as a prequel. Instead of pure drama, it's a dramedy set in the early to mid-2000s, years before the events of "Breaking Bad."
The lead character, Jimmy McGill (played by Bob Odenkirk),is an aspiring lawyer and natural con artist who gradually spirals into moral decline, eventually becoming the self-serving criminal defense attorney Saul Goodman, who later assists Walter with his drug empire.
Key characters include Mike Ehrmantraut (played by Jonathan Banks),
(audio clip)
a former corrupt cop turned fixer for drug traffickers who also teams up with Walt in "Breaking Bad"; Kim Wexler, Jimmy's love interest (played by Rhea Seehorn); Jimmy's big brother and attorney, Chuck McGill (played by Michael McKean); Howard Hamlin, Chuck's law partner (played by Patrick Fabian); and Gus Fring, a local leader by day and a drug kingpin by night (played brilliantly by Giancarlo Esposito).
So, what does all that have to do with Cottonwood Mall?
In the first episode of every season of "Better Call Saul," except for season 6, we see Gene Takavic (aka Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman) working at a Cinnabon in a mall in Omaha, Nebraska. This mall is where those scenes were filmed—Cottonwood Mall in Albuquerque.
So why Cinnabon? In "Breaking Bad," Saul Goodman, while waiting for new identities in the vacuum store basement, says, Cinnabon was thrilled to be name-dropped on a hot TV show and quickly jumped on social media, targeting Bob Odenkirk and sharing a link to their careers page to keep the excitement alive.
The production team of "Breaking Bad" noticed Cinnabon's enthusiasm. Not only did they allow the use of their name and logo, but they also collaborated with the "Better Call Saul" production crew.
The Cinnabon at Cottonwood Mall, which had previously closed, was revived. Cinnabon sent equipment, packaging, products, and more to turn it into a functioning location. They even coordinated staffing with employees from other places to play extras in Gene Takavic's (Jimmy's) bakery scenes. They consulted on the authenticity of the scenes. They trained Bob Odenkirk to whip up their famous, gooey, and delicious cinnamon rolls.
Oh, and here's a fun fact: none of the three indoor shopping malls in Omaha, NE, have Cinnabons.
When you're ready, check your device for instructions on heading to the next destination, Hamlin, Hamlin, and McGill. I'll catch up with you a little further down the road.
Head east out of the parking lot toward Cottonwood Mall Drive. The JC Penney main entrance should be in your rearview mirror. Take a left onto Cottonwood Mall Drive. This is the road that loops the mall. At the first stop sign, you will make a right.
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