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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, @08:18PM
but I'm old enough to recall the difference between going to the mall with male friends (usually something only teenagers did -- and spent time at the arcade or eating mall food or whatever) vs. going to the mall with girlfriends.
Yep, that describes my teenage years pretty well: going to the mall with male friends, and hanging out at:
1) the arcade
2) food court
3) the ice cream shop
4) the music store
5) the book store (usu. Waldenbooks)
6) Radio Shack (making fun of their computers)
7) Sears electronics sections (and making fun of their computers too)