They dont talk about them unless the topic is brought up by some small chance. Many dont even think about them regularly probably
If anything, maybe theres more love for malls in the niche subcultures the internet has helped create. Whereas people in real life actually may despise malls even more, generally people probably dont like them much no, maybe “hate” is a strong word and thats throwing people off here. But many probably actually do “hate” them.
>Many don’t even think about them regularly
Yes, exactly. The average person does not “despise” or “hate” malls. This is a narrative entirely of your own construction. If anything, the very public decline of malls has *softened* their reputation with time. They’re now the subject of wistful nostalgia, rather than disdain. People “hated” malls a lot more when they were actively destroying small businesses and downtown shopping centers. Now that malls themselves have been driven out of business, they’re basically a harmless novelty to most people.
The dying malls in my area don’t have Apple, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, etc. They do have vacant anchor stores and chains that are not unique to malls. The bifurcation of malls is something that has been endlessly reported on in recent years.
I see what you’re saying now then. A bit of chicken and the egg perhaps too. Are those malls doing good because they have those stores, or did those stores go to that mall because its in a newly thriving area. Bit of both of course
The US has more retail space per capita than any other country and it’s not even close. There’s just a glut of retail space.
Two dying malls in my area recently closed. They were both within 15 miles of a mall that is a regional destination. There wasn’t a lot of justification for them to stay open and the cities they are in will be better served with the dead malls being demolished and the land repurposed.
Oh, cool. I don't mean to pry, just guessing. It sounded like any generic mall in st. Paul and Minneapolis could be overshadowed by Mall of America.
I'm in Chicago, too. Woodfield and Gurnee Mills (maybe it doesn't count cause it's technicality an outlet mall) seem to be doing very well.
I'm from roughly an hour north in Wisconsin, and more malls are suffering v thriving. It's wild how many have shut down within the last decade. Even malls that seemed like they were thriving are shuttering their doors
I was referring to Stratford Square and Springhill Mall and their proximity to Woodfield. I’d consider Woodfield, Oakbrook, and Old Orchard to be doing well. Hawthorn, Fox Valley and Orland Square seem to be holding their own to varying degrees. Gurnee is a little unique in that it’s a little bit of a traditional mall, a little bit of an outlet mall. I was pretty shocked at how dead it was the last time I was there.
It's 100% true. High end malls with things like Apple Stores, Lego stores, and good book stores are doing well because there is actually a reason to go to those malls.
I used to work in a dying mall. You know what we didn't have? Relevant stores, good restaurants, customers or working escalators. You know what we did have? Bankruptcy, lawsuits, crime, at least one murder and a family of racoons that lived in the ceiling of the food court and chased people
>Miss the part of “new vs old
Except that it's *not* about "new vs old". The "nice" mall that basically everyone in my city goes to is actually ALMOST THIRTY YEARS OLDER than the dying mall I worked at.
It’s the conscious migration away from what people see as over-commercialism. What most people don’t seem to realize is that online shopping makes them far more likely buy something.
I don’t hate malls. I happen to live 10 minutes from King of Prussia’s retail paradise… it’s nice for a day…
But let’s be honest, greed killed them. Rents from the landlords and markups for the experience made Target, Walmart and Amazon kill them.
Just my opinion.
Sure. There's a mall near-ish to me that's great, I enjoy it. It's open-air, with plenty of covered areas. There's a plant shop, shoe repair, a kids play area, fountains that actually look natural (because they're outside), restaurants of different kinds, haircuts, fancy shops, practical shops. It's what a mall should be. No coincidence it's in a well-off area, though.
I can walk through an entire mall and not find a single thing I actually want to buy. It's all ultra-cheap clothing and junk. Malls not having stores worth shopping at killed malls.
I love malls, its nicer to shop in a big building thats full of shops especially when the weather is bad, so the only running you need to do is in the parking lot lol
Malls were talked about in the 80s, 90s and 00s the same way social media is today. Seen as vapid, shallow, a waste of time, full of various hassles, yet everyone engages with it.
Pro tip: loud doesn't equal majority.
The internet is an amplifier for loud people. Ambivalent people don't take to their keyboards to announce how much they are nonplussed.
Malls are actually dying and dead obviously though. Go ask around off the internet, anywhere.
Edit: getting downvoted, actually do it, ask people in rl if they particularly like shopping malls…
Practically everyone replying dislikes malls and you guys are still disagreeing and ridiculing me? Everyone that dislikes the above comment of mine is a huge loser, says more about you than me
Just because the internet took over and people prioritized convenience. Maybe just because the economy took a beating. Just because some other reasons maybe?
Two different societal cultures
Malls could be so much better than the classic American mall. Asian malls have a ton of restaurants, hobby places, schools, grocery stores, event venues, gyms, modern arcades, car dealerships, travel agencies on top of all the others that classic American malls have.
>Just because the internet took over and people prioritized convenience.
You mean business owners.
The elephant in the room is that *businesses*, not consumers, are the ones that are pushing the move to online retail because its cheaper and easier than running physical stores.
Why have dozens of physical locations when you can have one website and ship anywhere?
There are fewer rules and regulations. Your store can be open anytime. You don't have to waste money on signage or fixtures. You don't have to pay as many (or any for a smaller business) employees. Advertising is cheaper.
I still enjoy the mall even if I don't find something to buy. Helps when it's raining out. I'll always have a sweet spot for them. I just wish they were unique like they use to be before getting bought by bigger companies like Westfield
Exactly. Even the stores that sell the things I'm into will only have a tiny selection and will cost damn near double the online price, or 50% than any other local store.
I hadn't realized that this was big reason I have such a different feeling at modern malls. As a kid, we'd go to the camera shop for my dad. We'd stop in the guitar store to check out the cool new guitars. My mom would drag us into the store that sold yarn and knitting needles. There was a sit-down Burger King randomly down the same arm as the guitar shop that I could get those cool ass (to a 6 year old) Kid's Club perks like a free kid's meal on my birthday. Stop in Electronics Boutique for cool tech shit and video games, The Wall for music, KB Toys for the obvious. There were smaller local shops, maybe regional chains, that served non-clothing interests like skating and boating.
Now, we go from clothes to clothes to clothes, avoid the kiosk zombies, and maybe stop into GameStop. FYE has like 3 cds buried somewhere amongst shloads of Funkos and other assorted pop culture stuff.
My local mall is 80% phone stores and phone accessories.
Even with the stores around the mall i dont kno how it stays open. Theres not even s theatre in it. There was in the… late 90s, early 2000s?
I live near a mall that is doing ok. Not like the old days but not dead by a long shot. However according to those local rant type groups it is a hotbed of roaming gangs who took the train from bad areas just to rob people in the parking lot. Oh and there is a plan that may or may not happen where they might put up condos in the far parking lot. So the entire mall is now practically demolished according to the local groups. Meanwhile I’ve worked there and I still shop there from time to time, by myself as a female. I have never felt the slightest bit unsafe there. I’ve been in sketchy malls and that ain’t it. People need to stop spreading and believing this bs. Go to the mall they have pretzels and dressing rooms. Go stretch your legs. Do it do it.
I don't necessarily think people are 'hating' on them, it's just that their time and era has come and gone. With few exceptions, even malls that aren't completely dead are flat-out boring. Even in the later 2000s onward, most malls were nothing more than clothing, shoe, and cell phone stores.
I went to an open air mall the either day and it was literally about 100 degrees out. Then it started raining. I fail to understand why people like open air malls vs a climate controlled one with a roof
I went to a successful mall in Delaware a couple of months ago. Still alive because it’s tax free and people from PA NJ & MD flock there.
I was there for the Apple Store.
I hated it. The whole mall smelled like crappy men’s cologne.
I’m not going back. Online shopping is the only way.
No I hate malls. My city is like 70% malls, almost no parks. It's rampant consumerism. I hate it. I prefer third places that don't try to sell you shit.
I mean my local mall the mall at Johnson city is doing quite good, it is one of the few malls in the area that are doing good. That being said visiting the other malls it’s damned depressing to visit them, fond memories of years ago and seeing the sad state of the malls is just sad.
I love malls, the idea of malls, and the nostalgia. But I am done with over consumption and try to shop local. Malls often don't have local stuff, just chains.
There is always the argument that malls killed downtowns/main streets.
Life/culture move on. Lately it seems that change is faster and faster.
I love malls, but I do think the 'mall experience' today is kind of lacking compared to what it was two or three decades ago, and no, that's not just nostalgia.
A lot of it has to do with how bland the stores have become. Malls are still great places to look for clothes, but that's almost it now. My favorite mall is like 75% clothing stores now and the other 25% is mostly cosmetics and beauty stores.
There used to be a lot more varied and interesting kinds of shops. You could browse all day. You could discover things to buy that you would never think to buy online.
The other thing is the mall used to be a huge sensory experience. They want all in on décor and atmosphere. And every store in the mall did the same, and the were all wildly different. Remember when Bath & Body Works was like walking into a barn? Or when Gadzooks had the VW Beetle and multicolored neon everywhere? Or The Structure (whose credit card I never paid off) with its fake marble columns and mannequins that looked like Roman statues?
Now it's all just bland Apple Store minimalism. Even all the awesome smells that used to permeate the mall are gone.
The internet is a cesspit of tribal expertise from people that have zero real world experience in the things they claim to be experts on. Malls rock and I think the consensus is that they should stick around in one form or another.
Then again…locals often express their distaste for ailing and neglected malls, which usually attract crime and deter business from the area. So…dead malls that are maintained and secure rock. Yes?
And the way open air malls killed indoor malls. Talk about this ‘fake downtown’ concept wow.
Dont escape the weather for a while, be in it and constantly have to open door after door instead of being able to walk by and see a good majority of the store like you can in a mall.
I mean imagine actually caring about dead outdoor malls, outlet malls. Sure itd be a shame to lose all those stores and restaurants probably if you have one nearby, but the actual structure and architecture itself? Theres nothing to it!
I just think it’s funny.
There’s some cranky old man energy going on here, tbh.
Times change. People’s tastes change. Big indoor malls are not as popular as they once were.
You obviously don’t share that sentiment. And that’s cool. We all like what we like and don’t like what we don’t.
But dismissing those who have different opinions as “haters” who succumb to “groupthink”, and actually kind of getting angry that they don’t share your opinions, comes from the same place as “Get off my lawn”, yeah.
Speaking for myself, I don’t really care whether a mall dies or not.
I joined this sub because I find abandoned malls to be haunting and creepy in a way that I can’t look away from.
The reaction to this post of mine makes me think most are following for this exact reason. Initially thought it was for those that just really liked shopping malls, the structures, everything about them live and dead, but missed their greater presence in america (or elsewhere)
Malls rock.
I remember the day when I became a mallrat. It was 1989 and I was 12, and a friend that my sister and I were hanging out with for the day lived within a mile of the local neighborhood mall. We walked there when we got bored playing Castlevania on the NES. It was maybe the first time I was ever at the mall without a parent, and it was a revelation.
It was one of the few perfect summer days of my entire life (so far.)
Malls are such a fun experience, and for me I really prefer to only buy things like clothes and shoes in person, so that I can feel the quality of the product and possibly try it on before I buy. Plus, a lot of stores like Hot Topic or Spencers, candy stores, hippie type stores w crystals and stuff, and much more are just a nice thing to actually walk into and shop, much less mundane than online shopping
I have nothing but nostalgic love for the mall. I was a young teen in the late 80s, and it was a great destination in spite of of a broken home. I had a job at the Arcade, got tokens if I was working or not. I wish they were still a thing now that oppressive heat is a feature of our lives.
Glad my one mall is still lively. I love going to it because I hate ordering clothes or shoes online unless it’s me ordering it again or the same item in different color. I wear different pant sizes, shirt sizes, shoe sizes, etc depending on the brand. It’s a waste of my time to order something online and it not to fit so I have to return it.
The other mall that’s here is almost dead. There’s not much left to it. There’s a few big stores like Kohls, Dicks, and Bath and Body Works but that’s about it. The way I look at it, if I was doing a shopping day I’d go to the other mall that has these things and more there or in a plaza right beside it.
Nope Nope don't say such things that is doomer words. Be positive many Malls are still loved the big issue is there are way too many Malls for it to be enjoyable.
If you are in anywhere else but USA then malls are great just enough to have fun but the US Mall out grew need so you will see quite a few close but most are doing well.
Most of the malls around me tend to fall into one of two categories. Either they had nothing to drag people over there (old anchors nobody was interested in, no anchors period, and no real entertainment. I.E. bad management.) or they were in a shithole part of town.
I still love the mall. Every few weeks we drive about an hour in various directions to go to other malls just for something to do. I like to see what the scene is in other towns. Unfortunately more are drying than thriving these days. I think k it’s a combination of
1. People not having as much disposable income. Politics this century have really gutted the middle class.
2. Online shopping and China have made it easy to order online and sell it much cheaper. These days people look at most items as disposable so why pay extra for top of the line. Just buy the China version and throw away when you’re done with it.
3. Social media and online gaming - Malls used to be the cultural hub of the city it was in. It’s where people would go to learn about what was “In fashion” or the latest cool musical album being released at the music store. Kids and teenagers primarily went there to hang out with friends and to go on dates. In 2024, social media and online gaming systems have pretty killed all of that.
4. As others have said corporate greed! It’s way cheaper for them to ship things from a warehouse at a few locations than having stores and employees in every mall. Also, many of the items come from China, so that makes it much cheaper too.
I was hopeful that after the Covid lockdowns, people would want to go back to brick and mortar stores, but that hasn’t been the case.
People go to malls for the atmosphere and to shop.
If the mall doesn’t have shops that are people enjoy and the atmosphere isn’t pleasant, then it won’t last. If it doesn’t have restaurants/entertainment/theaters etc. within walking distance of the mall, then it likely won’t last. If the area the mall is built in becomes unsafe and crime ridden, people won’t go.
As an example, I’m from North Houston. Back in the day, people went to Greenspoint Mall, it was the place to be. I remember going there when I was little. But then an off duty policewoman was murdered after shopping there and people stopped going, this was in about 91-92.
20 minutes down the freeway is the Woodlands Mall, that mall is doing great. It’s packed all the time, just like the old days. But a lot of thought was put in how to develop the area in & surrounding the mall. Greenspoint is in the ghetto, the whole area took a downturn. I’m surprised it’s still open.
So malls don’t suck and that isn’t the general consensus. It’s on a case by case basis. A lot of it has to do w/ economics changing certain areas, shortsighted real estate developers, and lastly online shopping.
No, absolutely not. I specifically spoke on that in my post already and you still misinterpret me?
Similarly barnes and noble drives out local bookstores, but then the internet destroys all bookstores including barnes and noble. I still love barnes and noble and starbucks, not necessarily if theyre hurting local stores though
Ok but what does that even mean or pertain to? However I do think it leads to questions of large corporations just being able to snuff out smaller stores and put them out of business, while we’re on this subject. Sounds like you disagree plain and simple? Ok
Yes, I do. Your view is very popular and reasonable, but I don’t really have a problem with large businesses driving smaller stores out of business. I actually don’t even think that there is a distinction between large and small. There is a continuous gradation of business sizes with no dividing lines. Local businesses out-compete other businesses all the time; medium sized businesses outcompete small businesses. I don’t really see a distinction between these events or a natural place to draw the line. Just let the market work.
I think maintaining a monopoly is more difficult than ever, given that things can be shipped around the world. The more a monopoly company exploits its status by raising prices, the easier it is for a competitor to step in. There are tons of venture capitalists out there just waiting to take down monopolies..
These monopolies are able to buy these competitors out though. I think theres a certain point where theyre no longer able to buy out competitors. Im not an expert on this field though
You never heard of big companies buying out other big companies? Also Im saying theres legal issues that arise and prevent true monopolies from occurring I believe
People don’t go to malls because they can get most of what they want online. Who wants to stand in line when you can get it online. The mall served its purpose and it’s dying out because it’s longer a necessity. In the olden days you had to go to a mall to get anything and everything from clothes to tech, online has taken that necessity away. However the smart mall owners are adding apartments to help the mall survive. If there is housing in the mall it’s easier for people to run down and grab something. They are also creating communities spaces for people to eat, and just hang out. Look at Spain, people hang out in areas where there are tons of food to enjoy life and family. It’s just part of moving forward. I don’t see anything wrong with progress. Better to have apartments and create housing then to have a shortage of housing when a dead mall can create useful spaces for everyone.
This seems like an incredibly Online opinion. I don’t think folks in the real world are taking about how much they hate malls.
Which is universally true for many opinions „prevalent“ online. People outside don’t give a shite for them.
Yes, "everyone who hates what I like is just a stupid hater, dae agree?"
They dont talk about them unless the topic is brought up by some small chance. Many dont even think about them regularly probably If anything, maybe theres more love for malls in the niche subcultures the internet has helped create. Whereas people in real life actually may despise malls even more, generally people probably dont like them much no, maybe “hate” is a strong word and thats throwing people off here. But many probably actually do “hate” them.
>Many don’t even think about them regularly Yes, exactly. The average person does not “despise” or “hate” malls. This is a narrative entirely of your own construction. If anything, the very public decline of malls has *softened* their reputation with time. They’re now the subject of wistful nostalgia, rather than disdain. People “hated” malls a lot more when they were actively destroying small businesses and downtown shopping centers. Now that malls themselves have been driven out of business, they’re basically a harmless novelty to most people.
I grew up in the 80s and I agree with your take. I heard a lot more criticism of malls back then than I do nowadays.
The general consensus is to hate on everything
If I had to pick between you and Sears, at least I've got a coupon for Sears.
Photo proof
hater era
Good malls are doing well. Sucky malls are dying. The days of ‘if you build it they will come’ are over.
They all have the same stores in them for the most part! I dont think what youre saying is accurate at all..
The dying malls in my area don’t have Apple, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, etc. They do have vacant anchor stores and chains that are not unique to malls. The bifurcation of malls is something that has been endlessly reported on in recent years.
I see what you’re saying now then. A bit of chicken and the egg perhaps too. Are those malls doing good because they have those stores, or did those stores go to that mall because its in a newly thriving area. Bit of both of course
The US has more retail space per capita than any other country and it’s not even close. There’s just a glut of retail space. Two dying malls in my area recently closed. They were both within 15 miles of a mall that is a regional destination. There wasn’t a lot of justification for them to stay open and the cities they are in will be better served with the dead malls being demolished and the land repurposed.
You sound like you're around the twin cities
No, Chicago. I’m guessing one would be hard pressed to find a large metro area where this isn’t happening.
Oh, cool. I don't mean to pry, just guessing. It sounded like any generic mall in st. Paul and Minneapolis could be overshadowed by Mall of America. I'm in Chicago, too. Woodfield and Gurnee Mills (maybe it doesn't count cause it's technicality an outlet mall) seem to be doing very well. I'm from roughly an hour north in Wisconsin, and more malls are suffering v thriving. It's wild how many have shut down within the last decade. Even malls that seemed like they were thriving are shuttering their doors
I was referring to Stratford Square and Springhill Mall and their proximity to Woodfield. I’d consider Woodfield, Oakbrook, and Old Orchard to be doing well. Hawthorn, Fox Valley and Orland Square seem to be holding their own to varying degrees. Gurnee is a little unique in that it’s a little bit of a traditional mall, a little bit of an outlet mall. I was pretty shocked at how dead it was the last time I was there.
It's 100% true. High end malls with things like Apple Stores, Lego stores, and good book stores are doing well because there is actually a reason to go to those malls.
I used to work in a dying mall. You know what we didn't have? Relevant stores, good restaurants, customers or working escalators. You know what we did have? Bankruptcy, lawsuits, crime, at least one murder and a family of racoons that lived in the ceiling of the food court and chased people
Ok new vs old. Same stores in them all 🥱. Trend hopping dummies.
Did....did you miss the part where I said we had AGGRESSIVE RACOONS? It wasn't just the lack of relevant stores, trust me
Miss the part of “new vs old”. That would be an old rundown place
>Miss the part of “new vs old Except that it's *not* about "new vs old". The "nice" mall that basically everyone in my city goes to is actually ALMOST THIRTY YEARS OLDER than the dying mall I worked at.
Interesting
Not true.
It’s the conscious migration away from what people see as over-commercialism. What most people don’t seem to realize is that online shopping makes them far more likely buy something.
It seems online shopping is more in line with necessities or usable products as opposed to just a bunch of stuff that ends up filling spaces
I don’t hate malls. I happen to live 10 minutes from King of Prussia’s retail paradise… it’s nice for a day… But let’s be honest, greed killed them. Rents from the landlords and markups for the experience made Target, Walmart and Amazon kill them. Just my opinion.
Sure. There's a mall near-ish to me that's great, I enjoy it. It's open-air, with plenty of covered areas. There's a plant shop, shoe repair, a kids play area, fountains that actually look natural (because they're outside), restaurants of different kinds, haircuts, fancy shops, practical shops. It's what a mall should be. No coincidence it's in a well-off area, though.
I can walk through an entire mall and not find a single thing I actually want to buy. It's all ultra-cheap clothing and junk. Malls not having stores worth shopping at killed malls.
Perhaps the societal shift from wanting to own a bunch of stuff vs wanting to own less stuff is a big factor. As well as everyone being broke anyway
Stuff used to be better quality too, I think. Clothing today is so flimsy/scratchy/falls apart in the wash.
I love malls, its nicer to shop in a big building thats full of shops especially when the weather is bad, so the only running you need to do is in the parking lot lol
Malls were talked about in the 80s, 90s and 00s the same way social media is today. Seen as vapid, shallow, a waste of time, full of various hassles, yet everyone engages with it.
theyre still talked about like that to this day majorly
Pro tip: loud doesn't equal majority. The internet is an amplifier for loud people. Ambivalent people don't take to their keyboards to announce how much they are nonplussed.
Malls are actually dying and dead obviously though. Go ask around off the internet, anywhere. Edit: getting downvoted, actually do it, ask people in rl if they particularly like shopping malls…
Practically everyone replying dislikes malls and you guys are still disagreeing and ridiculing me? Everyone that dislikes the above comment of mine is a huge loser, says more about you than me
Gotta turn them into Asian malls. The old school American style mall didn't die just because.
Just because the internet took over and people prioritized convenience. Maybe just because the economy took a beating. Just because some other reasons maybe? Two different societal cultures
Malls could be so much better than the classic American mall. Asian malls have a ton of restaurants, hobby places, schools, grocery stores, event venues, gyms, modern arcades, car dealerships, travel agencies on top of all the others that classic American malls have.
>Just because the internet took over and people prioritized convenience. You mean business owners. The elephant in the room is that *businesses*, not consumers, are the ones that are pushing the move to online retail because its cheaper and easier than running physical stores. Why have dozens of physical locations when you can have one website and ship anywhere? There are fewer rules and regulations. Your store can be open anytime. You don't have to waste money on signage or fixtures. You don't have to pay as many (or any for a smaller business) employees. Advertising is cheaper.
I still enjoy the mall even if I don't find something to buy. Helps when it's raining out. I'll always have a sweet spot for them. I just wish they were unique like they use to be before getting bought by bigger companies like Westfield
I do But also a lot of times they don’t have what I need which forces me to go online.
Exactly. Even the stores that sell the things I'm into will only have a tiny selection and will cost damn near double the online price, or 50% than any other local store.
Yep. And zero of my size when it comes to clothing. Also I ran to Best Buy all the time for tech gear and still ended up having to get it online.
Too many malls have gone 80% fashion - that does not interest me.
I hadn't realized that this was big reason I have such a different feeling at modern malls. As a kid, we'd go to the camera shop for my dad. We'd stop in the guitar store to check out the cool new guitars. My mom would drag us into the store that sold yarn and knitting needles. There was a sit-down Burger King randomly down the same arm as the guitar shop that I could get those cool ass (to a 6 year old) Kid's Club perks like a free kid's meal on my birthday. Stop in Electronics Boutique for cool tech shit and video games, The Wall for music, KB Toys for the obvious. There were smaller local shops, maybe regional chains, that served non-clothing interests like skating and boating. Now, we go from clothes to clothes to clothes, avoid the kiosk zombies, and maybe stop into GameStop. FYE has like 3 cds buried somewhere amongst shloads of Funkos and other assorted pop culture stuff.
My local mall is 80% phone stores and phone accessories. Even with the stores around the mall i dont kno how it stays open. Theres not even s theatre in it. There was in the… late 90s, early 2000s?
I live near a mall that is doing ok. Not like the old days but not dead by a long shot. However according to those local rant type groups it is a hotbed of roaming gangs who took the train from bad areas just to rob people in the parking lot. Oh and there is a plan that may or may not happen where they might put up condos in the far parking lot. So the entire mall is now practically demolished according to the local groups. Meanwhile I’ve worked there and I still shop there from time to time, by myself as a female. I have never felt the slightest bit unsafe there. I’ve been in sketchy malls and that ain’t it. People need to stop spreading and believing this bs. Go to the mall they have pretzels and dressing rooms. Go stretch your legs. Do it do it.
I live in L.A., and some of our malls have been targets for smash-and-grab robberies too.
I don't necessarily think people are 'hating' on them, it's just that their time and era has come and gone. With few exceptions, even malls that aren't completely dead are flat-out boring. Even in the later 2000s onward, most malls were nothing more than clothing, shoe, and cell phone stores.
I went to an open air mall the either day and it was literally about 100 degrees out. Then it started raining. I fail to understand why people like open air malls vs a climate controlled one with a roof
I went to a successful mall in Delaware a couple of months ago. Still alive because it’s tax free and people from PA NJ & MD flock there. I was there for the Apple Store. I hated it. The whole mall smelled like crappy men’s cologne. I’m not going back. Online shopping is the only way.
I hate everywhere with lots of people
No I hate malls. My city is like 70% malls, almost no parks. It's rampant consumerism. I hate it. I prefer third places that don't try to sell you shit.
Those people tend to be the type to whine about consumerism and cars while slurping their overpriced coffee drink they ordered online. 🫵🏻😂
I still like malls! We have some very crowded malls here in SoCal.
I mean my local mall the mall at Johnson city is doing quite good, it is one of the few malls in the area that are doing good. That being said visiting the other malls it’s damned depressing to visit them, fond memories of years ago and seeing the sad state of the malls is just sad.
I love malls, the idea of malls, and the nostalgia. But I am done with over consumption and try to shop local. Malls often don't have local stuff, just chains. There is always the argument that malls killed downtowns/main streets. Life/culture move on. Lately it seems that change is faster and faster.
I love malls, but I do think the 'mall experience' today is kind of lacking compared to what it was two or three decades ago, and no, that's not just nostalgia. A lot of it has to do with how bland the stores have become. Malls are still great places to look for clothes, but that's almost it now. My favorite mall is like 75% clothing stores now and the other 25% is mostly cosmetics and beauty stores. There used to be a lot more varied and interesting kinds of shops. You could browse all day. You could discover things to buy that you would never think to buy online. The other thing is the mall used to be a huge sensory experience. They want all in on décor and atmosphere. And every store in the mall did the same, and the were all wildly different. Remember when Bath & Body Works was like walking into a barn? Or when Gadzooks had the VW Beetle and multicolored neon everywhere? Or The Structure (whose credit card I never paid off) with its fake marble columns and mannequins that looked like Roman statues? Now it's all just bland Apple Store minimalism. Even all the awesome smells that used to permeate the mall are gone.
The internet is a cesspit of tribal expertise from people that have zero real world experience in the things they claim to be experts on. Malls rock and I think the consensus is that they should stick around in one form or another. Then again…locals often express their distaste for ailing and neglected malls, which usually attract crime and deter business from the area. So…dead malls that are maintained and secure rock. Yes?
And the way open air malls killed indoor malls. Talk about this ‘fake downtown’ concept wow. Dont escape the weather for a while, be in it and constantly have to open door after door instead of being able to walk by and see a good majority of the store like you can in a mall. I mean imagine actually caring about dead outdoor malls, outlet malls. Sure itd be a shame to lose all those stores and restaurants probably if you have one nearby, but the actual structure and architecture itself? Theres nothing to it!
This thread has strong “Get off my lawn!” energy. 😄
How. Being a fan of dam shopping Malls and being particular about your lawn are similar??
I just think it’s funny. There’s some cranky old man energy going on here, tbh. Times change. People’s tastes change. Big indoor malls are not as popular as they once were. You obviously don’t share that sentiment. And that’s cool. We all like what we like and don’t like what we don’t. But dismissing those who have different opinions as “haters” who succumb to “groupthink”, and actually kind of getting angry that they don’t share your opinions, comes from the same place as “Get off my lawn”, yeah.
Interesting. I really thought the idea of malls dying being a shame would be the shared opinion on this subreddit, is it not?
Speaking for myself, I don’t really care whether a mall dies or not. I joined this sub because I find abandoned malls to be haunting and creepy in a way that I can’t look away from.
The reaction to this post of mine makes me think most are following for this exact reason. Initially thought it was for those that just really liked shopping malls, the structures, everything about them live and dead, but missed their greater presence in america (or elsewhere)
People don’t hate malls, they just like Walmart and Amazon a lot.
Malls rock. I remember the day when I became a mallrat. It was 1989 and I was 12, and a friend that my sister and I were hanging out with for the day lived within a mile of the local neighborhood mall. We walked there when we got bored playing Castlevania on the NES. It was maybe the first time I was ever at the mall without a parent, and it was a revelation. It was one of the few perfect summer days of my entire life (so far.)
Malls are such a fun experience, and for me I really prefer to only buy things like clothes and shoes in person, so that I can feel the quality of the product and possibly try it on before I buy. Plus, a lot of stores like Hot Topic or Spencers, candy stores, hippie type stores w crystals and stuff, and much more are just a nice thing to actually walk into and shop, much less mundane than online shopping
I live less than a mile from a thriving mall. Last time I went was to test drive a Tesla before I placed my order. That was 2 years ago.
I love dead malls so much I love the space and quiet and no crowds and air conditioning and I love talking to the people who work at the stores
I have nothing but nostalgic love for the mall. I was a young teen in the late 80s, and it was a great destination in spite of of a broken home. I had a job at the Arcade, got tokens if I was working or not. I wish they were still a thing now that oppressive heat is a feature of our lives.
Yes! Still going strong in Oklahoma are Penn Square, Quail Springs and Woodland Hills! I still love them, especially on a HOT day.
Glad my one mall is still lively. I love going to it because I hate ordering clothes or shoes online unless it’s me ordering it again or the same item in different color. I wear different pant sizes, shirt sizes, shoe sizes, etc depending on the brand. It’s a waste of my time to order something online and it not to fit so I have to return it. The other mall that’s here is almost dead. There’s not much left to it. There’s a few big stores like Kohls, Dicks, and Bath and Body Works but that’s about it. The way I look at it, if I was doing a shopping day I’d go to the other mall that has these things and more there or in a plaza right beside it.
Nope Nope don't say such things that is doomer words. Be positive many Malls are still loved the big issue is there are way too many Malls for it to be enjoyable. If you are in anywhere else but USA then malls are great just enough to have fun but the US Mall out grew need so you will see quite a few close but most are doing well.
Most of the malls around me tend to fall into one of two categories. Either they had nothing to drag people over there (old anchors nobody was interested in, no anchors period, and no real entertainment. I.E. bad management.) or they were in a shithole part of town.
I still love the mall. Every few weeks we drive about an hour in various directions to go to other malls just for something to do. I like to see what the scene is in other towns. Unfortunately more are drying than thriving these days. I think k it’s a combination of 1. People not having as much disposable income. Politics this century have really gutted the middle class. 2. Online shopping and China have made it easy to order online and sell it much cheaper. These days people look at most items as disposable so why pay extra for top of the line. Just buy the China version and throw away when you’re done with it. 3. Social media and online gaming - Malls used to be the cultural hub of the city it was in. It’s where people would go to learn about what was “In fashion” or the latest cool musical album being released at the music store. Kids and teenagers primarily went there to hang out with friends and to go on dates. In 2024, social media and online gaming systems have pretty killed all of that. 4. As others have said corporate greed! It’s way cheaper for them to ship things from a warehouse at a few locations than having stores and employees in every mall. Also, many of the items come from China, so that makes it much cheaper too. I was hopeful that after the Covid lockdowns, people would want to go back to brick and mortar stores, but that hasn’t been the case.
People go to malls for the atmosphere and to shop. If the mall doesn’t have shops that are people enjoy and the atmosphere isn’t pleasant, then it won’t last. If it doesn’t have restaurants/entertainment/theaters etc. within walking distance of the mall, then it likely won’t last. If the area the mall is built in becomes unsafe and crime ridden, people won’t go. As an example, I’m from North Houston. Back in the day, people went to Greenspoint Mall, it was the place to be. I remember going there when I was little. But then an off duty policewoman was murdered after shopping there and people stopped going, this was in about 91-92. 20 minutes down the freeway is the Woodlands Mall, that mall is doing great. It’s packed all the time, just like the old days. But a lot of thought was put in how to develop the area in & surrounding the mall. Greenspoint is in the ghetto, the whole area took a downturn. I’m surprised it’s still open. So malls don’t suck and that isn’t the general consensus. It’s on a case by case basis. A lot of it has to do w/ economics changing certain areas, shortsighted real estate developers, and lastly online shopping.
Hating on malls for driving small shops out of business: bad Hating on Amazon for driving malls out of business: good Did I get that right?
No, absolutely not. I specifically spoke on that in my post already and you still misinterpret me? Similarly barnes and noble drives out local bookstores, but then the internet destroys all bookstores including barnes and noble. I still love barnes and noble and starbucks, not necessarily if theyre hurting local stores though
But just because I like a local store doesn’t mean I have a right for it to exist (or that it has a right to exist). It’s the free market.
Ok but what does that even mean or pertain to? However I do think it leads to questions of large corporations just being able to snuff out smaller stores and put them out of business, while we’re on this subject. Sounds like you disagree plain and simple? Ok
Yes, I do. Your view is very popular and reasonable, but I don’t really have a problem with large businesses driving smaller stores out of business. I actually don’t even think that there is a distinction between large and small. There is a continuous gradation of business sizes with no dividing lines. Local businesses out-compete other businesses all the time; medium sized businesses outcompete small businesses. I don’t really see a distinction between these events or a natural place to draw the line. Just let the market work.
I understand what youre saying, but monopoly still poses a problem with capitalism. And I believe there is limits to monopolies at a high enough point
I think maintaining a monopoly is more difficult than ever, given that things can be shipped around the world. The more a monopoly company exploits its status by raising prices, the easier it is for a competitor to step in. There are tons of venture capitalists out there just waiting to take down monopolies..
These monopolies are able to buy these competitors out though. I think theres a certain point where theyre no longer able to buy out competitors. Im not an expert on this field though
Can you give a couple of examples of monopolies that exist today?
You never heard of big companies buying out other big companies? Also Im saying theres legal issues that arise and prevent true monopolies from occurring I believe
People don’t go to malls because they can get most of what they want online. Who wants to stand in line when you can get it online. The mall served its purpose and it’s dying out because it’s longer a necessity. In the olden days you had to go to a mall to get anything and everything from clothes to tech, online has taken that necessity away. However the smart mall owners are adding apartments to help the mall survive. If there is housing in the mall it’s easier for people to run down and grab something. They are also creating communities spaces for people to eat, and just hang out. Look at Spain, people hang out in areas where there are tons of food to enjoy life and family. It’s just part of moving forward. I don’t see anything wrong with progress. Better to have apartments and create housing then to have a shortage of housing when a dead mall can create useful spaces for everyone.
Fuck malls. What a massive waste of space that could easily be dedicated to infinitely more useful options for the community
All the groupthinkers mad to get called out even when it wasnt even directed at them, we’re doomed💀. Let the dislikes flood in vvv 🐑