The slow death of the American Mall......
- Thread starter lightbright
- Start date
I remember in the late 90s and early 2000s many of the malls ran the kids away with their mall cops, now those same kids are adults with those bad memories of the mall. It wasn't a "public space" for many those kids back in the day. The malls thought the good times would continue forever....lol
That's a full load of bullshit. I grew up in NYC where we didn't have malls as they just were not practical for the lay of the land. The only malls I really knew were in Toronto and other parts of NY, NJ and the US. Two off the major differences I noticed with other places across the US and Canada are the demographics and lay off the land. Then add in public transportation and weather. Malls are a practical if not logical response for a place people in a town or several towns can comfortably and conveniently purchase things. As you have to drive to almost everywhere when you don't live in a big city like NYC where driving can be a pain in the ass thus pocket.
Whether some of the stores in the malls were silly or not practical to some they were fun and inviting to others. It took me years to get into the mall vibe until I discovered billiards in Albion Mall. I'd spend hours playing pool while others would shop or window shop. I remember when my girl friend worked at Kmart in Albion Mall in Etobicoke, Ontario. It was the first and only Kmart I ever knew for many years until one came to Bay Plaza in NYC where also we finally got a mall about 5 years ago. Prior to that Bay Plaza had only been a strip mall. In years to come Kmart stores would dwindle while Wal-Mart became a juggernaut. One Wal-Mart would have damn near everything a strip mall and mall had to offer. Wal-Mart was the first major blow I noticed to malls and strip malls. Wal-Mart won't come to NYC because they would have to pay prevailing wages.
The most common issue I see with many failing malls is that they became too big, too abundant and ostentatious is some aspects. Then add to the mix extremely high gas prices and a failed economy--thanks to the GW Bush administration--that cultivated people to only purchase necessities. All the while many businesses with the foresight to do so started opening websites and offering people the option to shop online and save gas. Hell I go to stores like Levis and Old Navy and try on jeans and rarely every find my size of 34/36 but at least I know which particular model to go online and purchase when I get home. Otherwise I'll get some tight ass skinny jeans and have to send them back. Suffice to say when you live in a rural north America whether it's hot as fuck or cold as fuck outside folks are glad to be in a big ass climate controlled shopping center instead of having to walk or drive all around town to purchase items they want to physically see before purchasing.
.......You grow up pre 1980's Lexx ?Manhatten Mall.....100 W33rd St.......NYC....opening date 1989
Booklyn.......
Opening date: September 11, 1970
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Manhatten Mall.....100 W33rd St.......NYC....opening date 1989
Kings Plaza Mall
Booklyn.......
Opening date: September 11, 1970
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That A&S now known as Manhattan Mall is a lame imitation of a mall for those who know malls. That Macy's is north on the corner of 34th street doesn't help either. Not to mention the seemingly countless stores surrounding the area. There was even an "As Seen On TV" store one block north across the street between 34th and 35th on 6th Avenue. I'm not sure if that store is still around though. I never had any reason or desire to go to Kings Mall in Brooklyn. The most shopping I did in Brooklyn was on Fulton Street.
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