In the 1980's people wrote about malls as cultural centers, as temples to shopping. Now, they're dying.
Many observers are speculating about the growing trend of so-called dead malls: once-flourishing, large retail spaces that now have a high vacancy rate, low numbers of pedestrian traffic, or the lack of an "anchor" store (typically a department chain). Is it because of economic recession, or stagnant middle-class wages and growing income inequality? Or has the death of these malls been hastened by the rapid growth of online shopping?
It's difficult to say, but the dead mall phenomenon is becoming a cultural item of interest -- for retail historians, urban explorers and documentarians alike. We may read about dead malls in The New York Times or The Atlantic, but film footage can say much more than words.
Is Amazon to blame?
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Tuesday April 25 2017, @08:37PM
I've been to the newer lifestyle centers in the Phoenix area; there's no cover there. Rain isn't a big problem of course, but sunlight is. So they were really nice to visit in the winter (there is no fall or spring in Phoenix), but in the summer forget it. No thanks, I don't want to stroll around in 115 degree heat.